Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/189

 After that  he  said  again  to  the  wise  maiden,

Listen to  my  counsel,  if  thou  lovest  virginity,

that thou  submit  quickly  to  the  worship  loo

of the  goddess  Vesta,  who  hateth  impurity.'

Then Agnes  answered  the  wicked  man,  and  said,

' I  refused  thy  son,  who  truly  is  a  man,

and I  can  in  no  wise  regard  the  beauty  of  his  countenance

for the  love  of  my  Christ;    how  can  I,  to  His  dishonour,

humble myself  to  the  dead  image   '

Then said  the  Prefect  to  the  holy  maiden,

' I  have  borne  with  thee  hitherto  because  thou  art  yet  a  child;

thou insultest  our  gods,  yet  do  not  anger  them.'

Agnes answered  him,  '  The  Almighty  approveth

the minds  of  men  rather  than  their  great  age;

and faith  is  not  in  years,  but  dwells  in  prudent  understandings.

Let thy  gods  be  angry  if  they  can  do  aught.

Let themselves  command  us  to  worship  them ;

if thou  canst  not  accomplish  this,  afflict  us,  lo! how thou  wilt.'

Then said  Sempronius,  the  shameful  judge,

' Choose  thee  now,  Agnes,  one  of  these  two  things;

either thou  shalt,  among  the  virgins  of  the  mighty  Vesta,

offer thy  sacrifice,  or  thou  shalt  be  associated

with loathly  harlots  and  foully  dishonoured,

and the  Christians  will  not  then  be  able  to  deliver  thee.'

Then Agnes  answered  with  great  resolution,

'If thou  knewest  my  God,  thou  wouldest  not  say  these  words.

Without care,  I  despise  thy  threatenings,

because I  well  know  my  Lord's  might.

I trust  in  Him  because  He  is

to me  a  strong  wall,  and  an  unfailing  defence,

so that  I  need  not  sacrifice  to  thy  accursed  gods;

neither by  pollution  from  without  [can  I]

ever be  defiled  among  foul  harlots.

I have  God's  holy  angel  with  me;

thy gods  are  molten  of  [mere]  brass,