Page 13 - Book of Composition

his house, and entering into it, I beheld him sitting in his study. And after
he had firmly fixed his eyes on me, said, “friend come hither”, and I
came and sat down opposite against him. He was a man much worn in
age, but yet lusty of countenance, and comely of face, and stature of
body. For his countenance declared to those which diligently beheld him,
what secret virtues were hidden in his mind. But after we had talked a
space, he demanded of me my name, and where I was born, and what
was the cause of that my travel.

And I answered and said unto him; “I am called Morienus, a Roman by
birth, whom the fame of your name and science has compelled to depart
both from his parents and country!”

Then he replied again: “What is your faith, or which of the gods do you
worship?”

And I answered: “I profess the faith of a Christian, for I am a worshipper
of Christ, and I honour that God three and one”.

Then said Adfar: “It is good that you have sought me, and found me; for
I will make manifest unto you the whole secrets of divinity which as yet I
have refused to reveal to any man, and be you attentive unto me with all
the strength of your mind: for I will make you the son of all my
disciples”.

With these words I was inwardly pricked with unspeakable joy. What
shall I say more? It were too long for us to reckon up and speak of all
things, whereof we had communications. I remained with him and
showed myself so friendly and courteous unto him, that he delivered unto
me the secrets of the whole divinity. Afterwards Adfar died.

And I within a few days after his death departed from Alexandria and
came to Jerusalem, in the bounds whereof I chose me out a hermitage
wherein I might lead a life apt and fit for my faith and profession. From
thence not so many years after, there arose up a certain king in Egypt
named Macoya, and this king begot a son named Gezid, which after the
death of his father reigned in Egypt, and held the kingdom thereof. And
Gezid begot a son called Calid, who after the death of his father reigned
a long time in Egypt. This king was a wise and prudent man, and well
seen in every science, for he greatly loved philosophers and other wise
men, by reason of the science of this book. But he ceased not incessantly
to seek and search after wise men through all his provinces both of the
known and unknown, that he might find out some one man that could

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