We will after this gospel relate to you the lives and end of those apostles
in a short narrative, because their passion is everywhere fully set forth
in the English tongue.
After the Lord's ascension Peter was preaching the faith to the nations
which are called Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia, Asia, Italy. Afterwards,
after a space of ten years, he returned to Rome, preaching the gospel; and
in that city he set his episcopal seat, and there sat five and twenty
years, teaching the Roman citizens the glories of God, with many miracles.
His adversary in all his course was a certain magician, who was called
Simon. This magician was filled {373} with the accursed spirit to that
degree, that he said that he was Christ, the Son of God, and with his magic
corrupted the faith of the people.
Then it happened that the corpse of a widow's son was borne where Peter was
preaching. He said to the people and to the magician, "Draw near to the
bier, and believe that his preaching is true who raises the dead to life."
Simon was hereupon emboldened by the spirit of the devil, and said, "As
soon as I shall have raised the dead, kill my adversary Peter." The people
answered him, "We will burn him alive." Simon then, through the devil's
craft, made the corpse of the dead to move. The people then imagined that
he was restored to life: but Peter cried above all, "If he be restored to
life, let him speak to us, and stand up; let him taste food, and return
home." The people then exclaimed with loud voice, "If Simon do this not, he
shall undergo the punishment which he devised for thee." Simon at these
words was angry, and was fleeing away, but the people with unmeasured
reproach seized on him.
The apostle of God then drew near to the corpse with outstretched arms,
thus praying, "Thou, beloved Lord, who hast sent us to preach thy faith,
and hast promised us that we might, through thy name, drive away devils,
and heal the sick, and raise up the dead, raise up now this lad, that this
people may know that there is no God but thou alone, with thy Father and
the Holy Ghost." After this prayer the dead rose up, and with bended knees
said to Peter, "I saw Jesus Christ, and he sent his angels forth at thy
prayer, that they might lead me to life." The people then crying with one
voice said, "There is one God that Peter preaches:" and would burn the
magician, but Peter forbade them, saying, that Jesus had taught them the
rule, that they should requite evil with good.
Simon, when he had escaped from the people, tied a huge mastiff within the
gate where Peter had his dwelling, that he {375} might suddenly devour him.
But Peter came and untied the mastiff with this injunction, "Run, and say
to Simon, that he no longer with his magic deceive God's people, whom he
bought with his own blood." And he forthwith hastened towards the magician,
and put him to flight. Peter afterwards thus spake, "In the name of God I
command thee that thou fasten no tooth on his body." The dog, when he might
not hurt his body, tore his garments piecemeal from his back, and, howling
like a wolf, drove him along the walls, in sight of the people. He then
escaped from the dog, and for a long time after, for shame, was not seen in
Rome.
After a time he got some one to speak of him to the emperor Nero, and it
happened that the accursed persecutor associated the devil's minister in
his friendship. When this had taken place, Christ appeared to Peter in a
ghostly vision, and encouraged him with this incitement, "The magician
Simon and the cruel Nero are filled with the spirit of the devil, and
machinate against thee, but be thou not afraid; I will be with thee, and I
will send my servant Paul for thy comfort, who shall enter into Rome
to-morrow, and ye shall fight in ghostly conflict against the magician, and
shall cast him into the abyss of hell, and ye shall afterwards together
come to my kingdom with the triumph of martyrdom."
Non passus est Paulus, quando vinctus Romam perductus est, sed post aliquot
annos, quando sponte illuc iterum reversus est. This in sooth so happened.
On the next day Paul came into the city, and each of them received the
other with great joy, and they were together seven months preaching within
the city the way of life to the people. People without number then inclined
to christianity through the teaching of Peter; and also Livia the emperor's
consort, and the wife of his chief officer, Agrippina, were so imbued with
the faith, that they eschewed the intercourse of their husbands. Through
the preaching of Paul the servants and domestics of the {377} emperor
believed, and after their baptism would not return to his family.
Simon the magician then wrought a brazen serpent, moving as if it were
alive, and made the idols of the heathens laughing and moving; and he
himself suddenly appeared up in the air. On the other hand Peter healed the
blind, and the halt, and the possessed of devils, and raised up the dead,
and said to the people that they should flee from the magic of the devil,
lest they should be deceived by his wiles. This was then made known to the
emperor, and he commanded the magician to be fetched to him, and also the
apostles. Simon changed his appearance before the emperor, so that he
suddenly seemed a boy, and afterwards a hoary man; sometimes in a woman's
person, and again instantly in childhood.
When Nero saw that, he imagined that he was the Son of God. Peter said that
he was God's adversary, and guilty of false magic, and said that he was
certainly the devil in human substance. Simon said, "It is not fitting that
thou, king, shouldst listen to the words of a false fisher; but I will no
longer bear this contumely: I will now command my angels to avenge me on
this fisher." Peter said, "I fear not thy accursed spirits, but they will
become terrified through the faith of my Lord." Nero said, "Fearest thou
not, Peter, the powers of Simon, who manifests to thee his divinity by
miracles? " Peter said, "If he have divinity, then let him say what I
think, or what I will do." Nero said, "Tell me, Peter, in speech apart,
what thou thinkest." He then bent to the emperor's ear, and ordered a
barley loaf to be privately brought to him; and he blessed the loaf, and
brake, and wrapt it in his two sleeves, thus saying, "Say now, Simon, what
I thought, or said, or did." He was then wroth, for he could not open
Peter's secret, and caused by magic large dogs to come, and rush towards
Peter; but Peter showed the blessed bread to the dogs, and they
straightways vanished from their {379} sight. He then said to the emperor,
"Simon threatened me with his angels, now he sends dogs to me; because he
has not divine angels, but has doglike." Nero said, "What is now, Simon? I
ween we are overcome." Simon answered, "Thou good king, no one knows men's
thoughts but God alone." Peter answered, "Undoubtedly thou liest that thou
art God, now thou knowest not men's thoughts."
Nero then turned to Paul, and said, "Why sayest thou no word? Or who has
taught thee? or what hast thou taught with thy preaching?" Paul answered
him, "O sir, why shall I answer this lost adversary? If thou wilt obey his
words, thou wilt injure thy soul, and also thy kingdom. Concerning my
teaching, which thou askest, I will answer thee. Jesus, who while present
taught Peter, the same by revelation taught me; and I have filled with the
precepts of God from Jerusalem until I came to Illyricum. I taught that men
should love and honour each other. I taught the rich not to exalt
themselves, nor to place their hope in false wealth, but in God alone. I
taught men of moderate means to be frugal in their food and clothing. I
enjoined the poor to rejoice in their indigence. Fathers I exhorted to
bring up their children in the fear of God. Children I enjoined to be
obedient to the salutary admonitions of father and mother. I taught
husbands to keep inviolate their wedlock, because that which a man punishes
in an adulterous wife, God will avenge in an adulterous husband. I exhorted
pious wives inwardly to love their husbands, and with awe obey them as
masters. I taught masters to be kind to their servants; because they are
brothers before God, the master and the servant. I commanded serving men
faithfully and as God to serve their masters. I taught all believing men to
worship one God Almighty and invisible. I learned not this lore of any
earthly man, but {381} Jesus Christ spake to me from heaven, and sent me to
preach his doctrine to all nations, thus saying, 'Go thou throughout the
world, and I will be with thee, and whatsoever thou sayest or doest, I will
justify it.'" The emperor was then astonished at these words.
Simon said, "Thou good king, thou understandest not the plot of these two
men against me. I am the Truth, but these thwart me. Command now a high
tower to be raised, that I may ascend it; for my angels will not come to me
on earth among sinful men: and I will ascend to my father, and I will
command my angels to fetch thee to my kingdom." Nero then said, "I will see
if thou fulfillest these promises by deeds;" and then bade the tower be
raised with great haste on the smooth field, and commanded all his people
to come together to this spectacle. The magician then ascended the tower
before all the people, and with outstretched arms began to fly in the air.
Paul said to Peter, "Brother, thou wast chosen of God before me, to thee it
is fitting that thou cast down this minister of the devil with thy prayers;
and I will also bend my knees to that prayer." Peter then looked towards
the flying magician, thus saying, "I conjure you, accursed spirits, in the
name of Christ, to forsake the magician whom ye bear betwixt you;" and the
devils instantly forsook him, and he falling brake into four pieces. The
four pieces clave to four stones, which are for witness of the apostolic
triumph to this day. Peter's patience allowed the hellish fiends to bear
him somewhile up through the air, that in his fall he might descend the
more violently; and that he, who menacingly a little before would fly with
devilish wings, might suddenly lose his footing. It was befitting him to be
raised up on high, that, in the sight of all the people, falling down, he
might seek the earth.
Nero then commanded Peter and Paul to be held in bonds, and the pieces of
Simon's carcase to be guarded by a watch: {383} he weened that he could
arise from death on the third day. Peter said, "This Simon will not be
requickened before the general resurrection, but he is condemned to
everlasting torments." Then God's adversary, Nero, with the counsel of his
chief officer Agrippa, commanded Paul to be beheaded, and Peter hanged on a
cross. Paul then, at the executioner's command, bowed his neck under the
sword's edge, and Peter ascended the cross. While he was being led to the
cross, he said to the executioners, "I beseech you, turn my head down, and
stretch my feet towards heaven: I am not worthy to hang as my Lord. He
descended from heaven for the redemption of the world, and therefore were
his feet turned downwards. He now calls me to his kingdom; turn therefore
my foot-soles to the heavenly way." And the executioners granted him this.
Then would the christian people slay the emperor, but Peter stilled them
with these words: "My Lord a few days ago manifested to me that I should
follow his footsteps with this suffering: now, my children, hinder not my
way. My feet are now turned to the heavenly life. Rejoice with me; now
to-day I shall receive the reward of my tribulation." He was then praying
his Lord with these words: "My Saviour, I commit to thee thy sheep, which
thou didst entrust to me: they will not lack a shepherd when they have
thee." And with these words he gave up his ghost.
Together they went, Peter and Paul, on this day, triumphant to the heavenly
dwelling, in the six and thirtieth year after Christ's passion, with whom
they continue to eternity. Igitur Hieronymus et quique alii auctores
testantur, quod in una die simul Petrus et Paulus martyrizati sunt.
Immediately after their passion there came beauteous men, and unknown to
all the people: they said that they came from Jerusalem, that they might
bury the bodies of the apostles; and so did with great honour, and said to
the people, that {385} they might greatly rejoice at having such patrons in
their proximity.
Know ye also that this worst of kings, Nero, could not hold his realm after
the death of these apostles. It befell that all the people together of the
cruel emperor hated him, so that they resolved unanimously to bind and
scourge him to death. When Nero heard of the people's counsel he was
mortally afraid, and hastened in flight to the wood. Then the rumour sprang
up that he continued so long in the wood, in cold and hunger, until wolves
tore him in pieces.
It happened after that, that Greeks seized the bodies of the apostles, and
would take them with them eastward. There then was suddenly a great
earthquake, and the Roman people hastened thither, and rescued the bodies,
in the place which is called the Catacombs, and they preserved them there a
year and a half, until the places were built in which they were afterwards
laid, with glory and hymns. It is known among all nations that many wonders
happened at the tombs of those apostles, through permission of Jesus, to
whom be glory and praise ever to eternity. Amen.
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