Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/391

 but I  wished  to  still  thy  father's  weeping

that  thou  mayst   not    be  lost    to   him,   or,   at   any   rate,    to   the gods.'

Then Chrysanthus  asked,  amongst  other  speeches:

'What goodness  had  your  god  Saturn

who devoured  his  sons  when  they  were  born,

even as  his  worshippers  have  written  in  their  books;

or what  goodness  had  the  horrible  Jove,

who lived  in  the  world  in  foul  fornication,

and chose  him  his  own  sister  to  wife,

and committed  many  manslaughters  and  deeds  of  murder,

and raised  up  sorcery  to  deceive  the  unwary?

Or what  holiness  was  in  the  hateful  Hercules,

the immense  giant,  who  killed  all

his neighbours,  and  wholly  burnt  himself

alive in  the  fire,  after  he  had  killed

men and  the  lion  and  the  great  serpent?

What can  the  lesser  gods  be  to  believe  in,

since the  foremost  gods  lived  so  foully?'

Thus Chrysanthus  for  a  long  while  urged  Daria

to the  true  faith  with  words,  until  she  turned  to  God

by forsaking  the  error  of  the  worship  of  devils.

Then they  were  steadfast,  and  lived  together

in the  appearance  of  marriage,  their  chastity  being  preserved,

until Daria  received  baptism  in  God,

and learnt  God's  books  from  the  well-taught  youth,

and strengthened  her  mind,  continuing  in  virginity.

Then after  a  time  many  men  were  converted

by their  manner  of  life  from  the  devil's  worship

to belief  in  Christ  and  to  pure  living.

The youths  were  converted  through  Chrysanthus'  teaching,

and maidens  through  Daria's,  many  to  the  Lord;

renouncing marriage  and  pleasant  desires,

until some  men  stirred  up  an  accusation  about  this,

and they  were  accused  before  the  cruel  prefect

who at  that  time  governed  the  wide-spread  city  of  Rome.