13. When sufficiently trained at home, as he
ought to fall short in no form of excellence, and not be surpassed by
the busy bee, which gathers what is most useful from every flower, he
set out for the city of Cæsarea, Cæsarea,
the Cappadocian city, as seems plain from the context. Yet
Tillemont and Billius incline to think Cæsarea in Palestine is
meant. to
take his place in the schools there, I mean this illustrious city of
ours, for it was the guide and mistress of my studies, the metropolis
of letters, no less than of the cities which she excels and reigns
over: and if any one were to deprive her of her literary power,
he would rob her of her fairest and special distinction. Other
cities take pride in other ornaments, of ancient or of recent date,
that they may have something to be described or to be seen.
Letters form our distinction here, and are our badge, as if upon the
field of arms or on the stage. His subsequent life let those
detail who trained him, or enjoyed his training, as to what he was to
his masters, what he was to his classmates, equalling the former,
surpassing the latter in every form of culture, what renown he won in a
short time from all, both of the common people, and of the leaders of
the state; by showing both a culture beyond his years, and a
steadfastness of character beyond his culture. An orator among
orators, even before the chair of the rhetoricians, Chair, etc.,
Before he had studied rhetoric and philosophy. a philosopher among philosophers, even
before the doctrines of philosophers: highest of all a priest
among Christians even before the priesthood. So much deference
was paid to him in every respect by all. Eloquence was his
by-work, from which he culled enough to make it an assistance to him in
Christian philosophy, since power of this kind is needed to set forth
the objects of our contemplation. For a mind which cannot express
itself is like the motion of a man in a lethargy. His pursuit was
philosophy, and breaking from the world, and fellowship with God, by
concerning himself, amid things below, with things above, and winning,
where all is unstable and fluctuating, the things which are stable and
remain.