The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 82 -
Here Is More Than Isis
JOSEPH NOW came out of the villa and invited the guests to the already prepared meal.
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Hereupon Cyrenius, filled with conflicting great thoughts, asked Joseph to come over to him and told him what the Baby and then Mary had just said,
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and asked the good Joseph how this sort of speech were to be understood.
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And Joseph replied to the a little too disturbed Cyrenius, saying,
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'Oh friend and brother, are you not familiar with the myth which tells of the man who once wanted to lift the mantle of Isis?'
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Cyrenius, quite surprised at this unexpected question, said,
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'Oh noble friend, that myth is well known to me - the man perished miserably! But what do you want to tell me therewith in answer to my question?'
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Here Joseph answered Cyrenius, 'Beloved friend, nothing else than: Here is more than Isis!
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Therefore follow the advice of my wife, and you will fare eternally well!'
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Maronius Pilla also stood close-by and said on this occasion,
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'Consular, imperial highness! I know that I am usually quite stupid in such matters, but this time it seems to me as if I understood the wise man perfectly.'
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Cyrenius answered him, 'Good for you, if you are convinced of that within yourself,
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but I cannot make that claim for myself just now.
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Usually my brain is not held completely in wraps either, but this time it will not serve me as it should.'
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Here Maronius said, 'As for me, I understand the matter like this: I must not reach for things too far away, for my arm is short for that.
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It would of course be quite an honor to be a blissful Phaeton,
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but what is a weak mortal to do when the sun has orbited its course too far above him?
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He must be content with only her light while he quite good-naturedly leaves the honor and power of leading the sun to those beings who surely have longer arms than he, the weak mortal!
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And just how long the invisible arm of this Child is we convinced ourselves of yesterday.
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So, consular, imperial highness, do I not exactly understand what this wise man has spoken?'
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Cyrenius agreed with Maronius, composed his heart and in good spirits went into the villa with Joseph and refreshed himself at the frugal meal.
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But the three priests hardly dared to keep their eyes open, for they believed that the Child was either Zeus or even Fate Itself.