Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/379

 and said  with  an  oath  to  the  bystanders:

'I saw  verily,  as  they  were  slain,

God's angels,  shining  in  the  likeness  of  the  sun,

flying to  them,  and  they  received  their  souls;

and I  saw  the  souls,  very  beautiful,  go

forth with  the  angels  on  their  wings  to  heaven.'

While Maximus  spake  so  surely  these  words

with weeping  eyes,  many  of  the  heathen  turned

to the  true  faith  from  their  false  gods.

When Almachius  learnt  that  the  venerable  Maximus

with all  his  house  believed  in  the  Saviour,

and were  baptized,  then  he  became  angry,

and bade  men  scourge  him  with  leaden  whips

until he  departed  from  the  world  to  Christ.

Then anon  Caecilia  buried  the  saint

in a  stone  coffin  in  the  place  where  lay

the two  brothers  who  were  buried  before.

Then afterward  she  secretly  dealt  to  the  poor

her bridegroom's  possessions  and  his  brother's  things;

and Almachius  desired  to  know  about  the  goods

as she  was  a  widow,  and  she  was  then  brought  by  compulsion

that she  might  sacrifice  to  the  wicked  gods.

Then wept  the  heathen  that  a  maiden  so  beautiful

and a  woman  so  nobly  born,  filled  with  wisdom,

should suffer  death  in  torments,  so  young.

Then spake  Caecilia  and  said  to  them  all:

'he is  not  forlorn  who  lieth  slain  for  God;

he shall  be  thus  changed  from  death  to  glory,

as if  a  man  should  give  away  loam  and  himself  get  gold,

as if  he  should  give  a  mean  house  and  receive  a  glorious  one;

give the  perishable  and  receive  the  imperishable;

give a  mean  stone  and  receive  a  precious  gem.'

She long  thus  exhorted  the  unbelieving  heathen

until they  all  spake  thus  with  one  voice;