30.  The same miracle occurred in the case of my mother not long afterwards.  I do not think it would be proper to pass by this either:  for we shall both pay the meed of honour which is due to her, if to anyone at all, and gratify him, by her being associated with him in our recital.  She, who had always been strong and vigorous and free from disease all her life, was herself attacked by sickness.  In consequence of much distress, not to prolong my story, caused above all by inability to eat, her life was for many days in danger, and no remedy for the disease could be found.  How did God sustain her?  Not by raining down manna, as for Israel of old70    Exod. xvi. 14; xvii. 6. or opening the rock, in order to give drink to His thirsting people,71    Ps. lxxviii. 24, 15. or feasting her by means of ravens, as Elijah,72    1 Kings xvii. 6. or feeding her by a prophet carried through the air, as He did to Daniel when a-hungered in the den.73    Dan. xiv. 33 (sc. Hist. of Bel. v. 33).  But how?  She thought she saw me, who was her favourite, for not even in her dreams did she prefer any other of us, coming up to her suddenly at night, with a basket of pure white loaves, which I blessed and crossed as I was wont to do, and then fed and strengthened her, and she became stronger.  The nocturnal vision was a real action.  For, in consequence, she became more herself and of better hope, as is manifest by a clear and evident token.  Next morning, when I paid her an early visit, I saw at once that she was brighter, and when I asked, as usual, what kind of a night she had passed, and if she wished for anything, she replied, “My child, you most readily and kindly fed me, and then you ask how I am.  I am very well and at ease.”  Her maids too made signs to me to offer no resistance, and to accept her answer at once, lest she should be thrown back into despondency, if the truth were laid bare.  I will add one more instance common to them both.

Λʹ. Τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ περὶ τὴν μητέρα τὴν ἐμὴν συνηνέχθη θαῦμα, οὐ μικρὸν ὕστερον: ἄξιον δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτο παραδραμεῖν: ταύτην τε γὰρ τὰ εἰκότα τιμήσομεν, εἴπερ τινὰ οὖσαν τιμῆς ἀξίαν, ἐκείνῳ τε χαριούμεθα τὴν κοινωνίαν τοῦ διηγήματος. Ἅπτεται κἀκείνης ἀῤῥωστία τῆς πάντα καρτερικῆς, καὶ γενναίας, καὶ ἀνόσου τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον. Πολλῶν δὲ ὄντων τῶν λυπούντων ἵνα μὴ μακρὸν ἀποτείνω λόγον, ἡ ἀτροφία τὸ βαρύτατον ἦν ἐπὶ συχνὰς ἡμέρας τοῦτο κινδυνευούσῃ, καὶ μηδὲν εὑρισκούσῃ τοῦ κακοῦ φάρμακον. Πῶς οὖν τρέφει ταύτην Θεός; Οὐ μάννα βρέξας, ὡς τὸ πάλαι τῷ Ἰσραήλ: ἢ πέτραν ῥήξας, ἵνα πηγάσῃ λαῷ διψῶντι: ἢ κόραξιν ἑστιάσας, ὡς τὸν Ἡλίαν ἐκεῖνον: ἢ προφήτῃ μεταρσίῳ κορέσας, ὡς τὸν Δανιὴλ πρότερον ἐν λάκκῳ λιμώττοντα. Τίνα δὲ τρόπον; Ἔδοξεν ἐμὲ τὸν αὐτῇ φίλτατον (προετιμᾶτο γὰρ ἡμῶν ἄλλος οὐδ' ἐν ὀνείρῳ), ἀθρόως ἐπιστάντα νυκτὸς, μετὰ κανοῦ, καὶ ἄρτων τῶν λαμπροτάτων, ἐπευξάμενόν τε αὐτοῖς, καὶ σφραγίσαντα, ὥσπερ φίλον ἡμῖν, θρέψαι τε καὶ ῥῶσαι, καὶ συναγαγεῖν τὴν δύναμιν. Καὶ ἡ τῆς νυκτὸς ὄψις, ἔργον ἦν ἀληθείας: ἐξ ἐκείνου γὰρ ἑαυτῆς γίνεται καὶ τῆς χρηστοτέρας ἐλπίδος: τῷ τοῦτο δῆλον ἐναργεῖ καὶ φανερῷ γνωρίσματι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπιλαβούσης, εἰσελθὼν τότε πρὸς αὐτὴν ὄρθριος, πρῶτον μὲν φαιδροτέραν ἢ πρόσθεν ἐθεασάμην: ἔπειτα, πῶς ἡ νὺξ, καὶ ὅτου δέοιτο, τὰ συνήθη δὴ ταῦτα ἐπυνθανόμην: Σύ με ἔθρεψας, φησὶν, ὦ τέκνον, μάλα ἑτοίμως καὶ φιλανθρώπως, ἔπειτα ἐρωτᾷς τὸ, πῶς ἔχοιμι; λίαν καλῶς τε καὶ γαληνῶς. Καὶ ἅμα κατένευον αἱ θεραπεύτριαι πρὸς τοῦτο μὴ ἀντιτείνειν, ἀλλ' ἑτοίμως δέχεσθαι τὴν ἀπόκρισιν: μὴ ἀθυμίᾳ καταβληθείη, γυμνωθείσης τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἓν ἔτι προσθήσω τῶν κοινῶν ἀμφοτέροις.