Barlaam And Loasaph

By St John Damascene

Book Overview

Barlaam and Loasaph is a medieval Christian tale that tells the story of a young prince named Loasaph who is born to a king and queen in India. The king is warned by an astrologer that his son will become a Christian, so he orders his son to be raised in isolation and protected from any exposure to Christianity. Despite this, Loasaph becomes curious about the world beyond his palace and eventually meets a Christian hermit named Barlaam who teaches him about Christianity and converts him to the faith.The story is believed to have been originally written in Greek by St. John of Damascus in the 8th century, and it was later translated into many languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, and Old Church Slavonic. It was widely read in medieval Europe and influenced many works of literature, including the stories of King Arthur and the Holy Grail.The book explores themes of faith, temptation, and the search for truth. It is also notable for its portrayal of Eastern religions and cultures, which were unfamiliar to many medieval Europeans. Overall, Barlaam and Loasaph is a fascinating and important work of medieval literature that continues to be studied and appreciated today.There was at that time a certain monk, learned in heavenly things, graced in word and deed, a model follower of every monastic rule. Whence he sprang, and what his race, I cannot say, but he dwelt in a waste howling wilderness in the land of Senaar, and had been perfected through the grace of the priesthood. Barlaam was this elder's name.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1162654589
• ISBN13: 9781162654584
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.5" x 9.3"