270	ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
The Good Samaritan
a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master,
/\ what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? He said unto him, What
is written in the law ? How readest thou ? And he answering said,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and thy
neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered
right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is
my neighbour ?    And Jesus said :
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell
among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him,
and departed, leaving him half dead.
By chance there came down a certain priest that way ; and when
he saw him he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when
he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the
other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was;
and when he saw him he had compassion on him, and went to him,
and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set Mm on his
own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
On the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and
gave them to the host, and said, Take care of him ; and -whatsoever
thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay thee. Which
now of these three, thinkest thou, w*as neighbour unto him that fell
among thieves ?
And he said. He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus
unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.	St Luke
Letter of a Prodigal Son
Antonius Longus to Nilous, his mother.
m
any greetings, I continually pray that you are in good health,
and make supplication for you before our Lord Serapis.
I would have you know that I never expected you were coming up
to the city. This was why I never came into it. But I was ashamed
to come up to Karanis, for I am going about in rags.
I write to tell you that I have not any clothes. I entreat you,
mother, to be reconciled to me. But I know what I have brought on
myself. I have been chastised as I have been because I have sinned.
I heard from Postumus, who found you in Arsinoe county, and
he has unseasonably told you all. Don't you know I would rather
become a cripple than know that I owed anybody twopence ?
Come yourself, I beseech.   Don't fail.
Written in the Second Century after Christ