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| A Deserter from Simon's Camp.
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Chapter LXIII.—A Deserter from Simon’s
Camp.
While Peter was thus speaking, the day dawned;
and, behold, one of the disciples of Simon came, crying out:709
| 709 [This incident
is narrated only in the Recognitions.—R.] | “I beseech thee, O Peter,
receive me, a wretch, who have been deceived by Simon the magician, to
whom I gave heed as to a heavenly God, by reason of those miracles
which I saw him perform. But when I heard your discourses, I
began to think him a man, and indeed a wicked man; nevertheless, when
he went out from this I alone followed him, for I had not yet clearly
perceived his impieties. But when he saw me following him, he
called me blessed, and led me to his house; and about the middle of the
night he said to me, ‘I shall make you better than all men, if
you will remain with me even till the end.’ When I had
promised him this, he demanded of me an oath of perseverance; and
having got this, he placed upon my shoulders some of his polluted and
accursed secret things, that I might carry them, and
ordered me to follow
him. But when we came to the sea, he went aboard a boat which
happened to be there, and took from my neck what he had ordered me to
carry. And as he came out a little after, bringing nothing with
him, he must have thrown it into the sea. Then he asked me to go
with him, saying that he was going to Rome, and that there he would
please the people so much, that he should be reckoned a god, and
publicly gifted with divine honours. ‘Then,’ said he,
‘if you wish to return hither, I shall send you back, loaded with
all riches, and upheld by various services.’ When I heard
this, and saw nothing in him in accordance with this profession, but
perceived that he was a magician and a deceiver, I answered:
‘Pardon me, I pray you; for I have a pain in my feet, and
therefore I am not able to leave Cæsarea. Besides, I have a
wife and little children, whom I cannot leave by any
means.’ When he heard this, he charged me with sloth, and
set out towards Dora, saying, ‘You will be sorry, when you hear
what glory I shall get in the city of Rome.’ And after this
he set out for Rome, as he said; but I hastily returned hither,
entreating you to receive me to penitence, because I have been deceived
by him.”
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