Book of the Bee

Historical scan page 111

OF THE STAR WHICH APPEARED IN THE EAST. 83 ‘ The star appeared a long time before x, for their journey was accom¬ plished with great delay that they might come to the end of it on the day of our Lord’s birth. It was meet that He should be worshipped in swaddling bands, that the greatness of the wonder might be recog¬ nised ; therefore the star appeared to them a long time before. For if the star had appeared to them in the east when He was born in Palestine, they would not have been able to see Him in swaddling bands. Marvel not, if Herod slew the children from two years and downwards, for wrath and fear urged him to increased watchfulness ; therefore he added more time than was needful, that no one should be able to escape.’ As touching the nature of that star, whether it was a star in its nature, or in appearance only, it is right to know that it was not of the other stars, but a secret power which appeared like a star ; for all the other stars that are [o^] in the firmament, and the sun and moon, perform their course from east to west. This one, however, made its course from north to south, for Palestine lies thus, over against Persia. This star was not seen by them at night only, but also during the day, and at noon ; and it was seen at the time when the sun is particularly strong, because it was not one of the stars1 2. Now the moon is stronger in its light than all the stars, but it is immediately quenched and its light dissipated by one small ray of the sun. But this star overcame even the beams of the sun by the intensity of its light. Sometimes it 1 Kal yap 7rpo 7 roXAoO xporou doxel poi 6 acrrrjp (pavr/Tcn. See Migne’s edit., vol. vii, col. 76. .^wJLa, L » IumwuOQ ^so J»ot<xu> joii_V5» ^ 00c* OMwiS LsJ. p^ooo cuo^s .JJa-Da-D yOofXs ‘ Two years before Christ was born, a star appeared to the Magi ; they saw a star in the firmament of heaven which shone with a light greater than that of any other star. Within it was a maiden carrying a child with a crown upon his head.’ Brit. Mus. Add. 25,875, fol. 40 a, col. 1. See Bezold, Die Schatzhohle, p. 56. Another legend says that the star was in the shape of an eagle having within it the form of a young child, and above him the sign of the cross. Sandys, Christmas Carols , London, 1833, p. lxxxiii foil. 2 Read Jc*iiao ^so woioL/ Jl? «©* m 2