them, but added flesh, and nerves and skin to them, and brought them back to life again.385
But the great Moses did not stand near the bones of the dead, but bearing off the whole dead
body of Joseph, thus foretold things to come.386 And very reasonably, for their words were
the grace of the Holy Spirit. But the words of these, a deceit, and a lie which is no wise able
to be concealed. For that these things were an excuse, and pretence and that he feared the
blessed Babylas, is manifest from what the emperor did. For leaving all the other dead, he
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only moved that martyr. And yet if he did these things, in disgust at him, and not in fear, it
were necessary that he should order the coffin to be broken, thrown into the sea, carried to
the desert, be made to disappear by some other method of destruction; for this is the part
of one who is disgusted. Thus God did when he spake to the Hebrews about the abominations
of the Gentiles. He bade their statues to be broken, not to bring their abominations from
the suburbs to the city.
3. The martyr then was moved, but the demon not even then enjoyed freedom from
fear, but straightway learned that it is possible to move the bones of a martyr, but not to
escape his hands. For as soon as the coffin was drawn into the city, a thunderbolt came from
above upon the head of his image, and burnt it all up. And yet, if not before, then at least
there was likelihood that the impious emperor would be angry, and that he would send forth
his anger against the testimony of the martyr. But not even then did he dare, so great fear
possessed him. But although he saw that the burning was intolerable, and knew the cause
accurately; he kept quiet. And this is not only wonderful that he did not destroy the testimony,
but that he not even dared to put the roof on to the temple again. For he knew, he knew,
that the stroke was divinely sent, and he feared lest by forming any further plan, he should
call down that fire upon his own head. On this account he endured to see the shrine of
Apollo brought to so great desolation; For there was no other cause, on account of which
he did not rectify that which had happened, but fear alone. For which reason he unwillingly
kept quiet, and knowing this left as much reproach to the demon, as distinction to the
martyr. For the walls are now standing, instead of trophies, uttering a voice clearer than a
trumpet. To those in Daphne, to those in the city, to those who arrive from far off, to those
who are with us, to those men which shall be hereafter, they declare everything by their ap-
pearance, the wrestling, the struggle, the victory of the martyr. For it is likely that he who
dwells far off from the suburb, when he sees the chapel of the saint deprived of a shrine, and
the temple of Apollo deprived of its roof would ask the reason of each of these things; and
then after learning the whole history would depart hence. Such are the noble deeds of the
martyr after death, wherefore I count your city blessed, that ye have shown much zeal about
this holy man. For then, when he returned from Daphne, all our city poured forth into the
385 Ez. xxxvii.
386 Ex. xiii. 19.
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On the Holy Martyr, S. Babylas.