Chapter VI.—The Sons Reveal Themselves to the Mother.

The sons, on hearing their mother thus speak, could no longer, in obedience to the exhortation of Peter, restrain themselves, but rising up, they clasped her in their arms, showering down upon her tears and kisses.  But she said:  “What is the meaning of this?”  And Peter answered:  “Courageously summon up your spirits, O woman, that you may enjoy your children; for these are Faustinus and Faustinianus, your sons, who, you said, had perished in the deep.  For how they are alive, after they had in your opinion died on that most disastrous night, and how one of them now bears the name of Nicetas, and the other that of Aquila, they will themselves be able to tell you; for we, as well as you, have yet to learn this.”  When Peter thus spoke, my mother fainted away through her excessive joy, and was like to die.  But when we had revived her she sat up, and coming to herself, she said:  “Be so good, my darling children, as tell us what happened to you after that disastrous night.”