PERPETUA AND FELICITAS. 279
3. " Then my brothersaidto me, 'My dear sister,you are
alreadyin a positionof greatdignity,and are such that you
may ask fora vision,and thatitmay be made known to you
whether this[trial]is toresultin a passionor an escape.'1
And 1,who knew thatI was privilegedto conversewith the
Lord, whose kindnessesI had found to be so great,boldly
promised him, and said,'To-morrow I willtellyou.' And
I asked,and thiswas what was shown me. I saw a golden
ladderof marvellousheight,reachingup even toheaven,and
very narrow,so thatpersonscouldonlyascenditone by one ;
and on the sidesof the ladderwas fixedeverykind of iron
weapon. There were thereswords,lances,hooks, daggers;
so thatifany one went up carelessly,or notlookingupwards,
he would be tornto pieces,and hisfleshwould cleaveto the
iron weapons. And under the ladderitselfwas couching a
dragon of wonderful size,who lay in wait for those who
ascended, and frightenedthem from the ascent. And
Saturus went up first,who had subsequentlydeliveredhim
selfup freelyon our account,not having been presentat
the time that we were taken prisoners. And he attained
the top of the ladder,and turned towards me, and saidto
me, 'Perpetua,I am waiting for2 you ; but be carefulthat
the dragon do not biteyou.' And I said,'In the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ,he shallnot hurt me.' And from
under the ladderitself,asifin fearof me, he slowlyliftedup
his head ; and as I trod upon the firststep,I trodupon his
head. And I went up, and I saw an immense extentof
garden, and in the midstof the garden a white-hairedman
sittingin the dressof a shepherd,of large stature,milking
sheep;8and standingaround were many thousandwhite-robed
ones. And he raisedhis head, and looked upon me, and
said to me, 'Thou art welcome, daughter.' And he called
me, and from the cheese as he was milking he gave me
as itwere a littlecake,and I receiveditwith foldedhands ;
1 Comineatus.s " Sustineo,"GraeceiTrofthu,scil." exspecto."
3 Thiswas an ordinarymode of picturingourLordintheoratories
and on thesacredvesselsofthosedays.