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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza
Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913
Chapter 68
At the last, after we had all ceased, the boy opened his mouth and said in the Greek dialect: ‘Burn ye the inner temple unto the foundation; for many terrible things have been done in it, especially the sacrifices of human beings. And after this manner burn ye it: bring liquid pitch and sulphur and fat of swine, and mingle the three and anoint the brazen doors and set fire to them, and so shall all the temple be burned; for otherwise is it not possible. But the outer temple leave ye with the court. And after the burning, having purified the place, found there a holy church. I swear unto you again before God, otherwise may it not be done. For it is not I that speak, but Christ who is within me.’ And the most holy bishop Porphyry marvelled, and all they that were with him, when they heard the bold saying of the boy, and how plainly he spake; and calling his mother, the bishop asked her whether she or her son knew the Greek tongue1; but she affirmed with oaths that neither she nor her child knew Greek. And when he heard it, again the most holy Porphyry glorified God, and bringing three coins2 gave them to the woman. But the boy beholding the coins in the hand of his mother cried out, saying in the Syriac tongue: ‘Take them not, Mother, lest thou also sell the gift of God for gold.’ And we hearing it marvelled again exceedingly. But the woman gave back the three coins saying to the bishop, ‘Pray for me and my child and commend us unto God.’ And the holy bishop sent them away in peace.
Notes
- the Greek tongue, which indeed seems to have been little known to the lower classes in Palestine at any time. See E. Schürer, Gesch. des jüd. Volkes⁴ ii, p. 85.
- coins. The word is νομίσματα, i. e. the ordinary gold solidi of the time. Three such would be equivalent in weight to £1 14s. sterling.