Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/403

 upon a  rack,  and  with  candles  burn

both his  sides. Then the  rack  burst  asunder

with all  its  machinery,  and  the  candles  were  extinguished.

So also  the  other  men  who  sought  to  injure

the holy  Daria,  the  Lord  prevented  them,

so that  their  sinews  shrunk  immediately,

whosoever touched  her,  that  they  cried  out  for  pain.

Whereupon Celerinus,  the  vicious  prefect,

was seized  with  terror,  and  went  to  the  emperor,

and related  to  him  in  order  the  wonderful  signs.

Then Numerianus,  the  wicked  emperor,

attributed it  to  sorcery,  not  to  the  Lord's  tokens,

and commanded  men  to  bring  both  the  saints  together

to a  sandpit,  and  set  them  therein,

and cast  upon  them  earth  and  wrought  stones.

So they  were  both  buried  alive,

as    the    emperor    had    commanded,    and     they    with    chastity  departed

from the  world  to  glory,  to  dwell  with  Christ.

There were  performed  many  miracles  through  God,

and the  people  reverenced  the  wonderful  saints,

and frequently  went  thither  with  faith.

Then it  befell  after  a  time,  when  the  people  went  thither

to the  great  cave  where  the  martyrs  lay,

that the  emperor  commanded  men  to  build  a  wall

at the  cave's  entrance,  that  they  might  not  come  out,

and bade  men  cast  down  the  rock  suddenly  upon  them,

that they  all  together  gave  up  the  ghost,

crushed by  the  earth;    and  they  reign  with  God

in everlasting  life,  slain  for  their  faith.

We venerate  God's  saints;    but  know  ye,  nevertheless,

that the  saints  have  no  need  of  our  praise  in  this  life,

but that  which  we  say  concerning  them  profiteth  ourselves;

first, for  an  example,  that  we  may  be  the  better;

and again,  for  intercession,  when  we  are  in  need.

There was  a  great  persecution  when  they  were  martyred,