n several localities, the earthquake was severely felt,
particularly to the east and north-east of Paneas. In Upper Galilee,
many Pharisees found their houses in ruins when they returned from
keeping the feast. A number of them, while yet at Jerusalem, received
the news of what had happened, and it was on that account that the
enemies of Jesus made such very slight efforts against the Christian
community at Pentecost.
A part of the Temple of Garizim crumbled down. An idol stood there
above a fountain, in a small temple, the roof of which fell into the
fountain with the idol. Half of the synagogue of Nazareth, out of which
Jesus had been drive, fell down, as well as that part of the mountain
from which his enemies had endeavoured to precipitate him. The bed of
the Jordan was much changed by all these shocks, and its course altered
in many places. At Macherus, and at the other towns belonging to Herod,
everything remained quiet, for that country was out of the sphere of
repentance and of threats, like those men who did not fall to the
ground in the Garden of Olives, and, consequently, did not rise again.
In many other parts where there were evil spirits, I saw the latter
disappear in large bodies amid the falling mountains and buildings. The
earthquakes reminded me of the convulsions of the possessed, when the
enemy feels that he must take to flight. At Gergesa, a part of the
mountain from which the devils had cast themselves with the swine into
a marsh, fell into this same marsh; and I then saw a band of evil
spirits cast themselves into the abyss, like a dark cloud.
It was at Nice, unless I am mistaken, that I saw a singular
occurrence, of which I have only an imperfect remembrance. There was a
port there with many vessels in it; and near this port stood a house
with a high tower, in which I saw a pagan whose office was to watch
these vessels. He had often to ascend this tower, and see what was
going on at sea. Having heard a great noise over the vessels in the
port, he hurriedly ascended the tower to discover what was taking
place, and he saw several dark figures hovering over the port, and who
exclaimed to him in plaintive accents: 'If thou desirest to preserve the
vessels, cause them to be sailed out of this port, for we must return
to the abyss: the great Pan is dead.' They told him several other things;
laid injunctions upon him to make known what they were then telling him
upon his return from a certain voyag
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