(ABOUT A.D. 50.)
[Roman Martyrology. She is often confounded with S. Priscilla
mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, the wife of Aquila, but
called Prisca in the second epistle of Paul to Timothy. What adds
to the confusion is, that S. Prisca is said in her Acts to have
suffered under Claudius, but whether Claudius, who reigned from
41-54, or the second Claudius, who reigned from 263 to 270, is not
stated; but it seems probable that it was under the first
Claudius.[78] The Acts of S. Prisca are a forgery, and deserve no
confidence. The following account is taken from the Martyrologies.]
S. Prisca, a maiden of consular birth, being accused of Christianity,
at the age of thirteen, was ordered by the Emperor Claudius to
sacrifice to idols. On her steadfastly refusing, she was beaten with
the hand and cast into prison. On the morrow she was again urged to
sacrifice, but when she remained invincible, she was beaten with rods,
and then taken back to prison. The third day she was exposed to a lion,
which however crouched at her feet, doing her no injury. Then, having
been tortured on the little horse, with hooks and pincers, she was led
outside of the city, and was decapitated.
An eagle is said to have defended her body from dogs, till Christians
came and buried it.