Acta Thomae

16 And I came out of the East by a road difficult and fearful, with two guides,

17 and I was untried in travelling by it.

18 And I passed by the borders of the Mosani (Maishan) where is the resort of the merchants of the East,

19 and reached the land of the Babylonians ‹and came unto the walls of Sarbug›.

20 But when I entered into Egypt, the guides left me which had journeyed with me.

21 And I set forth by the quickest way to the serpent, and by his hole I abode,

22 watching for him to slumber and sleep, that I might take my pearl from him.

23 And forasmuch as I was alone I made mine aspect strange, and appeared as an alien to my people.

24 And there I saw my kinsman from the East, the free-born

25 a lad of grace and beauty, a son of princes (or an anointed one).

26 He came unto me and dwelt with me,

27 and I had him for a companion, and made him my friend and partaker in my journey (or merchandise).

28 And I charged him to beware of the Egyptians, and of partaking of those unclean things (or consorting with those unclean men).

29 And I put on their raiment, lest I should seem strange, as one that had come from without

30 to recover the pearl; and lest the Egyptians should awake the serpent against me.

31 But, I know not by what occasion, they learned that I was not of their country.

32 And with guile they mingled for me a deceit, and I tasted of their food.

33 And I knew no more that I was a king’s son, and I became a servant unto their king.

34 And I forgat also the pearl for which my fathers had sent me,

35 and by means of the heaviness of their food I fell into a deep sleep.

36 But when this befell me, my fathers also were ware of it, and grieved for me,

37 and a proclamation was published in our kingdom, that all should meet at our doors.

38 And then the kings of Parthia and they that bare office and the great ones of the East

39 made a resolve concerning me, that I should not be left in Egypt,

40 and the princes wrote unto me signifying thus [*]((and every noble signed his name to it, Syr.)):

41 From the (thy) Father the King of kings, and thy mother that ruleth the East,

42 and thy brother that is second unto us; unto our son that is in Egypt, peace.

43 Rise up and awake out of sleep, and hearken unto the words of the letter,

44 and remember that thou art a son of kings; lo, thou hast come under the yoke of bondage.

45 Remember the pearl for the which thou wast sent into Egypt [*]((Gr. puts this after 46).)

46 Remember thy garment spangled with gold,

47 ‹and the glorious mantle which thou shouldest wear and wherewith thou shouldest deck thyself.›

Thy name is named in the book of life,

48 and with thy brother whom thou hast received ‹thou shalt be› in our kingdom.

49 ‹And my letter was a letter›

and the King [as ambassador] sealed it ‹with his right hand›

50 because of the evil ones, even the children of the Babylonians and the tyrannous demons of Labyrinthus [*]((Sarbug, Syr.).)

51 ‹It flew like the eagle, the king of all fowls.

52 It flew and lighted down by me, and became all speech.›

53 And I at the voice of it and the feeling of it started up out of sleep,

54 and I took it up and kissed it ‹and brake the seal› and read it.

55 And it was written concerning that which was recorded in mine heart.

56 And I remembered forthwith that I was a son of kings, and my freedom yearned (sought) after its kind.

57 I remembered also the pearl for the which I was sent down into Egypt,

58 and I began (or came) with charms against the terrible serpent,

59 and I overcame him (or put him to sleep) by naming the name of my Father upon him,

60 ‹and the name of our second in rank, and of my mother the queen of the East›.

61 And I caught away the pearl and turned back to bear it unto my fathers.

62 And I stripped off the filthy garment and left it in their land,

63 and directed my way forthwith to the light of my fatherland in the East.

64 And on the way I found my letter that had awakened me,

65 and it, like as it had taken a voice and raised me when I slept, so also guided me with the light that came from it.

66 For at times the royal garment of silk ‹shone› before mine eyes,

67 ‹and with its voice and its guidance it also encouraged me to speed,›

68 and with love leading me and drawing me onward,

69 I passed by Labyrinthus (Sarbug), and I left Babylon upon my left hand,

70 and I came unto Meson (Mesene; Maishan) the great,

71 that lieth on the shore of the sea,

72 ‹and my bright robe which I had taken off, and the mantle wherewith I had been clad,

73 from the heights of Warkan (Hyrcania?) had my parents sent thither

74 by the hand of their treasurers, unto whom they committed it because of their faithfulness›.