Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/320

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OF RECONCILIATION.


TALE XXXIX.

OF RECONCILIATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.

The Roman annals say, such discord existed between two brothers, that one of them maliciously laid waste the lands of the other. The emperor Julius (37) having heard of this, determined to punish the offender capitally. The latter, therefore, understanding what was meditated, went to the brother whom he had injured, and besought forgiveness; at the same time requesting that he would screen him from the emperor's vengeance. But they who were present at the interview, rebuked him, and declared that he deserved punishment not pardon. To which he made the following reply. "That prince is not worthy of