On the Outskirts of Antioch

Constantine Cavafy

We in Antioch were astonished when we heard

what Julian was up to now.

Apollo had made things clear to him at Daphni:

he didn't want to give an oracle (as though we cared!),

he didn't intend to speak prophetically, unless

his temple at Daphni was purified first.

The nearby dead, he declared, got on his nerves.

There are many tombs at Daphni.

One of those buried there

was the triumphant and holy martyr Vavylas,

wonder and glory of our church.

It was him the false god hinted at, him he feared.

As long as he felt him near he didn't dare

pronounce his oracle: not a murmur.

(The false gods are terrified of our martyrs.)

Unholy Julian got worked up,

lost his temper and shouted: "Raise him, carry him out,

take him away immediately, this Vavylas.

You there, do you hear? He gets on Apollo's nerves.

Grab him, raise him at once,

dig him out, take him away, throw him out,

take him wherever you want. This isn't a joke.

Apollo said the temple has to be purified."

We took it, the holy relic, and carried it elsewhere.

We took it, we carried it away in love and in honour.

And hasn't the temple done brilliantly since!

In no time at all a colossal fire

broke out, a terrible fire,

and both the temple and Apollo burned to nothing.

Ashes the idol: dirt to be swept away.

Julian exploded, and he spread it around—

what else could he do?—that we, the Christians,

had set the fire. Let him say so.

It hasn't been proved. Let him say so.

The essential thing is—he exploded.

St Peter's Cave - in the hills above the city. The 4th or 5th CE church is one of the oldest in existence.

Acts 11:25 - 26.

"Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they associated with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians’ ".

In the British Museum

Thomas Hardy - who’s a big sap for piles of old stones, as am I...

'What do you see in that time-touched stone, When nothing is there But ashen blankness, although you give it A rigid stare?

'You look not quite as if you saw, But as if you heard, Parting your lips, and treading softly As mouse or bird.

'It is only the base of a pillar, they'll tell you, That came to us From a far old hill men used to name Areopagus.'

- 'I know no art, and I only view A stone from a wall, But I am thinking that stone has echoed The voice of Paul,

'Paul as he stood and preached beside it Facing the crowd, A small gaunt figure with wasted features, Calling out loud

'Words that in all their intimate accents Pattered upon That marble front, and were far reflected, And then were gone.

'I'm a labouring man, and know but little, Or nothing at all; But I can't help thinking that stone once echoed The voice of Paul.'

Paul v The Silversmiths

Acts 19:23-41 (RSV)

About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may count for nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

When they heard this they were enraged, and cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  So the city was filled with the confusion; and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.  Paul wished to go in among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him;  some of the Asiarchs also, who were friends of his, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.  Now some cried one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.  Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense to the people.  But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all with one voice cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be contradicted, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.  For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.  If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against any one, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.  But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.  For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, there being no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”  And when he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Saul of Tarsus woz ere! 

Today’s photo - the great theatre at Ephesus, where the silversmiths making votive offerings to sell to the tourists heading for the great Temple of Artemis had hard words for the St Paul the apostle.