Chapter VI.—The Old Man Opposes His Personal Experience to the Argument of Peter.

“And the old man answered:^12051205    [With chaps. 6–9, there is a general correspondence in Recognitions, ix. 32–37.  The arrangement is quite different.  The old man’s representation, that the story he tells is that of a friend, is peculiar to the Homilies.—R.]  ‘You have spoken truly,^12061206    One ms. adds “greatly,” and an Epitome “great things.” and yet, notwithstanding all your incomparable demonstration, I am prevented from yielding assent by my own personal knowledge.  For I was an astrologer, and dwelt first at Rome; and then forming a friendship with one who was of the family of Cæsar, I ascertained accurately the genesis of himself and his wife.  And tracing their history, I find all the deeds actually accomplished in exact accordance with their genesis, and therefore I cannot yield to your argument.  For the arrangement^12071207    That is, the position of the stars at her birth. of her genesis was that which makes women commit adultery, fall in love with their own slaves, and perish abroad in the water.  And this actually took place; for she fell in love with her own slave, and not being able to bear the reproach, she fled with him, hurried to a foreign land, shared his bed, and perished in the sea.’