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

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.