Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/209

 cruelly governed  the  province  under  the  Emperor.

He was  a  greedy  miser,  and  subject  to  his  lusts,

the devil's  slave,  despising  God.

Then it  came  to  his  ears  concerning  Agatha's  conduct,

and he  sought  how  he  might  get  the  maiden  for  himself.

He commanded  her  to   be  fetched,   and  delivered  her  to   a  foul woman,

called Aphrodosia,  shameful  in  morals,

who had  nine  daughters,  naughty  and  vile,

that  she    (Agatha)  might  learn   during  thirty  nights  [a    month] her  (Aphrodosia's)  evil  ways,

and might  be  perverted  in  mind  by  the  enticements  of  harlots.

So then  Aphrodosia,  that  wickedest  woman,

with her  nine  daughters,  vexed  Agatha,

sometimes flattering,  sometimes  terrifying,

thinking that  she  might  pervert  her  mind.

Then said  Agatha  to  the  wicked  team,

' Your  words  are  like  wind,

but they  cannot  defile  my  steadfast  will,

which is  grounded  immutably;'

this she  said  with  weeping,  and  desired  to  suffer

the deadly  tortures  for  Christ's  name,

even as  a  thirsty  man  in  the  sun's  heat

desireth well-springs,  or  the  cooling  of  water.

Then Aphrodosia  saw  that  she  could  not  bend

the woman's  mind  by  her  shameful  persuasions,

and went  to  Quintianus,  and  spake  to  him  thus;  ^

'Stones may  soften,  and  hard  iron

become like  lead,  or  ever  the  faith

in Agatha's  breast  can  be  extinguished,

I and  my  daughters  day  and  night

have done  nothing  else  but  continually  persuade  her

to consent  to  thee,  but  we  have  had  little  speed;

I promised  her  gems  and  golden  apparel,

and other  honours  and  a  great  house,