Section 123
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92 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. be thou food to me, fury* to the assassins, and a tale for men, the only one yet wanting to complete the miseries of the Jews." As she said this, she slew her son ; then roasting him, she eat one half herself, and covering over the rest, she kept it. It was not long before the murderers came in, and perceiving the fumes of the execrable food, they threatened immediately to slay her if she did not produce what she had prepared. She answered she had reserved a fine portion of it for them, and then uncovered the relics of her son. Horror and amazement immediately seized them. They stood mute with the sight. " This is my own son," said she, " and the deed is mine. Eat, for I too have eaten, be not more delicate than a woman, nor more tender than a mother ; but if you are so pious, and reject my offering, I have already eaten half, and let the rest remain for me." After this, they indeed, went trembling away, cowardly at least in this one instance, and yet scarcely yielding to the mother even this kind of food. Forthwith the whole city was filled with the dreadful crime, and every one placing the wickedness before his eyes, was struck with a horror as if it had been perpetrated by himself. Thenceforth the wretched people overcome with hunger, only strove to hasten death ; and it was a happiness yet for those who died before they heard and saw miseries like these." ffeuch then, was the vengeance that followed the guilt and impiety of the Jews against the Christ of God/ CHAPTER VII. The Predictions of Christ. To these accounts it may be proper to add the sure prediction of our Saviour, in which he foretold these very events as follows : " But wo to them that are with child and those that give suck in * Fury, or vengeance.] The Erynnes or Furies, according to the belief of the ancients, were among the tormenting fiends of Tartarus.