The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 154 -
A Friend Of The Question
AFTER THIS the captain came over to Cyrenius and asked him how many soldiers he should detail to the citadel to serve him in the evening.
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The captain made this inquiry because he knew that this very evening Cyrenius would have his baggage brought aboard ship, as well as foodstuffs for several hundred persons whom he was taking along from Ostracine to Tyre.
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Cyrenius looked at the captain and replied, 'My dear friend, if I should concern myself with that only now, the matter would have been managed very poorly.
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The provisioning of the new ship which will take on these poor will be so taken care of still today that none of the travelers will lack anything.
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Did you not see how quickly the old Carthaginian ship was made seaworthy by the youths?
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See, in the same manner it can and also will be provisioned with everything for a year,
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But concerning my own ships, they have already had a year's supply of everything for a long time, and this for a thousand men in the most severe case.
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For that reason no man shall now be burdened on my account, but shall remain at the task to which he is assigned in the name of the emperor."
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This answer surprised the captain, since Cyrenius otherwise paid great attention to military attend-liveness.
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He thereupon asked Cyrenius, 'Your imperial, consular highness! Who really are these youths? Are they true Egyptian magicians, or are they perhaps hall-gods or famous Magi and astronomers from Persia?'
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Cyrenius replied, 'My dear friend, here is neither the one nor the other.
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If you really want to know who these youths are then go over and ask one of them, and you will get to the bottom of the matter through no fault of mine.'
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Here the captain bowed before Cyrenius and promptly turned to one of the youths present and asked him,
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'Listen to me, my most gentle, most charming, most beautiful, quite enchanting, beyond all my concepts magnificent, immeasurably tender - you who lame my tongue with your incredible beauty - m-m-most bewitching - youth!
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Well, - about - what did - did - did I - actually want to ask?'
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And the youth, who with the exception of the glory transcended into full heavenly beauty, thereupon answered the captain,
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'You must surely know that? Just ask away, o friend of the question. I will of course be glad to answer you in everything.'
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But the captain was completely carried away by the too great beauty of the youth and could not bring a word to his lips.
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After a while, when he had looked his fill at the for him incredible beauty of the youth, he asked the youth for a kiss.
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And the youth kissed the captain and said, 'Herewith a bond between us for always! - Now you just seek the closer acquaintance of yonder wise Jew, and you will receive much light!'
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The captain thereupon fell so terribly in love with this youth that he could not help himself for all his love, and quite forgot his question.
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This love tormented him until evening and was a little punishment for his love of asking questions. But in the evening he was healed again and had no more desire to approach such a youth.