or EPHRAIM, a Syrian, born at Nisibis, flourished
He spent his youth in diligent study, and devoted himself at first to a monastic life, but
afterwards went to Edessa, where he was ordained deacon. He refused to proceed to the higher
orders of the ministry, and is even said to have played the part of Brutus, by feigning
madness in order to avoid elevation to the bishopric. He formed a close friendship with Basil,
bishop of Caesareia, and shared his acrimony against the Arians and other heretics, whom he
attacks with the violence characteristic of his age. He appeared in a truly Christian light at
the time of a famine at Edessa, when he not only assisted the suffering poor with the greatest
energy and most zealous kindness, but also actively exerted himself in urging the rich to deny
themselves for their brethren's good. Sozomen (3.15) speaks with admiration of the manner in
which Christianity had subdued in him a naturally irascible temper, and illustrates it by a
pleasing anecdote, amusing from its quaint simplicity. At the conclusion of a long fast,
Ephraem's servant let fall the dish in which he was bringing him some food. His alarm at
having thus spoiled his master's dinner was removed by hearing him say, " Never mind, since
the food has not come to us, we will go to it." Whereupon Ephraem sat down on the floor and
ate the scraps left in the fragments of the broken dish. He died about
Ephraem knew no language but his native Syrian, though nearly all his works are translated into Greek, and were formerly held in such high esteem, that portions of them were sometimes read in churches after the gospel for the day.
The first consists of various treatises, partly on subjects solely theological, as the Priesthood, Prayer, Fasting, &c., with others partly theological and partly moral, as Truth, Anger, Obedience, Envy.
The second contains many epistles and addresses to monks, and a collection of apophthegms.
The third consists of several treatises or homilies on parts of Scripture and characters in the Old Testament, as Elijah, Daniel, the Three Children, Joseph, Noah. Photius gives a list of 49 homilies of Ephraem (Cod. 196), but which of these are included in Voss's edition it is impossible to ascertain, though it is certain that many are not.
There have been several editions of separate works.
Ephraem is also said to be the author of an immense number of songs. He began to write them in opposition to Harmonius, the son and disciple ot Bardesanes the heretic, who composed poetry involving many serious errors of doctrine, some of which were not only of an heretical but even of an heathen character, denying the resurrection of the body, and containing views about the nature of the soul extracted from the writings of pagan philosophers. These songs had become great favourites among the common people, and Ephraem, to oppose their evil tendency, wrote other songs in similar metres and adapted to the same music of a pious and Christian character.
Sozomen, l.c. ; Theodoret, 4.27; Cave, Script. Eccl.
Hist. Liter. part 1. sec. 4; C. Lengerke, Commentalio Critica de
Ephraemo Syrio SS interprete, qua simul Versionis Syriacae, quam Peschito vocant, Lectiones
variae ex Ephraemo Commentariis collectae, exhibentur, Halle, 1828, and De Ephraemi Syri arle hermeneutica liber, 1831.