ON THE HOLY ANCYRAN MARTYRS
THEODOTUS, TECUSA, ALEXANDRA, CLAUDIA, PHAINA, EUPHRASIA, MATRONA, JULITTA, LIKEWISE SOSANDER.
A.D. CCCIV.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The Acts written in Greek by Nilus an eyewitness, the Elogia from the Synaxaria, the time of the Passion.
Theodotus, Martyr at Ancyra (St.)
Tecusa, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Alexandra, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Claudia, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Phaina, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Euphrasia, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Matrona, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Julitta, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Sosander, Martyr at Ancyra (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
Leo Allatius, originating from the island of Chios, & at Rome, when we were there, on account of his singular doctrine, in the place of Lucas Holstenius who died in the year MDCLXI, appointed chief Keeper of the Vatican Library, among other excellent lucubrations published a Diatribe on the writings of the Simeons, The Greek Acts from the Vatican Codex, & in it distributed the Lives of the Saints written in Greek threefold, so that the first contains those, which by certain ancient authors are composed; the second, others whose authors are unknown; the third, those which he judges to have been published by Simeon Metaphrastes. But in the first class on page 86 is placed the Martyrdom of St. Theodotus of Ancyra, written by Nilus a companion in the Martyrdom, the first words of the Acts being alleged, such as, the same Leo helping, we found in the Vatican Library codex 655 here, just as the others thereafter in their places, we give in Greek-Latin. In the same place we found in codex 6188 the same Acts translated into Latin by Guilielmus Sirletus the Cardinal Librarian, already long since namely accustomed to lucubrations of this kind, when only Apostolic Protonotary he made several Lives of the Saints from the MS. Codices of Grottaferrata into Latin, at the request of Aloysius Lipomannus, as appears in vol. 7 part 2. Nevertheless we have ourselves adorned a new version; because, as often elsewhere, so also here we have detected, that the man, otherwise erudite, yet with a lighter hand interpreted many things, & not altogether to the mind of the Greek author: which indeed deserves to be thoroughly & accurately known, since scarcely another monument of equal authority is extant among the Passions of the Martyrs of the last persecution, to which we shall soon say these belong.
[2] Allatius, that he may prove these Acts by Nilus, a companion in the martyrdom, written by Nilus an eyewitness to have been truly drawn up, alleges three places. In the first under the beginning these things are read: Let us say those things, which, from the beginning dwelling together with the Martyr, we ourselves knew & with our own eyes saw, how great fortitude & endurance he kept: inasmuch as we, being present, were held worthy, who for our admonition's sake heard his discourses. Then num. 16 these things he sets forth: Then we knew Polychronius to have been the betrayer. But most clearly toward the end he indicates these things in these words: All these things I Nilus a humble & abject man have diligently set forth, who both dwelt together with him in prison, & each of these things knew, & reported in a commentary, everywhere following the truth, that you also hearing these things, without any doubt, might know them to be certain & true. This itself also the style confirms, luculent indeed, but grave, & having nothing of the license, fit for conciliating admiration rather than faith, which in various Passions of Martyrs is noted, written long after the deed done, often with slight care, not only of truth, but even of verisimilitude.
[3] Memory in the Typicon of St. Sabbas, In the Typicon of the Ecclesiastical Order, observed in the Laura of St. Sabbas near Jerusalem, is celebrated on XVIII May the memory of the holy Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra & of the holy seven Virgins. Which the same things are read in the Horologion of the Greeks, & translated into Latin in Genebrand in the Calendar of the Greeks, & in Molanus in the Auctarium of Usuard. The praised above Sirletus in his Menologium formed a long elogium from the Acts, but in this by the carelessness of amanuenses crept in the name Theodorus. This Menologium being cited Baronius, in the Roman Martyrology thus writes: Roman Martyrology. At Ancyra in Galatia of St. Theodotus the Martyr, & of the holy Tecusa his aunt, Alexandra, Claudia, Faina, Euphrasia, Matrona & Julitta the Virgins, who by the Governor first prostituted, but by the power of God preserved, with stones tied to their necks were sunk in a marsh: whose Relics gathered when Theodotus had honorably buried them, apprehended by the Governor, most savagely was torn apart; & at last struck with a sword, the crown of martyrdom he received. In the Menologium of Basil the Emperor this elogium is given: Theodotus the Martyr of Christ with eight holy Virgins, Tecusa, Alexandra, Claudia, Phaina, Menologium of Basil the Emperor. Euphrasia, Matrona, Julia & Theodote, was from the city of Galatia, Ancyra. But the Governor commanding that of those things which were immolated to idols, the foods prepared for the Christians be sprinkled, that so they might be defiled who tasted of them; Theodotus himself under the appearance of trade buying wheat, & making bread, distributed them to the captive Christians: & entering the very prisons, confirmed the faithful in the religion of Christ: among whom were also the holy eight Virgins, one of whom, Tecusa by name, was the aunt of Theodotus himself. These all bound with great stones, into the pool next to the city were submerged, & when Theodotus had taken up their bodies; he buried them. Delated thereupon as a Christian, he was apprehended: & cruelly first tortured, at last was beheaded. These things there after the first volume of May to be read in Greek: & to the gods. which similar things are had in the MS. Synaxarium of Clermont: but better are said seven Virgins. when meanwhile an eighth is numbered, Theodote: which also in the Menaea is done, but St. Theodotus being omitted; whose name wrongly turned into Theodote the Acts do not allow to be doubted, with which agrees the Dijon Synaxarium: in which however, as also elsewhere nearly, Julia is written, who in the Acts is Julita. The Arabo-Egyptian Martyrology, of which preserved in the Maronite College at Rome we shall often hereafter make mention, has the Contest of the holy Martyrs Thecusa & her Companions & of Theodulus: which from some Greek book thus received I believe.
[4] We add to all the aforesaid Martyrs Sosander, distinguished (as also from these Acts appears) & known to the Ancyrans a Martyr, perhaps suffering long before, but the proper Acts being lost in the last persecution, if any were written, hitherto unknown. Seven Virgins moreover we believe suffered on this day XVIII May: that on XXI was captured & subjected to the first interrogation Theodotus, & on the sixth day after, St. Theodotus is venerated separately on 7 June that is XXVII May, was diminished by the head. Unless we prefer to opine, that sixteen days altogether intervened between each interrogation; & thus that the Saint was beheaded on the day VII of June, on which the Greeks venerate him with a solemn Office of the whole day & with Odes composed by St. Joseph the Hymnographer: which day also in the Menologium of Basil is called the Contest & reception of the Relics of St. Theodotus: & this elogium is added: Theodotus the Martyr of Christ was from the province of Galatia & the territory of Mali. But because he buried the Relics of holy Martyrs, he was delated to the Governor of Ancyra, & apprehended & shut in prison. Then led into interrogation, he answered generously to the Governor, the gods of the Gentiles he derided, & their worshipers he called senseless & miserable. Then cruelly beaten, on wood he was suspended, & his sides burned with lamps, & his flesh scorched. Afterwards the sentence of the sword being received, he poured forth prayers, & thus was beheaded. But a certain Presbyter, Phronto by name, when he had seen his body guarded by soldiers, approached them, & with benevolently offered wine received them. These being overcome by sleep, the Relics received he placed on his ass, & going away buried them in his own territory, where until this present day healings are conferred. These things there, & elsewhere also more briefly, nor without errors, especially in the printed Menaea, where Theotecnus the Governor is wrongly called Theodotus: but neither is the Martyr himself rightly said to have been from the territory of Mali, since the Acts make him a citizen of Ancyra. But he who to that territory conveyed the body of the dead man, Fronto the Presbyter, in the Hymn of St. Joseph is called Phorton, Ode VII, where this strophe is recited: Συντηρήσας σοὺς τοὺς λόγους, φόρτος ἃγιος τῷ θεοφόρῳ Φόρτωνι ἀποδίδοσαι, εἰς ναοῦ ἀνέγερσιν σεπτοῦ, Fulfilling your word, to the God-bearing Phorton a burden truly holy you are delivered, for the building of a venerable temple, which it behooves to have been built not long after his death, & before the Acts were written, certainly the persecution already ceasing.
[5] But what was this persecution? The Emperors in the plural repeatedly are written in the Acts, but none are named: he suffered under Diocletian & Maximian. yet as much as it is allowed to gather from them, Diocletian & Maximian are to be understood by us. For the Acts make mention of churches, as then frequent enough & public, which agrees best with their edicts, commanding all to be overthrown: they make mention also of Priests put to flight everywhere, for these especially were ordered to be sought; & altogether they describe a most savage persecution, such as in Eusebius it is to read this last one was, especially in the year CCCIII & IV, when the tyrants hoped that the memory of the Christian name was to be eradicated from the root, much more the religion. But so little did that extreme fury succeed for them, that they themselves on the contrary voluntarily abdicated in the year CCCV on the Kalends of May. The Chronology of that time recently very much illustrated Stephanus Baluzius in book 2 of the Miscellanea, having published, what had lain hidden hitherto, the book of Lactantius to Donatus the Confessor On the deaths of the Persecutors. This history reaches until the year CCCXIII, in which peace was given to the Church, Maximinus being conquered & put to flight by Licinius. For all things according to the faith of those knowing having professed himself to have spoken Lactantius, just as they were done, he says, to be committed to writing I believed; lest either the memory of such great things should perish, or if anyone should wish to write a history he should corrupt the truth, either by passing over in silence their sins against God, or the judgment of God against them. Hence moreover we have learned, in the last persecution, begun 22 Feb. of the year 303. that that extreme storm began to be moved on the VII Kalends of March, the two old men both holding the Consulship the eighth & seventh, that is in the year of Christ CCCIII, when at Nicomedia was overthrown the church of the Christians, which set on high was seen from the Palace: but on the next day was set forth an edict, by which it was provided that the men of that Religion should lack all honor & dignity, be subjected to torments from whatever order & rank they came, against them every action should be valid, they themselves of injury, of adultery, of things taken away could not act; liberty finally & voice they should not have. Which edict a certain one, although not rightly, yet with great spirit tore down & tore apart… & at once produced, not only racked, but even cooked, with admirable patience at last was burned.
[6] These things are read chapter 13 of the aforesaid book, to which in his most erudite Annotations Baluzius, according to the book of Lactantius dug up by Baluzius, first indeed agrees with us, that that tearer of the edicts is wrongly reported in the Martyrologies on the day VII September, under the name of John: then he does not approve, that we gave that honor to St. George, who is venerated XXIII April. For he thinks from the silence of Lactantius, who was then at Nicomedia, that it is sufficiently gathered, that he was an unknown man & of the common people; but not some sublime one & illustrious by the prerogative of secular honors, such as Eusebius describes. Indeed I acknowledge with Baluzius, that the Acts of St. George of whatever kind seem a fable rather than a history; yet no efficacious argument I see, by which the verisimilitude may be subverted,
according to which we have proceeded; seeking this, not from those Acts, but from the most ancient & most celebrated cult of that one, as of the Coryphaeus of the Martyrs. For let us grant a false fame about that first Martyr, which persuaded Eusebius dwelling in Palestine, that he was a noble & honored man: why could not from the very ignobility & even rustic race have been made the name of George by those, who ignorant of the proper one, which persuades to change some things about St. George. conveyed the body into Palestine? Thus certainly there would still remain, what was chiefly asserted by us. Nor is there great difficulty on the part of the day, on which the edicts were torn. For if it does not seem congruously to verisimilitude that it can be said, that having been apprehended at the end of February, he prolonged the Martyrdom until the XXIII of April; it could be said that he is commemorated not on the day on which it was completed; but on which the Church was once dedicated, & the Relics more honorably laid up, as often elsewhere, especially when the proper day of the Martyrdom was not committed to memory, & the Acts were written long after, as were written the Acts of St. George. But in this manner, the fellows of the martyrdom who are added become equally uncertain to us, as the series of torments & the duration of time spent on them. Add that from the same book of Lactantius it is also established, that Diocletian, when these things were done, had Prisca his wife & Valeria his daughter, & each lived until the year CCCXIII. What then of Alexandra, in the Passion of St. George? what of Serena, in the Acts of St. Susanna named the wives of Diocletian, will become? Shall we say they were his concubines? or shall we confess them altogether feigned, & thus to be eliminated from the calendars of Saints? It will be allowed with greater leisure to examine that on XI August, meanwhile it pleased these things to indicate, that it may appear that we do not so tooth-and-nail adhere to things once established, but that, new light being offered from elsewhere, we are prepared to retract them.
ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΘΕΟΔΟΤΟΥ ΑΓΚΥΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΣΥΝ ΑΥΤΩι ΕΠΤΑ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΩΝ.
From the Vatican Library Codex 655.
THE MARTYRDOM OF ST. THEODOTUS OF ANCYRA AND OF THE SEVEN VIRGINS WITH HIM.
By the Author Nilus an eyewitness, the Translator D. P.
Theodotus, Martyr at Ancyra (St.)
Tecusa, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Alexandra, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Claudia, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Phaina, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Euphrasia, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Matrona, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Julitta, Virgin Martyr in the same place in Galatia (St.)
Sosander, Martyr at Ancyra (St.)
BY NILUS FROM A GREEK MS.
PREFACE.
On the cause of the writing & the first life of the Saint.
[1] Ἔδει μὲν ἡμᾶς, τοὺς πεῖραν πολλῶν εὐεργεσιῶν εἰληφότας παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Θεοδότου, μὴ μόνον λόγοις ἐπαινεῖν τὴν τούτου ἄθλησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργοις ἀμείβεσθαι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ἱκανοὶ ἐσμὲν ἔργοις τιμῆσαι τὸν Μάρτυρα, οὔτε λόγοις ἐκφᾶναι καθὸν δεῖ τρόπον, ὅμως καθὸ δυνατὸν καὶ καθὼς εὐποροῦμεν, τὰς ἐκείνου εἰς ἡμᾶς γενομένας χάριτας, διὰ τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς βραδεῖς πρὸς τὴν νόησιν, τὴν χήραν εἰκείνην μιμούμενοι, τὰ δύο λεπτὰ καταβάλλομεν. Ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἡγούμεθα εἰς γνῶσιν ἀγαγεῖν τοῖς θεοφιλέσι τὸν βίον καὶ τὴν ἄθλησιν τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Θεοδότου, καὶ πῶς ἐκ νεαρᾶς ἡλικίας καί τινι τρόπῳ τὸ της καπηλίας μετήρχετο πρᾶγμα, καὶ ὡς ἐκ βρέφους ὁ βίος μέχρι τοῦ μαρτυρίου γεγένηται. Δεδοίκαμεν δὲ τὴν ἑγχείρησιν, μή πως ἡ βραδύτης τοῦ λόγου, καὶ τὸ νοθρὸν τῆς γνώσεως, καὶ τὸ τῆς παιδείας ἀμαθὲς, ὑβρίσειεν τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τὰς ἐνστάσεις τοῦ Μάρτυρος· μή τι εἰπὼν παρ᾽ ὃ δεῖ, τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ὑποθέσεως παραβλάψω, τῷ βραχεῖ τῆς διανοίας ἡμῶν ἐπιχειροῦντι, ταῖς μείζοσιν ὑποθέσεσι. Μεγάλας γὰρ εἴωθεν τοῖς πράγμασι τὰς βλάβας προστρίβεσθαι, ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν ἄτονος ὑπάρχων, εἰ τοιαῦτα νομίσοιεν οἱ ἀκούοντες αὐτὰ γεγονέναι, οἷα ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν δείξειεν. Τινὲς μὲν τὸν Μάρτυρά φασιν ὡς πρότερον τὸν κοινὸν καὶ ἀδιάφορον ἐπανῄρατο βίον, καὶ τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν τῶν ἡδονῶν μετεδίωκεν, καὶ ὅτι γυναικὶ συνεβίου, γάμου ζευχθεὶς νομίμου, καὶ τῆς καπηλείας δὲ τὴν μέθοδον ἐνεπορύετο, συλλογῆς ἕνεκεν χρημάτων· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τελευταῖος ἀγὼν τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ τὸν ἔμπροσθεν βίον ἐπίσημον παρεσκεύασεν γενέσθαι, κοσμήσας τοῖς τελευταίοις τὰ πρῶτα. Λεγέτω οὖν τις ὅπερ βούλεται, ἡμεῖς δὲ λέγωμεν, ὡς ἐξ ἀρχῆς συνόντες τῷ Μάρτυρι, ἅπερ καὶ ἔγνωμεν, καὶ ὄψεσιν αὐταῖς θεασάμεθα, τὴν καρτερίαν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ὡς καὶ συμπαρόντες αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀξιωθέντες παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἁγίων λόγων νουθεσίας χάριν.
[2] Ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὶν εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν τελευταῖον τοῦ μαρτυρίου καθεῖναι, πολλαχοῦ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ διὰ πολλῶν ἐδείκνυτο, ὥσπερ ἀθλητὴς πρὸς ἀντίπαλον, καὶ πρὸς τὰς σαρκικὰς ἐπιθυμίας πόλεμον πρῶτον ἀνείλατο. Καὶ δὴ εἰς αὔξησιν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἑαυτὸν ἀνεδείκνυεν πάντων διδάσκαλον, καὶ οὔ τε ἡδοναῖς ἐδούλωσεν ἑαυτὸν ἤ ἑτέρῳ λογισμῷ ῥυπαρῷ, μὴ γένοιτο, ἀλλὰ λαμπροὶ οἱ καρποὶ τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας ἐδείχθησαν λάμποντες, ὡς ὁ τελευταῖος αὐτοῦ βίος ἐδήλωσεν, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων κατορθωμάτων ἁπάντων πρώτην ἀρχὴν τὴν ἐγκράτειαν ἐποιήσατο, πανταχοῦ πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας αὐτὴν προβαλλόμενος ἀντὶ θυρεοῦ, καὶ τρυφὴν μὲν νομίσας Χριστιανοῖς εἶναι προσήκουσαν τὴν διηνεκῆ τοῦ σώματος κακουχίαν, πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ δόξαν τὸ ἀνδρίως ἐγκαρθερεῖν τῇ πενίᾳ. Πολλάκις εἶδον τὸν μὲν ἀνδρεῖον οὐχ ὑπὸ χρημάτων μόνον καὶ δόξης ἡττόμενον, καὶ τὸν σώφρονα ὑπὸ δειλίας κρατούμενον, καὶ τὸν ἡσύχιον καὶ πρᾷον ὑπὸ ἀκολασίας διεφθαρμένον· μόνῳ δὲ τῷ δικαίῳ πάντα δεδούλωται ὥσπερ δεσπότῃ τὰ πάθη. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τρυφὴν νηστείαν εἶχε θεράπαινα, καὶ πρὸς εὐεξίαν σωματικὴν τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, καὶ πρὸς ἐμπορίαν χρημάτων τὸ καὶ τὰ ὄντα τοῖς δεσμένοις παρέχειν. Ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν ἕκαστον μεθὰ ἀκριβείας ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν δηλώσωμεν· δόξαν γὰρ τὴν τοσαύτην δι᾽ ἀτιμίας ἐκτήσατο, πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ περιουσίαν δι᾽ ὑπερβαλλούσης πενίας, καὶ διὰ μαστίγων καὶ πειρασμῶν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀντηλλάξατο.
[3] Πολλοὺς γοῦν ἀπὸ κακίας ἀπήλλαττεν, ὡς ἀπὸ λοιμώδους νόσου τῇ νουθεσίᾳ τούτους πρᾳΰνων· πολλοὺς δὲ, ὑγιαίνειν δοκοῦντας σώματα, ὑπὸ λογισμῶν δὲ ὀχλουμένους ῥυπαρῶν, τῇ προσευχῇ ἠσφαλίζετο. Τοιγαροῦν ὑπὸ τῆς διδαχῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ θαυμαστης παραινέσεως πολὺ πλῆθος Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ ἰουδαίων τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ προσήγαγεν· ἡ γὰρ καπηλεία, τὴν μέθοδον ἐναλλάξασα, ἐπισκοπῆς ἔργον ἐπλήρου ἐν εὐτελεῖ προσχήμαθι. Καὶ γὰρ ἀδικουμένοις εἰς δύναμιν συνεμάχει, καὶ ἀσθενοῦσι σηνέκαμνε, καὶ θλιβομένοις συνεθλίβετο, καὶ τοῖς πάσχουσι συνεμερίζετο τὰ πάθη, πάνυ ὑπάρχων φιλάνθρωπος· καὶ τὸ δὴ πάντων θαυμάσιον, ἀῤῥωστοῦσι πολλοῖς καὶ δυσιάτοις περιπεσοῦσι νοσήμασι τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτιθεὶς, τούτους τῶν νοσημάτων ἀπήλλαττε, διὰ προσευχῆς αὐτοὺς ἰώμενος· πολλοὺς δὲ ἀκολάστους ἔπεισε σωφρονεῖν, καὶ ἄλλους δὲ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας ἀπεστρεφε τῆς μέθης, τινὰς δὲ καὶ δυσαποσπάστως ἔχοντας πρὸς τὸ τῆς φιλαργυρίας νόσημα, ἐποίησεν νουθετῶν ἀκτημοσύνην ποθῆσαι, καὶ ἅπερ εἶχον ταῦτα πτωχοῖς μεταδιδόασιν. Ἐκ δὲ τῆς ἐκείνου διδασκαλίας οὐκ ὀλίγοι ἀπεγράψαντο, διὰ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν οὐχὶ μαστίγων μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ παντοῖων καταφρονήσαντες θανάτων. Διὰ τοιούτων τοίνυν ἄθλων ὁ καλλίνικος τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνιστὴς καλῶς πάνυ τὴν ἕξιν γυμνασάμενος, ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν πάμμαχον παρεγένετο, πολλὰ ἔχων τὰ παράδοξα καὶ θαυμαστὰ πρὸς ἀφήγησιν, ὧν κατὰ μέρος διεξελθεῖν προθυμησομαι, ταῖς προσευχαῖς συναντιλαμβανομένου μοι τοῦ Μάρτυρος, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑποδεικνῦντος τὴν εὕρεσιν· νῦν οὖν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔλθω τῆς ὑποθέσεως.
[1] Having experienced toward me the great beneficence of the holy Martyr Theodotus, The author conscious to himself of his own slenderness not only with words ought I to praise his contest, but also with works to repay charity: although neither with works can I sufficiently honor the Martyr, nor with words such as would be equal to express it. Yet as I can & am able, the graces done to me by him, according to my slender capacity, it befits me to set forth, the two mites with the Gospel widow putting forth in the midst. For altogether I feel it necessary, to bring to the knowledge of the pious his life & contest, & how from his first youth having undertaken the tavern-keeping trade, thence even unto martyrdom he came. Yet I confess that I fear, lest, uncultivated in speech, slender in knowledge, scant in erudition, I should harm the Martyr's struggles & in the struggles his constancy, undertaking an argument greater than my strength. For excellent things by a feeble talent will suffer great detriment, yet he proposes to write things seen & known, if anyone shall esteem them such as my oration shall be able to demonstrate. Besides some will object, that the Martyr embraced a common manner of living, & not removed from the use of pleasures; who both lived with a woman joined to himself by lawful nuptials, & exercised tavern-keeping for the sake of gain. But the extreme contest of martyrdom made the former life also distinguished, the first things being adorned by the last. Let each therefore say what he will: I who lived with the Martyr from the beginning, will say the things which I knew & with my own eyes saw; namely his constancy, of whose fellowship & conversation I was held worthy for my own instruction.
[2] But before he descended to the last contest of martyrdom, having first told what an honorable youth the Saint led, on various & many occasions he proved his virtue, like an athlete about to fight against an adversary; & first he resolved that war against the concupiscences was to be waged by himself; & so much did he advance toward virtue, that he could be the master of all. For he did not enslave himself to pleasures or to any impure affection: but from his first youth he brought forth illustrious fruits of fair exercise, which also his last life proved. But chiefly temperance, as the beginning of all other goods, he took for himself as a shield for fighting, deeming the affliction of the body to be delights befitting a Christian man, whose wealth & glory it is generously to bear poverty. Indeed often the magnanimous one I have seen overcome by the desire, not of riches only, but also of glory, wisdom conquered by fear, & the gentle & placid one enervated by delights: who having his passions tamed, but to the just one alone, as to a lord, all the passions are enslaved. For against pleasures he had the custom of fasting as a handmaid; temperance, against the comforts of the body; & against the abundance of riches, the use of distributing his own to the poor. But all these things one by one hereafter we shall demonstrate, & make plain, that he obtained glory by ignominy, opulence & affluence by exceeding poverty, & through temptations & blows he gained heaven for himself.
[3] & made a leader to virtue for many, Many he led away from depravity, curing them as from a pestilential disease by opportune instruction: many, who in body seemed sound, but in mind labored oppressed by base thoughts, by prayer he healed: indeed also by doctrine & admirable exhortation, a great number of Pagans & of Jews he led to the Church. For tavern-keeping, contrary to custom, was to him in a mean habit instead of an Episcopal office; since to those suffering injury according to his strength he succored, with the infirm he labored together, with the afflicted he had compassion, himself a partaker of others' passions & full of charity.
full. But what you would chiefly admire, even laying on hands to those held by however incurable infirmity, he freed them from disease, his prayers to them as a medicine applying. To libidinous men also he persuaded continence, & those given to too much wine from drunkenness he led back: finally he came to the palm of martyrdom. but certain ones who by the disease of avarice seemed irremediably to be held, by admonishing he led, that they should believe poverty to be sought & their own to the poor to bestow. From such discipline indeed not few are numbered, who for Christ not only spurned scourges, but even death of whatever kind. From struggles of this kind this excellent champion of piety, prepared for the supreme contest of all, suggests to me many & admirable things to be narrated, which one by one to pursue I desire, he himself by his prayers helping me & demonstrating the order of things. Now therefore the beginning of the undertaken argument let us make.
CHAPTER I.
A grievous persecution under Theotecnus the Governor: how useful in it Theodotus was for helping & encouraging others: what he foretold about himself to Fronto the Presbyter.
[4] Θεότεκνός τις οὕτω καλούμενος τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπετράπη τῆς ἡμετέρας πατρίδος, ἀσελγὴς ὤν καὶ ταραχώδης, καὶ βίαιος, καὶ ἕτοιμος πρὸς ὡμότητα, πονηρὸς πάνυ, χαίρων τε φόνοις καὶ αἵμασιν, ἀποστάτης τῆς εὐσεβείας, παμμίαρος τῷ τρόπῳ, οὐδαμῶς δυνάμενος τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐξηγήσασθαι ἀξίως, πλὴν ὅτι τῆς πονηρίας τοῦ τρόπου ἀπηνέγκατο μισθὸν πόλεως ἄρχαι τοιαύτης. Βασιλεῖ γὰρ πολεμοῦντι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἀπέσχετο τοὺς ἐνταῦθα Χριστιανοὺς ἐντὸς ὀλίγου χρόνου μεταγαγεῖν πρὸς ἀσέβειαν, ἤγετο ἄρχειν μόνον ἐπιτραπείη τῆς χώρας. Οὖτος ὁ Θεότεκνος πρὶν καὶ τὸν ὅρον φθάσει τῆς πατρίδος, οὕτως ταῖς φήμαις τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς προκατέπληξεν, ἑς κενωθῆναι μὲν ἅπαν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ πλῆθος, τῶν δὲ φευγόντων τὰς ἐρημίας ἀναπληρωθῆναι καὶ τὰ ὄρη, τοσοῦτος δὲ τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς κατεῖχε φόβος καὶ ἔκπληξις, ὥσπερ ὀργῆς μελλούσης ἐξ οὐρανῶν καταφέρεσθαι. Προεξέπεμψε γὰρ ἄλλους ἐπ᾽ ἄλλοις ἀγγέλους φανερῶς φέροντας αὑτοῦ τῆς πονηρίας τὰ σύμβολα· καὶ τῶν πρώτων μὴ δέ πω ἀποτιναξάντων τὴν κόνιν, ἄλλοιτούτων ὅπισθεν περεγίνοντο, ἀπαγγέλλοντες καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ ἀνήμερον τῆς τούτου ὡμότητος καὶ ἀπανθρωπίας· ἔτεροι διατάγματα ἐκόμιζον, περιέχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ μέγεθος· κεκέλευστο δε πανταχοῦ τὰς ἐκκλησίας σὺν τοῖς θυσιαστηρίοις εἰς ἔδαφος καταφέρεσθαι· τοὺς ἱερέας δὲ προσάγεσθαι τοῖς βωμοῖς, καὶ ἀναγκάζεσθαι θύειν καὶ ἀρνεῖσθαι τὴν εὐσέβειαν· τοὺς δὲ ἀντιλέγοντας τοῖς προστάγμασι, τούτων τὰς οὐσίας ἀναλαμβάνειν εἰς τὸν δημόσιον, αὔτοὺς δὲ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας τούτων δεσμωτηρίοις ἐναποτίθεσθαι πρὸς τιμωρίαν φυλαττομένους ἐκείνῳ. ὡς ἄν πρότερον δεσμοῖς ἀγρίοις καὶ μάστιξι πεισθέντες χαυνότεροι γένωνται τὸν λογισμὸν πρὸς τὴν ἔνστασιν.
[5] Δέδραμε δὲ ἡ φήμη πρὸς ἅπαντας περιαγγέλουσα τὴν κακίαν. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὡς ἐν σάλῳ καὶ κλύδωνιχειμαζομένου πλοίου, ἴδες ἂν πάντα στρεφόμενα, ὁμοῦπερ πάσης ἐκδεχομένης ὥσπερ κύματα τῷ διωγμῷ καλυφθήσεσθαι· τὸ δὲ ἀσεβείας ἅπαν συνέδριον, ἐν εὐοχίαις τε ἦν καὶ παροινίαις καὶ κώμοις, ὑπερνηχόμενον αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀπωλείας τῷ βάθει, φέρειν δὲ τῆς εὐφημερίας αὐτῶν τὸ μέγεθος οὐ δυνάμενοι· καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ μεθύοντες ὥσπερ ἀκράτῳ τῇ κακίᾳ, πάντα καὶ ἔπασχον καὶ ἔπραττον, ὁποῖα ποιεῖν εἴωθεν τοὺς μαινομένους καὶ πάσχοντας. Ἐπεισερχόμενοι γὰρ εἰς τὰς οἰκίας, ἥρπαζον τὰ εὑρισκόμενα μηδεμιᾶς οὔσης προφάσεως· οὐδεὶς δὲ τῶν ἀδικουμένων ἠδύνατο ἀντειπεῖν· εἰ δέ τις ἐτόλμα κἂν μέχρι λόγου ἀντειπεῖν πρός τινα αὐτῶν τι. ἀταξίας ἦν καὶ στάσεως κατηγορία. Ἡνίκα δὲ τὰ ἀσεβῆ προετίθεσαν διαδάγματα, καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν πρῶτοι τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ πρὸς παραφυλακὴν ἀπετέθησαν περικληθέντες σιδήρῳ, οἰκέτι τις τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἐφαίνετο δημοσία· ὁ γὰρ ὀφθεὶς, εὐθέως ἐγίνετο τῶν ἀσεβῶν θήραμα· οἶκοί τε εἰς τὸ φανερὸν διηρπάζοντο, καὶ παρεδίδοντο φίλοι, καὶ ἐσυκοφαντεῖτο ἡ εὐσέβεια, καὶ γυναῖκες εὐγενίδες σὺν παρθἐνοις ὑπὸ ἀκολάστων ἀσέμνως ἐσύροντο· εἰ δέ τις τῶν τότε τὰ περὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἴδε γινόμενα, οἰκ ἂν εὐπορήσειεν ἐξηγήσασθαι τὰ πραττόμενα. Τοῖς γὰρ φεύγουσι τόπος οὐκ ἦν εἰς τὸ σώζεσθαι, τῶν τε θυσιαστηρίων οἱ ἱερεῖς ἀνεχώρησαν, καταλειπόντες τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὰ πρόθυρα, καὶ αἱ ὑπάρξεις αὐτῶν πρὸς ἁρπαγὴν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐξέκειντο, καὶ τοῖς φεύγουσιν ἐδόκει πάσης κολάσεως βαρυτέρα εἶναι ἡ ἀσιτία· πανταχόσε γὰρ τῆς ἑρημίας πλανώμενοι, ἔν τε φάραγξι καὶ σπηλαίοις, καὶ ὅπου τις εὗρε κατάδυσιν, οὐκ ἔφερον τῆς ἀσιτίας τὸ βάρος, καὶ πολλοὶ νομίσαντες ἐλέος τυχεῖν συνελήφθησαν· ἦν μὲν οὖν πᾶσι πικρὸν τῆς φυγῆς τοῖς φεύγουσι τὸ πάθος, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ἐλευθέροις, καὶ ἐν πλείονι δορυφορίᾳ τραφεῖσιν, οἵ ποτε ἐν ἀνεκτότητι ὄντες, ῥίζας ἴσθιον καὶ βοτάνας.
[6] Μόνος δὲ ὁ καλλίνικος μάρτυς Θεόδοτος ἐμαχήσατο ὑπὲρ τῶν θείων νομίμων, πολλοὺς κινδύνους περάσας· οὔτε γὰρ τὴν καπηλίαν, ὥς τινες ἐφάσαν, κέρδους ἕνεκα μετήρχετο ἢ συλλογῆς χρημάτων· ἀλλὰ τέχνῃ χρησάμενος, ἐπενόησεν ὥστε τῶν διωκομένων τὸ καπηλεῖον λιμὴν σωτηρίας γενέσθαι, πρὸς κοινὴν πάντων ἀσφάλειαν ηὐτρεπισμένος. Πολὺν μέντοι ἀγῶνα καὶ κάματον ἔσχε περὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς δεσμωτηρίοις ἠσφαλισμένων τῶν εὐσεβούντων, καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ φυγῇ πλανωμένους a διέσωζεν, καὶ τοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνόμων ἐνεργουμένους περιέστελλεν. Οἱ γὰρ τελειούμενοι διὰ ποικίλων κολάσεων, τούτων τὰ σώματα κυσὶν ἐῤῥίπτετο πρὸς ἀνάλωσιν· καὶ εἴ ποτέ τις εὑρίσκετο τούτους θάπτων, τὴν ἴσην τούτοις ἔπασχεν κόλασιν· θάνατος γὰρ ὥριστο κατὰ τῶν θαπτόντων αὐτοὺς πικρότατος. Τίς γὰρ ἂν καὶ ὑπονοήσειεν ἐν καπήλῳ τοιαύτην κρύπτεσθαι θεοσέβειαν; Ἦν οὖν ὁ οἶκος τοῦ δικαίου καπηλεῖον τε ὁμοῦ, καὶ εὐσεβείας λιμὴν ἀχείμαστος τοῖς καταφεύγουσιν, εὐκτήριον ὀχύρωμα τῶν κρυπτομένων. Ταύτης τῆς καπηλείας τὴν πρόφασιν ἐφευράμενος, ἀνυπόπτοτος τέως διέμενε· καὶ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου παραίνεσιν, τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ διωγμοῦ ὀχλουμένοις μόνος τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, ἰατρὸς μὲν τοῖς ἰατρείας δεομένοις, ὀψοποιὸς δὲ τοῖς ἀῤῥωστοῦσι τὰ σώματα, σιτοποιὸς δὲ καὶ οἰνοχόος τοῖς ὑπ᾽ ἐνδείας κακοχουμένοις, διδάσκαλος δὲ πρὸς ἀρετὴν τοῖς πολιτείαν σεμνότητος μετ᾽ εὐσεβείας ἀσκουμένοις. Καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ ἄγεσθαι μέλλοντας, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς βασάνους παρεθάρρυνε, τοὺς δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ἐστῶτας νουθετῶν ἔπειθεν ὑπἐρ Χριστοῦ ἀποτέμνεσθαι, καὶ πᾶς τις εὐλόγως εἴποι τῶν τότε μαρτυρησάντων τὸν δίκαιον εἶναι διδάσκαλον. Ὅπου δὲ τὸ θαυμαστὸν τοῦ μάρτυρος εἰς γνῶσιν εἰσάγομεν, ὑπὸ τῆς λήθης μικροῦ δεῖν ἡττηθέντες, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐκ ἐλαθεν.
[7] Ἐκέλευσε τότε ὁ ὑπουργὸς τοῦ διαβόλου Θεότεκνος εἰδωλοθύτοις μιαίνεσθαι τὰ τῆς βιωτικῆς ζωῆς εἴδη, ἄρτον φημὶ καὶ οἶνον, ὄπως μή τε ἡ ἀνωφορὰ τῷ πάντων δεσπότῃ Θεῷ καθαρὰ προσφέροιτο· κατέστησε δὲ καὶ δημοσίως ἱερέας τῆς πλάνης, ὅπως τοῦτο ἐπιτελέσωσιν· ἐχρῆν δὲ, ὡς πᾶσιν ἔγνωσται, προσφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ τὰ δῶρα ἀμόλυντα. Οὔσης οὖν χαλεπωτάτης τῆς ἐποινίας, ὁ μάρτυς ταχεῖαν εὗρε τὴν διώρθωσιν, ὁ τὰ μεγάλα πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἐπιτηδεύων· συνωνούμενος γὰρ παρὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ὁπόσα καὶ συνωνήσατο, ταῦτα εἴς τε τὴν προσκομιδὴν καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις παρεῖχε· καὶ ἦν τὸ καπηλεῖον αὐτοῦ, ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ κατακλεισμοῦ ἡ κιβωτὸς Νῶε, τοῖς ἐν αὐτῇ διασωθεῖσιν ἐγένετο. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τότε καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς γῆς τοῦ ἀφανισμοῦ ἐπελθόντος, οὐκ ἦν μέθοδος σωθῆναί τινα ὀλίγον τι παρελθόντα τῆς κιβωτοῦ, διὰ τὸ πᾶσαν ὸμοῦ τὴν ξηρὰν θαλαττεύεσθαι· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ πόλει οὐκ ἦν τινα περισωθῆναι Χριστιανὸν ἐκτὸς τοῦ b δωματίου τοῦ Μάρτυρος· ἦν γὰρ παντὸς καπηλεῖον καὶ οἶκος εὐκτήριος, καὶ τοῖς ξένοις ἦν καταγώγιον, καὶ θυσιαστήριον τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν εἰς τὸ προσφέρειν τὰ δῶρα· οὕτω γὰρ πάντες ἐκεῖ κατέφευγον, ὡς ναυτικοὶ σκάφην κατάγοιεν χειμαζομένην. Ταῦτα τῆς καπηλείας τοῦ δικαίου τὰ κέρδη, ταῦτα τὰ πλεονεκτήματα τῆς ἐμπορίας τοῦ Μάρτυρος, καὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας καπηλεῖον εὐορμότατος τῶν ναυαγούντων λιμὴν ἐγνωρίζετο. Ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἀρκέσειεν, ὅπως καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλων καλῶν πραγμάτων τοῦ Μάρτυρος τὸν λόγον μετετέγκωμεν.
[8] Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις συνέβη Βίκτορά τινα, φίλον τοῦ Μάρτυρος, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἁρπαγέντα κατέχεσθαι· ἦν δὲ αὕτη τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἡ πρόφασις. Τινὲς τῶν ἱερέων τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος κατηγόρουν αὐτοῦ, ὡς ὅτι ἔφησε Βίκτωρ, ὅτιπερ Ἀπόλλων τὴν ἰδίαν ἀδελφὴν Ἅρτεμιν ἐν Δήλῳ παρὰ τῷ βωμῷ ἐβιάσατο, καὶ ὅτι ὤφειλον οὁ ἕλληνες αἰσχύνεσθαι ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ ἀσελγείᾳ, τῶν θεῶν αὐτῷ σεμνυνόμενοι· οὐκ ἐχρῆν δὲ ταῦτα οὐ δὲ ἄνθρωπον πράττειν, ἔγκλημα ὄν τὸ τοιοῦτον τόλμημα. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τοῦ Βίκτορος κατηγόρουν, προσήρχοντο δὲ αὐτῷ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἑλλήνων κολακεύοντες καὶ λέγοντες, Πείσθητι τῷ ήγεμόνι, καὶ ἕξεις τιμὰς πολλὰς, καὶ φίλος ἔσῃ τῶν Βασιλέων, καὶ χρήματα παρ᾽ αὐτῶν λήψῃ, καὶ ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς αὐτῶν διαπρέψεις· εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς τῷ ἡγεμόνι, γνώσῃ ὅτι πικραὶ κολάσεις μένουσί σοι, καὶ ἀφανισμὸς τοῦ οἴκου σου ἕσται, καὶ τὰ χρήματά σου τῷ ταμιείῳ προσκυρωθήσεται, καὶ τὸ γένος σου ἅπαν ἀφανισθήσεται, καὶ μετὰ τὸ κολασθῆναί σε, τὸ σῶμά σου κυσὶ ῥιφησεται πρὸς ἀνάλωσιν. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πολλὰ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς τῷ Βίκτορι διελέγοντο· ὁ δὲ μάρτυς τῆς εὐσεβείας Θεόδοτος εἰσελθὼν νυκτὸς εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ἤλειφεν αὐτὸν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ Θεοῦ γυμνάζων· ἔφασκεν οὖν· Οἱ Χριστιανοὶ οὐκ ἄλλων τινῶν ὀφείλουσιν ἀντέχεσθαι, ἢ βίου σεμνότητος, καὶ πολιτείας ὀρθῆς, καὶ γνώμης ἀμεταθέτου περὶ τὴν ὄντως εὐσέβειαν· ἡ γὰρ τοιούτων κτῆσις σπάνιος καὶ δυσθήρατος, οὐκ εἰς πολλοὺς ἐπχομένη, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὴν εἰς τοὺς ὀλίγους συστέλλουσα.
[9] Ἔλεγε δὲ πάλιν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ὅσιος, Ὠ Βίκτωρ, μὴ δι᾽ ὅλως ἀκούσῃς τῶν ἀπατηλῶν καὶ βεβήλων λόγων, ὧν οἱ μιαροὶ ἕλεγόν σοι, μὴ δι᾽ ὅλως ἀνάσχῃ τῆς νουθεσίας αὐτῶν, μὴ δὲ ἐγκαταλειπὼν τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἀκολουθήσῃς ἐκείνοις, καὶ ἀντὶ σωφροσύνης ἀκολασίαν ἑλόμενος, καὶ ἀντὶ δικαιοσύνης ἀδικίαν, ἀντὶ δὲ εὐσεβείας τῆς πρὸς τὸ θεῖον, ἀσέβειάν τε καὶ ὕβριν· μηδαμῶς, ὦ Βίκτορ, μηδαμῶς· ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον δοκοῦσιν αἱ παρὰ τῶν πονηρῶν ὑποσχέσεις, τοσοῦτον εἰς βόθρον κατάγουσιν τοὺς πειθομένους αὐτοις. Ἆῤ οὐ δοκεῖ σοι ὅτι καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι τοιαύταις ὑποσχέσεσιν Ἰούδαν τὸν προδότην ἠπάτησαν; οὐ τοσοῦτον ὄφελος ἡ τῶν τριάκοντα ἀργυρίων δόσις ἐγένετο, ὥστε ἐκείνων μὲν ἡ χρῆσις εἰς ταφὴν τοῖς ξένοις ἐγένετο, Ἰούδα δὲ διασαπέντος καὶ ὀγκοθέντος, οὐδὲν τοῦτον ὠφέλησε τὰ χρήματα, ἢ τὸν δι᾽ ἀγχόνης μισθὸν ἐκομίσατο. Μὴ οὖν παρὰ πονηρῶν Χρηστόν τι ἔλπιζε· αἱ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ὑποσχέσεις πρὸς αἰώνιον ὁδηγοῦσι θάνατον. Τούτοις τοῖς λόγοις ὁ δίκαιος ὑποστηρίζων τὸν Βίκτορα, τέως ἔμενεν ἀμετάθετος, ὅθεν τὰ μὲν πρότερα γενναίως ἐνεκαρτέρησε ταῖς βασάνοις, καὶ πρὸς θεατὰς τοσοῦτον ἐπαινέθη, ὅσον τῶν ὑποφωνήσεων τοῦ διδασκάλου σπουδαίως ἐμέμνητο· ὡς δὲ ἤμελλον πρὸς
τοῖς τελεμταίοις φθάνειν τοῦ δρόμου, ὅτε καὶ τὸν στέφανον λαμπρὸν παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ κομίζεσθαι, ᾔτησε καιρὸν βραχὺ παρὰ τοῦ τυράννου δοθῆναι αὐτῷ πρὸς ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ μετάμελον. Ἐιπόντος δὲ τοῦτο τοῦ Βίκτορος, εὐθέως οὶ βασανίζοντες αὐτὸν τοῦ μαστίζειν ἐπαύσαντο, νομίζοντες αὐτὸν ἤδη ἀρνησάμενον τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Βίκτωρ ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ ἀπέθανε ταῖς μάστιξιν, ἀμφίβολον καταστήσας τοῦ μαρτυρίου τὴν ἔκβασιν, ὅθεν καὶ τὰ τῆς μνήμης αὐτοῦ ἀμφίβολα μέχρι δεῦρο γεγένηται.
[10] Καὶ ἔτερον δὲ τοῦ Μάρτυρος ὑμῖν ἀγώνισμα διηγήσομαι. Μαλός ἐστιν χωρίον, τῆς πόλεως ἀπωκισμένον σημείων μικροῦ πρὸς τεσσαράκοντα· εἰς τοῦτο τὸ χωρίον παρεγένετο ὁ μάρτυς κατὰ συγκυρίαν τινὰ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ διωγμοῦ, ὅτε τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου Μάρτυρος Οὐάλεντος, τοῦ ἐν Μηδικῶσιν διὰ πολλῶν ἐλθόντος μαστίγων, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον διὰ πυρὸς, εἰς συστροφὰς ὑδάτων Ἅλυος καταβληθῆναι τὰ λείψανα, καὶ ταῦτα ἀνήλατο ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυς Θεόδοτος. Παρεγένετο οὖν οὐκ εἰς αὐτὁ τὸ χωρίον, ἀλλ᾽ ὀλίγον τι κατωτέρῳ ἐπισκοπιάν τινα πρὸς τὸ ἀνατολικὸν μέρος ἀποβλέπων, ἀφ᾽ οὗ τὸ ῥεῦμα τοῦ Ἅλυος καταπτύεται· τὸ δὲ μεταξὺ διάστημα τοῦτε χωρίου καὶ τοῦ τόπου, ἴσως εἰσὶ δύο που στάδιαι. Κατὰ δὲ θείαν πρόνοιαν συνέβη ἀδελφοὺς αὐτόθι τινὰς αὐτῷ περιτυγχάνοντας, ἀσπάσασθαι καὶ πολλαῖς αὐτὸν εὐχαριστείαις ἠμείβοντο, ὡσά τε κοινὸν αὐτὸν εὐεργέτην ὑπάρχοντα τῶν θλιβομένων, ὑπεμίμνησκόν τε αὐτὸν τῆς εἰς αὐτοὺς εὐποιΐας· ἦσαν γὰρ οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ὑπὸ συγγενῶν ἰδίων κατενεχθέντες ἐν τῇ πόλει, καὶ κατεσπουδάζοντο πρὸς τιμωρίαν παραδοθῆναι τοῖς ἄρχουσιν, διὰ τὸ καταστρέψαι βωμὸν τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος, τούτους ὁ δίκαιος περιδρομαῖς παντοίαις καὶ χρημάτων δόσεσι μόλις ἦν ἐκ τῶν δεσμῶν ῥυσάμενος, ὧν δή καὶ τότε τὴν συντυχίαν πολὺ κέρδος νομίσας, ἠξίου σὺν αὐτῷ εὐοχηθέντας, οὕτως ἔχεσθαι τῆς πορείας.
[11] Κατακλιθέντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν χλόην· ἦν γὰρ περὶ τὸν τόπον χόρτος πολὺς, καὶ δένδρα ἑστῶτα ἀρκεύθινα c καὶ βοράτινα, εἶχε δὲ καὶ παντοίαν εὐωδίαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθέων ὁ τόπος, τεττίγων τε καὶ ἀηδόνων ἄσματα περὶ τὸν ὄρθρον ἐγίνοντο σύμφωνα, καὶ πάντων ὀρνέων ᾠδαὶ, καὶ ἁπλῶς πάντων ἦν πλήρης τὸ ὄρος οἷς ἡ φύσις τερπνοῖς τὴν ἐρημίαν ἐκόσμησεν. Ἐνταῦθα δὴ κατακλιθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ χλορῷ, ἔπεμψεν εἰς τὴν κώμην τῶν ἑταίρων τινὰς ὁ Μάρτυς, ἐπὶ τῷ Πρεσβύτερον αὐτῷ καλέσαι, ὅς παραγενόμενος μεταλάβοι ἅμα αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπιούσαις εὐχαῖς τούτους προπέμψοι. οὐ γὰρ μετελάμβανεν ὁ ὅσιος τροφῆς, εἰ μὴ ηὐλόγει Πρεσβύτερος. Ἐλθόντες οὖν οἱ πεμφθέντες εἰς τὸ χωρίον, περιτυγχάνουσι τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐξερχομένῳ μετὰ τὴν προσευχὴν τῆς ἕκτης ὥρας, ὅς αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ κυνῶν ὀχλουμένους ἐπιδραμὼν, καὶ τοὺς κύνας ἀποσοβήσας, χαίρειν προσεῖπε, καὶ εἰ Χριστιανοὶ ἐστέ φησιν, ἔλθετε πρός με, ἵνα τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγάπης μεταδῶμεν ἀλλήλοις. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον, Χριστιανοὶ ἐσμὲν, καὶ Χριστιανῶν ἐμπορευόμεθα συντυχίαις· ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ Πρεσβύτερος μειδιάσας, πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἔφη· Ὦ Φρόντων, τοῦτο γαρ ἦν τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ τὸ ὄνομα, πῶς ἀεὶ φανερῶς φαίνονταί μοί φησιν αἱ τῶν ὀνείρων ὁπτασίαι; τὸ δὲ φανέν μοι τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ἐνύπνιον ἐκπλήττει με· ἐθεώρουν γὰρ δύο ἄνδρας, ὥσπερ ὑμᾶς, λέγοντάς μοι, θησαυρὸν, τῇ πατρίδι ἐνηνοχέναι. Ἐπεὶοὖν τοὺς ὀφθέντας μοι ἄνδρας κατ᾽ ὄναρ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς τεθέαμαι, φέρε λοιπὸν καὶ τὸν θησαυρόν μοι ἀπόδοτε.
[12] Οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες ἔφησαν, ἀληθῶς τιμιώτερον θησαυροῦ παντὸς ἔχειν μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς τὸν μάρτυρα. Θεόδοτον, ὃν εἰ βουληθείης θεάσασθαι ἄνδρα ἐν εὐσεβεία μεγάλῃ· ἀλλὰ δεῖξον ἡμῖν πάτερ τὸν τῆς κώμης Πρεσβύτερον. Καὶ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος ἔφη· Ἄγωμεν· ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι, ὃν ζητεῖτε· ἀλλὰ βέλτιον αὐτὸν οἴκαδε d σκύλαι, ἀπρεπὲς γάρ ἐστιν ὄντων ἐνταῦθα Χριστιανῶν ἐν νάπαις αὐλίζεσθαι. Παραγενόμενος δὲ, καὶ τὸν ἅγιον σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἀσπασάμενος, εἰς τὸν οἶκον παρεκάλει ἅμα τῶν συνόντων ἀδελφῶν παραγενέσθαι αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἠνέσχετο διὰ τὸ σπεύδειν αὐτὸν καταλαβεῖν τὴν μητρόπολιν λέγων· Νῦν Χριστιανοῖς μέγας ἥπλωται σωτηρίας δρόμος, ἀλλ᾽ ὥστε δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν ταῖς ἀνάγκαις δέον ἐπικουρεῖν. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ μεταλαβεῖν αὐτοῦς τῆς τροφῆς, ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρὸς τὸν πρεσβύτερον μειδιάσας λέγει· Ὁποῖον ὁρῶ τὸν τόπον ἐπιτήδειον πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν ἁγίων λειψάνων; καὶ ἵνα τι ῥαθυμεῖς; Καὶ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος εἶπε· Σὺ κάμε μοι ἐν οἷς ἐπιδέομαι, καὶ τότε μέμφου τῇ ῥαθυμίᾳ μου, ἔλεγε δὲ περὶ κομήσεως ἁγίων λειψάνων· χρὴ γάρ φησι πρῶτον εὐτρεπῆσαι τὰ λείψανα, καὶ τότε τοῦ κτίσματος ἄρχεσθαι. Καὶ ὸ Μάρτυς εἶπεν, Ἡμέτερον οὖν ἐστι σπουδᾶσαι, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ παρασχεῖν σοι τὰ λείψανα, σὸν δὲ σπουδάσαι τὸν οἶκον οἰκοδομῆσαι· ἀλλὰ παρακέκλησο Παπᾶ, μὴ ἀμελήσῃς τοῦ ἔργου, ἀλλ᾽ ὅση δύναμίς σοί εστι, σπούδασον τὸ ἔργον τελειῶσαι, τάχειον γὰρ ἐλεύσεται τὰ λείψανα. Εἰπόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα, περιείλατο τὸν δακτύλιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ ἐπέδωκεν εἰπών· ὁ Κύριος ἔσται ἀνὰ μέσον ὑμῶν μάρτυς, ὅτι ἐν τάχει αὐτὸς φροντήσει τὰ λείψανα, λέγων ἢ ἄλλον πέμπειν, ἢ αὐτὸν ἔρχεσθαι· ἔσπευδε γὰρ τάχιον τὸν δρόμον τῆς ἀθλήσεως τελέσαι. Ταῦτα συνθέμενος, ἐκ τῆς Μαλοῦ ἀνεχώρησε, καὶ κατέλαβε τὴν πόλιν, ὡς ὑπὸ σεισμοῦ τὰ πάντα συστρεφόμενα.
[4] A certain man, Theotecnus by name, obtained the government of our fatherland; a man disordered, turbulent, violent, prone to savagery, malignant altogether, rejoicing in slaughter & blood, a deserter of piety, execrable in every way; & whose wickedness I could explain in no words better, than by saying, that by his own merit alone he received the administration of so great a city. For indeed to the Emperor, warring against the Church, he had promised, that if the governance of this region were entrusted to him, all, however many Christians are here, in a short time he would lead over to impiety. He terrifies the Christians by the fame preceding him: He therefore before he entered our borders, by the mere fame of his coming so terrified all the pious, that the fullness of the Church was desolated, & the solitudes & the peaks of the mountains were filled with fugitives: & so great a terror invaded all, as if a plague sent from heaven hung over the heads of all. For he sent ahead messengers one after another, openly declaring the worst counsels of his mind. But scarcely had the former shaken the dust from their feet, when new ones came, declaring the implacable rigor of his cruelty & inhumanity. And again third ones brought edicts, testifying the amplitude of the committed power, by which it was commanded that all churches everywhere with their altars be leveled to the ground, the Priests be dragged to the altars of idols, & compelled to sacrifice be forced to forswear piety; but the properties of all those who contradicted the precepts be assigned to the fisc, & they themselves & their children be shut in prisons, to be reserved for the Governor for punishment, that, with chains first & blows subdued, they might bring minds softened for the future interrogation.
[5] When fame of this kind was spread, everywhere announcing the impending calamity, the Church was like a ship agitated by whirlwinds & storms, & gives spirit to the Pagans for vexing them. in which you would see all things carried topsy-turvy, while the whole itself, as if by waves, thus feared to be swallowed by the persecution. But the council of the malignant, swimming in the very abyss of its own perdition, was occupied in feastings & drinking-bouts: & the impious, unable to bear the excess of their prosperity, & by too great malice as if drunk with unmixed wine, did & suffered all things which the insane & raging are wont. For indeed bursting into houses, no cause appearing, they plundered whatever they met, nor did any of those suffering injury dare to oppose himself to them: for if anyone gainsaid even by a word, he was charged as guilty of insolence & sedition. When therefore the impious edicts had thus been set forth, & the first of the Brethren were held bound with iron in prison for keeping, no one of the Christians appeared in public, but openly their houses were pillaged, friends were betrayed, religion suffered calumny, freeborn women & virgins by lascivious men were shamelessly dragged: nor at all could one who had seen narrate how then the Church was dealt with. For there was no place of safety for fugitives, & from the altars the Priests had withdrawn, abandoning the vestibules of the churches: & while their properties were exposed to the impious for rapine, But those being dispersed by flight or hiding or captured, hunger heavier than every punishment pressed upon those who had departed. For wandering through the whole solitude, & in caves & caverns as each one had found a hiding-place keeping himself, they could not long tolerate hunger, but many offered themselves to be apprehended, deeming they would obtain mercy. Grievous therefore to the fugitives was the evil of the flight itself, especially to the freeborn & those nourished in much affluence of things, who once needing nothing, now fed on roots & herbs.
[6] Meanwhile Theodotus alone, the glorious Martyr, contended for the divine institutes, Theodotus was a protection, undergoing many perils: for he did not exercise tavern-keeping, as some say, for the sake of gain to gather moneys; but using industry he considered how his tavern might become a harbor of safety for those suffering persecution, prepared for the common security of all. But a vast labor was his with the pious who were detained in custody, while he tried to save those wandering after flight, & to cover those slain by the impious. For the bodies of those who by various torments had been killed, were cast to the dogs for food: & if anyone was found taking care of their burial he sustained the same punishment: because a most bitter death was appointed for those burying them. But who would think that in a tavern was hidden so great piety? The house of the Just one was therefore at once a tavern & a tranquil harbor of religion for those fleeing thither, & a fortified place for prayer for those hidden in the same. hiding under the profession of a tavern-keeper. For the pretext of tavern-keeper's gain being assumed as an occasion for exercising piety, for some time he remained unobserved: & according to the admonition of Blessed Paul to all those suffering persecution he alone became all things, a physician to the needy, a caterer to those infirm in body, a baker & cupbearer to those laboring by the lack of food, a master to those adorning an honorable life by the zeal of piety. To bear torments he encouraged those who were led captive, & those set before the altars he exhorted to undergo death for Christ; so that with reason one might say that he was the teacher of all, who in that time were consummated by martyrdom. Yet I have not brought to notice a certain chief deed of the Martyr, nearly passed over by oblivion, which however could not altogether escape the writer.
[7] The minister of the devil Theotecnus had ordered every kind of human food to be defiled with things sacrificed to idols, namely bread & wine, that not even to God the Lord of all could a clean oblation be exhibited: [& providing wine & pure bread for the sacrifices from things not sacrificed to idols.] & publicly he had appointed Priests of the error, who should take care of this: but it behooved, as all know, to offer to God immaculate gifts. For this most troublesome contrivance, the Martyr swiftly devised a remedy, vehemently industrious in the cultivation of virtue: for whatever he had bought before from the Christians, to the same he resold
for the need of making the oblation. The tavern of his was therefore to the faithful, what once the ark of Noah was to those saved through it in the time of the deluge. For just as then when through the whole world extermination raged, there was no way of finding safety if anyone withdrew even ever so little from the ark, because all the earth was inundated; so in our city no Christian could be saved outside the dwelling of the Martyr. The tavern was therefore turned into a house of prayer, into a lodging of pilgrims, into an altar of Priests for offering the sacred gifts, since thither all fled as those suffering shipwreck to a skiff. These were to the Just one the gains of the tavern-keeping profession, these the proceeds of his trade to the Martyr, & the cultivators of piety held it known, that that tavern was a most commodious harbor for those in peril. And of these now enough, that I may bring other deeds of his also into the discourse.
[8] In those days it happened that a certain Victor, a friend of the Martyr, This one encourages Victor the captive to constancy, seized by the impious was apprehended from a cause of this kind. Some of the Priests of Diana accusing him said, that he had said; that Apollo violated his sister Diana before the altar in Delos, & that the Greeks ought to be ashamed of lasciviousness of this kind, having such a God, who did a crime which not even men would dare to commit. When about these things Victor was accused, the Pagans came to him, flattering & saying: Obey the Governor, & you will be affected with much honor, & you will be a friend of the Emperors, & from them you will obtain riches, & in their palace you will dwell. But if you do not obey the Governor, know that bitter torments await you, & over your whole family hangs extermination: your properties will be assigned to the fisc, & your whole race will be destroyed: & your body after the tortures will be cast to the dogs to be devoured. These & many other things to Victor the impious said; but the confessor of piety Theodotus, entering the prison by night, comforted him saying, The Christians ought to care for nothing else than the purity of life, an upright conversation, & a mind firm in the true religion, the possession of which is rare & difficult of acquisition & comes to few.
[9] But again to him the Blessed one said; Do not, I pray, hear those noxious & profane discourses, by which those impure ones assail you; nor at all take up their persuasions, that deserting us you should follow them, preferring lasciviousness to continence, & fortifies against the flatteries: injustice to justice, impiety to piety. By no means, Victor, by no means: for as much as the promises of the impious flatter, so certain a ruin do they bring on. Did not the Jews by promises of this kind deceive Judas the betrayer? It profited him nothing to have received thirty pieces of silver: for their price went to the burial of pilgrims, but he himself hanged burst asunder, having gained nothing besides a noose by his moneys. Do not hope for any good from the wicked: for promises lead only to perpetual death. With these & such words when the Just one had confirmed Victor, he indeed remained constant & generously bore the beginnings of the torments, & on that account was praised by the spectators, as long as memory held the exhortations of the master; but when he had now almost reached the end of his course, about to receive the crown of victory from the Savior; he asked of the tyrant a brief respite for deliberating. who however in the end fails. Which heard the lictors at once ceased to beat him, judging him to have failed from the faith; but he from the blows died in prison, leaving the issue of his confession doubtful, whence until the present day his memory remains in ambiguity.
[10] But now let us describe another contest of the Martyr. There is a village distant about the fortieth stone from the city, Malus by name. Hither, The same one, the relics of Valens the Martyr being taken from the river, God so disposing, came in the time of persecution the Martyr Theodotus, when the relics of the holy & glorious Martyr Valens (namely of him who among the Medicones first through many blows & at last through fire had passed) had been cast into the eddying waters of the river Halys, which he took up: but he had come not into the village itself; but somewhat lower to a certain cave looking toward the East, whence the stream of the Halys breaks forth, whose distance of the place from the village is about two stadia. But there by a certain divine ordination it happened, that he met certain brethren, he receives some fugitives, who having saluted him heaped up many acts of thanks, as to the common benefactor of all the afflicted; & one by one they remembered their obligation toward him, that since not so long ago they had been detained by their own kinsmen, who hastened to deliver them to the Prefects because they had subverted the altar of Diana, the Saint, with great effort & no slight expense used, had at last with difficulty rescued them from the chains. Their meeting therefore deeming a notable gain, he asked that they take food with him, & thus pursue their journey.
[11] But while they reclined upon the grass (for there was much grass there & trees standing about both fruitful & wild, with all kinds of fragrance of flowers, & a sweet concert of cicadas & nightingales toward dawn, the Presbyter of the village being summoned, & the modulation of various birds, & finally all those things with which nature can adorn some solitary place) while they, I say, reclined upon the grass, the Saint sent certain of his companions to the village, to summon for him the Presbyter, who might both dine & fortify those about to set out with the customary prayers for the journey: for the Saint was not wont to take food unless the Presbyter blessed it. When therefore those who had been sent had come into the village, they met the Presbyter coming out from the church after the sixth hour of prayer: who seeing them infested by dogs, immediately ran up; & driving off the dogs, saluted & asked, that if indeed they were Christians, they should enter to him, that they might enjoy mutual charity in Christ. To whom they, We are Christians & we rejoice in the meeting of Christians. Then smiling the Presbyter said within himself, O Fronto (for this was his name) how manifestly do visions through sleep always appear to you! but what this night I saw was plainly stupendous. who had been forewarned about him through a dream, For I saw two men, similar to you, saying to me that they would bring a treasure to this region. Since therefore I see you the very ones whom I saw through sleep, come, deliver that treasure to me.
[12] The men answered, We truly have with us whom, if you wish, you will be able to see, a man excelling in religion: after taking food on the grass, but show us the Presbyter of this village, Father. Who said: Good, I myself am he whom you seek: but it is better that we lead him hither home, for it is not fitting where Christians are that anyone remain in the wood. Approaching therefore & the Saint with the Brethren having kissed, he asked that all together come into his house. But he excused himself, because he hastened to return to the metropolis: For a great stadium for salvation, he says, is now opened to the Christians, but it behooves also to help the Brethren set in necessities. After therefore they had taken food, the Athlete of Christ smiling to the Presbyter says, How apt do I see the place for the reception of sacred Relics? why do you delay? The Presbyter answered: You take care that I have wherein I may labor, he bids the place be fitted for laying up Relics, & then accuse me of tardiness, speaking of the bringing of holy Relics: For it behooves, he says, to obtain them, & then to think of beginning the building. Then the Martyr: It is ours, he says, to act more solicitously; or rather God's, to supply Relics to you, but yours to prepare diligently the sacred house: wherefore I beseech, Father, do not delay in the work, but take care that as soon as possible you bring it to an end, for the Relics will come quickly. And saying these things he drew the ring from his finger & gave it to the Presbyter, & said: promising that he would send them. Let the Lord be witness between me & you, that in a short time provision will be made for you concerning Relics; indicating namely either that he would send another, or that he himself would come: for he hastened to complete the course of his contest. But such things when he had commended he departed from those parts, & came into the city, where he found all things as if overthrown by an earthquake.
NOTES.
a. MS. διαζώσεσθαι.
b. The same δηματίου.
CHAPTER II.
The Martyrdom of the seven Virgins: Theodotus's solicitude for the living & the dead: the burial taken care of.
[13] Ἦσαν δέ τινες παρθένοι τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἑπτὰ ἐκ νεαρᾶς ἡλικίας ἀσκούμεναι, αἵ τινες τὴν σωφροσύνην πρὸ πάντων τιμήσασαι, καὶ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχουσαι. Αὗται συνελήφθησαν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀσεβεστάτου τυράννου, ὅς πολλὰς βασάνους αὐταῖς ἐπενεγκὼν, καὶ μὴ πείσας αὐτὰς ἀσεβῆσαι, τέλος ὑπερζέσας τῷ, θυμῷ, ἐκέλευσεν ἀκολάστοις νέοις παραδοθῆναι ταύτας εἰς φθορὰν, ὑβρίζων ὁ ἀσεβὴς τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Παρεπέμφησαν οὖν νέοις τῇ ἀσωτίᾳ πρὸς ὕβριν ὡς ἔφην· στενάξασαι δὲ πικρῶς, καὶ μετὰ δακρύων τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐκτείνασαι· εἶπον, Δέσποτα Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ἕως μὲν ἡμέτερον ἦν φυλάττειν τὴν παρθενίαν ἡμῶν ἄσπιλον, οἶδας Δέσποτα πῶς μετὰ πάσης σπουδῆς καὶ προθυμίας ταύτην μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἐφυλάξαμεν ἀκαταγνώστως· νυνὶ δὲ ἀκόλαστοι τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν ἔλαβον πρὸς ἐξουσίαν. Καὶ ἕτερα δὲ πλείονα μετὰ δακρύων αὐτῶν προσευξαμένων, τὴν πρεσβυτέραν αὐτῶν, Τέκουσαν τὸ ὄνομα καλουμένην, παρέλαβεν εἷς τῶν νεωτέρων κατ᾽ ἰδίαν, ὁ δοκῶν ἀκολαστότατος αὐτῶν. Ἡ δὲ λαβομένη τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, λέγει αὐτῷ μετὰ δακρύων· Ὦ τέκνον, ποῖον ὑμῖν ἐξ ἡμῶν ἔσται τὸ ὄφελος, ἢ ποίας τέρψεως ἢ ἡδονῆς τῆς ἐξ ἡμῶν, εἰ σώμασι συγγένησθε ἀπὸ κακουχίας, καὶ γήρους, καὶ νηστείας, καὶ νὸσου, καὶ βασάνων, ὡς ὁρᾶτε, πολλῶν δεδαπανημένοις· πλείω γὰρ τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα ἐτῶν ὁ τῆς ζωῆς χρόνος παρέδραμε, καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν ὑπάρχουσι χρόνων· ἀτερπές οὖν ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἐρασθῆναι σωμάτων ὡς εἰπεῖν νεκρῶν, ἅ μετὰ μικρὸν ὄψεσθε ὑπὸ κυνῶν καὶ ὀρνέων ἀναλισκόμενα· τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ ἡγεμὼν ἔφησε, μὴ δὲ ταφῆς μετὰ θάνατον ἀξιωθὴναι ἡμᾶς. Ἔχετε οὖν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, χάριτας ἀποδιδοῦντα ὑμῖν μεγάλας ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Ταῦτα ἡ πρεσβυτέρα φθεγξαμένη πρὸς τὸν νέον μετὰ δακρύων, καὶ τὸ περίδημα βραχὺ ἀνασύρασα, τὰς πολιὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς ἐδείκνυε λέγουσα αὐτῷ· Ὦ τέκνον, αἰδέσθητι ταῦτα, ἴσως καὶ σὺ πολιὰν μητέρα ἔχεις, ἥνπερ ἀντὶ ἡμῶν εἰς δυσώπησιν ἄγωμεν, εἴτε περίεστιν, εἴτε καὶ τέθνηκεν· ἡμῶν τῶν ἀθλίων νόμισον εἶναι τὰ δάκρυα, τὴν δὲ ἀμοιβὴν τῆς χάριτος ἔλπιζε ἀπολαβεῖν παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡμῖν διάκενος ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλπίς. Ταῦτα τῆς ἁγίας Τεκούσης εἰπούσης, εὐθέως οἱ νεανίσκοι τῆς μὲν ἐρωτικῆς ἀπέστησαν μανίας· πλεῖστα δὲ δακρύσαντες ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν παρθένων συμπαθείᾳ, ἀνεχώρουν.
[14] Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ
Θεότεκνος, καὶ γνοῦς ὅτι οὐκ ἐφθάρησαν αἱ παρθένοι, ἐνοχληθῆναι μὲν αὐτὰς αἰσχρὰς ἕνεκεν ἡδονῆς οὐκ ἐπέτρεψεν· ἐκέλευσε δὲ αὐτὰς τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ τῆς Ἀθήνας ἱερείας γενέσθαι, οὔσης δὲ συνηθείας αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ πλησίον λίμνῃ κατὰ ἔτος λούειν τὰ ξόανα· ἦν δὲ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀπολούσεως ὁ καιρὸς καὶ τῶν εἰδώλων· Ἐχρῆν οὖν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ὑπ᾽ ὀχήματα ἐπιτίθεσθαι· ἐκέλευσε γοῦν καὶ τὰς παρθένους ἐπὶ τὴν λίμνην ἀπάγεσθαι, ὀφειλούσας καὶ αὐτὰς λούσασθαι μετὰ τῶν ξοάνων κατὰ τὸ ἶσον σχῆμα. Ἦγον οὖν αὐτὰς διὰ μέσου τῆς πόλεως γεγυμνωμένας τοῖς σώμασιν, ὀρθὰς ἑστῶσας ἐπὶ τοῖς ὀχήμασι πρὸς ἀσχημοσύνην καὶ χλέυην· ἤγοντο δὲ καὶ τὰ ξόανα ὄπισθεν ὀλίγον τῶν παρθένων προηγουμένων· συνεξῆλθε δὲ καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς πόλεως πάσης ἐπὶ τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῶν γενομένων. Αὐλῶν γὰρ καὶ κυμβάλων ἦχος ἐθεωρεῖτο, καὶ γυναικῶν ὀρχισμοὶ λελυμένων ἐχουσῶν τοὺς πλοκάμους ὥσπερ Μενάδες, καὶ κτύπος ἀπὸ τῶν ποδῶν ἐγίνετο πολὺς κατακρουόντων τὸ ἔδαφος, καὶ πολλὰ δὲ μουσικὰ μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν εἶχον, καὶ οὕτως ἀπεῖγον τὰ ξόανα. Καὶ διὰ ταῦτα μὲν πολὺ πλῆθος τῆς πόλεως συνέδραμε, πολλῷ δὲ πλέον διὰ τὸ πάθος τῶν παρθένων, τῶν μὲν οἰκτειρόντων αὐτῶν τὸ γῆρας, τινῶν δὲ ἐκπληττομένων τὴν καρτερίαν, οἱ δὲ ἀνευφήμουν τὸ κόσμιον, καὶ ἁπλῶς πάντες οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτὰς ὑπὸ τῶν μαστίγων καταπεπονημένας ἐδάκρυον. Συνεξῆλθε δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὸ γέννημα τοῦ δράκοντος Θεότεκνος ὁ ἡγεμών.
[15] Ὁ δὲ τίμιος Μάρτυς τοῦ Θεοῦ Θεόδοτος ἐν πολλῇ ἦν ἀθυμίᾳ, δεδιὼς ὑπὲρ ἑκάστης τῶν παρθένων, μὴ ὅπερ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἦν ὑποπτεῦσαι, ὑποσυρεῖ τις αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς κινδύνους ὀκλάσασα. Πολλὰς οὖν δεήσεις ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀνέπεμψε, συνεργῆσαι αὐταῖς πρὸς τὴν ἄθλησιν τοῦ καλοῦ. Ἦν δὲ ἑαυτὸν ἐν δωματίῳ κατακρύψας μικρῷ πλησίον τοῦ μαρτυρίου τῶν Πατριαρχῶν, πενιχροῦ τινος Θεοχαρίδους καλουμένου, συνόντος αὐτῷ καὶ Πολοχρονίου ἀνεψιοῦ Τεκούσης τῆς Μάρτυρος τυγχάνοντος, καὶ ἄλλου Θεοδότου μικροῦ ἀνεψιᾶς τοῦ Μάρτυρος υἱοῦ, συνῆσαν δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἄλλοι Χριστιανοὶ ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ. Πεσὼν οὖν εἰς προσευχὴν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον σὺν τοῖς συνοῦσιν αὐτῷ, πρωῒ ἕως ὥρας ἕκτης, διεκαρτέρει ἐν τῇ δεήσει· περὶ δὲ ὥραν ἕκτην εἰσελθὼν τὸ γύναιον τοῦ Θεοχαρίδους, ἀπήγγειλε τῶν παρθένων ἐν τῷ βυθῷ καταπεποντῶσθαι τὰ σώματα. Τότε δὴ οὖν ὁ δίκαιος ἀκούσας, ἑαυτὸν ὀλίγον ἐπάρας ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐδάφους ὡς ἦν ἐπὶ τῶν γονάτων, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τὰς χεῖρας ἀνέτεινε, καὶ τῇ ῥύσει τῶν δακρύων προσέχων εἶπεν· Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, Δέσποτα, ὅτι τὴν τούτων μου τῶν δακρύων οὐκ ἐματαίωσας ἔκχυσιν. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἐπυνθάνατε παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς, πῶς καί τινα τρόπον τῶν παρθένων καταβεβυθίσθαι τὰ σώματα, καὶ ἐν ποίῳ τόπῳ τῆς λίμνης, παρὰ τὸ τεῖχος, ἢ εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ μέσον· ἡ δὲ ἔφησε τῶν τόπον· ἦν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ ἄμα ἑτέρων γυναικῶν συνεξελθοῦσα ἐπὶ τὴν λίμνην· ἔλεγεν οὖν ὡς ὁ Θεότεκνος πολλὰ παρακαλέσας δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ,καὶ ὑπισχνούμενος πολλὰ ἀπεισθεῖ ἐν αὐτῷ, ἡ ἁγία Τέκουσα ὑβρίσασα αὐτὸν ἀπέπεμψεν· αἱ δὲ ἱερεῖαι τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς καὶ τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος στεφάνους προσέφερον αὐταῖς, καὶ λευκὴν αἰσθῆτα ὀφειλούσας καὶ αὐτὰς ἱερατεῦσαι τοῖς δαίμοσι, καὶ ταύτας δὲ ὑβρίσασαι ἀπέπεμψαν. Τότε ἐκέλευσεν ὁ ἡγεμὼν λίθους κρεμασθῆναι ἐν τοῖς τραχήλοις αὐτῶν, καὶ πλοιαρίῳ μικρῷ ἐμβηβάσαντες, ἐνέβαλον εἰς τὸ τῆς λίμνης βάθος ὡς ἀπὸ δύο πλέθρων εἰσάγοντες ἐνδοτέρῳ.
[16] Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Μάρτυς, ἔμεινε μέχρις ἑσπέρας αὐτόθι, σκεπόμενος ἅμα τῷ Πολυχρονίῳ καὶ τῷ Θεοχαρίἳδι, εἰ δυνηθεῖεν ἀπὸ τῆς λίμνης ἀνακομίσαι τὰ σώματα. Σκεπτομένων δὲ αὐτῶν, περὶ δυσμὰς ἡλίου νεανίσκός τις λέγει αὐτοῖς, ὅτι στρατιώτας ὁ Θεότεκνος ἐκέλευσε παραμένειν τῇ λίμνῃ φυλάττοντας τὰ σώματα. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Μάρτυς, εἰς ἀθυμίαν κατηνέχθη· οὐ γὰρ εὐχερὲς ἦν τοῦ ἀνακομῖσαι τὰ σώματα, διὰ τοὺς τῇ λίμνῃ παραμένοντας στρατιώτας, καὶ διὰ τὸ τοὺς λίθους εἶναι βαρεῖς, ὧν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν οὐκ ἂν κινήσειεν ἅμαξα. Ἑσπέρας δὲ καταλαβούσης, οἱ μὲν συνόντες τῷ ὁσίῳ ἔμενον ἔνδον, αὐτὸς δὲ προελθὼν ἔρχεται εἰς τὸ τῶν πατριαρχῶν μαρτύριον, ὅπερ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ἀνέφραξαν, ὅπως μηδεὶς τῶν Χριστιανῶν εἰσέλθη, ἔξωθεν οὖν παρὰ τὴν κόγχην πεσὼν ἐπὶ πολὺ τῇ προσευχῇ προσεκαρτέρει· ἀναστὰς δὲ ἐκεῖθεν, ἄρχεται εἰς τὸ τῶν πατέρων μαρτύριον, ὅπερ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ἀνέφραξαν, ὁμοίως δὲ κᾀκεῖ πεσὼν προσηύξατο· ἐσθόμενος δὲ πολλοῦ θορύβου, καὶ νομίσας ἐπιτρέχειν τινὰς αὐτῷ, ἀναχωρήσας ὑπέστρεφεν εἰς τὸ τοῦ Θεοχαρίδους καταγώγιον. Ὑπνώσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ὀλίγον, φαίνεται αὑτῷ ἡ ἁγία Τέκουσα καθ᾽ ὕπνον λέγουσα· Κοιμᾶσαι Τέκνον Θεόδοτε, καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν οὐδείς σοι λόγος γεγένηται; καὶ οὔτε τῶν παραινέσεων μέμνησαι, ὧνπερ νέῳ ὄντι παρήνεσα, καὶ παρὰ γνώμην τῶν γονέων πρὸς ἄσκησιν ἐχειραγώγησά σε; Καὶ ζώσης μέν μου οὐκ ἠμέλεις, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς μητέρα ἐθεράπευες, νυνὶ δὲ τελειωθείσης ἐπελάθου, ὅτε ἐχρῆν τελείως θεραπεῦσαί με; Μὴ οὖν περιόψῃ τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι βοῤῥὰν ἰχθύων γενέσθαι, καί σε δὲ αὐτὸν μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας μέγας ἀγὼν ἀπεκδέχεται· ἀναστὰς οὖν ἐπὶ τὴν λίμνην ἐλθὲ, φύλαξον δὲ σεαυτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ προδότου· καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα, ἀνεχώρησεν.
[17] Ἀναστὰς οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου, διηγήσατο τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς τὴν φανεῖσαν αὐτῷ ὀπτασίαν· πάντες δὲ συνεπάθησαν, καὶ μετὰ δακρύων προσηύξαντο αἰτούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν τῆς τῶν σωμάτων ἀνευρέσεως βοηθόν. Ἡμέρας οὖν γενομένης, τὸν νεανίαν τὸν ἀναγγείλαντα αὐτοῖς ὄτι στρατιῶται παραμένουσι τῇ λίμνῃ φυλάσσοντες τὰ σώματα τῶν ἁγίων, ἦν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς Χριστιανὸς, σὺν τῷ Θεοχάριδι ἀποστέλλουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ μαθεῖν περὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἀκριβέστερον,ὑπελάμβανον γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἄνακεχωρηκέναι διὰ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἥνπερ ἐπετέλουν οἱ ἀσεβεῖς τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι. Ἐλθόντες δὲ οἱ περὶ τὸν Θεοχάριδα καὶ Γλυκέριον, τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν τοῦ νεανίσκου τὸ ὄνομα, ἀπήγγειλαν παραμένειν αὐτούς. Ἑσπέρας δὲ καταλαβούσης, ἐξώρμησαν ἐπὶ τὴν λίμνην ἄσιτοι· δρεπάνας δὲ μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαβον ἠκονημένας, ὅπως τοὺς σχοίνους ἀπὸ τῶν τραχήλων ἀποτέμωσι τῶν παρθένων ἐν τῷ βυθῷ καταβάντες. Μή τε δὲ σελήνης, μήτε ἀστέρων ἐπιφαινόντων, συνέβη σκοτίαν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν γενέσθαι. Γενομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ἔνθα οἱ κακοῦργοι ἐκολάζοντο, ἐν ᾧ οὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα μετὰ δύσιν ἡλίου παραγενέσθαι διὰ τὸ φοβερὸν εἶναι αὐτόν· ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἀπετέμνοντο τὰς κεφαλὰς, καὶ ἀνεσκολοπίζοντο, καὶ πυρὶ ἐκαίοντο. Γενό μενοι οὖν ἐνταῦθα καὶ φόβῳ συσχεθέντες, φωνὴν ἤκουσαν λέγουσαν, Θαῤῥῶν ἐλθὲ Θεόδοτε. Ἐμφόβων δὲ γενομένων αὐτῶν, καὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ σημεῖον ἑκάστου κατὰ τοῦ μετώπου χαράξαντος, ἐπεφάνη αὐτοῖς ὁ σταυρὸς φανερῶς, καὶ ἔδοξαν ὁρᾷν ὡς ἐκ τοῦ ἀνατολικοῦ μέρους πυρὸς ἀστραπὴν ἐνεχθῆναι. Ἐκπλαγέντες δὲ καὶ περιχαρεῖς γενόμενοι τῇ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐπιφανείᾳ, ἔκλιναν γόνυ αὐτόθι προσεύξασθαι κατὰ τοῦ τόπου, ἔνθα ὁ σταυρὸς αὐτοῖς ἐπεφάνη.
[18] Ἀναστάντες οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς προσευχῆς, πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν ὁδὸν ὥρμησαν· διὰ δὲ τὸ πολλὴν γενέσθαι σκοτίαν οἰκέτι ἀλλήλους ἔβλεπον· ὑετοῦ δὲ ἐπιγενομένου μεγίστου, συνέβη καὶ πηλὸν γενέσθαι πολὺν, ὅς τις ὄλισθον παρεῖχεν αὐτοῖς, ὥστε μόλις τὸν πόδα ἐρεῖσαι πρὸς τὴν πρόσω πορείαν, πολὺν δὲ αὐτοῖς κάματον καὶ φόβον παρεῖχε τὸ ἐπιγενόμενον σκότος. Ἔστησαν δὲ πάλιν εἰς προσευχὴν, τὸν Θεὸν εἰς βοήθειαν αἰτοῦντες τῆς ἀνάγκης· ἐξαίφνης δὲ ἐφάνη αὐτοῖς λαμπὰς πυρὸς δεικνύουσα τὴν ὁδόν· ἐφάνησαν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ δύο ἄνδρες λαμπρὰς ἠμφιεσμένοι στολὰς, πολιοὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸν πώγωνα, λέγοντες, Θάρσει Θεόδοτε, ὁ γὰρ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἔγραψε τὸ ὄνομά σου μετὰ τῶν Μαρτύρων· ἤκουσε γὰρ τῆς ἐν δάκρυσι προσευχῆς σου ὧν ἐξέχεας ἕνεκα τῆς τῶν σωμάτων ἀνευρέσεως· ἀπεστάλμεθα δὲ παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου Χριστοῦ συναντιλαβέσθαι σοι· ἐσμὲν δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ λεγόμενοι Πατέρες. Γενόμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς λίμνης θεάσει τὸν ἅγιον Σώσανδρον ἔνοπλον, πολὺν παρέχοντα φόβον τοῖς φυλάσσουσιν· οὐκ ὤφειλες δὲ μετά σου ἀπάγεσθαι τὸν προδότην.
[19] Ἀκολουθοῦντες οὖν τῷ φανέντι αὐτοῖς φωτὶ, παρεγένοντο ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ· παρέμεινε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸ φῶς μέχρι οὗ ἀνεκόμισαν τὰ ἅγια λείψανα. Ἀστραπῶν δὲ ἐπιγενομένων πολλῶν, καὶ βροντῶν, καὶ ὑετῶν, καὶ ἀνέμων καταῤῥαγέντων σφοδῶν καὶ προσπεσόντων, ὥστε τοὺς στρατιώτας φυγῇ χρήσασθαι τοὺς φυλάσσοντας τὰ σώματα· οὐ γὰρ μόνον διὰ τὸν χειμῶνα τοῦ ὑετοῦ καὶ τῆς χαλάζης ἔφυγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀπτασίαν εἶδον, ἄνδρα ὑπὲρ μέγεθος ὁπλισμένον, ἔχοντα ἀσπίδα καὶ θώρακα καὶ περικεφαλέαν καὶ δόρυ, ἅ τινα ἔλαμπον ὥσπερ πῦρ· οὗτος δὲ ἦν ὁ ἅγιος καὶ πανένδοξος μάρτυς Σώσανδρος. Τοῦτον ἰδόντες οἱ φυλάσσοντες, ἔφυγον εἰς τὰς ἐγγὺς καλύβας· τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ ὑπὸ τοῦ σφοδροτάτου ἀνέμου ἔφυγεν εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλὸν τὸν ἀντίπερα, ὥστε τὸ ἔδαφος τῆς λίμνης ξηρὸν φανῆναι, καὶ τὰ τῶν παρθένων λείψανα θεωρηθῆναι. Ἀπέκοψαν δὲ τὰ σχοινία ταῖς δρεπάναις, καὶ οὕτως ἀνελώμενει τὰ λείψανα, ἐπέθηκαν ὑποζυγίοις. Κομίσαντες οὖν αὐτὰ, ἔθαψαν ἐν μνημείῳ πλησίον τῶν Πατριαρχῶν· τὰ δὲ ὀνόματα τῶν παρθένων ἐστὶ ταῦτα, Τέκουσα, Ἀλεξανδρεία, Φαεινὴ (ταῦτας οἱ Ἀποτακτῆται λέγουσιν ἰδίας εἶναι· κατὰ ἀλήθειαν δὲ εἰσί) Κλαυδία, Εὐφρασία, Ματρῶνα καὶ Ἰουλίττα.
[13] Seven aged Virgins There were seven Virgins, from their first age exercised to virtue, & taught above all to esteem continence, & to have the fear of God before their eyes. When the tyrant had apprehended these, & by many torments inflicted had not been able to lead them over to impiety; he ordered them finally to be delivered to lascivious adolescents to be violated, exasperated with anger & wishing to do injury to religion. When therefore they had been sent to certain youths, about to suffer a shameful injury as was said; groaning deeply, & lifting their hands with their eyes to heaven, Lord, they said, delivered to defilement, Jesus Christ, as long as it was in our power to guard virginity inviolate, you know how diligently we did it, until this present day: but now the unchaste adolescents have received power over our bodies. These & similar things while supplicating they said & wept, the elder of them, Tecusa by name, one of them drew aside, who seemed more shameless than the rest. But she, weeping & holding his feet, What, she said, O son, from me will be the gain to you, or what pleasure can there be to be joined to bodies, by old age, fasting, disease, & torture, as you see, consumed? for now she was passing the seventieth year, & the rest were of nearly no less age. Altogether unbecoming it is for you to love flesh, so to speak, dead, which soon you will see torn by beasts & birds: for now the Governor has decreed, not even to deign us a sepulcher.
Rather take for us the Lord Jesus Christ, yet not violated who will render you great thanks? Thus she with tears having addressed the youth, & her veil hastily tearing, displayed to him the gray hair of her head: & Reverence, she said, these, son, for you also perhaps have a mother already gray: let her come for us as an intercessor, whether she still survives or has already died: & to us indeed miserable ones leave the tears, but for yourself have hope of a grace to be rendered by our Savior Jesus Christ; for not vain is the hope placed in Him. Such things when Tecusa said, at once the adolescents, the heat of lust laid aside, themselves also dissolved into tears, & having compassion on the virgins, went away.
[14] But Theotecnus hearing that they had not been violated, would no more for the sake of dishonorable pleasure be troublesome to them; but ordered them to be made priestesses of Diana & Minerva, together with the idols solemnly to be washed that yearly according to custom they should wash their images in the neighboring lake: & there recurred then the very anniversary day of the washing of the idols. When therefore it behooved each of these to be placed on vehicles, he ordered them also to be led to the marsh, to be washed in the same manner as the idols. They carried therefore those; with bared bodies standing upright in chariots, to shame & derision: but after them were carried also the idols: at the same time also went forth the multitude of the whole city, to the spectacle to come. naked they are led out to the lake: Amid these things one could hear & see the sound of pipes & cymbals, & the dances of women with loosed hair after the manner of bacchanting maenads. Much strepitus was raised of feet stamping the ground, & the rattling of musical instruments, & thus the images were carried. And on this account indeed a great crowd of the city ran together, greater yet on account of the Virgins' passion, of whom some pitied their old age, some admired their constancy, several praised their modesty; but all beholding them worn out by the blows wept. There went out with them also the viperine offspring, Theotecnus the Governor.
[15] Meanwhile the Martyr of God Theodotus was in great solicitude for each of the holy Virgins, fearing lest any of them, as could be feared of women, should fail in the contest. With many prayers therefore he entreated God, Theodotus solicitous for them prays, that them in the struggle He would help: & to this end he had shut himself in a small hut near the confession of the Patriarchs, which belonged to a certain poor man, Theocharis by name; together with Polychronius, who was the nephew of Tecusa the Martyr; & Theodotus the younger, of his kinswoman begotten, & some other Christians, within the same little cell gathered. Now they had lain together all in prayer from early morning until the sixth hour, when the wife of Theocharis announced that the Virgins' bodies were submerged in the lake. & understanding them submerged he gives thanks. At this announcement somewhat raising himself from the pavement the just one, & still with knees bent, to heaven his hands he extended, & drenched with a copious shower of tears. Thanks, he said, I give to you O Lord, that this weeping of mine you would not have to be useless. Then he asked of the woman how into the deep the Virgins were driven & in what part of the lake; in the middle or near the bank. But she, who together with other women having gone out had been present in the place, thus said: Much persuading, much also promising, Theotecnus was in vain, Tecusa repelling him with injurious words: the Priests also of Diana & Minerva, a crown & a white garment offering to them, that they should with them minister to the demons, similarly were rejected with reproaches. The Governor therefore ordered stones to be tied to their necks, & put on a small boat to be conveyed thither, where the lake was deeper; & so they were cast into the waters to the space of two jugera from the bank.
[16] These things being heard there until evening the Martyr held himself, Frightened by the military guard set there together with Polychronius & Theocharis, consulting in what manner they could draw the bodies out of the lake. But toward the setting of the sun there came to them while consulting a young man to signify, that Theotecnus had ordered soldiers to remain at the lake, to be guards of the bodies. Then indeed with great grief was the Saint seized, for it appeared most difficult that the sacred bodies could be recovered, both on account of the soldiers guarding them, & on account of the weight of the stones of which each a wagon would scarcely have moved. Evening moreover being come those who were with Theodotus there remained, but he himself going forth to the confession of the Patriarchs, when he had found it obstructed by the impious, lest any of the Christians could enter there, outside near the apse he cast himself into prayer for some time thus persevering: thence going forth he went to the confession of the Fathers, & finding this also obstructed, by St. Tecusa he is encouraged to extract the bodies: there in prayer he prostrated himself; & then a great strepitus behind him hearing & believing some to be threatening him, he turned aside to Theocharis's dwelling. There when he had slept a little, appeared to him Blessed Tecusa saying, Do you sleep, son Theodotus, & no care of us touches you? nor do you remember the exhortations, by which I instructed you when younger, & against the opinion of your parents to virtue by the hand led you? And you indeed while I lived never neglected, but cherished me as a mother: but now, after I have died, you have forgotten that until the end you ought to minister to me. Do not, I beseech, suffer our bodies under the waters of the lake to become food of fishes: for also after two days a great contest awaits you. Rising therefore go to the marsh: but beware of the betrayer. And saying these things she withdrew.
[17] Then rising from sleep, the vision offered to him he set forth to the Brethren: for which awaiting another night, who all had compassion on him, & with tears prayed God, that He would be a helper to him for finding the bodies. And when it had dawned that young man who had first announced, that soldiers set at the marsh remained for the guard of the bodies (for he was a Christian himself), the same one with Theocharis they sent to explore more accurately, what was of the soldiers, suspecting that they had withdrawn on account of the festivity of Diana, which on that day they celebrated the impious. Going therefore Theocharis & Glycerius (for this was the name of the young man) reported that they still persisted in the guard. They restrained therefore themselves also that day: but evening being come they went out toward the marsh fasting, sharp sickles with them carrying, with which entering the water they might cut through the ropes, tied to the necks of the submerged ones. But the darkness was deep, because neither moon nor stars were seen. But when they had come to the place in which criminals are wont to be tortured, a place horrible & which no one after sunset dared to enter (because there severed heads or on poles fixed stood, & going out through the dense darkness & rains, or scattered lay burned with fire) with no slight horror were they seized also themselves: but they heard a voice saying: Confidently approach, Theodotus. Again therefore terrified, the sign of the Cross each impressed on his forehead; & soon appeared to them the illustrious Cross, which seemed from the Eastern part to emit a fiery ray: at which apparition a fear mixed with joy was there, & with knees bent they adored toward the place whence the Cross appeared.
[18] The prayer completed rising again they entered the way, in the greatest perplexity but on account of the immense darkness of the night one did not see the other: but to this inconvenience was added a vehement rain, whence much mud everywhere arose, which made their steps slippery & scarcely allowed them to set forward a footstep to pursue the way: so that amid the darkness no less was the labor than the fear. They stopped therefore again to pray, asking help in this necessity from God: but suddenly there appeared to them a fiery lamp showing the way; there appeared also two men clothed in splendid garments, with hair & beard gray, & saying, Confide Theodotus, he is comforted by the apparition of 2 Saints: for the Lord Jesus Christ has inscribed your name among the Martyrs, hearing your prayer, which you poured forth with tears for the finding of the holy bodies. But we have been sent by Him, that we may receive you: & we are those who are called Fathers. Coming moreover to the marsh you will see S. Sosander armed, who upon the guards inspires fear: but you ought not to have brought with you the betrayer.
[19] Following therefore the light which appeared to them, they came to the marsh, & used it until they took away the sacred relics, which was accomplished in this manner. & the guards being scattered by Sosander the Martyr appearing, There were made many lightnings, thunders & rains, & a wind so vehement rushed that the guards of the bodies chose flight: but they fled not only on account of the storm, but also on account of a vision by which they were terrified, seeing a man tall & armed with shield, breastplate, helmet & spear, from which on every side issued fire. But this was the holy & glorious Martyr Sosander, by whose aspect terrified to the neighboring huts they fled. The water moreover, by the force of the winds driven to the other shore, had so far receded, the bodies snatched from the waters he buries. that the bottom appeared dry, & the Virgins' bodies were seen: whose tied ropes they cut with the sickles, & carrying them out placed them on beasts of burden, & conveyed them to the shrine of the Patriarchs, burying them in a neighboring monument. But the names of the Virgins are these. Tecusa, Alexandra, Phaine (& these three the Apotactitae say to be their own, just as in truth they are) Claudia, Euphrasia, Matrona, & Julitta.
NOTES.
CHAPTER III.
Theodotus of his own accord presents himself to the Governor, professes the faith, generously tolerates the first torments.
[20] Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης, πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐφλέγετο ἐπὶ τῇ κλοπῇ τῶν σωμάτων, οὕτω γὰρ ἡ φήμη ταχέως πᾶσιν ἀπήγγειλεν· εὐθέως οὖν εἴπου ἐφαίνετο Χριστιανὸς, συνηρπάζετο. Πλειόνων δὲ συλληφθέντων, καὶ ὡς ὑπὸ θηρίων ἀγρίων ἀναλισκομένων, ἀπηγγέλλει τῷ ὁσίῳ τὸ πρᾶγμα·
ὁ δὲ βουλόμενος ἑαυτὸν παραδοῦναι, ἐκωλύθη ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. Ὁ δὲ Πολυχρόνιος ἀλλάξας τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ εἰς ἄγροικον ἑαυτὸν ποιήσας, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν ὡς ὀφείλων πᾶσαν μαθεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἀπελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, συνελήφθη ὑπό τινων, καὶ προσήχθη στῷ Ἄρχοντι· ὡς δὲ ἐπήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πληγὰς καὶ ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὸ ξίφος γυμνὸν, ἀπειλοῦντες τὸν θάνατον, φοβηθεὶς ὡμολόγησε τὰ λείψανα τῶν παρθένων, καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀνακομίσαντα αὐτὰ Θεόδοτον, καὶ τὸν τόπον δὲ κατεμήνυσεν αὐτοῖς, ἐν ᾧ ἔκρυψαν αὐτά. Λαβόντες οὖν ἐκ τῶν θηκῶν τὰ ἅγια λείψανα, κατέκαυσαν αὐτά. Τότε ἔγνωμεν τὸν προδότην εἶναι τὸν Πολυχρόνιον, περὶ οὗ εἶπον οἱ φανέντες τῷ ἁγίῳ, Φυλάσσου τὸν προδότην. Ἀπήγγειλαν δέ τινες τῷ Μάρτυρι τὰ κατὰ τὸν Πολυχρόνιον, καὶ ὅτι τὰ λείψανα τῶν παρθένων ἐκάησαν.
[21] Ὁ δὲ καλλίνικος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μάρτυς Θεόδοτος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς συνταξάμενος, ἐντειλάμενος μή ἀμελεῖν τοῦ προσεύχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεὸν αἰτεῖσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τυχεῖν αὐτὸν τοῦ στεφάνου, καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἕτοιμον ἐποίει πρὸς τὰς μάστιγας. Ἔστησαν οὖν εἰς προσευχὴν ἅμα τῷ μάρτυρι· ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ εὐχόμενος ἔλεγε, Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ἡ ἐλπὶς τῶν ἀπελπισμένων, δός μοι τελείως τὸν τῆς ἀθλήσεως δραμεῖν δρόμον, καὶ τὴν τοῦ αἵματος ἔκχυσιν αντὶ σπουδῆς καὶ θυσίας προσδέξασθαι, ὑπὲρ πάντων τῶν διά σε θλιβομένων· τὸ βάρος αὐτοῖς ἐπικούφισον, καὶ παῦσον τὸν χειμῶνα τούτων, ὅπως ἀνέσεως τύχωσι, καὶ γαλήνης βαθείας πάντες οἱ ἐπί σοι πεποιθότες. Ταῦτα μετὰ δακρύων προσευξαμένου τοῦ Μάρτυρος, τῶν ἀδελφῶν πολὺς ἐγένετο θρῆνος, μετὰ δακρύων ἀσπαζομένων αὐτὸν καὶ λεγόντων, Σώζου ὁ γλυκὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας φωστὴρ Θεόδοτε. Ἀλλὰ σε μὲν μετὰ τὴν τῶν ἐντεῦθεν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγὴν, οὐράνιοι φωστῆρες ἐκδέξονται, Ἀγγέλων τε καὶ Ἀρχαγγέλων δόξαι διάφοροι, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου δόξα ἀμύθητος, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρὸς καθήμενος· τούτων γάρ σοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὁ καλλίνικος καὶ μέγας τοῦ μαρτυρίου πρόξενος ἔσται ἀγών. Ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἐν τῇ πλάνῃ οὐδὲν ἔσται ἕτερον ἢ θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμὸς, καὶ ὀδυρμὸς ἡ σὺ ἐκ τοῦ βίου μετάθεσις. Τοιαῦτα τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὀδυρομένων, ὁ ὅσιος ἔκαστον αὐτῶν ἀσπασάμενος, ἐκέλευσεν ἐπὶ μνήμης ἔχειν εἴπερ παραγένηται ὁ Παπᾶς Φρόντων, ἀπὸ Μαλοῦ ἐπικομιζόμενος μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν δακτύλιον, ἐκείνῳ δοθῆναι τὰ λείψανα εἴπερ δυνηθεῖεν αὐτὰ ὑποκλέψαι. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν, καὶ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ ποιήσας καθόλου τοῦ σώματος, ὥρμησεν ἀμεταστρεπτὶ ἐπὶ τὸν δρόμον.
[22] Ἀπιόντι δὲ αὐτῷ δύο τινὲς συναντίσαντες τῶν πολιτῶν, ἐκέλευον ὑποστρέφειν συντόμως, Τάχυον, λέγοντες, σῶσον σεαυτόν· ἦσον δὲ οὗτοι τῷ μάρτυρι γνώριμοι καὶ φίλοι πάνυ, νομίζοντες αὐτῷ χάριν παρέχειν· Οἵ τε γὰρ ἱερεῖς φησι τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς καὶ τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος σὺν τοῖς ὄχλοις κατηγοροῦσί σου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἄρχοντος, ὅτι πάντας Χριστιανοὺς ἀναπείθεις λίθοις ἀψύχοις μὴ προσέχειν, καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πολλὰ κατά σου λέγουσι, καὶ τῆς κλοπῆς δὲ τῶν σωμάτων σε αἴτιον εἶναι ὁ Πολυχρόνιος λέγει· ὡς οὖν ἐστι καιρὸς, σῶζε σεαυτὸν ὦ Θεόδοτε· ἀναισθησίας γάρ ἐστιν ἔργον τὸ ἑαυτὸν παραδοῦναι τιμωρίαις. Καὶ ὁ Μάρτυς ἔφη· Εἰ δοκεῖτε φίλοι εἶναι, καὶ ἐμοὶ χάριν παρέχειν·, ἄφετε μὴ ἀποκαμεῖν καὶ κατηγορῆσαι τοῦ πόθου, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰσελθόντες εἴπατε τοῖς ἄρχουσι, Θεόδοτον, ὃν κατηγοροῦσιν οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις. πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν τοῦ πραιτορίου ἔστηκε. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο· καὶ μελλόντων αὐτῶν κατηγορεῖν, παρέστη· ἐκέλευσαν δὲ οἱ ἄρχοντες παραστῆναι αὐτόν. Εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος, παρέστη τεθαῤῥηκῶς, καὶ μειδιῶν τι τῷ προσώπῳ, μηδενὶ τῶν κολαστηρίων καταπλαγείς· ἦν γὰρ καὶ πῦρ ἀναπτόμενον, καὶ λέβητες ὑποκαιόμενοι, καὶ τροχοὶ, καὶ ἕτερα εἴδη κολαστηρίων πολλὰ ηὐτρεπισμένα. Ταῦτα εἰδὼν ὁ Μάρτυς ἐμειδίασεν, ἀκατάπληκτον ἔχων τὸν λογισμόν.
[23] Θεασάμενος οὖν ὁ Θεότεκνος τὸ παράστημα τοῦ Μάρτυρος, λέγει· Οὐδενὸς τῶν προκειμένων κολαστηρίων πείραθείση, εἴπερ πεισθεὶς εὐγνώμων φανεὶς καὶ θύσεις, ἐλεύθερός τε ἔση πάντων τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, ὧν ἡ πόλις τε ὅλη καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐπὶ ἡμῶν κατά σου εἶπον, καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας δὲ πρὸ πάντων ἀπολαύσεις φιλίας, καὶ τῶν καλλινίκων δὲ Βασιλέων ἔσῃ φίλος, ὅπως καὶ γραμμάτων ἀξιωθήσῃ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ τιμηθήσῃ δόξης μεγίστης, ἕνεκεν καὶ γράφεις αὐτοῖς ὅτε χρεία καλέσει, εἴγε Ἰησοῦν ἀρνήσῃ, ὃν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ὁ πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐσταύρωσε Πιλάτος. Σωφρονῆσαι οὖν θέλησον ὦ Θεόδοτε ἀπὸ πάσης μανίας· ἔοικας γὰρ ἀνδρὶ πᾶσαν ἐγνωκότι ἀκολουθίαν· ἴδον γὰρ ἀνδρὸς φρονίμου τὸ ἕκαστα μετὰ ἀκριβείας καὶ σκέψεως ποιεῖν. Ἀπαλλάγηθι οὖν ὦ Θεόδοτε πάσης φλυαρίας, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους μᾶλλον Χριστιανοὺς τῆς αὐτῆς ἀπάλλαξον μανίας· ἄρξεις δὲ τῆς πόλεως, καταστὰς ἀρχιερεὺς τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, τοῦ μεγίστην ἔχοντος ἐν τοῖς θεοῖς ἐξουσίαν, καὶ τὰς μεγάλας παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐεργείας ἡμῖν ἐπιδεικνῦντος, εἴς τε τὸ προλέγειν διὰ μαντείας τὰ μέλλοντα, καὶ τῶν νοσημάτων τὰ πάθη διὰ τῆς ἰατρείας ἰᾶσθαι· καὶ διά σου μὲν ἱερέων ἔσονται χειροτονίαι, διά σου δὲ ἀξιωμάτων προαγωγαὶ, διά σου δὲ προστασίαι πρὸς τοὺς Ἄρχοντας ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος, καὶ πρεσβεῖα πρὸς Βασιλέας ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων πͅραγμάτων, καὶ μετὰ ἀρετῆς πλοῦτος, καὶ προστασίαι τοῦ γένους, καὶ μεγάλαι τιμαὶ, καὶ δόξης λαμπρότης· εἰ δὲ καὶ χρημάτων παραυτίκα χρήζεις, καί σοι φίλον αὐτῶν μεταλαμβάνειν ἀφθόνως, ἕτοιμος ἡμῶν ἡ χεὶρ πρὸς μετάδοσιν. Ταῦτα λέγοντος τοῦ Θεοτέκνου, ἔπαινοι μυρίοι παρὰ τοῦ πλήθους ἐγίνοντο, καὶ τὸν Θεόδοτον ἐμακάριζον, παρήνουν τε αὑτῷ τὰς διδομένας δορεὰς δέχεσθαι.
[24] Λεχθέντων δὲ τούτων, ὁ Μάρτυς εἶπε· Πρώτην ταύτην αἰτῶ χάριν παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃν ἀρτίως ὡς ἄνθρωπον εἶπας ψιλὸν, ὅπως καὶ τὰ τῆς πλάνης τῶν θεῶν διελέγξω, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν θαυμάτων τοῦ Κυρίου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἐνανθρωπήσεως, βραχέα τινὰ διέλθωμεν. Ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἐστιν, ὦ Θεότεκνε, καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πληρῶσαι ὁμολογίαν ἐπὶ πολλῶν μαρτύρων· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν θεῶν σου πραχθέντα, καὶ λέγειν αἰgr;σχρὸν ὑπάρχει, ὅμως πρὸς αἰσχύνην ὑμῶν εἴπω. Ὅν λέγετε Δία πάντων τῶν θεῶν ὑμῶν εἶναι μείζονα, εἴς τε μοιχείας καὶ παιδοφθορίας ηὕβριται, καὶ ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἀρχὴ πάντων τῶν κακῶν καὶ πέρας ἐστίν. Ὀρφεὺς γὰρ ὁ ὑμέτερος ποιητὴς λέγει, ὅτι Ζεὺς τὸν Κρόνον τὸν ἴδιον πατέρα ἐφόνευσε, καὶ ἔσχε τὴν ἰδίαν μητέρα τὴν Ρἕαν, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν γεννᾶται ἡ Περσεφόνη, ἣν καὶ αὐτην ἐμίανεν· ἔσχε δὲ καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀδελφὴν Ἧραν γυναῖκα. Καὶ Ἀπόλλων δὲ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀδελφὲν ἔσχεν Ἄρτεμιν, ἣν καὶ ἐμίανεν ἐν Δήλῳ παρὰ τῷ βωμῷ. Καὶ ὁ Ἄρης δὲ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην. Καὶ ὁ Ἥφαιστος τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν· οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὰς ἀδελφάς. Βλέπεις, Ὑπατικέ, πόσος παρὰ τοῖς θεοῖς ὑμῶν μιασμός; οὐχὶ εἴ τις ἀνθρώπων τὰ ἐκείνων ποιήσειεν ἔργα, τοῦτον οἱ νόμοι κολάξουσιν; Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ τοιαύτῃ ἀσωτίᾳ τῶν θεῶν ὑμῶν καυχᾶσθε, καὶ οὐκ αἰδεῖσθε παιδομανεῖς καὶ μοιχοὺς καὶ φαρμάκους προσκυνοῦντες· ταῦτα γὰρ ὡς καυχόμενοι οἱ ποιηταὶ εἰρήκασι.
[25] Περὶ δὲ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμεως, καὶ τῶν θαυμάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας, καὶ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως, πολλὰ μὲν οἱ προφῆται προειρήκασι καὶ πνευματοφόροι ἄνδρες, φανερῶς καὶ καθαρῶς προκατήγγειλαν, μαρτυροῦντες ὡς ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν χρόνων εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἐξ οὐρανῶν παραγινομένου, θαυματουργίαις παραδόξοις καὶ ἀποῤῥήτοις δυνάμεσι, θεραπεύοντος τῶν ἀῤῥωστούντων τὰς νόσους, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀξιοῦντος βασιλείας· καὶ ἀκριβῶς οἱ προφῆται ἔγραψαν περὶ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ τοῦ πάθους αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως, καὶ τούτων μάρτυρες χαλδαῖοι καὶ μάγοι, καὶ οἱ Περσῶν λογιώτατοι, ἐκ τῆς κινήσεως τῶν ἄστρων ὁδηγηθέντες, καὶ τὸν χρόνον τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως αὐτοῦ ἔγνωσαν, καὶ πρῶτοι Θεὸν αὐτὸν ἐπιγνῶντες, ὡς Θεῷ δῶρα προσήφερον. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ παράδοξα ἐποίησε θαύματα· πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ὕδωρ εἰς οἶνον μετέβαλε, καὶ ἐκ πέντε ἄρτων καὶ δύο ἰχθύων πεντακισχιλίους ἐπ᾽ ἐρημίας ἐκόρεσε, καὶ λόγῳ τοὺς ἀῤῥώστους ἰάσατο, καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν δὲ ὡς ξηρὰν ἐπέζευσε· τούτου τὴν δεσποτείαν καὶ φύσις ἐπέγνω πυρὸς, καὶ κελεύσματι αὐτοῦ οἱ ἀποθανέντες ἠγείροντο· τυφλοῖς γὰρ ἐκ γεννητῆς παρέσχε λόγῳ τὸ φῶς, καὶ χωλοὺς ταχυτάτους ἀπειργάζετο, καὶ ἑτέρους δὲ τεθαμμένους ἀπὸ τεσσάρων ἡμέρῶν ἀνέστησε λόγῳ· καί τις δυνήσεται ἐξειπεῖν ὅσα παράδοξα ἐποίησε σημεῖα, ἅ τινα Θεὸν καὶ οὐ ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν ἐπιδεικνύουσιν;
[26] Εἰπόντος δὲ ταῦτα τοῦ Μάρτυρος, ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος τῶν εἰδωλομανῶν ἐκυμαίνετο, ὥσπερ θάλασσα ὑπὸ σφοδροτάτου ἀνέμου ταρασσομένη· τῶν τε ἱερέων διαῤῥυγνύντων τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ τὰς κόμας διασπαρασσόντων, καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους διασπόντων, καὶ τοῦ πλήθους ἀναβοῶντος μεγάλα, καὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα Θεότεκνον αἰτουμένου, ὡς οὐ δικαίως πεποιηκότα ἀνθρώπῳ ὑποκειμένῳ μάστιγας καὶ θάνατον, κατὰ τῆς τῶν θεῶν εὐμενείας τοσαῦτα βλασφημήσαντι, καὶ ἐπίδειξεν πεποιηκότι ῥητορικῆς μετὰ τοσαύτης ἀδείας, ὃν ἐχρῆν ἐκ πρώτης τῷ ξύλῳ κρεμασθέντα τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτὸν διδόναι δίκην. Ἔτι οὖν καὶ μᾶλλον παροξυνθεὶς ὁ Θεότεκνος, ὑπερζέσας τῷ θυμῷ, ἐκέλευσε τοὺς δορυφόρους μετὰ σπουδῆς τὸν ὅσιον τῷ ξύλῳ προσαγαγεῖν. Συνεχέστερον οὖν ὁ Θεότεκνος ἀπὸ τῆς μανίας, ἀνεπήδα τοῦ θρόνου, βουλόμενος δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τοῦτον κολάζειν· Θορυβουμένου δὲ καὶ τοῦ πλήθους, καὶ τῶν ὄχλων ἑτοιμαζόντων τοὺς ὄνυχας, καὶ τῶν κηρύκων ἐπιβοόντων, καὶ μιᾶς ἐκ πάντων γενομένης συγχύσεως· ὁ γενναῖος ἀθλητὴς μόνος ἦν ἠρεμαίᾳ τῇ γνώμῃ, ὥσπερ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον τινὰ καὶ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, κακῶν τοσαύτης κεκινημένης πλημμύρας.
[27] Οὐδὲν οὖν τῶν τιμωρητικῶν ὀργάνων λοιπὸν ἡσύχαζεν, οὐ πῦρ, οὐ σίδηρος, οὐκ ὄνυχες· ἀλλὰ ἄλλος ἀλλαχόθεν περιστάντες, καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα περιρήξαντες, τῷ ξύλῳ ἀνήρτησαν, καὶ ἀποδιαστάντες τὰς πλευρὰς αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὄνυξιν διεσπάραττον, ἕκαστος ὅσον εἶχε δυνάμεως οὐκ ἐνεγκόντες τὸν κάματον. Ὁ δὲ μάρτυς προσεμειδία τοὺς τύπτοντας τερπόμενος, καὶ δίχα θορύβου τὴν πεῖραν ἑκάστου τῶν κολαστηρίων ἐδέχετο, μήτε τὴν μορφὴν τοῦ προσώπου διαστρέφων, μήτε ὑποστελλόμενος τὴν τοῦ τυράννου ὠμοτητα· εἶχε γὰρ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν βοηθὸν, ἕως οὗ ἐπέκαμον οἱ τύπτοντες. Ἀτονησάντων οὖν ἐκείνων, ἕτεροι προσελθόντες διεδέχοντο τοὺς προτέρους· ὁ δὲ καλλίνικος ἀγωνιστὴς τοῖς μὲν δημίοις ὥσπερ ἀλλότριον τὸ σῶμα πρὸ a σπαραγμὸν παρεδίδου, καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν ἄτρεπτον εἶχε πρὸς τὸν ἁπάντων δεσπότην. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ Θεότεκνος ὄξους δριμυτάτου ῥένεσθαι b τὰς πλευρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαμπάδας
πυρὸς αὐτῷ προσφέρεσθαι· c δριμυχθεὶς δὲ ὁ ὅσιος ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄξους, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῶν πλευρῶν αὐτοῦ καιομένων, κνίσα τις ἐγένετο· ὅθεν αἰσθόμενος τῆς κνίσης τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ ὀπτομένων, δυσχεράνας διέστρεφε τοὺς μυκτῆρας αὐτοῦ. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Θεότεκνος, καὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀναπηδήσας τοῦ θρόνου εἶπε· Ποῦ τὸ τῶν λόγων σου γενναῖον ὦ Θεόδοτε; ὁρῶ γάρ σε πρὸς τὰς βασάνους συντόμως ἡττόμενον· εἰ μὴ γὰρ τοὺς θεοὺς ἐβλασφήμησας, ἀλλὰ προσεκύνησας τῆς δεσποτείας αὐτῶν τὸ βέβαιον, οὐκ ἂν ἥψαντό σου αἱ βάσανοι· πείσω δέ σε, οἰνοπόλην ὄντα καὶ ἄνθρωπον εὐτελῆ, τοιαῦτα κατὰ ἀρχόντων μὴ λέγειν, ἐχόντων ἐξουσίαν τοῦ αἵματός σου. Ὁ δὲ Μάρτυς εἶπε· Μὴ θαυμάσῃς ὑπατικέ, ὅτι αἰσθόμενος τῆς κνίσης τῶν πλευρῶν μου διέστρεψα τὰς ῥίνας μου· ἐπίτασσε δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς δορυφόροις πάσῃ προστάξει σου καθυπουργεῖν, αἰσθάνομαι γὰρ ἀτονήσαντας αὐτούς· σὺ δὲ ἐπινόει κολαστήρια, καὶ πάσης μηχανῆς ἐξεύρεσιν, ὅπως μάθῃς καρτερίαν ἀθλητοῦ· γνώσῃ οὖν τὸν Κύριον μου Ἰησοῦν βοηθοῦντά μοι, ὅθεν ὡς ἀνδραπόδῳ σοι διαλέγομαι, καὶ τῶν Βασιλέων σου ἀσεβούντων καταφρονῶ· τοσαύτην μοι δίδωσιν ὁ δεσπότης Χριστὸς τὴν φροντίδα. Εἰ μὲν ἀσεβοῦντά με λαβὼν ἐκόλαζες, εἶχεν ἄν σου καὶ παῤῥησίαν ὁ φόβος· Νυνὶ δὲ οὐ δέδοικά σου τὰς ἀπειλὰς, ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Χριστόν μου πίστεως πάντα πάσχων. Ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ Μάρτυρος, ὁ Θεότεκνος ἐκέλευσε τοῖς δορυφόροις λίθοις αὐτοῦ τὰς σιαγόνας τύπτειν, καὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐκφέρειν. Ὁ δὲ τίμιος Μάρτυς εἶπεν, Εἰ καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἐκκόψειάς μου Θεότεκνε, καὶ τὰ τῆς φωνῆς πάντα ἀφέλοις ὄργανα, καὶ σιωπόντων ἀκούει ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν.
[28] Ἀποκαμόντων δὲ τῶν δημίων πρὸς τὸ διασπᾷν καὶ σπαράττειν τὸ σῶμα, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν κατενεχθέντα ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον ἀποτεθῆναι, φυλαχθησόμενον εἰς ἑτέραν ἐξαίτασιν· Ὡς δὲ ἦγον αὐτὸν διὰ μέσης τῆς ἀγορᾶς, συγκεκομμένον τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἐκ τῶν τραυμάτων αὐτῶν τὴν νίκην ἐπιδεικνύοντα, πλῆθος δὲ πολιτῶν περὶ αὐτὸν πολὺ ὡς ἐπὶ θέαν συνδεδραμηκότων, πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς μετὰ παῤῥησίας τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπεδείκνυεν ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων παθημάτων λέγων· Ὁρᾶτε πάντες τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ μου τὸ παράδοξον, ὅπως τοῖς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καταδεξαμένοις πάσχειν τὴν ἀπάθειαν αὐτοῖς παραυτίκα χαρίζεται, καὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀσθένειαν εὐτονοτέραν πυρὸς ἀπεργάζεται, καὶ παρασκευάζει τοὺς εὐτελεῖς καταφρονεῖν ἀρχοντικῶν ἀπειλῶν, καὶ βασιλικῶν προσταγμάτων νομοθετούντων ἀσέβειαν· καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσιν ὁ τῶν ὅλων δεσπότης Θεὸς τοῦτο παρέχει, δυσγενέσι, δούλοις, ἐλευθέροις, βαρβάροις. Τοιαῦτα οὖν παραινῶν καὶ τοὺς τύπους ἐπιδεικνὺς αὐτοῖς τῶν τραυμάτων, ἔλεγε· Χρὴ τοῖς εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Κριστὸν πεπιστευκόσι τοιαύτας προσφέρειν θυσίας, οἵας καὶ ἡμεῖς προσφέρωμεν· πρῶτος γὰρ αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου ἡμῶν τοιαῦτα ἠνέσχετο παθεῖν.
[20] The day being come the whole city began to seethe, on account of the carrying off of the sacred bodies; The Saint betrayed to the Governor by a companion, for of all fame suddenly made him known; & so as soon as some Christian was seen, he was dragged into interrogation. But many being thus apprehended, & as it were to be torn by the teeth of wild beasts, the matter became known to the Saint, who wishing to deliver himself, was prohibited by the Brethren. But Polychronius, with changed habit transforming himself into a rustic, went into the forum to explore more certainly the whole truth; but soon apprehended by some, & led to the Governor. Who when he had punished him with blows & moreover threatened death, brandishing a drawn sword, yielding to terror, confessed about the relics of the Virgins, & that Theodotus had taken them from the lake, & indicated the place where he had hidden them. Taking therefore the holy bodies from the sepulchers they burned them. Then we knew the betrayer to be Polychronius: & that those who had appeared had spoken of him, when they said, Beware the betrayer.
[21] Then the glorious Martyr of Christ Theodotus bidding farewell to the Brethren, & bidding that they cease not from prayer, but pray God that the crown might fall to him, after prayers poured forth to God, prepared himself to sustain the blows. Together therefore they persisted in prayer with the Martyr, who at length having prayed at length said: Lord Jesus Christ, hope of the despairing, grant me to complete the course of the contest, & to offer the shedding of blood as a sacrifice & libation for the cause of all those who on account of you are afflicted: lighten their burden, & restrain the storm, that with rest & profound tranquility they may be possessed, all who believe in you. While he with tears was perorating thus, there arose a great wailing among the Brethren, embracing him & saying, Farewell O most sweet light of the Church Theodotus. You indeed after you have emigrated from these hardships the heavenly luminaries will receive, & the manifold glory of Angels & Archangels, having consoled the rest, & the immutable brightness of the Holy Spirit, & our Lord Jesus Christ sitting at His Father's right hand: for the cause of these goods will the glorious & great contest which is at hand be to you: but to us remaining in ambiguity your departure from life brings forth nothing but mourning, lamentation, & groaning. While they were thus lamenting, each one the Saint embraced, & admonished that when there came the Papa B. Fronto, from Malus bringing with him the ring, they should give him his relics, if indeed they could steal them away. And saying these things, his whole body fortifying with the sign of the Cross, into the stadium he advanced with a mind intrepid.
[22] he declines flight; As he was going there met him two of the citizens, bidding him as quickly as possible to go back & saying, Save yourself: for they were acquaintances & friends of the Martyr, & thought to do him a favor: For, they said, the Priests of Minerva & Diana with the popular crowd accuse you before the Governor, that to all Christians you dissuade them from adoring inanimate stones; & many other things against you they speak, & Polychronius charges you as guilty of the bodies furtively carried away. While therefore there is still time, Save yourself Theodotus, & of his own accord presents himself at the tribunal. for it would be folly further to deliver yourself to torments. To whom the Martyr, If you think yourselves my friends & wish to do a favor, do not make trouble for me & accuse my zeal, but rather go to the Magistrates & say: Theodotus, whom the Priests with the whole city accuse, stands before the doors. And saying these things, he went before them, & presented himself to his accusers. Entering to the tribunal he stood intrepid, & with a smiling countenance beheld the prepared torments, for there was there a kindled fire, & boiling cauldrons, & wheels & many other instruments of tortures exposed: at the sight of all which the Martyr so little shuddered, that the cheerfulness of his countenance demonstrated the constancy of his mind.
[23] So beholding him standing Theotecnus, Nothing of the proposed punishments, he said, will you experience, if you allow yourself to be persuaded to be willing to be wise & to sacrifice, & you will be free from all the crimes which the whole city & the priests have announced to us about you: to the Governor offering impunity indeed also you will enjoy our friendship before others, & to the most victorious Emperors you will become dear, & you will be held worthy whom they themselves would deign to honor with their own letters, & who would write to them when the matter so requires: only forswear Jesus, whom he who was before us Pilate, in Judea crucified. Therefore resolve to act wisely, for you seem to present the appearance of a man of experience: but it is of a wise man to do all things considerately & providently. Withdraw therefore Theodotus from all folly, & lead away the other Christians from their dementia; so doing you will rule the whole city, being made Priest of Apollo, the greatest of all the gods, & the priesthood of Apollo on account of the great benefits which he confers on men, foretelling future things by his oracles, & by the art of medicine curing the infirmities of diseases: for through you priests were ordained, through you will be made promotions of dignities, through you will supplication be made to the magistrates for the fatherland, & embassies for common causes will be brought to the Emperors; & there will flow to you with virtue riches, clienteles of race & great honors, with the brightness of glory: but if you desire possessions & it be pleasing to you to have them, behold I am prepared to deliver them. This the Governor saying many gratulations were heard from the common people, calling Theodotus blessed, persuading that he should accept the offered gifts.
[24] Meanwhile to Theotecnus the Martyr in this manner answered: He reproaches the baseness of his gods, First this favor I ask of my Lord Jesus Christ, whom just now contemptuously you called as a common man, that the error concerning the gods I may be able to confute, & the miracles of my Lord Jesus Christ & the mysteries of the incarnation in few words to comprise. It is necessary therefore, Theotecnus, that my faith in Him by deed & word I should prove before many witnesses: for as for what pertains to the deeds of your gods, it is base to utter them, yet I will say to your confusion. He whom you call Jove & believe to be the greatest of all the gods, in the contumely of women & boys proceeded so far that of all evils he himself is the beginning & the end. For Orpheus your Poet says, that Jupiter killed Saturn his own father, & had for wife his own mother Rhea, whence was born Persephone, whom also he lusted after; he had then also his sister Juno; just as also Apollo, who violated his sister Diana in Delos before the altar: similarly Mars went mad upon Venus, Vulcan upon Minerva, brothers indeed upon sisters. Do you see, Proconsul, how great is the baseness in your gods? would not the laws punish him who had perpetrated such things? Meanwhile you in lasciviousness of this kind of your gods glory, nor are you ashamed by adoring corrupters of boys, adulterers, sorcerers: for these things the Poets said as if boasting.
[25] On the contrary about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ & His miracles, & about the mystery of His incarnation, many things indeed both the Prophets & spiritual men foretold; but which to confess openly let no one be ashamed, on the contrary the divinity of Christ all chaste; testifying how in the last times from the heavens among men He appeared, with admirable prodigies & ineffable miracles, healing the diseases of the infirm, & men worthy of the kingdom of heaven making. But of His incarnation the Prophets wrote accurately, & of His death & passion & resurrection from the dead: of which the witnesses are the Chaldeans & Magi & the most wise of the Persians, led by the motion of the stars, & the time of His nativity according to the flesh they recognized, & first having recognized Him as God to Him as God offered gifts. But many & stupendous miracles He did. For first He changed water into wine, & proclaims His miracles. & with five loaves & two fishes five thousand men He satisfied in the desert, & the infirm by a word He healed, & upon the sea as upon dry land He walked. His dominion also the nature of fire recognized, & at His command the dead were raised, & to those blind from birth light by a word alone shone forth: the lame most swiftly He made to walk, & others entombed for four days He recalled to life. But who could rehearse in words all the signs & prodigies which He did, by which He was proven to be God, & not some common man?
[26] The people still tumultuating, Such things when the Martyr said, the whole multitude of idolaters was moved, like a sea by a vehement wind shaken; the Priests tearing their garments, scattering their hair, rending their crowns; but the people vociferating, & the very Proconsul Theotecnus accusing, that he did not act by law with a man, guilty of blows & death, openly blaspheming the clemency of the Gods, & rhetorical art so impudently displaying, who ought at once to be lifted onto the rack & to the gods the due punishments to pay. Hence therefore the more exacerbated Theotecnus & boiling with anger, commanded the attendants, that at once they should lift the Saint onto the wood: indeed he himself leaped down from the throne for fury, wishing through himself to torture the Saint. suspended on the rack, And when the multitude of the people was tumultuating, & the executioners the claws made ready, & with the heralds vociferating a confused vociferation arose, the Athlete alone stood with tranquil mind, as if not against himself, but against any other, such a tempest were stirred.
[27] Thereupon no kind of deadly instruments was permitted to be idle, not fire, not iron, not claws: but some from one side rushing, & his garments drawing off, they lifted the man onto the rack; & divided into parties they lacerated his sides with claws, he is torn with claws; each one as much as he could not sparing the labor. But the Martyr with a glad & smiling countenance beheld those striking, & without any disturbance received the sensation of the torments, neither contorting his countenance, nor declining the savagery of the tyrant: for he had helping him our Lord Jesus Christ, until those beating were wearied. And these indeed failing others succeeded; but the unconquered champion his body, as if another's, had delivered to the executioners, having his mind fixed in the lord of all. Then Theotecnus ordered the strongest vinegar to be poured on his sides, & drenched with vinegar he is scorched with lamps, & flaming lamps to be brought near: & when, stung with vinegar the Saint & from the scorched flesh of his sides smelling the stench, somewhat he had averted his nostrils, from his throne immediately leaping down Theotecnus: Where now, he said, Theodotus, is the generosity of your words: for I see you, all but conquered, yielding to the torments: indeed if you had not blasphemed the gods, & the robustness of their power adored, the torments would not have touched you. I would persuade you, that, since you are a tavern-keeper & of vile condition, you no more speak such things against the Emperors, who have right over your blood. To whom the Martyr: Let nothing move you, Proconsul, that you saw me, on smelling the stench of my sides, twist my nostrils: but rather command that your attendants execute the mandates, for I see they act more remissly: but you devise torments & the inventions of new machines, that you may prove my fortitude: indeed rather acknowledge the Lord Jesus helping me, finally his teeth being knocked out through whom I as a slave despise you, & your impious Emperors I scorn: so great spirits Christ the Lord gives me. But if you had apprehended me as guilty, fear would have place in me: but now I do not dread your threats, prepared to suffer anything for the faith of Christ. As he spoke these things his jaws Theotecnus ordered to be struck with stones & his teeth to be knocked out: but on the contrary the Martyr, Even if you cut out my tongue, Theotecnus, & all the organs of voice, God yet hears even silent Christians.
[28] At length, the lictors being weary of lacerating his body, the Governor commanded, him being taken down from the wood, to be shut in prison, taken down & led to prison, reserved for another interrogation. But he, when through the midst of the forum he was led, with his whole body cut up & with his very wounds displaying victory, invited the citizens running together from everywhere to the spectacle, to recognize from those things which he had suffered the power of Christ: See, he said, all of you how admirable the virtue of Christ is; & how to those who for His cause expose themselves to torments He bestows impassibility, & the corporeal infirmity He makes stronger than fire, & makes men of the lowest race count the threats of Princes of no value, he proclaims the power of Christ. & the edicts of the Emperors enacted against piety. And indeed without exception of persons the Lord of all bestows on all such grace, on the ignoble, slaves, freemen, barbarians. Thus perorating & displaying the traces of the blows inflicted on him; It befits, he said, those who believe in Christ such sacrifices to offer Him, as I offered, since He Himself first for each one of us thus suffered.
NOTES.
CHAPTER IV.
St. Theodotus after a repeated interrogation beheaded: his body entombed by Fronto the Presbyter.
[29] Ἠμερῶν δὲ a πέντε διελθουσῶν, ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Θεότεκνος ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς πόλεως ἀκροτήριον γενέσθαι ἐν ἐπισήμῳ τόπῳ, ἄγειν τε τοῖς δορυφόροις προσέταξε τὸν Μάρτυρα, καὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἤχθη. Ἐλθόντως δὲ αὐτοῦ, ὁ Θεότεκνος ἔφη· Πλησίον ἡμῶν ἐλθὲ Θεόδοτε· μανθάνω γὰρ βελτίονά σε γενέσθαι σωφρονισθέντα τοῖς πρώτοις, καὶ τῆς προτέρας κενοδοξίας πεπαῦσθαι· ἀλόγως γὰρ εἵλκυσας κατὰ σαυτοῦ τοσαύτας βασάνους, καίπερ ἡμῶν μὴ βουλομένων. Ἀλλὰ νῦν ἄφες σου τὸ ὠμὸν καὶ φιλόνεικον, καὶ ἐπίγνωθι τὴν δεσποτείαν τῶν παντοδυνάμων θεῶν, ὅπως καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δωρεῶν ἀπολαύσῃς, ἅς πρώην μὲν ὑπεσχόμην, νῦν δὲ ἑτοίμως ἔχω παρασχεῖν θύσαντί σοι τοῖς θεοῖς. Σκέψον οὖν τὸ συμφέρον σοι, καὶ γὰρ καὶ πῦρ εὐτρεπισμένον ὡς ὁρᾷς, καὶ σίδηρος ἠκονισμένος, καὶ θηρίων στόματα πρὸς σπαραγμὸν ἠνεωγμένα, ὥστε σε τούτων πεῖραν λαβόντα, τὰ πρῶτα σκιὰ φανήσεται. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ τοῦ Κριστοῦ μάρτυς Θεόδοτος, μηδὲν δειλιάσας εἶπε· Καὶ τί, ὦ Θεότεκνε, ἐπινοήσεις καθ᾽ ἡμῶν μεῖζον, ὄπερ δυνήσεται καταγωνίσασθαι τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν; Πλὴν ὅμως εἰ καὶ τὸ σῶμά μου ὅλον διαλέλυται ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων μαστίγων ὡς ὁρᾷς, πάλιν λάμβανε πεῖραν τῆς ἐμῆς καρθερίας, καὶ πρόσφερε τῷ σώματί μου διαφόρους βασάνους, ἵνα ἴδῃς ὁπόσην ἔχει πρὸς ὑπομονὴν εὐτονίαν τοῦτό μου τὸ σῶμα, ὅπερ ἀρτίως ἠφάνισθαι.
[30] Ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ ἁγίου, ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Θεότεκνος τῷ ξύλῳ πάλιν αὐτὸν προσάγειν· οἱ δὲ δήμιοι ὥσπερ θῆρες περιστάντες ταῖς πλευραῖς αὐτοῦ ἐξ ἑκατέρου μέρους, ἔξεον ἐπὶ τὰς πρώτας πληγὰς τῶν τραυμάτων εἰς βάθος μετὰ τῶν ὀνύχων ἐνράσσοντες, καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ὁ καλλίνικος Μάρτυς ὡμολόγει τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ὁ Θεότεκνος ἑαυτὸν ματαιοπονοῦντα, καὶ τοὺς βασανίζοντας διαλελυμένους τῷ καμάτῳ, ἐκέλευσεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου κατενεχθέντα αὐτὸν ἐπιτεθῆναι πεπυρωμένοις ὁστράκοις, ἅπερ μέχρι τῶν ἐγκάτων αὐτοῦ διῆλθον. Αἰσθόμενος δὲ δεινοτάτου πόνου, προσηῦχετο λέγων· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ἡ τῶν ἀπελπισμένων ἐλπὶς, ἡ τῶν ἀβοηθήτων βοήθεια, τὸ φῶς τῶν ἐν σκότει, ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν τεθανατομένων, εἰσάκουσον τῆς προσευχῆς μου, καὶ κούφισον τὸν πόνον τοῦτον, ὅτι διὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον ταῦτα πάσχω. Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ὁ Θεότεκνος καὶ τὴν τῶν ὀστράκων ἄπρακτον οὖσαν πεῖραν πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βουλὴν, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν πάλιν τῷ ξύλῳ προσάγεσθαι, καὶ τοῖς ὄνυξιν ἀναξέειν τὰ τραύματα. Οὐδεμίαν δὲ αἴσθησιν ὁ μάρτυς τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶχε τοῦ σώματος, καὶ παίζειν αὐτοὺς μᾶλλον εἴπερ σπουδάζειν ἐδόκει· μόνη δὲ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ ἦν ὑγιὴς, ὑμνοῦσα τὸν. Κύριον, ἥνπερ τότε οἱ ἀσεβεῖς σῶαν ωρὸς ἄρνησιν ἐφύλαξαν, ἔλαθον δὲ αὐτοὺς ὅτι ωρὸς βεβαίωσιν μᾶλλον ὁμολογίας ταύτην φυλάττουσιν.
[31] Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ὁ Θεότεκνος ἀποροῦντα ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὰς τῶν βασάνων ἐπινοίας, καὶ τοὺς κολάζοντας δημίους ἀτονήσαντας τὸ καθόλου, καὶ μηδὲν δυναμένους, τὸν δὲ μάρτυρα τῇ προθέσει ἀκμαιότερον ὑπάρχοντα, ἔδωκε τὴν ἀπόφασιν εἰπών· Θεόδοτον τὸν προστάτην τῶν Γαληλαίων τῶν δὲ θεῶν ἐχθρὸν, ἀντιπίπτοντα τοῖς προστάγμασι τῶν ἀηττήτων Βασιλέων, καταφρονήσαντος δὴ κᾀμοῦ, κελεύει ἡ ἐμὴ ἐξουσία τὴν διὰ τοῦ ξίφους ὑποστῆναι τιμωρίαν, καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀποτμηθῆναι τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ πυρὶ καυθῆναι, ὅπως μὴ οἱ Χριστιανοὶ λαβόντες αὐτὸ θάψωσι. Λαβόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπόφασιν, ωᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν συνεξῆλθον αὐτῷ ἰδεῖν τὸ τέλος. Γενομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, προσηύξατο ὁ μάρτυς λέγων· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ὁ ποιητὴς οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὁ μὴ ἐγκαταλιμπάνων τοὺς ἐπί σοι πεποιθότας, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι ἐποίησάς με ἄξιον πολίτην της ἐπουρανίου σου πόλεως, καὶ συμμέτοχον τῆς σῆς βασιλείας· εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι ἠξίωσάς με νικῆσαι τὸν δράκοντα, καὶ συντρίψαι αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλήν· δός ἄνεσιν τοῖς δούλοις σου, μέχρις ἐμοῦ στήσας τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὴν ἐπανάστασιν· δός εἰρηνεύειν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν σου, ῥυσάμενος αὐτὴν ἐκ της τοῦ διαβόλου τυραννίδος. Καὶ τελέσαντος αὐτοῦ τὸ Ἀμὴν, στραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς κλαίοντας, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Μὴ κλαίετε ἀδελφοὶ, ἀλλὰ δοξάσατε τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν ποιήσαντα τελείως τὸν δρόμον δραμεῖν, καὶ νικῆσαι τὸν ἐχθρόν· ἔσομαι γὰρ ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοίς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀδιαλέλπτως ἐντυχάνων τῷ Θεῷ. Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος, ἐδέξατο τὸ ξίφος χαίρων.
[32] Ἅψαντες οὖν πυρὰν μεγίστην οἱ δήμιοι, ἔβαλον τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος, περιθέντες ξύλα πολλά. Κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν δὲ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας αἰφνίδιον φαίνεται αὐτοῖς ὑπὲρ τὴν πυρὰν φῶς κυκλώθεν περιαστράπτων, ὥστε μὴ τολμᾷν τοὺς ὑποκαίοντας προσεγγίσαι· ἔσωθεν οὖν ἔμεινε τὸ τίμιον τοῦ Μάρτυρος λείψανον ἀβλαβές. Ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ τὰ γινόμενα οἱὑπηρέται τῷ Θεοτέκνῳ· ὁ δὲ ἐκέλευσε παραμένειν αὐτοὺς καὶ φυλάσσειν τὸ λείψανον, ἐπὶ τῷ τόπῳ ἔνθα τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀπέθετο. Παρέμενον οὖν κατὰ τὸ κελευσθὲν αὐτοῖς οἱ στρατιῶται, φυλάσσοντες τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου· παρεγένετο δὲ κατὰ τὰς συνθήκας ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Φρόντων ἀπὸ τοῦ κτήματος Μαλοῦ, ἐπικομίζων τὸν δακτύλιον τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος, ὅνπερ αὐτῷ δέδωκε τῶν λειψάνων ἕνεκα, ἔχων μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ὑποζύγιον, ὅπερ οἴνου ἐφόρτωσε παλαιοῦ, γεωργεῖ γὰρ ὁ τὸ πανυδόκιμος b. Φθάσας οὖν τὴν πόλιν ὀψίας οὔσης, κατὰ βούλησιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας, ἡ ὄνος ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον ἐξέκλινεν, ἔνθα ἔκειτο τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος· ὡς οὖν εἶδον οἱ τηροῦντες τὴν ὄνον, ἐπέδραμον, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Πρεσβύτερον εἶπον· Ποῦ πορέυῃ ξένε, ὀψίας οὔσης βαθείας; ἐλθὲ μᾶλλον, μεῖνον μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡ ὄνος σου δαψιλῶς τραφήσεται· καὶ γὰρ καὶ χόρτος πολὺς ὡς ὁρᾷς, εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς τῆς σπορίμους χώρας βουληθεὶς, οὐδείς ἐστιν ὁ κωλύσων· καὶ σὺ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται τὸ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν μεῖναι, ἢ διοχληθῆναι πανδοχικῇ ἀγνωμοσύνῃ.
[33] Καὶ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος ἀποκλίνας τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν ὄνον ἀφυῶς, ἐπὶ τὴν καλύβην ὥρμησεν, ἣν ἧσαν αὐτοὶ δι᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἐποιήσαντο ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης ἡμέρᾳ, κλῶνας ἐγείροντες καὶ ἰτεῶν περιστήσαντες, καὶ δεσμὰς ἒξωθεν περισυνθέντες καλάμων· πλησίον δὲ τῆς καλύβης ἔκειτο τὸ λείψανον τοῦ Μάρτυρος, κλάδων ἐπικειμένων
καὶ χόρτου· ἦν δὲ καὶ πῦρ ἀναπτόμενον πλησίον τῆς καλύβης, καὶ δεῖπνον ηὐτρεπισμένον· καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι αὐτῶν ἀπὸ λουτροῦ ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὴν καλύβην, ἔπινον ἀναπεσόντες εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, ταπίτων αὐτοῖς ἡπλωμένων καὶ χόρτου· ὡς οὖν ἐκεῖνοι τὸν πρεσβύτερον πιεῖν σὺν αὐτοῖς προετρέποντο, αἰτῆσας σκεῦος ἐκεῖνος, τὴν ὄνον ἐπεφύρτωσε, καὶ τοῦ οἴνου πλήσας τοῦ ἰδίου, εἶπε· γεύσασθε καὶ μάθετε τῆς τοῦ οἴνου τούτου πιότητος· ἴσως γὰρ οὐ φαῦλος ὑμῖν φανήσεται. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ πρεσβύτερος, καὶ ἡρέμα πρὸς ἑαυτὸν μειδιάσας, μεστὸν αὐτοῖς τὸ σκεῦος τοῦ οἴνου ἐπεδίδου· οἱ δὲ θαυμάσαντες τήν τε εὐωδίαν, καὶ τὴν γεῦσιν ἐπυνθάνοντο πόσων ἂν εἶεν ἐτῶν ὁ οἶνος· ὁ δὲ πέντε εἶπεν ὑπάρχειν ἐτῶν αὐτόν· καί φησιν, Συντόμος ἄφες πίομεν, πάνυ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ καμάτου καταπεπονήμεθα ὑπὸ τῆς δίψης. Εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου, Χαριεντῶς ἀπολαύσατε ὅσον δύνασθε ποιεῖν, ἀποκρίνεται Μητρόδωρός τις τῶν νεανίσκων εἷς γελάσας, οὐκ ἂν λαθεῖν δύναμαι ἐν ὅλῳ χρόνῳ, οὐδ᾽ ἂν πίω ἐκεῖνο τὸ πόμα, ὅπερ λέγουσιν εἶναι τῆς λήθης· οὐ δὲ γὰρ πάντες ὁμοῦ οἱ Χριστιανοὶ ἔλαβον τοιαύτας πληγὰς, οἵας ἐγὼ πρώην κατέπιον διὰ τὰς γυναῖκας τὰς ἐκ τῆς λίμνης κλαπείσας, ἀλλὰ νῦν δαψιλὲς, παράσχες ὦ ξένε, καταχέας ἐκ τοῦ μαρωνίου ἀκράτου, ὅπως μοι λήθην τῶν ἀλγηδόνων ἐκείνων πορίσωμαι. Καὶ ὁ Φρόντων, ἀγνοῶ γὰρ ἅσπερ λέγεις γυναῖκας, νεανίσκε, τοῦ δὲ Μάρωνος ἡ κρήνη αὕτη ὑπάρχει πλησίον· ὑπολαβὼν δὲ τὸν νεανίσκον τις ἕτερος ὀνόματι Ἀπολλώνιος, πρὸς τὸν Μητρόδωρον λέγει· Ὅρα μή σοι τοῦ Μάρωνος ὃ λέγεις πόμα οὐαὶ ἀνεπιτήδειον ἔσται, πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν τὸν χαλκοὺν τοῦτο φυλάσσοντι, τὸν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας, ἅς λέγεις, ἀπὸ τῆς λίμνης κλέψαντα.
[34] Καὶ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος εἶπεν· Ἤμαρτον ὡς ἔοικε μὴ καὶ ἑρμηνέα ὧδε μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ κομισάμενος, ὃς τῶν ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν λεγομένων ἑρμήνευσέ μοι ἅπαντα· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀρτίως τῶν ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν λαλουμένων ἐπίσταμαι. Τίνες μὲν αἱ γυναῖκες, ἅς ἀπὸ τῆς λίμνης ἔκλεψαν, τίς δὲ ὁ χαλκοῦς ὑμῖν ὅν λέγετε φυλάσσειν; ἢ τάχα ἀνδριάντα φυλάττετε πόθεν ἀρτίως κομισθέντα, ἢ ὄντως παραβολὰς φθέγγεσθε καταγελῶντες τῆς ἀγροικίας μου; Μέλλοντος δὲ τοῦ Μητροδώρου φθέγξασθαι, προλαβὼν ἄλλος τῶν νεωτέρων, ὅς ἐκαλεῖτο Γλαυκέντιος, εἷπεν· Ὦ ξένε, μηδὲν παρὰ τῶν ἑταίρων μου ἀκούων παράδοξον ἡγοῦ· χαλκοῦν γὰρ ὀνομάζοντες ἄνδρα, οὐδὲν ξένον περὶ αὐτοῦ λέγουσιν, ἢ ἄν τε χαλκοῦν αὐτὸν καλοῦσι, κἄν τε σιδηροῦν, καὶ γὰρ καὶ χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου καὶ πάσης φύσεως οἴδαμεν ἡμαῖς κρείττονα καὶ στεῤῥότερον τοῦτον· χαλκὸς γὰρ καὶ σίδηρος πυρὶ εἷξε καὶ τέχνῃ κατεπονήθη, καὶ αὐτὸν ὅν λέγουσιν ἀδάμαντα καὶ τέχνῃ καὶ ἐπινοίαις ἥττήθη· τούτῳ δὲ καὶ πῦρ καὶ σίδηρος καὶ ἑλκυσμοὶ προσαχθέντες, πάντα ἔμειναν ἀργά· καὶ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος εἶπεν· ἀληθῶς περὶ ἀνθρώπου λέγετε; ἢ περὶ ἄλλου τινὸς; οὐ γὰρ μανθάνου σαφῶς. Καὶ ὁ Γλαυκέντιος εἶπεν· Ἀπορῶ ὦ ξένε τὴν ἐκείνου φύσιν ἐξηγήσασθαι· ἐάν τε γὰρ ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν ὀνομάσω, οὐκ ἄνθρωπος τοιαῦτα ἠγωνίσατό ποτε· ὄτι μὲν γὰρ ἦν πολίτης ἡμέτερος, καὶ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ ὁ οἶκος ἐνταῦθα, καὶ γένος καὶ κτήματα, τοῦτο πάντες ἐπίστανται· ὅτι δὲ ἀνθρώπου φύσιν οὐκ εἶχεν, τοῦτο φανερῶς διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἀπέδειξε· καὶ γὰρ μαστιζόμενος καὶ τεμνόμενος, καὶ τὰ μέλη πάντα ὑπὸ πυρὸς καταπτώμενος, ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς τῶν ἐνοχλούντων τὸν λογισμὸν μετετέθη, ἀλλ᾽ ἔμεινεν ὑπὸ τῆς πρώτης κρίσεως ἠσφαλισμένος τὴν γνώμην, ὡς πέτρα ὑπὸ κυμάτων ὀχλουμένη καὶ παντελῶς μένει ἀτίνακτος.
[35] Θεόδοτος μὲν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἦν, Χριστιανὸς δὲ τὴν θρησκείαν, τοῦ λογισμοῦ δὲ τὴν κρίσιν ὑπὸ παντὸς πράγματος ἀμετάθετος, παρθένους δὲ ἐν τῇ πλησίον λίμνῃ καταβυθισθείσας τινὰς ἑπτὰ τὸν ἀριθμὸν, καὶ κελευσθείσας ἐναπομένειν τῷ ὕδατι, λάθρα αὐτὸς ἀνελόμενος, παρέδωκε ταφῇ· καὶ ἐπειδὴ πάλιν πολλοὺς Χριστιανοὺς συναρπασθέντας ἔμαθε, καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι πρὸς τιμωρίαν δοθέντας, φοβηθεὶς μὴ τὴν ἑαυτῶν θρησκείαν ἀρνήσωνται, ἑαυτὸν τοῖς ἄρχουσι κατεμήνυσε, καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἔργον ὡμολόγησεν, ὥστε μὴ ἄλλους ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνου κολάζεσθαι. Τοῦ δὲ Ἄρχοντος ὑπισχνουμένου αὐτῷ μυρία χρημάτων πλήθη, καὶ ἀξιώματα καὶ τιμὰς καὶ τῶν θεῶν ἀρχιερέα, εἰ αὐτοῖς θυσιάσας τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀρνήσοιτο τὴν θρησκείαν· αὐτὸς δὲ διαχλευάσας τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ σκώψας, καὶ τοὺς Θεοὺς λοιδορήσας, καὶ τῶν νόμων τῶν Βασιλέων καταπαίξας, οὐ δὲ ἠξίωσε τῷ Ἅρχοντι δοῦναι ἀπόκρισιν. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν μαστιχθεὶς, καὶ παντοίαις ἐγκαρτερήσας κολάσεσιν, οὐδὲν ἐκ τῶν μαστίγων ἐδόκει πάσχειν τοιοῦτον, ὁποῖα ἡμᾶς διέθηκε διὰ τῶν λόγων· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῖς τύπτουσιν αὐτὸν ἔσκωπτε μετὰ γέλωτος, ὡς ὑπὸ ἀτονίας ἐκλυθέντας, καὶ τῷ Ἄρχοντι δὲ ὡς ἀτίμῳ ἀνδραπόδῳ διελέγετο, καὶ τῶν τυπτόντων ἀποκαμνόντων, αὐτὸς ὕμνοις ἐμελώδει, ὡς ὑπὸ τῶν μαστίγων μᾶλλον ῥωννύμενος· τὸ τελευταῖον ἀποκεφαλισθεὶς, ἐκελεύσθη κατακαεῖναι πυρί. Ἡμεῖς οὖν εὑρέθημεν οἱ τρισάθλιοι, καὶ οἱ περὶ τούτου τὰς τιμωρίας πάλιν ἀναδεχόμενοι, τῆς γὰρ πυρᾶς ἀναφθείσης, κρείττονα λόγου θαύματα περὶ τὸν φλόγα ἐγένετο· ἴδομεν κύκλω ὑπερμεγέθη φῶς, καὶ οὐχ ἥψατο τὸ πῦρ τοῦ Θεοδότου· ἐκελεύσθημεν οὖν τηρεῖν αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς, καὶ ἔδειξε τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ λείψανον.
[36] Γνοὺς οὖν ὁ Πρεσβύτερος αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν ἅγιον Θεόδοτον, εὐχαρίστησε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τῇ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθότητι παρεκάλει συνεργῆσαι αὐτῷ τῆς τῶν λειψάνων ἀναιρέσεως. Χαρεὶς οὖν ὁ Πρεσβύτερος, ἔτι μᾶλλον καὶ μᾶλλον τοῦ οἴνου μετεδίδου αὐτοῖς δαψιλέστερον ἐμφορηθῆναι· πιόντων οὖν αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πολὺ, καὶ εἰς μέθην τραπέντων, ὕπνῳ βαρεῖ κατεσχέθησαν. Ἀναστὰς οὖν ὁ Πρεσβύτερος, καὶ ἀράμενος τὸ τίμιον λείψανον, ἐπέθηκε τῇ ὄνῳ, εἰπών· Ὑπαγε ὦ μάκαρ, πλήρωσον τὰς συνθήκας, ἅς συνέθου μοι, προσθεὶς καὶ τὸν δακτύλιον τοῦ Μάρτυρος τοῖς λειψάνοις· τοὺς κλῶνας δὲ καὶ τὸν χόρτον τὸν ἐπικείμενον τῷ λειψάνῳ, συνέθηκε καθὰ ἦν, ὥστε μὴὑπονοῆσαι τοὺς φυλάσσοντας ὅτι ἀπώλεσαν τὸ λείψανον. Φωτὸς δὲ ἐπιγενομένου, καὶ τῆς ἡμέρας διαυγασθείσης, ἀναστὰς ὁ Πρεσβύτερος, ἐζήτει τὴν ὄνον ὡς ἤδη ἀπολωλυῖαν, καὶ πολὺν ἐποίει θόπυβον τὰς χεῖρας συγκρούων, κλαίων καὶ λέγων, Ἀπόλεσα τὴν ὄνον μου. Ἐνόμισαν οὖν οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀσφαλῶς λέγειν αὐτὸν, μὴ ἐγνωκότες τὰ γεγονότα· ἐνόμισαν γὰρ ὑπὸ τὸν χόρτον κεῖσθαι καὶ τὰ λείψανα. Ἡ δὲ ὅνος ὁδηγηθεῖσα ὑπὸ ἁγίου Ἀγγέλου δι᾽ ἀνυπόπτων τόπων, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν Μαλῶ, καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ἐν τῷ τόπῳ μετὰ τοῦ φόρτου αὐτῆς, ἔνθα ἀρτίως ἐστὶ τὸ μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου Μάρτυρος Θεοδότου. Παραγενόμενοι δέ τινες τῆς κώμης, ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ ὅτι ἡ ὄνος μόνη καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἀπεκόμισε τὰ ἅγια λείψανα, καὶ μένει σὲ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Πρεσβύτερος οὑτως ἐπὶ τὴν Μαλὸν ἀνεχώρησεν, νομισθεὶς ἀπολωλέναι τὴν ὄνον· οἱ δὲ φυλάσσοντες τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Μάρτυρος, ἔτι τῷ τόπῳ παρέμενον, ὑπολαμβάνοντες ὑπὸ τὸν χόρτον κεῖσθαι τὸ ἅγιον λείψανον. Τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἐνδόξου Μάρτυρος Θεοδότου ἐπὶ τὴν Μαλὸν μετετέθη, θαυμαστὴν οἰκονομίαν ποιήσαντος τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τετιμηκότα τοῦ Μάρτυρος.
[37] Ταῦτα πάντα ἐγὼ Νεῖλος ταπεινὸς ἐξέδωκα ὑμῖν μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας τοῖς θεοφιλέσιν ἀδελφοῖς· ὃς καὶ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ συνὼν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἕκαστα γνοὺς ἃ εἰς γνῶσιν ἤγαγον, πανταχοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας φροντίσας, ὅπως καὶ ὑμεῖς μετὰ πάσης πίστεως, καὶ πληροφορίας ἀκούοντες, σχοίητε μέρος μετά τοῦ Ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου Μάρτυρος Θεοδότου, καὶ πάντων τῶν Ἁγίων τῆν ὐπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγωνισαμένων, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος ἅμα τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ Ἁγίου Πνεύματι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.
[29] Thereupon there passed five days, when Theotecnus in the midst of the city & in a conspicuous place ordered an auditorium to be built for himself, The Governor again in vain soliciting him to apostasy, & to his attendants commanded to bring thither the Martyr, which soon was done most diligently: & to him coming thus he addressed himself: Approach to us nearer, Theodotus: for I understand you, instructed by those things which were done before, to be better now, & to have laid aside your former pride. Indeed against all reason such great torments upon yourself you have drawn, even against our will. Now therefore, ferocity & pertinacity being cast aside, acknowledge the dominion of the omnipotent gods, that you may enjoy our gifts, which before I promised you, & even now I am prepared to exhibit to you sacrificing to the gods. Consider what is expedient for you: for otherwise you see prepared for you fire, sharpened iron, the maws of beasts gaping for the butchery; which if you wish to experience, the former torments will seem but shadows to these latter. To which the Martyr, fearing nothing, What, he said, O Theotecnus, will you devise against me so great, which can resist the power of my Lord Jesus Christ? But although my whole body is dissolved by the former blows, as you see; yet take a new experience of my strength, & various torments to my members apply; that you may see how strong they are for endurance, which just now seemed dissipated.
[30] Then again Theotecnus ordered the Saint to be applied to the wood: & again torn on the rack & the lictors standing on both sides, like beasts, began to scrutinize the places of the former wounds, & to fix the claws as deeply as possible in his sides, meanwhile while the glorious Martyr, with a great voice confessed the faith. The Governor therefore seeing himself laboring in vain, & the wearied torturers failing, taken down from the wood he ordered him to be placed upon burning potsherds; which even penetrating the inner parts of his body, feeling a most grievous pain Theodotus, prayed saying: Lord Jesus Christ, hope of the despairing, hear my prayer, & this torment mitigate; because for your holy name I suffer these things. & a third time, Theotecnus therefore perceived also the experiment of the potsherds to profit nothing for his will: & again he commanded him lifted to be suspended on the rack & anew the former blows to be furrowed. But no sensation of his body did the Martyr show, & the lictors seemed to him to act in jest rather than in earnest: but his tongue alone remained unharmed, glorifying God, which the impious wished to preserve for him for denying, not knowing that this they rather left him for confirming the truth.
[31] At length Theotecnus seeing, that neither could he suffice for devising new torments, nor the torturers already wholly exhausted anything more could do; finally he orders him to be beheaded: but the Martyr in his purpose firmer, passed on him sentence saying: Theodotus the protector of the Galileans, but the enemy of the gods, not obeying the mandates of the invincible Emperors, & me also despising, our power orders the punishment by the sword to undergo, & the body of him decollated to be burned with fire, lest the Christians having got it should bury it. The sentence being passed there went forth with the Martyr the whole multitude of men & of women, desiring to see the end:
& when they had come to the place, the Martyr began to pray in these words: Lord Jesus Christ, of heaven & earth the founder, which being done, who do not forsake those hoping in you, I give you thanks, because you have made me worthy a citizen of your heavenly city & a partaker of your kingdom: thanks I give you because you have granted me to conquer the dragon & his head to crush. Give rest to your servants & in me stay the violence of the enemies; give to your Church peace, delivering it from the tyranny of the devil. And when finishing the prayer he had added, Amen, turning he saw the Brethren weeping, & said: Do not mourn, Brethren, but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, who made me complete my course & overcome the enemy: for hereafter in the heavens with confidence for you I shall entreat God. And this said rejoicing he received the sword.
[32] Then indeed a huge pyre being constructed, the corpse of the holy Martyr the lictors cast into it, much material setting around: but by a certain providence of God consulting for men suddenly there appeared above the pyre a light shining round about, the body untouched by the fire so that none of those who were going to kindle the fire dared to approach: & thus the sacred body within the pyre remained unharmed. The servants announcing this to Theotecnus, he ordered them to remain there in the place where the head was placed, & to guard the corpse. There remained therefore there the soldiers, just as had been commanded them, for the guard: but there came to the same place, the guarding soldiers Fronto finds; according to the agreement from the village Malus the Presbyter Fronto, bearing the ring of the holy Martyr, which he had given him for the Relics' sake, having also with him a beast laden with old wine: for that excellent man practices agriculture. Approaching therefore to the city about evening, by the will of God's providence, the she-ass crouched down upon the place where the body of the holy Martyr lay: which the guards seeing, ran up & said to the Presbyter: Whither do you go, stranger, the evening now deep? why do you not rather come & stay with us, where your she-ass will be largely pastured: for behold copious grass is at hand, & if you wish to send it into the standing crops there is no one who will prohibit: but it is more tolerable for you to remain with us, than to be vexed by tavern-keeping incivility.
[33] Therefore turning the she-ass from the way the Presbyter into a hut entered, & giving to drink of the wine which he was carrying into the city, which they had built for themselves on the preceding day, the raised branches of willows binding outward with twisted reeds: but there lay near the hut the corpse of the Martyr, with branches thrown over & with hay covered: but there was also a fire kindled nearby & supper prepared. Then the first of them, returned from the bath to the hut, began to drink reclining on rugs spread over the ground & hay: they invited moreover also the Presbyter to drink with them. But he asking a cup unloaded the she-ass: & filling it with his own wine, said: Taste & try what this wine is, perhaps it will seem to you not bad. Thus having spoken & modestly smiling, the cup full of wine he handed to them: whose odor & savor they admiring, ask the old man of how many years it is. The Presbyter asserting it to be of five years, Allow, they say, that we drink quickly, for we labor with great thirst. But the Presbyter said: Cheerfully take, as much as you can drink. To whom one of the adolescents, by name Metrodorus, smiling answered, Never shall I be able in all my life to forget, not even if I take that drink which they call Lethe: because all the Christians together did not receive such blows, as I lately tasted on account of the women carried away from the marsh: but now largely give, stranger, of that Maronian unmixed wine pouring, that of those pains I may drink oblivion. Then Fronto. I know not what women you mean, adolescent, he understands about the Virgins & Theodotus: but of Maron's fountain I know to be nearby. But you Metrodorus, said another whose name was Apollonius, see lest that of Maron, which you say, cup, bring you great evil, since you were ordered to guard that brazen man, who lately the women mentioned by you stole from the marsh.
[34] To this the Presbyter, I have indeed sinned that an interpreter I have not brought, who should explain to me your speech; for nothing of those things hitherto which you say do I understand. What women those carried away by theft from the lake, or who is that brazen man whom you say you guard? whom they calling a brazen man or perhaps a statue brought hither do you keep? or do you speak riddles, that my rusticity you may have in mockery? Metrodorus wished to answer, but another called Glaucentius forestalled him, & said: O stranger, Let nothing of those things which are said by my companions seem strange to you; for a man brazen they naming, say nothing alien from the truth: for whether brazen or iron they call him, knowing him to have been than brass & iron & any other nature better & firmer. Since brass & iron yields to fire & is worked by art; even that which they call adamant, by industry & ingenuity is overcome; but to him fire applied, & iron & claws profited nothing. Not yet, said the Presbyter, do I clearly attain what you mean, namely whether of a man you speak, or of some other thing. To whom Glaucentius, With difficulty, O stranger, shall I explain his nature to you: for if I shall call him a man, no man ever so contended. They all know indeed that he is our citizen, whose here are both house, & race, & possessions: but that he did not have a human nature, by his very works he manifestly showed. For beaten, & cut, & through all his members scorched with fire, no word to those afflicting him did he return, but firm in purpose he persisted in his former intention, just as a rock struck by waves remains everywhere immovable.
[35] admiring they narrate his passion, The man's name was Theodotus, who in religion Seven virgins, in this marsh suffocated & ordered to remain under the waters, he secretly took up & delivered to burial. But after he learned that therefore many Christians had been seized, & to the Magistrates delivered for punishment, fearing lest their religion they should abnegate, of his own accord to the Magistrates he manifested himself, & confessed his deed, lest for him others should be tortured. But although the Governor promised him infinite riches & dignities & honors, so that he even offered him the supreme Pontificate, if sacrificing to the gods he would forswear the faith of the Christians; he yet deriding the Magistrates, & afflicting the gods with contumely, & contemning the laws of the Emperors, not even with an answer deigned the Governor. But after he had been beaten, & the guard of the body committed to himself: & sustained torments of every kind, nothing from the blows did he seem to suffer; just as he himself to us in words affirmed: for he mocked those striking with laughter, as though dissolved by inertia; & the Governor as a vile slave he addressed: & when those who tortured him were wearied, he as if made stronger by the blows sang hymns; until at last diminished by the head, he was ordered to be burned with fire. But we unhappy ones again on his account feared to be tortured: for the pyre being kindled, around the fire were made miracles to be explained by no words, & we saw a great light round about, nor did the flame touch Theodotus. We were ordered therefore to guard him on account of the Christians: & saying these things the adolescent showed the Presbyter the place in which the corpse lay.
[36] which they being inebriated, Understanding therefore Fronto it to be St. Theodotus, he gave thanks to God, & asked His goodness to be with him for taking the body. But rejoicing, more & more he offered them of the wine, & to take it more liberally invited; until they inebriated & by heavy sleep were seized. Then rising the Presbyter & taking the venerable body, placed it on his she-ass, & said: Good, Martyr, fulfill the promises which you made to me; & at the same time the ring he inserted on his finger. Then the branches & hay, secretly taken up he places on the she-ass as they had lain over the Saint, so again he composed, so that the guards might not suspect anything to have been removed. The day dawning the Presbyter rising sought the she-ass as if lost, & raised much strepitus clapping his hands, & weeping & saying; I have lost my she-ass. Seriously therefore the guards believed him to speak, not knowing what had been done: because they thought under the hay still lay the holy body. But the she-ass led by an Angel, through devious places went into Malus: & with its burden crouched down in that place where now is the confession of the holy & glorious Martyr Theodotus. But there came some from the village & announced to the Presbyter, that the she-ass alone by itself had brought the sacred relics, the carrying to Malus. & remained in the place. To Malus therefore the Presbyter returned, who complained of the lost she-ass: but the guards remained in the place judging the body still to be under the hay. And in this manner the Relics of the glorious Martyr were translated to Malus, God admirably procuring it, & glorifying the contest of the Martyr.
[37] Epilogue of the eyewitness. All these things I humble Nilus with great diligence to you, Brethren beloved of God, have delivered: who both was in custody with him, & knew each of the things which to your notice I have brought, everywhere studying the truth, that also you hearing these things with all faith & certainty, may have part with the holy & glorious Martyr Theodotus, & all the Saints, who for piety contended in Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom is glory & power, together with the Father & the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.