Then there fell on the mother a grievous and tragic affliction, contrived, Ithink, by the Adversary, which brought trouble and mourning upon all the family.For he was snatched suddenly away from life. No previous sickness had preparedthem for the blow, nor did any of the usual and well-known mischances bringdeath upon the young man. [968D] Having started out on one of the expeditions, 32by which he provided necessaries for the old men under his care, he was broughtback home dead, together with Chrysapius who shared his life. His mother was faraway, three days distant from the scene of the tragedy. Some one came to hertelling the bad news. Perfect though she was in every department of virtue, yetnature dominated her as it does others. For she collapsed, and in a moment lostboth breath and speech, since her reason failed her under the disaster, and shewas thrown to the ground by the assault of the evil tidings, like some nobleathlete hit by an unexpected blow.
And though I found it a great and genuine rest to see her and hear her noblewords, yet since she wanted it so much, that I might in every particular seem toobey my mistress, I found a pretty arbour prepared for me in one of theneighbouring gardens, and rested under the shade of the trailing vines. But itwas impossible to have any feelings of [980A] enjoyment when my soul within mewas constrained by gloomy anticipations, for the secret of the vision of mydream seemed to be now revealed to me by what I had seen. For the image I hadseen was indeed true---- the relics of a holy martyr which had been dead in sin,but now were resplendent with the indwelling power of the Spirit. I explainedthis to one of those who had heard me tell the dream before.
noble dead series epub 79
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