Egypt -- History -- 30 B.C.-640 A.D. -- Fiction; German fiction -- Translations into English
It was a cruel blow to the venerable couple to be forced to quit the
house and the little garden where they had been happy together for half
a lifetime; however, the change proved to be to their advantage, for
Marcus invited his worthy teacher to be the spiritual pastor of his
estates. The churches he built for his peasants were consecrated by
Eusebius, whose mild doctrine and kindly influence persuaded many
laborers and slaves to be baptized and to join his flock of disciples.
But the example and amiability of their young mistress was even more
effectual than his preaching. Men and women, slaves and free, all adored
and respected her; to imitate her in all she did could only lead to
honor and happiness, could only be right and good and wise. Thus by
degrees, and without the exertion of any compulsion, the temples and
shrines on the Martyr’s inheritance were voluntarily abandoned, and fell
into ruin and decay.
It was the same on the property of Constantine, which lay at no more
than a day’s journey from that of Marcus; the two young couples were
faithful friends and good neighbors. The estate which had come into
Constantine’s possession had belonged to Barkas, the Libyan, who, with
his troops, had been so anxiously and vainly expected to succor the
Serapeum. The State had confiscated his extensive and valuable lands,
and the young officer, after retiring from the service, had purchased
them with the splendid fortune left to Gorgo by her grandmother.
The two sons of Porphyrius had, as it proved, been so happy as to escape
in the massacre at Thessalonica; and as they were Christians and piously
orthodox, the old man transferred to them, during his lifetime,
the chief share of his wealth; so that henceforth he could live
honestly--alienated from the Church and a worshipper of the old gods,
without anxiety as to his will. The treasures of art which Constantine
and Gorgo found in the house of Barkas they carefully preserved, though,
ere long, few heathen were to be found even in this neighborhood which
had formerly been the headquarters of rebellion on behalf of the old
religion.
Papias was brought up with the children of Marcus and Dada Cecilia,
while his sister Agne, finding herself relieved of all care on his
account, sought and found her own way through life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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