He, Dionysius, had seen, with some other philosophers,
in the land of the Egyptians, where they were studying,
how the sun grew dim unto swart night
from midday to nones ( 3 p.m.) when our Lord was suffering
for mankind's redemption, and they greatly wondered thereat.
Then said Dionysius, ' This dark night betokeneth
a great light to come upon all the earth
which God Himself will verily manifest to mankind.'
He was then a young man, when that this happened,
and that light came to him through Paul's lore afterward,
even as we shall here say in this true reading.
Paul then went prudently and beheld their gods
all in their order, and eke the altars,
until he found an altar whereon stood this inscription,
Deo ignoto; that is in English, ' To the unknown god
is this altar holy.' Then Paul turned him
to Dionysius the Lord's servant, and said,
' What is this unknown god whom ye worship thus?'
Then said Dionysius, 'He is yet hidden from men,
and is to come into the world, and shall rule all things,
the heavens and the earth; and His kingdom shall continue
ever without end.' Then answered Paul,
'What think ye of that god, will he be spirit or man?'
Dionysius answered the venerable Paul thus,
' He will be verily God and verily man,
and He Himself shall renew this old world;
but He is yet unknown, because He, living, dwelleth
with God in Heaven.' Then said the holy Paul,
'That God I preach to you Whom ye call unknown;
He is born of Mary the illustrious virgin,
and He suffered death of His own will for men,
and arose from death by His divine power.
He ascended also to Heaven to His holy Father,
