"They determined to propose peace to the Romans; and as Merovius, faithful to his word, had already obtained my liberty of his father, it was resolved that I should instantly repair to Constantius with the propositions of the council. Zachariah and Clotilda came to announce my freedom. They conjured me instantly to depart, to avoid the effects of the inconstancy so natural to the Barbarians. I was obliged to yield to their anxiety. Zachariah accompanied me as far as the frontiers of Gaul. The joy which I experienced on recovering my liberty was balanced by my regret in parting with this good old man. In vain did I press him to follow me; in vain did I lament the evils to which he was continually exposed. He plucked, as we travelled onwards, a wild lily whose top began to pierce the surface and said to me: of the snow, "This flower is an emblem of the chief of the "Salii and of his tribe; it grows spontaneously more beautiful among these woods than it would "in soils less exposed to the colds of winter; it "exceeds in whiteness the snows that cover it, "which, instead of destroying, preserve and nou"rish it in their bosom. I hope that this rude sea observes (Sympos. lib. vii.), that the Greeks, as well as the Persians, were accustomed to debate on state affairs when seated at the banquet. The same custom prevails among the savage tribes of our own country. "son of my life, devoted to the family of my master, will one day render me like this lily in "the eyes of God: the soul, in order that it may "develope its powers, must be for some time in"volved in the rigours of adversity." "In speaking these words, Zachariah halted, pointed to that heaven where we should one day meet, and without giving me time to throw myself at his feet, he vanished, whilst his last lesson still sounded in my ears. It was thus that Jesus Christ, whose example he seeks to imitate, was pleased to instruct his disciples, when, walking upon the borders of the lake of Genesareth, he gave speech to the grass of the field and to the lily of the vale." THE ARGUMENT. Interruption of the recital. Commencement of a mutual affection between Eudorus and Cymodocea. Satan determines to employ this attachment against the peace of the Church. Hell. Assembly of Dæmons. Speech of the Dæmon of homicide. Speech of the Dæmon of false wisdom. Speech of Satan. The Dæmons disperse themselves throughout the earth. BOOK VIII. THE narrative of Eudorus had already been prolonged to the ninth hour of the day. The sun darted his ardent beams on the mountains of Arcadia, and the silent birds retired to the reeds of the Ladon. Lasthenes invited the strangers to a second repast, and proposed that the conclusion of his son's story should be deferred till the next day. They left the island of the two altars, and returned in silence to the hospitable dwelling. Few words were uttered during the remainder of the day. The bishop of Lacedæmon appeared deeply interested by the relation of Eudorus. He admired the representation of the state and progress of the church throughout the world. He * The Greeks and Romans commenced the day at sunrise; as appears from Palladius (de re rustica), where he gives the husbandman a calendar of hours, and teaches him to distinguish them in every month of the year. This shadow decreased from the first to the sixth hour, when it is shortest; it then increases again. As the divisions of time is a matter of considerable importance to the reader of history, as well as of general curiosity, we refer such as desire further information upon this subject to Priestly's Lectures on History. |