Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/177

 He, Dionysius,  had  seen,  with  some  other  philosophers,

in the  land  of  the  Egyptians,  where  they  were  studying,

how the  sun  grew  dim  unto  swart  night

from midday  to  nones  ( 3 p.m.)  when  our  Lord  was  suffering

for mankind's  redemption,  and  they  greatly  wondered  thereat.

Then said  Dionysius,  '  This  dark  night  betokeneth

a great  light  to  come  upon  all  the  earth

which God  Himself  will  verily  manifest  to  mankind.'

He was  then  a  young  man,  when  that  this  happened,

and that  light  came  to  him  through  Paul's  lore  afterward,

even as  we  shall  here  say  in  this  true  reading.

Paul then  went  prudently  and  beheld  their  gods

all in  their  order,  and  eke  the  altars,

until he  found  an  altar  whereon  stood  this  inscription,

 Deo  ignoto;     that  is  in  English,  '  To  the  unknown  god

is this  altar  holy.'      Then  Paul  turned  him

to Dionysius  the  Lord's  servant,  and  said,

' What  is  this  unknown  god  whom  ye  worship  thus?'

Then said  Dionysius,  'He  is  yet  hidden  from  men,

and is  to  come  into  the  world,  and  shall  rule  all  things,

the heavens  and  the  earth;   and  His  kingdom  shall  continue

ever without  end.'      Then  answered  Paul,

'What think  ye  of  that  god,  will  he  be  spirit  or  man?'

Dionysius answered  the  venerable  Paul  thus,

' He  will  be  verily  God  and  verily  man,

and He  Himself  shall  renew  this  old  world;

but He  is  yet  unknown,  because  He,  living,  dwelleth

with God  in  Heaven.'      Then  said  the  holy  Paul,

'That God  I  preach  to  you  Whom  ye  call  unknown;

He is  born  of  Mary  the  illustrious  virgin,

and He  suffered  death  of  His  own  will  for  men,

and arose  from  death  by  His  divine  power.

He ascended  also  to  Heaven  to  His  holy  Father,