Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/203

 at the  shrine  of  S.  Peter  which  standeth  in  Rome.

The emperor  welcomed  him,  and  said  to  him  with  joy,

'When  thou  wentest  to   the   battle  thou   didst  sacrifice    to   the foul  devils,

and  since   thou   hast   returned    victorious,   thou    hast    prayed    to Christ,

and to  His  Apostles;    tell  me  how  is  this?'

Then louted  (bowed)  Gallicanus  to  the  orthodox  Emperor,

and related  in  order  how  he  was  converted  to  God;

' The  Scythian  people  had  slain  many  of  us,

and I  was  locked  up  in  a  little  town

with a  very  small  force,  and  we  durst  not  fight

against the  overwhelming  army,  which  had  besieged  the  town;

Then I  offered  often  my  sacrifices  to  the  gods,

until my  colleagues  surrendered  me  and  themselves

to the  attacking  enemies,  and  I  then  took  to  flight.

Then said  the  Christians,  John  and  Paul,

" Promise  the  God  of  Heaven  that  thou  wilt  bow  to  Him,

if He  now  helpeth  thee,  and  thou  shalt  have  victory."

I then  straightway  promised,  even  as  the  holy  men  exhorted  me,

and there  immediately  came  to  me  God's  angel  with  a  cross,

bidding me  take  my  sword  and  go  with  him;

thereupon I  followed  him,  and  many  angels  came

in the  likeness  of  men,  gloriously  armed,

heartened me  with  their  words,  and  bade  me  go  forth

until we  arrived  where  the  king  was;

then fell  he  afrighted,  prostrate  at  my  feet;

then God's  champions  bound  Bardon  the  king

and his  two  sons,  and  delivered  them  to  me;

I slew  not  one,  nor  commanded  to  slay.

Now is  thy  land  preserved,  and  the  people  submit  to  thee;

all the  chief-men,  who  submitted  to  me,

together with  their  soldiers,  I  have  converted  to  Christ;

the others  who  would  not  so  do  I  contemned.

I myself  am  so  much  a  Christian  that  I  have  said  in  a  vow,

that I  henceforth  will  not  have  the  company  of  a  wife;