Iacobus de Voragine: LEGENDA AUREA

Christophorus gente Cananaeus, procerissimae staturae vultuque terribili erat et XII cubitos in longitudine possidebat. Qui, ut in quibusdam gestis suis legitur, cum staret cum quodam rege Cananaeorum, venit sibi in mentem, ut maiorem principem, qui in mundo esset, quaereret et ad eundem secum moraturus accederet. Venit igitur ad quendam maximum regem, de quo generalis fama habebatur, quod maiorem mundus principem non haberet.

Christopher, a Canaanite by race, was of most lofty stature and with a terrible countenance, and he possessed 12 cubits in length. He, as is read in certain of his deeds, when he was standing with a certain king of the Canaanites, it came into his mind to seek a greater prince who might be in the world and to approach that same one to abide with him. He came therefore to a certain very great king, about whom there was general fame that the world did not have a greater prince.

Quem rex videns libenter recepit et in sua curia manere fecit. Quodam autem die ioculator quidam cantionem coram rege cantabat, in qua frequenter diabolum nominabat. Rex autem cum fidem Christi haberet, quemcumque diabolum nominari audiebat, protinus in faciem suam crucis signaculum imprimebat.

Whom the king, seeing, gladly received and caused to remain in his court. But on a certain day a certain jester sang a song before the king, in which he frequently named the devil. Now the king, since he held the faith of Christ, whenever he heard the devil named, immediately impressed upon his face the sign of the cross.

Quod videns Christophorus plurimum admirabatur, cur hoc rex ageret et quidnam huiusmodi signum sibi vellet. Cum autem de hac re regem interrogaret et ille hoc sibi manifestare nollet, respondit Christophorus: "Nisi hoc mihi dixeris, tecum ulterius non manebo." Quapropter coactus rex dixit ei: "Quemcumque diabolum nominari audio, hoc signo me munio timens, ne in me potestatem accipiat mihique noceat." Cui Christophorus: "Si diabolum, ne tibi noceat, metuis, ergo ille maior et potentior te esse convincitur, quem in tantum formidare probaris. Frustratus igitur sum spe mea putans, quod maiorem et potentiorem mundi dominum invenissem, sed iam nunc valeas, quia ipsum diabolum quaerere volo, ut ipsum mihi in dominum assumam et eius servus efficiar."

Seeing this, Christopher marveled greatly why the king did this and what sort of sign of this kind he wished for himself. But when he questioned the king about this matter and he was unwilling to manifest this to him, Christopher replied: "Unless you tell this to me, I will not remain with you further." Wherefore, compelled, the king said to him: "Whenever I hear the devil being named, I fortify myself with this sign, fearing lest he take power over me and harm me." To him Christopher: "If you fear the devil, lest he harm you, then he is proved to be greater and more potent than you, whom you are shown to dread so greatly. Therefore I am frustrated in my hope, thinking that I had found a greater and more potent lord of the world, but now farewell, for I wish to seek the devil himself, that I may take him to myself as my lord and be made his servant."

Discessit igitur ab illo rege et diabolum quaerere properabat. Cum autem per quandam solitudinem pergeret, vidit magnam multitudinem militum, quorum quidam miles ferus et terribilis veniebat ad eum et, quonam pergeret, requisivit Cui Christophorus respondit: "Vado quaerere dominum diabolum, ut ipsum in dominum mihi assumam." Cui ille: "Ego sum ille, quem quaeris." Gavisus Christophorus se sibi in servum perpetuum obligavit et ipsum pro domino accepit. Cum ergo ambo pergerent et in quadam via communi crucea erectam invenissent, mox ut diabolus ipsam crucem vidit, territus fugit et viam deserens per asperam solitudinem Christophorum duxit et postmodum ipsum ad viam reduxit.

Therefore he departed from that king and hastened to seek the devil. But when he was proceeding through a certain solitude, he saw a great multitude of soldiers, of whom a certain soldier, wild and terrible, was coming toward him and asked where he was going. To whom Christopher replied: "I go to seek the lord Devil, that I may assume him as lord to myself." To whom he said: "I am he whom you seek." Rejoicing, Christopher bound himself to him as a perpetual servant and accepted him as lord. Therefore, when both were going on and had found a cross set up on a certain common road, as soon as the devil saw that cross, terrified he fled, and abandoning the road, he led Christopher through a rough wilderness, and afterward led him back to the road.

Quod videns Christophorus et admirans interrogavit illum, cur in tantum timens viam planam reliquerit et tantum devians per tam asperam solitudinem ierit. Quod cum ille nullatenus indicare vellet, dixit Christophorus: "Nisi mihi hoc indicaveris, statim a te discedam." Quapropter compulsus diabolus dixit ei: "Quidam homo, qui dicitur Christus, in cruce fixus fuit, cuius crucis signum cum video, plurimum pertimesco et territus fugio." Cui Christophorus: "Ergo ille Christus maior et potentior te est, cuius signum in tantum formidas! In vacuum igitur laboravi nec adhuc maiorem mundi principem inveni.

Seeing this, Christopher too, and admiring, questioned him why, being so afraid, he had left the level road and, deviating so greatly, had gone through so rough a solitude. When he by no means wished to indicate this, Christopher said: "Unless you indicate this to me, I will at once depart from you." Wherefore the devil, compelled, said to him: "A certain man, who is called Christ, was fixed on a cross, at the sign of whose cross, when I see it, I am exceedingly afraid and, terrified, I flee." To whom Christopher: "Therefore that Christ is greater and more potent than you, whose sign you so greatly dread! In vain, therefore, I have labored, nor yet have I found a greater prince of the world.

Iam nunc valeas, quia te volo deserere et ipsum Christum inquirere."

Now at once, may you fare well, for I wish to desert you and to inquire after Christ himself."

Cum igitur diu quaesivisset, qui sibi Christi notitiam indicaret, tandem ad quendam eremitam devenit, qui sibi Christum praedicavit et in eius fide ipsum diligenter instruxit. Dixitque eremita Christophoro: "Rex iste, cui servire desideras, istud requirit obsequium, quia frequenter ieiunare oportebit." Cui Christophorus: "Aliud a me requirat obsequium, quia istam rem nequaquam agere valeo." Rursus eremita: "Multas quoque orationes te sibi facere oportebit." Cui Christophorus: "Nescio, quid sit hoc, nec huiusmodi obsequium perficere possum." Cui eremita: "Nosti talem fluvium, in quo multi transeuntes periclitantur et pereunt!" Cui Christophorus: "Novi." Et ille: "Cum procerae staturae sis et fortis viribus, si iuxta nuvium illum resideres et cunctos traduceres, regi Christo, cui servire desideras, plurimum gratum esset, et spero, quod ibidem se manifestaret." Cui Christophorus: "Utique istud obsequium agere valeo et me sibi in hoc serviturum promitto." Ad praedictum igitur fluvium accessit et ibidem sibi habitaculum fabricavit portansque loco baculi quandam penicam in manibus, qua se in aqua sustentabat et omnes sine cessatione transferebat.

Since therefore he had long sought for someone who would point out to him a knowledge of Christ, at length he came to a certain eremite, who preached Christ to him and diligently instructed him in his faith. And the eremite said to Christopher: "This king, whom you desire to serve, requires this obsequium, that you must frequently fast." To whom Christopher: "Let him require from me another obsequium, for I am by no means able to do this thing." Again the eremite: "It will also be necessary for you to make many prayers to him." To whom Christopher: "I know not what this is, nor can I accomplish an obsequium of this kind." The eremite to him: "You know such a river, in which many who are crossing are endangered and perish!" To whom Christopher: "I know it." And he: "Since you are of tall stature and strong in strength, if you were to reside beside that river and lead all across, it would be very pleasing to King Christ, whom you desire to serve, and I hope that there he would manifest himself." To whom Christopher: "Assuredly I am able to do this obsequium, and I promise that in this I will serve him." Therefore he approached the aforesaid river and there built himself a dwelling; and carrying in place of a staff a certain pole in his hands, with which he supported himself in the water, he ferried all across without ceasing.

Evolutis multis diebus cum in domuncula sua quiesceret, audivit vocem cuiusdam pueri se vocantis et dicentis: "Christophore, veni foras et me ipsum traducas." Concitus Christophorus exsiliit, sed neminem reperit. Rediensque in domunculam suam praedictam iterum vocem se acclamantis audivit. Qui rursus foras cucurrit et neminem invenit.

After many days had elapsed, when he was resting in his little hut, he heard the voice of a certain boy calling him and saying: "Christopher, come outside and lead me across." In haste Christopher leapt up, but found no one. And returning to his aforesaid little hut, he again heard a voice calling out to him. He again ran outside and found no one.

Tertia vice ab eodem ut prius vocatus exiit et puerum quendam iux ripam fluminis invenit, qui Christophorum, ut se traducere obnixe rogavit. Christophorus igitur puerum sibi in umeris elevans et baculum suum accipiens numen transiturus intravit. Et ecce, aqua numinis paulatim intumescebat et puer instar plumbi gravissime ponderabat.

A third time, called by the same voice as before, he went out and found a certain boy by the bank of the river, who earnestly begged Christopher to carry him across. Therefore Christopher, lifting the boy upon his shoulders and taking up his staff, entered, about to cross the stream. And behold, the water of the stream was gradually swelling, and the boy weighed most heavily, like lead.

Quantoque magis procedebat, tanto amplius unda crescebat et puer magis ac magis Christophori umeros pondere intolerabili deprimebat, adeo ut Christophorus in angustia multa positus esset et se periclitari formidaret. Sed cum vix evasisset et nuvium transfretasset, puerum in ripa deposuit eique dixit: "In magno periculo puer, me posuisti et adeo ponderasti, quod, si totum mundum super me habuissem, vix maiora pondera praesensissem." Ad quem puer respondit: "Ne mireris, Christophore, quia non solum super te totum mundum habuisti, si etiam illum, qui creavit mundum, tuis umeris baiulasti. Ego enim sum rex Christus tuus, cui in hoc opere ipse deservis.

And the more he advanced, the more the wave swelled, and the boy pressed Christopher’s shoulders down with an intolerable weight, so that Christopher was placed in much straitness and feared he was imperiled. But when he had scarcely escaped and had crossed the river, he set the boy down on the bank and said to him: "Into great peril, boy, you have put me, and so weighed me down that, if I had had the whole world upon me, I could hardly have sensed greater burdens." To whom the boy replied: "Do not marvel, Christopher, for you not only had upon you the whole world, but you also bore upon your shoulders him who created the world. For I am Christ the King, your Christ, to whom in this work you yourself render service."

Et ut me verum dicere comprobes, cum pertransieris, bacululum tuum iuxta domunculam tuam in terra fige et mane ipsum floruisse et fructificasse videbis." Statimque ab oculis eius evanuit. Veniens igitur Christophorus cum baculum suum terram fixisset, mane surgens invenit ipsum ad modum palmae frondes et dactylos pertulisse.

“And so that you may confirm that I speak truth, when you have crossed over, fix your little staff beside your little house in the ground, and in the morning you will see it has blossomed and borne fruit.” And immediately he vanished from his sight. Therefore, when Christopher came and had fixed his staff in the earth, rising in the morning he found that it had borne fronds and dates after the manner of a palm.