nobly endured every torture, gave up the ghost. But the blessed Blandina, last of all, having, as a noble mother, encouraged her children and sent them before her victorious to the King, endured herself all their conflicts and hastened after them, glad and rejoicing in her departure as if called 5 to a marriage-supper, rather than cast to wild beasts. And, after the scourging, after the wild beasts, after the roasting-seat, she was finally enclosed in a net, and thrown before a bull. And having been tossed about by the animal, but feeling none of the things which 10 were happening to her, on account of her hope and firm hold upon what had been entrusted to her, and her communion with Christ, she also was sacrificed. And the heathen themselves confessed that never among them had a woman endured so many and such terrible tortures. 15 But not even thus was their madness and cruelty toward the saints satisfied. For, incited by the Wild Beast, wild and barbarous tribes were not easily appeased, and their violence found another peculiar opportunity in the dead bodies. For, through their lack of manly reason, the fact 20 that they had been conquered did not put them to shame, but rather the more enkindled their wrath as that of a wild beast, and aroused alike the hatred of governor and people to treat us unjustly; that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'He that is lawless, let him be lawless still, 25 and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still.' For they cast to the dogs those who had died of suffocation in the prison, carefully guarding them by night and day, lest any one should be buried by us. And they exposed the remains left by the wild beasts and by fire, mangled and 30 charred, and placed the heads of the others by their bodies, and guarded them in like manner from burial by a watch of soldiers for many days. And some raged and gnashed their teeth against them, desiring to execute more severe vengeance upon them; but others laughed and 35 οἱ δὲ ἐνεγέλων καὶ ἐπετώθαζον, μεγαλύοντες ἅμα τὰ εἴδωλα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκείνοις προσάπτοντες τὴν τούτων τιμωρίαν. οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστεροι, καὶ κατὰ ποσὸν συμπαθεῖν δοκοῦντες, ὠνείδιζον πολὺ λέγοντες, “ Ποῦ ὁ Θεὸς ; αὐτῶν, καὶ τί αὐτοὺς ὤνησεν ἡ θρησκεία, ἣν καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἑαυτῶν εἴλοντο ψυχῆς;” καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀπ ̓ ἐκείνων τοιαύτην εἶχε τὴν ποικιλίαν, τὰ δὲ καθ ̓ ἡμᾶς ἐν μεγάλῳ καθειστήκει πένθει, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι τὰ σώματα κρύψαι τῇ γῇ. οὔτε γὰρ νὺξ συνεβάλλετο ἡμῖν πρὸς ο τοῦτο, οὔτε ἀργύρια ἔπειθεν, οὔτε λιτανεία ἐδυσώπει, παντὶ δὲ τρόπῳ παρετήρουν, ὡς μέγα τι κερδανοῦντες εἰ μὴ τύχοιεν ταφῆς. EUSEBIUS, Hist. Eccl. v. 1. XXI A. Passio Sanctorum Scilitanorum. Praesente bis et Claudiano consulibus, XVI Kalendas Augustas, Kartagine in secretario inpositis Sperato 15 Nartzalo et Cittino, Donata, Secunda, Vestia ; Saturninus proconsul dixit: Potestis indulgentiam domini nostri imperatoris promereri, si ad bonam mentem redeatis. Speratus dixit: Numquam malefecimus, iniquitati nullam operam praebuimus; numquam malediximus, 20 sed male accepti gratias egimus; propter quod imperatorem nostrum obseruamus. Saturninus proconsul dixit: Et nos religiosi sumus, et simplex est religio nostra, et iuramus per genium domini nostri imperatoris, et pro salute eius supplicamus, quod et 25 uos quoque facere debetis. Speratus dixit: Si tranquillas praebueris aures tuas, dico mysterium simplicitatis. Saturninus dixit: Initianti tibi mala de sacris nostris mocked at them, magnifying their own idols, and imputed to them the punishment of the Christians. Even the more reasonable, and those who had seemed to sympathize somewhat, reproached them often, saying, 'Where is their God, and what has their religion, which they have chosen 5 rather than life, profited them?' So various was their conduct toward us; but we were in deep affliction because we could not bury the bodies. For neither did night avail us for this purpose, nor did money persuade, nor entreaty move to compassion; but they kept watch in every way, as 10 if the prevention of the burial would be of some great advantage to them. A. N. L. Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs. When Praesens, for the second time, and Claudianus were the consuls, on the seventeenth day of July, at Carthage, there were set in the judgment-hall Speratus, 15 Nartzalus, Cittinus, Donata, Secunda and Vestia. Saturninus the proconsul said: Ye can win the indulgence of our lord the Emperor, if ye return to a sound mind. Speratus said: We have never done ill, we have not lent ourselves to wrong, we have never spoken ill, but 20 when ill-treated we have given thanks; because we pay heed to OUR EMPEROR. Saturninus the proconsul said: We too are religious, and our religion is simple, and we swear by the genius of our lord the Emperor, and pray for his welfare, as ye also 25 ought to do. Speratus said: If thou wilt peaceably lend me thine ears, I can tell thee the mystery of simplicity. Saturninus said: I will not lend mine ears to thee, when 5 aures non praebebo; sed potius iura per genium domini nostri imperatoris. Speratus dixit: Ego imperium huius seculi non cognosco; sed magis illi Deo seruio, quem nemo hominum uidit nec uidere his oculis potest. furtum non feci; sed siquid emero teloneum reddo: quia cognosco dominum meum, regem regum et imperatorem omnium gentium. Saturninus proconsul dixit ceteris: Desinite huius esse Io persuasionis. 15 20 25 30 Speratus dixit: Mala est persuasio homicidium facere, falsum testimonium dicere. Saturninus proconsul dixit: Nolite huius dementiae esse participes. Cittinus dixit: Nos non habemus alium quem timeamus, nisi dominum Deum nostrum qui est in caelis. Donata dixit: Honorem Caesari quasi Caesari ; timorem autem Deo. Vestia dixit: Christiana sum. Secunda dixit: Quod sum, ipsud uolo esse. Christianus ? Perseueras Speratus dixit: Christianus sum: et cum eo omnes consenserunt. Saturninus proconsul dixit: Numquid ad deliberandum spatium uultis? Speratus dixit: In re tam iusta nulla est deliberatio. uestra ? Speratus dixit: Libri et epistulae Pauli uiri iusti. Saturninus proconsul dixit: Moram XXX dierum habete et recordemini. thou beginnest to speak evil things of our sacred rites; but rather swear thou by the genius of our lord the Emperor. Speratus said: The empire of this world I know not; but rather I serve that God, whom no man hath seen, nor 5 with these eyes can see1. I have committed no theft; but if I have bought anything I pay the tax; because I know my Lord, the King of kings and Emperor of all nations. Saturninus the proconsul said to the rest: Cease to be of this persuasion. Speratus said: It is an ill persuasion to do murder, to speak false witness. Saturninus the proconsul said: Be not partakers of this folly. 10 Cittinus said: We have none other to fear, save only 15 our Lord God, who is in heaven. Donata said: Honour to Caesar as Caesar: but fear to God 2. Vestia said: I am a Christian. Secunda said: What I am, that I wish to be. Saturninus the proconsul said to Speratus: Dost thou persist in being a Christian? Speratus said: I am a Christian. And with him they all agreed. 20 Saturninus the proconsul said: Will ye have a space to 25 consider? Speratus said: In a matter so straightforward there is no considering. Saturninus the proconsul said: What are the things in your chest? Speratus said: Books and epistles of Paul, a just man. Saturninus the proconsul said: Have a delay of thirty days and bethink yourselves. 11 Tim. vi. 16. ? Cf. Rom. xiii. 7. 30 G |