Chapter IV.—Argument. Saturus, in a Vision, and Perpetua Being Carried by Angels into the Great Light, Behold the Martyrs. Being Brought to the Throne of God, are Received with a Kiss. They Reconcile Optatus the Bishop and Aspasius the Presbyter.

1. Moreover, also, the blessed Saturus related this his vision, which he himself committed to writing:—“We had suffered,” says he, “and we were gone forth from the flesh, and we were beginning to be borne by four angels into the east; and their hands touched us not. And we floated not supine, looking upwards, but as if ascending a gentle slope. And being set free, we at length saw the first boundless light; and I said, ‘Perpetua’ (for she was at my side), ‘this is what the Lord promised to us; we have received the promise.’ And while we are borne by those same four angels, there appears to us a vast space which was like a pleasure-garden, having rose-trees and every kind of flower. And the height of the trees was after the measure of a cypress, and their leaves were falling25    “Cadebant;” but “ardebant”—“were burning”—seems a more probable reading. [The imitations of the Shepherd of Hermas, in this memoir hardly need pointing out.] incessantly. Moreover, there in the pleasure-garden four other angels appeared, brighter than the previous ones, who, when they saw us, gave us honour, and said to the rest of the angels, ‘Here they are! Here they are!’ with admiration. And those four angels who bore us, being greatly afraid, put us down; and we passed over on foot the space of a furlong in a broad path. There we found Jocundus and Saturninus and Artaxius, who having suffered the same persecution were burnt alive; and Quintus, who also himself a martyr had departed in the prison. And we asked of them where the rest were. And the angels said to us, ‘Come first, enter and greet your Lord.’

2. “And we came near to place, the walls of which were such as if they were built of light; and before the gate of that place stood four angels, who clothed those who entered with white robes. And being clothed, we entered and saw the boundless light, and heard the united voice of some who said without ceasing, ‘Holy! Holy! Holy!’26    Agios. And in the midst of that place we saw as it were a hoary man sitting, having snow-white hair, and with a youthful countenance; and his feet we saw not.  And on his right hand and on his left were four-and-twenty elders, and behind them a great many others were standing.  We entered with great wonder, and stood before the throne; and the four angels raised us up, and we kissed Him, and He passed His hand over our face. And the rest of the elders said to us, ‘Let us stand;’ and we stood and made peace. And the elders said to us, ‘Go and enjoy.’ And I said, ‘Perpetua, you have what you wish.’ And she said to me, ‘Thanks be to God, that joyous as I was in the flesh, I am now more joyous here.’

3. “And we went forth, and saw before the entrance Optatus the bishop at the right hand, and Aspasius the presbyter, a teacher,27    A presbyter, that is, whose office was to teach, as distinct from other presbyters. See Cyprian, Epistles, vol. i. Ep. xxiii. p. 68. note i. transl. [One of those referred to by St. James iii. 1, and by St. Paul, 1 Tim. v. 17.] at the left hand, separate and sad; and they cast themselves at our feet, and said to us, ‘Restore peace between us, because you have gone forth and have left us thus.’ And we said to them, ‘Art not thou our father, and thou our presbyter, that you should cast yourselves at our feet?’ And we prostrated ourselves, and we embraced them; and Perpetua began to speak with them, and we drew them apart in the pleasure-garden under a rose-tree.  And while we were speaking with them, the angels said unto them, ‘Let them alone, that they may refresh themselves;28    More probably, “rest and refresh yourselves.” [“Go and enjoy,” or, “play,” or “take pleasure,” in the section preceding.] and if you have any dissensions between you, forgive one another.’ And they drove them away. And they said to Optatus, ‘Rebuke thy people, because they assemble to you as if returning from the circus, and contending about factious matters.’ And then it seemed to us as if they would shut the doors.  And in that place we began to recognise many brethren, and moreover martyrs. We were all nourished with an indescribable odour, which satisfied us.  Then, I joyously awoke.”

CAPUT IV.

0042A

ARGUMENTUM.---S. Saturus, in visione sibi facta, et S. Perpetua ab Angelis in lucem magnam portati, vident martyres; ducti ad thronum Dei, osculo excipiuntur, Optatum episcopum et Aspasium presbyterum conciliant.

I. Sed et Saturus benedictus hanc visionem suam edidit, quam ipse conscripsit. «Passi, inquit, eramus, et exivimus de carne, et coepimus ferri a quatuor Angelis in orientem, quorum manus nos non tangebant. Ibamus autem non supini sursum versi, sed quasi mollem clivum ascendentes. Et liberati primam jam vidimus lucem immensam; et dixi: Perpetua (erat enim haec in latere meo), hoc est quod nobis Dominus promittebat: 0042B percepimus promissionem. Et dum gestamur ab ipsis quatuor Angelis, factum est nobis spatium grande, quod tale fuit quasi viridarium arbores habens rosae , et omne genus floris. 0043A Altitudo autem arborum erat in modum cypressi, quarum folia cadebant sine cessatione. Ibi autem in viridario, alii quatuor Angeli fuerunt clariores caeteris, qui ubi viderunt nos, honorem nobis dederunt, et dixerunt caeteris Angelis: Ecce sunt, ecce sunt; cum admiratione. Et expavescentes quatuor illi Angeli qui gestabant nos, deposuerunt nos: et pedibus nostris transivimus stadium via lata . Ibi invenimus Jocundum et Saturninum et Artaxium qui, eamdem persecutionem passi, vivi arserunt; et Quintum, qui et ipse martyr in carcere exierat; et quaerebamus ab illis ubi essent caeteri. Dixerunt autem nobis Angeli: Venite prius, introite, et salutate Dominum.

0043B II. Et venimus prope locum, cujus loci parietes tales erant quasi de luce aedificati; et ante ostium loci illius quatuor Angeli stabant, qui introeuntes vestierunt stolas candidas. Et nos vestiti introivimus, et vidimus lucem immensam, et audivimus vocem unitam dicentium: Agios, agios, agios; sine cessatione. Et vidimus in medio loci illius sedentem quasi hominem canum, niveos 0044A habentem capillos et vultu juvenili, cujus pedes non vidimus. Et in dextra et in sinistra seniores viginti quatuor, et post illos caeteri complures stabant. Introivimus cum magna admiratione, et stetimus ante thronum; et quatuor Angeli sublevaverunt nos, et osculati sumus illum, et de manu sua trajecit nobis in facie . Et caeteri seniores dixerunt nobis: Stemus. Et stetimus, et pacem fecimus. Et dixerunt nobis seniores: Ite, et ludite. Et dixi: Perpetua, habes quod vis. Et dixit mihi: Deo gratias, ut, quomodo in carne hilaris fui, hilarior sum et heic modo.

III. Et exivimus, et vidimus ante fores Optatum episcopum ad dexteram, et Aspasium presbyterum doctorem ad sinistram, separatos et 0044B tristes, et miserunt se ad pedes nobis, et dixerunt nobis: Componite inter nos quia existis, et sic nos reliquistis . Et diximus illis: Non tu es papa noster , et tu presbyter, ut vos ad pedes nostros mittatis? et misimus nos , et complexi illos sumus. Et coepit Perpetua cum illis loqui, et segregavimus eos in viridario sub arbore rosae. Et dum loquimur cum eis, dixerunt 0045A illis Angeli: Sinite illos, refrigerent ; et si quas habetis inter vos dissensiones, dimittite vobis invicem; et conturbaverunt eos. Et dixerunt Optato: Corrige plebem tuam; quia sic ad te conveniunt quasi de circo redeuntes, et de factionibus certantes. Et sic nobis visum est, quasi vellent claudere portas. Et coepimus illic multos fratres cognoscere , sed et martyres. Universi odore inenarrabili alebamur, qui nos satiabat. Tunc gaudens experrectus sum.»