Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/495

 bound the  bishop,  and  led  him  in  bonds

into the  city  of  Ravenna,  and  beat  him  furiously.

Then the  bishop  commended  himself  earnestly  to  God,

and their  heathen    idol  was  destroyed,  and   their   temple    overthrown.

Then the  heathen  saw  the  holy  man's  power,

and cried  out  with  loud  tumult  against  the  faithful  man,

'Let the  old  impious  wretch  be  instantly  put  to  death,

through whom  are  overthrown  the  wonderful  gods.'

Then the  Christians  rejoiced,  and  cried  in  faith,

that He  alone  is  the  true  God,  Who  worketh  such  wonders.

Then the  heathen  delivered  the  holy  man  to  be  slain

to a  certain  wicked  tormentor,  who  was  called  Taurus;

this Taurus  assembled  the  citizens  to  him,

and asked  the  saint  by  whose  power  he  performed

the wonderful  signs,  that  so  great  a  crowd  followed  him.

Apollinaris answered  him,  '  This  is  no  other  power

but Jesus  Christ's,  and  we  have  God's  grace

within our  hearts,'  and  thereon,  amongst  other  speeches,

said the  same  Taurus  to  the  venerable  man,

' I  have  a  son  who  never  saw  the  light  of  day ;

cause him  to  see  in  the  Lord's  name,

and we  will  straightway  believe  that  He  is  truly  God;

otherwise we  will  burn  thee  for  thy  great  guilt.'

Then said  the  bishop  to  him,  'Let  the  blind  man  come  to  me;'

and  with    that   the    blind    man    came    to    him,    and    he    said    in faith,

'In the  name  of  Jesus,  open  thine  eyes,

and see  by  His  means;'    and  immediately  he  was  made  whole;

seeing clearly,  who  had  been  born  blind.

Then they  all  marvelled,  and  unanimously  said

that He  was  the  true  God,  Who  wrought  such  wonders ;

and through  the  miracles  many  believed  on  God.

Then Taurus  brought  the  bishop  secretly,

out of  the  people's  tumult,  to  one  of  his  estates,