Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/494

This page has been validated.
378
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.

CHAPTER III. (XIX.)

Then said Satan unto Hades, Prepare thyself to receive him that I shall bring down to thee. Thereupon Hades thus addressed Satan, That sound came only from the cry of the Son of the Father most High, for earth and all the places of hell beneath it so trembled. Wherefore, I think that I and all my bonds now lie exposed. But I conjure thee, Satan, chief of all evil, by thy powers and mine, bring him not to me, lest, while we would take him captive, we should be taken captive by him. For if, at the sound of his voice alone, all my power is thus destroyed, what thinkest thou he will do when his presence approacheth?

To whom Satan, the leader of death, thus answered, Why dost thou cry out? fear not, my ancient friend most vile; for I have stirred up the people of the Jews against him, I have bidden him to be buffeted, and I have accomplished against him his betrayal by his disciple; and he is a man who much feareth death, and through fear hath said. My soul is sorrowful even unto death; and I have brought him to this, that he now hangeth lifted up on the cross.

Then said Hades to him. If it is he who by the mere word of his command caused Lazarus to fly like an eagle out of my bosom when he had been