s while a
child," said the elder of the brothers, "I remember nothing, except
that my beloved father was a leader of a company of soldiers; and that
my mother, who was very beautiful, had two sons, of whom I was the
elder. We left home with our parents during the night, and embarking on
board a vessel that immediately put to sea, sailed I know not whither.
Our mother remained in the ship, but wherefore I am also ignorant. In
the meantime, our father carried my brother and myself in his arms, and
me he left upon the nearer bank of a river, until he had borne the
younger of us across. But when he was returning to me, a wolf darted
from a thicket and bore him off in his mouth. Before he could hasten
back to him, a prodigious lion seized upon me, and carried me into a
neighbouring wood. But shepherds delivered me, and brought me up amongst
them."

The younger brother here burst into a flood of tears, and exclaimed,
"Surely I have found my brother; for they who brought me up frequently
declared that I was saved from the jaws of a wolf." They exchanged
embraces, and the mother, who listened, felt a strong conviction that
they were her own children. She was silent, however, and the next day
went to the commander of the forces, and begged leave to go into her own
country. "I am a Roman woman," said she, "and a stranger in these
parts."

As she uttered these words, her eye fixed with an earnest and anxious
gaze upon the countenance of him she addressed. It was her husband, whom
she now for the first time recollected; and she threw herself at his
feet, unable to contain her joy. "My lord," cried the glad woman, "I
entreat you to tell something of your past life; for unless I greatly
mistake, you are Placidus, the master of the soldiery, since known by
the name of Eustacius, whom our blessed Saviour converted and tried by
temptations. I am _his_ wife, taken from him at sea by a wretch, who yet
spared me from the worst. I had two sons, Agapetus and Theosbytus."

These words recalled Eustacius to himself. Time and sorrow had made much
change in both, but the recognition was full of happiness. They embraced
and wept, giving glory to God as the God of all consolation. The wife
then said, "My lord, what has become of our children?" "Alas!" replied
he, "they were carried off by wild beasts;" and he told the manner of
their loss. "Give thanks," said his wife, "give manifold thanks to the
Lord; for as His Providence hath revealed our e