Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

574
THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
"we saw Gabriel coming down from heaven to
"announce [the birth of Christ] to Mary, and he
"came to her and bowed down before her and
"spake unto her, saying, 'Peace be unto thee, O
"thou blessed among women; thy God is with
"thee.' And we saw and heard this Annunciation
"to Mary. And again we saw Mary going to the
"house of Zacharias to salute Elisabeth, and when
"she had come and had gone into the house of
Elisabeth "Zacharias, she saluted her; now when Elisabeth
"^' "heard Mary's voice as she was saluting her, the
"babe leaped in her womb. And the Holy Spirit
"came upon Elisabeth and she cried out and said,
"'What am I that the mother of my Lord should
"come to me? When I heard thy voice saluting
"me the babe leaped in my womb through glad-
"ness;' and she dwelt with her for a space of
"three months. And it came to pass that the
"month wherein Elisabeth should be delivered
"drew nio;-h, and when the child wished to eo
"forth from the womb of his mother, he was afraid
"and went back into the place of his abode. Then
"Elisabeth cried out ;with a loud voice, saying,
The birth of" 'Rise up, and go forth, O mother of my Lord,
"for the little lamb is afraid to eo forth from his
"place of abode because he feareth the lion's cub;'
"so Mary rose up and went forth from her, and
"Elisabeth gave birth unto her child."
And the men of the Island said unto Gerasimas,
"Hast thou heard all these things, O father, which
"have been revealed to us and which we have