Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/199

who are worthy of Him, did not despise his good works, nor would He that his benevolent disposition, very deserving in God's sight, should be let go without meed, and be covered over by the darkness of devil-worship; but according to that which is written, 'that in every nation he who worketh righteousness shall be acceptable with Him,' He condescended to this benevolent mercy, and healed him with a like measure (of it). It happened one day that he went out hunting with all his company and array; then he saw a great flock of harts, and disposed his company, as was customary to him, in order to take them by hunting. When they were all busied about the hunting, then there appeared to himself an immense hart, which was of exceeding bigness above all the others, and beautiful; and then he turned from the flock, and rushed into the wood where it was thickest. When Placidas saw that, he desired to take it and zealously went after it with a few companions; then at last they were all tired, and he alone, unweary, followed after it. Verily through God's predestination neither his horse nor himself was wearied, nor did he stop for the roughness of the way, but he went long after (it), and departed far from his companions. Then indeed the hart mounted up on a high rock and there stood. Then Placidas stood long and beheld the hart, and wondered at its size, and ceased his pursuit. Then God revealed to him that he should not fear such power, nor wonder at the greatness of his might. Behold, between the hart's horns glittered the likeness of Christ's holy rood, brighter than the sun's beam, and the image of our Lord Jesus Christ; and He sent human speech into the hart, and cried to Placidas, thus saying, ' Oh Placidas! why persecutest thou Me? Lo! for thy sake I am now come that I, by means of this beast, might show myself to thee. I am the Christ whom thou ignorantly worshippest; the alms which thou doest to the poor are before Me, and I came that I might reveal Myself to thee through this hart, and instead of it might hunt and take thee with the nets of My mercy. It is not right that my beloved servant, in requital for his good works, should serve unclean devils and the unreasoning idols; wherefore I came to the earth in this form, such as thou