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Life and Conduct of the Holy Women, Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca

Unknown

Section 13

About this work

Author: Unknown

XIII. But Probus, while still at supper

‹ Section 12 Section 14 ›

,

commanded

the

doors

of

their

house

to

be

secured

by

cruel

and

wicked

soldiers

,

and

having

given

these

orders

,

he

straightway

fell

asleep

upon

the

couch

.

Then

the

servants

came

and

announced

this

to

Xanthippe

that

he

might

be

awakened

,

but

she

said

,

Put

out

the

lights

,

my

children

,

and

leave

him

thus

.

And

in

the

first

sleep

,

taking

three

hundred

pieces

of

gold

,

she

went

to

the

doors

,

saying

with

herself

,

Perchance

the

porter

will

be

persuaded

by

the

amount

of

money

.

But

he

,

being

evil

and

froward

,

would

not

be

persuaded

to

do

this

,

and

she

,

loosing

also

her

girdle

,

which

was

set

with

precious

stones

and

worth

two

hundred

pieces

of

gold

,

gave

it

to

him

and

went

out

saying

,

Lord

,

I

win

over

my

own

slaves

with

money

,

that

thy

preacher

Paul

may

not

be

oppressed

by

Probus

.

And

Xanthippe

went

on

to

the

house

of

Philotheus

the

ex

-

prefect

,

as

to

a

great

and

incredible

work

,

running

and

praising

God

.

As

she

therefore

passed

through

a

certain

place

,

the

demons

pursued

her

with

fiery

torches

and

lightnings

,

and

she

,

turning

,

saw

behind

her

this

terrible

sight

,

and

being

possessed

with

great

fear

said

,

What

has

happened

to

thee

now

,

wretched

soul

?

Thou

hast

been

deprived

of

thy

desire

.

Thou

wast

running

to

salvation

,

thou

wast

running

to

baptism

,

and

thou

hast

fallen

into

the

serpent

and

his

ministers

,

and

these

things

thy

sins

have

prepared

for

thee

.

Speaking

thus

she

was

even

fainting

at

heart

from

great

despair

,

but

the

great

Paul

being

forewarned

by

God

of

the

assault

of

the

demons

,

immediately

stood

beside

her

,

being

also

preceded

by

a

beautiful

youth

.

And

straightway

the

vision

of

the

demons

disappeared

,

and

Paul

said

to

her

,

Arise

,

daughter

Xanthippe

,

and

behold

the

Lord

desired

by

thee

,

by

whose

flame

the

heavens

are

shaken

and

the

deep

is

dried

up

,

coming

to

thee

and

pitying

and

saving

thee

.

Behold

him

that

accepts

thy

prayers

and

straightway

gives

ear

.

See

him

coming

in

the

shape

of

a

man

,

and

take

courage

against

the

demons

.

Then

she

rising

from

the

ground

said

to

him

,

Master

,

why

hast

thou

left

me

solitary

?

Even

now

make

haste

to

seal

me

,

so

that

if

death

come

upon

me

I

may

depart

to

him

who

is

full

of

compassion

and

has

no

arrogance

.