Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

771

Anon., Acts Of John, 71-86

nan

And as these men were speaking thus, and only the accustomed shift now remained on her body, a strange spectacle was seen, such as they deserve to suffer who do such deeds. A serpent appeared from some quarter and dealt the steward a single bite and slew him: but the young man it did not strike; but coiled about his feet, hissing terribly, and when he fell mounted on his body and sat upon him.

nan

Now on the next day John came, accompanied by Andronicus and the brethren, to the sepulchre at dawn, it being now the third day from Drusiana's death, that we might break bread there. And first, when they set out, the keys were sought for and could not be found; but John said to Andronicus: It is quite right that they should be lost, for Drusiana is not in the sepulchre; nevertheless, let us go, that thou mayest not be neglectful, and the doors shall be opened of themselves, even as the Lord hath done for us many such things.

nan

And when we were at the place, at the commandment of the master, the doors were opened, and we saw by the tomb of Drusiana a beautiful youth, smiling: and John, when he saw him, cried out and said: Art thou come before us hither too, beautiful one? and for what cause? And we heard a voice saying to him: For Drusiana's sake, whom thou art to raise up-for I was within a little of finding her -and for his sake that lieth dead beside her tomb. And when the beautiful one had said this unto John he went up into the heavens in the sight of us all. And John, turning to the other side of the sepulchre, saw a young man-even Callimachus, one of the chief of the Ephesians-and a huge serpent sleeping upon him, and the steward of Andronicus, Fortunatus by name, lying dead. And at the sight of the two he stood perplexed, saying to the brethren: What meaneth such a sight? or wherefore hath not the Lord declared unto me what was done here, he who hath never neglected me?

nan

And Andronicus seeing those corpses, leapt up and went to Drusiana's tomb, and seeing her lying in her shift only, said to John: I understand what has happened, thou blessed servant of God, John. This Callimachus was enamoured of my sister; and because he never won her, though he often assayed it, he hath bribed this mine accursed steward with a great sum, perchance designing, as now we may see, to fulfil by his means the tragedy of his conspiracy, for indeed Callimachus avowed this to many, saying: If she will not consent to me when living, she shall be outraged when dead. And it may be, master, that the beautiful one knew it and suffered not her body to be insulted, and therefore have these died who made that attempt. And can it be that the voice that said unto thee, 'Raise up Drusiana', foreshowed this? because she departed out of this life in sorrow of mind. But I believe him that said that this is one of the men that have gone astray; for thou wast bidden to raise him up: for as to the other, I know that he is unworthy of salvation. But this one thing I beg of thee: raise up Callimachus first, and he will confess to us what is come about.

nan

And John, looking upon the body, said to the venomous beast: Get thee away from him that is to be a servant of Jesus Christ; and stood up and prayed over him thus: O God whose name is glorified by us, as of right: O God who subduest every injurious force: O God whose will is accomplished, who alway hearest us: now also let thy gift be accomplished in this young man; and if there be any dispensation to be wrought through him, manifest it unto us when he is raised up. And straightway the young man rose up, and for a whole hour kept silence.

nan

But when he came to his right senses, John asked of him about his entry into the sepulchre, what it meant, and learning from him that which Andronicus had told him, namely, that he was enamoured of Drusiana, John inquired of him again if he had fulfilled his foul intent, to insult a body full of holiness. And he answered him: How could I accomplish it when this fearful beast struck down Fortunatus at a blow in my sight: and rightly, since he encouraged my frenzy, when I was already cured of that unreasonable and horrible madness: but me it stopped with affright, and brought me to that plight in which ye saw me before I arose. And another thing yet more wondrous I will tell thee, which yet went nigh to slay and was within a little of making me a corpse. When my soul was stirred up with folly and the uncontrollable malady was troubling me, and I had now torn away the grave-clothes in which she was clad, and I had then come out of the grave and laid them as thou seest, I went again to my unholy work: and I saw a beautiful youth covering her with his mantle, and from his eyes sparks of light came forth unto her eyes; and he uttered words to me, saying: Callimachus, die that thou mayest live. Now who he was I knew not, O servant of God; but that now thou hast appeared here, I recognize that he was an angel of God, that I know well; and this I know of a truth that it is a true God that is proclaimed by thee, and of it I am persuaded. But I beseech thee, be not slack to deliver me from this calamity and this fearful crime, and to present me unto thy God as a man deceived with a shameful and foul deceit. Beseeching help therefore of thee, I take hold on thy feet. I would become one of them that hope in Christ, that the voice may prove true which said to me, 'Die that thou mayest live': and that voice hath also fulfilled its effect, for he is dead, that faithless, disorderly, godless one, and I have been raised by thee, I who will be faithful, God-fearing, knowing the truth, which I entreat thee may be shown me by thee.

nan

And John, filled with great gladness and perceiving the whole spectacle of the salvation of man, said: What thy power is, Lord Jesu Christ, I know not, bewildered as I am at thy much compassion and boundless long-suffering. O what a greatness that came down into bondage! O unspeakable liberty brought into slavery by us! O incomprehensible glory that is come unto us! thou that hast kept the dead tabernacle safe from insult; that hast redeemed the man that stained himself with blood and chastened the soul of him that would defile the corruptible body; Father that hast had pity and compassion on the man that cared not for thee; We glorify thee, and praise and bless and thank thy great goodness and long-suffering, O holy Jesu, for thou only art God, and none else: whose is the might that cannot be conspired against, now and world without end. Amen.

nan

And when he had said this John took Callimachus and saluted (kissed) him, saying: Glory be to our God, my child, who hath had mercy on thee, and made me worthy to glorify his power, and thee also by a good course to depart from that thine abominable madness and drunkenness, and hath called thee unto his own rest and unto renewing of life.

nan

But Andronicus, beholding the dead Callimachus raised, besought John, with the brethren, to raise up Drusiana also, saying: O John, let Drusiana arise and spend happily that short space (of life) which she gave up through grief about Callimachus, when she thought she had become a stumbling block to him: and when the Lord will, he shall take her again to himself. And John without delay went unto her tomb and took her hand and said: Upon thee that art the only God do I call, the more than great, the unutterable, the incomprehensible: unto whom every power of principalities is subjected: unto whom all authority boweth: before whom all pride falleth down and keepeth silence: whom devils hearing of tremble: whom all creation perceiving keepeth its bounds. Let thy name be glorified by us, and raise up Drusiana, that Callimachus may yet more be confirmed unto thee who dispensest that which unto men is without a way and impossible, but to thee only possible, even salvation and resurrection: and that Drusiana may now come forth in peace, having about her not any the least hindrance -now that the young man is turned unto thee- in her course toward thee.

nan

And after these words John said unto Drusiana: Drusiana, arise. And she arose and came out of the tomb; and when she saw herself in her shift only, she was perplexed at the thing, and learned the whole accurately from Andronicus, the while John lay upon his face, and Callimachus with voice and tears glorified God, and she also rejoiced, glorifying him in like manner.

nan

And when she had clothed herself, she turned and saw Fortunatus lying, and said unto John: Father, let this man also rise, even if he did assay to become my betrayer. But Callimachus, when he heard her say that, said: Do not, I beseech thee, Drusiana, for the voice which I heard took no thought of him, but declared concerning thee only, and I saw and believed: for if he had been good, perchance God would have had mercy on him also and would have raised him by means of the blessed John: he knew therefore that the man was come to a bad end [Lat. he judged him worthy to die whom he did not declare worthy to rise again]. And John said to him: We have not learned, my child, to render evil for evil: for God, though we have done much ill and no good toward him, hath not given retribution unto us, but repentance, and though we were ignorant of his name he did not neglect us but had mercy on us, and when we blasphemed him, he did not punish but pitied us, and when we disbelieved him he bore us no grudge, and when we persecuted his brethren he did not recompense us evil but put into our minds repentance and abstinence from evil, and exhorted us to come unto him, as he hath thee also, my son Callimachus, and not remembering thy former evil hath made thee his servant, waiting upon his mercy. Wherefore if thou allowest not me to raise up Fortunatus, it is for Drusiana so to do.

nan

And she, delaying not, went with rejoicing of spirit and soul unto the body of Fortunatus and said: Jesu Christ, God of the ages, God of truth, that hast granted me to see wonders and signs, and given to me to become partaker of thy name; that didst breathe thyself into me with thy many-shaped countenance, and hadst mercy on me in many ways; that didst protect me by thy great goodness when I was oppressed by Andronicus that was of old my husband; that didst give me thy servant Andronicus to be my brother; that hast kept me thine handmaid pure unto this day; that didst raise me up by thy servant John, and when I was raised didst show me him that was made to stumble free from stumbling; that hast given me perfect rest in thee, and lightened me of the secret madness; whom I have loved and affectioned: I pray thee, O Christ, refuse not thy Drusiana that asketh thee to raise up Fortunatus, even though he assayed to become my betrayer.

nan

And taking the hand of the dead man she said: Rise up, Fortunatus, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Fortunatus arose, and when he saw John in the sepulchre, and Andronicus, and Drusiana raised from the dead, and Callimachus a believer, and the rest of the brethren glorifying God, he said: O, to what have the powers of these clever men attained! I did not want to be raised, but would rather die, so as not to see them. And with these words he fled and went out of the sepulchre.

nan

And John, when he saw the unchanged mind (soul) of Fortunatus, said: O nature that is not changed for the better! O fountain of the soul that abideth in foulness! O essence of corruption full of darkness! O death exulting in them that are thine! O fruitless tree full of fire! O tree that bearest coals for fruit! O matter that dwellest with the madness of matter (al. O wood of trees full of unwholesome shoots) and neighbour of unbelief! Thou hast proved who thou art, and thou art always convicted, with thy children. And thou knowest not how to praise the better things: for thou hast them not. Therefore, such as is thy way (?fruit), such also is thy root and thy nature. Be thou destroyed from among them that trust in the Lord: from their thoughts, from their mind, from their souls, from their bodies, from their acts) their life, their conversation, from their business, their occupations, their counsel, from the resurrection unto (or rest in) God, from their sweet savour wherein thou wilt share, from their faith, their prayers, from the holy bath, from the eucharist, from the food of the flesh, from drink, from clothing, from love, from care, from abstinence, from righteousness: from all these, thou most unholy Satan, enemy of God, shall Jesus Christ our God and of all that are like thee and have thy character, make thee to perish.

nan

And having thus said, John prayed, and took bread and bare it into the sepulchre to break it; and said: We glorify thy name, which converteth us from error and ruthless deceit: we glorify thee who hast shown before our eyes that which we have seen: we bear witness to thy loving-kindness which appeareth in divers ways: we praise thy merciful name, O Lord (we thank thee), who hast convicted them that are convicted of thee: we give thanks to thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, that we are persuaded of thy which is unchanging: we give thanks to thee who hadst need of our nature that should be saved: we give thanks to thee that hast given us this sure, for thou art alone, both now and ever. We thy servants give thee thanks, O holy one, who are assembled with intent and are gathered out of the world (or risen from death).

nan

And having so prayed and given glory to God, he went out of the sepulchre after imparting unto all the brethren of the eucharist of the Lord. And when he was come unto Andronicus' house he said to the brethren: Brethren, a spirit within me hath divined that Fortunatus is about to die of blackness (poisoning of the blood) from the bite of the serpent; but let some one go quickly and learn if it is so indeed. And one of the young men ran and found him dead and the blackness spreading over him, and it had reached his heart: and came and told John that he had been dead three hours. And John said: Thou hast thy child, O devil. 'John therefore was with the brethren rejoicing in the Lord.'

Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

8 results

1. New Testament, Apocalypse, 12 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

2. New Testament, John, 21 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

3. Anon., The Acts of John, 101-102, 109, 19-29, 31, 33-54, 59-61, 63-100 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

100. Now the multitude of one aspect (al. of one aspect) that is about the cross is the lower nature: and they whom thou seest in the cross, if they have not one form, it is because not yet hath every member of him that came down been comprehended. But when the human nature (or the upper nature) is taken up, and the race which draweth near unto me and obeyeth my voice, he that now heareth me shall be united therewith, and shall no more be that which now he is, but above them, as I also now am. For so long as thou callest not thyself mine, I am not that which I am (or was): but if thou hear me, thou, hearing, shalt be as I am, and I shall be that which I was, when I thee as I am with myself. For from me thou art that (which I am). Care not therefore for the many, and them that are outside the mystery despise; for know thou that I am wholly with the Father, and the Father with me.

4. Anon., Acts of Thomas, 32 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

5. Anon., Acts of Andrew, 13 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

6. Anon., Acts of John, 101-102, 109, 19-29, 31, 33-54, 59-61, 63-70, 72-100 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

7. Anon., Acts of Paul, 7 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

8. Anon., Acts of Peter, 1 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

Subjects of this text:

subject	book bibliographic info
abyss	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
acts of john, and novel	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
acts of john, conversion	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 187
acts of john, old women	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 104
acts of john, women	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 102, 103, 104
acts of paul, and novel	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
acts of paul (and thecla)	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
acts of peter, conversion	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 187
acts of peter	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
adultery	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
allegory/allegorical	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
andrew, apostle	Geljon and Vos, Rituals in Early Christianity: New Perspectives on Tradition and Transformation (2020) 73
andronicus	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 102, 103, 104; Geljon and Vos, Rituals in Early Christianity: New Perspectives on Tradition and Transformation (2020) 73
apocrypha	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
apocryphal acts, and novel	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
apocryphal acts, conversion	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 187
apocryphal acts, readership	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
apocryphal acts	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
apocryphal texts, armenian	Piovanelli, Burke, Pettipiece, Rediscovering the Apocryphal Continent: New Perspectives on Early Christian and Late Antique Apocryphal Textsand Traditions. De Gruyter: 2015 (2015) 262
apocryphal texts, syriac	Piovanelli, Burke, Pettipiece, Rediscovering the Apocryphal Continent: New Perspectives on Early Christian and Late Antique Apocryphal Textsand Traditions. De Gruyter: 2015 (2015) 262
apostles, and liturgies	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
aristippe	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 102
aristobula	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 102
artemis (goddess)	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
baptism, liturgy of	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
bartholomew, st	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
beliar	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
body	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
bowie, e.	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
bread, of life	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
bread	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
breaking of the bread	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
callimachus	Geljon and Vos, Rituals in Early Christianity: New Perspectives on Tradition and Transformation (2020) 73; Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
chariton, and clementines, xenophon of ephesus	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
chariton, and clementines	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
clementines, pseudo-, and chariton	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 229
cleopatra	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 102
community, sense of	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
death, of humans	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
devil see also satan	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
discipleship	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
drusiana	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 102, 103, 104; Geljon and Vos, Rituals in Early Christianity: New Perspectives on Tradition and Transformation (2020) 73; Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
ephesians	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
ephesus	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218; Geljon and Vos, Rituals in Early Christianity: New Perspectives on Tradition and Transformation (2020) 73
eucharist, eucharistic, community practice	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
eucharist, exclusion	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
eucharist, of bread and water	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
excommunication	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
fortunatus	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
high priest	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
india	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
jesus / christ	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
john (apostle)	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
love, romantic	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
motif, snake protecting virginity	Pinheiro et al., The Ancient Novel and Early Christian and Jewish Narrative: Fictional Intersections (2012b) 51
nakedness	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
pagan	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
playfulness	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
plot	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
reader (ἀναγνώστης, ἀναγινώσκων), knowledgeable	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
reader (ἀναγνώστης, ἀναγινώσκων), of a narrative	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
resurrection	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
revelation	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
rome	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
sacraments, eucharist as	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
sacrifice, criticism/avoidance of	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
samson of dol, st	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
satan	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
satan see also devil	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41
servants	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
sex	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
sexuality, sexual abstinence'	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
snakes	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
tomb, of drusiana	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
traditions, snake-related	Berglund Crostini and Kelhoffer, Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity (2022) 218
venom/venomous	Schaaf, Animal Kingdom of Heaven: Anthropozoological Aspects in the Late Antique World (2019) 41