all Christians, for whose sake we are wounded, and healed.”
The President said: “Leave off this useless babbling; come hither, and
sacrifice.”
“I do not say much,” replied Tharacus, “but I speak the truth; for I am
now sixty-five years old, and have believed thus, and do not desire to
depart from the truth.”
Demetrius, the Centurion, said: “O wretched man! spare thyself,
sacrifice, and follow my advice.”
Tharacus answered: “Depart from me, thou servant of Satan, with thy
advice.”
Maximus commanded them, to put heavy iron chains on him, and take him
back to prison, and to bring forth another.
_Probus examined._--Demetrius, the Captain, said: “Lord, here is one
already.”
Thereupon the President said to Probus: “Tell me first thy name.”
Probus answered: “In the first place, my noblest name is, that I am a
Christian; secondly, men call me Probus.”
The Proconsul asked again: “Of what nation and descent art thou?”
Probus replied: “My father was from Thracia, a citizen, born at
Pergamus, in Pamphilia; but I am a Christian.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou shalt not gain much by this name; but listen
to me, and sacrifice to the gods; that thou mayest be honored by the
princes, and be our friend.”
Probus answered: “I desire neither honor from the emperors nor thy
friendship; for not small was the wealth which I forsook, in order
faithfully to serve the living God.”
The Proconsul commanded them, to take his cloak off him, strip him,
rack him, and scourge him with raw thongs. While they scourged him,
Demetrius, the captain, said: “O wretched man! behold, how thy blood is
spilled upon the earth.”
Probus replied: “My body is in your hands; but all these torments are a
precious balm to me.”
After he was scourged, the Proconsul said to him: “Thou wretch! wilt
thou not yet cease from thy folly? and dost thou still persist in thy
obstinacy?”
Probus answered: “I am not vain, but more courageous in the Lord, than
you people are.”
The President said to his servants: “Turn him over, and scourge him on
his stomach.”
Probus prayed, saying: “O Lord, come and succor thy servant.”
Maximus, the Proconsul, said to the executioners: “While you scourge
him, ask him, saying: ‘Where is thy helper?’”
Probus replied as they scourged him: “He has helped me, and shall still
help me.”
The President said: “Thou wretched man! do spare thine own body; for
the earth is soaked with thy blood.”
Probus answered: “Be assured, the more my body suffers for the name of
Christ, the more my soul is healed and quickened.”
After he had been thus scourged and tortured, the Proconsul commanded
them to fetter his hands and feet with irons, and thus keep him in
prison; however to bring before him another.
_Andronicus examined._--Demetrius, the Centurion, placed Andronicus
before Maximus’ judgment seat, saying: “Sir, here is the third one.”
The Proconsul said: “What is thy name?”
Andronicus answered: “Wouldst thou openly know who I am? I am a
Christian.”
Maximus said: “Those who have preceded thee have gained nothing by
this name; therefore thou must answer me aright.”
Andronicus replied: “Men generally call me Andronicus.”
Maximus asked him of what nationality he was.
Andronicus answered: “Of noble blood.”
Maximus said: “Spare thyself, and hearken to me, as to thy father; for
those who have prated such nonsense before thee have gained nothing by
it. But honor thou the princes and the fathers, and be obedient to our
gods.”
Andronicus replied: “Thou didst well call them fathers; for thou art
of the father, the devil, and, having become one of his children, thou
doest his works.”
Maximus said: “Wilt thou, a stripling, despise and mock me? Knowest
thou not, what torments are ready for thee?”
Andronicus said: “Dost thou think I am a fool, that I should be willing
to be found inferior to my predecessors, in suffering? I stand prepared
to endure all thy torments.”
The Proconsul commanded that he should be stripped, ungirded, and
suspended to the torture-stake. Demetrius, the Captain, moved by pity,
said: “Listen to me, wretched man, before thy body be racked.”
Andronicus answered: “It is better that my body perish, than that thou
shouldst do with my soul according to thy pleasure.”
Maximus said: “Take advice, and sacrifice, before thou be tortured to
death.”
Andronicus replied: “Never from my youth up did I sacrifice, and do
still not wish to do so, though thou constrain me.”
Maximus said: “Lay on, and rack him well.”
Anaximus, the horn-blower, who was to execute the sentence, spoke to
Andronicus, saying: “I am old enough to be thy father; I advise thee to
the best: do what the Proconsul commands thee.”
Andronicus replied: “Because thou art older, and hast no understanding,
therefore thou advisest me to sacrifice to stones and evil spirits.”
While he was being tormented, the Proconsul said: “Thou wretched man!
Dost thou not feel any torments, seeing thou hast no compassion upon
thyself, and dost not forsake thy folly, which cannot save thee?”
Andronicus answered: “My sincere confession, which thou callest a vain
folly, is perfectly good, as putting all hope and confidence upon the
Lord our God; but thy temporal wisdom shall die forever.”
The President asked: “Who is it that has taught thee this folly?”
Andronicus replied: “The quickening word, by which we are quickened,
teaches us that our Lord is in heaven, who works in our hearts the
living hope of our blessed resurrection from the dead.”
Maximus said: “Desist from this folly before we torture thee still more
severely.”
Andronicus answered: “My body is before thee; thou hast full power over
it; do as it pleaseth thee.”
The Proconsul said: “Torture him exceedingly on the mouth.”
Andronicus replied: “The Lord sees that you punish me even as a
murderer.”
The President said: “Dost thou still despise the commands of the
princes? and thinkest thou my tribunal is without power?”
Andronicus answered: “I trust in the mercy and truth of God’s promise,
and therefore I suffer all this patiently.”
Maximus asked: “Have, then, the princes transgressed, thou wretched
man?”
Andronicus replied: “Yes, according as I understand it, they have; for
it is a transgression to sacrifice to idols.”
While he was being tormented, the Proconsul said: “Turn him over, and
torment him on his sides.”
Andronicus said: “I am before you. Torment me as you please.”
The President said to the executioners: “Take potsherds, and scrape
open the old wounds.”
When they had done this, Andronicus said: “You have strengthened my
body by these torments.”
Maximus said: “Ere long I shall exterminate thee; ere long I shall kill
thee.”
Andronicus answered: “I do not fear thy threats; my sentiments are
better than all thy wicked thoughts.”
Then the Proconsul commanded that irons should be put on his neck and
feet, and he be kept with the others until the second examination.
SECOND EXAMINATION OF THE THREE AFOREMENTIONED CHRISTIANS.
[Illustration: SECOND EXAMINATION OF THARACUS.]
When Maximus held court the second time over these faithful witnesses
of Jesus Christ, and sat upon his judgment-seat, he said: “Call in the
ungodly Christians.” Demetrius, the captain, answered: “Here I am, my
lord!” Then said the Proconsul to Tharacus: “Knowest thou not, that
age is honored in many respects? Hast thou, then, not considered it,
whether thou wilt still persist in thy first intention? Yea, advise
with thyself, and sacrifice to the gods, for the prosperity of the
princes; that thou mayest attain to honor.”
Tharacus answered: “If the princes and others who are of the same
opinion with you, knew what there is in this honor, they themselves
would turn away from the blindness of their vain conversation.”
_Tharacus put on the rack the second time._--The Proconsul said to his
beadles: “Strike him on the mouth with stones, and say to him: Desist
from thy folly.” Tharacus answered: “If I did not exercise more care
for my salvation than you people do, I would be as foolish as you are.”
The President said to him: “See, they have knocked thy teeth out; do
have compassion upon thyself.”
Tharacus replied: “Do not imagine this; for though thou shouldst cause
everyone of my members to be crushed, I could still remain strong and
steadfast in him who strengthens me.”
The President said: “Believe me, it is better for thee, that thou
sacrifice.”
Tharacus answered: “If I knew that it were better for me, I would not
wait for this advice from thee.”
When Tharacus ceased to speak, the Proconsul said to his hangmen:
“Smite him on the mouth, and make him speak.”
Tharacus replied: “My cheeks are knocked to pieces; how can I answer
any longer?”
Maximus said: “And wilt thou, madman, not yet consent to worship, and
sacrifice to the gods?”
Tharacus answered: “Although thou hast deprived me of my voice, so that
I cannot cry aloud, thou shalt nevertheless not injure my soul; but
thou hast in this hour greatly strengthened me in my opinion.”
Maximus said to his servants: “Bring fire! stretch out his hands, and
put fire on them.”
Tharacus replied: “I do not fear thy temporal fire; but I would have to
fear the eternal fire, if I should obey thee.”
When the glowing fire was laid upon his hands, the President said:
“See, the fire is consuming thy hands; desist, therefore, from thy
folly and sacrifice to the gods.”
Tharacus answered: “Thou speakest to me, as though because of thy
cruelty I had already yielded to thy wish; however, but through the
grace of God I am, in all my sufferings, as strong as ever.”
The Proconsul said: “Tie his feet together, and hang him up by his
heels, and make a thick smoke under his face.”
Tharacus replied: “I neither regard thy fire, nor do I fear thy smoke.”
When he was hung up, Maximus said to him: “There shalt thou hang, until
thou consentest to sacrifice to the gods.”
Tharacus answered: “Thou mayest sacrifice; for thou art accustomed to
sacrifice human beings; but for me it is not lawful.”
Maximus said to his servants: “Bring vinegar mixed with salt, and pour
it into his nostrils.”
NOTE.--Here a whole leaf is wanting in the original, namely, of the
tortures which Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus suffered in the second
examination on the rack; however, concerning Andronicus the following
additional was found.
The Proconsul said (namely, to Andronicus): “All this nonsense can
avail thee nothing. But come, and sacrifice to the gods, that thou
mayest not perish under the punishment.”
Andronicus replied: “It is the same that thou hast heard the first and
the second time; for I am not a child, to be moved or turned by words.”
The President said: “You shall nevertheless neither conquer me, nor
despise my tribunal.”
Andronicus answered: “We do not conquer thee, but our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthens us.”
The President said: “The next time we hold court over these men, let
other modes of torture be put in practice. In the meantime put him
(Andronicus) in irons, and keep him in prison until tomorrow, and let
no one see him.”
THE THREE MARTYRS EXAMINED ON THE RACK THE THIRD TIME.
The President said: “Call the ungodly Christians in.” Demetrius, the
centurion, answered: “Here I am.”
_Tharacus brought forth first._--When he had brought forth Tharacus,
the Proconsul said: “Dost thou still despise imprisonment, bonds,
punishments, and tortures? Follow my advice, O Tharacus, and abandon
this confession, which profits thee nothing. Rather sacrifice to the
gods, by whom all things exist.”
Tharacus answered: “Woe shall come upon them. Thou thinkest that the
world is governed by them; whereas they are destined for eternal fire;
and not they only, but all those also who serve them.”
The President said: “And dost thou not yet desist, thou impious
blasphemer! or thinkest thou not that for thy rash words I should cause
thee to be instantly beheaded?”
Tharacus replied: “Then I would not die a lingering death, but a short
one. But let me have a long conflict, that in the meantime my faith in
the Lord may grow and increase.”
The President said: “Thou and thy fellow-prisoners must die according
to the laws.”
Tharacus answered: “What thou sayest is an evidence of thy ignorance;
for those who do evil die justly; but we who know of no evil, that is,
who have committed nothing worthy of death before men, but suffer for
the Lord, expect with confident hope the heavenly reward from the Lord.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou accursed miscreant! what reward have ye to
expect, seeing you die for your wickedness?”
Tharacus replied: “It is not lawful for thee to inquire into, or to
ask, what reward the Lord has laid up for us in heaven; and therefore
we patiently suffer the wrath of thy madness.”
The President said: “Darest thou thus address me, thou accursed [one],
as though thou wert mine equal?”
Tharacus answered: “I am not thine equal; but it is lawful for me to
speak, and no one can silence me, for the sake of him who strengthens
me, namely, the Lord.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou miscreant, I shall deprive thee of the power.”
Tharacus answered: “No one can take away the power from me, neither
thou, nor your princes, nor Satan, the father of you all.”
_Tharacus put to the rack._--The President said: “Now, seeing thou art
bound and suspended, in order that you may be tortured, sacrifice in
time, before I cause thee to be punished according to thy deserts.”
Tharacus replied: “That thou mayest do; but since I was formerly a
soldier, thou mayest not torment me with all manner of punishment. Yet,
lest thou think, I might yield to thy perverseness, go on and devise
and inflict upon me all sorts of punishment.”
The President said: “Do not think that I shall sentence thee at once. I
shall cause thee to be put to death by degrees.”
Tharacus answered: “Whatever thou intendest to do, do at once, and do
not threaten.”
The President said: “If thou think, that some women will come and
embalm thy body, thou art greatly mistaken, for it is my intention that
nothing shall remain of thee.”
Tharacus replied: “Do with my body as pleaseth thee, now as well as
after my death.”
“Maximian,” said the Proconsul, “break his jaws, and tear his lips.”
Tharacus answered: “True, thou hast crushed and marred my face; but
thou hast quickened my soul.”
The President said: “Thou wretched man! Desist from thy vain thoughts,
and sacrifice; that thou mayest be delivered from these pangs.”
Tharacus replied: “Dost thou think I am a fool or a madman, and that I,
who trust in the Lord, shall not live in heaven? Thou mayest deprive me
of this temporal life for a little while; but thou wilt thereby cast
thine own soul into eternal damnation.”
The President said to the executioners: “Put the branding irons into
the fire, and brand him on his cheeks or shoulders.”
Tharacus answered: “Though thou inflict many more torments than these
upon me, thou shalt nevertheless not turn the servant of God to the
shameful idolatry of devils, to worship them.”
The President said: “Bring a razor; cut off his skin; shave his head
bald, and put burning coals upon it.”
Tharacus replied: “And though thou cause my whole body to be flayed, I
shall still not depart from my God, who strengthens me, to endure all
the weapons of your torturing.”
The President said: “Get the branding irons; let them get still hotter,
and apply them to all his members and joints.”
Tharacus, as he suffered this, cried out: “May the Lord look down from
heaven, and judge!”
The President said: “What lord dost thou call upon, thou accursed
fellow?”
Tharacus answered: “The Lord whom thou dost not know, and who
recompenses every one according to his works.”
The President said: “And shall I not exterminate thee, as I have told
thee? Yea, even thy remains I shall burn, and scatter thy ashes to the
wind; that the women may not come, and wind thy dead body in clothes to
embalm it with precious ointments and spices.”
Tharacus replied: “I have said it, and say so still, do what thou
wilt: thou hast full power over my body in this world.”
The President said: “Put him back into prison, and keep him until
the next time for the wild beasts. Let another be brought before the
tribunal.”
_Probus brought forward._--Demetrius, the captain, said to the
Proconsul: “Sir, here he is already, namely, Probus.”
The President said to Probus: “Advise with thyself, Probus, that thou
mayest not fall again into the same punishment; for others, who on thy
account have persisted in their obstinacy have rued it. Sacrifice now,
therefore, that thou mayest be honored by us and the gods.”
Probus answered: “We are all of one mind, serving God with one heart
and soul. Think not, therefore, that thou wilt hear anything different
from us; for thou hast ere this heard and seen enough to convince thee,
that thou canst not turn us. Here I stand before thee the third time,
and do not yet regard thy threats. What dost thou wait for, then?”
The President said: “Ye have conspired together to deny the gods. Bind
him, and hang him up by his heels.”
Probus replied: “Dost thou not yet cease to fight for Satan?”
Maximus said: “Believe me, before thou be tortured; have compassion
upon thine own body. See, what dreadful torments are being prepared for
thee.”
Probus answered: “All that thou mayest do unto me, shall conduce to the
comfort of my soul; therefore, do what thou wilt.”
The President said: “Heat the branding irons red-hot, and apply them to
his sides, so that he may desist from his folly.”
Probus replied: “The more foolish I appear to thee, the wiser I shall
be in the law of the Lord.”
The President said: “Press the branding irons on his back.”
Probus answered as he was suffering: “My body is subject to thy power;
but God will behold from heaven my humility and patience.”
In the meantime the President commanded that meat and wine should
be brought, which had been sacrificed to the idols, saying to the
executioners: “Pour wine down his throat, and take meat, and force it
into his mouth.”
While they were busy doing this, Probus said: “The Lord behold from his
high throne the violence ye do to me, and judge my cause.”
The President said: “Thou wretched man! thou hast suffered so much,
and, behold! thou hast thyself received the sacrifice.”
Probus replied: “Ye have not accomplished much, by doing me violence.
The Lord knoweth my intentions.”
The President said: “Thou hast eaten and drank what was sacrificed to
the gods.”
Probus answered: “The Lord knoweth it, and hath seen the violence I
have suffered.”
The President said to the executioners: “Apply the branding irons to
the calves of his legs.”
Probus replied: “Neither the fire, nor the torments, nor thy father,
Satan, can turn the servant of God from his confession.”
The President said to his servants: “Let sharp nails be heated, and put
them into his hands.”
Probus answered as he suffered this: “I thank thee, O Lord, that thou
hast made my hands worthy, to suffer for thy name.”
The President said: “The many torments have deprived thee of thy mind.”
Probus replied: “The great power which thou hast, has not only made
thee a fool, but also blind; for thou knowest not what thou art doing.”
The President said: “Thou who hast been tormented on thy whole body
excepting the eyes, darest thou speak thus to me?” “Pinch his eyes,”
said he to the executioners, “that he may gradually become blind.”
When this had been done, Probus said: “Behold, thou has also deprived
me of my bodily eyes, but thou shalt never be permitted to destroy the
eyes of my faith.”
The President said: “Dost thou think thou wilt survive all these
torments, or that thus thou shalt die happy?”
Probus answered: “Fighting thus, I gradually approach the end, so that
I may finish my good and perfect confession, and be put to death by you
without mercy.”
The President said: “Take him away, bind him, put him in prison, and
let none of his companions come near him, to praise him for having
continued so steadfast in his wickedness. He, too, shall be cast before
the wild beasts at the next show.”
_Andronicus put to the rack._--Then said the President: “Let Andronicus
come forth.”
Demetrius, the captain, said: “He is already here.”
The President said to Andronicus: “Have at least compassion on thy
youth, if thou hast prudently advised with thyself to reverence the
gods: consent and sacrifice to the gods, that thou mayest be released.”
Andronicus answered: “May God never suffer thee, O tyrant, that I
do aught against the law of God. Thou shalt never shake my good
confession, which I have founded upon my Lord. Here I stand ready, for
thee to make manifest on me thy hardness.”
The President said: “Methinks, thou art raving, and possessed of the
devil.”
Andronicus replied: “If I had the devil in me, I should obey thee; but
because I confess the Lord, I do not submit to the commands of the
devil. But hast not thou the devil in thee? For, being deceived by the
devil, thou doest the works of the devil.”
The President said to the Executioners: “Make bundles of paper, and put
fire upon his body.”
When this was done, Andronicus said: “Though I burn from head to foot,
the spirit nevertheless is alive in me. Thou shalt not conquer me; for
the Lord, whom I serve is with me.”
The President said: “Thou madman! how long wilt thou remain thus
obstinate? Seek at least to die upon thy bed.”
Andronicus answered: “As long as I live, I shall overcome thy
wickedness.”
The President said: “Heat the branding-irons red-hot again, and put
them between his fingers.”
Andronicus replied: “O foolish despiser of God! Thou art full of
the wicked thoughts of Satan. Seest thou not that my body is almost
consumed through the manifold torments thou hast inflicted upon me.
Thinkest thou that now at the last I shall begin to fear thy devices? I
have Christ dwelling in my heart, and despise thy torments.”
The President said: “Thou miscreant! knowest thou not that this Christ,
whom thou worshipest became man, and was punished under the Judge
Pontius Pilate?”
Andronicus answered: “Be silent, for it is not lawful for thee to speak
evil of him.”
The President said: “What gainest thou by thy faith and hope in this
man whom thou callest Christ?”
Andronicus replied: “I have thereby in expectation a great reward and
gain; hence I endure all this so patiently.”
The President said: “Break open his mouth, and take meat that has been
sacrificed, from the altar, and force it into his mouth, and pour in
wine also.”
Andronicus called God to witness, saying: “O Lord! Lord! behold, what
violence I suffer!”
The President said: “How long wilt thou thus obstinately endure the
punishment? See, thou hast certainly eaten of that which has been
sacrificed to the gods.”
Andronicus answered: “Cursed be all who honor the idols, thou and thy
princes.”
The President said: “Thou miscreant, cursest thou the princes, who have
obtained for us so lasting and tranquil peace?”
Andronicus replied: “They are cursed, who, as the pestilence, and as
bloodhounds, turn the whole world upside down; whom the Lord by his
mighty arm shall confound and destroy.”
The President commanded the executioners: “Put an iron into his mouth,
and with it break out all his teeth, and cut out his blasphemous
tongue, that he may learn no more to blaspheme the princes. Take away
his teeth, and burn his tongue to ashes, and scatter the latter all
about, lest his fellow-Christians, or some women, gather his remains,
and keep them as precious relics. Take him away from here, and put him
into prison, that at the next show he, together with his companions,
Tharacus and Probus may be thrown before the wild beasts.” _Acta
Procons. per Metaph. and alios._
It is declared that the above account concerning the examination
of the three aforementioned Christians was written entirely by the
heathen themselves, who put them to death; only a few words having
been altered, to make the sense clearer. A certain celebrated author
mentioning this, writes as follows: “Herewith ends the third
examination or inquisition on the rack, and thus far these proceedings
with the martyrs have been recorded by the heathen clerk of the
criminal court himself, and were doubtless afterwards bought for money
by the Christians.”