Ὁ Βίος Βαρλαὰμ καὶ Ἰωασάφ,
Barlaami et Joasaphi VitaThere is extant in the various European libraries a religious romance, or, as some have
regarded it, a history, Ὁ Βίος Βαρλαὰμ καὶ
Ἰωασάφ,
Barlaami et Joasaphi Vita, as yet
unpublished, except in versions, especially in an ancient Latin version,
De Barlaam et Josaphat Historia, to which, in the printed editions,
the name of Georgius Trapezuntius is often prefixed, but which is much more ancient than the
time in which he lived [
GEORGIUS, No. 48], and is ascribed by some
to Anastasius Bibliothecarius, a writer of the 8th century. The work professes to contain
the account of the conversion of Joasaph or Josaphat, son of Abenner, an idolatrous and
sensual Indian king, and a persecutor of the Christian monks of India, because they had
induced some of his nobles to forsake a luxurious life, and become solitaries. Joasaph, a
youth pursuing his studies, was converted by Barlaam, a Christian, with whom he met, and
whose various instructions to him are given at considerable length. Suspicion arising from
their
frequent conferences, Barlaam was compelled to fly, and Josaphat had to
encounter reproaches from his father, and temptations, by which it was hoped to lead him
into sin. He succeeded in converting his principal opponents, and at length his father, on
whose death he came to the throne, but soon resigned it, retired to solitude, and lived many
years with his old friend Barlaam, whom he succeeded in finding. On the death of Barlaam he
buried him, and on his own death was buried near him.
Authorship
The writer professes to have derived his narrative from some pious men of Aethiopia
Interior, "quos Indos vocant;" and is himself described in MSS. as Ἰωάννης μοναχὸς ἀνὴρ τίμιος καὶ ἐνάρετος μονῆς τοῦ ἁγίου
Σάβα, "John the Monk, an honourable and virtuous man of the monastery of St.
Saba." It is ascribed by some, especially by Billy, who argues the point at some length, to
Joannes Damascenus [DAMASCENUS], who was a monk of St. Saba; but
Le Quien did not include it in his edition of the works of that father. Others ascribe it
to a Joannes Sinaita or Joannes of Mt. Sinai, others to Joannes Climacus. [CLIMACUS.]
Editions
The Latin version has been published, however, by other editors among the works of
Damascenus, and separately by Billy, 12mo. Antwerp, 1602. There are two more
ancient editions, one a small folio in black letter, the other in
4to.: neither of them have any indication of time or place. There are also two
ancient editions, one in black letter, printed at Augsburg about A. D.
1470; the other also at Augsburg, perhaps about A.
D. 1477.