Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/381

 ' We  believe  that  Christ,  God's  Son,  is  truly  God

who hath  in  this  way  received    thee    as    His    handmaid    in  the world.'

Then were  baptized  four  hundred  men

in Caecilia's  house  to  the  praise  of  the  Saviour,

and the  pope  said  mass  for  the  men  frequently

in the  same  house,  and  heathenism  waned.

Then the  wicked  Almachius  bade  quickly  fetch

the blessed  Caecilia,  and  at  once  asked  her

of what  family  she  was,  and  they  disputed  long

until her  boldness  vexed  the  judge,

and he  said  arrogantly  again  to  the  maiden;

' knowest  thou  not  my  might?'   And  the  maiden  said  to  him:

' I    will    say,    if    thou    biddest    me,    what    sort    of    might    thou hast.

Every man's  might  who  walketh  in  pride

is verily  like  as  if  a  man  should  sew  up

a bladder,  and  blow  it  full  of  wind,

and afterward  make  a  hole,  when  it  is  puffed  out,

then, in  its  greatness,  the  might  departeth.'

Almachius said  to  her  as  they  strove  with  words:

'Oh thou,  unhappy  one! knowest thou  not  that  power

is given  to  me  to  slay  and  to  make  alive  again.

And thou  speakest  so  proudly,  scorning  my  might.'

The maiden  said  to  him:  'pride  is  one  thing;

steadfastness is  another,  and  I  spake  steadfastly,

not at  all  proudly,  because  we  altogether

abhor pride.'     And  again  she  said  to  him:

' thou  saidest  that  thou  hadst  power  to  kill.

and to  make  alive  again;  but  I  say  that  thou  canst

destroy the  living,  but  thou  canst  not  give  life

again to  the  dead;    but  thou  liest  openly.'

Almachius answered  her:    'cast  away  thy  presumption,

and offer  to  the  gods  reverent  sacrifice.'

Caecilia said  to  him:  '  test  by  grasping

whether they  are  stones,  and  stony  images,