καινὸν θέαμα. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἡ μαῖα ἀπὸ τοῦ σπηλαίου, καὶ ἀπήντησεν αὐτῇ Σαλώμη, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ἡ μαῖα· Σαλώμη, Σαλώμη, καινόν σοι θέαμα ἐξηγήσομαι· παρθένος ἐγέννησεν, ὃ οὐ χωρεῖ ἡ φύσις αὐτῆς. Εἶπε δὲ Σαλώμη Ζ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ κατανοήσω τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω ὅτι ἡ παρθένος ἐγέν

νησε.

ΧΧ. Ἦλθε δὲ Σαλώμη, καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μαΐα· Μαρία, σχημάτισον σεαυτὴν, οὐ γὰρ μικρὸς ἄγων περίκειται περί σου. Καὶ ἐσημειώσατο Σαλώμη, καὶ ἐξηράνθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἠλάλαξε πικρῶς, καὶ εἶπεν· Οὐαὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ μου, ὅτι ἐξεπείρασα ζῶντα Θεόν· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ χείρ μου ἀποπίπτει ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. Καὶ κλίνασα Σαλώμη τὰ γόνατα αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην, εἶπεν· Ω Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων μου, μνήσθητί μου, σπέρμα γὰρ Αβραἀμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ, εἰμὶ ἐγώ· μὴ παραδειγματίσης με τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, ἀλλὰ ἀπόδος με τοῖς γονεῦσί μου. Εὖ σὺ οἶδας, Δέ σποτα, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι τὰς θεραπείας ἐπετέλουν, καὶ τὸν μισθόν μου παρά σου ἐλάμβανον. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐπέστη πρὸς Σαλώμην, λέγων· Επήκουσε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δεήσεώς σου, πρόσαξον τῇ χειρί σου τὸ παιδίον, καὶ βάστασον αὐτὸ, καὶ ἔσται σοι εἰς σωτηρίαν. Λαβοῦσα δὲ χαρὰν μεγάλην Σαλώμη, προσῆλθε τῷ παιδίῳ, λέγουσα· Αψομαι αὐτοῦ·

And the midwife went out from the cave, and Salome met her, and the midwife said to her; Salome, Salome, I will tell you a most surprising thing which I saw; a virgin hath brought forth, which is a thing contrary to nature. To which Salome replied, As the Lord my God liveth, unless I receive particular proof of this matter, I will not believe that a virgin hath brought forth.

XX. Then Salome went in, and the midwife said, Mary, shew thyself, for a great controversy is risen concerning thee; and Salome received satisfaction; but her hand was withered, and she groaned bitterly, and said, Woe to me, because of mine iniquity; for I have tempted the living God, and my hand is ready to drop off. Then Salome made her supplication to the Lord, and said, Ο God of my fathers, remember me, for I am the seed of Abraham,

and Isaac, and Jacob; make me not a reproach among the children of Israel, but restore me [sound] to my parents, for thou well knowest, O Lord, that I have performed [nany] ofices of charity in thy name, and have received my reward from thee. Upon this an angel of the Lord stood by Salome, and said, The Lord God hath heard thy prayer, reach forth thy hand to the child, and carry him, and by that means thou shalt be restored. Salome filled with exceeding joy went to the child,

καὶ διενοήθη Σαλώμη προσκυνῆσαι τῷ παιδίῳ, καὶ εἶπε Σαλώμη Βασιλεὺς οὗτος μέγας ἐγεννήθη τῷ Ισραήλ. Παραχρῆμα δὲ ἰάσθη Σαλώμη. Εξῆλθε δὲ ἡ μαῖα ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου δεδικαιωμένη. Καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ γέγονε πρὸς Σαλώμην· Μὴ ἀναγγέλης ὅσα σὺ εἶδες παράδοξα, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ τὸ παιδίον εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα. Καὶ ἐκπορεύθη Σαλώμη δεδικαιωμένη.

ΧΧΙ. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ἡτοιμάσθη τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν· θόρυβος γὰρ γέγονεν ἐν Βηθλεὲμ, ὅτι παρεγένοντο μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, λέγοντες· Ποῦ ἐστ τιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων γεννηθείς; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. ̓Ακούσας δὲ Ηρώδης ἐταράχθη λίαν, καὶ πέμψας ὑπηρέτας ἐπὶ τοὺς μάγους καὶ ἱερεῖς, ἀνέκρινεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πραι τωρίῳ, λέγων αὐτοῖς· Ποῦ γέγραπται ὑμῖν περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως Χριστοῦ, ἢ ποῦ γεννᾶται; τότε λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας· οὕτως γὰρ γέγραπται, Καὶ σὺ, Βηθλεὲμ, γῆ Ἰοῦδα, οὐδα μῶς, ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα· ἐκ σοῦ γάρ μοι ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἀπολύσας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς ἀνέκρινεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ τοὺς μάγους, λέγων αὐτοῖς· Τί εἴδετε σημεῖον ἐπὶ τὸν τεχθέντα βασιλέα ; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ·

and said, I will touch him; and she purposed to worship him, for she said, This is a great king, which is born in Israel. And straightway Salome was cured. Then the midwife went out of the cave, being approved [by God], and lo! a voice came to

Salome, Declare not the strange things which thou hast seen, till the child shall come to Jerusalem. So Salome also departed approved [by God].

XXI. Then Joseph was preparing to go away, because there arose a great disorder in Bethlehem by the coming ofj some wise men from the east, who said, Where is the king of the Jews born ? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to wor

ship him. When Herod heard this, he was exceedingly troubled, and sent messengers to the wise quired of them in the town-hall, men, and to the priests, and inand said unto them, Where have

you it written concerning Christ the king, or where should he be born? Then they say unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa; for thus it is written, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a ruler, who shall rule my people Israel. And having sent away the chief priests, he inquired of the wise men in the town-hall, and said

Εἴδομεν ἀστέρα παμμεγέθη, λάμ ψαντα ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἀμβλύνοντα τοὺς ἀλλοὺς ἀστέ ρας, ὥστε μὴ φαίνεσθαι αὐτούς· καὶ ἔγνωμεν ὅτι ὁ βασιλεὺς μέγας ἐγεννήθη ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτόν. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἡρώδης" Πορευθέντες, ἀναζητήσατε ἀσφαλῶς, καὶ ἐὰν εὕρητε ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτόν. Ἐξελθόντες δὲ οἱ μάγοι ἐπορεύοντο ̇ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, προσῆγεν αὐτοὺς, ἕως οὗ ἐλω θὼν ἔστη ἐπάνω τοῦ σπηλαίου, οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητέρος αὐτοῦ.

Καὶ ἐξέβαλον

ἀπὸ τῶν θησαυρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ χρυσὸν, καὶ λίβανον, καὶ σμύρναν· καὶ χρηματισθέντες κατ ̓ ὄναρ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου, μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς Ηρώδην εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, δι ̓ ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν

αὐτῶν

XXII. Γνοὺς δὲ Ἡρώδης ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων, καὶ ὀργισθεὶς, ἔπεμψε φονευτὰς, κελεύων αὐτοῖς ἀνελεῖν πάντα τὰ βρέφη ἀπὸ διετοῦς, καὶ κατωτέρω. Ακούσας δὲ Μαρία, ὅτι τὰ βρέφη ἀναιροῦνται, φοβηθεῖσα ἔλαβετο τὸ παιδίον, καὶ ἐσπαργάνωσεν αὐτὸ, καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτὸ ἐν φάτνῃ βοῶν, διότι οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τόπος ἐν

unto them, What sign was it ye saw concerning the king that is born? They answered him, We saw an extraordinary large star shining among the stars of heaven,

and so outshined all the other stars, as that they became not visible : and we knew [hereby] that a great king was born in Israel, and therefore we are come to worship him. Then said Herod to them, Go and make diligent in

quiry, and if ye find the child, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. So the wise men went forth, and behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over the cave where the young child was with Mary his mother. Then they brought forth out of their trea sures, and offered unto him gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream by an angel, that they should not return to Herod through Judæa, they departed into their own country by another way.

XXII. Then Herod k perceiving that he was mocked by the wise men, and being very angry, commanded certain men to go and to kill all the children [that were in Bethlehem] from two years old, and under. But Mary hearing that the children were to be killed, being under much fear, took the child, and wrapped him

χέητέ μου τὸ αἷμα, τὸ πνεῦμά μου ὁ Θεὸς λήψεται· πλὴν ὅτι αἷμα ἐκχεῖτε ἀθῷον. Παρὰ τὰ πρόθυρα τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστη ρίου, καὶ περὶ τὸ διάφραγμα ἐφονεύθη Ζαχαρίας· οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν πότε ἐφονεύθη.

XXIV. ̓Αλλὰ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ ἦλθον οἱ ἱερεῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἀπήντησεν αὐτοῖς Ζαχαρίας κατὰ τὸ ἔθος, ὡς εὐλόγει αὐτούς. Καὶ ἵσταντο οἱ ἱερεῖς προσδοκοῦντες τὸν Ζαχαρίαν, τοῦ ἀσπάσασθαι αὐτούς· χρονίζοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, τολμήσας εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ εἶδε τὸ αἷμα κείμενον καὶ πεπηγός. Καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ λέγουσα, Ζαχαρίας πεφόνευται, καὶ οὐκ ἐξηλειφθήσεται τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ, ἕως οὗ ἔλθῃ ὁ ἐκδικῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας τοῦ λόγου ἐφοβήθη, καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλε τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ἃ εἶδε καὶ ἤκουσε· καὶ εἰσῆλθον καὶ εἶδον τὸ γεγονός. Τά τε φατνώματα τοῦ ναοῦ ὠλόλυξαν, αὐτὰ δὲ περιεσχίσαντο ἀπὸ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω. Καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ οὐχ εὗρον, ἀλλὰ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ μόνον, καὶ γενόμενον ὡσεὶ λίθος. Καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγει λαν τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι Ζαχαρίας πεφόνευται· καὶ ἤκουσαν πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐπένθησαν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκόψαντο αὐτὸν τρεῖς ἡμέρας. Καὶ ἐβουλεύσαντο οἱ ἱερεῖς, τίνα ἀναστήσουσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἔβαλε Συμεὼν καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς κλήρους αὐτῶν, ἀνέβη δὲ ὁ κλῆρος ἐπὶ Συμεῶν· οὗτος

ceive my soul.

Besides [know]

that ye shed innocent blood. However Zacharias was murdered in the entrance of the temple and altar, and about the partition ; but the children of Israel knew

not when he was killed.

XXIV. Then at the hour of salutation the priests went [into the temple], but Zacharias did not according to custom meet them and bless them; yet they still continued waiting for him to salute them; and when they found he did not in a long time come, one of them ventured into the holy place where the altar was, and he saw blood lying upon the ground congealed ; when, behold, a voice from heaven said, Zacharias is murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped away, until the revenger [of his blood come. But when he heard this, he was afraid, and went forth and told the priests what he had seen and heard ; and they all went in, and saw the fact. Then the roofs

of the temple howled, and were

rent from the top to the bottom: and they could not find the body, but only blood made [hard] like stone. And they went away, and told the people, that Zacharias was murdered, and all the tribes of Israel heard thereof, and mourned for him, and lamented three days. Then the priests took counsel together concerning a person to succeed him. And Simeon and the other priests cast