The Life of Severus

* fol. 111 r° b.

Stephen was indeed very learned and well versed both in divine doctrines and in encyclopedic science. After having read many treatises of the Church Fathers, who combat the pagans, he had received from God the grace to triumph entirely over them by discussing with them; and his zeal for the fear of God made him like the great Elijah. He refuted the sophistic (sophistikoi)original: "σοφιστικοί" objections that the pagans make against the Christians, then he retorted against Paralios the turpitudes of the pagans, the infamous rites of their gods, the lying oracles of polytheism, the obscure and embarrassed answers of these gods, their ignorance of the future, as well as other deceits of these same demons. He persuaded Paralios to submit such doubts to Horapollon, Heraïskos, Asklepiodotos, Ammonios, and Isidore, and to the other philosophers who were with them; then to weigh in a fair balance what had been said on both sides. For many days, Paralios had conversations on this subject with the pagans, and he found their answers weak and without foundation.

A fact then occurred which is worthy of being remembered and written down.

Asklepiodotos of Alexandria, who concerned himself with enchantments, practiced...