Sira the Virgin

ON SAINT SIRA THE VIRGIN,

MARTYR IN PERSIA.

A.D. DLVIII.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY

The Acts written in Greek by a contemporary author. The day & year of the Passion sought.

Sira, Virgin & Martyr in Persia (St.)

D. P.

[1] Among the Sacred treasures, which for describing the Acts of the Saints in Italy we collected, in the first place we reckon those, which in the city of Rome we obtained very many, & then those which at Florence the illustrious Medicean Library in MS. codices supplied us: The Greek Acts by a contemporary author, in which with the benevolent approbation of the Grand Duke nearly three months we consumed, & among others we found a codex of Pluteus IX marked with the number XIV. In its first folio were contained the Acts of the Martyrdom of St. Sira the Virgin suffering in Persia, hitherto unedited, with this title: Ἄθλησις τῆς ἁγίας Μάρτυρος Σιρῆς μαρτυρησάσης ἐν Περσίδι, who in the title calls Sira συγγενίδος τυγχανούσης τῆς ὁσίας Γολινδοὺχ, καὶ αὐτῆς μαρτυρησάσης, ἐπὶ Πάππου Χοσρόου τοῦ νῦν βασιλεύοντος Περσίδος. The contest of the holy Martyr Sira, who suffered Martyrdom in Persia, kinswoman of S. Golinducha (who also herself was crowned with martyrdom) under Chosroes the grandfather of the Chosroes, who at this time reigns in Persia.

[2] Behold the title, from which we know the author of the Life of St. Sira to have been contemporary, inasmuch as he wrote under Chosroes the Younger, under whose grandfather the elder Chosroes suffered St. Sira herself. Meanwhile num. 18 the Acts written at length are alleged, which would that at some time they be found! & num. 16 the Author is silent, by whom & how she was baptized, on account of the present state of things; indicating that even then the Christians not sufficiently freely acted, kinswoman of S. Golinducha. perhaps after the victories of the Persians against the Christians, by which in the year DCXIV, Jerusalem being taken & the holy Cross carried away into Persia, the barbarians grew too insolent. From this title besides we learn that St. Sira was kinswoman of S. Golinducha, an illustrious matron, who otherwise called Mary cohabited with the Archimagus, but by a heavenly vision converted to Christ, under the same elder Chosroes, in the time of Mauritius the Emperor having suffered dire things, & at last freed, when she had bestowed many benefits on many, to Christ migrated. To which St. Golinducha a celebrated cult was established at Constantinople in the church of St. Tryphon the Martyr, we know from the Greek Menaea of Basil the Emperor, & the most illustrious MS. Greek Synaxarium of the Church of Constantinople, which we had granted to us by our Parisians of the Louis College, in which on the day XII of July a very long encomium of her is brought forward.

[3] These Greek Acts our Conrad Janning gave into Latin, who as a help for a while granted while the first three volumes of May were finished from the press, the course of teaching the humaner letters being interrupted, By whom were these rendered into Latin? on this St. Sira began felicitously to exercise his style. The same things before had interpreted, in a longer hope added to us as a companion, P. Daniel Cardonus of pious memory: but because it lacked a title, he being dead among other papers unobserved lay hidden his labor, now for the first time when these are to be given to the press into sight & before the eyes brought; which here however we thought should be indicated to the memory of a most diligent man.

[4] But we refer the very Saint to the day XVIII of May because here it was placed first in the MS. Greek codex, The day 18 of May is added, in which followed several other Acts, for the following days of May to be elucidated. For we think she is venerated, because to her Ecclesiastical veneration she is assigned on account of some translation of the body, or of some Church built for her a dedication, or another cause unknown to us, which we also as the day preserve. Below in the Acts of the martyrdom she is said to have suffered on the twenty-eighth day of the month Peritius, different from the day of the Passion, which corresponds to our month February, as Artemisius to our May: & at the end it is said that to the same Saint, in the place called Betharmais strangled, by a faithful certain Bateus, from Lasumi a village of the Begarmaeans, to whom her Relics living she had ordered to be delivered, an oratory was built: to which the faithful coming together from everywhere, the annual memory of her renew, on the very day on which she suffered.

[5] But St. Sira suffered, as in the beginning is said, in the year XXVIII of Chosroes the Elder: which happened in the year 558 which year then num. 26 is composed with the year of the Greeks DCCCLXX. But that Era of the Greeks, which also the books of the Maccabees use, & of which through the whole Persian Empire among the Syro-Macedonians the use was in contracts to be confirmed, whence also it is called the Era of Contracts, the vulgar Era's beginning precedes by years CCCXII; having its epoch, not in the death of Alexander, although from this it bears the name; but in the year after that death the twelfth, when Seleucus, one of the Generals of Alexander, Antigonus being conquered, Babylon, Media, Susiana, & other Provinces of the East into his power reducing, founded the Empire of the Syro-Macedonians, as the Chronographers note, & among them Labbe Introduct. Chronolog. part 2 chapter 45. These moreover CCCXII years if you subtract from the number of years DCCCLXX, there will remain the year DLVIII, to be composed with the year XXVIII of Chosroes, at least begun: & it will follow, that this one began to reign before February (for in February St. Sira died) of the year DXXXI, in the year 28 of Chosroes which his first year also Calvisius numbers. Meanwhile Theophanes by a whole quinquennium earlier notes his beginning, under the year of the Alexandrian Era DXVIII, which is of our vulgar Era the year DXXVI. Which at first sight thus presented itself to me, as if, just as the true birth of Christ by years five earlier was to be set as Henschenius taught, so also the Epoch of the Syro-Macedonian years could & ought to be moved forward by years just as many: nor did I recognize the error, until after this day XVIII already wholly printed. To be reprinted therefore was this page, lest the error should perennate, & to be receded from Theophanes; he perhaps having lapsed because somewhere he had read that Chosroes by Cabades his father as heir & successor was designated in the year that DXXVI, & had believed the years of the same Chosroes XLVIII from that beginning to be numbered; perhaps neither knew that Cabades afterwards still lived five years, nor except these completed empty by his death the Throne left to his son. Labbe & some others the beginning of Chosroes to the year DXXXII defer, Procopius being alleged: but he content to narrate the matter, expresses no Characters of the time in which it was done, wherefore to this so ancient Life & the calculation drawn thence one will more securely stand.

[6] Theophanes moreover thus as above said erring having followed I, about the whole Royal chronology of that time, in Annot. a to the next chapter 1 (lest page 175 similarly I should have to deliver to be reprinted) I have it necessary the same first Annotation in this manner to be reformed antecedently to prescribe: Theophanes corrected.

531, begun from the Kalends of October preceding our January, before the February of the aforesaid year: & reigning 48 years he came until 579, when there succeeded him his son Hormisdas; & to this one, after 10 years of reign by a sedition of generals deposed, was substituted his son Chosroes II in the year 590, taken from the living in the year of his reign 39, of Christ 628 according to us, but according to the Alexandrians 620: which term, now too manifestly known not daring to anticipate Theophanes, for supplying the quinquennium which in Chosroes I he had lost, to the decennium of Hormisdas years just as many he added; making him reign 15 years & so to the legitimate beginning of Chosroes II nearly came. But what about the very year, in which he was conquered by Heraclius II this Chosroes & by his son Siroes killed, the same Theophanes errs, & why the years 627 & 628 into one he conflated, we said in the Exegesis prelim. 1 to the 3rd vol. of March.

ΑΘΛΗΣΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΑΓ. ΜΑΡΤ. ΣΙΡΗΣ

From the MS. of the Library of St. Laurence at Florence, Pluteus IX Cod. XIV.

THE PASSION OF ST. MARTYR SIRA.

By a contemporary author, the Translator Conrad Janning. S. J.

Sira, Virgin & Martyr in Persia (St.)

BY A CONTEMPORARY.

CHAPTER I.

The origin of the Saint & her education: various visions.

[1] Πολλαὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἀφορμαὶ τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων προκατεβλήθησαν, καὶ ταῖς θείαις συγγραφαῖς, πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν παιδαγωγίαν, χρησίμως ἐναπετέθησαν· καὶ διὰ λόγων γὰρ τῶν θειωδῶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν κηρυττομένων τὴν ἀρετὴν διδασκόμεθα, καὶ δι᾽ ἔργων πάλιν τῶν ἐμφανῶν ἐγκειμένων αὐταῖς, πρὸς τὸ καλὸν ὁδηγούμεθα. Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τελείαν ἐνεργεσίαν φιλανθρώρως καὶ πολυτρόπως ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς προτρεπόμενος, εὐδόκησεν ἐν τῷ παρόντι καιρῷ, μὴ μόνον ἐκ τῆς τῶν γεγραμμένων ἱστορίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτοψίας τὴν ἡμετέραν προθυμίαν ἀνακαλέσασθαι, ἵνα τὰ μὲν ἀρχαῖα διὰ τῶν νέων πιστώσηται καθορθώματα, καὶ τὰ νέα διὰ τῶν παλαιῶν κοσμήσηται πλεονεκτήματα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὰ πρότερον βεβαιοῦνται διὰ τῶν ἔργων ὑποδεικνύμενα, καὶ τὰ παρόντα κοσμοῦνται τοῖς προτέροις ἀφομοιούμενα. Ὅθεν σπουδαῖοί τινες, τῇ συνεχεῖ μελέτῃ τῶν καλῶν τὸν ἑαυτὸν βίον ἰθύνοντες, καὶ πρὸς τύπον ἀ εὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀποβλέποντες, ἐπόθησαν ἐγγραφῆναι τὰ οὕτως ἐπ᾽ ὄψεσιν ἡμῶν διαθληθέντα, καὶ κοινῶς πρὸς ὀφέλειαν τοῖς πᾶσι λυσιτελοῦντα, πρός τε τὴν ἰδίαν ὑπόμνησιν καὶ τὴν τῶν εἰς ὕστερον εἴδησιν. Οὐ δὲ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ἀγωνίσματα προτιθέμεθα, ἤ τινος τῶν ἐντραφέντων τοῖς θείοις διδάγμασιν ἀριστεύματα· ἀλλὰ γυναικείας φύσεως καθορθώματα, καὶ ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας Ἑλληνικῇ δυσσεβείᾳ συντραφείσης ἀνδραγαθήματα, μὴ δὲ μιᾶς τῶν προσβαλόντων ἀθλήσεως ἐλαττούμενα· καὶ οὔτε ἀσθένεια φύσεως ταύτην ἐξέλυσεν, οὔτε νεότης τὲν διάνοιαν αὐτῆς ἀνεῤῥίπισέν τε καὶ ὑπεχαύνωσεν.

[2] Τῷ γὰρ εἰκοστῷ καὶ ὀγδόῳ ἔτει Χοσρόου τοῦ Περσῶν Βασιλέως, ἀνεφάνη καθάπερ τις καθαρὸς μαργαρίτης ἡ μακαρία Σιρὴ, ἐκ μέσου ζάλης κυμάτων τῷ κάλλει τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως διαλάμπουσα, καὶ τῷ μεγέθει τῆς δι᾽ αὐτὸν ἀθλήσεως ὑπερέχουσα. Ἐκ πόλεως μὲν γὰρ ὡρμᾶτο Χιρχασελεύκου λεγουμένης, ἐκ ῥίζης δὲ καὶ γένους κατήγετο τοῦ καρποὺς ἀεὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ παρέχοντος. Πατέρα ἔσχεν τῇ διδαχῇ τῆς μαγίας ἐπίσημον, καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς δικανικὴν ἀρχὴν ἱκανὸν διανύσαντα χρόνον, καὶ τῇ τῶν μάγων ἡγεμονείᾳ τῇ λεγομένῃ Μαυἳπτουθὰ πλησιάσαντα, ὡς τοῦ Ζωροάστρου διδασκαλίαν ἐντελῶς ἀκριβώσαντα. Τοσοῦτον δὲ τὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐμυσάττετο δόγμα, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν θυγατέρα τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁμιλίας διακωλύειν ἐπεμελήσατο, ὡς μὴ δὲ παρὰ τῶν τῆς χώρας ἑλληνίδων γυναικῶν συγχωρεῖν αὐτὴν ἀναστρέφεσθαι, διὰ τὸ πολλάκις αὐτὰς Χριστιανικὴν κεκτῆσθαι συνήθειαν· ἀλλὰ γυναῖκά τινα μετεστείλατο ἐκ τῆς Πὰρς, οὕτως λεγομένης χώρας, καθ᾽ ἣν πᾶσα τῆς μαγίας ἐνίδρυται πλάνη. Ὑπὸ ταύτης μὲν οὓν τῆς γυναικὸς ἀνατρέφεται, καὶ τοιαυτῇ διαγωγῇ συνεθίζεται. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀνατροφὴν παραχρῆμα πάλιν ἐκ παιδὸς τοῖς Μάγοις παραδίδοται, καὶ τὴν βδελυρωτάτην αὐτῶν ληρωδίαν παιδεύεται, ὡς καὶ τὴν μυστηκὴν λατρείαν ἐκτελέσαι τῆς Ἰάσθ᾽ λεγομένην, καθ᾽ ἣν ὡς ἐπὶ σεμνοῖς καθορθώσασιν ἐναβρύνονται. Ταῦτα δὲ περὶ αὐτῆς διεξήλθομεν, οὐ τὴν δήγησιν μηκύναι σπουδάζοντες, ἀλλὰ παραινῆσαι βουλόμενοι, ποίῳ σκότῳ καὶ τρόπῳ συνείληπτό τε καὶ συνείθιστο, καὶ πῶς τῷ φωτὶ

τῆς ἀληθείας αὐθαιρέτως προσήγγσεν, καὶ τὰς τοῦ διαβόλου μεθοδείας ἐξέφυγεν.

[3] Τελειωθεῖσα γὰρ ἤδη τοῖς τῆς μαγίας μαθήμασι, καὶ τελειωθαῖσα τοῖς ταύτης βδελύγμασι, γέγονεν ἐν ἀκμῇ τῆς νεότητος· ὀκτωκαιδέκατον ἔτος τὴν ἡλικίαν ἄγουσα, καθ᾽ ἣν λοιπὸν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ πονηρὸν διακρίνειν πεφύκαμεν. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἠθέτησεν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ φυσικῶς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐσπαρμένην διάκρισιν, οὐ δὲ ταῖς τρυφαῖς ἐνασχολουμένη τοῦ σώματος ἠμαύρωσεν τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπίγνωσιν· ἀλλὰ, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἀποστόλου παράδοσιν, πάντα δοκιμάζειν καὶ τὸ καλὸν κατέχειν διαγορεύουσαν, παρίδεν μὲν εὐθὺς τὴν τῶν ἐμφανῶν γυναικῶν συνουσίαν, ἀπέλιπε δὲ καὶ τὴν πρὸς νέους καὶ πλουτοκομῶντας ὁμιλίαν· τὴν δὲ πρὸς τὰς εὐτελεῖς μὲν τῷ βίῳ, κοσμίους δὲ τοῖς τρόποις ἠγάπησεν ἔνταξιν, καὶ συνήθεις καὶ φίλας ἔχειν ἐσπούδαζεν. Ἀλλὰ ἐπεὶ δὴ ταύτας ἡύρισκεν τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ἀντεχομένας, πρὸς ἐκείνας μὲν φιλοπόνως ἐποιεῖτο τὴν περὶ τοῦ δόγματος ζήτησιν, καθεαυτὴν δὲ φιλαλήθως ἐπεσκόπει τὴν τῶν Χριστιανῶν πρὸς τὰ τῶν ἑλλήνων παράθεσιν, ὡς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἀφανῶς εἰσιοῦσαν τῶν θείων γραφῶν ἀκροάσασθαι, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐταῖς τελούμενα πάλιν περιεργάσασθαι. Ὁρῶσα δὲ τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν κατὰ πολὺ διαφέροντα τῇ τε τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητι, καὶ τῇ τοῦ βίου καθαρότητι, ἔκρινεν τοῦτο μᾶλλον προτίθεσθαι, καὶ τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς τερατολογίας ἀφίστασθαι, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπραγματεύετο μὴ ἐκδοθῆναι ἀνδρὶ, καὶ ταῖς βιοτικαῖς ἐκ τούτου περισπασθῆναι μεριμναῖς. Ὡς ἐντεῦθεν ἐκκλίνειν μὲν τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων θέαν, ἀμαυρῶσαι δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ὡραιότητα, νηστείαις ἑαυτὴν καὶ ἑτέραις κακοπαθείαις ἐκτήκουσα, καὶ κόνιν ἐσθ᾽ ὅτε ταῖς ὄψεσιν ἐπιβάλλουσα, ἀλλὰ ἐν τούτοις χρόνῳ πολλῷ διατρίβουσα, καὶ ἑαυτὴν σωφρόνως διαφυλάττουσα.

[4] Ὅμως διὰ φόβον τῶν Μάγων ἐμφανίζειν ἑαυτὴν ὑπεστέλλετο, ἀρκεῖν νομίζουσα πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἐῤῥωμένην ἔχειν διάνοιαν, κᾲν μή τις παῤῥησιάσηται τὴν ἀλήθειαν· οὔπω γὰρ ἐγίνωσκεν ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι πρὸς σωτηρίαν τὴν εἰς Θεὸν μετὰ παῤῥησίας ὁμολογίαν. Καρδίᾳ γάρ φησιν ἡ γραφὴ, πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγεν· Ὅσπερ ἀρνήσηταί με ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀρνήσομαι αὐτὸν κᾀγὼ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Πατρός μου, τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. Ἔνθεν χαλεπῇ συνέχεται νόσῳ, δι᾽ ἥς τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἐφανέρωσεν πίστιν. Καταβαλοῦσα γὰρ τοῦ μηδαμῶς αὐτὴν ἰσχύειν ἰάσασθαι μήτε τὸ πῦρ, μήτε τὸ ὕδωρ, ἢ τὰ ἄλλα τῶν Μάγων σεβάσματα, πρὸς Θεὸν τὴν ἑαυτῆς καρδίαν ἐξέτεινεν, καὶ τῆς προσελθούσης τῷ Χριστῷ Χαναναίας ἀ ναδέχεται γνώμην, καὶ δι᾽ ὧν ἐκείνην θαυμάζομεν αἰτήσασαν καὶ τὰ τοὺς κύνας ἐκ τῶν ἐκπιπτόντων ψιχίων τῆς τραπέζης τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν τρέφεσθαι, μειζόνως αὐτὴν ἐγκωμιάζεσθαι δίκαιον, ὡς δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων ὑπὲρ τὴν τοιαύτην ὑποδείξασαν πίστιν. Αὐτὸν γὰρ τὸν χοῦν τῆς ἐκκλησὶας ἱκανὸν εἶναι θαῤῥοῦσα πρὸς ἴασιν, ἐκ τούτου καθάπερ τι τῶν εἰρημένων ψιχίων παρέχειν αὐτῇ τοὺς Ἱερεῖς τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐξῄτησεν. Ἀλλ᾽ εἳς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, Ἰωάννης λεγόμενος, καθάπερ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν Χαναναίαν, οὕτω καὶ τὴν ταύτης αἴτησιν ἀπώσατο, μὴ δυνατὸν εἰπὼν, κοινωνίαν εἶναι τραπέζης Χριστοῦ μετὰ τραπὲζης δαιμονίων· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἃ θύουσιν Ἓλληνες, δαιμονίοις θύουσιν, οὐ Θεῷ.

[5] Τί οὖν ἡ μακαρία Σιρή; ἆρα πρὸς ὕβριν δέχεται τὴν ἐξουδένωσιν; ἢ πρὸς ὀργὴν διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀποστροφὴν ἐρεθίζεται, λογιζομένη τὴν τοῦ γένους περιφάνειαν; οὐδαμῶς. Εὐτέλειαν γὰρ, οὐκ εὐκοσμίαν, ἡγεῖτο τὴν τοιαύτην εὐγένειαν· Ὅθεν ὡς οἷά τις παρημελημένη καὶ ἅσημος, οὕτως οὐ δυσχεραίνει τὴν ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνου γενομένην ἐπίπληξιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς μίμησιν τῆς αἱμοῤῥοούσης ἐκείνης ἀυάγεται, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ μείζονα ταύτης σπουδὴν ἀναδέχεται. Ἐκείνη μὲν γὰρ πρὸς Δεσπότην κατέφυγεν, καὶ πηγὴν ἀφθόνως ἰάματα βλύζουσαν ἔβλεπεν· αὐτὴ δὲ δούλῳ προσέδραμεν, κᾂν εἰ μηδὲν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοιοῦτον γενόμενον εἶδεν. Πλὴν, καθάπερ τῷ κρασπέδῳ Χριστοῦ κεκρυμένως ἁψαμένη τῆς ἰάσεως ἔτυχεν, οὕτως αὕτη τῶν ἐκείνου περιβλημάτων ἠπειγμένως λαβομένη τῆς θεραπείας ἀπέλαυσεν. Τοιοῦτον ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐν αὐτῇ τῆς πίστεως ἀνεβλάστησεν ἄνθος, καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης εἰς φύσεως πρόσφορον τῆς ὑγείας ἐκομίσατο χάριν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς ὁδηγίαν αὐτῇ τοῦ κρείττονος γίνεται· διὰ γὰρ τὴν τοῦ θαύματος ἔκπληξιν ποθεῖ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν τελείαν ὀχείωσιν. Εἰ γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτοῦ δούλων, φησὶ, τοιαύτη σωτηρία προσέρχεται, ποία τις τῷ Δεσπότῃ βοηθείας ἰσχὺς ἐναπόκειται; Λογίζεται οὖν λοιπὸν διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀξιωθῆναι συνάπτεσθαι, καὶ μηκέτι μυστηρίων διίστασθαι.

[6] Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀνθρωποκτόνος διάβολος, καὶ τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων διαφθονούμενος γένει, οὐδὲ νῦν ἀπώχνησεν πειράσαι ταύτην ταῖς οἰκείαις μεθοδείαις καὶ ἀποπλανῆσαι, καὶ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἐπιγνώσεως ἀποστῆσαι. Νυκτὸς γὰρ αὐτῇ φανεὶς ἐπέπληττεν, ὡς ἁψαμένη τῶν ἱματίων τοῦ Πρεσβυτέπου, καὶ πατρώαν ὑπεριδοῦσα παράδοσιν. Ἡ δὲ μακαρία Σιρὴ ἐπιγνοῦσα διαβολικὴν εὐέργειαν εἶναι, τοῖς θείοις ἑαυτὴν λογίοις ὠχύρωσεν. Ἀρξαμένης δὲ λέγειν τὸν ἐνενηκοστὸν ψαλμὸν, Ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν βοηθείᾳ τοῦ ὑψίστου, ἐν σκέπῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐλισθήσεται, πρὸς πολλὴν τολμηρίαν ἐχώρησεν ὁ διάβολος, ἑαυτὸν λέγων εἶναι τὸν ὕψιστον, οὕτινος ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ πάντες αὐλίζονται, καὶ ὃν αὐτὴ πάγιν ἐπεκαλέσατο. Ἡ δὲ μακαρία Σιρὴ τρίτον γονατίσασα παρεκάλει τὸν Κύριον, γνῶσιν ἀληθηνὴν αὐτῇ δωρηθῆναι καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐναντίαν πλάνην ἐκτρέπεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ διάβολος πάλιν ἀναιδῶς ἐνιστάμενος ἀπεκρίνατο, τοὺς Ἱερεῖς, λέγων, τὴν αὐτῆς αἰχμαλοτίζειν διάνοιαν, τοῖς πειρασμοῖς αὐτὴν περιβληθὴναι παρασκευάζοντας. Ταῦτα δὲ γενέσθαι Θεὸς συνεχώρισεν, τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῆς δοκιμάσαι βουλόμενος, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου πονηρίαν τε καὶ πανουργίαν αὐτῇ παραστῆσαι, καὶ ἀσφαλεστέραν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὰς αὐτοῦ μεθοδείας ἐργάσασθαι, ὡς μηκέτι τοῖς ἀπατηλοῖς αὐτοῦ λόγοις ὑπάγεσθαι.

[7] Καὶ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν οὕτως ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου λεχθέντων τὴν ψυχὴν δελεάζεται, καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ πάλιν συλλαμβάνεται νόσῳ· ἀλλὰ τὸ πλημμελὲς αὐτῆς ἐπιγνοῦσα, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἐπιστρέψασα, τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν ὡμολόγησεν, καὶ συγχώρησιν ᾔτησεν. Ὁ δὲ οἰκτίρμων Θεὸς καὶ φιλανθρωπος τὴν μετάνοιαν αὐτῆς προσεδέξατο· προῄδει γὰρ καὶ τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου χαλεπὴν δολιότητα, καὶ τὴν τῆς αὐτοῦ δούλης τελείαν ἐπιτηδειότητα. Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν τοῦ αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου σαλευθῆναι, βλέπει κατ᾽ ὄναρ τὴν γινομένην αὐτῇ πρὸς Θεὸν τελείαν οἰκείωσιν, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν αὐτῇ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς ἐπιχορηγουμένην ὑπὸ τῆς χάριτος ὕψωσιν. Ἐθεάσατο γὰρ ἑαυτὴν ποτήριον σπονδῆς κατέχουσαν καὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις παρέχουσαν, ἱσταμένην ἐπί τινος ὑψηλοῦ βαθμοῦ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν Ἱερέων ὑπερέχουσαν, καὶ δύο Διακόνους πρὸς τιμὴν ἑαυτῆς λαμπάδας κατέχοντας· τὸ μὲν γὰρ κατέχειν αὐτὴν ποτήριον σπονδῆς, τὸ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ σπενδόμενον αὐτῆς ὑπεδείκνυεν αἷμα, καὶ τούτῳ τῷ αἵματι τῆς ἀθλήσεως αὐτῆς εὐλογηθῆναι λαοὶ κατηπείγοντο· δι᾽ ἣν ὑψοῦται, καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν Ἱερέων προτιμᾶται τῶν ἐν ἀνέσει τὴν οἰκείαν ζωὴν διεκτελεσάντων, ὡς ἑαυτὴν διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀθλήσεως θυσίαν τῷ Θεῷ προσάγουσα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ διὰ τῶν λειτουργῶν τοῦ Δεσπότου αὐτῆς μετὰ λαμπτήρων δορυφορεῖται, ὡς ὑπὲρ τὴν ἰδίαν ζωὴν αὐτὸν ἀγαπήσασα.

[8] Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ἐνύπνιον πολλὴν αὐτῇ πληροφορίαν ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν ὁλόκληρον ἔμεινεν ἐῤῥωμένην ἔχουσα πίστιν. Ἀλλὰ ἐγνωκότες οἱ συγγενεῖς αὐτῆς τὴν μὲν πατρικὴν ἀποστρεφομέν;ην θρησκείαν, τὴν δὲ Χριστιανικὴν ἀσπαζαμένην λατρείαν, παρῄνουν αὐτῇ μαγεύειν, καὶ οὕτως τῆς τρυφῆς μεταλαμβάνειν· προσκαλοῦνται δὲ καὶ τὴν μητρυιὰν αὐτῆς, ὡς πλέον αὐτὴν πείθειν ἰσχύουσαν. Ἥτις εὐπροσώπως δῆθεν αὐτῇ συνεβούλευεν, τοὺς μὲν ἰδίους ἀδελφοὺς θεραπεύειν, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ κρυπτῶς λατρεύειν, τοιαύτης εἶναι γνώμης καὶ ἑαυτὴν ὑποφαίνουσα, καὶ αὐτὴ γὰρ πολλάκις ἡπατᾶτο, σώζεσθαι, κᾂν μὴ τὴν παῤῥησίαν τῆς πίστεως ἐπιδείξηται. Τούτοις δὲ καὶ τοῖς ὁμοίοις λόγοις ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας αὐτὴν δελεάζουσα, καὶ τὰς ἐπαχθησομένας αὐτῇ βασάνους καὶ θλίψεις ὑποδεικνύουσα, τὴν αὐτῆς προθυμίαν ἐσχαυνωσεν, κατὰ τὸ τῷ Ἀποστόλω ῥηθὲν, Φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί.

[9] Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δὲ οὕτως παρεῖδεν αὐτὴν Θεὸς, ἐξ ἀσθενείας λογισμῶν τοῖς τοιούτοις συμπεριφερομένην ῥήμασιν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο διαφόροις αὐτὴν ἀποκαλύψεσιν ἀνεῤῥώννυεν· χρόνου γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτα τεσσάρων μηνῶν διελθόντος, καὶ μελλούσης τῆς μεγάλης νηστείας προσεγγίζειν, βουλευομένη κρύφα ταύτην διεκτελέσαι, θεωρεῖ κατ᾽ ὄναρ τοὺς μὲν αὐτῆς ἀδελφοὺς ἐν κοπρίᾳ βεβλημένους, τὸν δὲ πατέρα πάλιν ἐπὶ κλίνης οἰκτρᾶς κατακείμενον, καὶ κλίνην ἑτέραν μεγάλην λαμπρῶς κεκοσμένην, καὶ λαὸν προτρεπόμενον αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τῆς εἰρημένης ἀνελθεῖν κλίνης. Πρωίας δὲ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἐγερθεῖσα, παραγίνεται εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν πρὸς Ἰωάννην, τὸν τῆς πόλεως Ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ κατὰ μέρος διεξῆλθεν τὴν τε συμβᾶσαν αὐτῇ νόσον, καὶ τὴν δωρηθεῖσαν αὐτῇ διὰ πίστεως ἴασιν, ἀφηγεῖτο δὲ τὴν δι᾽ ἐνυπνίων γενομένην πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀποκάλυψιν, καὶ παρεκάλει τοῦ ἁγίου ἀξιωθῆναι βαπτίσματος. Ταῦτα δὲ μαθὼν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ πάντα λεπτομερῶς κατεξαιτάσας, καὶ τὴν αὐτῆς τε καὶ τοῦ γένους σκοπήσας κατάστασιν, ἀπεκρίνατο, λέγων μὴ δύνασθαι τοῦτο πρᾶξαι, μήπως διὰ τὸ τοῦ γένους ἐπίσημον καὶ τὸ τῆς μαγείας ἐπικρατὲς, ζάλην κατὰ Χριστιανῶν διαγείρει καὶ θόρυβον· εἶτα δὲ μήτε θαῤῥεῖν πρὸ τῆς δοκιμασίας ἔλεγεν, εἰ τὰς ἐκ τοῦ πολλάκις ἐπιφερομένας αὐτῇ θλίψεις ὑπομεῖναι, καὶ μὴ διὰ φόβον τὴν οἰκείαν προδώσει πίστιν χωροῦσα πρὸς ἄρνησιν. Ὅθεν διαλεχθεὶς αὐτῇ περὶ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως, τὰ εἰκότα παρήνεσεν, μετὰ παῤῥησίας αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων συγγενῶν ὁμολογῆσαι τὴν τῶν Χριστιανῶν πρότερον πίστιν, καὶ οὕτως τὴν ἐκείνων ἀντίστασιν βλέπουσαν καὶ ἑαυτὴν δοκιμάζουσαν, ἀσφαλῶς τότε προσέρχεσθαι τῷ ἁγίῳ βαπτίσματι. Τούτων οὕτως παρὰ τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου λεχθέντων ἀνεχώρησεν.

[1] Many monuments of salvation, to the human race proposed, & in the divine histories for our instruction usefully left, are: for partly by words, which in them with a certain divine power seem to speak, we are taught virtue; partly by deeds, which in the same place clearly are exhibited, to honesty we are directed. But, He who to excellent beneficence us to incite humanly & in various ways strives, God, best consulted for us from the present, since not only by written history, but by the very ocular inspection of the examples our alacrity He excited; so that the ancient monuments He confirmed by the more recent, The memory still recent but the more recent He adorned by the ancient. Inasmuch as those things which once by our elders were shown, are established by works; & those things which now in imitation of them are done, by their examples also are adorned. Hence certain ones, who studiously their life by assiduous consideration of the virtues direct, & of honesty never do not behold the exemplar, have desired to be committed to writing those things, usefully will be written the martyrdom of St. Sira. which so bravely before our eyes were done, & which to the common utility for all will profit, both to proper knowledge, & to the memory of posterity. Nor indeed the contests of men

do we propose, or of those who from their tender years on the food of the divine word have been nourished the illustrious deeds: but we propose rather, how rightly the sex of womanly nature ordered her life, & how manfully a virgin of tender age, who the impiety of the Gentiles together with her milk had drunk in, contended, not even in one battle by the rushing adversaries overcome: indeed neither could the infirmity of nature debilitate her, nor the youthful ardor inflame & set on fire her mind.

[2] In the twenty-eighth year of the King of the Persians Chosroes there appeared, like a most pure pearl from the midst of the waves of the sea, Born of a Gentile & magus father, B. Sira, with the beauty of the Christian faith resplendent, & by the greatness of the contest, which for Christ's cause she undertook, excelling. She was sprung from a city, which b Chirchaseleucus is called; from a race & stock, which abundant perpetual fruits to the devil brought forth. She had a father distinguished in magic science; who for a long time the judicial power exercised, to the supreme Magistracy of the Magi, which Mauiptas they call, next, inasmuch as the doctrine of c Zoroaster he had accurately learned. He pursued the dogmas of the Christians with so great hatred, she is prohibited from the company of Christians: & to keep his own daughter from their company strove with so great zeal, that neither with the Gentile women of that region to associate her did he allow, because they with the Christians often acted familiarly: but a certain woman he sent for from d Pars, so the region is called, in which all the errors of magic may be found. By this woman therefore she is brought up, & to her conversation accustomed: but thus brought up, while still a girl, soon she is committed to the Magi, & with their execrable deliriums imbued, that the arcane sacrifices of the gods, Iasth called, by which they in no other way than by certain chaste rites glory, she should do. But these things about her we have related, not from a zeal of amplifying the matter, but from a desire of teaching, in what darkness she was wrapped, to what manners she was accustomed; & how she came to the light of truth of her own accord, & escaped the snares of the devil.

[3] And now having attained a perfect knowledge of the magic art & of the nefarious sacrifices, she was in the flower of youth, in her tenth & eighth year, at which age we are by nature so constituted, that what is fair, what is unfair, we can discern. This implanted in men by the artificer nature discretion she did not expel, nor by the delights of the body the knowledge of truth extinguish: but according to the tradition of the Apostle, by which he bids all things to be proved & what is good to be held, forthwith the company of illustrious women she despised, & from the association of youths although in age & wealth flourishing she abstained: but into those women's, who were of common race but conspicuous by integrity of life, acquaintance to insinuate herself she desired, & that such familiars & friends to herself she might render she gave her effort. But when she found out, that these women adhered to the faith of Christ, diligently among them about His dogmas she inquired; but with herself in the zeal of knowing the truth she instituted a comparison between the Christians' & the Gentiles' rites; she inquires into the rites of the Christians, so that for the same cause the church often secretly entering the sacred Scriptures she would hear, & what in them more perfect was she would carry out. But in mind weighing the Christian profession greatly to differ, both in rectitude of dogmas, & in integrity of life from hers; she judged that one rather should be preferred, & from the portentous Gentile nugacity should be departed: & thereafter on that one thing she labored, that she be given to no man, nor by cares pertaining to the world be distracted. she macerates herself with fasting. And that thereafter from the eyes of men she might withdraw herself, & the body's comeliness depraved; with fasting, & other austerities she wore herself out, & sometimes also her head with dust sprinkled, indeed in these things for a long time she exercised herself, & with the greatest prudence preserved herself.

[4] Nevertheless from fear of the Magi she dreaded to manifest herself, judging it to suffice, if anyone an addicted constantly to piety mind bears, although the faith & freely the truth to proclaim he dare not: not yet had she known, it to be necessary to salvation, intrepidly & openly to profess God. For with the heart, says the Scripture, it is believed unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. 10, 10. Therefore the Lord also said, He who shall deny me before men, I also will deny him before my Father, who is in heaven. Matt. 10, 33. Hence she is seized with a grievous disease, Seized with a disease by which her faith to make open she was compelled. For presuming that no remedy could bring her, either fire, or water, or other rites of the Magi, with her heart she turned herself to God, & the woman of Canaan's approaching Christ mind she takes: whom if we admire asking that even with the dogs she might be nourished with the crumbs, falling from the table of their lords; with greater encomia herself to be celebrated is fitting, because that such a faith to surpass herself by works she demonstrated. For the temple's dust to recover health sufficient confiding, something of it, as of the said crumbs, the temple's dust she asks for a medicine: for herself to be furnished by the church's Priests she asked. But one of the Presbyters, John by name, just as Christ the Canaanite, so this one also asking repulsed; saying it could not be, that there be communion of the table of Christ with the table of demons: since what the Gentiles sacrifice, to demons they sacrifice, not to God.

[5] What therefore to these things B. Sira? Did she into the contumely of herself receive this contempt? & patiently bearing the repulse did she by aversion of this kind irritated burn with anger, the splendor of her race considering? By no means: for nobility of this kind, not an ornament to herself, but vileness to bring she considered. Hence, as a neglected handmaid of no account, the rebuke of him not only she did not take ill; but even to the imitation of that woman with the issue of blood she withdrew, with an even more excellent than hers zeal: the Priest's garment being touched she is healed. inasmuch as that one to the Lord fled, whom she had seen to be a fountain largely gushing with healing waters; but this one to a servant approached, when nothing of this kind by him done she knew. Nevertheless just as the fringe that one of the garment, with which Christ was clothed, secretly touching health obtained: so this one his garment with haste taking, her health recovered. Such at the beginning the flower of faith in her sprouted; such a benefit of health congruently to her nature she received. But this also that to virtue she might be led, happened: for at that miracle astounded nothing older she held, than that to the perfect familiarity of Christ she should apply herself: For if such a healing from His servants proceeds, she said; how great a power of helping in the Lord Himself must necessarily be? She thought therefore how through holy baptism worthy she might become, who to Him should adhere thereafter, nor from the mysteries of the faith any more be abstracted.

[6] But indeed the devil, who already from the beginning of the world was a murderer, & to the human race most envious; neither now ceased with domestic snares to assail her, & to deceive, & from the knowledge, which of God she had drunk in, to lead away. For by night to her appearing he rebuked, that the garments of the Presbyter she had touched, Deceived by the devil lying that he was God, grieving, & the paternal tradition had contemned. But blessed Sira, when she recognized, it to be a diabolical rebuke, with the divine oracles fortified herself. While therefore she began to recite the ninetieth Psalm; He who dwells in the help of the Most High, in the protection of the God of heaven shall abide; an audacious deed undertook the devil, asserting, that he himself was that very Most High, in whose protection abide all, & whom she repeatedly had invoked. But the blessed Virgin a third time on her knees set asked the Lord, that true knowledge to her to bestow, & every contrary error to avert He would deign. But again the devil impudently insisting answered, that the Priests her mind with their fascinations entangled held, & to her temptations to ensnare her intent they were. But these things God permitted, so to be done, that He might explore her heart, & the malice & fraud of the devil before her eyes might set, & safer from his snares might render her; lest thereafter by the deceitful discourses of the same into error she should be led.

[7] For her soul by such sayings of the devil deluded into the old disease indeed fell back; but as her error she recognized, turning herself to God, her own infirmity she confessed, & pardon she sought. But the merciful, & lover of men God her repentance regarded: for He had foreseen both the most grievous fraud of the devil, & the following thence all-manner usefulness of His handmaid. For one day from this temptation of the devil having elapsed, she sees through sleep, a perfect familiarity with God to have befallen her; By another vision she understands that she is to be exalted by martyrdom: & herself thereafter through His grace among the Christians to excel. For she beheld herself a cup of the covenant holding, & offering to the crowds; & standing on a most high step above the Priests themselves to be eminent, besides she beheld two Deacons, who for honor's sake held torches. The cup of the covenant, which she held, her blood designated, which for Christ was offered; & the people hastening ran together, that by the same blood of her generous contest poured forth virtue they might be worthy to be blessed: therefore namely she was exalted, & to the Priests themselves in quiet passing their life she is preferred; because through a contest of this kind herself a sacrifice to God she offered; & therefore by the sacred ministers also of her Lord with torches in hand she was attended, who more than her life Him loved.

[8] This nocturnal vision so great certitude brought her, that she persisted a whole year stable in the faith. But when her kinsmen understood, that she both from the paternal superstition had defected, & the Christian religion had embraced; they were authors, By the persuasions of her stepmother almost overcome that to the Magi's religion she should render herself, & in pleasures should enjoy. They summon also her stepmother, as more powerful to persuade. She with cheerful countenance, as if best consulting, persuaded, that to her brothers she should comply; & her God secretly should serve, herself in the same opinion to be feigning; much deceived because she esteemed salvation she could obtain, although by liberty of speech the faith she did not betray. With these, & similar discourses through many days the virgin deceiving; & penalties & torments, which with difficulty she would bear, objecting, her promptitude & alacrity retarded; according to the Apostle's saying, Evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Cor. 15, 33.

[9] But neither thus did God despise her, because by such words on account of the infirmity of intellect she had been turned about; but rather her with new revelations manifoldly He corroborated. she is corroborated by new visions. For a space of four months from then having elapsed, the time of the great fast which was approaching secretly to keep she had determined: when behold through sleep she beholds her brothers into a dunghill cast; her father on a wretched bed on the opposite side lying: another bed also she beholds very great, splendidly adorned, & a people her, that it she should ascend, inviting. But in the morning alacritously roused into the church she betakes herself to the city's e Bishop John, & related in parts, how both by a disease she had been seized, & by the virtue of faith of the same relieved had been: then set forth, what had been done through sleep by the apparition, she asked that herself with sacred baptism he would deign. The Bishop indeed, these things perceived, & all things one by one recognized, then the state both of herself & of her family weighed, answered; Asking baptism she is deferred until she shall have proven herself,

That it was not lawful for him, to do that, lest perhaps both on account of the eximious splendor of her race, & on account of the supreme power of the Magi, tumults & a tempest he should stir up against the Christians. But neither did he say he dared that, before by experiment he had proven, whether the afflictions to be frequently inflicted she could suffer, & on account of fear she would not betray her faith, to abnegation proceeding. Hence with her about the Christian faith discoursing, as was fitting, he persuaded, that before her kinsmen freely she should profess first that she was a Christian: & when both their opposition & herself she had experienced, then at last to baptism securely she should approach: which in this manner by the Bishop being uttered, she departed.

NOTES.

CHAPTER II.

Sira having professed herself a Christian is variously tortured.

[10] Ἀναλογισαμένη οὖν τὴν ἄνεσιν καὶ τὴν τρυφὴν, ἐν ᾗ πολυτελῶς ἀνετράφη, καὶ τοὺς κυνδίνους καὶ τὰς τιμωρίας, αἷς μέλλει περιπεσεῖν φανερῶς ἐξαρνουμένη τὴν μαγείαν, καὶ τῇ πίστει τῶν Χριστιανῶν προσερχομένη· καὶ ἔμφοβος γενομένη, εἶδεν κατ᾽ ὄναρ Ἂγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ σιδηρᾷ αὐτὴν πλέξαντα ῥάβδῳ καὶ λέγοντα· Ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ παρά σου γενομένη πρώην ὑπόσχεσις; ἀνάστηθι καὶ λάτρευσον τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν ὥραν ἐγερθεῖσα, δεήσεις τῷ Θεῷ προσέφερεν, ἱκετεύουσα μηδεμίαν αὐτὴν ἔχειν ἐν τῇ πίστει διχόνοιαν.

[11] Ὅθεν τῆς μητρυιᾶς αὐτὴν ἕωθεν μεταστειλαμένης αὐτὴν, καὶ προτρεπούσης μαγεύειν κατὰ συνήθειαν, τότε τὴν ἑαυτῆς φανερῶσαι σπουδάσουσα πίστιν, λαβοῦσα τὰ ξύλα, δι᾽ ὧν ἐμάγευεν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ζωροάστρου δαιμονιώδη παράδοσιν, φῶς περιλάμπον αὐτὴν ἐθεάσατο, καὶ ῥωσθεῖσα τὰ ξύλα συνέθλασεν, καὶ τὴν θυσίαν ἐσκέδασεν, καὶ τῷ πυρὶ ἐπέπτυσέν τε καὶ ἔσβεσεν, καὶ ἀνέστη λέγουσα· Ἐγὼ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀπέρχομαι, καὶ φανερῶς ὁμολογεῖν τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν οὐ κωλύομαι. Ταῦτα δὲ μαθόντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι αὐτῆς συγγενεῖς, κατέσχον αὐτὴν ἐξελθεῖν τοῦ οἴκου, καὶ τὰς θύρας ἠσφαλίσαντο. Αὐτὴ δὲ καὶ οὕτως αὐτοῖς ἐπετίθετο τὸν αὐτῇ μεταστείλασθαι πατέρα, βουλομένη φανερῶς ἐπὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰδίαν παραστῆσαι γνώμην, ἢ πρὸς τοὺς δικαστὰς αὐτὴν ἀπαγάγοι· διεβεβαιώσατο γὰρ μηκέτι ἑαυτὴν ἐπικρύπτειν, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ζημίαν ὑπομένειν. Τῶν δὲ συγγενῶν οἱ μὲν ἔκλαιον, οἱ δὲ συνεβούλευον, ποτὲ μὲν ἀπειλοῦντες, ποτὲ δὲ κολακεύοντες, μὴ ἐπιμεῖναι τῷ τοιούτῳ φρονήματι, καὶ ποιῆσαι τὸ γένος αὐτῶν ἐπονείδιστον, μὴ δὲ μαθεῖν τι τοιοῦτον τὸν ἑαυτῆς πατέρα, καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἐκ τούτου κινηθῆναι, καὶ τὴν πατρικὴν ἀποῤῥίψαι στοργὴν, καὶ βασάνοις αὐτὴν παραδοῦναι. Αὑτὴ δὲ τοῖς ἐκείνων ῥήμασιν οὐ προσέσχεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναστροφὴν ἐδυσχείραινεν, καὶ ὡς βλαβερὰν ἀπεστρέφετο, κατὰ τὸ σαφῶς εἰρημένον, ὁ ἁπτόμενος πίσσης μολυνθήσεται, καὶ ὁ κοινωνῶν ἀνόμῳ ἐνδύεται τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ. Ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς, καὶ μαθῶν τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς κατὰ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τῶν ξύλων τῆς μαγείας γενόμενα, πολλὰς αὐτῇ καὶ δεινὰς ἐδήλωσεν ἀπειλὰς, ἐλπίζων αὐτὴν φοβῆσαι καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης προθέσεως ἀποστῆσαι. Αὑτὴ δὲ τῶν οὕτω παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ λεχθέντων περιέφρόνησεν, καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ λόγους διέπαιξεν, Μὴ νομίσῃς, λέγουσα, τοῖς τοιούτοις ῥήμασιν ὑποχαυνοῦσθαί με καὶ τῆς τῶν Χριστιανῶν δόξης ἀφίστασθαι. Καὶ κελεύσας αὐτὴν ἐνεχθῆναι, καὶ πᾶσαν μηχανὴν αὐτῇ προσαγαγὼν καὶ μὴ πείσας, τότε δήσας αὐτὴν, ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας πικρῶς ἐβασάνισεν, καὶ Μάγοις αὐτὴν συναπέκλεισεν, μήτε τροφῆς συγχωρῶν αὐτῇ μεταλαβεῖν μῆτε πόματος.

[12] Βλέπων δὲ τοῖς αὐτοῖς αὐτὴν ἐπιμένουσαν, ἠναγκάσθη διδάξαι περὶ αὐτῆς τὸν Ἄρχοντα τῶν μάγων τὴν Μαυἳπτῶν μετερχόμενον ἡγεμονείαν· Ὅστις συναθροίσας πάντας τοὺς μάγους τῆς ἐπαρχίας, ἐν τῷ Πυρείῳ μετεστείλατο τὴν ἁγίαν Σιρήν, καὶ περιειργάσετο τὴν αἰτίαν, δι᾽ ἣν τῆς ματρικῆς ἀπέστη παραδόσεως. Αὐτὴ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο λέγουσα· Ἕκαστος εἴδησιν ἔχει διακρῖναι τὸ συμφέρον· καὶ οὐ, καθάπερ τὰ ἄλογα τοῖς γονεῦσιν ἀνεξετάστως ἀκολουθεῖ, οὕτως ἀνάγκη τοὺς ἀνθρώπους παρέπεσθαι. Κᾀγὼ οὖν ἔκρινα τὴν τῶν Χριστιανῶν δόξαν ὠφέλιμον εἶναι, καὶ οὑχ᾽ ἣν οἱ γονεῖς μου κατέχουσιν. Ὁ δὲ Μαυἳπτᾶς ἀγανακτήσας εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Πολλαί σε βάσανοι μὴ πειθομένην παραλαμβάνουσιν. Ἡ δὲ τῷ ἰδίῳ τραχήλῳ τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἐπιθεῖσα χεῖρα, μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἀπεκρίνατο· Τοῦτον ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις ἀποτεμεῖν· ἰδού σοι τοῦτον ἐκδέδωκα. Καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπερωτόντος αὑτῇ τοῦ Μαυἳπτᾶ τὰ πολλὰ, ψαλμοὺς ἔλεγεν. Ἀκούσας δὲ ψαλλούσης αὐτῆς, ἐπερώτα· Τί ἐστιν ὁ λέγει. Καὶ εἰπόντων τινὼν, Χριστιανικὴν εἶναι διδασκαλίαν τὰ λεγόμενα παρ᾽ αὐτῆς, μετεστείλατο τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον, βουλόμενος μαθεῖν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κατ᾽ ἀλήθειαν, εἰ Χριστιανῶν εἰσι ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα. Παραγενόμενος δὲ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, ὑπεστέλλετο τοὺς μάγους· θεασαμένη δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ δειλίᾳ κρατούμενον, εἶπεν· Μὴ φοβηθῇς ὦ Πάτερ, ἀλλὰ μνημόνευε τῆς γραφῆς λεγούσης· Καὶ ἐλάλουν ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις σου ἐναντίον Βασιλέων, καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχυνόμην. Καὶ πάλιν· Μὴ φοβητῆτε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεινόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι. Τότε οὖν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, κατ᾽ ἀλήθειαν Χρεστιανῶν εἶναι τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς λεχθέντα, διεβεβαιώσατο.

[13] Καὶ λοιπὸν ἐκ τούτου θυμωθεὶς ὁ Μαυἳπτᾶς, ἐκέλευσεν κατὰ τοῦ στόματος αὐτὴν τυπηθῆναι. Πολλὰς δὲ κολακείας καὶ ἀπειλὰς αὐτῇ προσαγαγὼν ὁ Μαυἳπτᾶς, καὶ μὴ δυνηθεὶς αὐτὴν μεταπεῖσαι, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὴν φυλαχθῆναι τέως ἐν τῷ γονικῷ αὐτῆς οἴκῳ· ἐφοβεῖτο γὰρ, τὸ συναθροισθὲν δι᾽ αὐτὴν πλῆθος Χριστιανῶν θεασάμενος. Αὐτὴ δὲ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης εἰς τὸν γονικὸν αὐτῆς οἶκον ὑπέστρεψεν, δοξάσουσα τὸν Θεὸν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἠξιώθη ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἀρχόντων ἀπολογήσασθαι. Τότε δὴ καὶ ὁ Κύριος αὐτὴν δι᾽ ἀποκαλύψεων ἀνεῤῥώννυεν· Καὶ γὰρ πολλάκις καὶ δι᾽ Ἀγγέλων ἐδιδάσκετο, πῶς δεῖ πρὸς τὴν κατάστασιν τῆς ἀπλότητος αὐτῆς ἀπροκρίνασθαι. Ἔφάνησαν δὲ διαφόρως αὐτῇ Μωσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας, καὶ Πέτρος ὁ Ἀπόστολος, καὶ ἕτεροι τῶν Ἁγίων, καθάπερ τοῖς κατὰ πλάτος περὶ αὐτῆς γεγραμμένοις ἐμφέρεται. Ὁ δὲ Μαυἳπτᾶς, μὴ βουλόμενος τὸ γένος αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ Βασιλέως ὑβρίζεσθαι, ὑποτίθεται τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῆς κολακείαις καὶ νουθεσίαις αὐτὴν προτρέπεσθαι μᾶλλον εἴπερ ἀπειλαῖς καὶ ὕβρεσιν. Ἐλθὼν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς, καὶ πολλὰ παρακαλέσας αὐτὴν, καὶ μὴ πείσας, ἀνήγγειλεν τὴν αὐτῆς ἔνστασιν τῷ Μαυἳπτᾷ. Καὶ ἐπεὶ δὴ ὁ Δὰρ (ὄνομα δὲ τοῦτο μεγάλης ἀρχῆς παρὰ Πέρσαις) εὑρέθη διατρίβων ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς μέρεσιν, εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἁγίαν Σιρὴν, καταβοῶν ἅμα καὶ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ὡς συναθροισθέντων κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ βουλομένων αὐτὸν λιθάσαι. Ὁ δὲ Δὰρ τοὐναντίον ἐμέμψατο μὲν τὸν Μαυἳπτᾶν, ὡς μὴ διδάξαντα πρότερον αὐτὸν, καὶ οὕτως τι τοιοῦτον ποιεῖν ἐπιχειρήσαντα. Ἔπεμψεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν τινας τῶν ἐπισήμων ἐπερωτᾶν αὐτὴν, διατί μὲν τὴν μαγείαν κατέλειψεν, τὴν δὲ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πίστιν ἠγάπησεν· εἰπεῖν δέ πάλιν αὐτῇ, Εἰ μὲν τῆς τοιαυτῆς δόξης ἀντέχεται, ταῖς ἐσχάταις ὑποβάλλεται τιμωρίαις· εἰ δὲ τὴν προτέραν αὐτῶν Μάγων θρησκείαν ἀσπάζεται, βασιλικαῖς κοσμεῖται φιλοτιμίαις.

[14] Παραγενομένων δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν τῶν ταῦτα κατὰ μέρος ἀπαγγελλόντων, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἁγία Σιρή· Ἐγὼ μὲν ἐπεθύμουν ἐπὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Δὰρ ἐλθεῖν, καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀληθηνῆς τῶν Χριστιανῶν δόξης ἀπολογήσασθαι, πλὴν καὶ οὕτως λέγω, τὰ δι᾽ ἡμῶν αὐτῷ γνωσθῆναι περὶ τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ δηλωθέντων ὀφείλοντα· Ἐμὲ ἡ τῆς διανοίας διάκρισις προστεθῆναι τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς παρεσκεύασεν· τὴν γὰρ τούτων δόξαν ὀρθὴν εἶναι κατέλαβον, τὸ πρεσβεύειν ἕνα Θεὸν τῶν πάντων δημιουργὸν, ἰσχυρὸν, αὐενδεῆ καὶ ἀθάνατον· τὴν δὲ μαγείαν ἀποστρέφομαι, ὡς πολλοὺς Θεοὺς παρεισάγουσαν, ἀδυνάτους καὶ ἐνδεεῖς καὶ φθαρτούς· καὶ διὰ τοῦ τὰς ἐπιφερομένας ὑπό σου τιμωρίας καταδέχομαι, ἵνα δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν ἐπιτυχῶ. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀπατήσῃς σαὐτὸν, ὡς διὰ λόγων ἢ ἔργων πείθεις με τῆς τοιαύτης πίστεως ἀποστῆναι. Μαθὼν δὲ ταῦτα παρὰ τῶν στελλόντων ὁ Δὰρ, θυμωθεὶς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ βληθῆναι, καὶ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας δεθῆναι καὶ μήτε φῶς θεάσασθαι, καὶ μήτε τροφῆς καὶ πόματος γεύσασθαι. Τρεῖς οὖν ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας ἔμεινεν οὕτως, μὴ δυναμένη παντελῶς περιστρέφεσθαι διὰ τὴν στενότητα τοῦ τόπου καὶ τὴν σκληρότητα τῶν δεσμῶν. Ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ ὑπεκαυνοῦτο, καὶ τῇ ἐκείνων δυσσεβείᾳ συνκατετίθετο· ὅθεν καὶ προσθήκην τῆς προλαβούσης τῶν δεσμῶν ἐπιτάσεως ἐπέθεσαν. Λάκκον γὰρ ἐν τῇ γῇ κατορύξαντες, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πόδας τὸν τράχηλον ἐπικάμψαντες, βάρος αὐτῇ σιδήρων ἑτέρων ἐπέθηκαν, καὶ τὰ δεσμὰ περιέσφιγξαν, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὴν τῷ λάκκῳ ἐνέβαλον. Ἵνα δὲ ὁ Θεὸς παραστήσῃ μὴ δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν συγχωρῶν τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν πειρασθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀγάπην θέλων δοκιμασθῆναι, τοὺς ἥλους, δι᾽ ὧν τὰ δεσμὰ περισφίγγειν ἐσπούδαζον, οὐ καλλῶς ἐμβαλεῖν ἐδυνήθησαν, καίτοι πολλὰ μοχθήσαντες, καὶ πλῆθος τεχνιτῶν συναθροίσαντες, ἄχρις ἂν ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ τῷ τύπῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἥλους ἐσφράγισεν, καὶ οὕτως ταῖς ὀπαῖς ἐνηρμόσθησαν.

[15] Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ οὕτως οἱ ἐχθροὶ τῆς ἀληθείας συνεστάλθησαν τὴν τοῦ σαυροῦ δύναμιν θεασάμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον λάκκον ἐμηχανήσαντο, οὐ μόνον τοῦ πρότου στενότερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλῇ νενοτισμένον ὑγρότητι, καὶ σηπεδονώδεις ἀτμοὺς ἀναπέμποντα. Ἐμβληθεῖσα δὲ τῷ τοιούτῳ λάκκῳ, καὶ νομισθεῖσα τοῖς ἀναδιδομένοις ἐκεῖθεν ἀτμοῖς διαφθείρεσθαι, θείας ἐπισκέψεως ἔτυχεν,

κατὰ τὴν ἐν καμίνῳ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων παίδων ὁμοίωσιν. Παραχρῆμα γὰρ ἡ ἐν αὐτῷ θερμασία πρὸς κατάψυξιν μετεβλήθη, καὶ ὅλον τὸν λάκκον φῶς οὐράνιον περιέλαμψεν, καὶ οἱ δεσμοὶ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς καὶ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτομάτως ἀπέπεσαν. Καὶ γὰρ τοσοῦτος ἦν τοῦ λάκκου χαλεπώτατος κύνδυνος, ὅτι καὶ Χριστιανοὶ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀνάγκὴν ἀκούσαντες, ἐναγώνιοι γεγόνασιν, μὴ νομίσωντες ἐκεῖθεν αὐτὴν περισώζεσθαι. Ὅθεν ὁ τῆς πόλεως Ἐπίσκοπος, μετὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ κληρικῶν καὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ διὰ πάσης τῆς νυκτὸς προσευχὰς τῷ Θεῷ καὶ δεήσεις προσέφερεν, συμπαρεῖναι τῇ δούλῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ συνεπισχύειν ὡς ἀμέμπτως διεκτελέσαι τὴν ἄθλησιν. Ἑώθεν δέ τινες τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον παραγενόμενοι, εὗρον … ἀντὶ λοιμώδους ἀτμοῦ, δροσίρουσαν ἁύραν ἐκεῖθεν ἀναδιδομένην, πάλιν δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν δεσμῶν τελείαν ἀπαλλαγήν. Τότε τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀντὶ τῆς πρότέρας ἀδημονίας εὐθυμίαν ἀνήγγειλαν, καὶ ἀντὶ λύπης φαιδρότητος τοὺς πάντας καὶ χαρᾶς ἐνέπλησαν.

[16] Ἡμέρας δὲ δεκάπεντε ποιησαμένης τῆς ἁγίας Σιρῆς ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ, ἐγνωκότες οἱ ἕλληνες, μηδὲν τῶν ἐσπουδασμένων ἀνῦσαι δυνάμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ γογγισμὸν ὑπομένοντες, καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὴν συμβᾶσαν ἀβροχίαν κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον γενέσθαι τὸν χρόνον, ἀνήγαγον αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου, τὴν μὲν αὐτῆς καρτερίαν θαυμάζοντες, τὴν δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν ἐπιδεῖν οὐκ ἰσχύοντες. Καὶ γὰρ ἀνενεχθείσης ἐξ ἐκείνου τοῦ λάκκου, κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν ἡμέραν βροχὴ πολλὴ κατηνέχθη, καὶ τὴν γῆν διψῶσαν ἐχόρτασεν· καὶ πάντες οἱ τῇ ψυχῇ μὴ τυφλώττοντες ἐπέγνωσαν, πόσον ὁ Θεὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ δούλην ἐτίμησεν. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἕτερα σημεῖα αὐτοῖς ἐπετέλει Θεὸς, τοῖς πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐρχομένοις, καὶ τοῖς αὐτῆς ἱματίοις μετὰ πίστεως προσεγγίζουσιν, ὡς καὶ δαίμονας διὰ τῶν αὐτῆς προσευχῶν ἀπελαύνεσθαι. Καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν εἰρημένων βεβαίωσιν, ἓν εἰς παράδειγμα τίθημι τὸ, πολλοῖς γινωσκόμενον καὶ παρὰ τῶν πιστῶν μαρτυρούμενον. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ φυλαττομένης, ἔφθασεν ἡμἐρα, καθ᾽ ἣν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους ἐπιτελεῖται σύναξις Μαρτύρων, ἔν τινι τῶν εὐκτηρίων οἴκων ἔξωθεν τῆς πόλεως· Ἐπεθύμει δὲ ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ νυκτὸς ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ ἀφανῶς τὴν παννυχίδα θεάσασθαι· καί τινες τῶν πιστῶν δόσιν τοῖς φυλάττουσιν αὐτὴν παρασχόμενοι, τῆς φυλακῆς αὐτὴν ἐξελθεῖν παρεσκεύασαν, καὶ τὸ σχῆμα ἑαυτῆς ἀλλάξασα, καὶ καταλαβοῦσα τὸν ἐυκτήριον οἶκον, ἔστη κεκρυμμένως ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ τῆς θεῖας ψαλμῳδίας ἀκροάσασθαι. Καὶ γυνή τις ὑπὸ δαίμονος ἐνεργουμένη ἤρξατο κράζειν, καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν Σιρὴν δημοσιεύειν, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ θείαν ἐπικαλέσασθαι δύναμιν. Καὶ ζητήσεως ἐν τῷ λαῷ περὶ αὐτῆς γενομένης τῆς μάρτυρος, ἐυθέως τοῦ ἐυκτηρίου ἐξελθοῦσα κατέλαβεν τὸ δεσμωτήριον. Τούτῳ οὖν τῷ τρόπῳ πᾶσιν ἐφανερώθη ἡ δωρηθεῖσα αὐτῇ παρὰ Θεοῦ χάρις. Πῶς δὲ ἐβαπτίσθη, καὶ διά τινων ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ τὸ τοιοῦτον ᾠκονομήθη μυστήριον, χρησίμως παρέρχομαι διὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν κατάστασιν· τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἐνταῦθα σημειοῦμαι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου γεγραμμένην ἐπαγγελίαν, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν δεσμῶν αὐτῆς ἀξιοῦται τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος, ἐν τῇ ἁγιωτάτῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆς πόλεως.

[17] Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπανέλθωμεν πρὸς τὴν προκειμένην διήγησιν. Χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ τῆς ἁγίας Σιρῆς διατριψάσης, καὶ μέλλοντος τοῦ Πρεσβυτέρου τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπαναλῦσαι χώραν· δεδειότες οἱ μάγοι μήπως βασιληκὴν ἀνοίσῃ κέλευσιν ἀπολῦσαι αὐτὴν, ἐβουλεύσαντο πέμψαι αὐτὲν πρὸς τὸν Βασιλέα πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Πρεσβυτέρου παρουσίας, καὶ συναθροισθέντες παρῄνουν αὐτὴν τῆς τοιαύτης γνώμης ἀποστῆναι, ἵνα μὴ πέμψωσιν αὐτὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐξουσιάζοντας οὐ μόνον βασανίσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ θανατῶσαι αὐτήν. Ἡ δὲ ἁγία Σιρὴ καὶ τὰς αὐτῶν κολακείας διέπτυσεν καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς αὐτῶν περιεφρόνησεν· τὸν γὰρ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ θάνατον ποτητὸν ἔλεγεν εἶναι, δι᾽ ὃν αὐτὴν ἤλπιζον ἐκφοβεῖν· διὰ γὰρ τοῦ θανάτου τούτου τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἀπολαύειν παρέστησεν. Βλέποντες δὲ τὴν αὐτῆς παῤῥησίαν οἱ μάγοι, καὶ τὴν ἐπίμονον αὐτῆς καὶ ἀκατάπληκτον ἔνστασιν, ἔπεμψαν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν Βασιλέα· σφραγίσαντες τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῆς κατὰ τὴν παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς κρατοῦσαν συνήθειαν, ἵνα μήτε ἄλλην αντ᾽ ἄλλης οἱ παραλαμβάνοντες αὐτὴν ἀπαγάγωσιν, μήτε ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὴν προφασίσωνται· καὶ γὰρ τὴν τοιαύτην σφραγίδα χωρὶς τοῦ τμηθῆναι τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐξενεγκεῖν οὐκ ἰσχύουσιν.

[18] Ἐλθόντων δὲ μελλόντων αὐτὴν παραλαβεῖν, καὶ δεδειότων, μή τινες τῶν πιστῶν αὐτὴν κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀποσπάσωσιν, καὶ κινδύνῳ δι᾽ αὐτὴν περιπέσωσιν, παρεκάλει αὐτοῖς ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ μηδεμίαν ἔχειν τοιαύτην διχόνοιαν· Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀβουλήτως, φησὶ, τὰ τοιαῦτα δεσμὰ περιβέβλημαι, ἀλλὰ μετ᾽ ἐυφροσύνης αὐτὰ καταδέδειγμαι, διὰ τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἐμοὶ προγινομένην ἀπόλαυσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τινές με παρ᾽ ὑμῶν ἁρπάζειν ἐπιχειρήσωσιν, ἐγὼ τούτους φεύγω καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς παραγίνομαι, ἵνα μὴ στερηθῶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν δι᾽ ὧν τοσαύτην μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος ὑπέμεινα θλίψιν. Διὰ τῶν οὖν καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ῥημάτων ἔπεισεν παραλαβεῖν αὐτὴν ἀφόβως τοὺς στρατιώτας καὶ ἀπαγαγεῖν πρὸς τὸν Βασιλέα. Ὅθεν τινὰς τῶν πιστῶν βουλομένους διὰ χρημάτων αὐτὴν ἐμποδίσαι πρὸς Βασιλέα πεμφθῆναι, πολλοῖς κατέκρινεν ὄρκοις, μὴ διακωλύειν αὐτὴν προθυμουμένην ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀγονίσασθαι πίστεως. Νυκτὸς δὲ τῆς ἰδίας πόλεως ἐξελθοῦσα, ἵνα μὴ θόρυβος γένηται, καθ᾽ ἑκαστὸν δὲ τόπον ὑπὸ τῶν πιστῶν ἐτιμᾶτο, κατὰ διαδοχὰς ὑποδεχομένων αὐτὴν καὶ προπεμπτόντων, ἄχρις οὗ τὸ Ἀλουακῶν κατέλαβεν· ἔντα ὁ Βασιλεὺς τότε διέτριβεν· οἱ δὲ ἀπαγαγόντες αὐτὴν παρέδωκεν τῷ Δὰρ, ἐκείνης τῆς ἐπαρχίας Ἄρχοντι· ὁ δὲ καὶ δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γυναικὸς ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας κατὰ διαφόρους ἐπεσχείρησε τρόπους, ἐλπίζων πείθειν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὴν τῶν μάγων θυσίαν ἐπανελθεῖν, καὶ διὰ τούτου δόξαν παρὰ τῷ Βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς Ἄρχουσι κτήσασθαι, ὡς κατορθώσας δῆθεν, ἅπερ οἱ ἄλλοι παντελῶς ἀνούειν οὐκ ἴσχυσαι.

[19] Εὑρὼν δὲ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιμένουσαν, ὡς μήτε κοκολακείαις αὐτὴν δελεάζεσθαι, μήτε μὴν ἀπειλαῖς καταπλήττεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς τῶν μάγων παραδόσεσιν ἀντιλέγουσαν, κελεύει πρῶτον μὲν τὴν στολὴν αὐτὴν ἀποδύεσθαι καὶ ἑτέραν ῥυπαρὰν καὶ ἐυτελῆ φορησίαν ἐνδύσασθαι, καὶ οὕτως εἰς παραφυλακὴν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐκδίδοσθαι. Οἱ δὲ ἀπάνθρωποι Ἰουδαίοι, τὴν ἁγίαν Σιρὴν παραλαβόντες, καὶ εἰς ἐνδότερον οἶκον εἰσαγαγόντες, τὰς θύρας ἅμα καὶ τὰς θυρίδας ἀπέφραξαν, ὡς μηδεμίαν ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχειν αὐγὴν φωτὸς ἢ ἀέρος διάπνοιαν· παρέσχοντες αὐτῇ κρίθινον ἄρτον, τοσοῦτον τῆς συμμετρίας ἐλάττονα, ὅσον αὐτὴν μὴ λιμῷ διαφθείρεσθαι. Πρὸς τούτοις δὲ καὶ διεχλεύαζον φάσκοντες, Ποῦ ἐστιν οἱ τὰ δεσμὰ τῶν χειρῶν σου ψευδῶς ἐκπεπτωκέναι διαφημίζοντες, καὶ πολλοὺς ὡς ἐνόμισαν ἀπατήσαντες. Ὅθεν ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ ἐν μίᾳ τῶν ἡμερῶν, πρὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον αὐτῶν ὀνειδισμὸν δυσχεραίνουσα, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνέτεινεν· καὶ παραχρῆμα τὰ δεσμὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς καθάπερ τὸ πρῶτον ἀπέπεσαν, ὡς πάντας τοὺς θέασαμένους αὐτὴν καταπλήττεσθαι.

[20] Οὕτως οὖν ὁ Δὰρ ἐπὶ ἕνδεκα ἡμέρας ἐάσας αὐτὴν, καὶ μηδὲν τῶν ἐσπουδασμένων ἀνύσας, ἐδίδαξεν περὶ αὐτῆς τὸν Ἀρχίμαγον, ἀφηγησάμενος αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν χώραν αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ γένος τὸ πόθεν κατάγεται, καὶ ποίαν ἀμετάθετον κέκτηται γνώμην. Ταῦτα δὲ μαθὼν ὁ Ἀρχίμαγος καὶ κελεύσας αὐτὴν ἐνεχθῆναι, πολλοὺς πρὸς αὐτὴν λόγους κατέτεινεν· Διατί, λέγων, τὴν ἡμετέραν θρησκείαν, τὴν ὑπὸ Βασιλέων καὶ Ἀρχόντων τιμωμένην καταλείψασα, τὴν πάντα διοικοῦσαν καὶ τοὺς αὐτὴν ἀγαπῶντας πλουτίζουσαν τοῖς εὐτελέσι καὶ ἐφυβριστοῖς Χριστιανοῖς προσεχώρησας; Αὐτὴ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑτοίμως ἀπεκρίνατο, Ποῦ, λέγουσα, τῶν προτέρων Βασιλέων ὁ στέφανος, καὶ τῶν Ἀρχόντων ἡ δόξα; Ἰδοὺ πάντα ταῦτα σὺν αὐτοῖς τοῖς κεκτημένοις ἐσβέσθησαν, καὶ ὡς χόρτος πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀνθήσαντες μετὰ μικρὸν ἐξηράνθησαν, καὶ ἀνελπίστῳ θανάτῳ παρεδόθησαν, ὡς τὸν ἀληθινὸν δημιουργὸν ἀγνοήσαντες, καὶ τὸν τῆς ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου δεσπότην μὴ προσκυνήσαντες, ἀλλὰ κτίσματα σεβασθέντες, καὶ πῦρ, καὶ ὕδωρ, καὶ σελήνην, καὶ ἥλιον, μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν ἄστρων τιμήσαντες. Οἱ δὲ Χριστιανοὶ, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐν τῷ παρόντι κόσμῳ ταλαιπωρήσουσιν, τῆς μελλούσης αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἀπολαύουσιν· καὶ ἀνθ᾽ ὧν τῆς ἐπιγείου δόξης αὐτοὺς ἀποστερεῖτε, τὴν οὐράνιον αὐτοῖς ζωὴν προξενεῖται.

[21] Ἀκούσας δὲ τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτῆς ὁ Ἀρχίμαγος, πῶς ἅμα καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν μάγων γενομένην ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ συνηγωρίαν ἀνυποστόλως ἀπεσκευάσατο, καὶ τὴν κατὰ Χριστιανῶν προσενεχθεῖσαν κατηγυρίαν εὐτάκτως ἐπελύσατο, πολλῆς ὀργῆς ἐνεπλήσθη, τοῖς λόγοις αὐτῆς ἀντειπεῖν μὴ δυνάμενος· καὶ νομίζων αὐτὴν ὡς ἄπειρον θλίψεως οὕτω παῤῥησιάσασθαι, ἐπερώτησεν ποῦ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος διῆγεν· καὶ μαθῶν τὴν ἀνάγκην τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ τὴν στένωσιν τῶν τόπων ἐν οἷς ἐβλήθη, καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπανθρωπίαν οἷς παρεδόθη, ἐκέλαυσεν πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἀπενεχθῆναι, ὡς μηδεμίαν ὁμιλίαν πρὸς Χριστιανοὺς ἔχειν. Γυμνώσαντες δὲ ξίφος ἐπὶ αὐτῆς, ὤμοσαν δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῆς ἀφαιρεθῆναι, μὴ πειθομένης τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Ἀρχιμάγου λεγομένοις· τρεῖς οὖν πάλιν ἡμέρας πρὸς τοὺς αὐτοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ θλίψει διέτριψεν. Μέλλοντος δὲ τοῦ Βασιλέως ἀναχωρεῖν ἐκ τοῦ Ἀλουακῶν, παρέλαβεν αὐτὴν βασιλικός τις δεσμοφύλαξ, καὶ πολλὴν αὐτῇ κάκωσιν ἐνεδείξατο, οὐ θρησκείας λόγον ποιούμενος, ἀλλὰ κέρδος ὑπὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐκ τούτου πραγματευόμενος. Ἔδειξεν δὲ καὶ τότε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς αὐτὴν σημεῖον παράδοξον. Τινὲς γὰρ τῶν Χριστιανῶν χώραν εὑρόντες ὑπέβαλεν αὐτῇ στρῶμα μικρὸν, ὡς ἐπὶ γῆς μετὰ δεσμῶν τοσοῦτον κατακειμένῇ· καὶ τοῦτο γνοὺς ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ, ῥίπτει αὐτὴν ἀθρόως ἐκ τοῦ στρώματος, καὶ μεγάλην ὀδύνην αὐτῇ τὸ βάρος τοῦ σιδήρου τῶν δεσμῶν ἐνεποίησεν· πλὴν παραχρῆμα τὰ δεσμὰ τῶν μελῶν αὐτῆς αὐτομάτως ἐλύθησαν, καὶ πολλῶν τοῦτο θαυμασάντων, τινὲς τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῆς ἀληθείας, γοητείας ἔργον ἔλεγον εἶναι τὸ οὕτως παράδοξον γενόμενον.

[10] Therefore having weighed with prudent ratiocination, on this side the pleasures & delights, in which she had been nourished; on that side indeed the perils & punishments, Chastised by an Angel which over her head hung, if publicly the magic she should repudiate, & the Christian faith embrace; seized with terror she beheld in a vision an Angel of God, with an iron rod striking her, & saying: Where is that your, which lately you made, promise? resist bravely, & God serve. And at this very time roused, her prayers she offered to God, supplicating, lest anything ever contrary to the faith to invade her mind He should suffer.

[11] openly she professes herself a Christian, Hence early in the morning she was summoned by the stepmother, that according to the wonted manner she should exercise the magic, exhorting. Then indeed her faith desirous to profess, the woods being received, by which according to the diabolical tradition of Zoroaster for the magic she used, with a splendid light she beheld herself surrounded; & confirmed, she broke the woods, the sacrifice overthrew, the fire spat upon & extinguished, & at last arose saying: I to the church of the Christians betake myself, nor does anything prohibit, that I might less the Christianism profess. These things understood, the brothers

& other kinsmen held her lest she go out, & fastened the doors. But she thus also ordered to be called her father, wishing before him openly to explain her mind, although he was going to lead her to the judges: for she affirmed, that she would no more seek hiding-places; & the penalty, if any thereupon should hang over her, bravely would undergo. the persuasions & threats of her own people being spurned: Meanwhile of her kinsmen some to tears gave way; others persuaded, now with threats, now with blandishments interposed, that in that opinion she should not persist, & her race with dishonor should affect; lest anything of this kind understanding her father, with wrath moved, the paternal affection from his mind should expel, & herself to interrogation should deliver. But she to their discourses did not lend ears, indeed the conversation she sustained most grievously, & as pernicious turned away from, according to that evident saying, He who shall touch pitch, shall be defiled: & he who communicates with the iniquitous, shall enter his ways. Eccli. 13, 1 But when the father came, & understood what against the fire & the magic woods by his daughter had been perpetrated; the father supervening variously afflicts her, many, & grievous threats he set forth in hope of striking fear, & her from such a purpose to turn away. But she her father's discourses spurning, thus retorted: Do not think, she said, by such words my mind to be softened, or from the opinion of the Christians to be deterred. He ordered therefore her to be bound: & when with all machines applied, nothing whatever he profited; bound through many days both with interrogations & tortures he exercised her bitterly, & in the same place with the Magi shut up, neither of food nor of drink anything to receive he allowed.

[12] But when he saw her, as she had begun, to persevere: he was compelled to make more certain the prince of the Magi, by whom led to Mauiptas who was the leader of the Mauiptae. He, the Magi of the whole province all being gathered, into the shrine of Fire summoned St. Sira, & diligently asked, why from the tradition of her elders she had revolted. But she answering, said: Each one has attained intelligence, that what is expedient he can discern; nor, as the animals, which destitute of reason in the footsteps of their parents inconsiderately adhere, she renders a reason of her changed religion; so is she by any necessity driven to follow other men. Therefore I also have determined, the Christians' opinion to be more advantageous than that, which my parents hold. To these things Mauiptas indignant said: Many tortures, unless you assent to me, await you. But she, with her hand on her neck set, with the greatest liberty answered: This you have the faculty of cutting off: behold this to you I have already addicted. Then when many things Mauiptas asked, she recited the Psalms. And when he heard her singing, he asked; What is this, which she says? But some asserting, that doctrine in them was contained Christian; he called the Bishop, before him she boldly sings psalms. desirous from him to be taught, whether in truth those words were of the Christians. And he indeed coming feared the Magi: but stricken with fear beholding him St. Sira, said: Do not fear, my Father, but be mindful of the Scripture saying: I spoke of your testimonies in the sight of Kings, & was not confounded. Psal. 118, 46. And again: Do not fear those who kill the body, but the soul they cannot kill. Matt. 10, 28. Then therefore the Bishop asseverated, that truly of the Christians were what by her was said.

[13] Therefore angry Mauiptas, ordered her mouth to be crushed: Sent back into her father's house but blandishments very many & also threats applying, when from her opinion to move her he could not, he ordered her for a while in the paternal house to be guarded: for he feared the multitude of Christians, whom on her account he saw to have flocked together. But she cheerfully returned into the paternal house, about to praise God, that she had been held worthy, who in the sight of the Princes for the name of Christ should plead her cause. Then also the Lord by His revelations corroborated her. For often she was instructed by Angels, how to the defense of her innocence answer should be made. There appeared also manifoldly both Moses, by new revelations she is strengthened. & Elias, & Peter the Apostle, & others of the Saints, just as in those things which at length about her are written is contained. But Mauiptas not wishing the family of her before the King to be affected with contumely, persuaded the father, that he with blandishments rather & admonitions, than with threats & contumelies his daughter should approach. The father therefore meeting her, when with many exhortations nothing he persuaded, reported to Mauiptas her pertinacity. And when then by chance Dar a (which name is of great dignity among the Persians) was tarrying in those parts, he told him, what had been done with Sira: at the same time also he vociferated against the Christians, that for her destruction they had assembled, & him with stones wished to overwhelm. But on the contrary Dar expostulated with Mauiptas, About her admonished by Mauiptas Dar that he had not first signified to him, before such a thing to do he had undertaken. He sent then to her some of the number of the nobles to question; Why she had deserted the magic; but the Christian faith had embraced? & again to say to her, If indeed in her opinion she persist, to the last punishment she should be subjected; but if to the pristine religion of the Magi she return, with royal munificence she should be affected.

[14] But when there came to her, those who these things one by one announced, St. Sira said to them: I indeed desired to come to Dar himself, & for the truth Christian to plead my cause: nevertheless I say, that also he ought to have recognized from those, [she sends in vain those who should persuade her to return to the ancestral rites.] who us before him manifested; The power of discerning to my mind implanted made that to the Christians I should be joined: inasmuch as their opinion to be right I have perceived, by which they constitute one God, the artificer of all things, powerful, needing nothing, & immortal: but the magic I have hated, because of many gods it is the author, which are both weak, & of all things needy, & corruptible: & therefore, what punishments you inflict on me, willingly I sustain, that through them of the eternal goods partaker I may become. But see, lest you yourself deceive, when by words or by works you try to persuade, Macerated by a three-day imprisonment that to this faith I should send a denial. When these things Dar perceived from certain men, with anger flaring he ordered her to custody to be consigned, with hands & feet bound, where neither the use of light to enjoy, nor food, or drink to taste should be allowed. For three days therefore & as many nights thus she remained, unable both on account of the narrowness of the place, & on account of the hardness of the chains anywhere herself to turn. But neither thus was the holy virgin broken, nor to the impious dogmas of those did she acquiesce. Hence they also more vehemently than before tightened the chains: a pit indeed the earth being dug out being made, & her neck to her feet being bent down even, & to be compressed into the pit she herself fits the chains by a miracle. another weight of iron on her they imposed, more tightly the chains constricted, & bound cast her into the pit. But that God might show, that He not from a defect of strength permits those fearing Him to be pulsed by temptations, but from a desire of exploring with how great a love they follow Him; they could not the nails, with which to constrict the chains they tried, aptly insert, although much they labored, & a multitude of smiths convoked; until St. Sira the very nails, with the sign of the Cross signed, to the holes fitted.

[15] But neither thus the enemies of the truth, the virtue of the Cross seen before their eyes, There divinely refreshed, were coerced. But another pit also they contrived, not only narrower than the former, but also with much moisture swimming, & vitiated vapors exhaling. But cast into this lake, when she was thought by the vapors thence cast out extinguished, a divine visitation she obtained, not unlike that, by which the Babylonian boys in the furnace of fire were refreshed. For forthwith the heat, which was in the same place, into refrigeration was changed, a celestial light the whole pit illustrated, the chains from her hands & feet of their own accord slipped off. For the peril, which in that lake she underwent, was so great, that the Christians, this understood, were vehemently frightened, not esteeming that she would emerge thence unharmed. Wherefore the Bishop of the city, beyond hope unharmed on the next day she is found, with the Clerics & all the people, the whole night prayers & supplications offered to God, that with His aid He would be present to her, & bring help, by which aided she might consummate the contest blamelessly. But at dawn certain of the ecclesiastics when to the lake they came, instead of a pestilent breath drenched with a sweet dew an air thence bursting forth they found, but her of all chains altogether free. Then the former anxiety being removed full tranquility of mind they brought by their message to the Church; & the grief wiped away with hilarity & joy filled all.

[16] But after St. Sira had been fifteen days in the lake, thence after 15 days led out she renders rain to the earth, the Gentiles recognizing that nothing by their attempts they could profit, besides the murmurings also of the people to sustain, & this especially on account of the drought, which through that time had been; led her out of the pit; admiring indeed the tolerance of the Virgin, the virtue of God however not acknowledging. For on the same very day, on which from the pit she was led out, an immense rain fell, & the thirsting earth saturated; & all, who according to the spirit were not blind, sufficiently clearly recognized, how greatly God had honored His handmaid. & she shines with miracles, Many also other signs exhibited God to those, who came to her, & her garments with faith approached, so that even demons by her prayers were driven away. And for the confirmation of what has been said; one to many known, & by the testimony of the faithful proved, for example's sake I propose. When thus she was guarded in prison, there came a day, on which once in a year was kept the feast of the Martyrs in a certain oratory outside the city: & St. Sira desired by night to go out, to behold secretly the sacred vigils; but certain of the faithful, money to the guards being offered, the faculty for her from the prison to go out obtained. & her sanctity by the demoniacs is manifested. Therefore with changed habit when into the oratory she came, she stood secretly in a certain place the divine psalmodies about to hear: but a woman certain by a demon possessed began to cry out, to proclaim openly the sanctity of Sira, the divine in her to invoke virtue: & when among the people she was sought, immediately the oratory being left she returned to the prison. In this manner therefore it was made open to all, with how great a grace by God she had been prevented. But how, & by whom this mystery being administered, she was baptized; it is expedient on account of the present state of things in silence to pass over: this alone now to those asking I signify, that according to the above-written promise of the Bishop, sacred baptism she obtained, in the very time of her chains, in the most holy church of the city.

[17] But let us return to the proposed narration. When no small space of time St. Sira had passed in prison, & b the Legate of the Romans his return into his region was preparing; the Magi fearing, The Magi fearing lest she be rescued from death, lest perhaps a royal mandate he should bring back, by which from the chains she should be loosed; took counsel of sending her to the King, before thither the Legate should come: & gathered into one they exhorted her, that her opinion she should renounce, that she might not be sent to those, who have the power not only of torturing, but even of slaying. But St. Sira both execrated their adulations, & contemned their threats: for death,

by the fear of which they hoped to terrify her, They send her to the King sealed: for Christ to be undergone, she said to be very brief; & that by it of life eternal the fruition is obtained she taught. But the Magi, the liberty of her words being seen, & her persevering & imperturbable constancy, sent her to the King; her neck according to the custom obtaining among them sealed, that neither another for another those, to whose care she had been delivered, should lead away; nor pretext could that she had died: for they cannot seals of this kind take away unless the head being amputated.

[18] Moreover those coming, who were to receive her, & fearing lest any of the faithful on the way should wrest her from them, she professes that she goes willing, & they themselves into peril should fall; exhorted St. Sira, that no diffidence they should have: For neither unwilling, she said, with these chains am I surrounded, but of my own accord with cheerful mind I have embraced them, for the unusual pleasure thence to come: indeed even if any should try with their hands me from yours to snatch, I myself would flee them, & to you would come, that I might not of those future goods be deprived, for whose cause until the present time so great afflictions I have sustained. With these therefore, & similar words she persuaded the soldiers, that fear laid aside her seized they should lead away to the King. And when of the faithful some to impede with money wished, lest to the King she be sent, with grave words them she obtested, that they should not be an impediment to her, uniquely seeking for the Christian faith to contend. But by night, lest any crowds should accompany, having gone out from her city, through each place she had the faithful meeting her, by whom in turn she was affected with honor, & was led until she came into c the city Aluaca, where the King at that time was. But those who had led her, delivered her to Dar; Led to Aluaca & vainly solicited, who of that dominion is Prince, but he both through himself, & through his wife, & that through many days, in diverse ways assailed her, hoping that he would persuade, that to the magic sacrifices she would return, & therefore in honor with the King & the Princes would be, because her he had led back into the way, which others altogether to do had been unable.

[19] But it being found that she insisted on the same principles, that neither by blandishments she could be enticed, nor by terrors struck, She is given to the Jews to be guarded & vexed but even gainsaid the traditions of the Magi; he ordered first indeed the matronal habit to be stripped off, & in its place another squalid & vile garment to be put on, & thus to the Jews to be committed to be guarded. Those inhuman ones St. Sira of their power made soon into the inner part of the house led, the doors at the same time & the windows obstructed, that no either splendor of light or breath of air there she should feel: & there was given barley bread, by so much less than a fitting measure, that by hunger only she should not be consumed. Besides they mocked also saying: Where now those, who falsely divulge, that from your hands the chains fell, & who many by their fallacies have induced, to believe? Hence St. Sira on a certain day, by their reproaches of this kind indignant, before whom her chains are miraculously loosed. her eyes to heaven lifted; & forthwith in the same manner as before the chains from her hands slipped, to the stupor of all who beheld.

[20] Thus therefore she being left for a space of eleven days, Dar perceiving, that nothing whatever his machinations profited; on the 12th day led to the Archimagus made more certain the Archimagus, the place, & the race, whence she was sprung, & how immutable in her opinion she persisted, being commemorated. These things understood, her ordered to be led to him with a sufficiently prolix oration the Archimagus addressed: What cause is there, he said, why our religion being neglected, which is both to the Kings & to the Princes in honor & price, which widely all things governs, which its followers with riches heaps; to the abject & shameful Christians you have joined yourself? But she most promptly answered, saying: him she wisely refutes. Where now of the Kings, who preceded, are the crowns? where the glory of the Princes? Behold all these things with their possessors have vanished; & they like hay, flourishing for a little time, quickly withered, & to death unforeseen were delivered, since the true maker of all they did not know, & of life & death the Lord did not adore; but creatures venerated, & fire, & water, & the sun, & the moon with the rest of the stars worshiped. But the Christians for the hardships, by which in the present age they are afflicted, in the future make a gain of life eternal; & for the earthly glory, of which you deprive them, the celestial they obtain life.

[21] But the Archimagus the discourse of her having heard, & how freely the defense, for the Magi by him undertaken, she had refuted; & the instituted against the Christians accusation she had solved modestly; with vehement anger was kindled, unable to her sayings anything to oppose. But esteeming her inexperienced of torments so freely to speak, he asked; Where until that time she had been. Again among the Jews for three days afflicted, But when he heard the torment of the chains, & the narrowness of the places in which she had been shut, & the inhumanity also of the Jews to whose care she had been delivered; to the Jews again to be carried her he ordered, that from all with the Christians conversation she should be prohibited. But the Persians a sword over her head stretching swore, her life by it to be taken away, inasmuch as to the sayings of the Archimagus she would not obey. Therefore three again the same days among the Jews, with the same as before molestations afflicted, she passed. then she is shut in prison But when the King was preparing his departure from the city Aluaca, received her from the royal prisons' prefects one, & many to her exhibited hardships, not indeed for Religion's cause, but lucre thence catching from the Christians. But God showed at the same time in her an unusual miracle. Of the Christians some, an occasion having got, had put under her a scanty mat with so great chains on the bare ground lying: & the chains again of themselves fall off. which known, the guard of the prison suddenly cast out her from the mat, & with vehement pain her affected the weight of the iron chains. But these forthwith of their own accord were loosed; & many admiring, said certain enemies of the truth, a thing so unexpected of incantation to be a work.

NOTES.

CHAPTER III.

Other tortures. Death. Cult.

[22] Τοῦ δὲ Βασιλέως ἐκ τοῦ Ἀλουακῶν ἀναχωρήσαντος εἰς τόπον λεγόμενον Ῥεσανκουσάδων, ἠκολούθει καὶ αὐτὴ δεδεμένη, ᾠδὰς πνευματικὰς καὶ εὐχὰς τῷ Θεῷ καθ᾽ ὅλην τὴν ὁδὸν μετ᾽ εὐχαριστίας προσάγουσα. Οἱ δὲ φύλακες πολλάκις ἐπέπληξαν αὐτῇ σιωπᾷν, καὶ οὐκ ἠνέσχετο· ὅθεν καὶ διὰ ταύτην τὴν πρόφασιν τοῖς δεσμοῖς ἐπεβάρησαν· μεταστάντος δὲ κᾳκεῖθεν τοῦ Βασιλέως εἰς τὸ Καρστᾲ τὸ μέγα, μαθὼν ὁ Ἀρχίμαγος τὴν ἁγίαν Σιρὴν παραγενέσθαι, καὶ τὴν προτέραν γνώμην ἀμετάθετον ἔχειν, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὴν ἐνεχθῆναι, καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ· Ἱκανόν σοι χρόνον πρὸς διάσκεψιν ἐνδεδώκαμεν· εἰπὲ ἡμῖν, τί πλέον περὶ τῶν ῥηθέντων σοι παρ᾽ ήμῶν ἐβουλεύσω; Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ἡ ἁγία Σιρή· Τί πλέον εἶχον βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τῶν ἤδη καλῶς μοι δεδοξομένων; Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτῇ· Ἀποστήθισον τὴν μαγίαν, ἥν πρότερον ἔμαθες. Ἡ δὲ φωνῇ μεγάλη ψάλμους τοῦ Δαβὶδ· καὶ ἑτέρας ῥήσεις γραφικὰς ἀπεστήθιζεν.

[23] Ὁ δὲ Ἀρχίμαγος ὀργισθεὶς, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτην ἀποδυθῆναι, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς ἀποκαλυφθῆναι· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, Οὐδὲ νῦν αἰσχύνῃ; Λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ ἁγία Σιρή· Διατί ἔχω αἰσχυνθῆναι, οὔτε ἔκλεψα, οὔτε ἐπόρνευσα, οὕτε τι κακὸν ἕτερον ἔπραξα. Κᾂν γὰρ ὑμεῖς ὡς ἄφρονες ὖξεδύσατέ με τὰ ἔξωθεν περιβλήματα, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν ἔχω παρὰ τοῦ ἐμοῦ δεσπότου κρείττονα τούτων ἐνδύματα· δι᾽ αὐτὸν γὰρ καὶ ἐκδέδυμαι καὶ παῤῥησιάζομαι· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἶπεν, Μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεινόντων τὸ ζῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι. Τούτων παρ᾽ αὐτῆς λεγομένων, ὁ μὲν Ἀρχίμαγος τοῖς ῥήμασιν αὐτῆς ἐκπεπληγμένος ἡσύχασεν· ὁ δὲ Δὰρ, Ἄρχων τῆς τῶν Χουζαἳνῶν ἐπαρχίας καθήμενος εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Δαιμόνιον ἔχεις. Λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ ἁγία Σιρή· Ἐγὼ δαιμόνιον οὐκ ἔχω, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀλήθειάν σοι ἀκολουθεῖ δαιμόνιον, καὶ εἰ βούλει, ποιῶ τύπον τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ σου, καὶ ἐξέρχεται ἀπό σου, καὶ ἀνοίγονται οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου εἰδέναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Καὶ ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες, παραχρῆμα πάντες ἐβόησαν, Ὑπόδικός ἐστι τῷ θανάτῳ· τοὺς γὰρ Θεοὺς βλασφημεῖ, καὶ τὴν Βασιλείαν περιφρονεῖ, καὶ τοὺς Ἄρχοντας ὑβρίζει. Καὶ κατὰ μέρος ἑκάστου τῶν μάγων εἰπόντος τὴν οἰκείαν γνώμην, κατὰ τὴν αὐτῶν συνήθειαν ψῆφον θανάτου κατ᾽ αὐτῆς ἐξεφώνησαν, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῆς πάλιν ἐσφράγισαν, μήπως τινὲς ἑτέραν ἀντ᾽ αὐτῆς ὑποβάλωσιν. Κελευσάντων δὲ κατ᾽ ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτὴν φονευθῆναι, τινὲς τῶν εὑρεθέντων εἰς ἕτερον καιρὸν τοῦτο ταμιεύσασθαι συνεβούλευσαν, δεδειότες τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐπανάστασιν, ἑτοίμων γενομένων ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδοῦναι εἰς θάνατον, ἢ τὸν ἐκείνης φόνον θεάσασθαι.

[24] Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἀρχιπέζῳ τινὶ παραδίδοται, φυλάττοντι καὶ Χριστιανοὺς ἑτέρους ἐκ διαφόρων ἐπαρχιῶν διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεδομένους. Ἐλθοῦσα δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ, πολλὴν αὐτοῖς παραψυχὴν ἐνεποίησεν, θεασαμένοις τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῆς ἀκατάπληκτον, ὅτι μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης τὸν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ κατέδεξατο θάνατον. Προσεγγίσαντος δὲ τοῦ καιροῦ καθ᾽ ὃν ὁ Βασιλεὺς εἰς τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Βηθαρμαῆς παρακειμάζει κατὰ συνήθειαν· ἀπηνέχθη σὺν ἄλλοις δεσμίοις καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον τούτων τῶν πόλεων. Καὶ συμβάσης αὐτῇ χαλεπῆς ἀῤῥωστίας, ἐδυσφόρει μήπως διὰ τῆς νόσου τὸν βίον ἐπεξελθῇ, καὶ τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἀνάξιος γένηται· καὶ διὰ πολλῶν καὶ συνεχῶν δακρύων ἐδέετο φυλαχθῆναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῆς, ἵνα δι᾽ αἵματος ἐκτελέσθῃ τὴν ἄθλησιν, δι᾽ ἧν τὰς τοσαύτας βασάνους ὑπέμεινεν. Καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ Θεὸς τῆς ἱκεσίας αὐτῆς, καὶ τελείαν αὐτῇ τὴν ὑγείαν ἀνεχαρίσατο· καὶ μετὰ τὴν ὑγείαν αὐτῆς ἐβουλεύσαντο λοιπὸν αὐτὴν ἀποκτεῖναι, καὶ πληγαῖς διαφόροις τὸ σῶμα αὐτῆς πολλάκις ᾐκίσαντο.

[25] Ἑνὶ δὲ τῶν φυλαττόντων αὐτὴν ὑπέβαλοι ὁ διάβολος συνκαθευδῆσαι καὶ διαφθεῖραι αὐτήν. Καὶ παρεκάλεσεν τὸν Ἀρχίπιζον ἐπιτρέπειν αὐτῷ τοῦτο πρᾶξαι· καὶ λαβὼν τὴν τοιαύτην ἐπιτρόπην, ἐπῆλθεν αὐτῇ, τὴν ἰδίαν ἐκτελέσαι γνώμην βουλόμενος. Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ τῆς δούλης αὐτῆς προνοούμενος, ἔπληξεν αὐτὸν κατὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ τῶν ὤτων, καὶ τῆς γλώσσης, ὡς τυφλὸν ἐ͂ιναι καὶ κωφὸν καὶ· ἄλαλον· καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον, κραυγὰς ἀσήμους ἀπέλυσεν. Ὁ

[22] Moreover the King going away from Aluaca into a place called Rhesancusadon, She accompanied the King's journey in chains there followed also she herself bound, spiritual songs & prayers to God through the whole way with thanksgiving offering. But the guards rebuked her often, nor for that did she desist from her institute: wherefore for this cause also with chains she was burdened. Thence also the King betaking himself into the great a Karsa, where the Archimagus heard St. Sira had come, in her former opinion obstinately persisting; he ordered her to be brought & said: she consoles herself by singing Psalms. A sufficiently long time for deliberating we have granted you, tell us, What of those things, which we proposed to you, to be preferred have you determined? Answered St. Sira: What more have I to determine about those things, which already well to me have been proven? Who says to her: The magic, which first you learned, from your breast bring forth. But she with a clear voice brought forth the Psalms of David, & other prayers Biblical.

[23] But the Archimagus angry ordered her of her garments to be stripped, & her head bare to be exhibited, & said: Before the Archimagus she is stripped of her garments. Not yet even with shame are you suffused? Says to him St. Sira: Why should I be suffused? Neither have I stolen, nor fornicated, nor anything else of crime have I perpetrated. Although indeed you, after the manner of madmen, strip me of garments, those things which are outside covering: yet I have certainly from my Lord garments than these much better: for His cause I both am stripped, & freely speak. For He Himself said: Do not fear those, who kill the body, but the soul they cannot kill. Matt. 10, 28. Her saying these things by the discourse struck the Archimagus, was quiet. Moreover Dar, Prince of the Province of the Chuzaeni, sitting by him, said to her: she is called demoniac, A demon you have. Says to him St. Sira: I a demon have not: but most truly a demon pursues you: &, if you wish, I sign your forehead with the sign of the Cross, & it will go forth from you, & your eyes will be opened, that you may know the truth. Which heard, forthwith cried all: She is guilty of death; for both the Gods she blasphemes, & the kingdom holds in contempt, & the Princes she insults. Then man by man each of the magi, as the usage there obtained, she is adjudged to death. uttering his sentence, the sentence of death against her was pronounced: & her neck again they sealed, lest any another perhaps for her should substitute. And when they ordered on that day her to be killed; certain of those present were authors, that the matter to another time be deferred, fearing the sedition of the Christians, prepared themselves to death rather to oppose, than her slaughter to behold.

[24] She was delivered therefore to a certain Prefect of foot-soldiers, who also other Christians from diverse provinces for the name of Christ captured was keeping: But for a while deferred to whom entering St. Sira much consolation brought to those seeing the tranquility of her soul, & with how great hilarity the sentence of death for Christ to be undergone she had received. But the time being at hand, in which the King in the cities of Bethermae according to custom was to winter, & seized with a disease, there was led away with other captives also St. Sira, to the prisons of those cities. And when a grave sickness invaded her, she was of a most sorrowful mind, fearing, lest perhaps by disease extinguished, of the palm of martyrdom she be deprived; & with abundant & assiduous tears she prayed, that her life being somewhat preserved, by shed blood she might consummate the contest, she obtains health for whose cause so many interrogations & tortures she had undergone. God also her supplicating heard, & with perfect again endowed her with health: which restored, it was deliberated about her slaughter, & with many wounds against her body it was raged.

[25] But the devil suggested to one of the guards, that with her he should lie, & corrupt her. He asked therefore the Prefect of foot-soldiers, a soldier wishing to defile her for himself that it might be allowed that matter in deed to complete; & the faculty being received, he approached her, his mind about to fulfill. But He who for His handmaid took care, God, struck him in the eyes, ears, & tongue, that blind, deaf, & mute he was; & falling prone on his face an unknown clamor he sent forth. The

δὲ Ἀρχίπεζος ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐχρῆν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν θαυμάσαι, καὶ ταλανίσαι τὸν τολμήσαντα την παρθένον τοῦ Χριστοῦ διαφθεῖραι, δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τοὐναντίον ἐσπούδασεν τὴν τοιαύτην διαβολικὴν πράξιν ἐργάσασθαι. Ἡ δὲ δούλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ παῤῥησίας πρὸς τὸν Ἀρχίπεζον εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ τῷ Βασιλεῖ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐμνηστεύθην, καὶ οὐ συγχωρεῖ τὴν ἐμὴν παρθενίαν ὑπό σου διαφθαρῆναι. Μὴ πεισθεὶς δὲ τοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῆς λεχθεῖσιν ὁ Ἀρχίπεζος, ἐπῆλθεν αὐτῇ, τὴν τοῦ προλαβόντος γνώμην ἀναδεξάμενος. Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ πλήξας αὐτὸν, ἔμπροσθεν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλης κατέβαλεν, καὶ τότε λοιπὸν σύραντες αὐτὸν οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ παῖδες, μόλις ἀνέστησαν.

[26] Μὴ δυνηθείς δὲ τὴν τοιαύτην ἄτοπον ἐκτελέσαι προαίρεσιν, ἐσπούδασεν αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸ προστεταγμένον θανατῶσαι. Καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο μὴ διὰ ξίφους αὐτὴν ἀποτεμεῖν, ἀλλὰ σχοινίῳ αὐτὴν ἀποπνίξαι. Καὶ ἐκέλευσεν ἐλθεῖν χαλκέα, καὶ λῦσαι τοὺς δεσμοὺς τῶν χειρῶν καὶ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς. Καὶ βουλομένη αὐτὴ παραστῆσαι μὴ τῇ δυνάμει τινος αὐτὴν κεκρατῆσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκουσίᾳ γνώμῃ, πρὸς τὸν Ἀρχίπεζον λέγει· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχομεν χαλκέως. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰποῦσα, τοὺς δεσμοὺς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν καὶ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς ἀπέῤῥιψεν, ὡς πάντας τοὺς θεασαμένους ἐκπλήττεσθαι. Ἠθέλησεν δὲ πάλιν συνδῆσαι τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς, ἵνα μὴ στασιάσῃ πρὸς τοὺς πνίγοντας αὐτήν. Καὶ λέγει πρὸς αὐτόν· Παῦσαι τῶν ματαίων σου βουλευμάτων· τοσοῦτον γὰρ βουλήσει τῷ θανάτῳ ὲμαυτὴν παραδίδωμι, ὅτι οὐδὲ τὰς χεῖράς μου κινῆσαι ἀνέχομαι· καὶ βαλόντες τὸ σχοινίον εἰς τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῆς, καὶ περισφίγξαντες μέχρις ἂν αὐτὴν τῷ θανάτῳ πλησιᾶσαι, ὕστερον χαυνώσαντες, λέγουσιν αὐτῇ, εἰ βούλεται τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν ἀρνήσασθαι συγχωροῦσιν αὐτῇ. Ἡ δὲ ἁγία Σιρὴ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τὸ ἐντεταλμένον ὑμῖν τελειώσατε, ἵνα μὴ τοὺς νόμους ὑμῶν ἀθετήσητε. Ἐκ δευτέρου δὲ τὸ σχοινίον περὶ τὸν αὐτῆς τράχηλον περισφίγξαντες, πάλιν ἐνδέδωκαν καὶ ὡσαύτως ἐπερώτησαν· ἡ δὲ πάλιν τὴν αὐτὴν ἀπόκρισιν δέδωκεν. Καὶ τότε λοιπὸν ἐπέμειναν σφίγξαντες, ἄχρις οὗ τελείως ἀνέπνευσεν. Καὶ οὕτως τὴν μετὰ δόξης ἄθλησιν, ὡς ἐπόθησεν, ἐτελείωσεν μηνὸς Περιτίου εἰκάδι ὀγδόῃ, καθ᾽ ἕλληνας τοῦ ὀκτακοσιοστοῦ καὶ ἑβδομικοστοῦ ἀπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ Μακεδόνων Βασιλέως.

[27] Πάλιν δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὸν θάτατον αὐτῆς οἱ ἐργάται τοῦ διαβόλου μὴ χανώμενοι, μηδαμῶς ὑποτμηθῆναι τὸ σῶμα τῆς Μάρτυρος, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ κυνῶν δαπανηθῆναι, εἰσήγαγον εἰς οἶκον τὸ λείψανον αὐτῆς, πολλοὺς κύνας συναποκλείσαντες· καὶ, ἷνα καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλόγων κατακριθῶσιν, ἔμειναν πᾶσαν τὴν ἡμέραν παντελῶς τοῦ σῴματος αὐτῆς μὴ ἁψάμενοι. Καὶ λοιπὸν ἐσπούδασαν νυκτὸς ἐξαγαγεῖν τὸ λείψανον, καὶ οὕτως ἐν ἀφανεῖ τόπῳ ῥίψαι αὐτὸ κεκρυμμένως. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔλαθον τοὺς πιστοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα βουλευσάμενοι· ἐκαθέζοντο γὰρ καὶ διετήρουν αὐτους, ποῦ τὸ σῶμα τῆς Μάρτυρος ῥίπτουσιν. Καὶ ὁτ᾽ ἂν ἔῤῥιψαν αὐτὸ καὶ μικρὸν ὑπανεχώρησαν, τινὲς πιστοὶ τοῦ Βηθαρμαῒς λαβόντες αὐτὸ μετὰ τιμῆς ἔν τινι τόπῳ κατέκρυψαν, ἵνα μή τινες τῆς χώρας αὐτῆς τὸ τοιοῦτον κειμήλιον ἀποσπάσωσιν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἁγία Σιρὴ, ἔτι περιοῦσα καὶ προγνοῦσα τὴν περὶ τοῦ σώματος αὐτῆς μέλλουσαν μεταξὺ τῶν πιστῶν γενέσθαι φιλανεικίαν, μεθ᾽ ὁρκῶν τοὺς εὑρεθέντας κατέκρινεν, ἐκδοθῆναι τὸ λείψανον αὐτῆς τῷ φιλοχριστῷ Βατεῷ, τῷ ἐκ τοῦ Λασουμὼν κτήματος τοῦ Βηγαρμεῶν. Ὅθεν οἱ πιστοὶ τοῦ Βηθαρμαῒς, ὕστερον τοῦτο μαθόντες, παρεδώκαν τῷ εἰρημένῳ ἀνδρὶ τὸ σῶμα τῆς Μάρτυρος, ἵνα μὴ τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῆς ἀθετήσωσιν.

[28] Ὁ δὲ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης τὸ ἅγιον αὐτῆς δεξάμενος λείψανον, εὐκτήριον ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἔκτισεν οἶκον· καὶ πολλαῖς προσβολαῖς περιπεσὼν ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων, βουλομένων αὐτὸν διακωλύειν τῆς τοιαύτης προθέσεως, ὅμως αὐτὸς τὸ αὐτὸ εὐκτήριον ἐτελείωσεν, καὶ μετὰ τῆς πρεπούσης τιμῆς ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν αὐτοῦ λειψάνου τῆς ἁγίας Σιρῆς κατάθεσιν ἐποίησατο· ἔνθα καὶ πάνδημον ἑορτὴν οἱ πιστοὶ, πολλαχόθεν συναθροιζόμενοι, τὴν μνείαν ἐπιτελοῦσιν, κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς τοιαύτης ἀθλήσεως, πρὸς δόξαν Θεοῦ καὶ καύχημα τῆς ἁγιωτάτης αὐτοῦ ἐκκλησίας. Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἀθλητῶν, σὺν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Σιρῇ δεδεμένων, καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτὴν ἀγωνισαμένων, καὶ βασάνοις διαφόροις τελειωθέντων, ἐκ περισσοῦ γράφειν ἡγούμεθα, ὅτι τὴν προλαβοῦσαν ἄθλησιν ἐμιμήσαντο· ἔπειτα καὶ ἀγνοοῦμεν τοὺς πόνους αὐτῶν, οὓς ἐξ ἀρχῆς διετέλεσαν· ἐκ διαφόρων γὰρ ἐπάρχιῶν καὶ πόῤῥωθεν διακειμένων κατήγοντο, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, μεθ᾽ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

[22] Moreover the King going away from Aluaca into a place called Rhesancusadon, The King's journey she accompanied in chains there followed she also herself bound, spiritual songs & prayers to God through the whole way with thanksgiving offering. But the guards rebuked her often, nor for that did she desist from her institute: wherefore for this cause also with chains she was burdened. Thence also the King betaking himself into the great a Karsa, where the Archimagus heard St. Sira had come, in her former opinion obstinately persisting; he ordered her to be brought & said: she consoles herself by singing Psalms. A sufficiently long time for deliberating we have granted you, tell us, What of those things, which we proposed to you, to be preferred have you determined? Answered St. Sira: What more have I to determine about those things, which already well to me have been proven? Who says to her: The magic, which first you learned, from your breast bring forth. But she with a clear voice brought forth the Psalms of David, & other prayers Biblical.

[23] But the Archimagus angry ordered her of her garments to be stripped, & her head bare to be exhibited, & said: Before the Archimagus she is stripped of her garments. Not yet even with shame are you suffused? Says to him St. Sira: But why should I be suffused? Neither have I stolen, nor fornicated, nor anything else of crime have I perpetrated. Although indeed you, after the manner of madmen, strip me of garments, those things which are outside covering: yet I have certainly from my Lord garments than these much better: for His cause I both am stripped, & freely speak. For He Himself said: Do not fear those, who kill the body, but the soul they cannot kill. Matt. 10, 28. Her saying these things by the discourse struck the Archimagus, was quiet. Moreover Dar, Prince of the Province of the Chuzaeni, sitting by him, said to her: she is called demoniac, A demon you have. Says to him St. Sira: I a demon have not: but most truly a demon pursues you: &, if you wish, I sign your forehead with the sign of the Cross, & it will go forth from you, & your eyes will be opened, that you may know the truth. Which heard, forthwith cried all: She is guilty of death; for both the Gods she blasphemes, & the kingdom holds in contempt, & the Princes she insults. Then man by man each of the magi, as the usage there obtained, she is adjudged to death. uttering his sentence, the sentence of death against her was pronounced: & her neck again they sealed, lest any another perhaps for her should substitute. And when they ordered on that day her to be killed; certain of those present were authors, that the matter to another time be deferred, fearing the sedition of the Christians, prepared themselves to death rather to oppose, than her slaughter to behold.

[24] She was delivered therefore to a certain Prefect of foot-soldiers, who also other Christians from diverse provinces for the name of Christ captured was keeping: But for a while deferred to whom entering St. Sira much consolation brought to those seeing the tranquility of her soul, & with how great hilarity the sentence of death for Christ to be undergone she had received. But the time being at hand, in which the King in the cities of Bethermae according to custom was to winter, & seized with a disease, there was led away with other captives also St. Sira, to the prisons of those cities. And when a grave sickness invaded her, she was of a most sorrowful mind, fearing, lest perhaps by disease extinguished, of the palm of martyrdom she be deprived; & with abundant & assiduous tears she prayed, that her life being somewhat preserved, by shed blood she might consummate the contest, she obtains health for whose cause so many interrogations & tortures she had undergone. God also her supplicating heard, & with perfect again endowed her with health: which restored, it was deliberated about her slaughter, & with many wounds against her body it was raged.

[25] But the devil suggested to one of the guards, that with her he should lie, & corrupt her. He asked therefore the Prefect of foot-soldiers, a soldier wishing to defile her for himself that it might be allowed that matter in deed to complete; & the faculty being received, he approached her, his mind about to fulfill. But He who for His handmaid took care, God, struck him in the eyes, ears, & tongue, that blind, deaf, & mute he was; & falling prone on his face an unknown clamor he sent forth. The Prefect moreover, instead of which he ought the power of God to admire, & to bewail him who had dared the virgin of Christ to corrupt, through himself on the contrary strove that same diabolical deed to work. But the handmaid of Christ with liberty to the Prefect said: I to the King of the heavens have been betrothed, & He will not allow my virginity by you to be corrupted. But not persuaded by the things by her said the Prefect, came upon her, the mind of the former one having taken up. But the Angel of God striking him, before the handmaid of God cast him down, & then at last dragging him those with him servants, with difficulty raised him up.

[26] But not having been able that abominable purpose to complete, he hastened her according to the command to slay. And he determined not by the sword her to cut off, but with a rope her to strangle. And he ordered to come a smith, & to loose the chains of her hands & of her feet. And she wishing to make plain that not by the power of any she was held, but by voluntary will, to the Prefect says: We have no need of a smith. And this said, the chains from her hands & feet she cast off, so that all who beheld were astounded. But he wished again to bind her hands, lest she resist those strangling her. And she says to him: Cease from your vain counsels; for so much by my own will to death myself I deliver, that not even my hands to move do I sustain: & casting the rope into her neck, & constricting it until her to death they brought near, afterwards relaxing it, they say to her, if she wishes the Christianism to deny they allow her. But the holy Sira said to them: That which is commanded you complete, lest your laws you make void. A second time the rope around her neck constricting, again they slackened & likewise asked: but she again the same answer gave. And then at last they persisted constricting, until completely she breathed forth her spirit. And thus the glorious contest, as she had desired, she completed on the month of Peritius the twenty-eighth day, according to the Greeks of the eight-hundred & seventieth from Alexander the King of the Macedonians.

[27] But again also after her death the workers of the devil not gaping, that by no means cut up be the body of the Martyr, but by dogs be consumed, brought into a house her relic, many dogs shutting in with it: & that also by the brutes they might be condemned, they remained the whole day altogether of her body not touching. And thereafter they hastened by night to bring out the relic, & thus in an obscure place to cast it hiddenly. But they did not escape the faithful having counseled such things: for they sat & watched them, where the body of the Martyr they cast. And when they had cast it & a little withdrawn, certain of the faithful of Bethermae taking it with honor in a certain place hid it, lest any of her own country such a treasure should snatch away. But the holy Sira, still surviving & foreknowing the about her body about to be among the faithful contention, with oaths charged those found, that there be delivered her relic to the Christ-loving Bateus, who from Lasumon the estate of the Begarmaeans. Whence the faithful of Bethermae, afterwards this learning, delivered to the said man the body of the Martyr, lest her counsel they should make void.

[28] But he with joy her holy relic having received, an oratory from his own means built; & with many assaults beset by the magi, wishing to hinder him from such a purpose, yet he the same oratory completed, & with fitting honor in it of her relic of the holy Sira the deposition made: where also a public feast the faithful, from many places gathered, the memory celebrate, on the day of such a contest, to the glory of God & the boast of His most holy church. But about the other athletes, with the holy Sira bound, & after her contending, & by tortures diverse perfected, superfluous to write we judge, because the preceding contest they imitated; besides we also are ignorant of their labors, which from the beginning they passed through; for from diverse provinces & far distant they were brought down, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father & the Holy Spirit, glory, power, honor, now & always & forever and ever. Amen.

by the brutes themselves they might be condemned, in the same place a whole indeed day, the body not even touched, they remained. At last they tried the sacred relics, by night carried out, secretly to throw away: but the faithful lay hidden: for they sat & observed, where the body of the Martyr they would cast. And when they had cast it & some space withdrawn, taken away by the Christians with honor certain faithful Bethermites with honor having taken it up into a certain place hid it, lest the inhabitants of that region so great a treasure should carry off. But Saint Sira still surviving, & foreknowing the contention about her body among the faithful to arise, by an oath those, who by chance were with her, had bound, that there should be delivered her Relics to the Christ-lover Bateus, from Lasumi a village of the Begarmaeans. Whence the Faithful Bethermites, the matter understood, to the aforesaid man the body of the Martyr delivered, lest what she had constituted they should pull down.

[28] But he the sacred relics with joy having received, an oratory at his own expense built: in an oratory built for it she is deposited, & although on that account many incursions of the Magi he sustained, wishing such a purpose to impede, nevertheless the same oratory he finished, & with due honor of the relics of S. Sira the deposition in it celebrated: to which also flocking together from everywhere the faithful in memory of her a public feast instituted, on the very day on which she suffered, to the glory of God & the exultation of His holy Church. But about the other athletes, who with St. Sira were bound, & with the same the supreme entering contest by various torments to the end were brought, of the very many then suffering there is no extant memory. superfluous we esteem to write that the preceding contest they imitated: then also, what labors from the beginning they tolerated, we are ignorant; inasmuch as from diverse & those far distant provinces they were brought, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom & to the Father & the Holy Spirit glory, virtue, honor, now & always & forever and ever. Amen.

NOTES.