Chap. X.
On her ceasing to speak to me, those six young men who were engaged in building came and conveyed her to the tower, and other four lifted up the seat and carried it also to the tower. The faces of these last I did not see, for they were turned away from me. And as she was going, I asked her to reveal to me the meaning of the three forms in which she appeared to me. In reply she said to me: "With regard to them, you must ask another to reveal their meaning to you." For she had appeared to me, brethren, in the first vision the previous year under the form of an exceedingly old woman, sitting in a chair. In the second vision her face was youthful, but her skin and hair betokened age, and she stood while she spoke to me. She was also more joyful than on the first occasion. But in the third vision she was entirely youthful and exquisitely beautiful, except only that she had the hair of an old woman; but her face beamed with joy, and she sat on a seat. Now I was exceeding sad in regard to these appearances, for I longed much to know what the visions meant. Then I see the old woman in a vision of the night saying unto me: "Every prayer should be accompanied with humility: fast, [121] therefore, and you will obtain from the Lord what you beg." I fasted therefore for one day.
That very night there appeared to me a young man, who said, "Why do you frequently ask revelations in prayer? Take heed lest by asking many things you injure your flesh: be content with these revelations. Will you be able to see greater [122] revelations than those which you have seen?" I answered and said to him, "Sir, one thing only I ask, that in regard to these three forms the revelation may be rendered complete." He answered me, "How long are ye senseless? [123] But your doubts make you senseless, because you have not your hearts turned towards the Lord." But I answered and said to him, "From you, sir, we shall learn these things more accurately."
Chap. XI.
"Hear then," said he, "with regard to the three forms, concerning which you are inquiring. Why in the first vision did she appear to you as an old woman seated on a chair? Because your spirit is now old and withered up, and has lost its power in consequence of your infirmities and doubts. For, like elderly men who have no hope of renewing their strength, and expect nothing but their last sleep, so you, weakened by worldly occupations, have given yourselves up to sloth, and have not cast your cares upon the Lord. [124] Your spirit therefore is broken, and you have grown old in your sorrows." "I should like then to know, sir, why she sat on a chair?" He answered, "Because every weak person sits on a chair on account of his weakness, that his weakness may be sustained. Lo! you have the form of the first vision."
Chap. XII.
"Now in the second vision you saw her standing with a youthful countenance, and more joyful than before; still she had the skin and hair of an aged woman. Hear," said he, "this parable also. When one becomes somewhat old, he despairs of himself on account of his weakness and poverty, and looks forward to nothing but the last day of his life. Then suddenly an inheritance is left him: and hearing of this, he rises up, and becoming exceeding joyful, he puts on strength. And now he no longer reclines, but stands up; and his spirit, already destroyed by his previous actions, is renewed, [125] and he no longer sits, but acts with vigour. So happened it with you on hearing the revelation which God gave you. For the Lord had compassion on you, and renewed your spirit, and ye laid aside your infirmities. Vigour arose within you, and ye grew strong in faith; and the Lord, [126] seeing your strength, rejoiced. On this account He showed you the building of the tower; and He will show you other things, if you continue at peace with each other with all your heart."
Chap. XIII.
"Now, in the third vision, you saw her still younger, and she was noble and joyful, and her shape was beautiful. [127] For, just as when some good news comes suddenly to one who is sad, immediately he forgets his former sorrows, and looks for nothing else than the good news which he has heard, and for the future is made strong for good, and his spirit is renewed on account of the joy which he has received; so ye also have received the renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things. As to your seeing her sitting on a seat, that means that her position is one of strength, for a seat has four feet and stands firmly. For the world also is kept together by means of four elements. Those, therefore, who repent completely and with the whole heart, will become young and firmly established. You now have the revelation completely given you. [128] Make no further demands for revelations. If anything ought to be revealed, it will be revealed to you."
[79] Fifth. Sixth.--Vat. [Here is a probable reference to canonical hours, borrowed from apostolic usage (Acts iii. 1), but not reflected in written constitutions in Clement's day.]
[80] [Compare Cyprian's Life and Martydom, by Pontius the deacon (sec. 16). This is doubtless a picture of the bishop's cathedra in the days of Pius, but, for the times of the Pauline Hermas, a probable anachronism.]
[81] [Ezek. i. 28.]
[82] [For justification and sanctification.]
[83] My elders. Perhaps the translation should be: the presbyters. [No doubt; for here also is a reference to canon law. See Apost. Constitutions (so called), book ii. sec. vii. 57.]
[84] [Heb. xi. 36, 37]
[85] [Rev. xi. 1.]
[86] [Rev. xxi. 16.]
[87] [1 Kings vi. 7; 1 Pet. ii. 4-8. The apostle interprets his own name,--shows Christ to be the Rock, himself a stone laid upon the foundation, by which also all believers are made lively stones, like the original Cephas.]
[88] Others had been made too short, not in Vat.
[89] That ... glory. And that they may be made more joyful, and, hearing this, may greatly glorify the Lord.--Vat.
[90] [2 Cor. xii. 1-11. The apostle is ashamed to glory in revelations, and this seems to be the reference.]
[91] God. Lord.--Vat.
[92] I said to you before, that you were cunning, diligently inquiring in regard to the Scriptures.--Vat. You are cunning in regard to the Scriptures.--Lips. In some of the mss. of the common Latin version, "structures" is read instead of "Scriptures."
[93] The Lord. God.--Vat. [1 Pet. iii. 20; Eph. v. 26. Both these texts seem in the author's mind, but perhaps, also Num. xxiv. 6, 7.]
[94] The building. When therefore the building of the tower is finished, all.--Vat.
[95] Not because you are better. Are you better?--Vat. [See note 90 on 2 Cor. xii. 1-11, preceding chapter.]
[96] [1 Cor. xv. 6, 18.]
[97] [Phil. ii. 2, iii. 16; 1 Thess v. 13.]
[98] Are those. They are those who have alreay fallen asleep, and who suffered.--Vat.
[99] Cast away. Placed near the tower.--Vat.
[100] [Heb. vi. 6-8; xii. 17.]
[101] [Heb. x. 25. Barnabas (cap. iv.) reproves the same fault, almost as if directing his words against anchorites, vol. i. p. 139, this series.]
[102] [Matt. xiii. 21.]
[103] Use ... God. Then will they be of use for the building of the Lord.--Vat. [1 Cor. iii. 9-15. But, instead of circumscribed, let us read circumcised (with the Latin): with reference to the circumcision of wealth (of trees under the law, Lev. xix. 23), Luke xi. 41. The Greek of Hermas is hotan perikope auton ho ploutos.]
[104] For ... stones. For you yourself were also one of these stones.--Vat.
[105] [Heb. iii. 12, vi. 8.]
[106] The words "draw back" are represented in Greek by the word elsewhere translated "repent;" metanoein is thus used for a change of mind, either from evil to good, or good to evil.
[107] [Perhaps the earliest reference to the penitential discipline which was developed after the Nicene Council, and to the separation of the Flentes and others from the faithful, in public worship. But compare Irenæus (vol. i. p. 335, this series), who refers to this discipline; also Apost. Constitutions, book ii. cap. 39. I prefer in this chapter Wake's rendering; and see Bingham, book xviii. cap. 1.]
[108] [Greek, rhema not logos. To translate this as if it referred to the Word (St. John i. i) is a great mistake. (Heb. xi. 3). Compare Wake's rendering. It seems a reference to the audientes, seperated from the faithful, but admitted to hear the Word. See Bingham, and Apost. Constit., as above.]
[109] [Salvation is ascribed to faith; and works of faith follow after, being faith in action.]
[110] [Girded rather, the loins compressed.]
[111] [Their mother is Faith (ut supra), and works of faith are here represented as deriving their value from faith only.]
[112] Regulated. They have equal powers, but their powers are connected with each other.--Vat.
[113] [Appearently for fasting, and to wait for the appearance of the interpreter, in cap. x.]
[114] The Lord. God.--Vat. [See Hos. x. 12.]
[115] Or, that ye may be justified and sanctified.
[116] I have translated the Vat. Reading here. The Greek seems to mean, "Do not partake of God's creatures alone by way of mere relish." The Pal. Has, "Do not partake of God's creatures alone joylessly, in a way calculated to defeat enjoyment of them."
[117] [Jas. v. 1-4.]
[118] Those that love the first seats, omitted in Æth. [Greek, tois proegoumenois tes ekklesias kai tois protokathedritais. Hermas seems, purposely, colourless as to technical distinctions in the clergy; giving a more primitive cast to his fiction, by this feature. Matt. xxiii. 6; Mark xii. 39; Luke xi. 43, xx. 46.]
[119] [Rom. ii. 21; 1 Thess. v. 13.]
[120] [Heb. xiii. 17.]
[121] Fast. Believe.--Pal.
[122] Literally, "stronger," and therefore more injurious to the body.
[123] How long. Ye are not senseless.--Vat. [Matt. xvii. 17; Luke xxiv. 25.]
[124] [1 Pet. v. 7.]
[125] His spirit ... renewed. He is freed from his former sorrows.--Vat.
[126] The Lord. God.--Vat.
[127] Shape ... beautiful. Her countenance was serene.--Vat.
[128] [As Dupin suggest of The Shepherd, generally, one may feel that these "revelations" would be better without the symbolical part.]
Vision Fourth.
Concerning the Trial and Tribulation that are to Come Upon Men.
Chap. I.
Twenty days after the former vision I saw another vision, brethren [129] --a representation of the tribulation [130] that is to come. I was going to a country house along the Campanian road. Now the house lay about ten furlongs from the public road. The district is one rarely [131] traversed. And as I walked alone, I prayed the Lord to complete the revelations which He had made to me through His holy Church, that He might strengthen me, [132] and give repentance to all His servants who were going astray, that His great and glorious name might be glorified because He vouchsafed to show me His marvels. [133] And while I was glorifying Him and giving Him thanks, a voice, as it were, answered me, "Doubt not, Hermas;" and I began to think with myself, and to say, "What reason have I to doubt--I who have been established by the Lord, and who have seen such glorious sights?" I advanced a little, brethren, and, lo! I see dust rising even to the heavens. I began to say to myself, "Are cattle approaching and raising the dust?" It was about a furlong's distance from me. And, lo! I see the dust rising more and more, so that I imagined that it was something sent from God. But the sun now shone out a little, and, lo! I see a mighty beast like a whale, and out of its mouth fiery locusts [134] proceeded. But the size of that beast was about a hundred feet, and it had a head like an urn. [135] I began to weep, and to call on the Lord to rescue me from it. Then I remembered the word which I had heard, "Doubt not, O Hermas." Clothed, therefore, my brethren, with faith in the Lord [136] and remembering the great things which He had taught me, I boldly faced the beast. Now that beast came on with such noise and force, that it could itself have destroyed a city. [137] I came near it, and the monstrous beast stretched itself out on the ground, and showed nothing but its tongue, and did not stir at all until I had passed by it. Now the beast had four colours on its head--black, then fiery and bloody, then golden, and lastly white.
Chap. II.
Now after I had passed by the wild beast, and had moved forward about thirty feet, lo! a virgin meets me, adorned as if she were proceeding from the bridal chamber, clothed entirely in white, and with white sandals, and veiled up to her forehead, and her head was covered by a hood. [138] And she had white hair. I knew from my former visions that this was the Church, and I became more joyful. She saluted me, and said, "Hail, O man!" And I returned her salutation, and said, "Lady, hail!" And she answered, and said to me, "Has nothing crossed your path?" I say, "I was met by a beast of such a size that it could destroy peoples, but through the power of the Lord [139] and His great mercy I escaped from it." "Well did you escape from it," says she, "because you cast your care [140] on God, [141] and opened your heart to the Lord, believing that you can be saved by no other than by His great and glorious name. [142] On this account the Lord has sent His angel, who has rule over the beasts, and whose name is Thegri, [143] and has shut up its mouth, so that it cannot tear you. You have escaped from great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in the presence of such a beast. Go, therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord [144] His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If then ye prepare yourselves, and repent with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart be pure and spotless, and ye spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will direct them. Trust the Lord, ye who doubt, for He is all-powerful, and can turn His anger away from you, and send scourges [145] on the doubters. Woe to those who hear these words, and despise them: [146] better were it for them not to have been born." [147]