r this unspeakable comeliness of Christ that fired
the hearts of the Apostolic Quire and of the Martyr folk to despise the
things that are seen, and all this temporal life, and the rather to
choose ten thousand forms of death and torture, being enamoured of his
heavenly beauty, and bearing in mind the charm that the divine Word
used for to win our love. Such was the fire that was kindled in the
soul of this fair youth also, noble in body, but most noble and kingly
in soul, that led him to despise all earthly things alike, to trample
on all bodily pleasures, and to contemn riches and glory and the praise
of men, to lay aside diadem and purple, as of less worth than cobwebs,
and to surrender himself to all the hard and irksome toils of the
ascetic life, crying, "O my Christ, my soul is fixed upon thee, and thy
right hand hath upholden me."

Thus, without looking back, he passed into the depth of the desert;
and, laying aside, like a heavy burden and clog, the stress of
transitory things, he rejoiced in the Spirit, and looked steadfastly on
Christ, whom he longed for, and cried aloud to him, as though he were
there present to hear his voice, saying, "Lord, let mine eyes never
again see the good things of this present world. Never, from this
moment, let my soul be excited by these present vanities, but fill mine
eyes with spiritual tears; direct my goings in thy way, and show me thy
servant Barlaam. Show me him that was the means of my salvation, that
I may learn of him the exact rule of this lonely and austere life, and
may not be tripped up through ignorance of the wiles of the enemy.
Grant me, O Lord, to discover the way whereby to attain unto thee, for
my soul is sick of love for thee, and I am athirst for thee, the well
of salvation."

These were the thoughts of his heart continually, and he communed with
God, being made one with him by prayer and sublime meditation. And
thus eagerly he pursued the road, hoping to arrive at the place where
Barlaam dwelt. His meat was the herbs that grow in the desert; for he
carried nothing with him, as I have already said, save his own bones,
and the ragged garment that was around him.

But whilst he found some food, though scanty and insufficient, from the
herbs, of water he was quite destitute in that waterless and dry
desert. And so at noon-tide, as he held on his way under the fierce
blaze of the sun, he was parched with thirst in the hot drought of that
desert place, and