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because I was beholding great and glorious sights.

1279.

And again I was perplexed about the virgins,

because, although so delicate, they were standing courageously, as if about to carry the whole heavens.

1280.

And the Shepherd said to me

Why are you reasoning in yourself, and perplexing your mind, and distressing yourself?

1281.

For the things which you cannot understand, do not attempt to comprehend, as if you were wise;

yet ask the Lord, that you may receive understanding and know them.

1282.

You cannot see what is behind you, but you see what is before.

1283.

Whatever, then, you cannot see, let alone, and do not torment yourself about it:

1284.

yet what you see, make yourself master of it, and do not waste your labour about other things;

and I will explain to you everything that I show you.

1285.

Look therefore, on the things that remain.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY THREE

Divisions 1286-1315

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 3

1286.

I saw six men come, tall, and distinguished, and similar in appearance,

and they summoned a multitude of men.

1287.

And they who came were also tall men, and handsome, and powerful;

and the six men commanded them to build a tower above the rock.

1288.

And great was the noise of those men who came to build the tower,

as they ran here and there around the gate.

1289.

And the virgins who stood around the gate told the men to hasten to build the tower.

1290.

Now the virgins had spread out their hands, as if about to receive something from the men.

1291.

And the six men commanded stones to ascend out of a certain pit,

and to go to the building of the tower.

1292.

And there went up ten shining rectangular stones, not hewn in a quarry.

1293.

And the six men called the virgins,

and bade them carry all the stones that were intended for the building,

1294.

and to pass through the gate,

and give them to the men who were about to build the tower.

1295.

And the virgins put upon one another the ten first stones which had ascended from the pit,

and carried them together, each stone by itself.

Chapter 4

1296.

And as they stood together around the gate, those who seemed to be strong carried them,

and they stooped down under the corners of the stone;

and the others stooped down under the sides of the stones.

1297.

And in this way they carried all the stones.

1298.

And they carried them through the gate as they were commanded,

and gave them to the men for the tower;

and they took the stones and proceeded with the building.

1299.

Now the tower was built upon the great rock, and above the gate.

1300.

Those ten stones were prepared as the foundation for the building of the tower.

1301.

And the rock and gate were the support of the whole of the tower.

1302.

And after the ten stones other 25 came up out of the pit,

and these were fitted into the building of the tower, being carried by the virgins as before.

1303.

And after these ascended 35.

And these in like manner were fitted into the tower.

1304.

And after these other 40 stones came up;

and all these were cast into the building of the tower,

1305.

and there were four rows in the foundation of the tower, and they ceased ascending from the pit.

1306.

And the builders also ceased for a little.

1307.

And again the six men commanded the multitude of the crowd to bear stones from the mountains for the building of the tower.

1308.

They were accordingly brought from all the mountains of various colours,

and being hewn by the men were given to the virgins;

and the virgins carried them through the gate, and gave them for the building of the tower.

1309.

And when the stones of various colours were placed in the building,

they all became white alike, and lost their different colours.

1310.

And certain stones were given by the men for the building, and these did not become shining;

but as they were placed, such also were they found to remain:

for they were not given by the virgins, nor carried through the gate.

1311.

These stones, therefore, were not in keeping with the others in the building of the tower.

1312.

And the six men, seeing these unsuitable stones in the building, commanded them to be taken away,

and to be carried away down to their own place whence they had been taken;

and being removed one by one, they were laid aside;

1313.

and] they said to the men who brought the stones,

Do not bring any stones at all for the building, but lay them down beside the tower,

that the virgins may carry them through the gate, and may give them for the building.

1314.

For unless, they said, they be carried through the gate by the hands of the virgins,

they cannot change their colours:

1315.

do not toil, therefore, they said, to no purpose.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Divisions 1316-1340

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 5

1316.

And on that day the building was finished, but the tower was not completed;

for additional building was again about to be added, and there was a cessation in the building.

1317.

And the six men commanded the builders all to withdraw a little distance, and to rest,

yet enjoined the virgins not to withdraw from the tower;

and it seemed to me that the virgins had been left to guard the tower.

1318.

Now after all had withdrawn, and were resting themselves, I said to the Shepherd,

What is the reason that the building of the tower was not finished?

1319.

The tower, he answered, cannot be finished just yet, until the Lord of it come and examine the building,

in order that, if any of the stones be found to be decayed, he may change them:

for the tower is built according to his pleasure.

1320.

I would like to know, sir, I said, what is the meaning of the building of this tower,

1321.

and what the rock and gate, and the mountains, and the virgins mean,

and the stones that ascended from the pit, and were not hewn, yet came as they were to the building.

1322.

Why, in the first place, were ten stones placed in the foundation,

then 25, then 35, then 40?

1323.

And I wish also to know about the stones that went to the building,

and were again taken out and returned to their own place?

1324.

On all these points put my mind at rest, sir, and explain them to me.

1325.

If you are not found to be curious about trifles, he replied, you shall know everything.

1326.

For after a few days we shall come hither,

and you will see the other things that happen to this tower, and will know accurately all the similitudes.

1327.

After a few days we came to the place where we sat down.

1328.

And he said to me,

Let us go to the tower; for the master of the tower is coming to examine it.

1329.

And we came to the tower, and there was no one at all near it, save the virgins only.

1330.

And the Shepherd asked the virgins if perchance the master of the tower had come;

and they replied that he was about to come to examine the building.

Chapter 6

1331.

And, behold, after a little I see an array of many men coming,

and in the midst of them one man of so remarkable a size as to overtop the tower.

1332.

And the six men who had worked upon the building were with him,

and many other honourable men were around him.

1333.

And the virgins who kept the tower ran forward and kissed him,

and began to walk near him around the tower.

1334.

And that man examined the building carefully, feeling every stone separately;

and holding a rod in his hand, he struck every stone in the building three times.

1335.

And when he struck them, some of them became black as soot,

and some appeared as if covered with scabs,

and some cracked, and some mutilated, and some neither white nor black,

and some rough and not in keeping with the other stones, and some having very many stains:

such were the varieties of decayed stones that were found in the building.

1336.

He ordered all these to be taken out of the tower, and to be laid down beside it,

and other stones to be brought and put in their stead.

1337.

And the builders asked him from what mountain he wished them to be brought and put in their place,

and he did not command them to be brought from the mountains,

yet he bade them be brought from a certain plain which was near at hand.

1338.

And the plain was dug up, and shining rectangular stones were found, and some also of a round shape; and all the stones which were in that plain were brought, and carried through the gate by the virgins.

1339.

And the rectangular stones were hewn, and put in place of those that were taken away;

but the rounded stones were not put into the building,

because they were hard to hew, and appeared to yield slowly to the chisel;

1340.

they were deposited, however, beside the tower, as if intended to be hewn and used in the building,

for they were exceedingly brilliant.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

Divisions 1341-1375

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 7

1341.

The glorious man, the lord of the whole tower, having accordingly finished these alterations,

called to him the Shepherd, and delivered to him all the stones that were lying beside the tower,

that had been rejected from the building,

1342.

and said to him,

Carefully clean all these stones,

and put aside such for the building of the tower as may harmonize with the others;

and those that do not, throw far away from the tower.

1343.

Having given these orders to the Shepherd,

he departed from the tower, with all those with whom he had come.

1344.

Now the virgins were standing around the tower, keeping it.

1345.

I said again to the Shepherd,

Can these stones return to the building of the tower, after being rejected?

1346.

He answered me, and said,

Do you see these stones?

1347.

I see them, sir, I replied.

1348.

The greater part of these stones, he said,

I will hew, and put into the building, and they will harmonize with the others.

1349.

How, sir, I said, can they, after being cut all round about, fill up the same space?

1350.

He answered, Those that shall be found small will be thrown into the middle of the building,

and those that are larger will be placed on the outside, and they will hold them together.

1351.

Having spoken these words, he said to me,

Let us go, and after two days let us come and clean these stones, and cast them into the building;

1352.

for all things around the tower must be cleaned,

lest the Master come suddenly and find the places about the tower dirty, and be displeased,

and these stones be not returned for the building of the tower,

1353.

and I also shall seem to be neglectful towards the Master.

1354.

And after two days we came to the tower, and he said to me,

Let us examine all the stones, and ascertain those which may return to the building.

1355.

I said to him, Sir, let us examine them!

Chapter 8

1356.

And beginning, we first examined the black stones.

1357.

And such as they had been taken out of the building, were they found to remain;

and the Shepherd ordered them to be removed out of the tower, and to be placed apart.

1358.

Next he examined those that had scabs;

and he took and hewed many of these,

and commanded the virgins to take them up and cast them into the building.

1359.

And the virgins lifted them up,

and put them in the middle of the building of the tower.

1360.

And the rest he ordered to be laid down beside the black ones;

for these, too, were found to be black.

1361.

He next examined those that had cracks;

and he hewed many of these, and commanded them to be carried by the virgins to the building:

1362.

and they were placed on the outside, because they were found to be sounder than the others;

1363.

yet the rest, on account of the multitude of the cracks, could not be hewn,

and for this reason, therefore, they were rejected from the building of the tower.

1364.

He next examined the chipped stones,

and many among these were found to be black, and some to have great cracks.

1365.

And these also he commanded to be laid down along with those which had been rejected.

1366.

Yet the remainder, after being cleaned and hewn, he commanded to be placed in the building.

1367.

And the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the middle of the building of the tower,

for they were somewhat weak.

1328.

He next examined those that were half white and half black,

and many of them were found to be black.

1369.

And he commanded these also to be taken away along with those which had been rejected.

1370.

And the rest were all taken away by the virgins;

for, being white, they were fitted by the virgins themselves into the building.

And they were placed upon the outside,

because they were found to be sound, so as to be able to support those which were placed in the middle,

for no part of them at all was chipped.

1372.

He next examined those that were rough and hard;

and a few of them were rejected because they could not be hewn, as they were found exceedingly hard.

1373.

Yet the rest of them were hewn, and carried by the virgins,

and fitted into the middle of the building of the tower; for they were somewhat weak.

1374.

He next examined those that had stains;

and of these a very few were black, and were thrown aside with the others;

1375.

yet the greater part were found to be bright, and these were fitted by the virgins into the building,

yet on account of their strength were placed on the outside.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY SIX

Divisions 1376-1410

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 9

1376.

He next came to examine the white and rounded stones, and said to me,

What are we to do with these stones?

1377.

How do I know, sir?

1378.

I replied, Have you no intentions regarding them?

1379.

Sir, I answered, I am not acquainted with this art, neither am I a stone-cutter, nor can I tell.

1380.

Do you not see, he said, that they are exceedingly round?

1381.

And if I wish to make them rectangular, a large portion of them must be cut away;

for some of them must of necessity be put into the building.

1382.

If therefore, I said, they must, why do you torment yourself,

and not at once choose for the building those which you prefer, and fit them into it?

1383.

He selected the larger ones among them, and the shining ones, and hewed them;

and the virgins carried and fitted them into the outside parts of the building.

1384.

And the rest which remained over were carried away,

and laid down on the plain from which they were brought.

1385.

They were not, however, rejected, because, he said,

there remains yet a little addition to be built to the tower.

1386.

And the lord of this tower wishes all the stones to be fitted into the building,

because they are exceedingly bright.

1387.

And twelve women were called, very beautiful in form, clothed in black, and with dishevelled hair.

1388.

And these women seemed to me to be fierce.

1389.

Yet the Shepherd commanded them to lift the stones that were rejected from the building,

and to carry them away to the mountains from which they had been brought.

1390.

And they were merry, and carried away all the stones,

and put them in the place whence they had been taken.

1391.

Now after all the stones were removed,

and there was no longer a single one lying around the tower, he said,

1392.

Let us go round the tower and see, lest there be any defect in it.

1393.

So I went round the tower along with him.

1394.

And the Shepherd, seeing that the tower was beautifully built, rejoiced exceedingly;

for the tower was built in such a way, that, on seeing it, I coveted the building of it,

for it was constructed as if built of one stone, without a single joining.

1395.

And the stone seemed as if hewn out of the rock; having to me the appearance of a monolith.

Chapter 10

1396.

And as I walked along with him,

1397.

I was full of joy, beholding so many excellent things.

1398.

And the Shepherd said to me,

Go and bring unslacked lime and fine-baked clay,

that I may fill up the forms of the stones that were taken and thrown into the building;

for everything about the tower must be smooth.

1399.

And I did as he commanded me, and brought it to him.

1400.

Assist me, he said, and the work will soon be finished.

1401.

He accordingly filled up the forms of the stones that were returned to the building,

and commanded the places around the tower to be swept and to be cleaned;

1402.

and the virgins took brooms and swept the place, and carried all the dirt out of the tower,

and brought water, and the ground around the tower became cheerful and very beautiful.

1403.

Says the Shepherd to me,

Everything has been cleared away;

if the lord of the tower come to inspect it, he can have no fault to find with us.

1404.

Having spoken these words, he wished to depart;

yet I laid hold of him by the wallet,

and began to adjure him by the Lord that he would explain what he had showed me.

1405.

He said to me, I must rest a little, and then I shall explain to you everything;

wait for me here until I return.

1406.

I said to him, Sir, what can I do here alone?

1407.

You are not alone, he said, for these virgins are with you.

1408.

Give me in charge to them, then, I replied.

1409.

The Shepherd called them to him, and said to them,

I entrust him to you until I come, and went away.

1410.

And I was alone with the virgins; and they were rather merry,

yet were friendly to me, especially the four more distinguished of them.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

Divisions 1411-1435

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 11

1411.

The virgins said to me,

The Shepherd does not come here today.

1412.

What, then, said I, am I to do?

1413.

They replied, Wait for him until he comes;

and if he comes he will converse with you,

and if he does not come you will remain here with us until he does come.

1414.

I said to them, I will wait for him until it is late;

and if he does not arrive, I will go away into the house, and come back early in the morning.

1415.

And they answered and said to me,

You were entrusted to us; you cannot go away from us.

1416.

Where, then, I said, am I to remain?

1417.

You will sleep with us, they replied, as a brother, and not as a husband:

for you are our brother, and for the time to come we intend to abide with you,

for we love you exceedingly!

1418.

Yet I was ashamed to remain with them,

And she who seemed to be the first among them began to kiss me.

1419.

And the others seeing her kissing me, began also to kiss me,

and to lead me round the tower, and to play with me.

1420.

And I, too, became like a young man, and began to play with them,

for some of them formed a chorus, and others danced, and others sang;

and I, keeping silence, walked with them around the tower, and was merry with them.

1421.

And when it grew late I wished to go into the house; and they would not let me, but detained me.

1422.

So I remained with them during the night, and slept beside the tower.

1423.

Now the virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them;

and they did nothing at all but pray; and I without ceasing prayed with them, and not less than they.

1424.

And the virgins rejoiced because I thus prayed,

And I remained there with the virgins until the next day at the second hour.

1425.

Then the Shepherd returned, and said to the virgins,

Did you offer him any insult?

1426.

Ask him, they said.

1427.

I said to him, Sir, I was delighted that I remained with them.

1428.

On what, he asked, did you sup?

1429.

I supped, sir, I replied, on the words of the Lord the whole night.

1430.

Did they receive you well? he inquired

1431.

Yes, sir, I answered.

1432.

Now, he said, what do you wish to hear first?

1433.

I wish to hear in the order, I said, in which you showed me from the beginning.

1434.

I beg of you, sir, that as I shall ask you, so also you will give me the explanation.

1435.

As you wish, he replied, so also will I explain to you, and will conceal nothing at all from you.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

Divisions 1436-1460

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 12

1436.

First of all, sir, I said, explain this to me:

What is the meaning of the rock and the gate?

1437.

This rock, he answered, and this gate are the Son of God.

1438.

How, sir? I said;

the rock is old, and the gate is new.

1439.

Listen, he said, and understand, O ignorant man.

1440.

The Son of God is older than all His creatures,

so that He was a fellow-councillor with the Father in His work of creation: for this reason is He old.

1441.

And why is the gate new, sir? I said.

1442.

Because, he answered, He became manifest in the last days of the dispensation:

1443.

for this reason the gate was made new,

that they who are to be saved by it might enter into the kingdom of God.

1444.

You saw, he said, that those stones which came in through the gate were used for the building of the tower, and that those which did not come, were again thrown back to their own place?

1445.

I saw, sir, I replied.

1446.

In like manner, he continued,

no one shall enter into the kingdom of God unless he receive His holy name.

1447.

For if you desire to enter into a city, and that city is surrounded by a wall, and has but one gate,

can you enter into that city save through the gate which it has?

1448.

Why, how can it be otherwise, sir?

1449.

I said, If, then, you cannot enter into the city except through its gate, so, in like manner,

a man cannot otherwise enter into the kingdom of God than by the name of His beloved Son.

1450.

You saw, he added, the multitude who were building the tower?

1451.

I saw them, sir, I said.

1452.

Those, he said, are all glorious angels, and by them accordingly is the Lord surrounded.

1453.

And the gate is the Son of God.

1454.

This is the one entrance to the Lord.

1455.

In no other way, then, shall any one enter in to Him except through His Son.

1456.

You saw, he continued, the six men, and the tall and glorious man in the midst of them,

who walked round the tower, and rejected the stones from the building?

1457.

I saw him, sir, I answered.

1458.

The glorious man, he said, is the Son of God,

and those six glorious angels are those who support Him on the right hand and on the left.

1459.

None of these glorious angels, he continued, will enter in unto God apart from Him.

1460.

Whosoever does not receive His name, shall not enter into the kingdom of God.

The Shepherd of Hermas CHAPTER FORTY NINE

Divisions 1461-1500

Similitude 9

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS 3, 9

Chapter 13

1461.

And the tower, I asked, what does it mean?

1462.

This tower, he replied, is the Church.

1463.

And these virgins, who are they?

1464.

They are holy spirits, and men cannot otherwise be found in the kingdom of God

unless these have put their clothing upon them:

1465.

for if you receive the name only, and do not receive from them the clothing,

they are of no advantage to you.

1466.

For these virgins are the powers of the Son of God.

1467.

If you bear His name but possess not His power, it will be in vain that you bear His name.

1468.

Those stones, he continued, which you saw rejected bore His name,

yet did not put on the clothing of the virgins.

1469.

Of what nature is their clothing, sir? I asked.

1470.

Their very names, he said, are their clothing.

1471.

Every one who bears the name of the Son of God, ought to bear the names also of these;

for the Son Himself bears the names of these virgins.

1472.

As many stones, he continued, as you saw come into the building of the tower through the hands of these virgins, and remaining, have been clothed with their strength.

1473.

For this reason you see that the tower became of one stone with the rock.

1474.

So also they who have believed on the Lord through His Son, and are clothed with these spirits,

shall become one spirit, one body, and the colour of their garments shall be one.

1475.

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