Many Others, both Men and Women, who suffered in Various Ways.
1. need we mention the rest by name, or number the multitude of the men, or picture the various sufferings of the admirable martyrs of Christ? Some of them were slain with the axe, as in Arabia. The limbs of some were broken, as in Cappadocia. Some, raised on high by the feet, with their heads down, while a gentle fire burned beneath them, were suffocated by the smoke which arose from the burning wood, as was done in Mesopotamia. Others were mutilated by cutting off their noses and ears and hands, and cutting to pieces the other members and parts of their bodies, as in Alexandria.
2. Why need we revive the
recollection of those in Antioch who were roasted on grates, not so as
to kill them, but so as to subject them to a lingering punishment? Or
of others who preferred to thrust their right hand into the fire rather
than touch the impious sacrifice? Some, shrinking from the trial, rather than be taken and fall into the hands of their enemies, threw themselves from lofty houses, considering death preferable to the cruelty of the impious.
3. A certain holy
person,—in soul admirable for virtue, in body a woman,—who
was illustrious beyond all in Antioch for wealth and family and
reputation, had brought up in the principles of religion her two
daughters, who were now in the freshness and bloom of life. Since great
envy was excited on their account, every means was used to find them in
their concealment; and when it was ascertained that they were away, they were summoned deceitfully to Antioch. Thus they were caught in the nets of the soldiers. When the woman saw herself and her daughters thus helpless, and knew the things terrible to speak of that men would do to them,—and the most unbearable of all terrible things, the threatened violation of their chastity,—she exhorted herself and the maidens that they ought not to submit even to hear of this. For, she said, that to surrender their souls to the slavery of demons was worse than all deaths and destruction; and she set before them the only deliverance from all these things,—escape to Christ.
4. They then listened to her
advice. And after arranging their garments suitably, they went aside
from the middle of the road, having requested of the guards a little
time for retirement, and cast themselves into a river which was
flowing by.
5. Thus they destroyed
themselves. But there were two other virgins in
the same city of Antioch who served God in all things, and were true
sisters, illustrious in family and distinguished in life, young and
blooming, serious in mind, pious in deportment, and admirable for zeal. As if the earth could not bear such excellence, the worshipers of demons commanded to cast them into the sea. And this was done to them.
6. In Pontus, others endured
sufferings horrible to hear. Their fingers were pierced with sharp
reeds under their nails. Melted lead, bubbling and boiling with the
heat, was poured down the backs of others, and they were roasted in the
most sensitive parts of the body.
7. Others endured on their
bowels and privy members shameful and inhuman and unmentionable
torments, which the noble and law-observing judges, to show their
severity, devised, as more honorable manifestations of wisdom. And new
tortures were continually invented, as if they were endeavoring, by
surpassing one another, to gain prizes in a contest.
8. But at the close of these
calamities, when finally they could contrive no greater cruelties, and
were weary of putting to death, and were filled and satiated with the
shedding of blood, they turned to what they considered merciful and
humane treatment, so that they seemed to be no longer devising terrible
things against us.
9. For they said that it was not
fitting that the cities should be polluted with the blood of their own
people, or that the government of their rulers, which was kind and mild
toward all, should be defamed through excessive cruelty; but that
rather the beneficence of the humane and royal authority should be
extended to all, and we should no longer be put to death. For the
infliction of this punishment upon us should be stopped in consequence
of the humanity of the rulers.