Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/474

358, and not only dost not fear our punishments, but dost aim to remove all from our bonds? Perhaps thou art that Jesus, of whom Satan, our prince, said, that by thy death on the cross thou wouldst receive power over the whole world.

Then the King of Glory, in his majesty, spurning Death, and seizing Satan the prince, delivered him to the power of Hades, and drew Adam into his glory.

Hades, receiving Satan the prince, with strong rebuke said to him, O prince of perdition, and leader of destruction, Beelzebub, the mockery of angels, and the contempt of the just! Why hast thou determined to do this? Hast thou resolved to crucify the King of Glory, in whose removal by death thou didst promise us so great spoils? Like a fool thou knewest not what thou didst. For behold, that Jesus, by the splendor of his divinity, scattereth all the darkness of death, and hath broken up the lowest strongholds of our prisons, and cast out the captives, and loosed them that were bound. And all who used to groan under our torments, mock at us, and by their prayers our domains are overcome, and our realms are conquered, and no race of men now feareth us. Moreover, the dead who were never haughty towards us, nor could ever be joyful as