Chapter Seven-Hilled City to Seven Wise Masters of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Duration of the Sleep. The Korân says it was “300 years and nine years over;” the Oriental Tales say 309 years; but if Gregory of Tours is followed, the duration of the sleep was barely 230 years.

The Legend of the Seven Sleepers. (I) According to Gregory of Tours, they were seven noble youths of Ephesus, who fled in the Decian persecution to a cave in mount Celion, the mouth of which was blocked up with stones. After 230 years they were discovered, and awoke, but died within a few days, and were taken in a large stone coffin to Marseilles. Visitors are still shown in St. Victor’s Church their reputed stone coffin.

(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 a holy relics, were removed to Marseilles.)

(2) According to the Oriental Tales, six Grecian youths were slaves in the palace of Dakianos (Decianus, Decius). This Dakianos had risen from low degrees to kingly honours, and gave himself out to be a god. 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 god 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, Kratîmer, 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 Karân 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 God. Sleep, masters, and I will keep guard.” In the Oriental Tales the dog is made to say, “You go to seek God, but am not I also a child of God?” 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 Marseilles. The Korân 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 Sleepers (The); i. e. the seven sleepy ones. So Noircarmes and his six officers were nicknamed in the siege of Valenciennes, in 1566, on account of the “sleepiness” with which they at first conducted the siege. They afterwards roused themselves and became terribly in earnest in the work of destruction.—Motley: The Dutch Republic, pt. ii. 9(1856).

Seven Sorrows of Mary (The): (1) Simeon’s prophecy, (2) the flight into Egypt, (3) Jesus missed, (4) the betrayal, (5) the crucifixion, (6) the taking down from the cross, and (7) the ascension. HER SEVEN JOYS were: (1) the annunciation, (2) the visitation, (3) the nativity, (4) the adoration of the Magi, (5) the presentation in the temple, (6) finding the lost Child, and (7) the assumption.