The Apocryphal New Testament (Hone 1820: Protevangelion, Infancy Gospels, Nicodemus, Paul & Thecla, Apostolic Fathers incl. Hermas)

came to his breakfast and found not his wife in the house; and he inquired of all that were in his house: Whither is your mistress gone? And one of them answered and said: She is gone unto that stranger. And when he heard this of his servant, he was wroth with the other servants because they had not straightway told him what was done: and he sat down and waited for her. And when it was evening and she was come into the house he said to her: Where wast thou? And she answered and said: With the physician. And he said: Is that stranger a physician ? And she said: Yea, he is a physician of souls: for most physicians do heal bodies that are dissolved, but he souls that are not destroyed. Charisius, hearing this, was very angry in his mind with Mygdoria because of the apostle, but he answered her nothing, for he was afraid; for she was above him both in wealth and birth: but he departed to dinner, and she went into her chamber. And he said to the servants : Call her to dinner. But she would not come. chamber, he went in and said unto her: Wherefore wilt thou not dine with me and perchance not sleep with me as the wont is ? yea, concerning this I have the greater suspicion, for I have heard that that sorcerer and deceiver teacheth that a man should not live with his wife, and that which nature requireth and the godhead hath ordained he overthroweth. WTien Charisius said these things, Mygdonia kept silence. He saith to her again: My lady and consort Mygdonia, be not led astray by deceitful

Ghost; for it was never yet fteard in the world that any raised the dead, and, as I hear, it is reported of this man that he raiseth dead men. ’And for that he neither eateth nor drinketh, think not that for righteousness’ sake he neither eateth nor drinketh, but this he doth because he possesseth nought; for what should he do which hath not even his daily bread? And he hath one garment because he is poor; and as for his not receiving aught of any (he doth so, to be sure, because he knoweth in himself that he doth not verily heal any man, Syr.). stone; but she prayed, asking when it should be day, that she might go to the apostle of Christ. And he withdrew from her and went to dinner heavy in mind, for he thought to sleep with her according to the wont. And when he was gone out, she bowed her knees and prayed, saying: Lord God and Master, merciful Father, Saviour Christ, do thou give me strength to overcome the shamelessness of Charisius, and grant me to keep the holiness wherein thou delightest, that I also may by it find eternal life. And when she had so prayed she laid herself on her bed and veiled herself.

out, saying: Thou hast no more any room by me: for my Lord Jesus is greater than thou, who is with me and resteth in me. And he laughed and said: Well dost thou mock, saying this of that sorcerer, and well dost thou deride him, who saith : Ye have no life with God unless ye purify yourselves. And when he had so said he essayed to sleep with her, but she endured it not and cried out bitterly and said: I call upon thee, Lord Jesu, forsake me not! for with thee have I made my refuge; for when I learned that thou art he that seekest out them that are veiled in ignorance, and savest them that are held in error- And now I entreat thee whose report I have heard and believed, come thou to my help, and save me from the shamelessness of Charisius, that his foulness may not get the upper hand of me. And she smote her hands together (tied his hands, Syr.) and fled from him naked, and as she went forth she pulled down the curtain of the bed-chamber and wrapped it about her; and went to her nurse, and slept there with her.

face with his hands, and he was minded to go that very hour and tell the king concerning the violence that was done him, but he considered with himself, saying: If the great heaviness which is upon me compelleth me to go now unto the king, who will bring me in to him ? for I know that my abuse hath over¬ thrown me from my high looks and my vainglory and majesty, on/1 hath /»ac+ mo r\ oxrn intn thio irilonocc an/1 conn.nto^ mi* him. But I will wait until dawn; and I know that whatsoever I ask of the king, he granteth it me: and I will tell him of the madness of this stranger, how that it tyrannously casteth down the great and illustrious into the depth. For it is not this that grieveth me, that I am deprived of her companying, but for her am I grieved, because her greatness of soul is humbled: being an honourable lady in whom none of her house ever found fault (condemned), she hath fled away naked, running out of her own bedchamber; and I know not whither she is gone; and it may be that she is gone mad by the means of that sorcerer, and in her madness hath gone forth into the market-place to seek him; for there is nothing that appeareth unto her lovable except him and the things that are spoken by him.

100 And so saying he began to lament and say: Woe to me, O my consort, and to thee besides! for I am too quickly bereaved of thee. Woe is me, my most dear one, for thou excellest all my race : neither son nor daughter have I had of thee that I might find rest in them; neither hast thou yet dwelt with me a full year, and an evil eye hath caught thee from me. Would that the violence of death had taken thee, and I should yet have reckoned myself among kings and nobles : but that I should suffer this at the hands of a stranger, and belike he is a slave that hath run away, to mine ill fortune and the sorrow of mine unhappy soul! Let there be no impediment for me until I destroy him and avenge this night; and may I not be well-pleasing before Misdaeus the king if he avenge me not with the head of this stranger; (and I will also tell him) of Siphor the captain who hath been the occasion of this. For by his means did the stranger appear here, and lodgeth at his house: and many there be that go in and come out, whom he teacheth a new doctrine; saying that none can live if he quit not all his substance and become a renouncer like himself: and he striveth to make many partakers with him.

and after the night (?) he put on a mean habit, and shod himself, and went downcast and in heaviness to salute the king. And when the king saw him he said: Wherefore art thou sorrowful, and comest in such garb ? and I see that thy countenance is changed. And Charisius said unto the king: I have a new thing to tell thee and a new desolation which Siphor hath brought into India, even a certain Hebrew, a sorcerer, whom he hath sitting in his house and who departeth not from him: and many are there that go in to him: whom also he teacheth of a new God, and layeth on them new laws such as never yet were heard, saying: It is impossible for you to enter into that eternal life which believed them, and in the night she forsook me and ran unto the stranger. But send thou for both Siphor and that sorcerer that is hid with (in) him, and visit it (?) on their head, lest all that are of our nation perish. 102 And when Misdaeus his friend heard this he saith to him: Be not grieved nor heavy, for I will send for him and avenge thee, and thou shalt have thy wife again, and the others that cannot 1 will avenge. And the king went forth and sat on the judgement seat, and when he was set he commanded Siphor the captain to be called.

They went therefore unto his house and found him sitting on the right hand of the apostle and Mygdonia at his feet, hearkening to him with all the multitude. And they that were sent from the king said unto Siphor: Sittest thou here listening to vain words, and Misdaeus the king in his wrath thinketh to destroy thee because of this sorcerer and deceiver whom thou hast brought into thine house ? And Siphor hearing it was cast down, not because of the king’s threat against him, but for the apostle, because the king was disposed contrary to him. And he said to the apostle: I am grieved concerning thee: for I told thee at the first that that woman is the wife of Charisius the king’s friend and kinsman, and he will not suffer her to perform that she hath promised, and all that he asketh of the king he granteth him. But the apostle said unto Siphor: Fear nothing, but believe in Jesus that pleadeth for us all, for unto his refuge are we gathered together. And Siphor, hearing that, put his garment about him and went unto Misdaeus the king,

103 And the apostle inquired of Mygdonia : What was the cause that thy husband was wroth with thee and devised this against us? And she said: Because I gave not myself up unto his corruption (destruction): for he desired last night to subdue me and subject me unto that passion which he serveth: and he to whom I have committed my soul delivered me out of his hands; and I fled away from him naked, and slept with my nurse: but that which befell him I know not, wherefore he hath contrived this. The apostle saith: These things will not hurt us; but believe thou on Jesus, and he shall overthrow the wrath of Charisius and his madness and his impulse; and he shall be a companion unto thee in the fearful way, and he shall guide thee into his kingdom, and shall bring thee unto eternal life, giving thee that confidence which passeth not away nor changeth. him: Who is that sorcerer and whence, and what teacheth he, whom thou hast lurking in thine house? And Siphor answered the king: Thou art not ignorant, O king, what trouble and a curse in all our country. And I heard the report of this man, and went to him and entreated him, and took him and brought him hither. And as I came by the way I saw wonderful and amazing things : and here also many did hear the wild ass, and concerning that devil whom he drove out, and healed my wife and daughter, and now are they whole;

and he asked no reward but requireth faith and holiness, that men should become partakers with him in that which he doeth: and this he teacheth, to worship and fear one God, the ruler of all things, and Jesus Christ his Son, that they may have eternal life. And that which he eateth is bread and salt, and his drink is water from evening unto evening, and he maketh many prayers; and whatsoever he asketh of his God, he giveth him. And he teacheth that this God is holy and mighty, and that Christ is living and maketh alive, wherefore also he chargeth them that are there present to come unto him in holiness and purity and love and faith.

he sent many soldiers unto the house of Siphor the captain, to bring Thomas the apostle and all that were found there. And they that were sent entered in and found him teaching much people; and Mygdonia sat at his feet. And when they beheld the great multitude that were about him, they feared, and departed to their king and said: We durst not say aught unto him, for there was a great multitude about him, and Mygdonia sitting at his feet was listening to the things that were spoken by him. And when Misdaeus the king and Charisius heard these things, Charisius leaped out from before the king and drew much people with him and said: I will bring him, O king, and Mygdonia whose understanding he hath taken away. And he came to the house of Siphor the captain, greatly disturbed, and found him (Thomas) teaching: but Mygdonia he found not, for she had withdrawn herself unto her house, having learnt that it had been told her husband that she was there. 106 And Charisius said unto the apostle: Up, thou wicked one and destroyer and enemy of mine house: for me thy sorcery harmeth not, for I will visit thy sorcery on thine head. And when he so said, the apostle looked upon him and said unto him: Thy threatenings shall return upon thee, for me thou wilt not harm any whit: for greater than thee and thy king and all your army is the Lord Jesus Christ in whom I have my trust. And Charisius took a kerchief (turban, Syr.) of one of his slaves and cast it about the neck of the apostle, saying: Hale him and bring him away; let me see if his God is able to deliver him out of my hands. And they haled him and led him away to Misdaeus

with an hundred and twenty-eight (hundred and fifty, Syr.) blows , and bound, and be cast into the prison; and they bound him and led him away. And the king and Charisius considered how they should put him to death, for the multitude worshipped him as God. And they had it in mind to say: The stranger hath reviled the king and is a deceiver. exulting, and said: I praise thee, Jesu, for that thou hast not only made me worthy of faith in thee, but also to endure much for thy sake. I give thee thanks therefore, Lord, that thou hast taken thought for me and given me patience: I thank thee, Lord, that for thy sake I am called a sorcerer and a wizard. Receive thou me therefore with the blessing (Syr. let me receive of the blessing) of the poor, and of the rest of the weary, and of the blessings of them whom men hate and persecute and revile, and speak evil words of them. For lo, for thy sake I am hated: lo, for thy sake I am cut off from the many, and for thy sake they call me such an one as I am not.

besought him to pray for them: and when he had prayed and was set down, he began to utter a psalm in this wise: [Here follows the Hymn of the Soul: a most remarkable composition, originally Syriac, and certainly older than the Acts, with which it has no real connexion. We have it in Greek in one manuscript, the Vallicellian, and in a paraphrase by Nicetas of Thessalonica, found and edited by Bonnet.] in the palace of my Father, 2 and resting in the wealth and luxury of my nurturers, 3 out of the East, our native country, my parents provisioned me and sent me. 5 both great and light, that I might carry it alone. 6 Gold is the load, of them that are above (or of the land of the and silver of the great treasures (or of Gazzak the great), 7 and stones, chalcedonies from the Indians, and pearls from <the land of) the Kosani (Kushan). 8 And they armed me with adamant <which breaketh iron), 9 and they took off from me ( Gr . put on me) the garment set with gems, spangled with gold, which they had made for 13 which is there <in the midst of the sea> girt about by the

14 thou shalt put on <again> the garment set with gems, and that robe whereupon it resteth (or which is thereon), 15 and become with thy brother that is next unto us (Gr. of the well-remembered) an heir (Gr. herald) in our kingdom. 109. 16 And I came out of the East by a road difficult and fearful, with two guides, 17 and I was untried in travelling by it. 18 And I passed by the borders of the Mosani (Maishan) where is the resort of the merchants of the East, 19 and reached the land of the Babylonians <and came unto the had journeyed with me. his hole I abode, 22 watching for him to slumber and sleep, that I might take my pearl from him. and appeared as an alien to my people. 25 a lad of grace and beauty, a son of princes (or an anointed 27 and I had him for a companion, and made him my friend and partaker in my journey (or merchandise). 28 And I charged him to beware of the Egyptians, and of par¬ taking of those unclean things (or consorting with those unclean men). that had come from without 80 to recover the pearl; and lest the Egyptians should awake the serpent against me.

not of their country. a servant unto their king. 35 and by means of the heaviness of their food I fell into a deep 39 made a resolve concerning me, that I should not be left in 40 and the princes wrote unto me signifying thus (and every noble signed his name to it, Syr .): 41 From the (thy) Father the King of kings, and thy mother that 42 and thy brother that is second unto us; unto our son that is 4:5 Rise up and awake out of sleep, and hearken unto the words of the letter, 44 and remember that thou art a son of kings; lo, thou hast come under the yoke of bondage. (Gr. puts this after 40). 47 <and the glorious mantle which thou shouldest wear and wherewith thou shouldest deck thyself.) Thy name is named in the book of life, 48 and with thy brother twhom thou hast receivedt <thou shalt be) in our kingdom. 111. 49 <And my letter was a letter) and the King [as ambassador] sealed it <with his right hand) 50 because of the evil ones, even the children of the Babylonians and the tyrannous demons of Labyrinthus (Sarbug, Syr.).

51 <It flew like the eagle, the king of all fowls. 52 It flew and lighted down by me, and became all speech.) 54 and I took it up and kissed it <and brake the seal) and read it. my freedom yearned (sought) after its kind. 58 and I began (or came) with charms against the terrible serpent, 59 and I overcame him (or put him to sleep) by naming the name of my Father upon him, 60 <and the name of our second in rank, and of my mother the queen of the East). 66 For at times the royal garment of silk <shone> before mine eyes, 67 <and with its voice and its guidance it also encouraged me 68 and with love leading me and drawing me onward, 69 I passed by Labyrinthus (Sarbug), and I left Babylon upon 70 and I came unto Meson (Mesene; Maishan) the great, 71 that lieth on the shore of the sea, 72 <and my bright robe which I had taken off, and the mantle wherewith I had been clad, 73 from the heights of Warkan (Hyrcania ?) had my parents sent 74 by the hand of their treasurers, unto whom they committed it

because of their faithfulness). 112. 75 But I remembered not the brightness of it; for I was yet a child and very young when I had left it in the palace of my Father, 76 but suddenly, [when] I saw the garment made like unto me as it had been in a mirror. 77 And I beheld upon it all myself (or saw it wholly in myself), and I knew and saw myself through it, 78 that we were divided asunder, being of one; and again were one in one shape. one royal sign was set upon both of them. me the due price, 82 and the lovely garment, which was variegated with bright 83 with gold and precious stones and pearls of comely hue 84 they were fastened above (or in the height), 85 <and with stones of adamant were all its seams fastened). 86 And the likeness of the King of kings was all in all of it. 87 Sapphire stones were fitly set in it above (or, like the sapphire stone also were its manifold hues). 113. 88 And again I saw that throughout it motions of knowledge were being sent forth, 89 and it was ready to utter speech.

90 And I heard it speak <with them that had brought it): sake I was reared up with the Father himself. 94 And it hastened, reaching out from the hand of <him that brought it> unto him that would receive it, 95 and me also did yearning arouse to start forth and meet it with the beauty of the colours thereof (mostly Syr .; Gr. corrupt), 97 and in my royal robe excelling in beauty I arrayed myself peace (salutation) and homage, 99 and I bowed my head and worshipped the brightness of the Father which had sent it unto me, 100 for I had performed his commandments, and he likewise that which he had promised, 101 and at the doors of his palace which was from the beginning I mingled among <his nobles), 102 and he rejoiced over me and received me with him into his 103 and all his servants do praise him with sweet voices. gates of the king, 105 that with my gifts and my pearl we may appear together [Immediately on this, in the Syriac, follows a Song of Praise of Thomas the apostle consisting of forty-two ascriptions of praise and four final clauses (Wright, pp. 245-51). It has no bearing on the Acts, and is not in itself so remarkable as to need to be inserted here.]

would be with him, and that she had become such as she was before, even before she heard the divine word and believed on Jesus. And he went, and found her with her hair dishevelled and her clothes rent, and when he saw it he said unto her: My lady Mygdonia, why doth this cruel disease keep hold on thee ? and wherefore hast thou done this? 1 am thine husband from thy virginity, and both the gods and the law grant me to have rule over thee; what is this great madness of thine, that thou art become a derision in all our nation? but put thou away the care that cometh of that sorcerer; and I will remove his face from among us. that thou mavest see him no more. be patient when men take . ^ere f 0T me? (Syr- thy r . t ?s Bf-r^ s thev are destroying, and that shap .» turn ; ng to grief and ^5»ss »^’£l‘S3f53S?S as 2 the east that have enwrapped me insuch^ bereayed of my them any more nqr sacrifice to them, to aU my glory spouse. And ^amI% S neit «nto the king in power; is taken away, yet am I a prince a taken away a n these

but Mygdonia hath set me at noug , of m y eyes, and tMngs*(W°»ld that ?o^ k °“^Tthey were wont, Syr- thee as the most beautiful, though l rn g t j Ue Mygdonia, for in marriage many been possible to And another like hv the sods it would not nave ucc h alwav , for thou wilt not thee in the land of India; but woe 'sme alway. ^ ^ T may even answer me a word: but if thou wUt,^ ^ ^ foj . j more only be vouchsafed a word wealth and honour , comely than that sorcery but thou art e 3^. art my and all men know that there J thee away from me. race and kindred—and lo, he tak Mygdonia saith unto 117 And when Chansius had sosai’ yz substance: him7 He whom I.love is better thee and ^ for thv substance is of earth an me with him unto ££■* iTJiS ‘“13 d S3 KSJffi to sleep, vexed (dissolved) in soul, saying to her: Consider it by thyself all this night: and if thou wilt be with me such as thou wast before, and not see that sorcerer, I will do all according to thy mind, and if thou wilt remove thine affection from him, I will take him out of the prison and let him go and remove into another country, and I will not vex thee, for I know that thou makest much of the stranger. And not with thee first did this matter come about, for many other women also hath he deceived with thee; and they have awaked sober and returned to them¬ selves: do not thou then make nought of my words and cause me to be a reproach among the Indians.

118 And Charisius having thus spoken went to sleep: but she took ten denarii (20 zuze, Syr .), and went secretly to give them to the gaolers that she might enter in to the apostle. But on the way Judas Thomas came and met her, and she saw him and was afraid, for she thought that he was one of the rulers: for a great light went before him. And she said to herself as she fled: I have lost thee, O my unhappy soul! for thou wilt not again see Judas the apostle of <Jesus> the living <God>, and not yet hast thou received the holy seal. And she fled and ran into a narrow place, and there hid herself, saying: I would rather choose to be killed (taken) by the poorer, whom it is possible to persuade, than to fall into the hand of this mighty ruler, who will despise gifts. The Tenth Act: wherein Mygdonia receiveth baptism, came and stood over her, and she saw him and was afraid, and fell down and became lifeless with terror. But he stood by her and took her by the hand and said unto her: Fear not, Mygdonia: Jesus will not leave thee, neither will the Lord unto whom thou hast committed thy soul overlook thee. His compassionate rest will not forsake thee: he that is kind will not forsake thee, for his kindness’ sake, nor he that is good for his goodness’ sake. Rise up then from the earth, thou that art become wholly above it: look on the light, for the Lord leaveth not them that love him to walk in darkness: behold him that travelleth with his servants, that he is unto them a defender in perils. And Mygdonia arose and looked on him and said: Whither wentest thou, my lord? and who is he that brought thee out of prison to behold

and for them I owe tever^Se^’recompense now also a favour, that thou m y st Narcia i n answer saith. from him that S> vetk ^f^gdXia, and what is to be done What wilt thou, my daughter Myg thQU didst promise me for thy pleasure? foT ,^suffered thee to accomplish, and before, the stranger hath no He the nation. And now thou hast made me a reproach a ™f dest me ? And Mygdonia what is this new thmg that thou comma life , that I may saith: Become thou P a ^“ e T take bread and bring it me, and receive of thee perfect nurture. taK freedom (take pity on wine mingled with water and nurse said: I will bring me a free-born woman, Syr.). flagons of wine, and fulfil thee many loaves, and ? n t Wurse • flagons I desire not, nor thy desire But f^ut Ss oSy, bring wine g mingled with water, stood before the apostle ^ O ^!\ rfhou h ’ oly 0 il given unto us and poured it on her h< : a l’* Z whereby the cross was shown for sanctification, secret mystery wner y_ lim bs, thou art unto us, thou art the stitiita e s (workj?thou art it that the humbler (softener) of iT har t h ou frt the sprout of goodness; showeth the hidden treasures, thou art me P servant

let thy Power come, let *J>l/S£lSeedam. And Mygdonia; and heal , tk ^ hade her nurse unclothe her and gird oil was poured upon her h there a fountain of water a linen cloth about her ; »nd th d s b tized Mygdonia in the upon which the apostle wentp, P^ Ghost. And when name of the Father and the Son mdthe ho? took ft cup of she was baptized and clad, ^ b o d y of Christ and the cup water and made her a P aI ?f ke J^" has t received thy seal, get for of the Son of God, aad J a /^ J^^there was heard from above SSeiTtSTSh Sd th. apostle gjv. » »dt Let the care of the Lord be aboutthee as ab tt ^ ietmned unto 122 And having done * e * e „„ 8 and the guards still sleeping, the prison, and f ? undB *® 4 ac L thee O God ? who withholdest And Thomas said: Who w^UteUje^ ^ who is like t hee, the 123 But at the dawn Charisius went unto Mygdonia <and her nurse, Syr .>, and found them praying and saying: O new God that by the stranger hast come hither unto us, hidden God of the dwellers in India (Syr. who art hidden from); God that hast shown thy glory by thine apostle Thomas, God whose report we have heard and believed on thee;

God, unto whom we are come to be saved; God, who for love of man and for pity didst come down unto our littleness; God who didst seek us out when we knew him (thee) not; God that dwellest in the heights and from whom the depths are not hid: turn thou away from us the madness of Charisius. And Charisius hearing that said to Mygdonia: Rightly callest thou me evil and mad and foul! for if I had not borne with thy disobedience, and given thee liberty, thou wouldest not have called on God against me and made mention of my name before God. But believe me, Mygdonia, that in that sorcerer there is no profit, and what he promiseth to perform he cannot: but I will perform before thy sight all that I promise, that thou mayest believe, and bear with my words, and be to me as thou wast beforetime.

124 And he came near and besought her again, saying: If thou wilt be persuaded of me, I shall henceforth have no grief: remember that day when thou didst meet me first; tell the truth: was I more beautiful unto thee at that time, or Jesus at this ? And Mygdonia said: That time required its own, and this time also; that was the time of the beginning, but this of the end; that was the time of temporal life, this of eternal; that, of pleasure that passeth away, but this of pleasure that abideth for ever; that, of day and night, this of day without night. Thou sawest that marriage; that was passing, and here, and single, but this marriage continueth for ever; that was a partnership of corruption, but this of eternal life; those groomsmen (and maids) were men and women of time, but these abide unto the end. fThat marriage upon earthf setteth up fdropping dew of the love of menf (Syr. That union was founded upon the earth where there is an unceasing press: this is founded upon the bridge of fire upon which is sprinkled grace : both corrupt) ; that bride-chamber is taken down again, but this remaineth always; that bed was strown with coverlets (that grow old), but this with love and faith. Thou art a bridegroom that passest away and

changeth; but that li ew r in a little cease to be. The toTsaith kSK counselled thee for the best, but thou end dost thou make me mad, and cast thyself into destruction? for if thou persuade her not, I will both dispatch thee and finally take myself out of life. But if, as thou sayest, after our departing hence there is there life and death, and also condemnation and victory and a place of judgement, then will I also go in thither to be judged with thee: and if that God whom thou preachest is just and awardeth punishment justly, I know that I shall gain my cause against thee; for thou hast injured me, having suffered no wrong at my hands: for indeed even here I am able to avenge myself on thee and bring upon thee all that thou hast done unto me. Therefore be thou persuaded, and come home with me and persuade Mygdonia to be with me as she was at first, before she beheld thee. And Judas saith to him: Believe me, my child, that if men loved God as much as they love one another, they would ask of him all things and receive them, and none would do them violence (there would be nothing which would not obey them, Syr.).

Charisius and found Mygdonia sitting and Narcia standing by her, and her hand supporting her cheek; and she was saying: Let the remainder of the days of my life, O mother, be cut off from me, and all the hours become as one hour, and let me depart out of life that I may go the sooner and behold that beautiful one, whose report I have heard, even that living one and giver of life unto them that believe on him, where is not day and night, nor light and darkness, nor good and evil, nor poor and rich, nor male and female, nor free and bond, nor proud that subjecteth the humble. And as she spake the apostle stood by her, and forthwith she rose up and did him reverence. Then Charisius said unto him: Seest thou how she feareth and honoureth thee, and all that thou shalt bid her she will do willingly ? 130 And as he so spake, Judas saith unto Mygdonia: My daughter Mygdonia, obey that which thy brother Charisius saith. And Mygdonia saith: If thou wast not able <to name) the deed in word, wilt thou compel me to endure the act? for I have heard of thee that this life is of no profit, and this relief is for a time, and these possessions are transitory. And again thou saidst that whoso renounceth this life shall receive the life eternal,

_3 _L_1_1-lL Al_1*_1_A _1» J__J ? 1 A _ 1_11 1_1_1 J _ 1 1 _L A thee I will bind, Syr.); and I will not suffer thee to speak with this sorcerer; and if thou obey me, well, but if not , I know what I must do. imto the house of Siphor and lodged there with him. And Siphor said: I will prepare for Judas a hall (triclinium) wherein he may teach (Syr. Siphor said to Judas: Prepare thyself an apartment, &c.). And he did so; and Siphor said: I and my wife and daughter will dwell henceforth in holiness, and in chastity, and in one affection. I beseech thee that we may receive of thee the seal, and become worshippers of the true God and numbered among his sheep and lambs. And Judas said: I am afraid to speak that which I think: yet I know somewhat, and what I know it is not possible for me to utter. 132 And he began to say concerning baptism: This baptism is remission of sins (the Greek MSS. U and P have divergent texts, both obscure): this bringeth forth again light that is shed about us: this bringeth to new birth the new man (this is the restorer of understandings, Syr.): this mingleth the spirit (with the body), raiseth up in threefoldwise a new man and <maketh him> partaker of the remission of sins. Glory be to thee, hidden one, that art communicated in baptism. Glory to thee the unseen power that is in baptism. Glory to thee, renewal, whereby are renewed they that are baptized and with affection take hold upon thee.

And having thus said, he poured oil over their heads and said: Glory be to thee the love of compassion (bowels). Glory to thee, name of Christ. Glory to thee, power established in Christ. And he commanded a vessel to be brought, and baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. the table and blessed it, and said: Bread of life, the which who eat abide incorruptible: Bread that filleth the hungry souls with the blessing thereof: thou art he that vouchsafest to receive a gift, that thou mayest become unto us remission of sins, and that they who eat thee may become immortal: we invoke upon thee the name of the mother, of the unspeakable mystery of the hidden powers and authorities (? we name the name of the imonAnlrnkl/k 4-Ur\+ in nil P_ n \ . n '~>nl_n unhappy man; and thou thyself knowest, my sister Tertia, that a man hath nought better than his own wife on whom he resteth; but it chanced that his wife went unto that sorcerer of whom thou hast heard that he is come to the land of the Indians, and fell into his charms and is parted from her own husband; and he knoweth not what he should do. And when I would have destroyed the malefactor, he would not have it. But do thou go and counsel her to incline unto her husband, and forsake the vain words of the sorcerer.

Charisius her husband’s <kinsman>, and found Mygdonia lying upon the earth in humiliation; and ashes and sackcloth were spread under her, and she was praying that the Lord would forgive her her former sins and she might soon depart out of life. And Tertia said unto her: Mygdonia, my dear sister and companion, what is this fhandf (Syr. this folly) ? what is the disease that hath overtaken thee ? and why doest thou the deeds of madmen ? Know thyself and come back unto thine own way, come near unto thy many kinsfolk, and spare thy true husband Charisius, and do not things unbefitting a free-woman. Mygdonia saith unto her: O Tertia, thou hast not yet heard the preacher of life: not yet hath he touched thine ears, not yet hast thou tasted the medicine of life nor art freed from corruptible mourning. Thou standest in the life of time, and the everlasting life and salvation thou knowest not, and perceivest not the incorruptible fellowship. Thou standest clad in robes that grow old and desirest not those that are eternal; and art proud of this beauty which vanisheth, and hast no thought of the ugliness of thy soul; and art rich in a multitude of servants, (and hast not freed thine own soul from servitude, Syr.) and pridest thyself in the glory that cometh of many, but redeemest not thyself from the condemnation of death.

136 And when Tertia heard this of Mygdonia she said: I pray thee, sister, bring me unto that stranger that teacheth these great things, that I also may go and hear him, and be taught to worship the God whom he preacheth, and become partaker of his prayers, and a sharer in all that thou hast told me of. And Mvedonia saith to her: He is in the house of Siphor the captain; be of the number of his servants (sheep, Syr.), Unto whom saith Tertia: May I become a partaker of this life which thou promisest that all they shall receive who come together unto the assembly of God. And the apostle said: The treasury of the holy king is opened wide, and they which worthily partake of the good things that are therein do rest, and resting do reign: but first, no man cometh unto him that is unclean and vile: for he knoweth our inmost hearts and the depths of our thought, and it is not possible for any to escape him. Thou, then, if verily thou believest in him, shalt be made worthy of his mysteries; and he will magnify thee and enrich thee, and make thee to be an heir of his kingdom.

and found her husband awaiting her, not having dined ; and when Misdaeus saw her he said: Whence is it that thine entering in to-day is more beautiful ? and wherefore art thou come walking, which beseemeth not free-born women like thee? And Tertia saith unto him: I owe thee the greatest of thanks for that thou didst send me unto Mygdonia; for l went and heard of a new life, and I saw the new apostle of the God that giveth life unto them that believe on him and fulfil his commandments; I ought therefore myself to recompense thee for this favour and admonition with good advice; for thou shalt be a great king in heaven if thou obey me and fear the God that is preached by the stranger, and keep thyself holy unto the living God. For this kingdom passeth away, and thy comfort will be turned into affliction: but go thou to that man, and believe him, and thou shalt live unto the end. And when Misdaeus heard these things of his wife, he smote his face with his hands and rent his clothes and said: May the soul of Charisius find no rest, for he hath hurt me to the soul; and may he have no hope, for he hath taken away ray hope. And he went out greatly vexed.

and said unto him: Why hast thou cast me into hell to be another companion to thyself? why hast thou emptied and defrauded me to gain nought ? why hast thou hurt me and profited thyself not at all ? why hast thou slain me and thyself not lived ? why hast thou wronged me and thvself not f?ot iustice? whv didst Take him away, and hale him with violence and not gently, that his shame may be manifest unto all men. And they haled him and took him to the place where Misdaeus judged, and he stood there, held of the soldiers of Misdaeus. The Twelfth Act: concerning Ouazanes (luzanes) the son of Misdaeus . 139 And Ouazanes (luzanes, P ; Vizan, Syr.) the son of Misdaeus came unto the soldiers and said: Give me him that I may speak with him until the king cometh. And they gave him up , and he brought him in where the king gave judgement. And luzanes saith: Knowest thou not that I am the son of Misdaeus the king, and I have power to say unto the king what I will, and he will suffer thee to live ? tell me then, who is thy God, and what power dost thou claim and glory in it? for if it be some power or art of magic, tell it me and teach me, and I will let thee go. Judas saith unto him:

Thou art the son of Misdaeus the king who is king for a time, but I am the servant of Jesus Christ the eternal king; and thou hast power to say to thy father to save whom thou wilt in the temporal life wherein men continue not, which thou and thy father grant, but I beseech my Lord and intercede for men, and he giveth them a new life which is altogether enduring. And thou boastest thyself of possessions and servants and robes and luxury and unclean chamberings, but I boast myself of poverty and philosophy and humility and fasting and prayer and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost and of my brethren that are worthy of God: and I boast myself of eternal life. And thou reliest on (hast taken refuge with) a man like unto thyself, and not able to save his own soul from judgement and death, but I rely upon the living God, upon the saviour of kings and princes, who is the judge of all men. And ye indeed to-day perchance are, and to-morrow are no more, but I have taken refuge with him that abideth for ever and knoweth all our seasons and times. And if thou wilt become the servant of this God, thou shalt soon do so; but show that thou wilt be a servant worthy of him hereby: first by holiness (purity), which is the head of all good things, and then by fellowship with this God whom

42a ACTS OF THOMAS saith to him: I am a maI \ ^ e M ^aeu”saith ^Te^methe truth Christ l do these things. And Misd us sa n0 p0 wer before I destroy thee. AndJudas ^in^ hurt me at all . against me, as thou supposest and t comm anded to heat And the king was wroth at hisworas arm ^ ^ ^ soldie rs iron plates and set hl ™;a ?°Thewisdom of God is better than the took off his shoes he said. The wisdo take counsel wisdom of men. t Thou Lord and Kmgt ^ ^ ^ ^ against them, Syr.) and le * thy go e s nd set the apostle they brought the plates which were l.ke hre a antl from upon them and straightway ^sprangy^ ^ &nd they thatheld’him let him go and ^ th djew themselves^ gaid t0 14! And the king me from this death, that Judas: Ask thy God that he deliv j prayed and said: I perish not in the flood. And the apos F J thcr it into Thou that didst bind thisi elem lands . th |t didst bring one place and send it forth £V works and great

disorder into order, that grant g y hast mercy wonders by the hands of Judasthy c ff'e "hv brightness; that on my soul, that I may_ alwiay la ^ 0UTed; thou saviour of givest wages unto them tha nature that it may have no mv soul, restoring it unto its own a]waY been the occasion fellowship with hurtful things ; that y itself of life: do thou restram this elemen^that^it^^^^ ^ to destroy; for A ndwhen he had prayed, the shall believe on thee and live. A w the lace became water was swallowed up by little and lit U d £ him to b e dry. And when Misdaeus he must be used taken to the prison : Until I shall co all followed 142 And as Judas was led away to the P n hand) and him, and Iuzanes the king tered ; n to the prison and sat Siphor at the left. And he ente uaded bis wife and down, and Iuzanes and s 'Phot,and^h come in to hear the his daughter to sit down, Misdaeus would slay him because word of life. For they ^ new . Tudas began to say: O liberator pvpess of his anger. And Jud _? L^Anfica T ffQ VP mvself

and on my raiment,) and I shall not put it off again; lo, I sleep and awake, and I shall no more go to sleep; lo, I die and live again, and I shall no more taste of death; lo, they rejoice and expect me, that I may come and be with their kindred and be set as a flower in their crown ; lo, I reign in the kingdom whereon I set my hope, even from hence ; lo, the rebellious fall before me, for I have escaped them ; lo, (unto me) the peace hath come, whereunto all are gathered. 143 And as the apostle spake thus, all that were there heark¬ ened, supposing that in that hour he would depart out of life. And again he said: Believe on the physician of all <diseases>, both seen and unseen, and on the saviour of the souls that need help from him. This is the free-born <son> of kings, this the physician of his creatures; this is he that was reproached of his own slaves; this is the Father of the height and the Lord of nature and the Judge (? Father of nature and Lord of the height and supreme Judge, Syr.): he came of the greatest, the only-begotten son of the deep ; and he was called the son of (became visible through, Syr.) Mary the virgin, and was termed the son of Joseph the carpenter :

he whose littleness (we beheld) with the eyes of our body, but his greatness we received by faith, and saw it in his works ; whose human body we felt also with our hands, and his aspect we saw transfigured (changed) with our eyes, but his heavenly semblance on the mount we were not able to see : he that made the rulers stumble and did violence unto death : he, the truth that lieth not, that at the last paid the tribute for himself and his disciples : whom the prince beholding feared and the powers that were with him were troubled; and the prince bare witness (asked him, Syr.) who he was and from whence, and knew not the truth, because he is alien from truth: he that having authority over the world, and the pleasures therein, and the possessions and the comfort, <rejected> all these things, and turneth away his subjects, that they should not use them.

thus: Our Father, which art in heaven: hallowed be thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done, as in heaven so upon earth : .1 a a ■ . 1 !• xl_1_ fl_V-3 J* - J ___ represented on the one hand - x others. These insert by the Pari.MS. P, and to. the original ( 144 ) Mv Lord and God, my hope a . y , Hidst teach teacher, that!hast 'mP 1 ® 1 *® 1 p^thy* prayer’and bring‘thy wilt me to pray thus; behold, I pray > P , y end Thou ar t he to fulfilment: be thou with me u in temptation that from my youth up didst give me P^nce m. F thou and <sow in> me Me and pto™ wot i d „,d ffl mS S£ Se trne Sea; «“»^£“‘. 0 ’?-™ K 145 My mouth suffleeth not to praise t > h ; ch h ath .TturSnu 1 ..vixens ££ r„ d d safa^^ttfe "tE ffi HSrJfcwtffc sis I was bidden to the wedding, and I put on white raiment, that I might be worthy of it and not be bound hand and foot and cast into the outer darkness. My lamp with its bright light expecteth the master coming from the marriage, that it may receive him, and I may not (? he may not) see it dimmed because the oil is spent. Mine eyes, O Christ, look upon thee, and mine heart exulteth with joy because I have fulfilled thy will and perfected thy commandments; that I may be likened unto that watchful and careful servant who in his eagerness neglecteth not to keep vigil (other MSS .: I have not slumbered idly in keeping thy commandments; in the first sleep and at midnight and at cockcrow, that mine eyes may behold thee, &c.). All the night have I laboured to keep mine house from robbers, lest it be broken through.

shoes on my feet, that I may never see them gaping; mine hands have I put unto the yoked plough and have not turned away backward, lest my furrows go crooked. The plough-land is become white and the harvest is come, that I may receive my wages. My garment that groweth old I have worn out, and the labour that hath brought me unto rest have I accomplished. I have kept the first watch and the second and the third, that I may behold thy face and adore thine holy brightness. I have rooted out the worst (pulled down my barns, Syr.) and left them desolate upon earth, that I may be filled full from thy treasures ( Gr. MSS. add: all my substance have I sold, that I may gain thee the pearl). The moist spring that was in me have I dried up, that I may live and rest beside thine inexhaust¬ ible spring (al. and Syr.: rest beside thy living spring). The captive whom thou didst commit to me I have slain, that he which is set free in me may not fall from his confidence. Him that was inward have I made outward and the outward <inward>, and all thy fullness hath been fulfilled in me. I have not returned unto the things that are behind, but have gone forward unto the things that are before, that I become not a reproach. The dead

do flee and hide themselves, they cannot look on thee: but (for) suddenly do they fall upon them that are subject to them, and the portion of the sons of the evil one doth itself cry out and convict them; and it is not hid from them, for their nature is made known: the children of the evil one are separated off. Do thou then grant me, Lord, that I may pass by in quietness and joy and peace, and pass over and stand before the judge; and let not the devil (or slanderer) look upon me; let his eyes be blinded by thy light which thou hast made to dwell in me; close thou up (muzzle) his mouth: for he hath found nought against me. [We revert to 27.] 149 And he said again unto them that were about him: <Believe, my children, in the God whom I proclaim; believe in Jesus Christ whom I preach; believe in the giver of life and helper of his servants, Syr .> believe in the Saviour of them that have laboured in his service: for my soul already flourisheth, because my time is near to receive him; for he being beautiful draweth me on always to speak concerning his beauty, what it is, though I be not able and suffice not to speak it worthily: thou that art the light (feeder, Syr.) of my poverty and the supplier of my defects and nurturer of my need: be thou with me until I come and receive thee for evermore.

The Thirteenth Act: wherein luzanes receiveth baptism with the rest. 150 And luzanes the youth besought the apostle, saying: I pray thee, O man, apostle of God, suffer me to go, and I will persuade the gaoler to permit thee to come home with me, that by thee I may receive the seal, and become thy minister and a keeper of the commandments of the God whom thou preachest. For indeed, formerly I walked in those things which thou teachest, until my father compelled me and joined me unto a wife by name Mnesara; for I am in my one-and-twentieth year, and have now been seven years married, and before I was joined in marriage I knew no other woman ; wherefore also I was accounted useless ’ “ d *«§«». «* 11 th. and lo, we are here prathurth»l ItA th keepers and came in; let thee escape unti? the k.W tha * we may persuade thee and Unto whom Judas said: TeU us fire? of XSf thee Shal L Cease ' 152 And she saith to him - Th™ Let -iL° W ye T re shut up - leave us for one hour and askest thL ^ th US ’ and dldst never but if thou desires? to h?ar hear TheLl m shut up? me and said unto me: Not vet hath th,?t kng Mlsdaeus sent for thee, for, as I hear he hewfteh^K that s . or L cerer Prevailed over

bread, and hath not yet bewitched thee-"hlu oil “ti, " atpr alui ?h« h x “ s r x hither; but give thou ns thp c Jn ° U * dl ? st bnn g us even M 'l J?T ” h » ^coonselleth thus rmybecuSff “ * h ' hope 0 iXf'iHny fXX b S r fh« S.1 “ id ' Gl ”? be to thee, of our poor manhood: glory toLhee tha? 1 PPf” 6 ® 4 In * he gmse makest us strong and givest Lace and LL en c»uragest us and us in all perils. and fflS e “ dco, l solest and standest by Jesus, and thou shalt find the doors open. And when he went forth and departed from them, all the rest followed after him. And as Iuzanes was gone on before, Mnesara his wife met him, coming unto the prison. And she knew him and said: My brother Iuzanes, is it thou? and he saith, Yea; and art thou Mnesara? and she saith, Yea. Iuzanes said unto her: Whither walkest thou, especially at so untimely an hour? and how wast thou able to rise up? And she said: This youth laid his hand on me and raised me up, and in a dream I saw that I should go where the stranger sitteth, and become perfectly whole. Iuzanes saith to her: What youth is with thee ? And she said: Seest thou not him that is on my right hand, leading me by the hand ?

and his wife and daughter and Tertia and Mygdonia and Narcia, came unto Iuzanes’ house. And Mnesara the wife of Iuzanes, seeing him did reverence and said: Art thou come that savedst us from the sore disease ? thou art he whom I saw in the night delivering unto me this youth to bring me to the prison. But thy goodness suffered me not to grow weary, but thou thyself art come unto me. And so saying she turned about and saw the youth no more; and finding him not, she saith to the apostle: I am not able to walk alone: for the youth whom thou gavest me is not here. And Judas said: Jesus will henceforth lead thee. And thereafter she came running unto him. And when they entered into the house of Iuzanes the son of Misdaeus the king, though it was yet night, a great light shined and was shed about them. 156 And then Judas began to pray and to speak thus: O com¬ panion and defender (ally) and hope of the weak and confidence of the poor: refuge and lodging of the weary: voice that came forth of the height (sleep, Gr.)z comforter dwelling in the midst: port and harbour of them that pass through the regions of the rulers: physician that healest without payment: who among men wast crucified for many: who didst go down into hell with

—-— x. ™ i ,.Ui. . a i— —Lx _r i 4.1 • __ 4 » -i a i i i cian In the land of sickness: be unto them a rest in the land of the weary: sanctify them in a polluted land: be their physician both of bodies and souls: make them holy temples of thee, and let thine holy spirit dwell in them. Mygdonia: Unclothe thy sisters. And she took off their clothes and girded them with girdles and brought them: but Iuzanes had first gone before, and they came after him; and the apostle took oil in a cup of silver and spake thus over it: Fruit more beautiful than all other fruits, unto which none other whatsoever may be compared: altogether merciful: fervent with the force of the word: power of the tree which men putting upon them over¬ come their adversaries: crowner of the conquerors: help (symbol) and joy of the sick: that didst announce unto men their salvation, that showest light to them that are in darkness; whose leaf is bitter, but in thy most sweet fruit thou art fair; that art rough to the sight but soft to the taste; seeming to be weak, but in the greatness of thy strength able to bear the power that beholdeth all things. Having thus said [a corrupt word follows ]: Jesu: let his victorious might come and be established in this oil, like as it was established in the tree (wood) that was its kin, even his might at that time, whereof they that crucified thee could not endure the word:

let the gift also come whereby breathing upon his (thine) enemies thou didst cause them to go backward and fall headlong, and let it rest on this oil, whereupon we invoke thine holy name. And having thus said, he poured it first upon the head of Iuzanes and then upon the women’s heads, saying: In thy name, O Jesu Christ, let it be unto these souls for remission of sins and for turning back of the adversary and for salvation of their souls. And he commanded Mygdonia to anoint them, but he himself anointed Iuzanes. And having anointed them he led them down into the water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.

renewing of soul and body: and for that thou didst rise up and revive, let us revive and live and stand before thee in righteous judgement. And he brake and gave the eucharist unto Iuzanes and Tertia and Mnesara and the wife and daughter of Siphor, and said: Let this eucharist be unto you for salvation and joy and health of your souls. And they said: Amen. And a voice w T as heard, saying: Amen: fear ye not, but only believe. Here we revert to the text of P and its companions . 159 And after these things Judas departed to be imprisoned. And Tertia with Mygdonia and Narcia also went to be im¬ prisoned. And the apostle Thomas said unto them—the multi¬ tude of them that had believed being present: Daughters and sisters and fellow-servants which have believed in my Lord and God, ministers of my Jesus, hearken to me this day: for I do deliver my word unto you, and I shall no more speak with you in this flesh nor in this world; for I go up unto my Lord and God Jesus Christ, unto him that sold me, unto that Lord that humbled himself even unto me the little, and brought me up unto eternal greatness, that vouchsafed to me to become his servant in truth and steadfastness: unto him do I depart, knowing that the time is fulfilled, and the day appointed hath drawn near for me to go and receive my recompense from my Lord and God: for my recompenser is righteous, who knoweth me, how I ought to receive my reward; for he is not grudging nor envious, but is rich in his gifts; he is not a lover of craft (or sparing) in that he giveth, for he hath confidence in his possessions which cannot fail.

acts of i» vauw “ 6 ,^ Wm . Andtbep«.pl«^P^S„d Mm unto four gfi^^aln and there P*™ e c * y . And saying 165 But the men ra goI<J{ers w ent at t erg ^ offlceT held from death. And hi i e ft, holding spears, Thomas said. accomplished in us • , . pasS ion of the v y one is he that to be swallowed up i f ^ ur am 1 made, d this I now understand, that my T w ^ uc h am ot tour ’. - n un to the place £38 Si” ' luzanes: Tb.u “".KSSoK; 167 And he sal( J-. 11S and minister (t Misdaeus their the (earthly) king Misdaeus^nd^ servants of M*^ Juzanes 168 And when he had thus prayed he said unto the soldiers: Come hither and accomplish the commandments of him that sent you. And the four came and pierced him with their spears, and he fell down and died. And all the brethren wept; and they brought beautiful robes and much and fair linen, and buried him in a royal sepulchre wherein the former (first) kings were laid. but continued sitting by him all the day. And the apostle Thomas appeared unto them and said: Why sit ye here and keep watch over me? I am not here, but I have gone up and received all that I was promised. But rise up and go down hence; for after a little time ye also shall be gathered unto me.

But Misdaeus and Charisius took away Mygdonia and Tertia and afflicted them sorely: howbeit they consented not unto their will. And the apostle appeared unto them and said: Be not deceived: Jesus the holy, the living one, shall quickly send help unto you. And Misdaeus and Charisius, when they perceived that Mygdonia and Tertia obeyed them not, suffered them to live according to their own desire. And the brethren gathered together and rejoiced in the grace of the Holy Ghost: now the apostle Thomas when he departed out of the world made Siphor a presbyter and Iuzanes a deacon, when he went up into the mountain to die. And the Lord wrought with them, and many were added unto the faith. children of Misdaeus the king was smitten by a devil, and no man could cure him, for the devil was exceeding fierce. And Misdaeus the king took thought and said: I will go and open the sepulchre, and take a bone of the apostle of God and hang it upon my son, and he shall be healed. But while Misdaeus thought upon this, with one accord rejoicing, made prayer for him; and the Lord that loveth men, the King of kings and Lord of lords, granted Misdaeus also to have hope in him; and he was gathered with the multitude of them that had believed in Christ, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; whose is power and adoration, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.

[U (and Syr.) ends: The acts of Judas Thomas the apostle are completed, which he did in India, fulfilling the commandment of him that sent him. Unto whom be glory, world without end. Amen.] The five principal apostolic romances which have been here translated had naturally many successors: it was not to be expected that the destinies of the other apostles would be left in obscurity when the possibilities of edifying fiction on this subject had been demonstrated to so great an extent. But a change is noticeable in the complexion of the later romances. The earlier ones had all a great interest in doctrine: the prayers and exhortations of the apostle are very evi¬ dently the centre of interest to the author. It is not so in the later Acts. In them it is the narrative and the accumulation of miracles which are the raison d'itre . Religiously, then, these books are not very important: as storehouses of legend and folk-lore, and in their influence on later literature and art, they have considerable interest. It is not easy to devise a scientific classification of the later Acts. They are multitudinous, fragmentary, imperfectly known: new recen¬ sions and new texts still emerge not unfrequently. But perhaps a line may be drawn between those which exist in Greek or Latin and those which we only have in Oriental languages—Coptic, Ethiopic, and Syriac. It may be said at once that Egypt was a prolific factory of the later Acts: in her monasteries it seems likely that in and after the fifth century a whole cycle of apostolic romances was produced. These we

Now the first of the separate romances, which is most obviously an imitation of the Five, and is pretty certainly somewhat older than the others which we shall encounter, is the No such suspicion of unorthodoxy as—rightly or wrongly—attaches to four out of the Five Acts, affects the Acts of Philip. If grotesque, it is yet a Catholic novel. In form it follows Thomas , for it is divided into separate Acts, of which the manuscripts mention fifteen: we have Actsi-ix and from xv to the end, including the Martyrdom, which last, as usual, was current separately and exists in many recensions. One Act—the second—and the Martyrdom were first edited by Tischendorf. Batiffol printed the remainder in 1890, and Bonnet, using more manuscripts, gives the final edition in his Acta Apost . Apocr . ii. 1 . Besides the Greek text, there is a single Act extant only in Syriac, edited by Wright, which, so far as its general character goes, might well have formed part of the Greek Acts: but it is difficult to fit it into the framework. An analysis, with translations of the more interesting passages, will suffice for these Acts, and for the rest of their class.

I. When he came out of Galilee and raised the dead man. her only son to burial. Philip asked her about her grief: I have spent in vain much money on the gods, Ares, Apollo, Hermes, Artemis, Zeus, Athena, the Sun and Moon, and I think they are asleep as far as I am concerned. And I consulted a diviner to no purpose. 2 The apostle said: Thou hast suffered nothing strange, mother, for thus doth the devil deceive men. Assuage thy grief and I will raise thy son in the name of Jesus. 3 She said: It seems it were better for me not to marry, and to eat nothing but bread and water. Philip: You are right. Chastity is especially dear to God. 4 She said: I believe in Jesus whom thou preachest. He raised her son, who sat up and said: Whence is this light ? and how comes it that an angel came and opened the prison of judgement where I was shut up? where I saw such torments as the tongue of man cannot describe. 5 So all were baptized. And the youth followed the apostle. II. When he went unto Greece of Athens (!)

Hellas, 300 philosophers gathered and said: Let us go and see what his wisdom is, for they say of the wise men or Asia that the apostles by Abdias the disciple of Simon and Jude. Abdias wrote in Hebrew: Eutropius his disciple translated him into Greek: Africanus put him into Latin, in ten books. their wisdom is great. For they supposed Philip to be a philoso¬ pher: he travelled only in a cloak and an undergarment. So they assembled and looked into their books, lest he should get the better of them. 7 They said: If you have anything new to tell us, let us hear it, for we need nothing else but only to hear some new thing. 8 Philip: Then you must cast away the old man. The Lord said: Ye cannot put new wine into old bottles. I am glad to hear that you desire something new, for my Lord’s teaching is new. 9 The philosophers: Who is thy Lord? Philip: Jesus Christ. 10 They: This is a new name to us. Give us three days to look into it. 11 They consulted, and said: Perhaps it will be best to send for the high priest of the Jews to discuss it with him.

12 So they wrote: The philosophers of Greece to Ananias the great high priest of the Jews at Jerusalem—and stated the case. 13 On reading the letter Ananias rent his clothes and said: Is that deceiver in Athens also ? And Satan, entered into him. (This is another form of Mastema, the name of Satan in Jubilees and elsewhere.) And he consulted with the lawyers and Pharisees, and they said: Arm thyself and take 500 men and go and at all costs destroy Philip. and he and the philosophers went to Philip’s lodging, and he came out, and Ananias said: Thou sorcerer and wizard, I know thee, that thy master the deceiver at Jerusalem called thee son of thunder; did not Judaea suffice you, but must you come here to deceive? Philip said: May the veil of unbelief be taken from thee, and thou learn who is the deceiver, thou or I. 15 Ananias’ address: how Jesus destroyed the law and allowed meats—was crucified, the disciples stole his body, and did many wonders, and were cast out of Jerusalem, and now go all about the world deceiving every one, like this Philip. But I will take him to Jerusalem, for the king Archelaus seeketh him to kill him.

16 The people were not moved. Philip said: I will appeal to my God. he was blinded, and so were his 500 men: they cursed him, and prayed Philip for help. 18 Philip’s prayer: O weak nature . . . O bitter sea. Come, Jesu, the holy light—thou overlookest us not when we cry to thee. . . . 19 Ananias to Philip: Thinkest thou to turn us from the traditions of our fathers, and the God of the manna in the wilder¬ ness, and Moses, to follow the Nazarene, Jesus? Philip: I will ask my God to manifest himself to thee and to these—perchance thou wilt believe: but if not, a wonder shall befall thee. And he prayed God to send his Son. seven times brighter than the sun, and his raiment whiter than snow. All the idols of Athens fell, and the devils in them fled, crying out. Philip said: Hearest thou not the devils, and believest thou not him that is here? Ananias: I have no God save him that gave the manna in the wilderness. 21 Jesus went up into heaven, and there was a great earth¬ quake, and the people fled to the apostle, crying for mercy.

22 Philip: There is no envy in us, and the grace of Christ shall restore your sight, but first let the high priest see. A voice from heaven: Philip, once son of thunder but now of meekness, whatsoever thou askest my Father he will do for thee. The people were afraid at the voice. In the name of Christ, Philip made Ananias see. He said: How great is the art magic of Jesus! this Philip in a moment (or for a little) hath blinded me and in a moment restored my sight! I cannot be convinced by witchcraft. The 500 asked Philip to give back their sight that they might slay the unbelieving Ananias. 23 Philip: Render not evil for evil. To Ananias: There shall be a great sign shown in thee. Ananias: I know that thou art a sorcerer and disciple of Jesus; thou canst not bewitch me. Philip, to Jesus: Zabarthan, sabathabat, bramanouch, come quickly! The earth opened and swallowed Ananias to the knees. He cried: This is real magic, that the earth clave when Philip threatened it in Hebrew—and there are hooks below pulling at my legs to make me believe, but I will not, for I know his witch¬ craft from Jerusalem.

24 Philip, to the earth: Take him to the middle. And he sank further and said: One foot is frozen and the other hot—but I will not believe. The people wanted to stone him, but Philip checked them: This is for your salvation; if he repent, I will bring him up, but if not, he shall be swallowed into the deep. 25 He spread out his hand in the air over the 500, and their eyes were opened and they praised God. Philip, to Ananias: Confess now with a pure heart that Jesus is Lord, that thou mayest be saved like these. But he laughed at him. 26 Seeing him obstinate, Philip said to the earth: Open and swallow him to the neck. 27 And one of the first men of the city came and said: A devil has attacked my son, saying: As thou hast let a stranger come to the city, who destroys our idols, what can I do but kill thine only son? and he has suffocated him. Help me, for I also believe. the servants bring him: he was 23 years old. Philip seeing him, grieved, and said to Ananias: This is through your folly: if I raise him will you believe? Ananias: I know you will raise

him by your magic, but I will not believe. Philip was wroth and said: Catathema (cursed thing), go down into the abyss in the sight of all. And he was swallowed up: but the high-priestly robe flew away from him, and therefore no man knows where it is from that day. Philip raised the lad and drove away the devil. 29 The people cried out, believing in God, and the 500 were baptized. And Philip stayed two years at Athens, and founded a church and ordained a bishop and a presbyter, and departed to Parthia to preach. III. Done in Parthia hy Philip • Peter with disciples, and said: I pray you strengthen me, that I may go and preach like you. 31 And they prayed for him. 32 And John was there also, and said to Philip: Andrew is gone to Achaia and Thrace, and Thomas to India and the wicked flesh-eaters, and Matthew to the savage troglodytes. And do thou not be slack, for Jesus is with thee. And they let him depart. found a ship going to Azotus, and agreed with the sailors for four staters, and sailed. A great wind came, and they began to cast out the tackle and say farewell to each other and lament.

34 Philip consoled them: Not even the ship shall be lost. He went up oil the prow and said: Sea, sea, Jesus Christ by me his servant bids thee still thy wrath. There was calm, and the sailors thanked him and asked to become servants of Jesus. 35 And he instructed them to forsake the cares of this life. 36 And they believed, and Philip landed and baptized them all. IV. Of the daughter of Nicocleides , whom he healed at Azotus . miracles, and many came and were healed, and devils were cast out and cried out against him. And people said divers things of him, some that he was good, and others that he was a wizard, and separated husbands and wives and preached chastity. and went to the warehouses of one Nicocleides, a recorder (registrar), friend of the king, where many strangers lodged. night. She had a sore disease in her eye. In the morning she went to her father and said: I can no longer bear the taunts of my companions about my eye. He said: 'What can I do ? have I not called in Leucius the king’s physician and Elides the queen’s eunuch and Solgia her attendant. She : 1 know it; but there is a strange physician come here last night: call him.

41 He went to the warehouses and found Philip: Art thou the physician lately come? Philip: Jesus is my physician. I will come with thee. They found the daughter "weeping. 42 After reassuring words she fell at his feet: I sprinkle my chamber with pure water and lay my linen garments under thy feet; help me, for I know thou canst. To her father: Let us bring him in, and let him see my disease. and put her right hand on her face and say: In the name of Jesus Christ let my eye be healed. And it was. 44 And both believed and were baptized, and a number of servants. And Charitine put on male attire and followed Philip. V. Done in the city Nicatera; and of Ireus. many disciples accompanied him, and he taught continually. 46 And when he arrived there was great stir: What shall we do, for his teaching will prevail ... he separates husbands and wives. Let us cast him out before he begins to preach and our wives are deceived. of them, Ireus, said: Do not use force ; let us test his teaching. to foil their counsel. He went to Philip and greeted him. And Philip saw there was no guile in him, and promised him salvation, for having stood up for him.

him to faith and constancy. 50 Ireus: Lodge at my house. Philip: First cleanse it. Ireus: How? Philip: Do no wrong, and leave thy wife. And he went home. 51 His wife said: I hear you foiled the counsel of the Jews about a strange sorcerer. Ireus: Would that we might be worthy to have him lodge here. She: I will not have him here, for he separates husbands and wives. I will go home to my parents and take my dowry and servants ; four years I have been your wife and never contradicted you. 52 Ireus mildly: Have patience, and you also will believe. She: Rise, eat, drink and be merry, for you cannot deceive me. Ireus: How can I eat while the man of God is hungry? Put away this folly: he is a man of God, of mildness and grace. 53 She: Is his God like those of this city, of gold, fixed in the temple? Ireus: No, but in heaven, almighty: the gods of this city are made by ungodly men. She: Bring him, that I may see the god in him. 54 He went to meet Philip, who told him what had passed, and Ireus was amazed at his knowledge, but asked him not to publish the reproach of his wife. 55 Philip’s

companions urged him to accept the refuge provided: and Ireus was glad. Philip consented to come, and followed Ireus. 56 Tlie rulers and people saw it and determined not to allow it. Ireus arriving at his gate cried to the porter to open. Philip entered, saying: Peace be to this house. Ireus found that his wife was in her chamber and went and asked her to come, and put off her gay robes. But she was angry and said: No one of the house has ever seen my face, and shall I show it to a stranger ? 57 So he went out and set fine gilt chairs for Philip and the rest. But he said: Take them away. Ireus: Do not grieve me. Philip : I grieve no one, but I have no use for gold, which passes away, &c. 58 Ireus: Can I be saved? for my former sins trouble me. Philip: Yes, Jesus is able to save you. And what of your wife who just now said to you: Depart from me, &c. ? Ireus, surprised, went to his wife and said: Come and see a man who has told me what passed between you and me. She was scornful, and said: What is to become of our children if we have to give up all our worldly wealth? 59 Artemela his daughter was listening, and said: If my father and mother are to enter a new life, may I not share it?

She was very beautiful. Her mother Nerkela told her to rise and put off her gold-woven dress. Ireus said to Nerkela: Let us go out and see Philip [it seems Nerkela was converted, but the text does not show this clearly]. 60 The women changed their attire for a sober one, and they all went out. And when they saw Philip, he shone with a great light, so that they were afraid. 61 But he saw it, and returned to his former likeness: and Nerkela asked pardon of him and made him welcome. 62, 63 And they professed belief and were instructed and baptized.

VI. In Nicatera , a city of Greece. 65 and sent seven men to his house. A handmaid told him of them ; he came out smiling and asked their errand. ‘The whole city wishes to see you.’ He followed them. 66 And the assembly were surprised at his modest garb. One Onesimus asked him to explain about the sorcerer Philip. 67 Ireus : Why am I examined thus? do not trouble Philip. 68 But they said: Away with him. And Ireus went home and met Philip, who said: Are you afraid ? No, he said. 69 The people now came with staves, crying out: Give us the deceiver. 70 Philip came forth and they took him to the assembly to scourge him, and said: Bind him hand and foot. 71 Ireus ran up the steps and cried: You shall not. But they would not hear, and Ireus pulled Philip away from them. 72 Philip said: If I choose, I can blind you. Aristarchus, son of Plegenes, a chief of the Jews, said: Do not be in a hurry to blind us: I know you can; but let us discuss, I am powerful, and if 1 let the people, they will stone you.

because of the people, and said: Your hand and your ears and your right eye shall suffer for threatening me and insulting God. right hand dangled useless. He cried out for mercy. 75 They all said: Heal our chief. 76 Philip told Ireus to go sign him with the cross and heal him in Jesus’ name, which was done, and he asked pardon and indulgence and leave to discuss the matter. And the people said: We will judge of it. 77 Philip smiled and bade him speak first. He said: Do you receive the prophets or no ? Philip : Because of your unbelief there is need of the prophets. Aristarchus: It is written: Who shall declare thy might, O God ? and, No man can know thy glory; and, Thy glory hath filled the earth ; and, The Lord is judge of quick and dead; and, God is a consuming fire and shall burn up his enemies on every side; and, One God hath made all these things. How then say you that Mary bore Jesus ? . . . But you will say that he is the power and wisdom of God who was with him when he made the world. I do not deny that the first Scripture says: Let us make man. 78 Philip smiled and said: Hearken all: Isaiah said, Behold my servant (child) whom I have chosen. . . . And of the cross:

He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. . . . And again: I gave my back to the scourger. . . . And another: I spread out my hands to a disobedient people. And : I was found of them that sought me not. ... And David saith: Thou art my son. . . . And of his resurrection and Judas: Lord, why are they increased that trouble me. . . . And again David: I foresaw the Lord alway before me. . . . But David is dead. Take also of the twelve prophets: Say unto the daughter of Sion. . . . And: Out of Egypt have I called my son.

79 Aristarchus said: This Jesus is called Christ. Isaiah: Thus saith the Lord unto Christ my lord. . . . The Jews said: You are arguing for Christ. The people and rulers acclaimed Philip and said he should be received. 80 A bier was brought with a dead man, only son of a rich man: and with it ten slaves who were to be burnt with the corpse. The people said: Here is a great contest for the Christians. If theirs be God he will raise him and we will believe, and burn our idols. 81 Philip said to the parents: What will you do if I raise him? ‘What you will.’ The slaves made signs to him to remember them. There was this evil law of burning slaves, and sometimes even men’s wives. 82 Philip said: Give me these slaves. 4 Yes, and any more that you will.’ He said to Aristarchus: Come, O Jew, raise him. And he touched his face and spat much on him and pulled his hand: in vain, and retired in confusion. 88 Nereus the father said: Raise my son and I will fight the Jews. Philip : If you will not promise not to hurt them, I will not raise him. N, As you will. 84 Philip went to the bier and

prayed, and breath entered into the lad Theophilus, and he opened his eyes and looked on Philip. A second time Philip said: Young ma?, in the name of Jesus Christ who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arise. And he leapt from the bier. All cried: One is the God of Philip . . . and the slaves were made free. All believed. 86 Philip taught, baptized, destroyed idols, ordained, gave canons and rides. VII. Of Nerkela (and) Ireus at Nicatera. 87 Nerkela and Artemela were blessed by Philip. 88 Ireus and Nereus consulted about building a church, and agreed to build it on Nereus’ land. 89 Only the Jews were discontented, and decided to withdraw. 90 Philip came to the new budding and addressed the people, 91 and made Ireus bishop and prayed over him, and announced that he was going away. 92 All wept, but he consoled them. 93 They loaded camels with provisions and accompanied him 20 stadia. He dismissed them and would only take five loaves. They all saluted him thrice, and fell on their faces and prayed for his blessing, and watched him out of sight, and returned to the city. VIII. Wherein the kid and the leopard in the wilderness believed.

each went forth according to his lot, that it fell to Philip to go to the country of the Greeks: and he thought it hard, and wept. And Mariamne his sister (it was she that made ready the bread and salt at the breaking of bread, but Martha was she that ministered to the multitudes and laboured much) seeing it, went to Jesus and said: Lord, seest thou not how my brother is vexed ? 95 And he said: I know, thou chosen among women ; but go with him and encourage him, for I know that he is a wrathful and rash man, and if we let him go alone he will bring many retributions on men. But lo, I will send Bartholomew and John to suffer hardships in the same city, because of the much wickedness of them that dwell there; for they worship the viper, the mother of snakes. And do thou change thy woman’s aspect and go with Philip. And to Philip he said: Why art thou fearful ? for I am always with thee. 96 So they all set out for the land of the Ophiani; and when • they came to the wilderness of dragons, lo, a great leopard came out of a wood on the hill, and ran and cast himself at their feet and spoke with human voice: I worship you, servants of the divine greatness and apostles of the onlybegotten Son of God ; command me to speak perfectly. 97 And Philip said: In the name of Jesus Christ, speak. And the leopard took perfect speech and said: Hear me Philip, groomsman of the divine word. Last night I passed through the flocks of goats over against the mount of the she-dragon, the mother of snakes.

and seized a kid; and when I went into the wood to eat, after 1 had wounded it, it took a human voice and wept like a little child, saying to me: O leopard, put off thy fierce heart and the beastlike part of thy nature, and put on mildness, for the apostles of the divine greatness are about to pass through this desert, to accomplish perfectly the promise of the glory of the only-begotten Son of God. At these words of the kid I was perplexed, and gradually my heart was changed, and my fierceness turned to mildness, and I did not eat it. And as I listened to its words, I lifted up my eyes and saw you coming, and knew that ye were the servants of the good God. So I left the kid and came to worship you. And now I beseech thee to give me liberty to go with thee everywhere and put off my beastlike nature. 98 And Philip said: Where is the kid? And he said: It is cast down under the oak opposite. Philip said to Bartholomew: Let us go and see him that was smitten, healed, and healing the smiter. And at Philip’s bidding the leopard guided them to where the kid lay. 99 Philip and Bartholomew said: Now know we of a truth that there is none that surpasseth thy compassion, O Jesu, lover of man; for thou preventest us and dost convince us by these creatures to believe more and earnestly fulfil our trust.

Now therefore, Lord Jesu Christ, come and grant life and breath and secure footing (existence?) to these creatures, that they may forsake their nature of beast and cattle and come unto tameness, and no longer eat flesh, nor the kid the food of cattle; but that men’s hearts may be given them, and they may follow us wherever we go, and eat what we eat, to thy glory, and speak after the manner of men, glorifying thy name.

up their forefeet and said: We glorify and bless thee that hast visited and remembered us in this desert, and changed our beastlike and wild nature into tameness, and granted us the divine word, and put in us a tongue and sense to speak and praise thy name, for great is thy glory. 101 And they fell and wor¬ shipped Philip and Bartholomew and Mariamne; and all set out together, praising God. IX. Of the dragon that was slain . midnight prayers a sudden wind arose, great and dark (misty), and out of it ran a great smoky (misty) dragon, with a black back, and a belly like coals of brass in sparkles of fire, and a body over 100 cubits long, and a multitude of snakes and their young followed it, and the desert quaked for a long distance. 103 And Philip said: Now is the time to remember the Lord’s words: Fear nothing, neither persecution, nor the serpents of that land, nor the dark dragon. Let us stand fast and his power will fail; and pray and sprinkle the air from the cup and the smoke will scatter. 104 So they took the cup and prayed: Thou that sheddest dew on all pyres and bridlest darkness, putting a bit into the dragon’s mouth, bringing to nought his anger, turning back the wickedness of the enemy and plunging him into his own fire, shutting his doors and stopping the exits and buffeting his pride:

come and be with us in this desert, for we run by thy will and at thy bidding. 105 And he said: Now stand and raise your hands, with the cup you hold, and sprinkle the air in the form of the cross. 106 And there was as a flash of lightning which blinded the dragon and its brood; and they were withered up; and the rays of the sun entered the holes and broke the eggs. But the apostles closed their eyes, unable to face the lightning, and remained unhurt.

It does not seem as if much could have intervened between this Act and the Martyrdom, except perhaps the conversion of some people in the snake-city. However, the manuscripts give a title thus: Out of the Travels of Philip the Apostle: from the fifteenth Act to the end , wherein is the Martyrdom. 107 (Introductory.) In the days of Trajan, after the Martyrdom of Simon, son of Clopas, bishop of Jerusalem, successor to James, Philip the apostle was preaching through all the cities of Lydia and Asia. 108 And he came to the city Ophioryme (Snakestreet), which is called Hierapolis of Asia, and was received by Stachys, 1 a believer. And with him were Bartholomew, one of the Seventy, and his sister Mariamne, and their disciples. And they assembled at Stachys’ house. 109 And Mariamne sat and listened to Philip discoursing. 110-112 He spoke of the snares of the dragon, who has ‘ no shape ’ in creation, and is recognized and shunned by beasts and birds. 113 For the men of the place worshipped the snake and had images of it; and called Hierapolis Ophioryme. And many were converted. 114 And Nicanora the proconsul’s wife believed; she was diseased, especially in her eyes, and had been healed. She now came in a silver litter.

— . . O daughter of the father, my lady, who wast given as a pledge to the serpent, Christ is come to thee (and much more). 116 And Nicanora said: I am a Hebrew, speak to me in my fathers’ tongue. I heard of your preaching and was healed. 117 And they prayed for her. 118 But her tyrant husband came and said: How is this? who has healed you? 119 And she said: Depart from me, and lead a chaste and sober life. 120 And he dragged her by the hair and threatened to kill her. And the apostles were arrested, 121 and scourged and dragged to the temple, 122 and shut up in it (with the leopard and the kid. These are omitted in the principal text, but constantly occur in another recension: rightly, of course). 123 The people and priests came and demanded vengeance on the sorcerers. 124 The proconsul was afraid of his wife, for he had been almost blinded by a wonderful light when he looked through the window at her when praying. i25 They stripped and searched the apostles for charms, and pierced Philip’s ankles and thighs and hung him head downward, and Bartholomew they hung naked by the hair. 126 And they smiled on each other, as not being tormented. But Mariamne on being stripped became like an ark of glass full of light and fire, and every one ran away. 127 And Philip and Bartholomew talked in Hebrew, and Philip said: Shall we call down fire from heaven? 128 And now John arrived, and asked what was happening, and the people told him. 129 And he was taken to the place. Philip said to Bartholomew in Hebrew: Here is John the son of Barega (or, he that is in Barek), that is (or, where is) the living water. Arid John said: The mystery of him that hanged between the heaven and the earth be with you.

the serpent. Inter alia: When all matter was wrought and spread out throughout the system of heaven, the works of God entreated God that they might see his glory: and when they saw it, their desire became gall and bitterness, and the earth became the storehouse of that which went astray, and the result and the superfluity of the creation was gathered together and became like an egg: and the serpent was born. 131 The people said : We took you for a fellow citizen, but you are in league with these men. The priests are going to wring out your blood and mix it with wine and give it to the Viper. When they came to take John their hands were paralysed. John said to Philip: Let us not render evil for evil. Philip said: I shall endure it no longer. 132 The three others dissuaded him ; but he said: aeidounaph,' . (after many invocations descrip¬ tive of God); let the deep open and swallow these men: yea, Sabaoth. 133 It opened and the whole place was swallowed, about 7,000 men, save where the apostles were. And their voices came up, crying for mercy and saying: Lo, the cross enlighteneth us. And a voice was heard: I will have mercy on you in my cross of light. 134 But Stachys and his house, and Nicanora, and 50 others, and 100 virgins remained safe. 135 Jesus appeared and rebuked Philip. 136 But he defended himself. 137 And the Lord said: Since you have been unforgiving and wrathful, you shall indeed die in glory and be taken by angels to paradise, but shall remain outside it forty days, in fear of the flaming sword, and then I will send Michael and he shall let you in. And Bartholomew shall go to Lycaonia and be crucified there, and

Mariamne’s body shall be laid up in the river Jordan. And I shall bring back those who have been swallowed up. 138 And he drew a cross in the air, reaching down into the abyss, and it was filled with light, and the cross was like a ladder. And Jesus called the people, and they all came up, save the proconsul and the Viper. And seeing the apostles they mourned and repented. 139 And Philip, still hanging, spoke to them and told them of his offence. 140 And some ran to take him down: but he refused and spoke to them. . . . “ Be not grieved that I hang thus, for I bear the form (type) of the first man, who was brought upon earth head down¬ wards, and again by the tree of the cross made alive from the death of his transgression. And now do I fulfil the precept. For the Lord said to me: Unless ye make that which is beneath to be above, and the left to be right (and the right left), ye shall not enter into my kingdom. Be like me in this: for all the world is turned the wrong way, and every soul that is in it.” 141 Further he spoke to them of the incarnation, 142 and bade them loose Bartholomew, and told him and Mariamne of their destiny. Build a church in the place where I die, and let the leopard and kid be there, and let Nicanora look after them till they die, and then bury them at the church gate:

and let your peace be in the house of Stachys: and he exhorted them to purity. “Therefore our brother Peter fled from every place where a woman was: and further, he had offence given by reason of his own daughter. And he prayed the Lord, and she had a palsy of the side that she might not be led astray.” 143 Bury me not m linen like the Lord, but in papyrus, and pray for me forty days. Where my blood is dropping a vine will grow, and ye shall use the wine of it for the cup: and partake of it on the third day. 144 And he prayed the Lord to receive him, and protect him against all enemies. “Let not their dark air cover me, that I may pass the waters of fire and all the abyss. Clothe me in thy glorious robe and thy seal of light that ever shineth, until I have passed by all the rulers of the world and the evil dragon that opposeth us.” 145 And he died. 146 And they buried him as he directed. And a heavenly voice said he had received the crown.

offering daily for forty days, and built the church and made Stachys bishop. And all the city believed. 148 And at the end of forty days the Saviour appeared in the form of Philip and told Bartholomew and Mariamne that he had entered paradise, and bade them go their ways. And Bartholomew went to Lycaonia and Mariamne to Jordan, and Stachys and the brethren abode where they were. The narrative of the Act preserved in Syriac is this. Philip, at Jerusalem, had a vision of Jesus, who commanded him to go to the city of Carthage, ‘ which is in Azotus ’, and drive out the ruler of Satan, and preach the kingdom. He said: I know not Latin or Greek, and the people there do not know Aramaic. Jesus said: Did I not create Adam and give him speech ? Go, and I will be with thee. He went to Samaria, thence to Caesarea, and to the harbour, and found a ship waiting for a wind. Asked to take Philip to Carthage, the captain said: Do not annoy me; we have waited twenty days: fetch your baggage and perhaps we shall get a wind, for you look like a servant of God. Philip: I have none ; tell the passengers to come on board. . . . Let us pray for a fair wind. Turning to the west he commanded the angel of peace who has charge of fair winds to send a wind to take him to Carthage in a single day.

On board was a Jew, Ananias, who blasphemed ( sotto voce , it seems) and said: May Adonai recompense thee, and the Christ on whom thou callest, who is become dust and lies in Jerusalem, while thou livest and leadest ignorant men astray by his name. A wind came and filled the sail. The Jew rose to help to hoist the sail, and an angel bound him by the great toes and hung him head down on the top of the sail. The ship flew onward and the Jew cried out. Philip said: You shall not come down till you confess. He confessed his secret blasphemy. Philip: Dost thou now believe ? Ananias confessed belief in a speech in which he enumerated Christ’s (God’s) mighty acts from creation to the deliverance of Susanna. Philip asked that he might be pardoned, and the angel brought him down. And the 495 men on the ship feared. They looked up and saw the pharos of Carthage, and said : Can this be true ? O fools, said Ananias, did ye not see what befell me for unbelief? If he commands that city in Christ’s name, it will take all its inhabitants and go and stop in Egypt. The ship came into harbour. Philip dismissed the passengers, and stayed on board to confirm the captain.

On the Sunday he went up to the city to drive out Satan, and as he entered the gates, signed himself with the cross. He saw a black man on a throne with two serpents about his loins, and eyes like coals of fire, and flame coming from his mouth; there was a smell of smoke, and black men in troops were on his right and left. When Philip crossed himself the ruler fell backward, and all his troops. Philip said: Fall, and rise not. . . . The ruler said: Why curse me ? I do not abide here, but my troops wander over the earth and come to me at the third hour of the day, but they do not touch a disciple of Jesus. Woe is me! whither can I go ? In all the four quarters of the world his gospel is preached. I am completely overthrown. The whole city heard him, but saw him not. Philip bade him go, and he took his throne and his troops and flew away bewailing till they came to Babel, and he settled there. The whole city was in fear, and Philip bade them leave their idols and turn to God. They praised God, and Philip went back to the ship.

On the Sabbath the Jews assembled in their synagogue and summoned Ananias, and asked if his adventures were true. He signed himself with the cross and said: It is true, and God forbid I should renounce Jesus the Christ. He then addressed them in a long and very abusive speech (modelled more or less on that of Stephen), enumerating all their wicked acts. 4 Then arose Joshua, the son of Nun, and ye sought to kill him with deadly poison. . . . Isaiah the prophet, and ye sawed him with a saw of boxwood. . . . Ezekiel, and ye dragged him by his feet until his brains were dashed out. . . . Habakkuk, and through your sins he went astray from his prophetic office.’ His face was like an angel. A priest arose and kicked him, and he died, and they buried him in the synagogue. Next day Philip in the ship prayed and asked that Ananias might be delivered from the Jews. God commanded the earth and it gave a passage like a water-pipe, and conveyed Ananias to the bottom of the sea, and a dolphin bore up the body. Philip saw it, and after reassuring the people, bade it take the body back till he should go and convict the murderers.

Next day Philip went to the governor and got him to assemble all the Jews, and sit in judgement. Philip, to the Jews: Where is Ananias? They: Are we his keeper? Philip: Well are you called children of Cain, for, &c. Tell me where he is, and I will ask pardon for you. Jews: We have said we do not know. Philip: Do not lie. Jews: If the spirit were in you, you would know that we do not lie. Philip: If he is found with you, what do you deserve? Jews: Death from God and Caesar. Philip: Swear to me. They swore they knew nothing. He looked and saw a man leading a sick ox to sell. He said to it: I command thee, go to the synagogue and call Ananias to rise and come and put these men to shame. The ox dragged his owner along and ran and called Ananias. He rose and laid hold of the ox with his right hand, and they came to Philip and prostrated themselves. Philip said: Whence comest thou? Ananias said: From the synagogue of these Jews, who murdered me for confessing Jesus: do me justice. Philip: The Lord has commanded us not to render evii for evil. The ox said: Order me and I will kill these men with my horns. Philip: Hurt no man, but go and serve thy master, and the Lord will heal thee. They went home in peace.

The governor said: These Jews deserve death. Philip: I am not come to kill but to give life. The Jews’ mouths were closed. Ananias spoke to the Jews and Philip also: but they did not ask pardon; so they were cast out. Three thousand Gentiles and fifteen hundred Jews believed; the unbelievers left the city, and before sunset an angel slew forty of the Jewish priests for shedding innocent blood: and all who saw it confessed and worshipped. It is not dear, in the present state of our texts, where this episode could be fitted in to the Greek Acts. The Third Act, which has a voyage to Azotus, seems a possible place. But a glance at the Greek Acts shows that in spite of the appearance of method imparted by a division into Acts, there is no coherence at all in them, until we get to the city of the snake. The first Act cannot have begun so abruptly as it now does. The second is equally abrupt in its introduction. The third is linked to it by the mention of Parthia, but there is great inconsequence in it, for it presupposes that Philip has done nothing as yet. The fourth is linked to the third by the scene, Azotus. The fifth, sixth, and seventh, at Nicatera, are wholly detached from what has gone before, and with the ninth we make a fresh start.

The next, and most famous of the secondary romances, is the which we have in Greek and Syriac and in part in Latin. The AngloSaxon poem, Andreas , by Cynewulf (?), preserved in the Vercelli MS., has given an unwonted celebrity to the story. It was long thought that this must be an episode from the old Acts of Andrew: but Flamion’s study of that, book has finally made it clear that there is no place for the tale in those Acts: and that our story is an early member of that which we call the Egyptian cycle: it is a tale of wonder with no doctrinal purpose. divided the countries among themselves, casting lots. And it fell to Matthias to go to the land of the anthropophagi. Now the men of that city ate no bread nor drank wine, but ate the flesh and drank the blood of men; and every stranger who landed there they took, and put out his eyes, and gave him a magic drink which took away his understanding. 2 So when Matthias arrived he was so treated; but the drink had no effect on him, and he remained praying for help in the prison. 3 And a light came and a voice: Matthias, my beloved, receive sight. And he saw. And the voice continued: I will not forsake thee: abide twenty-seven days, and I will send Andrew to deliver thee and all the rest. And the Saviour went up into heaven. Matthias remained singing praises; when the executioners came to take victims, he kept his eyes closed. They came and looked at the ticket on his hand and said: Three days more and we will slay him. For every victim had a ticket tied on his hand to show the date when his thirty days would be fulfilled.

Andrew in the country where he was teaching and said: In three days Matthias is to be slain by the man-eaters; go and deliver him. 4 How is it possible for me to get there in time ? ’ ° Early to-morrow, go to the shore and you will find a ship.* And he left him. and three men. The pilot was the Lord, and the other two were angels. Andrew asked whither they were going. ‘To the land of the man-eaters.’ ‘I would go there too.’ ‘ Every man avoids that place ; why will you go ? ’ ‘I have an errand to do ; and if you can, take us.’ He said: 4 Come on board.’ 6 Andrew said: ‘ I must tell you we have neither money nor victuals.’ ‘How then do you travel ? ’ 4 Our master forbade us to take money and provisions. If you will do us this kindness, tell us: if not, we will look for another ship.’ ‘If these are your orders, come on board and welcome • I desire truly to have disciples of Jesus on my ship.’ So they embarked. 7 Jesus ordered three loaves to be brought, and Andrew summoned his disciples to partake; but they could not answer him, for they were disturbed with the sea. So Andrew explained to the pilot, and he offered to set them ashore: but they refused to leave Andrew. 8 Jesus said:

Tell your disciples some of the wonders your master did, to encourage them, for we are going to set sail: so they did, and Jesus steered. And Andrew told the disciples about the stilling of the storm, and prayed in himself that they might sleep: and they fell asleep. 9 Andrew said to Jesus: Tell me your art; sixteen years did I sail the sea, and this is the seventeenth, and I never saw such steering: the ship is as if on land. Jesus said: I, too, have often sailed the sea and been in danger; but because you are a disciple of Jesus, the sea knows you and is still. Andrew praised God that he had met such a man. 10 Jesus said: Tell me why the Jews did not believe on your master. Andrew enumerated the miracles: yet, he said, the Jews did not believe. 4 Perhaps he did not do these signs before the high priests ? ’ 11 ‘ Yes, he did, both openly and privately, and they would not believe.’ ‘What were the signs he did in secret ? ’ 4 O man with the spirit of questioning, why do you tempt me thus ? ’ ‘ I do not tempt you, but my soul

rejoicfes to hear his wonderful works.’ 4 1 will tell you, then. temple that he might show us the ignorance of the devil, the high priests saw us and said: Why do you follow this man who says he is the Son of God? has God a son? Is not this Joseph and Mary’s son, and his brothers are James and Simon? and our hearts were weakened. And Jesus perceived it, and took us apart into the wilderness and did mighty signs 1 and strengthened our faith. And we said to the priests: Come and see; for he has convinced us. 13 ‘And the priests came to the heathen temple, and Jesus showed us the form of the heavens, 44 that we might learn whether it were true or no ”. Thirty men of the people and four priests were with us. On the right and left of the temple Jesus saw two story of these signs ? sphinxes carved, and turned to us and said: Behold the form of the heaven: these are like the cherubim and seraphim in heaven. And he said to the sphinx on the right: You sem¬ blance of that which is in heaven, made by craftsmen, come down and convince these priests whether I be God or man. 14 It came down and spoke and said: O foolish sons of Israel. This is God who made man. . . . Tell me not that I am a stone image:

better are the temples than your synagogue. Our priests purify themselves seven days from women, and approach not the temple: but you come straight from defilement. The temples will abolish your synagogues, and become churches of the only-begotten Son of God. 15 The priests said: It speaks by magic; ye heard it say that this man spake with Abraham. How is that possible? . . . Jesus said to the sphinx: Go to the cave of Mambre and call Abraham; bid him rise with Isaac and Jacob and come to the temples of the Jebusaeans to convict the priests. It went and called, and the twelve patriarchs rose and came out. 44 To which of us wast thou sent ? ” 4 4 Not to you, but to the three patriarchs: go back and rest.” They went back, and the three patriarchs came and convicted the priests. Jesus bade them return, and sent the sphinx back to its place. But the priests did not believe. And many other wonders he did.’

on one of the angels and ceased speaking to Andrew : and Andrew went to sleep. Then Jesus bade the angels take the men and lay them outside the city of the man-eaters and return: and then all departed to heaven. had happened, and roused his disciples. They told him their dream: eagles came and bore them into paradise, and they saw the Lord on his throne, and angels, and the three patriarchs, and David singing, “and you the twelve apostles and twelve angels by you, whom the Lord bade to obey you in everything.” 18 Andrew rejoiced and prayed the Lord to show himself: and Jesus appeared in the form of a beautiful young child. Andrew asked pardon for his boldness on the ship. Jesus re¬ assured him and told him what trials awaited him in the city, and encouraged him to endure them, and departed. 19 They entered the city, unseen, and went to the prison. The seven guards fell dead at his prayer: at the sign of the cross the doors opened. He found Matthias and they greeted each other. 20 Andrew looked at the victims, who were naked and eating grass, and smote his breast and reproached the devil: How long warrest thou with men ? thou didst cause Adam to be cast out of paradise: thou didst cause his bread that was on the table to be turned to stones. 1 Again, thou didst enter into the mind of the angels

1 An allusion to something in the Penitence of Adam: we have not the complete story. and cause them to be defiled with women and madest their savage sons the giants to devour men on the earth, so that God sent the flood. ... 21 Then they both prayed, and they laid their hands on the prisoners and restored first their sight and then their sense, and Andrew bade them go out of the city and remain under a fig-tree and await him: there were 270 men and 49 women. And Andrew commanded a cloud, and it took Matthias and the disciples and brethren to the mount where Peter was teaching, and there they remained. by a brazen pillar with a statue on it, to see what would happen. The executioners came and found the prison empty and the guards dead, and reported to the rulers. They said: Go and fetch the seven dead men for us to eat to-day, and assemble, to-morrow, the old men, and we will cast lots for seven a day and eat them, till we can fit out ships and send and collect people to eat. So they fetched the seven corpses; there was a furnace in the midst of the city and a great vat for the blood: they put the men on the vat. A voice came: Andrew, look at this. Andrew prayed, and the men’s swords fell and their hands turned to stone.

The rulers cried: There are wizards in the city: go and gather the old men, for we are hungry. 23 They found 215, and lots were cast for 7. One of these said: Take my young son and kill him instead of me. They asked leave of the rulers, and it was granted, and the old man said: I have a daughter, take her too, and spare me. So the children were brought to the vat begging for their lives, but there was no pity. Andrew prayed, and again the swords fell from the men’s hands; and there was much alarm. 24 Then came the devil in the guise of an old man, and said: Woe to you, you will all die of hunger : but search now and look for a stranger named Andrew: he is the cause of your trouble. Andrew was looking at the devil, but the devil could not see him. And Andrew said: O Beliar, my lord will humble thee to the abyss. The devil said: I hear your voice and know it; but where you stand I see not. Andrew said: Art thou not called because thou

art blind ? The devil said: Look for the man who spake to me, for it is he. And they shut the gates and looked everywhere, but could not find him. The Lord appeared and said to Andrew: Show thyself to them. 25 He rose and said: I am Andrew whom ye seek. And they ran and took him, and debated how to kill him: If we cut off his head, it will not pain him enough. Let us put a rope round his neck and drag him through the streets every day till he dies, and divide his body and eat it. They did so, and his flesh was torn and his blood flowed, and they cast him into prison with his hands bound behind him. 26 And so they did next day, and he wept and cried to the Lord: and the devil told the people to smite his mouth that he might not speak; and they bound his hands behind him and left him in the prison. The devil took seven other devils, whom Andrew had driven out from places in the neighbourhood (this seems like a reference to the older Acts), and they came to Andrew, and the devil said: Now we will kill you like your master whom Herod slew. 27 And he said: Now my children, kill him. But they saw the seal on his forehead and were afraid, and said: Do you kill him, for we cannot.

And one of them said: If we cannot kill him, let us mock him; and they stood before him and taunted him with his helplessness, and he wept. And a voice—the devil’s voice disguised—said: Why weep ? Andrew said: Because of our Lord’s word: Have patience with them ; otherwise I would have shown you! . . . But if the Lord grant me a visitation in this city, I will chastise you as you deserve. And they fled. 28 Next day the people dragged him again, and he cried out to the Lord: Where are thy words: A hair of your heads shall not perish? lo, my flesh is torn from me. And a voice said in Hebrew: My words shall not pass away: look behind thee. And he saw great fruit-bearing trees growing up where his flesh and blood had fallen. And they took him back to prison, and said: Perhaps he will die to-morrow. 29 And the Lord came and took his hand and he rose up whole. And in the prison was a pillar, and on it a statue. Andrew went to it and spread out his hands seven times and said: Fear thou the sign of the cross, and let this statue pour forth water as a flood. And say not, I am but a stone, for God made us of earth, but ye are clean, and therefore God gave his people the law on tables of stone.

And the statue poured water out of its mouth as from a canal, and it was bitter and corroded men’s flesh. 30 In the morning all the people began to flee. The water killed their cattle and their children. Andrew said: Let Michael wall the city about with fire. A cloud of fire came and surrounded it, and they could not escape. The water came up to their necks and consumed their flesh. They cried and lamented till he saw their spirit was crushed, and told the alabaster statue to cease. And Andrew went out of the prison, the water parting before him, and the people prayed for mercy. 31 The old man who had given up his children came and besought. But Andrew said: I wonder at you; you and the fourteen executioners shall be swallowed up and see the places of torment and of peace. And he went as far as the great vat, and prayed, and the earth opened and swallowed the water and the old man and the executioners. And all feared greatly, but he consoled them. 32 Then he bade them bring all who had been killed by the water, but there were too many, so he prayed and revived them. Then he drew out the plan of a church, and baptized them and gave them the Lord’s precepts. And they begged him to stay with them a little; but he refused, saying: I must first go to my disciples; and he set forth, and

they lamented grievously. 83 And Jesus appeared in the form of a beautiful child and reproved him for leaving them, and told him to stay seven days; and then he should go with his disciples to the country of the barbarians, and then return and bring the men out of the abyss. And he returned and they all rejoiced greatly. Whether originally intended to be so or not, there is a sequel to this tale in the which we have in Greek and Slavonic and—told of Thaddaeus instead of Andrew—in Ethiopic, where it forms part of the Egyptian cycle. light took him up and carried him to the mountain where Peter and Matthias and Alexander and Rufus were sitting. And Peter said: Have you prospered? Yes, he said, but they did me much hurt. Come then, said Peter, and rest awhile from your labours. them, and told them to go to the city of the barbarians, and promised to be with them, and left them. asked Peter : Do many troubles await us here ? ‘Ido not know, but here is an old man sowing. Let us ask him for bread; if he gives it us, we shall know that we are not to be troubled, but if he says, I have none, troubles await us.’ They greeted him and asked accordingly. He said: If you will look after- my plough and oxen I will fetch you bread. ... ‘ Are they your oxen ?

’ ‘ No, I have hired them.* And he went off. 4 Peter took off his cloak and garment, and said: It is no time for us to be idle, especially as the old man is working for us ; and he took the plough and began to sow. Andrew protested and took it from him and sowed, and blessed the seed as he sowed. And Rufus and Alexander and Matthias, going on the right, said: Let the sweet dew and the fair wind come and rest on this field. And the seed sprang up and the com ripened. 5 When the farmer returned with the bread and saw the ripe corn he worshipped them as gods. But they told him who they were, and Peter gave him the Commandments. . . . He said: I will leave all and follow.you. 4 Not so, but go to the city, return your oxen to the owner, and tell your wife and children and prepare us a lodging.’

asked where he got the corn, for it was the time of sowing, but he hastened home. 7 The chief men of the city heard of it and sent for him and made him tell his story. 8 And the devil entered them and they said: Alas! these are of the twelve Galilaeans who go about separating men from their wives. What are we to do? 9 One of them said: I can keep them out of the city ? 4 How ? * 4 They hate all women, and specially unchaste ones: let us put a naked wanton in the gate, and they will see her and flee.’ So they did. 10 The apostles perceived the snare by the spirit, and Andrew said: Bid me, and I will chastise her. Peter said: Do as you will. Andrew prayed, and Michael was sent to catch her up by the hair and suspend her till they had passed. 11 And she cried out, cursing the men of the city and praying for pardon. 12 And many believed at her word and worshipped the apostles, and they did many cures, and all praised God. 13 There was a rich man named Onesiphorus who said: If I believe, shall I be able to do wonders? Andrew said: Yes, if you forsake your wife and all your possessions. He was angry and put his garment about Andrew’s neck and began to beat him, saying:

You are a wizard, why should I do so? 14 Peter saw it and told him to leave off. He said: I see you are wiser than he. What do you say? Peter said: I tell you this: it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Onesiphorus was yet more angry, and took his garment off Andrew’s neck and cast it on Peter’s and haled him along, saying: You are worse than the other. If you show me this sign, I and the whole city will believe, but if not you shall be punished. 15 Peter was troubled and stood and prayed: Lord, help us at this hour, for thou hast entrapped us by thy words. 16 The Saviour appeared in the form of a boy of twelve years, wearing a linen garment 4 smooth within and without’, and said: Fear not: let the needle and the camel be brought. There was a huckster in the town who had been converted by Philip; and he heard of it, and looked for a needle with a large eye, but Peter said: Nothing is impossible with God; rather bring a needle with a small eye. 17 When it was brought, Peter saw a camel coming and stuck the needle in the ground and cried: In the name of Jesus Christ crucified under Pontius Pilate I command thee, camel, to go through the eye of the needle.

The eye opened like a gate and the camel passed through; and yet again, at Peter’s bidding. 18 Onesiphorus said: You are a great sorcerer: but I shall not believe unless I may send for a needle and a camel. And he said secretly to a servant: Bring a camel and a needle, and find a defiled woman and some swine’s flesh and bring them too. And Peter heard it in the spirit and said: O slow to believe, bring your camel and woman and needle and flesh. 19 When they were brought, Peter stuck the needle in the ground, with the flesh; the woman was on the camel. He commanded it as before, and the camel went through, and back again. 20 Onesiphorus cried out, con¬ vinced, and said: Listen. I have lands and vineyards, and 27 litrae of gold and 50 of silver, and many slaves: I will give