native of Palestine, a deacon and exorcist, of the church at Cesarea, and was present at the demolition of the churches there; and as he saw many men with women and children approaching the idols in masses, and sacrificing, considering the sight intolerable, and stimulated by a zeal for religion, he cried out with a loud voice, and reproved them. But he was immediately seized for his boldness, and proved, if any, to be a most noble witness of the truth. When the judge had informed him that he was to die by the flames, with a cheerful countenance and a most ardent mind, he received the sentence, and was led away. He was then tied to the stake, and when the wood was heaped up around him, and they were about kindling the pile, only awaiting the word from the expected emperor, he exclaimed, "where then is the fire?" Saying this, he was summoned again before the emperor, to be subjected to new tortures, and therefore had his tongue cut out, which he bore with the greatest fortitude, as he proved in his actions to all, showing also that the power of God is always present to the aid of those who are obliged to bear any hardship for the sake of religion, to lighten their labours, and to strengthen their ardour. When, therefore, he learned the novel mode of punishment, the heroic man by no means alarmed, readily thrust out his tongue and offered it with the greatest alacrity to those who cut it out. After this he was cast into bonds, and having suffered there a very long time, at length when the twentieth anniversary of the emperor was at hand, according to an established usage of granting liberty every where to those that were kept in prison, he alone had his feet stretched to the fifth hole in the stocks, lying upon the very wood with a halter round his neck, was adorned with martyrdom, according to his earnest desire. This one, though he suffered beyond his country, yet as a native of Palestine deserved to be ranked among the martyrs of Palestine. These were the events that occurred of this description in the first year of the persecution, as it was then excited only against the prelates of the church.

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CHAPTER 111.

Timotheus, Agapius, Thecla, and eight others.

In the course of the second year, when the war was blazing more violently against us, when Urbanus had the government of the province, imperial edicts were first issued to him, in which it was ordered by a general command, that all persons of every people and city should sacrifice and make libations to the idols. Timotheus, at Gaza, a city of Palestine, endured a multitude of tortures, and after the rest was condemned to be consumed by a slow and gentle fire, exhibiting in all his sufferings a most indubitable proof of his sincere devotedness to God, and thus bore away the crown of those holy wrestlers who triumphed in the cause of piety. At the same time with him were condemned to be cast to the wild beasts, Agapius, who displayed the noblest firmness in his confession, and Thecla, our contemporary.* But who could help being struck with admiration and astonishment at the sight, or even at the very recital of those things that then occurred? For, as the heathen in every place were on the point of celebrating their accustomed games and festivals, it was much noised abroad, that besides the other exhibitions with which they were so greatly captivated, those that were just condemned to the wild beasts would exhibit a combat. This report being increased, and spreading among all, there were six young men, who, first binding their hands, hastened with all speed to Urbanus, to prove their great alacrity to endure martyrdom, who was then going to the amphitheatre, and declared themselves Christians. The names of these were Timolaus, a native of Pontus, Dionysius of Tripolis in Phoenice, Romulus a subdeacon of the church at Diospolis, Paesis and Alexander, both Egyptians; another Alexander from Gaza. These, by their great promptness in the face of all terrors, proved that they gloried in the

• Eusebius seems to add "our contemporary," to distinguish this Thecla from the companion of St. Paul, mentioned by the Greek and Latin fathers.

worship of the true God, and were not alarmed at the assaults of beasts of prey; and, indeed, both the governor and those around him were amazed. They were, however, immediately committed to prison. Not many days after, two others were added to their number, of whom one had already before sustained the conflict of confession several times, under a variety of dreadful torments; he was, also, called Agapius, but the other who supplied them with the necessaries of life, was named Dionysius. All these, eight in number, were beheaded in one day at Cesarea, on the twenty-third day of the month Dystrus, that is, the ninth of the calends of April. In the mean time, a certain change took place with the emperors, the first and the second in the imperial dignity retiring to private life, and public affairs began to wear a troubled aspect. Shortly after, the Roman empire was divided, and a dreadful civil war arose among the Romans themselves; nor did the schism cease, nor the consequent commotions become finally settled, before peace was proclaimed toward us throughout the whole Roman world. For as soon as this arose like a light upon all, springing up from the densest and most gloomy night, the government was again restored to firmness, tranquillity, and peace, and they resumed that benevolent disposition towards one another, which they had derived from their ancestors. But of these matters we shall give a more full account in its proper place. Now let us pursue the thread of our narrative in due order.

CHAPTER IV.

Apphianus.

MAXIMINUS CESAR, who was afterwards raised to the government, as if to exhibit the evidences of his innate hatred to God and his aversion to piety, armed himself to persecute with greater violence than those before him. Hence, as there was no little confusion raised among all, some scattered here and others there, and endeavouring by all means to escape the danger; and as

there was the greatest tumult throughout the empire, what description would suffice to give a faithful account of that divine love and that freedom of confession, that distinguished the martyr Apphianus, that blessed and truly innocent lamb? He was scarcely twenty years old, when he presented a wonderful instance of solid piety toward the one only God, as a kind of spectacle to all before the gates of Cesarea. And first when for the purpose of pursuing Greek literature, as he was of a very wealthy family, he passed the most of his time at Berytus, it is wonderful to tell how in the midst of such a city, notwithstanding the enticements of youthful passions, he was superior to all, and was neither corrupted in his morals by the vigour of his body, nor his association with young men, but embraced a modest and sober life, walking honestly and piously, and regulating his conversation as one who had embraced the Christian faith. Were it necessary to mention his country, and thus to celebrate the place that gave birth to so noble a wrestler in the cause of religion, we shall cheerfully do also this. Pagas, a city of Lycia, of no mean account, and which may be known to some of my readers, was the place whence this youth derived his origin. After his return from his studies at Berytus, though his father held the first rank in his country, being unable to bear dwelling with his father and the rest of his kindred, because they did not approve of living according to the laws of piety, as if impelled by the divine Spirit and by a kind of natural, rather say an inspired and genuine, philosophy, deeming it better than what is considered glory in life, and despising the soft pleasures of the body, he secretly fled from his friends. And without any concern for his daily expenses, in his trust and faith in God, he was conducted as if led by the Holy Spirit, to the city of Cesarea, where was prepared for him the crown of martyrdom, for his piety. Having associated with us there, and having studied the holy Scriptures as much as could be for a short time, and having prepared himself most cheerfully by the proper exercises and discipline, he finally made so illustrious an end, as could not be witnessed again without amazement.

Who could listen without wonder to the freedom with which

he spoke, behold his firmness, and before this, the courage and the energy of this youth, who gave evidence of a zeal for piety and a spirit more than human? For when a second excitement was raised against us by Maximinus, in the third year of the persecution, and the edicts of the tyrant, to this effect were first issued, that all persons every where should publicly offer sacrifices, and that the rulers of the cities should see to this with all care and diligence, when the heralds also were proclaiming throughout all Cesarea, that men women and children should come to the temples of the idols, at the command of the governor; and moreover, the military tribunes were calling upon each one by name, from a list, and the heathen were rushing in an immense crowd from every quarter, this youth fearlessly and without imparting his purpose to any, stealing away from us who dwelt in the same house, and unobserved by the military band around the governor, approached Urbanus who happened then to be making libations. Fearlessly seizing his right hand, he suddenly interrupted him in the act of sacrificing. Then he counselled and exhorted him in a solemn and serious tone to abandon his error, saying it was not right that we should desert the one only and true God, to sacrifice to idols and dæmons. This was done by the youth, as is very probable, under the impulse of a divine power, which by this deed gave a kind of audible testimony, that the Christians, those to wit that were really such, were so far from abandoning the religion which they had once embraced, that they were not only superior to all the threatened dangers, and the punishments consequent on these; but over and above this, acted with still greater freedom, and declared themselves with a noble and fearless utterance, and were it possible that their persecutors could be delivered from their ignorance, even exhorted them to acknowledge the one only and true God. After this, he of whom we are now speaking, as might be expected in the case of an act so daring, was immediately seized and torn by the soldiers like ravenous beasts, and after suffering most heroically innumerable stripes on his whole body, was cast into prison until further orders. There, being stretched by the tormentor with both feet a night and day, on the rack, he was