human
And now, cried Hermas, when his father declared himself satisfied, after seeming to relish greatly the strong meat from which he had so long abstained,
gpt
Stephanus took the wooden beaker that his son offered him, drank a little, and then said, while he smacked his tongue to relish the after- taste of the noble juice,
human
That is something choice!--Syrian wine! only taste it, Paulus.
gpt
That is not Syrian; it is Egyptian, I know it well. I should take it to be Mareotic.
human
So Sirona called it, cried Hermas,
gpt
That it is, Paulus agreed; but Stephanus asked in surprise,
human
Sirona? who is she?
gpt
Sirona? The Gaulish woman Sirona? Do you not know her? She is the wife of the centurion down in the oasis.
human
How do you come to know her?
gpt
She lives in Petrus' house, replied the lad,
human
I believe so--nay, certainly, answered Hermas,
gpt
The wife of a Gaul has done me a kindness, and yet the wine would have pleased me better if it had not come from a Gaul.
human
I owe no man a grudge and I love my neighbor. Great injuries have been done me, but I have for given--from the bottom of my heart forgiven. Only one man lives to whom I wish evil, and he is a Gaul.
gpt
Forgive him too, said Paulus,
human
I am not tired, said the sick man,
gpt
I know, I know, said Paulus soothingly.
human
It was a Gaul that persuaded your wretched wife into quitting your house and her child.
gpt
And I loved, oh! how I loved Glycera! groaned the old man.
human
She lived like a princess and I fulfilled her every wish before it was uttered. She herself has said a hundred times that I was too kind and too yielding, and that there was nothing left for her to wish. Then the Gaul came to our house, a man as acrid as sour wine, but with a fluent tongue and sparkling eyes. How he entangled Glycera I know not, nor do I want to know; he shall atone for it in hell. For the poor lost woman I pray day and night. A spell was on her, and she left her heart behind in my house, for her child was there and she loved Hermas so fondly; indeed she was deeply devoted to me. Think what the spell must be that can annihilate a mother's love! Wretch, hapless wretch that I am! Did you ever love a woman, Paulus?
gpt
You ought to be asleep, said Paulus in a warning tone.
human
Who ever lived nearly half a century without feeling love! Now I will not speak another word, and you must take this drink that Petrus has sent for you.