the Christians. He was by nature inclined to tyranny, and was a furious
blood-hound, as Eutropius writes, so that he did not hesitate to kill
his sister’s son, and finally, through the atrocity of his own wicked
nature, and evil counsel suggested to him, he became an enemy and
persecutor of the Christians. He sent letters to the Governors of the
Roman country, that they should vex the Christians; but when he was
about actually to carry the persecution into effect, he could not sign
the decrees which were to be issued against the Christians, because God
smote him, so that his hand was paralyzed. Through divine judgment he
was terrified by thunder, lightning, and fire-darts, at the time that
he was constantly meditating how he might slay and exterminate the
Christians; and shortly after was himself killed by his notary.” _Third
book, for the year 270, page 76, col. 2, from Chron. Mich. Sac., fol.
178. Euseb., lib. 7. Chron. Seb. Fr., fol. 18. Chron. Carionis, lib. 3,
Hist. Andreæ, fol. 178, 2d part, fol. 175. Paul. Mer., fol. 226. Jan.
Crespin., fol. 62. Chron. Andreæ, lib. 13, fol. 343._
WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THE INTRODUCTION, ETC. HAS WRITTEN ABOUT THIS
PERSECUTION.
In A. D. 273 arose the ninth persecution of the Christians, under the
Emperor Aurelian; but it was not as great as the former, because death
suddenly overtook him as he proposed to himself, to begin it. Under him
were killed ... and many others, concerning whom no special accounts
are extant. _Fol. 41, col. 2._
Notwithstanding Emperor Aurelian could not himself sign the
abovementioned decrees against the Christians, the persecution
nevertheless proceeded in some places, so that here and there some laid
down their lives for the testimony of Jesus Christ; of whom we shall
mention only a few, whom we have selected as true martyrs.
PRIVATUS, BISHOP OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST AT GEVAULDAN, BEATEN TO
DEATH WITH STICKS FOR THE TRUE FAITH, ABOUT A. D. 274.
When Chorus, the king of the Germans, in the time of Valerian, and
Aurelian, yea, up to the time of Probus, devastated France, he found
among other martyrs who dwelt separated from men in deserts and
mountains, a certain pious man, called Privatus, Bishop of the church
at Gevauldan. This man, sojourning in the mountains, fasting and
praying, was taken prisoner by the Germans, and because he, as behooves
a good shepherd, would not deliver his lambs into the claws of the
wolves, by himself sacrificing to Satan, which he would in no wise
do, he was beaten with sticks by them for a very long time, till they
left him lie for dead; in consequence of which treatment he also died
a few days after. This happened, as some have supposed, under Valerian
and Gallien, but in reality, under Aurelian. Compare _A. Mell., 1st
book, fol. 89, col. 1, from Greg. Turon. Hist., lib. 1, cap. 34_, with
_Introduction, fol. 41, col. 2_, where he is called Privatus, Bishop of
Gablen.
MAMAS, A SHEPHERD, THRUST THROUGH WITH A THREE-PRONGED SPEAR, FOR THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT CESAREA IN CAPPADOCIA, ABOUT A. D. 274.
Mamas, a shepherd, who pastured his sheep upon the mountains and in the
wildernesses of Cappadocia, lived very poorly, without a hut, dwelling
under the blue heavens, and subsisting on the milk and cheese of his
flock, as Basilius testifies. Nazianzenus adds, that the hinds also
suffered themselves to be milked by him daily, and that he was thus fed
by them.
Basilius says, that from the course of the heavenly bodies he learned
to know the wonderful works of God, his Creator, and thus his eternal
power and wisdom. However, the accounts written concerning him state
that he had the word of God with him in the desert, and that he read in
it daily.
It is quite probable, writes Mellinus, that this Mamas, in order to
escape the persecution in the time of Decius and Valerian, went into
the wilderness, and remained there till the time of Aurelian, whose
proconsul of Cappadocia, Alexander, caused him to be brought out of
the wilderness, and to appear before him, at Cesarea, the capital of
Cappadocia.
The proconsul called him a sorcerer or conjurer, because the wild
animals of the wilderness so tamely submitted to him.
Mamas answered: “I am a servant of Christ, and know nothing about
sorcery; but would rather live among the wild animals, than among you:
for they feel the power of their Creator in and through me; but ye will
not know God. I cannot sufficiently wonder that you, who have attained
to gray hairs, are still in such gross darkness of ignorance, as to
forsake the true and living God, and give divine honor to deaf and dumb
idols.”
When he was requested to say at least with his lips, that he would
sacrifice to the gods, so as to escape punishment, Mamas replied: “I
shall never, either with my lips, or with my heart, deny the true God
and King, Jesus Christ. So far am I from seeking to escape suffering
for the name of Christ, that I, on the contrary, consider it the
highest honor, the greatest gain, and the utmost benefit, which you can
confer upon me.”
Upon this confession, the proconsul had him placed on the rack, cruelly
scourged, tormented with pincers, burnt on his sides with lamps and
torches, and tortured in various other ways. But seeing that in all
these and other torments he remained steadfast, he finally had him
thrust through with a three-pronged spear; and thus Mamas became a
faithful martyr for his Savior, under Emperor Aurelian, at Cesarea in
Cappadocia. _A. Mell., 1st book, fol. 89, col. 2, 3, ex Basilii Concio,
in Mart. Mamant. Nazianz. Orat. 43. Act. per Metaphrast._
SYMPHORIAN, A PIOUS CHRISTIAN, BEHEADED FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS,
AT AUGUSTODUNUM, NOW CALLED AUTUM, ABOUT A. D. 275.
It is stated that at this time, as the heathen at Augustodunum, now
called Autum, in Burgundy, on a feast-day of the goddess Cybele, whom
they called the mother of the gods, carried around her image on a
wagon, in procession, a certain pious Christian, called Symphorianus,
met this image, and refused to worship it; in consequence of which he
was apprehended as an impious person, or despiser of the gods, and
brought before Heraclius, the Proconsul, who, in that city, exercised
the strictest vigilance over the Christians. When he stood before the
judgment-seat, the Proconsul asked him for his name. Symphorian replied
that he was a Christian by religion, was born of Christian parents, and
had received the name Symphorian.
The Judge said: “Why didst thou not honor the mother of the gods, or
worship her image?”
Symphorian answered: “Because I am a Christian, and call only upon the
living God, who reigns in heaven. But as to the image of Satan I not
only do not worship it, but, if you will let me, I will break it in
pieces with a hammer.”
The Judge said: “This man is not only sacrilegious at heart, but also
obstinate and a rebel; but perhaps he knows nothing of the ordinances
or decrees of the Emperor. Let the officer, therefore, read to him the
decrees of the Emperors.”
The decrees having been read to him, Symphorian said: “I shall
notwithstanding never confess that this image is anything but a
worthless idol of Satan, by which he persuades men that he is a god;
while it is an evident demonstration of their eternal destruction for
all those who put their trust in it.”
Upon this confession, the Judge caused him to be scourged and cast into
prison, to keep him for some other day. Some time after, he had him
brought again before his judgment-seat, and addressed him with kind
words, saying: “Symphorian, sacrifice to the gods, that thou mayest be
promoted to the highest honor and state at court. If not, I call the
gods to witness that I am compelled this day, after various tortures,
to sentence thee to death.”
Symphorian answered: “What matters it, if we deliver up this life
to Christ, since, by reason of debt, in any event we must pay it to
him? Your gifts and presents are mingled with the sweetness of the
adulterated honey, with which you poison the minds of the unbelieving.
But our treasures and riches are ever in Christ, our Lord, alone; and
do not perish through age or length of time; whereas your desire is
insatiable, and you possess nothing, even though you have everything
in abundance. The joy and mirth which you enjoy in this world, is like
fine glass, which, if placed in the radiance and heat of the sun,
cracks and breaks in two; but God alone is our supreme happiness.”
After Symphorian had said these and like things before the Judge,
Heraclius, the Proconsul, pronounced sentence of death upon him,
saying: “Symphorian, having openly been found guilty of death, because
he hath blasphemed against the holy altars, shall be executed with the
sword.”
When this godly confessor was led to death, to be offered up to Christ,
his mother called down to him from the wall of the city this comforting
admonition: “Symphorian, my son! my son! remember the living God; let
thy heart be steadfast and valiant. We can surely not fear death, which
beyond doubt leads us into the true life. Lift up thy heart to heaven,
my son, and behold him who reigns in heaven! To-day thy life will not
be taken from thee, but be changed into a better one. If thou remainest
steadfast to-day, thou shalt make a happy exchange: leaving this
earthly house, thou shalt go to dwell in the tabernacle not made with
hands.”
Symphorian, having been thus strengthened by his mother, was taken out
of the city, and beheaded there, having commended his soul into the
hands of God, in the time of Emperor Aurelian, and Heraclius, the
Proconsul, at Autum in Burgundy. His dead body was buried by certain
Christians. Compare _A. Mell., 1st book, fol. 19, col. 4_, and _fol.
90, col. 1, ex Actis Proconsul. Greg. Turan. Degl. Confess., cap. 77_,
and _Hist., lib. 2, cap. 15_, with different other authors concerning
Symphorian.
SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF THE PRECEDING MARTYRS, A. D. 284,
DIOCLETIAN ATTAINED TO THE REIGN OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, AND SHORTLY
AFTERWARDS ISSUED HIS FIRST EDICT AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS, WHICH WAS
FOLLOWED BY A SECOND IN 302, CALLED THE TENTH PERSECUTION OF THE
CHRISTIANS.
Before the tenth general and severe persecution of the Christians
began, A. D. 302, many Christians were put to death in different
places, and throughout this whole period, by virtue of the first
edict of Diocletian. Of these we shall present a few, and then, with
the beginning of the next century, proceed to the tenth and severest
persecution.
CLAUDIUS, ASTERIUS, AND NEON, THREE BROTHERS, CRUCIFIED FOR THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST; ALSO TWO WOMEN, DONUINA AND THEONILLA,
TORMENTED TO DEATH FOR THE SAME TESTIMONY, AT ÆGÆA IN CILICIA, A. D.
285.
It is stated that in the second year of the reign of Emperor
Diocletian, which coincides with the year 285, three pious Christians,
spiritual as well as natural brothers, called Claudius, Asterius, and
Neon, were accused to the Judge of the City of Aegæa, in Cilicia, of
being Christians, by their stepmother, who, as it seems, was a heathen
woman.
Two godfearing Christian women, named Donuina, and Theonilla, were also
accused with them. They were all imprisoned till the arrival of Lysias,
the Proconsul, who, on his tour through the provinces of Cilicia, also
came to Aegæa, and there held criminal court against the Christians.
_How Claudius was examined first._--Claudius being first brought before
his judgment-seat, Lysias asked him for his name, and admonished him,
not thus rashly to throw away the bloom of his youth, but to sacrifice
to the gods, and thus obey the command of the Emperor, that he might
escape the ready penalty.
Claudius answered: “Our God does not need these sacrifices; he has
more pleasure in works of love and mercy towards our fellowmen, and in
holiness of life; but your gods are unclean evil spirits, and delight
in such sacrifices, by which they bring eternal punishment upon those
who offer them. You shall therefore never be able to persuade me to
honor them.”
Lysias said: “Bind him, and scourge him with rods; for there is no
other way to tame his folly.”
Claudius said: “By these severe tortures thou shalt not harm me, but
wilt bring down upon thyself eternal punishment.”
Lysias said: “Our lords, the Emperors, have commanded that the
Christians shall sacrifice to the gods. It is their will, that the
disobedient be punished; while to them who obey their commandment they
promise honor and office.”
Claudius replied: “These gifts and benefits endure but a short time,
but the confession of Christ imparts eternal glory.”
Lysias commanded that they should suspend him on the torture-stake, put
fire under his feet, and cut off pieces from his heels.
Claudius said: “They who fear God with all their hearts cannot be
overcome either by fire or by other torments; for they know that even
these things are serviceable to them unto eternal life.”
Lysias commanded: “Let him be tormented with pincers, scraped or cut
with potsherds, and burned with torches.”
Claudius said: “I say nevertheless, that thou doest all this for Satan,
and that it conduces to my welfare, but tends to thy eternal perdition.
Yea, thy fire and all these torments promote my salvation. Such is our
condition, that those who thus suffer for the name of Christ, obtain
eternal life.”
Lysias then commanded: “Desist from him; lead him back into prison, and
bring forth another.”
_Asterius examined._--When Asterius, the second brother, stood before
the Proconsul, Lysias said: “Obey me, Asterius! sacrifice to the gods,
and thus escape punishment.”
Asterius answered: “I shall not do it; for I worship the only true God,
who has created heaven and earth, and who shall come to judge the quick
and the dead.”
Lysias said: “Throw him on the rack, tear his flesh from his sides with
pincers, and say to him: ‘Believe now at least, and sacrifice to the
gods.’”
Asterius replied: “I am a brother of him who was tormented just now,
and we hold the same confession of faith in Christ. Do what thou
mayest; my body is in thy power, but not my soul.”
Lysias commanded: “Bind him hand and foot, stretch him out, and torture
him; take the pincers, throw hot coals under his feet, scourge him with
rods and thongs.”
Asterius said to the Proconsul: “Thou doest foolishly, since thou art
preparing, not for me, but for thyself, much severer torments. Do thy
best, for aught I care. I can stand it, if not one member of my body
remains untormented.”
Lysias said: “Loose him, and keep him in custody with the other; and
let the third one be brought forth.” This was done.
_Neon examined._--When Neon stood before the judgment-seat, Lysias said
to him: “Son, listen to me, and sacrifice to the gods, so that thou
needst not suffer all this.”
Neon said: “There are no gods, neither have they any power. You worship
idols, but I honor the God of heaven.”
Lysias said: “Take him by the throat and let the crier announce to him,
to desist blaspheming the gods.”
Neon answered: “He that speaks does not blaspheme the truth.”
Lysias commanded: “Stretch him out on the rack; put coals under him;
beat and cut him.”
Neon said: “I know what is needful for me. Whatever, then, is
profitable to my soul, that shall I do; but I cannot be moved from my
faith.”
Lysias having gone within to the other members of the tribunal, and
having drawn the cover over the court, determined with them upon
the sentence of death for the three brothers. When he came out, he
read from a tablet their sentence, which was as follows: “Claudius,
Asterius, and Neon, brothers, who are Christians, who blaspheme the
gods, and refuse to sacrifice, shall be crucified before the forum, and
their bodies be given to the birds of heaven as food, to be devoured
by them; and this shall be executed by Eulalius, the jailer, and
Archelaus, the executioner.”
However, before they were led forth to death, they were taken back to
prison. Then Eulalius, the jailer, brought out Donuina, one of the
women imprisoned, to whom Lysias, the Proconsul, said: “See, woman,
this fire and these torments are ready for you. If you desire to escape
unhurt by them, sacrifice before the gods.”
Donuina replied: “I shall not do it, lest I fall into the everlasting
pains of hell. I serve God and his anointed Christ, who has created
heaven and earth, and all that is therein. Your gods are of wood and
stone, and are made by human hands.”
_Donuina examined on the rack._--Lysias said: “Strip her stark naked,
stretch her, and lacerate all her members with rods.” While they were
beating her she died. Then said Archelaus, the executioner, to the
Proconsul: “Your highness, Donuina has died.” Lysias commanded: “Let
her dead body be thrown into the river.”
Eulalius, the jailer, then said: “Here is Theonilla.” Lysias said to
her: “Woman, thou hast seen, what punishment they who were disobedient
have suffered, and how they have been tormented. Honor the gods,
therefore, and sacrifice, so that thou mayest be delivered from these
punishments.”
Theonilla answered: “I fear him who has power to cast both soul and
body into the fire of hell; and who will burn with it all those who
depart from God, and give honor to Satan.”
Lysias said: “Smite her on the cheeks, throw her down, bind her feet,
and torment her greatly.”
Theonilla answered: “Does it seem to thee, to be right and proper,
thus to maltreat a well-born woman? Thou knowest, that thou canst not
conceal from God what thou doest to me.”
Lysias commanded: “Hang her up by the braids of her hair, and smite her
on the cheeks.”
_Theonilla severely examined on the rack._--Having been stripped naked,
Theonilla said: “Art thou not ashamed to uncover my nakedness, seeing
that through me, thou puttest to like shame thy mother and thy wife,
who are also women?”
Lysias asked whether she had a husband, or whether she was a widow?
Theonilla replied: “I have been a widow now for over twenty-three
years, and have remained thus single, in order to more zealously serve
God with fasting, watching and praying; which God I did not know until
after I had renounced the world and the idols.”
Lysias commanded them, in order to disgrace her the more, to shave
the hair from her head, put bundles of thorns around her body, and
stretch her out between four stakes, then, to beat her over her whole
body, and put hot coals upon her, that she might be consumed. When
Eulalius, the jailer, and Archelaus, the executioner, had done all
this, death ensued, and they said to Lysias: “Sir, she is dead now.”
Lysias commanded that her dead body should be sewed up in a leathern
bag, and thrown into the water; which was done. Thus did these holy
martyrs suffer, under Lysias, the Proconsul of Cilicia, in Aegæa,
on the 23d of August, in the second year of Diocletian, when he was
Burgomaster with Aristobulus, A. D. 285. These acts have for the most
part been taken from the records of the clerk of the criminal court of
the city of Aegæa, and were gathered by the ancient Christians. These
court documents were called _Acta Proconsularia_. Compare this with _A.
Mell., 1st book, fol. 92, col. 3, 4_, and _fol. 93, col. 1_.
ZENOBIUS AND HIS SISTER ZENOBIA, BEHEADED AFTER MANY TORMENTS, FOR THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AEGÆA IN CILICIA, A. D. 285.
Not long afterwards, under the same Emperor and Proconsul, and in the
same year, Zenobius, Bishop of the church of Aegæa in Cilicia, and his
sister, were apprehended; and when there were held out to him on the
one hand, great wealth, honor, and position, if, in accordance with
the command of the Emperor, he would serve the gods, but on the other
hand, manifold torments, Zenobius answered: “I love Jesus Christ more
than all the riches and honor of this world. Death and the torments
with which you threaten me, I do not consider a disadvantage, but my
greatest gain.”
Having received this answer from the martyr, Lysias caused him to be
suspended on the rack, and inhumanly tormented on his whole body.
While the executioners were busy with Zenobius, his sister Zenobia,
having learned of it, came running, crying with a loud voice: “Thou
tyrant, what villainy has my brother committed, that thou dost thus
cruelly torment him?”
Having thus addressed Lysias, and set at naught his entreating as
well as his threatening words, she, too, was seized by the servants,
stripped naked, and stretched out, and roasted beside her brother on
a redhot iron bed, or roasting pan. The tyrant, deriding the martyrs,
said: “Now let Christ come and help you, seeing you suffer these
torments for him.”
Zenobius replied: “See, he is already with us, and cools, with his
heavenly dew the flames of fire on our bodies; though thou, surrounded
as thou art with the thick darkness of wickedness, canst not perceive
it on us.”
Lysias, almost beside himself, commanded that they should be put naked
into boiling caldrons. But seeing that the boiling water did not injure
them, or, at least, that they could not thereby be made to apostatize,
he had them taken out of the city and beheaded. Their dead bodies were
buried by Caius and Hermogenes in the nearest cave. This happened A.
D. 285, on the 30th day of October; in the city of Aegæa in Cilicia.
_Idem. Ibidem. ex Actis Zenobii procons. per Metaphorast._
THARACUS, PROBUS, AND ANDRONICUS, THREE PIOUS CHRISTIANS, FIRST VERY
DREADFULLY TORMENTED, THEN THROWN BEFORE THE WILD BEASTS, AND FINALLY
THRUST THROUGH, FOR THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, AT TARSUS IN CILICIA,
A. D. 290.
At Tarsus in Cilicia, the birthplace of the apostle Paul, there were
imprisoned, A. D. 290, three pious Christians, namely, Tharacus,
Probus, and Andronicus; who, having been brought to prison, before the
tribunal, and to the rack, and having suffered beyond measure for the
name of the Lord and the faith in Jesus Christ, were finally put to
death, concerning which we shall notice and present to the reader the
judicial proceedings, as we have found them in ancient authors. From
_Act. Procons_.
When Diocletian was Emperor for the fourth, and Maximian for the third
time, Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus were brought by the captain
Demetrius before Maximus, the President, at Pompeiopolis.
_First examination of Tharacus._--Maximus first asked Tharacus his
name, because the latter was the oldest. Tharacus answered: “I am a
Christian.”
Maximus said: “Be silent about this ungodly name, and tell me your
name.”
Tharacus again replied: “I am a Christian.”
Maximus said to his beadles: “Break his jaws, and tell him not to
answer me thus any more.”
Tharacus responded: “I have told thee my best name; but if thou
desirest to know how my parents called me, my name is Tharacus, and
when I followed war, I was called Victor.”
The President asked him: “Of what nation art thou, Tharacus?”
He answered: “Of the noble nation of the Romans, and was born at
Claudianopolis, a city in Syria; but being a Christian I have abandoned
war.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou art not worthy of the pay, but how didst
thou leave the service?”
Tharacus replied: “I asked Publius, our General, for permission, and he
discharged me.”
The President said: “Have regard for thy age, then; for I desire
thee, too, to be one of those who obey the commands of our lords,
the emperors; so that thou mayest be promoted by me to great honors.
Come hither, therefore, and sacrifice to our gods, for the princes
themselves, who are the monarchs of the whole world, honor the gods.”
Tharacus answered: “They err grossly; however, they are seduced by
Satan.”
The President said: “Smite him on the cheek, because he has said that
the emperors err.”
Tharacus replied: “Yes, I have said it, and say it still, that they as
men are liable to err.”
The President said: “Sacrifice to our gods, and forsake thy folly.”
Tharacus answered: “I serve my God, and sacrifice to him: not with
blood, but with a pure heart; for these sacrifices (namely such as are
stained with blood) are unnecessary.”
The President said: “I have pity for thy age; therefore I admonish
thee, to forsake this folly, and sacrifice to the gods.”
Tharacus replied: “I will not depart from the law of the Lord; and
because I honor the law of God, I shall beware of such wickedness.”
The President said: “Is there, then, another law besides this, thou
wicked wretch?”
Tharacus answered: “Your law commands to worship wood, stone, and the
work of man.”
_Tharacus put to the rack._--The Proconsul or President then said to
his hangmen: “Smite him on the neck, and tell him not to speak such
folly.”
While they were beating Tharacus, he said: “I shall by no means abandon
this confession, which saves me.”
The Proconsul said: “I shall make thee forsake this folly, and be more
prudent.”
Tharacus answered: “Do what thou wilt; thou hast full power over my
body.”
Maximus, the Proconsul, said to his servants: “Strip him, and scourge
him with rods.”
Tharacus answered, as he was scourged: “Truly, thou hast made me more
prudent, since by these stripes thou strengthenest me more and more in
my confidence in God and his Anointed, Jesus Christ, who is his Son.”
The President said: “Thou accursed and unrighteous fellow! how canst
thou serve two gods at once. See, now thou dost certainly confess more
than one god. Why then, deniest thou those whom we worship? Dost thou
not confess Christ and the Lord?”