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his madness be tamed; let his wrath be broken; let his vengeance behave itself unseemly; let his attack suffer sorrow. Let his children be trodden under foot, and let all his root be uprooted. And grant to me to accomplish my journey to thee, without suffering insults and abuses; and let me receive what thou hast promised to those, that live in purity, and love thee only!"
115. And having sealed (crossed) himself altogether, he stood and said, " Be thou with me, Lord Jesus Christ"; he laid down in the grave in which he had spread out his garments. He then said to us, "Peace be with you, brethren!" and peacefully yielded up the ghost.[1]
- ↑ In Tischendorf's text the last section reads as follows: And gazing towards heaven, he glorified God; and having sealed himself altogether, he stood and said to us, Peace and grace be with you, brethren! and sent the brethren away. And when they went on the morrow they did not find him, but his sandals, and a fountain welling up. And after that they remembered what had been said to Peter by the Lord about him: " For what does it concern thee if I should wish to remain until I come? " And they glorified God for the miracle that had happened. And having thus believed, they retired praising and blessing the benignant God; because to him is due glory, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen. The story of John going down alive into his grave is related at length by Augustine (Tractat. 124 in Joannen, opp. T., Ill, 2 col., 597 ff.). See Zahn, loc. cit., p. XCVIII f.; Lipsius, loc. cit., I, 494 ff. A modern German poet, R. Binder speaks thus of John's grave: "Nicht tot ist er, nein, er schlummert bloss, | Und harrt auf den Meister, der Erd im Schoss. | Sich selbst grub er lebensmiide sein Grab | Und legte zum Schlummer sich dann hinab. | Das Atmen der Brust hort das lauschende Ohr, | Aus dem Boden quillt heilendes Manna hervor."
