The Shepherd of Hermas

Thus, brethren, being clothed in the faith of the Lord and remembering the great things which he had taught me, I took courage and faced the beast. And as the beast came on with a rush it was as though it could destroy a city.

I came near to it, and the Leviathan for all its size stretched itself out on the ground, and put forth nothing except its tongue, and did not move at all until I had passed it by.

And the beast had on its head four colours, black, then the colour of flame and blood, then golden, then white.

After I had passed the beast by and had gone[*](The ancient lady) about thirty feet further, lo! a maiden met me, adorned as if coming forth from the bridal chamber, all in white and with white sandals, veiled to the forehead, and a turban for a head-dress, but her hair was white.

I recognised from the former visions that it was the Church, and I rejoiced the more. She greeted me saying, Hail, O man, and I greeted her in return, Hail, Lady.

She answered me and said, Did nothing meet you? I said to her, Yes, Lady, such a beast as could destroy nations, but by the power of the Lord, and by his great

You did well to escape it, she said, because you cast your care upon God, and opened your heart to the Lord, believing that salvation can be found through nothing save through the great and glorious name. Therefore the Lord sent his angel, whose name is Thegri,[*](No other mention of this Angel is found in Jewish or Christian literature, and no suitable meaning has been suggested for Thegri. Dr. Rendel Harris suggests Segri as an emendation, connecting it with the Hebrew word meaning to shut (sagar), found in Dan. 6, 22.) who is over the beast, and shut his mouth that he should not hurt you. You have escaped great tribulation through your faith, and because you were not double-minded when you saw so great a beast.