And I approached a little further, brethren, and behold, I saw dust reaching as it were up to heaven, and I began to say to myself. Are cattle coming and raising dust? and it was about a furlong away from me.

When the dust grew greater and greater I supposed that it was some portent. The sun shone out a little, and lo! I saw a great beast like some Leviathan, and fiery locusts were going out of his mouth. The beast was in size about a hundred feet and its head was like a piece of pottery.

And I began to weep and to pray the Lord to rescue me from it, and I remembered the word which I had heard, Do not be double-minded, 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 goneThe 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.