Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/253

 a persecutor  of  Christian  men,  and  ready  to  the  devil's  will.

Then commanded  the  murderer  that  all  the  emperor's  soldiers

should offer  their  sacrifices  to  the  gods.

There were  in  the  army  (warfare)  Cappadocian  soldiers,

forty Christians,  unfearful  in  mind,

living piously  after  the  doctrine  of  God;

these the  judge  seized  and  led  them  to  the  idol-sacrifice,

and said  with  flattery  that  they  were  noble  soldiers,

and in  every  conflict  constant  to  each  other,

and ever  victorious  in  sharp  conflict.

'Show now  therefore  your  constancy,

and subject  yourselves  to  the  king's  commands,

and sacrifice  to  the  gods  before  ye  be  tormented.'

Then spake  the  Christians  to  the  murderer  thus;

'Often have  we  overcome,  even  as  thou  thyself  knowest,

our adversaries  in  every  battle,

when we  fought  for  the  mortal  king;

but it  becometh  us  even  more  with  toil  to  fight

for the  immortal  King  and  to  withstand  thee.'

Then  said   the  judge    that    they    should    do    one    of  these    two things,

either they  must  sacrifice  to  the  gods  and  have  honour,

or else  contemn  the  offering  and  be  put  to  shame;

'Consider now,  I  pray  you,  what  will  best  profit  you.'

The saints  answered  the  heathen  murderer,

'The Lord  will  foreshow  what  may  profit  us.'

Then bade  the  murderer  to  bring  them  into  a  dungeon.

So then  the  saints  bowed  their  knees

within the  dungeon,  thus  praying  Christ,

'Deliver us  now. Lord, from  the  devil's  temptations,

and from  all  the  deceits  of  unrighteous  workers.'

They sang  in  the  evening  again  another  psalm,

and continued  vigilant  in  their  prayers  until  midnight.

Then the  Saviour  manifested  Himself  to  His  saints,

and thus  encouraged  them  to  the  coming  conflict:

'God is  your  beginning  (guide)  and  your  encouragement,