Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/163

 upon His  own  murderers  if  they  would  turn

and pray  for  His  mercy,  as  many  of  them  did,

as,   for    instance,    the    centurion    who    wickedly    pierced    Him (Christ)

in His  holy  side,  and  afterwards  turned  to  Him;

this centurion  was  named  Longinus.

He saw  then  how  suddenly  the  sun  became  dark

from midday  until  noon  (  p.m.),  and  all  middle  earth  trembled,

and rocks  burst  asunder;    then  he  turned  to  Christ,

smiting his  breast,  and  saying  loudly,

Vere Filius  Dei  est  hie — Truly  this  (man)  is  the  Son  of  God.

He   then    renounced    his    employment,   and  proceeded    to    the apostles,

and was  by  them  instructed  in  the  faith,

and with  baptism  was  washed  from  his  former  deeds.

Then he  distributed  all  his  goods  in  alms,

and lived  in  purity  as  Christ's  own  servant  (thane)

in great  abstinence,  and  preached  to  the  heathen

the true  faith  and  forgiveness  of  sins;

and put  down  idolatry,  and  performed  miracles

in God's  name,  until  a  certain  cruel  judge

put him  to  death  with  great  torments.

But he  wrought  many  marvels  before  the  judge,

amid the  torments,  and  blinded  the  judge

through the  power  of  God,  that  men  might  know

how merciful  is  the  Saviour  who  had  so  magnified  him.

Then was  he  beheaded  for  the  sake  of  that  Saviour,

whom he  had  before  cruelly  wounded  on  the  cross,

and he  (now)  dwells  eternally  in  glory  with  Him.

The heathen  judge  who  put  him  to  death

was named  Octavius;    but  he  came  afterwards

to the  place  where  he  was  slain,  and  sought  his  body,