E02671: John Chrysostom composes a tract On Babylas and Against Julian and the Greeks, in which he recounts the martyrdom of *Babylas (bishop and martyr of Antioch, S00061), and the miraculous destruction of the temple of Apollo at Daphne; he mentions the relics of the martyr’s bones and chains. Written in Greek at Antioch (Syria), 378/379.

John Chrysostom, On Babylas and Against Julian and the Greeks (CPH 4348; BHG 208)

Summary:

1-22. The first part refers to the universal triumph of the Christian faith. Christ promised that those believing in Him would be able to perform the same and even greater miracles as he did (John 14.12), which none of the pagan sages had ever said. This oracle was fulfilled through the miracles of the apostles, described by the Acts of the Apostles. The Christian faith has triumphed through whole world thanks to the grace of Christ, which acted through the persons of simple people like the fisherman Peter and the tent-maker Paul. The miracles described in the Scripture are a living reality in the present era.

23-66. The second part recounts the story of Babylas. A certain emperor concludes a peace treaty with a Persian king. The Persian entrusts his young son to the emperor as a hostage in guarrantee of the peace, and requests that the boy be educated and raised as befits his noble origins. Betraying his trust, the emperor slays the boy. Because of this crime, Babylas, bishop of the Church of Antioch at the time, expels the emperor from his church. The emperor has the bishop arrested, and imprisoned. Babylas dies in gaol, wearing his fetters. He requests to be buried with his fetters, which are still preserved with the saint’s remains.

(63.) Ἵν’ οὖν μή τις τῶν ἀπίστων ἀνάγκην εἶναι νομίσῃ τοὺς ἄθλους καὶ κατηφείας αὐτὰ τῶν ἄθλων τὰ σύμβολα συνταφῆναι κελεύει τῷ σώματι δεικνὺς ὅτι λίαν αὐτὰ ἠσπάζετο καὶ ἐφίλει διὰ τὸ λίαν ἐκκρεμᾶσθαι τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ κεῖνται νῦν μετὰ τῆς τέφρας αἱ πέδαι πᾶσι παραινοῦσαι τοῖς τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν προεστῶσι κἂν δεθῆναι δέῃ, κἂν σφαγῆναι, κἂν ὁτιοῦν παθεῖν πάντα προθύμως καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ὑπομένειν τῆς ἡδονῆς ὥστε τῆς ἐμπιστευθείσης ἡμῖν ἐλευθερίας μηδὲ τὸ τυχὸν προδοῦναι καὶ καταισχῦναι μέρος.

(64.) Καὶ ὁ μὲν μακάριος ἐκεῖνος οὕτω λαμπρῶς τὸν βίον κατέλυσε, τάχα δέ τις καὶ ἡμᾶς οἴεται ἐνταῦθα καταλύσειν τὸν λόγον· μετὰ γὰρ τὴν τοῦ βίου τελευτὴν οὐκ εἶναι κατορθωμάτων οὐδὲ ἀνδραγαθίας ἀφορμὰς ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τοῖς ἀθληταῖς μετὰ τὸ παρελθεῖν τοὺς ἀγῶνας στεφάνους πλέκεσθαι δυνατόν. Ἀλλ’ Ἕλληνες μὲν εἰκότως ταῦτα νομίζουσιν ἐπειδὴ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὴν ἐλπίδα συνέκλεισαν τὴν αὐτῶν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οἷς ἑτέρας ζωῆς φαιδροτέρας ἀρχὴ ἡ ἐνθάδε γίνεται τελευτὴ ταύτης ἀφεστήκαμεν τῆς ὑπονοίας καὶ δόξης. Καὶ ὅτι δικαίως σαφέστερον μὲν καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ δείξομεν λόγῳ, τέως δὲ καὶ τὰ μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν τοῦ γενναίου κατορθώματα Βαβύλα ἱκανὰ πίστιν μεγάλην τῷ λόγῳ παρασχεῖν.

’63. Thus, lest any of the infidels regard his labours as a matter of coercion or inconvenience, he ordered that the very tokens of his labours be buried with his body, demonstrating that they were most welcome and dear to him, since he was wholly attached to the love of Christ. And now his fetters rest together with his ashes, exhorting all the heads of the churches – whether they have to be fettered, slaughtered, or whatever they may have to suffer – to persevere with willingness and great pleasure, lest they betray and dishonour even the slightest bit of the freedom which has been entrusted to us.

64. So, that blessed man finished his life as brilliantly as that, and one might think that we should also stand our account here. For, after the end of one’s life there are no chances of other achievements, just as it is impossible for athletes to be awarded wreaths of victory after the games are over. And it is indeed natural that the Greeks should have such beliefs, since they have limited their hope within the confines of the present life, whereas we, for whom death in this world becomes the prelude of another happier living, have given up this impression and tenet. And the fact that this is justified we shall demonstrate in another discourse, because noble Babylas’ posthumous feats are indeed able to add great credit to our discourse.’

67-97. A pious emperor (the Caesar Gallus, not named by the author) decides to have Babylas’ remains transferred to Daphne. The presence of the martyr’s shrine brings an end to the licentiousness of the popular suburb, and causes the oracle of Apollo to be silenced. Later another emperor (Julian, also not named), who embraces paganism, attempts to receive an oracle from Apollo. The demon replies that the presence of corpses prevents him from talking, and the emperor orders that the Christian shrine be removed. The remains of Babylas are returned to the place where they had been resting before being moved to Daphne. Fire from heaven destroys the roof of the temple and the statue of the god. The priest of Apollo is interrogated by torture about the perpetrator of the arson, but does not name anyone. The emperor does not dare take revenge, because he is afraid of the martyr.

98-113. This section is a response to a poem of lamentation for the destruction of the pagan shrine, written by the sophist of Antioch (Libanius).

114-126. Conclusions on the reasons why God punished only the demon Apollo and not the emperor.


Text: Schatkin, Blanc, Grillet 1990. Translation and summary: E. Rizos