[1] Eulog., “Mem.  Sanct.,” ii. ch. ii. sec. 1, also Pref., secs. 2 ff.  After his death Isaac was credited with having performed miracles from his earliest years.  He was said to have spoken three times in his mother’s womb (cp. a similar fable about Jesus in the Koran, c. iii. verse 40), and when a child, to have embraced, unhurt, a globe of fire from Heaven.

    [2] Not, as Florez, a tax-gatherer.

Roused by the tale of Perfectus’ death and John’s sufferings, he voluntarily went before the Kadi, and, pretending to be an “enquirer,” begged him to expound to him the doctrines of Islam.  The Kadi, congratulating himself on the prospect of such a promising convert, gravely complied; when Isaac, answering him in fluent Arabic, said:  “He has lied unto you—­may the curse of Heaven consume him!—­who full of all wickedness has led astray so many men, and doomed them with himself to the lowest deep of hell.  Filled with Satan, and practising Satanic arts, he hath given his followers a drink of deadly wine, and will without doubt expiate his guilt with everlasting damnation.”  Hearing these, and other like chaste[1] utterances, the judge listened in a sort of stupor of rage and astonishment, feelings which even found vent in tears; till, his indignation passing all control, he struck the monk in the face, who then said, “Dost thou strike that which is made in the image of God?"[2] The assessors of the Kadi also reproached him for striking a prisoner, their law being that one who is worthy of death should not suffer other indignities.  The Kadi, having now recovered his self-command, gave his decision, that Isaac, whether drunk or mad, had committed a crime which, by an express law of Mohammed’s, merited condign punishment.  He was accordingly beheaded, and, his body being burnt, his ashes were cast into the river (June 3, 851).  This was done to prevent the Christians from carrying off his body, and preserving it for the purpose of working miracles.[3]

Isaac’s conduct and fate, Eulogius tells us, electrified the people, who were amazed at the newness of the thing.[4] It was at this point that Eulogius himself began to shew his sympathy with these fanatical doings by encouraging and helping others to follow Isaac’s example.

    [1] Eulogius, “Mem.  Sanct.,” Pref., sec. 5, “Ore pudico
    summisque reverentiae ausibus viribusque.”

    [2] Cp.  Acts xxiii. 3.

    [3] Eulog., “Lib.  Apolog.,” sec. 35, mentions a proposed edict
    of the authorities, visiting the seeker of relics with severer
    penalties.

    [4] See Eulog., Letter to Alvar, apud Florez., xi. 290.