GENSERIC, the Arian king of the Vandals, to Africa, having, on his
return out of Italy, in 457, enacted new penal laws, and severer than
any he had till then put in force against Catholics, count Armogastes
was on that occasion deprived of his honors and dignities at court, and
most cruelly tortured. But no sooner had the jailers bound him with
cords, but they broke of themselves, as the martyr lifted up his eyes to
heaven; and this happened several times. And though they afterwards hung
him up by one foot with his head downwards for a considerable time, the
saint was no more affected by this torment than if he had lain all the
while at his ease on a feather-bed. Theodoric, the king's son, thereupon
ordered his head to be struck off: but one of his Arian priests diverted
him from it, advising him to take other measures with him to prevent his
being looked upon as a martyr by those of his party, which would be of
disservice to the opposite cause. He was therefore sent into Byzacena to
work in the mines; and some time after, for his greater disgrace, he was
removed thence into the neighborhood of Carthage, and employed in
keeping cows. But he looked upon it as his glory to be dishonored before
men in the cause of God. It was not long before he had a revelation that
his end drew near. So having foretold the time of his death, and given
orders to a devout Christian about the place where he desired to be
interred, the holy confessor, a few days after, went to receive the
rewards of those that suffer in the cause of truth.
Archinimus, of the city Mascula, in Numidia, resisted all the artifices
which the king could use to overcome his faith, and was condemned to be
beheaded, but was reprieved while he stood under the axe. Satur, or
Saturus, was master of the household to Huneric, by whom he was
threatened to be deprived of his estate, goods, slaves, wife, and
children for his faith. {675} His own wife omitted nothing in her power
to prevail with him to purchase his pardon at the expense of his
conscience. But he courageously answered her in the words of Job: "_You
have spoken like one of the foolish women_.[1] If you loved me, you
would give me different advice, and not push me on to a second death.
Let them do their worst: I will always remember our Lord's words: _If
any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, his wife and
children, his brethren and sisters, and his own life also, he cannot be
my disciple_."[2] He suffered many torments, was stripped of all his
substance, forbid ever to appear in public, and reduced to great
distress. But God enriched him with his graces, and called him to
himself. See St. Victor Vitensis, Hist. Persec. Vandal, l. 1, n. 14.
Footnotes:
1. Job ii. 9.
2. Luke xiv. 26.