The Shepherd of Hermas

But some stones were given by the men for the building, which did not become bright but proved to remain as they were when they were put in. For they had not been given by the maidens, and had

And when the six men saw the unseemly stones in the building they commanded them to be taken away and to be brought down to their own place, whence they had been taken.

And they said to the men who were bringing the stones in: You must on no account put stones into the building, but put them by the side of the tower, that the maidens may bring them in through the gate, and give them over for the building. For if, said they, they are not brought in by the hands of these maidens through the gate they cannot change their colours; do not then, said they, labour in vain.

And on that day the building was finished, but[*](The pause in the building) the tower was not completed, for it was going to be built on to, and there was a pause in the building. And the six men commanded all the builders to retire a little and rest, but they commanded the maidens not to go away from the tower. And it seemed to me that the maidens had given up looking after the tower.

But after they had all gone away and were resting I said to the shepherd: Why, Sir, said I, was the building of the tower not completed? The tower, said he, cannot yet be completed unless its lord come and test this building, in order that if some stones prove to be