An Ethiopic Letter of Timothy Ii of Alexandria Concerning The Death of Children

AN ETHIOPIC LETTER OF TIMOTHY II
OF ALEXANDRIA CONCERNING THE

DEATH OF CHILDREN
I. INTRODUCTION
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P A T R I A R C H T I M O T H Y I I (c.457-77) was very highly regarded
by his Church for his ascetic life as well as for his knowledge and
firm stand in defence of his Church against the Chalcedonians
and/or the Diphysites and the Eutychites. His ascetic life—he gave
the poor everything he had—had consumed his body so much that
his opponents called him Timothy the weasel, 'Aelurus'. Quite a
few of his writings, including the one under study, were penned
while in exile for upholding the faith he received from his pre-
decessors, St Cyril (412-44) and St Dioscorus (451 -4). A number of
his letters, showing the orthodoxy of his faith, have been already
published. 1
The present text is taken from E M M L ( = Ethiopian Manuscript
Microfilm Library) 6307, a microfilm of an undated manuscript
belonging to the church of Ladata in Yajju, Wollo (central
Ethiopia), copied in a late sixteenth-century hand (20-5 x 17 cm.,
81 ff., 2 cols., 19 lines to a column). 2 It contains: 1. A fragment of
a treatise on the resurrection, fos. 2 r ~3 v . 3 2. Three folios from the
beginning of a history of Alexander of Macedonia, fos. 4 r -6 v . 4
1
See, for example, R. Y. Ebied and L. R. Wickham (eds. and trs.), 'A Collection
of Unpublished Syriac Letters of Timothy Aelurus', JTS, NS xxi (1970), 321-69.
See also J. Lebon, 'La Christologie de Timothee Aelure', Revue d'histoire ecclesias-
tique, ix (1908), 677-702. Ebied and Wickham's introduction to their article contains
a succinct biography of Timothy with the relevant sources (ibid. 326, n. i)on the life
of the saint. To that one may add the information in the Ethiopic Synaxary, E. A.
Wallis Budge (tr.), The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church (Cambridge, 1928;
repr. New York, 1976), n 98 and 1238-41. Timothy was appointed Archbishop
of Alexandria when Proterius the pro-Chalcedonian Archbishop was found dead,
probably murdered by the Eutychians. Proterius died on the day he and the council
which he summoned excommunicated the heretics. The duration of Timothy's
patriarchate is not at all certain. Both Coptic and Ethiopian sources agree that he
reigned 22 years, ascending the throne of St Mark after the death of Proterius.
2
Not yet catalogued; deposited at the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library,
Collegeville, Minnesota, see n. 8 below.
3
Unidentified; stained with water. It is probably a unique text, with three parts:
tmsa'e mutan 'resurrection of the dead', wxsane tmia'e mutan 'judgement at (?) the
resurrection of the dead': and ta'dla ba-tmia'e mutan 'comfort through the
resurrection of the dead'. However, unknown number of folios are missing between
fo. 2 and fo. 3.
* The missing number of folios cannot be determined. It is probably a com-
position of a local scholar who used several sources, including the Ethiopic version of
the world history by Ibn 'AmTd, called locally Giyorgis Walda 'Amid. It contains
philosophical remarks of the wise men on the dead body of Alexander; incipit:
© Oxford University Press 1987
[Journal of Theological Studies, NS, Vol. 38, Pt. 1, April 1087]
AN ETHIOPIC LETTER OF TIMOTHY II 35
3. Two collections of questions by Antiochus and their answers
by Athanasius of Alexandria, (a) fos. 7r~32v and (b) fos. 33r-46v.5
4. The letter under study, fos. 46V~7V and 49r~54v.6 5. A collection
of stories aimed at consoling the grief-stricken, compiled by Elijah,
Bishop of Jerusalem, fos. S4V, 48™, and 55r-78v.7 6. A hymn to
Jesus Christ, aemtnah a'agarikd, fo. 79™.8 7. A colophon with a
long list of oriental teachers who supposedly translated 'this book',
fos. 79v and 80v.
The top margins of the folios where the last two items are copied
are marked with nazaze hazun 'comforter of the sorrowful', inspired
definitely by the title of the last item, nazaze takkuz wd-mdstdfsghe
hazun 'comforter of the distressed and joy-giver of the sorrowful'.
Since the manuscript is not well preserved and was rebound with
folios missing and some misplaced, one ought to ask whether
Archbishop Timothy's letter was an excerpt from Bishop Elijah's
compendium or homily. But it is not. The Bishop's nazaze takkuz
starts, in red ink, on the same folio where the letter of the Arch-
bishop ends (fo. 54V). It seems that the two items were put together
under one title because of the purpose of their composition, to
comfort the grief-stricken.
It is quite possible that Timothy's letter was taken from another
collection of writings, either the works of Timothy or of various
yabe sdhafe zsntu tarik, uid-sobd ndgs'a oskondar kwMo mdngxtatd sm-mssraq oskd
ma'rab . .. 'The writer of this history said: When Alexander ruled all kingdoms from
east to w e s t . . . "
5
Cf. PG, 28, 597-711; and G. Graf, Geschichte der christlichen arabischen
Literature, i [= Studie testi 118] (Vatican City, 1944), 312-13.
6
Rebound with some disorder; fo. 48 belongs to the next item.
' Incomplete at the end; see also n. 6 above. This text, too, is unique in Ge'ez
literature. Graf, Geschichte, i. 403, records a similar homily, on the same subject
(Homilie zum Troste in der Traurigheit), by a certain Elijah (Bishop) of Jerusalem,
who is definitely the Bishop of this text. If that is the case, the introduction of this
Ge'ez essay may contribute to the identity of Bishop Elijah. According to it, Elijah
[Elsyas] was 'bishop of Jerusalem [eppis qoppos zd-betd mdqdds (Arabic, al-quds)].
Before he became a monk, he was called 'Ali ibn 'Ubayd. He compiled this book and
sent it to an honoured man from the children of (one) Job [Iyyob, i.e. Ayyub], Abul
Qasim ibn Wahhab, and 'Abdullah ibn Sulayman . . .' fo. S4V. The three Elijahs of
Graf—Elias von Jerusalem (Graf, ibid. i. 403); Elias ibn 'Ubaid, Bischof von
Jerusalem; and Elias (IHTya) 'Ali ibn Ubaid Mufran von Damaskus (ibid, ii [= Studi
e testi 133] (Vatican City, 1947), p. 132)—are actually one and the same Elijah, the
bishop who was called 'Ali ibn 'Ubayd when he was a layman. Graf's problem is
apparently the fact that his sources do not call Elijah of Jerusalem 'Ali ibn 'Ubayd as
they do when they refer to him as the Bishop or Metropolitan of Damascus.
s
Found in several manuscripts (of the horologium); see, for example, EMML
2097, fo. 36r, Getatchew Haile and William Macomber, A Catalogue of Ethiopian
Manuscripts Microfilmed for the Ethiopian Manuscript Microfilm Library, Addis
Ababa, and for the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, Collegeville, vi (Collegeville
(Minnesota), 1982), 186.
36 GETATCHEW HAILE
Church Fathers. As one can see, it has an introduction, possibly by
the compiler of the collection from which it may have been taken.
The introduction seems to quote the letter of the Archbishop, but
that quotation, 'God forbid, that he ever does any deeds if he is not
aware that it is useful to man in all good deeds', is not found in the
part of the letter presented here.
The letter was addressed to Arbikaya, a certain woman who lost
all three of her children within a very short span of time. She wrote
the Archbishop demanding from him a theological or pastoral
explanation for her plight. The Archbishop's answers contain the
prevailing monastic views of the Desert Fathers, that man is born to
inherit the kingdom of God and not to enjoy life in this transient
world. The younger a man dies the better, for he dies without sins.
If he lives long, unless he chooses monastic life, he suffers worries in
this world and is liable to commit sins that would deprive him of the
life to come. Mothers are caretakers of God's children.
Timothy's reference to Cyril and Dioscorus shows the close
relationship and the respect for each other these religious leaders
had. As was the tradition in those days, Timothy ascended to the
throne by the recommendation, in fact the command, of Dioscorus
who was in turn a disciple of Cyril. Longinus was an ascetic from
Cilicia who moved to (the neighbourhood of) Alexandria and
worked many wonders in healing the sick. The particular miracle
narrated in Timothy's letter, raising a child who died of a snake bite,
is not found in the Ethiopic version of his acts, gddld longinos.
However, the gddl records another similar miracle. He (and his
teacher, Luqsyos 'Lucius') raised a dead boy to ask him where
he had deposited the trust of a certain woman who threatened to
enslave the father if she could not recover her money. The Tome of
Leo, which was reportedly torn down by Longinus, is mentioned in
the gddl. According to it, Abbot Longinus had led his monastic
community of Dabra M.ahaw (Arabic, Dayr az-Zujaj 'Monastery of
the Glass') or To Henaton,9 to a successful protest against the letter
of Emperor Marcian which demanded the acceptance of the Tome,
tamx lewon.10 Longinus was one of the leading monastic repre-
sentatives at the election and consecration of Timothy. 11
0
Abu Salih, the Armenian, B. T. A. Evetts (tr.), The Churches and Monasteries of
Egypt
10
and Some Neighbouring Countries (1895, repr. Oxford, 1969), 229.
EMML 1840, fo. 29r, Getatchew Haile and William F. Macomber, A Cata-
logue, v (Collegeville (Minnesota), 1981), 344; see also EMML 1826, fos. 3Ov-43v,
ibid. 273. For an Arabic text of the Acts of Longinus and his spiritual father, see
Graf, Geschichte, i. 520. For the Diphysite interpretation of the Tome of Leo, see
T. Herbert Bindley and F. W. Green, The Oecumenical Documents of the Faith
(London, 1950), 159-80.
11
See also W. H. C. Frend, The Rise of the Monophysite Movement (Cambridge,
1972), 155-
Like many of the items in EMML 6307, the letter under study
seems to be unique; catalogues of the known Ethiopic manuscripts
do not show the existence of another copy of this text. Nor did an
investigation of the thousands of uncatalogued microfilms at the
Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, where EMML manuscripts are
deposited, produce another copy of it. This makes it difficult to
reconstruct the original Ge'ez (or Ethiopic) version. In some places,
the text manifests violations of the Ge'ez grammar, part of which
could be attributed, no doubt, to its copyist. In addition, an attempt
has Been made to proof-read it and introduce a few, though for-
tunately insignificant, corrections, obviously by a later hand and
possibly by common sense rather than against any other copy. What
is published here is the 'corrected' or the slightly altered text. On
the other hand, this copy may have been made at the time of the
letter's translation into Ge'ez, obviously from Arabic, or only a few
years later. The hand is most probably from the time of Emperor
Sarza Dangal (1563-97). This was a part of one of those periods of
Ethiopian Church history during which translation from Arabic
flourished.
With the exception of the multiple dots, each of which I reduced
to four, and the paragraphing, which is also mine, what we have
here is an effort to reproduce the text as it appears on the microfilm.
Words or phrases not found in the Ge'ez text, but which are neces-
sary in the English, have been added in parenthesis.
38 GETATCHEW HAILE
I I . T E X T , E M M L 6 3 0 7 , F O S . 4 6 V - 7 V AND 4 9 r - 5 4 v
'^f0*fh>
h h° (f° 47O •}?•.
>uh°-huts- niriL-
•h
" Corrected from fl)-lT' •» Variant of

14 15
For ">YT.*- ' For'tltp: (?fem.).
'- fl)ii,J,N.imftB T
• H.
16
Probably Arabic
" Probably ^ ( ^ 0
18
Probably A'J>/): " For
20 S1
For jitfDfl)iT-- Corrected from (Q^'
40 GETATCHEW HAILE
d)°Wl<?'-'Jiwl'i>H
* Slh -
- rrswfcfiiM
Vh-
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For
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30
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33
« For H 5 i ^ ^ > A t ^ •• For
42 GETATCHEW HAILE
fcy
*i» <h£KfV- V i f linn*'-
<S•.#£<>'HO-ft (fo.5o0
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nt-tite
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37 : 3a 3
For
• " • i i '(1 ^ 1 Corrected from (g ft (]: » Corrected from (> ^ "
40
Probably t O tv%- ? 4- «' The ft is not clear; "ft ?
43
AN ETHIOPIC LETTER OF TIMOTHY II
" For <M1

« Probably H f c ^
« Probably ^ ffD f^ '
« For "tfjft :
H'-
44 GETATCHEW HAILE
'- Irtish--
W'W- (Q%f>£'hL-
- ATI-'
» For "JSjfO" « Probably " ^ ;

" The T is not clear; "h ? « Probably "I ? £ ? :
: Yi(b\b--ttebqv-a>f>.
M" Wan-.
-V?/WWMb
' Kibe*
c
tytr*h.ft \'h'hic°ti:
--- {O^(hhlu-Lio.'TJ(hc:
: YiKH
60
Probably the phrase <( Oi f-.(0/'*!fcV : is missing.
61
For 4 C " Probably ' ^ ^
: Yx
Hie• -fyhtl-- O»Hi:

- d)HMnA• / V Y ^ G •- afiXbt)•• r^n
GETATCHEW HAILE
For
HWL*
46
- $t>*cW-
- HP-
n-o I + 4 I •
54
For rfyflfl.: " For ^
" For "YT I*1 CfO •• " For T ( P G l f *• (Arabism)
68
Probably f l ^ " " Probably COVi" or "VS
48 GETATCHEW HAILE
tsA •
--ah
/
?A-fc+I (P
Pi:--
- Kfl- H
60
For t^tff ; see n. 44 above (and the <S for fcj in (DnTpVi in the
following sentence).
82
•' For /iH'T" For "
am
r <D-htf»/r-
£vVrf*- T
83
Some words, including a negative verb, are probably missing. See the last
question sentence at the end of this paragraph. Or the word (Ofl'fc : in the next line
should be H t f / l P t
Today (f-tjii^ : es p o r
50 GETATCHEW HAILE
- <h t\f> ••
III. TRANSLATION
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God.
A missive of the holy Timothy, Archbishop of the great city,
Alexandria, which he wrote to a woman called Arbikaya, a lady and
an honoured woman, when66 her children died suddenly while her
husband was on a trading journey.
She sent (a missive) to the holy Timothy when she was grieved at
heart because of the loss of her children. When a cause for sorrow
befell her, she said, 'Is God really angry with me and brought this
upon me because of my sins?' The blessed Archbishop hastened
to write her in order to comfort her and gladden her. He said to her
(fo. 47r)» 'God forbid, that he ever does any deed if he is not aware
that it is useful to man in all good deeds.' He wrote this missive
while he had been exiled in the city of Gangra, in the place where his
like and partner, father Dioscorus, the Archbishop, the confessor,
went to his rest. He said:67
Behold, I received the missive which was sent from the beauty
of your worship to my wretchedness and read it with many tears
because—believe me—the words of your statement in your letter
have in them the ability to shake big stones and move them to shed
rivers of tears. 68 As I was in great grief, mourning, and lamenting as
though I saw the corpses of your small children, at that time, I heard
the voice of the creator of us all admonishing me, saying to me like
this, 'Do you suppose, O man, that your tender mercy is greater
than mine? And do you make me one who has no compassion which
I equal (to yours), and who does not give the comfort: 'Hinder not
the children come to me; for to such belongs the kingdom of the
heavens'? 69 While he, who helps with the work of his hands,
comforts it70 and gladdens me with this voice, at that time, I woke
up from my great grief, which dwelt in me. I, therefore, start
writing the answer to you according to the thought in the words
(fo. 47V) of your wisdom.
*' Lit. 'because'.

" The introduction, which ends here, does not seem to be part of Timothy's letter.
*8 Lit. 'tears of rivers'. •• Mark 10: 14.
70
'my soul'? The text here is probably corrupt; it may mean, 'While he comforts
and gladdens his handiwork with this voice,. . .'
And now, you, O chosen woman, you said at the beginning of
your missive, 'My children were three. 71 Behold, the time of their
lives ended suddenly.' You also said, 'My grief is greater, and is much
more, than the grief of the righteous Job because grief befell Job in
one day; and his children died together at one time. I, however,
became like a furnace in which heat of flame burns. Its fire throws
flames turn by turn from those who burn (in) it time and again, at
different times. This is the likeness of my life. When I console my
heart from the mourning of one (child), the grief of the second is
renewed in me. When I want to be consoled from (the loss of) one
(child), the second falls sick suddenly, without my knowledge, and
dies in front of me. And while I was still burying the second, the
third, too, fell sick and died. 72 Behold, God took away the three of
them. My heart is broken and my grief has grown immensely, for
they burnt my heart with what befell them, and put my intestines on
fire. Behold, I am likened to a man whom they torture at the court of
justice, who is in the middle of condemners who have no mercy,
who do not give him a rest for a moment, whether to eat or to drink,
but who drop a little water in his mouth (only) so that the suffering
of condemnation may increase on the one who is condemned.' The
word(s) of your missive were like these and the like (fo. 49 r ).
Now, listen, O my daughter, to what I say to you, and give ear
to the word(s) of your father:73 Does not a woman, when she gives
birth to a child, give him 74 to a nurse? And does not the nurse take all
the toil with him when she accepts (the child)? Nights, too, she toils
for him with great diligence, and loses (her) sleep. Sometimes she
carries him with her hands (and) makes him suck milk from her
breasts. 75 Then after (all) this affliction, when his parents want to
take him from her, can the nurse resist them and make them forsake
him? Rather, the parents of the child would say this to her, 'O
woman, behold, you have fulfilled (your duty) that you should be
paid the wage of your toil.' In the example of this, the Almighty
God has, likewise, made you a nurse and caretaker for his children.
When he wanted to take them to his kingdom which is in the
heavens, you started to resist him and oppose him, because it is
impossible that you say to him daringly and in dispute, 'Why is it
that they do not die in one day like the children of Job?'
Behold, I will tell you the reason for this. Because your children
were young, they loved each other. For this reason, when one died
before the other and saw that delight and happiness in the heavens,
" Or'I had three children'. " Lit.'slept'.
73
An allusion to Ps. 44(45): 10. '* i.e. 'the child'.
76
The literature of the time indicates that this was a common practice in the
Middle East.
52 GETATCHEW HAILE
he petitioned God that his brother may come and follow him where
he is and enjoy (himself) with (fo. 49v) him in that good (greenery).
Likewise, this second, too, petitioned for the third. This way God
granted them their wishes.
Behold, there are some people who bring much money and
countless present(s) to kings in order that they may appoint their
sons in any of the ranks of the knights, and they make them soldiers.
But for you, behold, your children are counted in the number of the
host of heavenly angels, and so they shall come, wearing crowns,
with the King Christ, when he comes in glory. And you are grieved
because of this transient pleasure into which you cared to find them
here and in this transient land.76 When serving a king of the perish-
ing world, it seems to you, furthermore, that there would be no one
who could harm them. As for your children, behold, the King of the
heavens and earth willed to adorn them with crown(s) of the king-
dom in the glory of his Father.
You, with your people, cry and lament because you" had wanted
that they78 remain after you for seed. You say,79 'Who would
administer our properties so that our memory may not perish and
be lost from the earth by the death of our children?' Abandon from
yourself this matter of foolishness and listen to the real word of
truth (fo. 5or). Do you wish to have name(s) on the earth that
pass(es) away like smoke, and hate the world that lives forever and
the kingdom that will not pass away, where there is neither illness
nor death, neither hunger nor thirst? Behold, we see many people
rejoice and exult when their children fornicate, (but) when they go
to monasticism, wishing to procure purity, they tear their clothes
and pull our their hair and cry.
And now, you, O wise woman, you said, 'When I see the children
of my neighbour(s) and of the people of my country adorned with
fine clothes, rejoicing and playing, at that time Satan brings to my
heart blasphemy and cursing, if (only) it were not for the fear of God
that prevents my heart and reins it in.' I will tell you, O my lady,
what you should say before the blasphemies of that deceiver and
that one of arrogant heart, which is the cursed devil. Say to him,
therefore, when littleness of spirit and narrowness of chest come
upon you, 'As for me, if I want my children, after a short time I shall
not be left unseparated from them, with them being far from me. If
I am worthy of seeing them in the kingdom of the heavens, I am
not far from them forever.'80 Abuse not, now, the Almighty who
'* The text lacks clarity at this point. " Plural.
'" i.e. 'the children'. '* Lit. 'said'.
80
Not clear, but one detects an allusion to Mark 12: 34, 'You are not far from the
kingdom of God.'
V
knows what is useful for every and (fo. 5O ) each one of us, much
more (than) what we know for ourselves. Behold, when the Apostle
Peter recognized this trial, he said, 'Cast all your anxieties on him,
for he cares about you.'81
If82 your mind is not on these words which I say to you, and they83
do not suffice for your consolation, listen further, O God-loving
one, to the matter of light which I will tell you, which is impossible
to dispute, because the trustworthy man, that is, our father Abba
Dioscorus, Archbishop of Alexandria, told (it) to me. He said:
When I was a deacon during my youth, and was living with my
father Archbishop Abba Cyril, there was a man, a very trustworthy
layman. He was fond of Abba Longinus, the martyr84 who tore
down the Tome of Leon, the heretic,85 and threw it away (and) who
died (just) before this day. This layman was always accustomed
to coming to Abba Longinus and being blessed by him. He had
trusted him for a great faith.86 The layman had one son who was an
only one for him; he had no other than him. While that boy was
walking with his father on the road to go to the holy Longinus, there
came suddenly a snake with two horns and bit the boy (on) his legs
and so he died instantly. But that Christ-loving layman (fo. 5ir)>
the father of the boy, cast his anxiety on God: He carried his dead
son and went to Abba Longinus to be blessed by him, as he was
accustomed. He strengthened his heart that he might not cry. When
he knocked (at) the door, as he was accustomed, Abba Longinus
came out to him and received him rejoicing and exulting. In those
days Abba Longinus was living in the city of Alexandria. When the
holy Longinus saw the child, his father carrying him, he held him
with his hands to take him from him.87 At that moment the child
revived and shouted at his father, saying, 'Truly I say to you,
0 my father, I did not like my coming here today, to this holy Abba
Longinus, because if I had not come, I would not have risen up after
1 slept a sweet sleep. For that good (greenery) of which I was taking,
I have never eaten like it from the time I was created until now. Nor
is the eye of man able to look at it; and the mouth of the son of man
cannot describe its greatness either. O father, I am burnt by the love
of the greenery which my soul saw; and I liked it much more than
your love. If you love me, let me go to the place from which I came.'
And the (fo. si v ) child turned to holy Abba Longinus, and said to
him, 'Now to you, O my father, what is my crime which I committed
81 8f 83
i Pet. 5: 7. Lit. 'because'. Lit. 'it/he'.
84
Or 'witness'. Here martyrdom does not mean dying for one's faith, but the
readiness for it.
86 8
Or 'the denier'. ' i.e. 'he had trusted his great faith.'
87
i.e. 'to take the child from the father'.
54 GETATCHEW HAILE
against you, and what is the88 sin which I sinned? For you came
after me and snatched me away from the middle of that good
(greenery, and brought me) to this land which is filled with agony.'
Hearing this, the holy one wondered and was astounded because he
did not know what had happened. He said to the father of the child,
'Tell me the reason of the matter which this child of yours speaks?
For the words of his statement astound me very much. I do not
know what it is.' The father of the child answered saying to him,
'O my lord and my father, you know my affection for you. No one
knows my deed(s)89 except God and you. For when I was walking
today in the morning with my son outside the city to come to your
holiness, a snake bit my son in front of me. At that time, while
we were on the road (he died). But because of the greatness of my
faith,90 I carried him to you, without disturbance or shock. I never
cried. Rather, I was firmly patient, and I composed my anxiety
until I came to your holiness. Behold,.here I am; you91 see what
God worked because of your prayer, O my holy father. And (now)
he wants to let me go (back alone).' The holy Abba Longinus turned
to the child and said to him, 'Explain to me (fo. 521"), my son, what
happened to you. And what is it that you saw? Come on, explain to
me.' The child said to him, 'While I was walking with my father,
behold, a snake with two horns bit me (on) my leg. At that time I
saw a man of a shining appearance, clothed with glittering clothes,
standing by me. He kissed me (on) my mouth and said to me:
"Come, let us go, O my son." He took me into the Garden of Eden
and showed me trees which bear many fruits in that place. I have
never seen any like them (before). Then he took me to the presence
of Our Lord Jesus Christ. At that time he commanded that they
take me to the children who are like me. While I was exultant
among those children and they were feeding me from that good
(greenery)—the greatness of whose beauty or the savor of whose
taste no one from among men is able to describe—without my
knowledge, I saw you when you arrived in their midst and snatched
me from them and brought me here. And now I ask you, O my holy
father, to send me to them that I may live with them for92 I am
possessed by grief and shock because of my separation from them.'
When the child finished his story, the holy Abba Longinus said
to him, 'Go your way in peace, my son.' At that time the child
slumbered and slept (fo. 52V). The holy Longinus turned around
and said to the father of the child, 'It is better for you that your son
be near God than you leaving a name in this world that would be a
88 Probably, 'my'. " i.e. 'the affection'.

*° Probably, 'but because of the greatness of my trust in your faith, . . .'
*' Probably, 'Behold, you yourself . . . " •* Lit. 'until'.
seed for you.' Returning home, the father of the child told his wife
all that happened to her son, consoling and gladdening her. She,
too, told this to her neighbours and relatives. This matter was heard
(widely) until it reached the holy Cyril. And he stood up immediately
and went to Longinus. When he asked him about the matter, he93
wanted to conceal (it) from him because of his exceeding modesty.
But when the Archbishop compelled him, he feared lest the rule of
transgression and disobedience might befall him. At that time he
admitted the words of truth and told him all that happened. He94
said to him, 'it is by your holy prayer that everything was done.'
Behold, I told you, O God-loving one, and explained to you all
that I have heard from my father. Compose your thoughts, O my
honoured lady, and keep what you hear, and say, 'Yes.'95 And let the
word(s) of admonition enter your heart. For your children were
living yesterday and now God took them to him, where there is
no death, so that they may live with him forever. For he wants the
entrance of children into this world and their exit from it in purity
through a (fo. 531") good harbour. For my father the holy Dioscorus
had told me saying that when children die, the angels of God come
in the likeness of their parents for their reception. When they see
their likeness, their soulsflyto them due to the greatness of the taste
of the happiness.
What happiness, greater than this one, would happen to a man
born in this world as when he dies while he is a sinless child? As for
a man of mature body, he knows good and bad and does not find rest
in regard to his flesh. But if he dies before he reaches maturity,
he would be free from the heat of the taste of lust which burns
more than theflameof fire. If he is one who has a wife, he would be
afflicted by96 family rule(s) and the like in the needs of life. And if
he procures children, he would toil (still) further with all his might,
until death for their sake in extreme diligence. After (all) this toil
and affliction which he experiences, he would worry further, saying,
'How will the life of my children be when I leave them to go to that
from which I shall not return?' His affliction and sorrow would
worsen, especially if he is poor and one of those who suffer misery.
Behold, we see many at the time (fo. 53V) of their death wanting to
talk with their children (about) important matter(s) or to tell them
their secret(s) but could not because their mouth(s) would not help
them to respond with a single word when death meets them sud-
denly and when fear of it besieges them.
Monks, however, understood this and knew that there is neither
benefit nor health in the life of this world. It is for this reason that
*3 i.e. 'Longinus'. ** Probably, 'Cyril'.
85
An allusion to Jas. 4: 7. ** Lit. 'of.
56 GETATCHEW HAILE
they are in the mountains and wildernesses all the days of their
live(s). There are also many fruits which appear big on the plants. It
seems to me that they are like the good (greenery) and useful ones.
But when the time of reaping approaches, we find them rotten and
spoilt by worms. Likewise, a shipowner does not rejoice when he
fills his ships and loads them with wealth of goods but when he
arrives at the harbours; at that time he rejoices and exults.97
You, however, O chosen one, you wanted your children to live
in this world only. But God, may his name be blessed, wanted their
souls to live forever. If you want to do the will (of) him in whom you
trust when you pray saying, 'Thy will be done',98 behold, the will
of the Father has been fulfilled and his (fo. 54"") pleasure has taken
place. If you cast your anxiety on him and trust in him, he knows
what is useful for you.
We have never heard that there is a father who died instead of his
son. But we have heard that there were some fathers who brought
their children (as) offerings to demons, wanting to please them99
with such (deeds). But God the Almighty sent his Son for the love of
man, and he was crucified for your100 sake. Look, therefore, at the
greatness of the mercy of God, and admire the enormity of his
goodness. Now whence is the nature of man constructed? And
whence does it find pleasure, will of flesh and intimacy with women
in natural lust? Is it not by the command of God that the mould was
completed, whether of male or female, like the farmer who toils on
the land and prepares it as he wants? How is it then (with) God who
himself created man, and who has authority over all, to take away
the children as well as the aged?101 And those who do good (deeds)
he takes to his kingdom. For if one of the claywares is broken, after a
potter102 has toiled for it and was exhausted, does not the potter feel
very sorry about it, remembering the exhaustion from his toil? How
is it that God, creator of (fo. S4V) nature, would not grieve for the
soul that goes into perdition?
This word of admonition suffices for you, O wise woman,
because, behold, you know and understand that it is in great
affliction, to which no more can be added, that I now live. For this
reason, it is not possible for me to expand the essay by sweetening
(it). But let God, the God of all, strengthen you103 in the perfect
" There is some lack of clarity here, but the idea is that one should always
concern oneself with the end of life in this world rather than with the beginning and
the in-between. •* Luke 11:2.
88 l0
i.e. 'the demons'. ° Plural.
101
The text seems to be corrupt here. A comparison of it with the sentences of the
example that follows suggests that it might have been, 'How is it then (with) God
who himself created man should not have authority over all, . . .?'
102 IOS
Lit. 'his'. Plural.
Orthodox faith and grant well-being and peace to the churches. And
I pray and petition for you104 that you may be saved by the power of
the Holy Trinity. Glory, praise and thanksgiving are proper to him,
now, always and from eternity to eternity. Amen and amen.
GETATCHEW HAILE
104
Plural.

An Ethiopic Letter of Timothy Ii of Alexandria Concerning The Death of Children

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An Ethiopic Letter of Timothy Ii of Alexandria Concerning The Death of Children

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AN ETHIOPIC LETTER OF TIMOTHY II

OF ALEXANDRIA CONCERNING THE

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88 Probably, 'my'. " i.e. 'the affection'.

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