“Tell me thy will, O Lord, that I may believe in thee, and perform it.”
Then replied the voice: “I am Christ, the son of the living God. I created heaven and earth, caused the light to arise, and divided it from the darkness. I appointed days, and seasons, and years. I formed man out of the dust of the earth, and for his sake took upon me his form. Crucified, and buried, on the third day I arose again.”
“All this I believe, Lord,” replied Placidus; “yea, and that thou art he who bringest back the wandering sinner.”
Then said the voice: “If thou believest, go into the city and be baptized.”
“Shall I reveal this unto my wife and children, Lord, that they also may believe?”
“Yea,” replied the voice; “return here on the morrow’s dawn, that thou mayest know of thy future life.”
Placidus returned to his wife, and told her all that had happened unto him; then did they believe, and were baptized, and their children with them. The knight was called Eustace, his wife Theosbyta, whilst to his two sons the names of Theosbytus and Agapetus were given in their baptism. On the morrow, the knight returned to the place where he had seen the vision.
“I implore thee, O Lord, to manifest thyself according to thy word,” prayed the knight.
Then the voice was heard, saying: “Blessed art thou, Eustace, in that thou hast been washed with the laver of my grace, and thereby overcome the Devil. Now hast thou trodden him to dust, who beguiled thee. Now will thy fidelity be shown; for he whom thou hast forsaken will rage continually against thee. Many things must thou undergo for my sake. Thou must become another Job; fear not; persevere; my grace is sufficient for thee. In the end thou shalt conquer; choose then, whether thou wilt experience thy trials in thine old age, or forthwith.”
“Even as thou willest, O Lord; yet, if it may be so, try me now, and help me in my trial.”