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MANY monastical institutions flourished in Palestine, Many of
those whom I enumerated under the reign of Constantius were still
cultivating the science. They and their associates attained the summit
of philosophical perfection, and added still greater reputation to
their monasteries; and among them Hesycas, a companion of Hilarion,
and Epiphanius, afterwards bishop of Salamis in Cyprus, deserve to
be particularly noticed. Hesycas devoted himself to a life of
philosophy in the same locality where his master had formerly resided;
and Epiphanius fixed his abode near the village of Besauduc, which
was his birthplace, in the government of Eleutheropolis. Having been
instructed from his youth by the most celebrated ascetics, and having
on this account passed the most of his time in Egypt, Epiphanius
became most celebrated in Egypt and Palestine by his attainments in
monastic philosophy, and was chosen by the inhabitants of Cyprus to
act as bishop of the metropolis of their island. Hence he is, I
think, the most revered man under the whole heaven, so to speak; for
he fulfilled his priesthood in the concourse of a large city and in a
seaport; and when he threw himself into civil affairs, he conducted
them with so much virtue that he became known in a little while to all
citizens and every variety of foreigner; to some, because they had
seen the man himself, and had experience of his manner of living; and
to others, who had learned it from these spectators. Before he went
to Cyprus, he resided for some time, during the present reign, in
Palestine.
At the same period in the monasteries, Salamines, Phuscon,
Malachion, and Crispion, four brethren, were highly distinguished:
they practiced philosophy near Bethelia, a village of Gaza; they
were of a resident noble family, and had been instructed in philosophy
by Hilarion. It is related that the brothers were once journeying
homewards, when Malachion was suddenly snatched away and became
invisible; soon afterwards, however, he reappeared and continued the
journey with his brothers. He did not long survive this occurrence,
but died in the flower of his youth. He was not behind men of advanced
age in the philosophy of virtuous life and of piety.
Ammonius lived at a distance of ten stadia from those last mentioned;
he dwelt near Capharcobra, the place of his birth, a town of Gaza.
He was very exact and courageous in carrying through asceticism. I
think that Silvanus, a native of Palestine, to whom, on account of
his high virtue, an angel was once seen to minister, practiced
philosophy about the same time in Egypt. Then he lived at Mount
Sinai, and afterwards founded at Gerari, in the wady, a very
extensive and most noted coenobium for many good men, over which the
excellent Zacharias subsequently presided.
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