Part 149 (1/2)

If there is any truth at all in the legend, it amounts to this: In A.D.

250, some youths (three or seven) suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Decius, ”fell asleep in the Lord,” and were buried in a cave of Mount Celion. In 479 (the reign of Theodosius) their bodies were discovered, and, being consecrated as holy relics, were removed to Ma.r.s.eilles.

(2) According to the _Oriental Tales_. Six Grecian youths were slaves in the palace of Dakianos (_Decia.n.u.s_, _Decius_). This Dakianos had risen from low degrees to kingly honors, and gave himself out to be a G.o.d.

Jemlikha was led to doubt the divinity of his master, because he was unable to keep off a fly which persistently tormented him, and being roused to reflection, came to the conclusion that there must be a G.o.d to whom both Dakianos and the fly were subject. He communicated his thoughts to his companions, and they all fled from the Ephesian court till they met the shepherd Keschetiouch, whom they converted, and who showed them a cave, which no one but himself knew of. Here they fell asleep, and Dakianos, having discovered them, commanded the mouth of the cave to be closed up. Here the sleepers remained 309 years, at the expiration of which time they all awoke, but died a few hours afterwards.

_The Dog of the Seven Sleepers._ In the notes of the _Koran_, by Sale, the dog's name is Kratim, Kratimer, or Katmir. In the _Oriental Tales_ it is Catnier, which looks like a clerical blunder for Catmer, only it occurs frequently. It is one of the ten animals admitted into Mahomet's paradise. The _Koran_ tells us that the dog followed the seven young men into the cave, but they tried to drive him away, and even broke three of its legs with stones, when the dog said to them, ”I love those who love G.o.d. Sleep, masters, and I will keep guard.” In the _Oriental Tales_ the dog is made to say, ”You go to seek G.o.d, but am not I also a child of G.o.d?” Hearing this, the young men were so astounded, they went immediately, and carried the dog into the cave.

_The Place of Sepulture of the Seven Sleepers._ Gregory of Tours tells us that the bodies were removed from Mount Celion in a stone coffin to Ma.r.s.eilles. The _Koran_, with Sale's notes, informs us they were buried in the cave, and a chapel was built there to mark the site. (See SLEEPER.)

_The Seven Sleepers turning on their sides._ William of Malmesbury says that Edward the Confessor, in his mind's eye, saw the seven sleepers turn from their right sides to their left, and (he adds) whenever they turn on their sides, it indicates great disasters to Christendom.

Woe, woe to England! I have seen a vision: The seven sleepers in the cave of Ephesus Have turned from right to left.

Tennyson, _Harold_, i. 1.

=Seven Wise Masters.= Lucien, the son of Dolopathos, was placed under the charge of Virgil, and was tempted in manhood by his step-mother. He repelled her advances, and she accused him to the king of taking liberties with her. By consulting the stars it was discovered that if he could tide over seven days his life would be spared; so seven wise masters undertook to tell the king a tale each, in ill.u.s.tration of rash judgments. When they had all told their tales, the prince related, under the disguise of a tale, the story of the queen's wantonness; whereupon Lucien was restored to favor, and the queen was put to death.--Sandabar, _Parables_ (contemporary with King Courou).

? John Rolland, of Dalkeith, has rendered this legend into Scotch verse.

There is an Arabic version by Nasr Allah (twelfth century), borrowed from the Indian by Sandabar. In the Hebrew version by Rabbi Joel (1270), the legend is called _Kalilah and Dimnah_.

=Seven Wise Men= (_The_).

One of Plutarch's _brochures_ in the _Moralia_ is ent.i.tled ”The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men,” in which Periander is made to give an account of a contest at Chalcis between Homer and Hesiod, in which the latter wins the prize, and receives a tripod, on which he caused to be engraved this inscription:

This Hesiod vows to the Heliconian nine, In Chalcis won from Homer the divine.

=Seven Wise Men of Greece= (_The_), seven Greeks of the sixth century B.C., noted for their maxims.

BIAS. His maxim was, ”Most men are bad” (”There is none that doeth good, no, not one,” _Psalm_ xiv. 3): ?? p?????? ?a???[TN-167] (fl. B.C. 550).

CHILO. ”Consider the end:” ????? ???? a???? ??? (fl. B.C. 590).

CLEOBULOS. ”Avoid extremes” (the golden mean): ???st?? ?t??? (fl. B.C.

580).

PERIANDER. ”Nothing is impossible to industry” (patience and perseverance overcome mountains): ?e??t? t? p?? (B.C. 665-585).

PITTACOS. ”Know thy opportunity” (seize time by the forelock): ?a????

????? (B.C. 652-569).

SOLON. ”Know thyself:” G???? sea?t?? (B.C. 638-558).

THALES (2 _syl._). ”Suretys.h.i.+p is the forerunner of ruin.” (”He that hateth suretys.h.i.+p is sure,” _Prov._ xi. 15): ????a, p??a d? ?t? (B.C.