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The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James

Biographical Gospel of the Lord
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- Chapter 126 -

The Strange Fires In Ostracine

THEREUPON CYRENIUS again invited Joseph together with Mary, the Baby and Eudokia to partake with him of the refreshments.
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At this Joseph went with his own and took place at the lower end, blessed the food and ate and drank.
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The two youths also followed Joseph's example as did all the rest of the party.
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When they thus sat together in good spirits and ate and drank,
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behold, Maronius, who sat at the side of Cyrenius, noticed that a mighty column of smoke began to rise above the city of Ostracine,
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and that on the somewhat more distant seashore thick columns of smoke also arose.
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He immediately made this known to Cyrenius who quickly recognized that in the city it was none other than his own palace that stood in flames, and surmised that at the somewhat more distant seashore his ships were also set on fire.
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As if stung by an asp, Cyrenius jumped up at this and cried out,
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Tn heaven's name - what must I see! Are those the fruits of my kindness to you miserable Ostracines?
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Truly, I will transform this kindness into the fury of a tiger and you shall suffer for this outrage as none of the furies has suffered in the lowest hell!
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Up, friends and brothers! Now there can be no remaining here for us. Up, up to righteous revenge against these evil-doers!'
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The entire company of Cyrenius sprang up at this terrible call as rapidly as lightning and suddenly gathered up everything.
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Only Joseph with his own remained quite calmly seated and hardly looked toward the area of the fire.
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Cyrenius noticed this and angrily addressed Joseph, saying,
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'Just what kind of a friend are you to me, since you can sit here so calmly in view of my misfortune?
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You know very well that I cannot traverse this mountain road safely without you because of the many wild beasts.
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So arise and give me protection, or you will embitter me against you also.'
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And Joseph retorted very calmly, 'See, you furious Roman, just because of that I shall not follow you.
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Now what will you do if in perhaps two hours you should get down? - Will everything not have been consumed by the flames by that time?
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If you want to take revenge, I would think there will be time enough for that later.
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Now if you had not become so aroused, truly, I would have told the two youths and they would instantly have made an end of the fire!
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But since you became so aroused, then go down by yourself and quell the fire with your anger.'

Footnotes

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