Notes on Reading the Acts of Peter

Chapter XII

• 
  
• The dog came to Peter, seated with the crowd, so that they could see his face.
• And the dog reported what he had discussed with Simon.
• And this the dog said to the messenger and apostle of the true [read: veri] God. 
• Petrus, a big battle you will have against Simon, and with those that serve him.
• For many will you bring to faith that have been misled by him.
• That's why you will receive the reward from God for your doing.
• After saying this, the dog fell down before the feet of Petrus and gave up his ghost.

The talking dog is a fairy tale element, but in Antiquity the horse and the donkey are more likely to talk (The Golden Ass, Balaam). Kynokephales (dog heads) and Akephales (headless) can talk (since 500 bc about in the geography), to which St Christopherus comes, as does Barnabas in his Acts. Ps 150:6 expect all that spirare to praise the Lord. At the brim of the oikomene, is the wall to keep out the monstra that Alexander built in the Alexander novels. Though there were walls in the Caucasus, early Byzantium pays the Persians to keep up the wall (probably a pass they protected). Eventually the Mongols (the Tartars from the Tartarus) came. Sins brought on the loss in the Second Crusades as well (front part of the Carmina Burana).

Theologically, this means that even the animals do not believe Simon.

• As the crowd saw how the dog talked, some sat down at Peter's feet, and others called, "Give us another sign, so that we can believe that you are the servant of the Living God."
• "For Simon showed many signs in our presence [praesentia nostra], that's why we followed him."

Chapter XIII

• Peter however turned around, saw a sarda [mackerel? tunny?] hung up for drying on the window, took it and said to the crowd:
• If you see this one swimming in water like a living fish, would you then believe in the one that I proclaim?
• They said with one voice, We will truly believe you.
• Then he said to the fish [pisci piscina, haplographic elimination] next to a swimming pool:
• In the name of Jesus Christ [eliminate tuo,  read Christi], in whom they cannot believe, live and swim (literally: as a fish)!

The resurrection miracle does something new, that's why the dog is done about. The phrase "nata tamquam" with its a-sounds is akin to a magic spell.

• And he placed the sarda into the pool, and the fish [subject change] lived and swam about.
• The crowd saw how the fish swam and the fish [subject change] did not do this just in this moment, and did it for a while,  so that the crowd could see, how a [dried] fish was swimming around, until someone threw bread to the fish; and he ate [edebat] all of it.

Of course, an ocean fish could not survive in sweetwater.

• But many followed who saw this and began to believe, and they came together day and night in the house of the presbyter Narcissus [name known from Romans, and from the martyrium of Clemens at the Black Sea; see laos Mara Sordi, Those Encounters in the Senator's House]

In the Middle Ages, Ovid was thought to have been converted, probably during the exile in Tomi, was recycled for prayers. 

• Peter however taught them about the writings of the prophets [eliminate de], and what our Lord Jesus Christ did, in words and in deeds. 

Chapter XIV

• Marcellus became day by day stronger founded in his belief [fundabatur not fundebatur] through the miracles which happened through the grace of Jesus Christ.
• Marcellus jumped in his house over Simon who sat in his triclinium (eating hall that houses three rows of three people, or nine).

See also the banquet hall in Hadrian's villa, with the swimming food.

• He cussed and said to him, "You biggest enemy and most perverted of all humans, corruptor of my soul and my house, who wanted to chase me away from Christ, my Lord and Savior."
• And he became physical and ordered him out of the house.
• The slaves however received power over him [i.e. Simon, RCK] and dissed him, slapped him into the face, others took sticks and stones, others poured buckets of filth over his head. [The slaves always sided with their lord; thus interrogation under torture, because the slaves would be pro-master.]
• For they had, because of him [i.e. Simon], fled their master [read effugerant] and had been tied for a long time (when they were brought back). 

This is classical caricature of the slaves, both the fleeing from and the insulting of the master. 

• And the other slaves, about whom he talked badly to their master, tongue-lashed and said to him, "And now we will give you the deserved reward, through God, who took pity on us and our master."
• Simon, who had been badly treated and thrown out of the house, ran to the house to which Peter had returned [revertebatur] (i.e. the House of Narcissus, cf. VI).
• Outside the house of the Presbyter Narcissus, Simon stood and shouted,
• "Here I am, Peter, come out, and I will prove that you believed [only] in a Jewish human and the son of a carpenter (a manual laborer)."

Guido M. Berndt (Editor), Roland Steinacher (Editor), Arianism: Roman Heresy and Barbarian Creed, September 28, 2014. (Google Preview) [Amazon]

Chapter XV

• Peter was told that Simon had yelled this.
• Peter sent a woman with an infant to him, and said to her, "Quickly go outside and you will see someone who is looking for me."

to be continued