The Shepherd of Hermas

Hermas

Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913

He who brought me up sold me to a certain[*](Hermas and Rhoda) Rhoda at Rome. After many years I made her acquaintance again, and began to love her as a sister.[*](As it stands this is hardly intelligible: presumably the meaning is that Hermas was born a slave, and that his owner sold him to Rhoda. It is implied that he then passed out of her possession, and later on made her acquaintance again. The alternative is that ἀνεγνωρισἀμην merely means came to know her properly. )

After some time I saw her bathing in the river Tiber, and gave her my hand and helped her out of the river. When I saw her beauty I reflected in my heart and said: I should be happy if I had a wife of such beauty and character. This was my only thought, and no other, no, not one.

After some time, while I was[*](Hermas goes to Cumae) going to Cumae, and glorifying the creation of God, for its greatness and splendour and might, as I walked along I became sleepy. And a spirit seized me and took me away through a certain pathless district, through which a man could not walk, but the ground was precipitous and broken up by the

streams of water. So I crossed that river, and came to the level ground and knelt down and began to pray to the Lord and to confess my sins.

Now while I was praying the Heaven was opened, and I[*](The Vision of Rhoda speaking from Heaven) saw that woman whom I had desired greeting me out of the Heaven and saying: Hail, Hermas.

And I looked at her, and said to her: Lady, what are you doing here? and she answered me: I was taken up to accuse you of your sins before the Lord.

I said to her: Are you now accusing me? No, she said, but listen to the words which I am going to say to you. God who dwells in Heaven and created that which is out of that which is not, and increased and multiplied it, for the sake of his Holy Church, is angry with you because you sinned against me.

I answered and said to her: Did I sin against you? In what place, or when did I speak an evil word to you? Did I not always look on you as a goddess? Did I not always respect you as a sister? Why do you charge me falsely. Lady, with these wicked and impure things?

She laughed and said to me: The desire of wickedness came up in your heart. Or do you not think that it is an evil deed for a righteous man if an evil desire come up in his heart? Yes, it is a sin, said she, and a great one. For the righteous man has righteous designs. So long then as his designs are righteous his repute stands fast in Heaven, and he finds the Lord ready to assist him in all his doings. But they who have evil designs in their hearts bring upon themselves death and captivity, especially those who obtain this world for

themselves, and glory in their wealthy and do not lay hold of the good things which are to come.

Their hearts will repent; yet have they no hope, but they have abandoned themselves and their life. But do you pray to God, and He shall heal the sins of yourself, and of all your house and of all the saints.