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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza

Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913

Chapter 100

But after a few days Saint Porphyry remembered that good maiden who received us, and sent for her by me; and she came running, having with her also another woman, whom she said to be her aunt. And they coming in to the blessed bishop fell at his feet; who received them kindly as a loving father. And he said to the maiden: ‘Daughter, dost thou truly desire to become a Christian? ‘And she answered and said: ‘Already told I thee, my Lord, that I have had this desire long time, and now I have brought a witness, even mine aunt, who also herself hath the same desire.’ And he was exceeding joyful and said to her: ‘Quit thee like a man and be strong, my child.’ And having called the steward1 of the holy church he bade him furnish to her and her grandmother four miliaresia2 of silver each day, and to her aunt he gave one piece of money, and having sealed them with the sign of the Cross he let them depart, bidding them to spend their time in prayer and in receiving the instruction of the catechumens. And he sent also unto her house the God-fearing Timotheus the Elder and Instructor, and bade him seal the grandmother of the maiden; for as I said before she was stricken in body.3 And when they had received instruction the three after a little time were deemed worthy of precious baptism.

Notes

  1. steward. οἰκονόμον. See note on c. 22.
  2. miliaresia. The miliarense was a silver coin, introduced by Constantine, worth 1/1000 of the Roman pound of gold, and weighing the same as his gold solidus, i.e. 1/72 lb. or about 4/5 of a modern shilling. The ‘one piece of money ‘mentioned in the next clause is the ordinary gold nomisma, in weight equivalent to about 11s. 6d. sterling.
  3. stricken in body. τὸ σῶμα εἶχεν συμπεπαρμένον, ‘transfixed’.

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