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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza
Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913
Chapter 39
On the next day1 the chamberlain Amantius sendeth two beadles2 to bring us to the Palace, and rising up speedily we went thither. And we found him waiting for us, and he took the two bishops and led them in to the Augusta Eudoxia. And when she beheld them, she saluted them first, saying ‘Grant me your blessing, Fathers; ‘and they worshipped her. And she sate upon a golden couch, and saith unto them: ‘Pardon me, priests of Christ, by reason of the necessity of my belly that oppresseth me; for it behoved me to go to the antechamber to meet your holiness. But for the Lord’s sake pray for me, that I may bring forth happily3 that which is in my belly.’ But the most holy bishops, marvelling at her condescension, said: ‘May he that blessed the womb of Sarah and of Rebecca and of Elizabeth, bless that which is in thy belly and cause it to live.’
Notes
- On the next day. October 19, 401.
- beadles. δεκανῶν. These were the lowest rank of court-officials, employed as janitors and messengers, a large corps, under three primicerii, and ultimately under the magister officiorum. They are first mentioned towards the end of the fourth century. Seeck in Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopädie, s.v.
- happily. μετὰ φιλανθρωπίας. This is probably not equivalent to κατὰ φιλανθρωπίαν θεοῦ, ‘by the mercy of God,’ but rather used in a more general sense of a ‘happy ‘or ‘kindly ‘delivery. The same phrase occurs in c. 42.