The Acts of St. John the Evangelist. The author relates that, at
Ephesus--of which place St. John wast bishop--Drusilla, being converted
by him, desired no more of her husband Andronicus's company, but retired
into a tomb. A young man named Callimachus, in love with her, repeatedly
pressed her, even in her tomb, to consent to the gratification of his
passion. Brasilia, being urged both by her husband and her lover, wished
for death, and obtained it. Callimachus, when informed of her loss, was
still more furious with love; he bribed one of Andronicus's domestics,
who had the keys of the tomb; he ran to it, stripped his mistress of her
shroud, and exclaimed, "What thou wouldst not grant me living, thou
shalt grant me dead," A serpent instantly issued from the tomb; the
young man fainted; the serpent killed him, as also the domestic who was
his accomplice, and coiled itself round his body. St. John arrives with
the husband, and, to their astonishment, they find Callimachus alive.
St. John orders the serpent to depart, and the serpent obeys. He asks
the young man how he has been resuscitated. Callimachus answered that an
angel had appeared to him, saying, "It was necessary that thou shouldst
die in order to revive a Christian." He immediately asked to be
baptized, and begged that John would resuscitate Drusilla. The apostle
having instantly worked this miracle, Callimachus and Drusilla prayed
that he would also be so good as to resuscitate the domestic. The
latter, who was an obstinate pagan, being restored to life, declared
that he would rather die than be a Christian, and, accordingly, he
incontinently died again; on which St. John said that a bad tree always
bears bad fruit.
Aristodemus, high-priest of Ephesus, though struck by such a prodigy,
would not be converted; he said to St. John: "Permit me to poison you;
and, if you do not die, I will be converted." The apostle accepted the
proposal; but he chose that Aristodemus should first poison two
Ephesians condemned to death. Aristodemus immediately presented to them
the poison, and they instantly expired. St. John took the same poison,
which did him no harm. He resuscitated the two dead men, and the
high-priest was converted.
St. John having attained the age of ninety-seven years, Jesus Christ
appeared to him, and said, "It is time for thee to come to My table, and
feast with thy brethren"; and soon after the apostle slept in peace.
XIII.
The History of the Blessed James the Less, and the brothers Simon and
Jude. These apostles went into Persia, and performed things as
incredible as those related of St. Andrew.
XIV.
The Acts of St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist. St. Matthew goes into
Ethiopia, to the great town of Nadaver, where he restores to life the
son of Queen Candace, and founds Christian churches.
XV.