Part 21 (1/2)

[309] Ephraem Cyrus.

[310] The legend of Theophilus, who sold himself to the evil one, and then repented, and was saved from the devil by the Virgin Mary, was a popular one in the Middle Ages. See Jubinal's Rutebeuf, vol. ii. pages 79 and 260. He is commonly said to have lived at Adana, in Cilicia.

[311] Susa.

[312] A spurious book, purporting to be the exposition of dreams compiled by the prophet Daniel, was very popular in the middle ages, and is the work here alluded to.

[313] _i. e._ The people of Barbary.

[314] Rosetta.

[315] This account of the Phnix is taken from Pliny's Natural History, x. 2, and xi. 37. The legend of the Phnix was a very favourite one throughout the middle ages.

[316] The story is taken from one of the apocryphal books of the Eastern sectarians, which had a considerable influence on the legendary literature of the medieval church.

[317] The wonderful adventures of Alexander the Great in his Indian expedition, and the marvels he met with, are the subject of a mult.i.tude of extraordinary legends in the middle ages, and exerted no little influence on geography and natural science down to a comparatively recent period. The hero was made to give an account of them in a supposit.i.tious letter to his preceptor Aristotle, which was published in almost every language in Western Europe, and is of frequent recurrence in medieval ma.n.u.scripts.

[318] These are, of course, the pyramids. See the slight allusion to them in Benjamin of Tudela, p. 121.

[319] Brindisi, the ancient Brundusium.

[320] See before, p. 22.

[321] Exod. iii. 5.

[322] 1 Kings, xix. 8.

[323] This pretended imprint of Moses' body, and some of the other remarkable things described by Maundeville, were still shown to visitors in the earlier part of the last century.

[324] Psalms, cx.x.xii. 6.

[325] The medieval legendary history of the three kings will be found printed at the end of the first volume of the ”Chester Mysteries.”

[326] Rachel had but two children, Joseph and Benjamin; but by them she had twelve grandchildren. Gen. xlvi. 20-22.

[327] Perhaps Maundeville reckons from the capture of Acre, in 1291, when the Christians lost their last footing in the Holy Land. Jerusalem was finally taken from the Christians by the Turks in October, 1244.

[328] The _Vitas Patrum_ was the most popular collection of saints'

legends in the middle ages.

[329] See before, pp. 4, 38.

[330] John, xix. 26.

[331] Gen. xxviii. 16.

[332] Acts, iii. 2.

[333] Matt. ix. 6.