Wondrous Event of Taxiot, a Soldier from Carthage

Life

He had spent his whole life in grievous sins, but at last repented, left military service, and lived a life pleasing to God. Going out one time with his wife to his estate near the city, he committed adultery with the wife of his farmhand, and immediately afterward a serpent bit him and he died. He was dead for six hours, then rose up, and only on the fourth day did he speak, and recounted how he had passed through various toll-houses until he came to the toll-house of fornication. There he fell into the dark dwelling of demons, from which he was brought out through the intercession of an angel and sent back into his body to repent of his last sin. And he repented for forty days, going from church to church and beating his head against doors and thresholds. He wept continually, recounting the terrible torments in which sinners live in that world, and besought people not to sin and to repent of sins already committed. On the fortieth day he joyfully departed to the Kingdom of the merciful God.