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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza
Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913
Chapter 54
But they asked that they might go in unto the Emperor also; and the Emperor asked them whether they were wholly quit1 of their business, and whether the Empress had bestowed upon them any gifts. And they said that ‘We are wholly quit, God saving your Piety, and your spouse, most beloved of God, and your son, whom God preserve, and many and great are the gifts that we have received.’ And straightway the Emperor also bade the prefects2 to grant unto them out of the public revenues of Palestine twenty pounds3 of gold apiece. And he himself also gave unto them on account of their expenses one handful each, which was found to be fifty pieces of money4 for each. And when they had called many blessings on him also, they went forth. But we spent in the city other three days, until we received the grant of the forty pounds, and after three days we went aboard and set sail, on the three and twentieth day of Xanthikos, according to the Gazaeans, but according to the Romans the eighteenth of April.5 And the most illustrious Cynegius departed after us, using the public post.
Notes
- were wholly quit. This appears to be the sense of τελείως ἀπηλλάγησαν.
- prefects. ἐπάρχοις.
- twenty pounds. The equivalent in weight of about £820 sterling.
- fifty pieces of money. i. e. gold pieces; the total sum being equivalent in weight to £28 10s. sterling.
- eighteenth of April. It would appear that the interview with the Emperor was on April 12, since two intervals of three days each are mentioned, and the arrangements for the interviews with the Empress and Emperor had taken a week, since Easter was on April 6.