Verily, I think that no man hath heard the
like. And truly there was never such kind of feasting as this is, where
the Father will have his Son to be eaten, and his blood to be drunk.
We read in a story, that a certain man had eaten his son; but it was done
unawares: he knew not that it was his son, else no doubt he would not
have eaten him. The story is this: There was a king named Astyages,
which had heard by a prophecy, that one Cyrus should have the rule and
dominion over his realm after his departure; which thing troubled the
said king very sore, and therefore [he] sought all the ways and means how
to get the said Cyrus out of the way; how to kill him, so that he should
not be king after him. Now he had a nobleman in his house, named
Harpagus, whom he appointed to destroy the said Cyrus: but howsoever the
matter went, Cyrus was preserved and kept alive, contrary to the king's
mind. Which thing when Astyages heard, what doth he? This he did:
Harpagus, that nobleman which was put in trust to kill Cyrus, had a son
in the court, whom the king commanded to be taken; his head, hands, and
feet to be cut off; and his body to be prepared, roasted, or sodden, of
the best manner as could be devised. After that, he biddeth Harpagus to
come and eat with him, where there was jolly cheer; one dish coming after
another.
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