(A.D. 315.)
[Greek Menaea and Menologium. The Acts in Metaphrastes are compiled
from the original genuine Acts, and may be trusted.]
When Licinius was in Mysia he sought out the Christians, to punish them
with death, being moved thereto by his great hatred to the religion of
Christ, which Constantine protected. Socrates says, in his
"Ecclesiastical History," that Licinius hated the Christians; and that,
although for a while, from dread of Constantine, he avoided open
persecution, yet he managed to plot against them covertly, and at length
proceeded to acts of undisguised malevolence. The persecution, however,
was local, not extending beyond those districts where Licinius himself
was, but these and other public outrages could not long remain concealed
from Constantine. By this perfidy he drew upon himself the Emperor
Constantine's heaviest displeasure; and the pretended treaty of
friendship having been so flagrantly violated, it was not long before
they took up arms against each other.[44]
When Licinius was at Sigidunum (Belgrade), on the Danube, a deacon,
named Hermylus, was denounced to him as a despiser of the gods of Rome.
The Emperor ordered him to be brought before him. The order was obeyed.
Then the Emperor said, "Answer me, and tell me openly, dost thou confess
thyself to be a Christian?"
"Not only do I acknowledge myself to be a Christian, but to be
consecrated a deacon to the service of God."
"Well then, be deacon in the service of the gods," said Licinius.
"Thou must be deaf, Emperor! I said that I served God the all-seeing,
not these blind stocks."
Licinius ordered the deacon to be smitten on the cheeks, and said, "Not
so glib with thy tongue, Hermylus. Honour the Emperor, sacrifice to the
gods, and save thy life."
Then Hermylus cried out with a loud voice, "Thou shalt endure torments
without end, from the hand of God, because thou dost adore vain idols,
and seekest to destroy those who serve the living God, as though envious
of their superiority."
Then the martyr was taken back to prison. And after three days he was
again brought forth, and when Licinius had mounted the tribunal, he
said, "Well now, Hermylus, art thou prepared to abandon this folly and
escape what is in store for thee?"
But the deacon answered, "I am ready to endure. There is one God in
heaven to whom I live, and to whom I am ready to die. He will succour
me."
"We shall soon see what His succour is worth," said the Emperor; and
ordered him to be beaten. Then six men cast him on the ground and
stripped him, and scourged him. But Hermylus cried, "O Lord my God, who
before Pilate enduredst the scourge, strengthen me suffering for Thee,
that I may finish my course, and that, being made partaker in Thy
sufferings, I maybe made also to partake in Thy glory."
Then there was heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Verily, verily,
Hermylus, in three days shalt thou receive a glorious reward!" Hearing
this, the martyr was filled with boldness, and a great fear fell on all
around. Then Licinius hastily remitted the deacon to prison. Now the
jailor's name was Stratonicus, and he was a disciple, but secretly, like
Nicodemus, not having great boldness, and he comforted Hermylus in the
dungeon as well as he could, for he was also his personal friend.
On the morrow, the Emperor ordered the brave soldier of Christ to be led
forth again, and beaten on the stomach, as his back was one great wound,
and the instrument wherewith he was to be beaten was a willow rod,
twisted and knotted into a triangle, and this, say the Acts, was a most
excruciating torture, for the angles and knots cut like knives into the
flesh. But as he bore this with unflinching constancy, the tyrant
commanded that his belly should be torn with little iron hooks. Then
Stratonicus, the jailor, unable to bear the sight of his friend's
sufferings, covered his face with his hands and burst into tears. Seeing
this, the soldiers who stood by jeered him, and called the attention of
the Emperor to the agitation of the jailor. Then Stratonicus, mustering
up all his courage, cast himself before Licinius, and cried, "Sire! I am
a Christian, I believe in God, the maker of heaven and earth." Then
Licinius ordered him to be scourged. And Stratonicus, looking piteously
at his friend, said, "Hermylus, pray for me to Christ, that I may be
able to endure!"
And when Licinius saw that Stratonicus was covered with wounds, he bade
the executioners desist, and he remitted the jailor and the prisoner to
the same dungeon. But on the morrow, finding Stratonicus resolute, he
ordered him and Hermylus to be drowned in the Danube. Then they were
tied up in nets and cast into the river. Three days after their bodies
were washed up, and were buried by the Christians.