WEBVTT 00:00.060 --> 00:05.300 The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 2, from Eusebius' Church History. 00:06.180 --> 00:07.640 This is a LibriVox recording. 00:08.200 --> 00:10.780 All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. 00:11.340 --> 00:16.120 For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. 00:17.680 --> 00:19.460 Recording by David Leeson. 00:21.060 --> 00:23.800 Church History by Eusebius of Caesarea. 00:24.280 --> 00:26.560 Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. 00:27.080 --> 00:31.520 The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 2, Chapters 6-10. 00:33.380 --> 00:34.660 Chapter 6. 00:35.440 --> 00:40.380 In the fourth year of the persecution against us, on the twelfth day before the 00:40.380 --> 00:44.280 Calends of December, which is the twentieth day of the month Dias, 00:44.580 --> 00:48.980 on the day before the Sabbath, while the tyrant Maximinus was present and 00:48.980 --> 00:53.500 giving magnificent shows in honor of his birthday, the following event, 00:53.720 --> 00:57.280 truly worthy of record, occurred in the city of Caesarea. 00:59.010 --> 01:04.200 As it was an ancient custom to furnish the spectators more splendid shows when the 01:04.200 --> 01:09.300 emperors were present than at other times, new and foreign spectacles taking the 01:09.300 --> 01:13.620 place of the customary amusements, such as animals brought from India or 01:13.620 --> 01:18.840 Ethiopia or other places, or men who could astonish the beholders with skillful 01:18.840 --> 01:24.140 bodily exercises, it was necessary at this time, as the emperor was giving the 01:24.140 --> 01:27.740 exhibition, to add to the shows something more wonderful. 01:28.160 --> 01:29.560 And what should this be? 01:30.640 --> 01:36.020 A witness of our doctrine was brought into the midst and endured the contest for the 01:36.020 --> 01:37.340 true and only religion. 01:37.860 --> 01:43.180 This was Agapius, who, as we have stated a little above, was with Thecla, 01:43.620 --> 01:46.560 the second to be thrown to the wild beasts for food. 01:47.020 --> 01:52.280 He had also, three times and more, marched with malefactors from the prison 01:52.280 --> 01:57.340 to the arena, and every time, after threats from the judge, whether in 01:57.340 --> 02:02.040 compassion or in hope that he might change his mind, had been reserved for other 02:02.040 --> 02:02.700 conflicts. 02:03.480 --> 02:07.420 But the emperor being present, he was brought out at this time, 02:07.740 --> 02:12.700 as if he had been appropriately reserved for this occasion, until the very word of 02:12.700 --> 02:17.540 the Saviour should be fulfilled in him, which through divine knowledge he declared 02:17.540 --> 02:21.940 to his disciples that they should be brought before kings on account of their 02:21.940 --> 02:23.280 testimony unto him. 02:24.740 --> 02:29.960 He was taken into the midst of the arena with a certain malefactor, who they said 02:29.960 --> 02:32.200 was charged with the murder of his master. 02:33.640 --> 02:38.380 But this murderer of his master, when he had been cast to the wild beasts, 02:38.800 --> 02:43.680 was deemed worthy of compassion and humanity, almost like Barabbas in the time 02:43.680 --> 02:48.020 of our Saviour, and the whole theatre resounded with shouts and cries of 02:48.020 --> 02:51.760 approval, because the murderer was humanely saved by the emperor, 02:52.240 --> 02:54.440 and deemed worthy of honour and freedom. 02:56.140 --> 03:00.820 But the athlete of religion was first summoned by the tyrant and promised 03:00.820 --> 03:03.180 liberty if he would deny his profession. 03:03.820 --> 03:09.180 But he testified with a loud voice that, not for any fault, but for the religion of 03:09.180 --> 03:13.520 the Creator of the universe, he would readily and with pleasure endure whatever 03:13.520 --> 03:15.300 might be inflicted upon him. 03:16.780 --> 03:21.800 Having said this, he joined the deed to the word, and rushed to meet a bear which 03:21.800 --> 03:26.240 had been let loose against him, surrendering himself most cheerfully to be 03:26.240 --> 03:27.340 devoured by him. 03:27.980 --> 03:31.780 After this, as he still breathed, he was cast into prison. 03:32.320 --> 03:37.440 And living yet one day, stones were bound to his feet, and he was drowned in the 03:37.440 --> 03:38.460 depths of the sea. 03:38.960 --> 03:41.100 Such was the martyrdom of Agapius. 03:43.250 --> 03:44.020 CHAPTER VII. 03:45.340 --> 03:50.080 Again, in Caesarea, when the persecution had continued to the fifth year, 03:50.400 --> 03:54.700 on the second day of the month Xanthicus, which is the fourth before the nuns of 03:54.700 --> 03:59.460 April, on the very Lord's day of our Saviour's resurrection, Theodosia, 03:59.680 --> 04:05.180 a virgin from Tyre, a faithful and sedate maiden, not yet eighteen years of age, 04:05.480 --> 04:09.340 went up to certain prisoners who were confessing the kingdom of Christ and 04:09.340 --> 04:14.080 sitting before the judgment seat, and saluted them, and, as is probable, 04:14.500 --> 04:17.640 besought them to remember her when they came before the Lord. 04:19.580 --> 04:24.160 Thereupon, as if she had committed a profane and impious act, the soldiers 04:24.160 --> 04:29.200 seized her and led her to the governor, and he immediately, like a madman and a 04:29.200 --> 04:34.260 wild beast in his anger, tortured her with dreadful and most terrible torments in her 04:34.260 --> 04:37.200 sides and breasts, even to the very bones. 04:37.680 --> 04:41.760 And as she still breathed, and withal stood with a joyful and beaming 04:41.760 --> 04:45.440 countenance, he ordered her thrown into the waves of the sea. 04:45.940 --> 04:50.240 Then, passing from her to the other confessors, he condemned all of them to 04:50.240 --> 04:52.480 the copper mines in Pheno in Palestine. 04:55.200 --> 04:59.700 Afterwards, on the fifth of the month Dias, on the nones of November according 04:59.700 --> 05:04.680 to the Romans, in the same city, Silvanus, who at that time was a presbyter 05:04.680 --> 05:09.520 and confessor, but who shortly after was honored with the episcopate and died a 05:09.520 --> 05:14.740 martyr, and those with him, men who had shown the noblest firmness in behalf of 05:14.740 --> 05:20.120 religion, were condemned by him to labor in the same copper mines, command being 05:20.120 --> 05:23.800 first given that their ankles be disabled with hot irons. 05:25.560 --> 05:30.100 At the same time, he delivered to the flames a man who was illustrious through 05:30.100 --> 05:31.480 numerous other confessions. 05:32.000 --> 05:36.460 This was Domninus, who was well known to all in Palestine for his exceeding 05:36.460 --> 05:37.020 fearlessness. 05:37.880 --> 05:42.360 After this, the same judge, who was a cruel contriver of suffering and an 05:42.360 --> 05:46.760 inventor of devices against the doctrine of Christ, planned against the pious 05:46.760 --> 05:48.840 punishments that had never been heard of. 05:49.160 --> 05:52.260 He condemned three to single pugilistic combat. 05:52.660 --> 05:58.080 He delivered to be devoured by wild beasts Auxentius, a grave and holy old man. 05:58.640 --> 06:03.280 Others who were in mature life he made eunuchs, and condemned them to the same 06:03.280 --> 06:03.860 mines. 06:04.420 --> 06:08.080 Yet others, after severe tortures, he cast into prison. 06:09.520 --> 06:14.240 Among these was my dearest friend Pamphilus, who was by reason of every 06:14.240 --> 06:17.400 virtue the most illustrious of the martyrs in our time. 06:19.260 --> 06:24.120 Urbanus first tested him in rhetorical philosophy and learning, and afterwards 06:24.120 --> 06:26.200 endeavored to compel him to sacrifice. 06:26.820 --> 06:31.720 But as he saw that he refused and in no wise regarded his threats, being 06:31.720 --> 06:36.340 exceedingly angry, he ordered him to be tormented with severest tortures. 06:37.400 --> 06:42.000 And when the brutal man, after he had almost satiated himself with these 06:42.000 --> 06:47.060 tortures by continuous and prolonged scrapings in his sides, was yet covered 06:47.060 --> 06:51.380 with shame before all, he put him also with the confessors in prison. 06:52.620 --> 06:58.300 But what recompense for his cruelty to the saints, he who thus abused the martyrs of 06:58.300 --> 07:03.240 Christ, shall receive from the divine judgment, may be easily determined from 07:03.240 --> 07:08.600 the preludes to it, in which immediately, and not long after his daring cruelties 07:08.600 --> 07:13.680 against Pamphilus, while he yet held government, the divine judgment came upon 07:13.680 --> 07:14.020 him. 07:14.580 --> 07:19.160 For thus suddenly, he who but yesterday was judging on the lofty tribunal, 07:19.640 --> 07:23.160 guarded by a band of soldiers, and ruling over the whole nation of 07:23.160 --> 07:27.900 Palestine, the associate and dearest friend and table-companion of the tyrant 07:27.900 --> 07:33.100 himself, was stripped in one night, and overwhelmed with disgrace and shame 07:33.100 --> 07:36.920 before those who had formerly admired him as if he were himself an emperor, 07:37.500 --> 07:42.680 and he appeared cowardly and unmanly, uttering womanish cries and supplications 07:42.680 --> 07:44.500 to all the people whom he had ruled. 07:45.180 --> 07:50.500 And Maximinus himself, in reliance upon whose favor Urbanus was formerly so 07:50.500 --> 07:55.320 arrogantly insolent, as if he loved him exceedingly for his deeds against us, 07:55.440 --> 08:00.120 was set as a harsh and most severe judge in this same Caesarea to pronounce 08:00.120 --> 08:04.500 sentence of death against him, for the great disgrace of the crimes of 08:04.500 --> 08:05.620 which he was convicted. 08:06.240 --> 08:08.140 Let us say this in passing. 08:09.560 --> 08:14.660 A suitable time may come when we shall have leisure to relate the end and the 08:14.660 --> 08:19.620 fate of those impious men who especially fought against us, both of Maximinus 08:19.620 --> 08:21.540 himself and those with him. 08:23.420 --> 08:24.160 CHAPTER VIII. 08:25.700 --> 08:29.540 UP TO THE SIXTH YEAR THE STORM HAD BEEN INCESSANTLY RAGING AGAINST US. 08:30.040 --> 08:34.180 BEFORE THIS TIME THERE HAD BEEN A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF CONFESSORS OF RELIGION IN 08:34.180 --> 08:39.400 THE SO-CALLED PORPHYRY QUARRY IN THEBAEUS, WHICH GETS ITS NAME FROM THE STONE FOUND 08:39.400 --> 08:39.780 THERE. 08:40.380 --> 08:45.240 OF THESE, ONE HUNDRED MEN, LACKING THREE, TOGETHER WITH WOMEN AND INFANTS, 08:45.380 --> 08:47.500 WERE SENT TO THE GOVERNOR OF PALESTINE. 08:47.620 --> 08:51.540 WHEN THEY CONFESSED THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE AND CHRIST, VERMILIANUS, 08:51.840 --> 08:56.680 WHO HAD BEEN SENT THERE AS GOVERNOR IN THE PLACE OF URBANUS, DIRECTED, IN ACCORDANCE 08:56.680 --> 09:01.060 WITH THE IMPERIAL COMMAND, THAT THEY SHOULD BE MAMED BY BURNING THE SINEWS OF 09:01.060 --> 09:05.040 THE ANCLES OF THEIR LEFT FEET, AND THAT THEIR RIGHT EYES WITH THE EYELIDS 09:05.040 --> 09:09.560 AND PUPILS SHOULD FIRST BE CUT OUT, AND THEN DESTROYED BY HOT IRONS TO THE 09:09.560 --> 09:10.320 VERY ROOTS. 09:10.780 --> 09:15.440 AND HE THEN SENT THEM TO THE MINES IN THE PROVINCE TO ENDURE HARDSHIPS WITH SEVERE 09:15.440 --> 09:16.740 TOIL AND SUFFERING. 09:17.960 --> 09:22.500 But it was not sufficient that these only who suffered such miseries should be 09:22.500 --> 09:27.720 deprived of their eyes, but those natives of Palestine also, who were mentioned just 09:27.720 --> 09:32.700 above as condemned to pugilistic combat, since they would neither receive food from 09:32.700 --> 09:37.340 the royal storehouse nor undergo the necessary preparatory exercises. 09:39.240 --> 09:43.960 Having been brought on this account not only before the overseers, but also before 09:43.960 --> 09:49.120 Maximinus himself, and having manifested the noblest persistence in confession by 09:49.120 --> 09:53.800 the endurance of hunger and stripes, they received like punishment with those 09:53.800 --> 09:58.100 whom we have mentioned, and with them other confessors in the city of Caesarea. 09:59.760 --> 10:04.000 Immediately afterwards others who were gathered to hear the scriptures read were 10:04.000 --> 10:08.900 seized in Gaza, and some endured the same sufferings in the feet and eyes, 10:09.240 --> 10:13.700 but others were afflicted with yet greater torments and with most terrible tortures 10:13.700 --> 10:14.480 in the sides. 10:15.940 --> 10:20.840 One of these, in body a woman, but in understanding a man, would not 10:20.840 --> 10:25.520 endure the threat of fornication and spoke directly against the tyrant who entrusted 10:25.520 --> 10:27.360 the government to such cruel judges. 10:27.860 --> 10:31.920 She was first scourged, and then raised aloft on the stake, and her sides 10:31.920 --> 10:32.740 lacerated. 10:34.220 --> 10:38.480 As those appointed for this purpose applied the tortures incessantly and 10:38.480 --> 10:43.440 severely at the command of the judge, another, with mind fixed, like the former, 10:43.740 --> 10:48.900 on virginity as her aim, a woman who was altogether mean in form and contemptible 10:48.900 --> 10:53.680 in appearance, but on the other hand strong in soul and endowed with an 10:53.680 --> 10:58.380 understanding superior to her body, being unable to bear the merciless and 10:58.380 --> 11:03.420 cruel and inhuman deeds, with a boldness beyond that of the combatants famed among 11:03.420 --> 11:08.080 the Greeks, cried out to the judge from the midst of the crowd, ìAnd how long will 11:08.080 --> 11:13.460 you thus cruelly torture my sister?î But he was greatly enraged, and ordered the 11:13.460 --> 11:15.300 woman to be immediately seized. 11:16.620 --> 11:20.300 Thereupon she was brought forward, and having called herself by the august 11:20.300 --> 11:26.220 name of the Saviour, she was first urged by words to sacrifice, and as she refused 11:26.220 --> 11:30.920 she was dragged by force to the altar, but her sister continued to maintain her 11:30.920 --> 11:34.960 former zeal, and with intrepid and resolute foot kicked the altar, 11:35.320 --> 11:37.780 and overturned it with the fire that was on it. 11:39.340 --> 11:44.720 Thereupon the judge, enraged like a wild beast, inflicted on her such tortures in 11:44.720 --> 11:50.440 her side as he never had on anyone before, striving almost to glut himself with her 11:50.440 --> 11:51.260 raw flesh. 11:51.800 --> 11:56.760 But when his madness was satiated, he bound them both together, this one and 11:56.760 --> 12:00.880 her whom she called sister, and condemned them to death by fire. 12:01.420 --> 12:05.340 It is said that the first of these was from the country of Gaza, the other, 12:05.540 --> 12:09.840 by name Valentina, was of Caesarea, and was well known to many. 12:11.120 --> 12:16.640 But how can I describe as it deserves the martyrdom which followed, with which the 12:16.640 --> 12:18.580 thrice-blessed Paul was honored? 12:19.060 --> 12:23.480 He was condemned to death at the same time with them, under one sentence. 12:24.060 --> 12:28.300 At the time of his martyrdom, as the executioner was about to cut off his head, 12:28.600 --> 12:30.340 he requested a brief respite. 12:31.700 --> 12:37.220 This being granted, he first, in a clear and distinct voice, supplicated God in 12:37.220 --> 12:41.600 behalf of his fellow Christians, praying for their pardon, and that freedom 12:41.600 --> 12:43.420 might soon be restored to them. 12:44.120 --> 12:48.600 Then he asked for the conversion of the Jews to God through Christ, and proceeding 12:48.600 --> 12:53.380 in order he requested the same things for the Samaritans, and besought that those 12:53.380 --> 12:58.340 Gentiles, who were in error and were ignorant of God, might come to a knowledge 12:58.340 --> 13:00.700 of him, and adopt the true religion. 13:01.560 --> 13:05.380 Nor did he leave neglected the mixed multitude who were standing around. 13:06.820 --> 13:12.440 After all these, oh, great and unspeakable forbearance, he entreated the God of the 13:12.440 --> 13:16.980 universe for the judge who had condemned him to death, and for the highest rulers, 13:17.380 --> 13:22.280 and also for the one who was about to behead him, in his hearing and that of all 13:22.280 --> 13:27.080 present, beseeching that their sin toward him should not be reckoned against them. 13:28.420 --> 13:33.460 Having prayed for these things with a loud voice, and having, as one who was dying 13:33.460 --> 13:39.260 unjustly, moved almost all to compassion and tears, of his own accord he made 13:39.260 --> 13:44.140 himself ready, and submitted his bare neck to the stroke of the sword, and was 13:44.140 --> 13:45.860 adorned with divine martyrdom. 13:46.260 --> 13:50.800 This took place on the twenty-fifth day of the month Panemus, which is the eighth 13:50.800 --> 13:52.520 before the calends of August. 13:54.380 --> 13:59.420 Such was the end of these persons, but not long after, one hundred and thirty 13:59.420 --> 14:03.540 admirable athletes of the confession of Christ, from the land of Egypt, 14:03.780 --> 14:08.900 endured, in Egypt itself, at the command of Maximinus, the same afflictions in 14:08.900 --> 14:12.500 their eyes and feet with the former persons, and were sent to the 14:12.500 --> 14:16.960 above-mentioned mines in Palestine, but some of them were condemned to the 14:16.960 --> 14:17.980 mines in Cilicia. 14:19.780 --> 14:25.260 CHAPTER NINE After such noble acts of the distinguished martyrs of Christ, 14:25.600 --> 14:30.120 the flame of persecution lessened, and was quenched, as it were, by their 14:30.120 --> 14:35.260 sacred blood, and relief and liberty were granted to those who, for Christ's sake, 14:35.440 --> 14:40.300 were laboring in the mines of Thebaeus, and for a little time we were beginning to 14:40.300 --> 14:41.340 breathe pure air. 14:42.820 --> 14:48.440 But by some new impulse, I know not what, he who held the power to persecute was 14:48.440 --> 14:50.400 again aroused against the Christians. 14:51.100 --> 14:55.680 Immediately letters from Maximinus against us were published everywhere in every 14:55.680 --> 14:56.260 province. 14:56.840 --> 15:01.080 The governors and the military prefect urged by edicts and letters and public 15:01.080 --> 15:05.700 ordinances the magistrates and generals and notaries in all the cities to carry 15:05.700 --> 15:10.320 out the imperial decree, which ordered that the altars of the idols should with 15:10.320 --> 15:16.000 all speed be rebuilt, and that all men, women, and children, even infants at the 15:16.000 --> 15:20.900 breast, should sacrifice and offer oblations, and that with diligence and 15:20.900 --> 15:25.380 care they should cause them to taste of the execrable offerings, and that the 15:25.380 --> 15:29.120 things for sale in the market should be polluted with libations from the 15:29.120 --> 15:34.060 sacrifices, and that guards should be stationed before the baths in order to 15:34.060 --> 15:38.640 defile with the abominable sacrifices those who went to wash in them. 15:39.720 --> 15:45.060 When these orders were being carried out, our people, as was natural, were at the 15:45.060 --> 15:49.680 beginning greatly distressed in mind, and even the unbelieving heathen blamed 15:49.680 --> 15:54.580 the severity and the exceeding absurdity of what was done, for these things 15:54.580 --> 15:57.040 appeared to them extreme and burdensome. 15:58.580 --> 16:04.060 As the heaviest storm impended over all and every quarter, the divine power of our 16:04.060 --> 16:09.420 Saviour again infused such boldness into His athletes that without being drawn on 16:09.420 --> 16:13.000 or dragged forward by any one, they spurned the threats. 16:13.580 --> 16:17.380 Three of the faithful joining together rushed on the governor as he was 16:17.380 --> 16:21.780 sacrificing to the idols, and cried out to him to cease from his delusion, 16:22.200 --> 16:25.500 there being no other god than the Maker and Creator of the universe. 16:26.260 --> 16:29.820 When he asked who they were, they confessed boldly that they were 16:29.820 --> 16:30.340 Christians. 16:32.420 --> 16:36.900 Thereupon, Formilianus, being greatly enraged, sentenced them to capital 16:36.900 --> 16:39.680 punishment without inflicting tortures upon them. 16:40.140 --> 16:44.560 The name of the eldest of these was Antoninus, of the next Zebinus, 16:44.840 --> 16:49.160 who was a native of Eleutheropolis, and of the third Germanus. 16:49.660 --> 16:53.960 This took place on the thirteenth of the month Dias, the Ides of November. 16:55.160 --> 17:00.460 There was associated with them on the same day Innathus, a woman from Scythopolis, 17:00.780 --> 17:03.320 who was adorned with the chaplet of virginity. 17:03.820 --> 17:08.160 She did not indeed do as they had done, but was dragged by force and brought 17:08.160 --> 17:09.140 before the judge. 17:10.700 --> 17:15.940 She endured scourgings and cruel insults, which Maxis, a tribune of a neighboring 17:15.940 --> 17:20.820 district, without the knowledge of the superior authority, dared to inflict upon 17:20.820 --> 17:21.080 her. 17:21.660 --> 17:26.760 He was a man worse than his name, sanguinary in other respects, exceedingly 17:26.760 --> 17:31.000 harsh and altogether cruel, and censured by all who knew him. 17:31.420 --> 17:36.160 This man stripped the blessed woman of all her clothing, so that she was covered only 17:36.160 --> 17:39.400 from her loins to her feet and the rest of her body was bare. 17:39.920 --> 17:44.920 And he led her through the entire city of Caesarea, and regarded it as a great thing 17:44.920 --> 17:48.820 to beat her with the thongs while she was dragged through all the marketplaces. 17:50.860 --> 17:55.840 After such treatment she manifested the noblest constancy at the judgment seat of 17:55.840 --> 18:00.120 the governor himself, and the judge condemned her to be burned alive. 18:00.720 --> 18:05.420 He also carried his rage against the pious to a most inhuman length and transgressed 18:05.420 --> 18:10.760 the laws of nature, not being ashamed even to deny burial to the lifeless bodies of 18:10.760 --> 18:11.620 the sacred men. 18:12.860 --> 18:18.120 Thus he ordered the dead to be exposed in the open air as food for wild beasts and 18:18.120 --> 18:20.480 to be watched carefully by night and day. 18:21.040 --> 18:25.440 For many days a large number of men attended to this savage and barbarous 18:25.440 --> 18:30.220 decree, and they looked out from their post of observation, as it were a matter 18:30.220 --> 18:34.080 worthy of care, to see that the dead bodies should not be stolen. 18:34.780 --> 18:39.920 And wild beasts and dogs and birds of prey scattered the human limbs here and there, 18:39.920 --> 18:43.860 and the whole city was strewed with the entrails and bones of men. 18:44.520 --> 18:49.360 So that nothing had ever appeared more dreadful and horrible, even to those who 18:49.360 --> 18:54.220 formerly hated us, though they bewailed not so much the calamity of those against 18:54.220 --> 18:58.760 whom these things were done as the outrage against themselves and the common nature 18:58.760 --> 18:59.380 of man. 19:00.740 --> 19:05.060 For there was to be seen near the gates a spectacle beyond all description and 19:05.060 --> 19:10.400 tragic recital, for not only was human flesh devoured in one place, but it was 19:10.400 --> 19:15.200 scattered in every place, so that some said that limbs and masses of flesh and 19:15.200 --> 19:18.260 parts of entrails were to be seen even within the gates. 19:20.260 --> 19:25.100 After these things had continued for many days, a wonderful event occurred. 19:25.440 --> 19:29.380 The air was clear and bright, and the appearance of the sky most serene. 19:29.880 --> 19:34.080 When suddenly throughout the city from the pillars which supported the public porches 19:34.080 --> 19:38.840 many drops fell like tears, and the market-places and streets, though there 19:38.840 --> 19:43.700 was no mist in the air, were moistened with sprinkled water, whence I know not. 19:44.260 --> 19:48.440 Then immediately it was reported everywhere that the earth, unable to 19:48.440 --> 19:53.300 endure the abomination of these things, had shed tears in a mysterious manner, 19:53.720 --> 19:58.660 and that as a rebuke to the relentless and unfeeling nature of men, stones and 19:58.660 --> 20:01.020 lifeless wood had wept for what had happened. 20:01.480 --> 20:06.180 I know well that this account may perhaps appear idle and fabulous to those who come 20:06.180 --> 20:10.560 after us, but not to those to whom the truth was confirmed at the time. 20:12.250 --> 20:12.960 CHAPTER X. 20:13.940 --> 20:18.780 On the fourteenth day of the following month, Apellius, the nineteenth before the 20:18.780 --> 20:23.660 calends of January, certain persons from Egypt were again seized by those who 20:23.660 --> 20:25.560 examined people passing the gates. 20:26.180 --> 20:29.420 They had been sent to minister to the confessors in Cilicia. 20:29.980 --> 20:34.240 They received the same sentence as those whom they had gone to help, being 20:34.240 --> 20:36.180 mutilated in their eyes and feet. 20:37.000 --> 20:41.660 Three of them exhibited in Ascalon, where they were imprisoned, marvellous 20:41.660 --> 20:45.140 bravery in the endurance of various kinds of martyrdom. 20:45.600 --> 20:50.780 One of them, named Ares, was condemned to the flames, and the others, called Probus 20:50.780 --> 20:52.400 and Ilias, were beheaded. 20:53.760 --> 20:54.320 CHAPTER X. 20:54.320 --> 20:58.720 On the seventh day of the month Audinius, which is the third before the Ides of 20:58.720 --> 21:04.820 January, in the same city of Caesarea, Peter, an ascetic, also called Absalomus, 21:04.980 --> 21:10.300 from the village of Aenea, on the borders of Eleutheropolis, like purest gold, 21:10.560 --> 21:14.280 gave noble proof by fire of his faith in the Christ of God. 21:14.780 --> 21:18.600 Though the judge and those around him besought him many times to have compassion 21:18.600 --> 21:24.200 on himself and to spare his own youth and bloom, he disregarded them, preferring 21:24.200 --> 21:28.420 hope in the God of the universe to all things, even to life itself. 21:28.860 --> 21:33.900 A certain Asclepius, supposed to be a bishop of the sect of Marcion, 21:34.440 --> 21:38.780 possessed as he thought with zeal for religion, but not according to knowledge, 21:39.160 --> 21:42.260 ended his life on one and the same funeral pyre. 21:42.740 --> 21:45.060 These things took place in this manner.