E05423: The Miracles of Saint Thekla recounts how *Thekla (follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092) healed Dexianos, bishop of Seleucia, after he had been thrown by a horse. Thekla is praised for not recommending expensive and rare prescriptions, but cheap and readily available ones. Written in Greek at Seleucia ad Calycadnum (southern Asia Minor) in the 470s.

Miracles of Saint Thekla, 8

One day, Dexianos [bishop of Seleucia ad Calycadnum], was riding a skittish horse and was thrown off. He broke his leg and was overall in a bad state. The martyr Thekla healed him immediately, both his head and his leg, since he was dear to her.

Καὶ ταῦτ’ ἀπ’ οὐδεμιᾶς πολυτρόπου φαρμακείας, ὃ δὴ καὶ μάλιστα ἄν τις αὐτῆς θαυμάσειε· μηνύουσα γὰρ ἃ χρὴ ποιεῖν τοὺς πάσχοντας, οὐκ ἐπί τι τῶν σπανίων καὶ πολυτιμήτων ἄγει τοὺς δεομένους, ἀλλ’ ἐπί τι τῶν εὐτελῶν καὶ ἐν μέσῳ κειμένων, ὥστε καὶ τῇ θᾶττον εὐπορίᾳ τοῦ μηνυθέντος εὐκολωτέραν γενέσθαι τὴν σωτηρίαν, μετὰ τοῦ καὶ τὴν αὐτῆς ἐν τοῖς οὕτως εὐτελέσι διαδείκνυσθαι δύναμιν, ὡς τῆς προσταττούσης, ἀλλ’ οὐ τοῦ προσταχθέντος εἶναι νομίζειν τὰς ἐνεργείας.

'This was accomplished without the use of complicated medicine, which fact one might particularly admire in her. In demonstrating the proper course of action for the afflicted, she does not guide those who entreat her to something rare and expensive, but to something cheap and readily available, so that their healing comes about more easily through the swift acquisition of the prescription. Furthermore, she displays her power in [making use of] such common means, that one does not attribute the efficacy to that which is prescribed, but rather to the prescriber.'

Text: Dagron 1978. Translation (lightly modified): Johnson 2012. Summary: J. Doroszewska.