Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/167

 Candidus and  Vitalis,  and  many  others  besides  them,

and they  were  associated  in  steadfast  faith,

so that  they  would  not  turn  to  shameful  heathenism

from the  living  God  in  whom  they  believed.

Then Maximian  journeyed  with  a  great  array

until they  came  to  the  mountains,  and  the  wicked  man  desired,

after he  had  passed  over  the  mountains,

to hold  his  heathen  worship,  and  bade  men  call  to  him

the whole  army  that  they  might  fulfil  his  hest,

and with  him  might  all  offer  their  sacrifices

to the  devilish  gods,  to  the  dishonour  of  God  Almighty.

Then went  the  Legion,  of  whom  we  have  before  spoken,

forth on  their  way,  and  fled  from  that  idolatry,

for    they     would    not     destroy    themselves     by    the     diabolical sacrifices,

but rode  more  than  twelve  miles  to  the  river  Rhodanus  [Rhone],

and there  speedily  alighted  on  account  of  the  tedious  journey;

and the  Emperor  encamped  with  the  other  army

near a  little  town  called  Octodurum  [Martigny],

offering his  sacrifices  with  the  unbelieving

to his  wicked  gods,  desiring  to  gladden  them

before he  should  come  to  the  fight,  that  they  might  assist  him.

Then perceived  the  Emperor  that  the  Christians  were  not  there,

and thereupon  angrily  commanded  his  companions  to  go

and bid  the  Christians  to  come  to  him.

So the  messengers  rode  quickly

and announced  to  the  Christians  the  Emperor's  proclamation,

but they  all  said  with  steadfast  faith

that they  had  until  then  believed  in  the  living  God,

and ever  throughout  their  lives  would  believe  in  Him,

and spake  to  the  messengers  thus  in  other  words;

' We  are  ready  to  go  forth  to  the  fight  with  the  Emperor,

but we  will  not  be  perverted  to  his  sacrifices.'

Then the  messengers  rode  quickly  back  again,

and made  known  to  the  Emperor  that  the  Christians  would  not

obey his  hest  concerning  his  idolatry.