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like this—of an austere life and a most moistureless table?” But the modest maiden answered: “The contest is of no account, but a greater reward follows.” But he of unrighteous counsel said: “Was not Eve a virgin on the floor of paradise with Adam? But when in later times she was joined in the bed of the first-born Adam, she was shown to be the mother of children. From there she sowed the race of all mortal men, and learned all good things.” Then indeed, then Justa was about to go outside the doors, persuaded by the demon; and the avenger, rejoicing, went out before the girl. But when she perceived the trick of the destructive-minded enemy, she turned her mind back to prayer, and quickly signed her body with the cross; and sending a breath from her mouth, she pushed the most despicable, ill-fated one from the house. And having recovered a little from the turmoil, she spoke thus: “I know my gratitude to the Immortal, and the fiery disease has been quenched.” And praying she spoke: “O Christ, holding your prize, pierce my body through—I tremble beneath you, o best one—and again have mercy on me with your justice; and grant the glory to bear your name.” And the adversary came very downcast into the magician's presence, terribly distressed. Then Cyprian struck him with reproachful words: “Did you too then dread the eye of the bright-eyed maiden? But come, tell me, having seen what sort of strength is in the girl.” The opponent said: “Do not ask me nor question me; I cannot declare what sort of sign I saw; wretched and trembling, I drew back and fled at once. But if you wish to learn, swear a great oath yourself.” And Cyprian answered and asked: “What sort of oath should I swear?” He in turn answered: “By all my powers, which I possess and command.” And when he heard, he immediately swore never to desert the proud one. And then he spoke boldly: “Gazing upon the seal of Christ stretched out on the cross, trembling I fled.” And he addressed him: “Come, tell me: is he himself much stronger than you?” The adversary said: “Hear me, and I will speak the truth; for whatever we do here under dire sinfulness, giving mortal men over to deceits, is yielding to all. But for that life there is a bent, bronze-wrought instrument, which lies fiery-hot in the midst; and if any angel or mortal should sin near it, the messengers of Christ crucified bring him with it quickly to the judgment seat ...”

But Cyprian spoke: “Come, run forth; for I come to friendship without wings, and speed pleases me. And I longed for him who rejoices in the cross, lest I somehow suffer the same things.” But the hideous one answered: “Having sworn a great oath, do you make light of transgression?” He asked: “Tell me, avenger, what oaths did I myself swear to you now.” And he said: “By my mighty powers.” But the magician answered: “I fear neither you nor your works, O enemy; for on this night I learned all the truth from you, on account of the maiden’s pure prayers and supplications and the mighty cross; for you are very weak. Therefore I shall now place in my limbs the mighty seal, which you said is very powerful; and I reject your friendship, having renounced your counsels.” And when he had said these things, he straightway gave honor to Christ, and drove away the dread demon, saying, “Go far away”; “for I seek Christ.” And the most shameful one went away at once. And Cyprian, taking his magic books, placed them on his sturdy shoulders to bring them to the house of the undefiled God, and he himself followed them. And falling at the feet before the divine priest, Anthimus, meeting him he spoke these words to him: “Servant of the immortal heavenly one, I have determined to be enrolled in the army of Christ and my heart in the book.” But he, angered, said to him: “Keep your wickedness behind you; is it not enough for you, being outside of us, to do such things as you have resolved? And avoid the royal courts; for the strength of the all-ruling one is invincible.” And Cyprian answered: “I too have recognized in my mind that the power of Christ is mighty and very great; for on this night I sent down adversary demons against the revered maiden, so that they might hunt the mind of the strong-minded youth in the bonds of deceit. But she, understanding in her mind, conquered mightily with prayer and the seal of Christ. But now, bear with me and have mercy on me; and revering you as a suppliant,

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εἴκελον ὧδε- αὐσταλέης βιοτῆς καὶ ἀνικμοτάτοιο τραπέζης;» παρθένος αἰδοίη δ' ἀπαμείβετο· «οὐτιδανὸν μὲν ἀθλοθέτημα πέλει, μείζων δέ τε μισθὸς ὀπηδεῖ.» αὐτὸς δ' αἰσυλόμητις ἔφη· «οὐ παρθένος ἦεν ἐν παραδεισιάδος δαπέδῳ Εὔη σὺν Ἀδάμῳ; ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ὑστατίοισι χρόνοις μίχθη λεχέεσσι πρωτογόνου Ἀδάμου, παίδων μήτηρ ἀνεδείχθη. ἔνθεν σπέρμηνεν γενεὴν πάντων μεροπήων, ἐσθλὰ δὲ πάντ' ἔμαθεν.» τότε δὴ τότ' ἔμελλεν Ἰούστα δαίμονι πειθομένη θυρέων ἔκτοσθε γενέσθαι· γηθήσας δ' ὁ ἄλαστος ἔβη παιδὸς πάρος ἔξω. ἡ δ' ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε δόλον ὀλοόφρονος ἐχθροῦ, ἂψ ἐπὶ εὐχωλὴν νόον ἔτραπεν, ὃν δέμας αἶψα σταυρῷ σημήνασα· ἀπὸ στομάτων δέ τ' ἀήτην πέμψασ', ἐλέγχιστον βαρυδαίμονα ὦσεν ἀπ' οἴκου. τυτθὸν δ' ἀμπνεύσασα ἀπὸ κλόνου, ὧδ' ἀγόρευεν· «ἀθανάτῳ χάριν οἶδα, πυρόεσσα δὲ νοῦσος ἀπέσβη.» εὐχομένη δ' ἔφατο· «Χριστέ, κρατέων γέρα σεῖο, σῶμ' ἐμὸν ἐκπερόνησον- ὑποτρόμεόν σε, φέριστε- καὶ πάλι σῇ μ' ἐλέαιρε θεμιστύϊ· δὸς δέ τε κῦδος οὔνομα σὸν φορέειν.» κατηφιόων δὲ μάλ' ἦλθεν ἀντίθεος κατ' ἐνῶπα μάγου, τετιημένος αἰνῶς. τὸν δέ τε Κυπριανὸς τότ' ὀνειδείοις βάλε μύθοις· «μὴ ἄρα καὶ σὺ νέης ἑλικώπιδος ἔτρεσας ὄμμα; ἀλλά γε λέξον ἰδὼν κούρης σθένος οἷον ἔνεστιν.» ἔννεπε δ' ἀντίβιος· «μή μ' εἴρεο μηδὲ μετάλλα· οὐ δύναμ' ἐξερέειν σημήιον οἷον ἐσεῖδον· δείλαιος τρομέων δ' ἀναχασσάμενος φύγον αἶψα. εἰ δὲ μαθεῖν ἐθέλεις, αὐτὸς μέγαν ὅρκον ὄμοσσον.» Κυπριανὸς δ' ἀπάμειπτο καὶ εἴρετο· «ποῖον ὀμόσσω ὅρκον;» ὁ δ' αὖτ' ἀπάμειπτο· «ἐμῶν μενέων κατὰ πάντων, ὧν περ ἔχω κρατέω τε.» ὁ δ' ὡς κλύεν, εὐθὺς ὄμοσσε, μή ποτε δὴ προλιπεῖν τὸν ἀγήνορα. καὶ τότ' ἔειπε θαρσήεις· «Χριστοῖο τανυσθέντος σκολοπῆι σφρηγῖδα παπτήνας τρομέων φύγον.» ὃς δὲ προσηύδα· «εἴπ' ἄγε μοι· κρείσσων γὰρ ὑπάρχει σεῖο μάλ' αὐτός;» ἔννεπε δ' ἀντίπαλος· «κλῦέ μευ, καὶ ἀληθέα λέξω· ὅσσα γὰρ ἐνθάδε ἄμμες ἀλιτροσύνης ὑπὸ λυγρῆς ῥέξωμεν, μέροπάς τε βροτοὺς ἀπάτῃσι διδόντες, ἔστ' ἐπιεικτὸν ἅπασιν. ἀτὰρ βιοτὴν ἐς ἐκείνην γναμπτὸν χαλκοτυπὲς πέλει ὄργανον, αὐτὸ πυρωθὲν κεῖται ἐνὶ μέσσοισιν· ἀτὰρ σχεδὸν ἤν τις ἁμάρτοι ἄγγελος ἠὲ βροτός, σὺν ταὐτῷ ἀγγελιῶται Χριστοῦ σταυροπαγοῦς ἐπὶ βήματος ὦκα φέρουσι ...»

Κυπριανὸς δ' ἀγόρευσεν· «ἄγ', ἔκθορε· ἐς φιλίην γὰρ ἔρχομαι ἀπτερέως, καί μοι τάχος ἅνδαν'. ἐγὼ δὲ σταυροχαρῆ πόθεον, μή πως τλαίην τὰ ὁμοῖα.» εἰδεχθὴς δ' ἀπάμειπτο· «ὀμοσσάμενος μέγαν ὅρκον παρβασίης ἀλέγεις;» ὁ δ' ἀνείρετο· «ἔννεπ', ἀλάστορ, ὅρκια ποῖά σοι ὠμοσάμην νῦν αὐτός.» ὁ δ' εἶπεν· «ἐς κρατερὰς τὰς ἐμὰς δυνάμεις.» ἀπάμειπτο μάγος δέ· «οὔτε σὲ οὔτε τεὰ περιδείδια, ἔχθιτε, ἔργα· νυκτὶ γὰρ ἀτρεκίην τῇδ' ἔμμαθον ἐκ σέο πᾶσαν εἵνεκα παρθενικῆς ἀράων ἁγνῶν τε λιτάων καὶ σταυροῦ σφεδανοῖο· σὺ γὰρ μάλα ἐσσὶ ἄναλκις. τὼ νῦν ἐν ῥεθέεσσιν ἐμοῖς σφρηγῖδα κραταιὴν θήσω ἐγώ, τήν πέρ τε μέγα κρείουσαν ἔειπες· σὴν φιλίην δ' ἀθερίζω, ἀπειπάμενος σέο βουλάς.» ὃς δ' ὡς οὖν τάδ' ἔειπε, γέρας Χριστῷ πόρεν εὐθύ, δαίμονα δ' αἰνὸν ἔλασεν, «ἀπέρχεο τηλόθι», λέξας· «δίζημαι γὰρ Χριστόν.» ὁ δ' αἴσχιστος κίεν αἶψα. Κυπριανὸς δὲ λαβὼν βίβλους μαγικὰς κατέθηκεν ὤμοισι στιβαροῖσι νέων ἀγέμεν ποτὶ οἶκον ἀχράντοιο θεοῦ, καὶ δ' αὐτὸς ἐφέσπετο ταῖσδε. πὰρ ποσὶ δὲ προπάροιθε πεσὼν θείου ἱερῆος, Ἀνθίμου, ἀντιόων τάδε οἱ φάτο· «ἀθανάτοιο οὐρανίου θεράπων στρατιῇ Χριστοῦ προβέβουλα βύβλῳ τ' ἐγκαταλέξαι ἐμὸν κέαρ.» ὃς δὲ χολωθεὶς ἔννεπέν οἱ· «κακότητα τεὴν ἀπέρυξον ὀπίσσω· οὐ σοίγ' ἄρκιόν ἐστιν, ἀφ' ἡμέων ἔκτοθ' ἐόντα ἕρδειν, οἷα βέβουλας; ἀνακτορίων δέ τ' ἀλεύου· καὶ γὰρ παντομέδοντος ἀήττητος πέλει ἰσχύς.» Κυπριανὸς δ' ἀπάμειπτο· «κἀγὼ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἀνέγνων, ὡς Χριστοῦ δύναμις κρατερὴ πέλει ἠδὲ μεγίστη· τῇδε γὰρ ἐν νυκτὶ κούρῃ σεπτῇ κατέπεμψα δαίμονας ἀντιθέους, ὅππως ἀπάτης ἐνὶ δεσμοῖς θηρήσωσι νόον κρατερόφρονος ἠιθέοιο. ἡ δέ, μαθοῦσα νόῳ, εὐχῇ σφρηγῖδί τε Χριστοῦ νίκησε κρατερῶς. νῦν δ' ἄνσχεο καί μ' ἐλέησον· αἰδόμενος δ' ἱκέτην σέο,