Slaying of dragon as a spiritual struggle (1)

Text
Theodoret, Historia Religiosa 3.7:
On another occasion, when the great Marcianus was praying in the forecourt, a dragon crawled up onto the wall facing east, and leant down from the wall gaping and looking grim at the same time, displaying his intention. Standing at a distance, Eusebius, frightened at this terrifying sight and presuming his master did not know of it, indicated it by crying out and begging him to flee. But he rebuked him and told him to cast off his cowardice, saying that this too is a destructive passion, and he made the sign of the cross with his finger and blew with his mouth, intimating the ancient enmity. The dragon, withered and, so to speak, burnt by the breath of his mouth as if by some fire, was dissolved into many fragments like straw that is set ablaze.

Source (list of abbreviations)
Theodoret, Historia Religiosa 3.7

Bibliography

Amar Annus

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