Vision First. Against Filthy and Proud Thoughts, and the Carelessness of Hermas in Chastising His Sons. Chap. I. He who had brought me up, sold me to one Rhode in Rome.21 Many years after this I recognised her, and I began to love her as a sister. Some time after, I saw her bathe in the river Tiber; and I gave her my hand, and drew her out of the river. The sight of her beauty made me think with myself, “I should be a happy man if I could but get a wife as handsome and good as she is.” This was the only thought that passed through me: this and nothing more. A short time after this, as I was walking on my road to the villages,22 and magnifying the creatures of God, and thinking how magnificent, and beautiful, and powerful they are,23 I fell asleep. And the Spirit carried me away, and took me through a pathless place,24 through which a man could not travel, for it was situated in the midst of rocks; it was rugged and impassible on account of water. Having passed over this river, I came to a plain. I then bent down on my knees, and began to pray to the Lord,25 and to confess my sins. And as I prayed, the heavens were opened, and I see the woman whom I had desired saluting me from the sky, and saying, “Hail, Hermas!” And looking up to her, I said, “Lady, what doest thou here?” And she answered me, “I have been taken up here to accuse you of your sins before the Lord.” “Lady,” said I, “are you to be the subject of my accusation?”26 “No,” said she; “but hear the words which I am going to speak to you. God, who dwells in the heavens, and made out of nothing the things that exist, and multiplied and increased them on account of His holy Church,27 is angry with you for having sinned against me.” I answered her, “Lady, have I sinned against you? How?28 or when spoke I an unseemly word to you? Did I not always think of you as a lady? Did I not always respect you as a sister? Why do you falsely accuse 21 The commencement varies. In the Vatican: “He who had brought me up, sold a certain young woman at Rome. Many years after this I saw her and recognized her.” So Lips.; Pal. has the name of the woman, Rada. The name Rhode occurs in Acts xii. 13. 22 “On my road to the villages.” This seems to mean: as I was taking a walk into the country, or spending my time in travelling amid rural scenes. So the Æthiopic version. “Proceeding with these thoughts in my mind.”—Vat. After I had come to the city of Ostia.”—Pal. “Proceeding to some village.”—Lips. [The Christian religion begetting this enthusiasm for nature, and love for nature’s God, is to be noted. Where in all heathendom do we find spirit or expression like this?] 23 Creatures. Creature or creation.—Lips., Vat., Æth. 24 Pathless place. Place on the right hand.—Vat. [Rev. xvii. 3, xxi. 10. Dante, Inferno, i. 1–5.] 25 Lord. God.—Sin. alone. 26 Are you to be the subject of my accusation? Are you to accuse me?—Vat., Lips., Æth. 27 [Eph. iii. 9, 10.] 28 How? In what place?—Vat., Sin. Vision First. Against Filthy and Proud Thoughts, and the Carelessness of Hermas in Chastising His Sons. 13 Vision First. Against Filthy and Proud Thoughts, and the Carelessness of…