ON SS. TARACHUS AND PROBUS AND ANDRONICUS, MARTYRS, AT ANAZARBUS IN CILICIA,
AT ANAZARBUS IN CILICIA.
IN THE YEAR 304.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On the cult of the holy Martyrs, the circumstances of their martyrdom, and their Acts.
Tharacus, M., at Anazarbus in Cilicia. (S.)
Probus, M., at Anazarbus in Cilicia. (S.)
Andronicus, M., at Anazarbus in Cilicia. (S.)
BY J. B.
These most excellent Champions of the Christian faith are celebrated, in rivalry and not undeservedly, by the ancient and more recent sacred Fasti both of the Latin Frequent in the sacred Fasti, and of the Greek church: the Old Roman Martyrology has thus at the 11th day of October: At Tarsus, of the martyrs Tharacus, Probus and Andronicus. Ado writes more at length of them; and first he announces them thus: At Tarsus, metropolis of Cilicia, the Birthday of the most blessed martyrs Tharacus, Probus and Andronicus: who, in the persecution of Diocletian under the governor Maximus, afflicted for a long time with the squalor of prison, and examined three times with various torments and punishments, obtained the triumph of glory in the confession of the faith. Then he adds the various kinds of punishments which they suffered, by what death at length they were taken off, and in what manner they were handed over to burial: all of which indeed he transferred into his Martyrology from the very Acts of the holy Martyrs. With the words of Ado just praised Usuard, in Sollerius, agrees exactly, as does also the present Roman Martyrology, with almost only this difference, that it does not call Tarsus a metropolis; but it adds that the holy Martyrs fell with their necks cut off. Wandelbert, in d'Achery, volume 2 of the Spicilegium, page 54, sings thus of the same: On the fifth soon Taracus, Probus and Andronicus are crowned, whom glory renders equal in valour and in death. Notker also mentions them, in Canisius, Antiquae Lectiones, volume 2, part 2, page 179, but very faultily; where it is read thus: At Tarsus, metropolis of Cilicia, of Tharacus the presbyter and Andronicus, martyrs, etc. For here Probus is wrongly omitted, and the priestly dignity is ascribed to Tarachus, a man, as is manifest from the Acts of the Martyrs, of military rank. The Hieronymian Martyrology of Echternach labours under a like fault, announcing St. Andronicus as a priest.
[2] Thus far indeed the martyrologists cited agree sufficiently as to the month, day and place with the Latins, in which the holy Martyrs suffered: but at the 25th day of March they are announced in the Usuardine Auctaria in Sollerius, and in the Vatican manuscripts of St. Peter and in the Usuard of the Queen of Sweden: at the 4th day of April in the Vatican manuscript marked num. 5949, where they are announced in Syria; while in the manuscripts of Monte Cassino and of the Altemps library at the same day St. Probus is omitted. At the 5th day of April they are referred in the Martyrology of the monastery of St. Maximin, and in three Hieronymian Martyrologies in Florentini: at the 7th day of May there is referred the Deposition of the relics of the same Martyrs in the church of St. Euthymius, in his Life, num. 122, volume 2 of January, given at the 20th day of the same month. At the 13th day of the same month they are noted, and indeed in Palestine, in the Hieronymian Martyrologies of Lucca, of Antwerp or Echternach, and of Corbie; and again at the 27th day of September, but in Cilicia; in that of Gellone in d'Achery Prolius is corruptly read for Probus: at the 9th and 10th day of October in the Hieronymian Martyrologies of Florentini just praised; but at the 10th day of the same month in that of Gellone St. Probus is wrongly called Proprius. The Hieronymian Martyrology edited by Edmond Martène in volume 3 of the Anecdota, from page 1550, omits St. Tarachus on this day. Finally at the 11th day of October the Little Martyrology of Lucca in Florentini mentions St. Andronicus alone: but that of Echternach has thus: On the fifth day before the Ides of October, at Anazabori (read Anazarbus) in Cilicia, the birthday of Taracus, Probus and Andronicus the presbyter. I omit other contracted Hieronymian codices and the Martyrologies of more recent writers: as to the day and place on which the holy Martyrs suffered, it will be said below, when I have treated of the Greek Fasti in which they are inscribed.
[3] and with the Greeks The Greeks commonly venerate SS. MM. Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus on the fourth day before the Ides of the month of October, that is, on the 12th day, or the day after that day on which they are inscribed in the Roman Martyrology, Old and New; at which in the Great Menaea an elogium of this kind is read, drawn from the Acts of the Martyrs: Οὑτοι ὑπῆρχον ἐν ὑπατείᾳ Διοκλητιανοῦ καὶ Φλαβιανοῦ ἡγεμόνος· καὶ ὁ μὲν Τάραχος προβεβηκὼς ἦν τὴν ἡλικίαν, Ῥομαῖος τό γένος, στρατιώτης τὴν τύχην. Ὁ δὲ Πρόβος ἐκ Σίδης τῆς Παμφυλίας, ὁ δὲ Ανδρόνικος ἐκ πολεῶς Ἐφεσίων τῆς Ιονίας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Τάραχος θᾶλτεται * λίθοις τὰς σιαγόνας καὶ τὸν ἀυχένα, τὰς χεῖρας πυρὶ καταφλέγεται, καὶ ἀναρτᾶται ἐπί ξύλου, καὶ καπνῷ πνιγηρῷ ὐποβάλλεται, ὄξος ἐπὶ τῶν ρινῶν δέχεται, καὶ ὀβελίσκοις πεπυρακτωμένοις τοὺς μαστούς ὑποκαίεται. Ξυρῷ τα ὦτα ἐκτέμνεται· τὸ δέρμα τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποσύρεται. Θηρίοις ἐκδίδοται καὶ τελευταῖον μαχαίρᾳ κατακοπεὶς μεληδὸν, τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ Θεῷ παρατίθησιν. Ὁ δὲ γενναῖος Πρόβος νεύροις ὠμοῖς τύπτεται, σιδήροις πεπυρακτωμένοις τούς πόδας κατακαίεται, ξύλῳ ἀναρτᾶται, τὸν νῶτον καὶ τὰς πλευρὰς πορωθεῖσιν ὀβελίσκοις κατακαίεται, καὶ ἐτέραι σούβιαις τὰς κνήμας διατέμνεται, καὶ τελευταίον μαχαίραις καὶ ἀυτὸς κατακοπεὶς
τὸ μακάριον τέλος ἀπηνέγκατο. Ἀνδρονικος δὲ ὁ θεῖος ξυλῳ ἀναρτᾶται, καὶ σιδήροις ὀξέσι τὰς κνήμας χαράσσεται καὶ τὰς πλευρὰς κατακεντᾶται· ἅλατι τὰς ὠτειλὰς ἀνατρίβεται, τὴν γλῶσσαν καὶ τὰ χείλη ἐκτεμνεται, καὶ σχεδὸν ὅλον τὸ σῶμα κατακοπεῖς μαχαίραις καὶ ἀυτὸς τὸ πνεῦμα εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ παρατίθησιν
[4] These flourished when Diocletian was consul and Flavianus governor; of the holy Martyrs Tarachus indeed advanced in age, a Roman by race, a soldier by lot. Probus was from Side in Pamphylia; and Andronicus from Ephesus in Ionia. Tarachus, his jaws and neck bruised with a stone and his hands scorched with fire, is hung on the rack, is put over hot smoke, receives vinegar in his nostrils, and is burned on the breasts with glowing spits. His ears are cut off with a razor; the skin of his head is shaved off. He is exposed to wild beasts, and at last, cut limb from limb with the sword, he renders his soul to God. And the noble Probus, beaten with raw sinews, burned on the feet with glowing iron, hung on the rack, his back and sides burned with glowing spits, and likewise pierced with other spits in the calves, at length obtained a blessed end. And the divine Andronicus is hung on the rack; his legs cut with sharp irons and his sides pierced, his wounds rubbed with salt, his tongue and lips cut out, and he too cut with swords over almost his whole body, he hands over his spirit into the hands of God. The Menology formerly published by order of the emperor Basil adorns them with a similar elogium at the same day; but there the armpits of St. Probus are said to have been burned with glowing spits; which torment indeed their Acts record was inflicted on his sides when he was brought before Maximus the third time; nor did this happen at Mopsuestia, as is read there, but near Anazarbus, as the Latin version of the Acts has.
[5] To the Menaea already mentioned are added the Menaea of Maximus Margunius, bishop of Cythera, mention: the Horologion, or canonical Hours, of Grottaferrata of the Order of St. Basil, the Diptych of St. Sabas, and the Greek Anthologion, which exhibits a Hymn of this kind customarily sung in praise of the Martyrs: Πολυειδεῖς οἱ Μάρτυρες αἰκισμοὺς ἐνεγκότες, πολλῶν ἐπάθλων ἔτυχον καὶ βραβείων τῆς νίκης, παρὰ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, Τάραχος ὁ θεόφρων καὶ Πρόβος καὶ Ανδρόνικος, οἱ στεῤῥοὶ ἀθλοφόροι· ὧν τὴν σεπτὴν ἐκτελοῦντες μνήμην τοῦτους τιμῶμεν ὑπὲρ ἠμῶν πρεσβεύοντας τοῦ ῥυσθῆναι πταισμάτων. The Martyrs, having endured manifold tortures, brought back from Christ the Saviour many prizes of combats and of victory, Tarachus endowed with a divine mind, Probus and Andronicus, vigorous victors; recalling whose venerable memory, we honour them, interceding for us, that we may be freed from offences. In our supplement to the printed Greek Menaea, or in the synaxarion of Father Sirmond, the following are added to the elogium of SS. Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus: Τελεῖται δὲ ἡ ἀυτῶν σύναξις ἐν τῷ μαρτυρείῳ ἀυτῶν, τῶ ὄντι ἐν τοῦ Νάρσου καὶ ἐν τῇ πηγῇ. Their feast is celebrated in their sacred building, which is in the (supply: quarter) of Narses and At the Spring; of which it will be said a little below. Likewise I read these things in our Slavo-Russian Menology: SS. MM. Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus, who suffered under Diocletian in the year 288. Likewise in the Ruthenian synaxarion: SS. MM. Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus, which are likewise had in another Ruthenian synaxarion sent from Moscow to our predecessors in the year 1688 by Father George David, S.J., missionary there, as also in the Vatican Ruthenian Kalendar of the eleventh century in Assemani, volume 1 On the Kalendars of the universal Church, page 110. Finally they are mentioned at the same day, that is, at the 12th of October, in the Graeco-Muscovite Ephemerides prefixed to the month of June, with the following little verse from the Menaea added: Τμήθη δοδεκάτῃ Πρόβος, Ανδρόνικος, Τάραχόστε. Twice six slew Tarachus, Probus, Andronicus. These three holy Martyrs in the Ruthenian Kalendar in Possevino, volume 2 of the Apparatus sacer, page 365, are expressed most corruptly and as though one thus: St. Mart. Pronotarchius.
[6] their sacred cult into Palestine From the Latin and Greek monuments just cited it is easy to observe that the name of St. Tarachus is written variously, and that among the Latins some write Tarachus, others Taracus; but that the Greeks constantly write Τάραχος; and that it is therefore more correctly written Tarachus in Latin too, because the Greeks, from whom that name was derived to the Latins, always wrote it so. It is clear from the same that the holy Martyrs are announced now in Cilicia, now in Palestine, now in Syria. In Cilicia indeed, because there, as their Acts establish, they poured out their blood and life for Christ. In Palestine, however, because their relics were carried thither and held in honour: this is established from Cyril of Scythopolis in the life of St. Euthymius, hegumen in the desert of Jerusalem, where, treating of that Saint's Laura, changed after his death into a cenobium, he speaks in this manner, in the translation of Dom Jacques Loppin, Benedictine monk of the congregation of St. Maur, not without an honourable designation of the holy Martyrs which is lacking elsewhere: This miracle (of rain obtained from heaven by the merits of St. Euthymius in the parched solitude) being known, the archbishop (of Jerusalem) Martyrius came with much magnificence to the dedication of the monastery, and a vigil was celebrated with a remarkable display of lights, and, holding the synaxis, they laid under the altar relics of the Saints and excellent victors Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus on the seventh day of the month of May: in the year, as is added, twelfth from the death of Euthymius, or the year of Christ 484; since St. Euthymius, as Henschen teaches in volume 2 of January, page 301, died in the year 473 on the 20th day of the same month. This monastery of St. Euthymius John Phocas, a Greek writer of the ninth century, described thus at num. 18: Opposite the said monastery (of St. Theodosius), more to the left, in the depth of the desert of the Jordan, is the monastery of St. Euthymius the Great; it is walled round with towers and great buttresses; and in the middle a church rises, with its roof directed in the manner of a cylinder: below a cave opens, and there in the middle is the tomb of St. Euthymius, not unlike the tomb of the God-bearing Sabas, covered, equally with that, with white marble; and with the Saint the relics of the holy fathers Passarion and Dometian are likewise laid up: so Leo Allatius turned John; but for more to the left there is read in the Greek δεξιώτερον, more to the right. Finally, when they are announced in Syria, I think that Syria must be understood not properly but broadly taken, of which Palestine is a part; although their relics could also have been translated into either Syria and their cult propagated.
[7] The arena of these Martyrs, however, was not Palestine, not Syria, but Cilicia, a region of Asia Minor, now Karamania, which the emperor Theodosius the Younger divided into a First and a Second, from Cilicia, where on the day as John Malalas testifies, Chronography, book 14. Besides, separating Second Cilicia from the First, he says, he made it a province; the city of Anazarbus being presented with metropolitan right and a governor. In First Cilicia were Tarsus the metropolis and Pompeiopolis; in the Second, Anazarbus and Mopsuestia. At Pompeiopolis they were brought before Flavianus Maximus, governor of Cilicia: led thence to Tarsus, they were each interrogated and tortured by the same Maximus; whence it came about that they are then said to have suffered at Tarsus in the Roman Martyrology and the others cited above. At Mopsuestia a second inquisition was held concerning them by the judge, and on account of their constancy in the faith they were afflicted with various penalties and torments. But the last contest they underwent at Anazarbus, where, having suffered new punishments and been thrown to wild beasts, at length, diminished by the head, they consummated their martyrdom; for which reason we read them announced at Anazarbus in the Hieronymian Martyrology of Echternach. These things are established from the Acts of the Martyrs to be published below, to which some addition is subjoined in Greek as well as in Latin, in which they are declared not only to have consummated their martyrdom at Anazarbus (or, if one is pleased to speak more accurately, near Anazarbus), but also to have been buried there, and their bodies to rest there; which indeed moved me to assign in the title of this Commentary the arena of the holy Martyrs to Anazarbus rather than to Tarsus, yet without any reproach of those who have done otherwise. So much concerning the place of their martyrdom.
[8] Ruinart thinks their death-day uncertain, because in the older Latin Fasti their name is indeed inscribed at the 11th, more probably they suffered on the 9th of October, propagated: but in the Greek at the 12th: yet I think it more probable that their martyrdom happened on the 11th day, for the reason that not only the Greek as well as the Latin text of the Addition subjoined to the Acts agrees with the purer Latin Fasti, but also because in the Acts of the Martyrs which Baronius edited in volume 2 of the Annals, from page 678, at the year of Christ 290, num. 30, the 11th day of October is held expressly stated, while the Ruinart Acts assign no day at all. Maximus, indignant, they say, calls Terentianus to him and orders a show of gladiators to be given, to whom it should be commanded first of all that the Christian martyrs be stabbed: which was done on the fifth day before the Ides of October. That Maximus ordered this on the same day, and that the gladiators carried it out, the circumstances of the matter plainly show. If in some other Fasti their festivity is besides assigned to other days, I judge that this proceeded either because some of these are badly dislocated, such as the Greater codex of Lucca in Florentini, in which, as also in that of Corbie, they are announced at the 9th day of October and again on the following day; or because they were also venerated on various days by the mere discretion of various churches; or finally because on other days their relics were translated or sacred buildings dedicated to God and to the name of the holy Martyrs.
[9] That some of their relics were translated in the year 484 on the 7th day of May into the church of the monastery of St. Euthymius sacred buildings to them, either at Mopsuestia we have already seen above: and from the Acts of St. Nicetas the Goth, martyr, which are had in volume V of September, page 40 and the two following, we learn that a temple was raised near Mopsuestia to those three holy Martyrs by Auxentius, bishop of the place, and their relics deposited in it. The Greek Acts of St. Nicetas, in Stilting's translation, relate the first in these words: This Pontiff, a friend of the Martyrs, raised a temple to the martyrs distinguished by victory, Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus, which is placed before the walls of the city of Mopsuestia. And the other in the following: But when the relics of the Saints themselves were lacking to him for the consecration of the temple built, and a city near him, named Anazarba, had them, a part of the relics of this illustrious Nicetas being promised to it, he receives the relics of those Martyrs. The matter indeed is established: but who was that Auxentius? Le Quien, in volume 2 of the Oriens Christianus, mentions two bishops of Mopsuestia of this name, of whom the former governed the church in the year 359; the other after Bassianus, who is read as a subscriber to the council of Chalcedon of the year 451 in Labbe, volume 4 of the Councils, column 787, as also after John; and he judges that this deed is to be ascribed to this Auxentius II rather than to I, to which opinion Stilting also seems to incline: but Ruinart, and after him Tillemont, volume 5 of the Ecclesiastical Monuments, page 301, ascribe it to Auxentius, Arian bishop of Mopsuestia, under which name (rightly or wrongly I do not inquire) Auxentius I comes; who, Suidas writes, preferred to throw away his military belt rather than sacrifice grapes to Bacchus, which the emperor Licinius had ordered him to do, and then attained the see of Mopsuestia. He expelled the Christians from his palace
Licinius, as Eusebius testifies in the Chronicle in Scaliger and Le Mire, in the 14th year of Constantine, of Christ 320, five years after being slain at Thessalonica: at which time Auxentius had reached adult age; since his younger brother Theodore too, as Baronius relates from Suidas in volume 3 of the Annals at the year 316, num. 34, having been made bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia, subscribed to the second council of Nicaea of the year 325 in Labbe, volume 2 of the Councils, column 52.
[10] by Auxentius, the second of this name, There was indeed another Theodore, metropolitan of Tarsus; but he, being a subscriber to the council of Chalcedon of the year 451, could not have been the brother of Auxentius, who lived in the reign of the emperor Licinius. Further, St. Nicetas the Goth underwent martyrdom only about the year 372: nor did Auxentius found that temple of SS. Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus immediately after the martyrdom of St. Nicetas: for, as the Acts of St. Nicetas relate, some time after St. Nicetas was slain his body was brought to Mopsuestia by Marianus, a Christian soldier, and, likewise preserved for some time in the house of Marianus, shone with miracles; until, as time went on, a temple of St. Nicetas was founded at Mopsuestia. And again, between the epoch of the Nicetian temple and the epoch of the temple which Auxentius raised to SS. Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus, the courses of quite many years could have intervened; and therefore Auxentius, the first of this name, or he who had already reached man's age in the time of Licinius, does not seem to have prolonged his age to the founding of the temple near Mopsuestia to our holy Martyrs, and Le Quien seems to have judged rightly that this was done by the work of Auxentius, bishop of Mopsuestia, not the first of this name, but the second.
[11] or at Constantinople, founded by Narses, whom Phocas ordered to be burned, That another temple too was dedicated to the holy Martyrs in the city of Constantinople, Zonaras teaches, book 14 of the Annals, writing thus: Οὗτος ὁ Ναρσῆς τὸν τοῦ ἁγίου Παντελεήμονος ναὸν ἐδομήσατο, καὶ τὸν τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων Πρόβου, Ταράχοὺ καὶ Ανδρονίκου καὶ τὸν ἐκεῖ ξενῶνα. This Narses (burned by order of Phocas, who was saluted emperor in the year 602) founded the shrine of the divine Panteleemon and of the holy martyrs Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus, and the neighbouring hospice. So du Cange interprets Zonaras; I do not know whether accurately enough: for, if one must stand by this interpretation of du Cange, Narses founded the same temple both to St. Panteleemon and to the holy Martyrs of Anazarbus; but the words of the Greek text intimate that one was founded to St. Panteleemon and likewise another to them, the article τὸν being repeated, as our Bosch observes in volume 6 of July, page 398, in the Commentary prefatory to the Life and Martyrdom of St. Panteleemon. Favouring Bosch's opinion, by which he judges that the temple of St. Panteleemon is different from that which Narses built to our holy Martyrs, is the anonymous writer who offered the Antiquities of Constantinople described by himself to Alexius Comnenus, emperor of the Greeks, and speaks thus in Banduri, volume 1 of the Imperium Orientale, book 3, Banduri himself translating: The quarter of Narses was the house of Narses the patrician and praepositus, a Eunuch, in the time of Justin (the second of this name) and Sophia. And he himself founded a Xenodochium, a gerocomium and a church, and whatever is seen up to the place called Oxybaphium; and likewise Saint Probus, or the church of SS. Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus: for Banduri adds in his Commentaries on this passage of the anonymous writer, volume 2, page 687, that in the Colbert Codex there is read: καὶ τὸν ἁγίων Πρόβου, Τάραχου καὶ Ανδρόνικου. Where you see that the church which Narses founded in the city of Constantinople to St. Panteleemon is manifestly distinguished from the church which the same founded to these Martyrs of Anazarbus: whence I wonder that Banduri, at page 486 of the volume just cited, translated the words of Zonaras adduced a little before in this manner: This Narses founded the shrine of the divine Pantaleemon and of the holy martyrs Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus, and the neighbouring xenodochium; just as if Narses had founded only one church. Some have confused this Narses with the Narses who, in the reign of Justinian, in the year 552, conquered Totila, king of the Goths, in Italy; where Anastasius writes that he departed from life at almost the same time as John III, Roman Pontiff, died, that is, in the year 572; and Procopius, that from the fourth year of Justinian, that is, 530, he acted as prefect of the treasury; wherefore it becomes not likely that he was living in the year 602, in which Phocas seized the empire. See more about each Narses in Petau, Rationarium temporum, part 1, book 7, chapter 10, and in Pagi in the Historia Critica at the year 567. Justin held the empire from the year 565 to 578; Auxentius the Second governed the church of Mopsuestia in the fifth century; whence the antiquity and celebrity of the cult of those Martyrs throughout the East shines forth.
[12] But the Synaxaria of Sirmond cited at num. 5 also supply another monument of the same cult, [and the annual synaxis of the same not far from there in a celebrated place called At the Spring.] when they affirm that the feast of the Martyrs was celebrated not only ἐν τοῦ Νάρσου, but also ἐν τῇ Πηγῇ: of which place, situated not far from Constantinople outside the golden gate, the anonymous writer in Banduri, Antiquities of Constantinople, book 3, speaks thus: Justinian the Great built the church of the Holy Mother of God At the Spring. For when he was once going to hunt in Thrace, and saw a great multitude of people coming out of this temple, which was then a small oratory and the dwelling of one monk, he asked what that was. And Strategius, master and guardian of the imperial money, answered that there was a spring there healing diseases. Then the emperor, struck with admiration, caused this church to be built from the surplus materials of the great church. Procopius, book 1 On Buildings, chapter 3, describing the situation of the same place more fully, says: To the same (Mother of God) he founded another temple At the Spring: so they call a place in which there is a most shady grove of cypresses: the meadow is green with flowers springing from the soft soil; the garden abounds with fruits: the spring pours out light and sweet water with a silent gush: in a word, nothing is lacking that befits the honour of religion. These things are around the shrine: but the shrine itself it is not easy to mark with worthy words, nor to sketch in thought, nor to express in words. One thing I count it enough to say, that it surpasses most sacred buildings in splendour and size. Commemoration of the Encaenia of this temple is made in the Menology of Cardinal Sirleto at the 9th day of July. From what has been said thus far one may gather that elsewhere too throughout the East the sacred cult of these Martyrs was not common, and that probably several temples were dedicated to their name or enriched with their sacred spoils; but that it is very difficult to set out singly and accurately whence precisely their announcements, fixed to various days, flowed.
[13] They underwent martyrdom Further, just as there is not one day on which the memory of the holy Martyrs is celebrated in the sacred Fasti, so there is not one and the same year in which they are said to have suffered martyrdom: that it happened in the reign of Diocletian becomes evident quite clearly from their proconsular Acts and from the copies of the same Acts agreeing in this respect: but in what year of Diocletian's reign this very thing happened, not all hold the same opinion: Baronius was pleased with the seventh year of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian, of Christ 290, in which Diocletian entered his fourth consulate and Maximian his third, which, namely, the Latin copy of the Acts of the Vatican Library which lay before Baronius expressed: but the Greek Acts (in which language indeed they were first written by those who were present at their martyrdom, and directed to the Christians of the neighbouring provinces) by no means agree with the Vatican Latin exemplar: those which were published by Émeric Bigot have: Ἐν ὑπατείᾳ Διοκλητιανοῦ σεβαστοῦ τὸ πρῶτον· Diocletian Augustus being consul for the first time: nor in that matter do the Greek Acts related by Ruinart among the genuine Acts of the Martyrs disagree: but the Latin edition of the same Greek Acts, of Bigot as well as of Ruinart, has: Diocletian and Maximian being consuls for the second time: Rosweyde's on the contrary: Diocletian Augustus being consul for the fourth time and Maximian for the third. The Slavo-Russian Menology cited at num. 5 marks the year 288, in which falls the year 5796 of the more recent Greeks, which is read marked in the Sparwenfeld specimen of the Slavo-Russian Calendar sent to our predecessors from Stockholm in the twelfth year of this century, and agrees with the second consulate of Maximian Herculius.
[14] in the year, as appears, Of the epochs adduced thus far none stands: each is refuted, first, from the fact that those three Champions of the Christian faith underwent martyrdom at the time when the decree of the emperors had already been issued and published, by which, wherever the Roman empire extended, the Christians were commanded to sacrifice to the gods: hence those words of the governor Maximus to St. Tarachus at the very beginning of the Acts: Therefore have regard to your old age: since I wish that you be one of those consenting to the precepts of our lords, and receive great honour from me. Therefore approach and sacrifice to our gods, since the princes themselves also venerate them over the whole world. But that edict did not precede the year of Christ 303, in which Diocletian was consul for the eighth time and Maximian for the seventh. They are likewise refuted from the fact that, when the Martyrs suffered, the Roman empire was enjoying a deep and long peace, and that already then the blood of the faithful was customarily shed frequently by order of the emperors: the governor Maximus says the first to St. Andronicus, undergoing his third interrogation: You curse the princes, O evil head, who have granted a long and kindly peace; the latter this answer of St. Andronicus clearly shows: I have cursed and I curse the powers and the blood-drinkers who have overturned the world; by which words indeed not some slight or chance persecution, but a grave and far-spread one, which had overturned the peace of the Roman world, is indicated. But rarely, from the time when Diocletian began to reign, were the Romans free from the incursions of barbarous nations and from warlike movements, until in the year 297 they entered into peace with the Persians; and although after the peace entered into with the Persians they had to contend some times with arms with the Alemanni (at the beginning of the fourth century, as Tillemont says in volume 4 of the History of the Emperors at the year 301), peace was nevertheless preserved in the East: nor, as is now admitted, did Diocletian and Maximian begin to persecute the Christians in open warfare before the year 303.
[15] Nearer to the truth, if it does not reach it, is the author of the Addition of Christ 304, subjoined to the Greek and Latin Acts in Ruinart, when he ascribes the death of the holy Martyrs to the first year of the Diocletianic persecution: yet because it was only in the year 304 that Diocletian pronounced the sentence of death against Christians of every Order, not ecclesiastics only, but also laymen, such as the holy Martyrs were, unless they would sacrifice to the gods, I think anyone would do more rightly if, together with Ruinart, Pagi and Tillemont, he put off their martyrdom to the year 304; since that Addition, inasmuch as it names Tarsus a metropolis (which dignity that city lacked before Theodosius II, from num. 5), is more recent than the original Acts, nor is there a particular reason ready from elsewhere why it should be said to have been done earlier: and much less later; since Diocletian for the last
held the consulate in the year 304. Eusebius indeed, Ecclesiastical History, book 9, chapter 5, records that certain Acts full of impiety against Christ were composed, and ordered by Maximin (who in the year 305, when Diocletian put off the purple, was made caesar) to be scattered in every direction, not only through the cities but also through the fields, about the year 311; Acts of this kind can likewise seem to be mentioned below at num. 37, where Maximus addresses Andronicus thus: Most wicked one, do you not know that the Christ whom you invoke was a certain man, punished under the custody of Pontius Pilate, whose Acts also are laid up? Whence it might seem to someone that our Saints suffered martyrdom about the year 311: but either the same Acts are not mentioned in both places, or, if the matter stands otherwise, those Acts were first forged earlier, and then by Maximin's order scattered everywhere among the common people, and even among boys themselves. Surely one thing seems to be meant by what is read in the Acts, τὸ κατάκεινται, that is, are laid up, or are kept in the archives; another by this phrase of Eusebius: Ἐπὶ πᾶσαν διαπέμπονται τὴν ὑπ᾽ ἀυτὸν ἀρχὴν. They are sent into every province which was under him (Maximin).
[16] having first been afflicted with various punishments, first indeed at Tarsus, At Pompeiopolis, which was a maritime city of Cilicia, formerly called Soli, and then Pompeiopolis, from the time when Pompey gave it to the pirates to inhabit, the holy Martyrs were first thrown into chains, or certainly brought before Maximus, governor of Cilicia, not yet divided into two parts; Tarachus, called Victor when he was serving as a soldier, an Isaurian by race, a native of Claudiopolis; Probus, a man of private station, born at Side in Pamphylia; and Andronicus, sprung from a noble place among the Ephesians. At Pompeiopolis indeed it is likely that they underwent no interrogation, no torture, since Maximus, as long as they were detained there, did not know even their name: but having had them led thence to Tarsus, the metropolis of Cilicia, Maximus began to interrogate and torture them on the eighth day before the Kalends of April, or the 25th of March, according to the Greek text; but on the twelfth before the Kalends of June, or the 21st of May, according to the Latin. The 25th day of March is noted in Baronius and Rosweyde, as also in the manuscript Codices of St. Remigius of Reims, of St. Cornelius of Compiègne, and of the monastery of Ourscamp of the Cistercian Order, as Ruinart noted: by which, as also by the Greek in preference to the Latin text, it appears that one should rather stand; granted that Maximus in the same year 304, on the 7th day of April, condemned St. Calliopa to death at Pompeiopolis: for the distance of those two cities is not such that he could not easily have returned from Tarsus to Pompeiopolis by the 7th day of April. He attacked each separately, first St. Tarachus, as more advanced in age than the rest; then St. Probus; finally St. Andronicus, the youngest; in order that he might the more easily, as he hoped, storm their minds: but when he had tried blandishments, threats and punishments in vain, he ordered them to be shut in prison, that he might conquer by the long squalor of prison those on whom he had applied torments to no purpose.
[17] then at Mopsuestia, After some time Maximus held a second inquisition concerning them, the day of which was indeed inserted in the Baronian codex, but, obliterated through age, could not be read; and in the other codices it is passed over in silence. From the Acts of St. Tatian, surnamed Dulas, volume 2 of June, part 2, page 1047, if he was afflicted with martyrdom in the year 304, on the 15th day of June, which is not unlike the truth, we have it that Maximus went round Cilicia and returned from Zephyrium, a maritime town of Cilicia, to Tarsus about the same time: wherefore it indeed seems probable that our holy Martyrs underwent the second inquisition at about the same time, or about three or four months after the first inquisition was held; especially if the second inquisition was held at Tarsus, as is read in the Rosweyde copy: but the Greek edition of the Acts, both Bigot's and Ruinart's, affirms that it was held not at Tarsus but at Anazarbus; with which again the Latin version conflicts, which affirms that it was done in the city of Sciscia or Sis, situated between Anazarbus and Mopsuestia. The matter, thus far doubtful, is decided, as seems almost certain, by the very Greek Acts at num. 24 (the Latin version in that place contradicting nothing), where St. Tarachus, interrogated for the third time by Maximus, answers: Ἐγὼ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ μου ὁμολογίᾳ τῇ ἐν Τάρσῳ, καὶ τῇ δευτερᾳ ὁμοίως ἐξετάσει τῇ ἐν Μαμψίστοις ὡμολογήσα Χριστιανὸν εἶναὶ με. Both in my first confession at Tarsus and likewise in the second interrogation at Mopsuestia I professed that I am a Christian. That here ἐν Μαμψίστοις is written for Mopsuestia no one, as I at least think, will deny; since no other place in all Cilicia occurs to which τὸ ἐν Μαμψίστοις can be applied with even a shadow of verisimilitude. There is added our copy transcribed from the Vatican codex, which expressly has: Δευτέρα ἐξέτασις τῶν ἁγίων ἐν Μουμψοεστία· The second interrogation of the Saints at Mopsuestia. Hence must be emended the codex of St. Remigius, which has in Sicily, and those of Ourscamp and Compiègne, which have in the city of Cilicia, as Ruinart notes.
[18] That the second inquisition was held in one place and the third in another, when finally at Anazarbus, where they were beheaded and buried. the words of the Greek Acts just praised make plain: an error therefore lurks in these very Acts at num. 22, where the third interrogation is said to have been held ἐν Μαμψίστοις: but the Latin version rightly has: In the city of Anazarbus: for it is clear from the Acts that the holy Martyrs both suffered and were buried near the same town in which they were last interrogated: and that they were entombed at Anazarbus, or certainly near Anazarbus, although the Acts do not expressly express it, the author of the Addition subjoined to the Acts nevertheless expresses, when he says: But on the next night the relics of the holy martyrs Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus, lying in the glorious city of Anazarbus, were deposited on the mountain. If they had been last interrogated, slain and buried at Mopsuestia or elsewhere, there would have been no need for Auxentius, bishop of Mopsuestia, having founded a temple to them, to fetch their relics from Anazarbus. The Bigot edition and our Greek copy transcribed from the Vatican codex 797, page 182, likewise ascribe the third inquisition to Anazarbus. The Latin translator of the Acts at num. 41 mentions Terentianus, priest of the city of Cilicia, and the subsequent context of the words cited intimates that the holy Martyrs were at length crowned with martyrdom in that city; but he did not attain the sense of the Greek text, in which, no mention being made of any city whatever, Terentianus is called simply Ciliciarch; by which name is signified not some city, but the dignity of a priest who was eminent among the flamens of the several cities throughout Cilicia, or the chief priest of all Cilicia: the flamens established in the several cities Eusebius calls ἰερεῖς, but the priests set over the several provinces, such as Terentianus was, ἀρχιερεῖς, Ecclesiastical History, book 8, chapter 14, and book 9, chapter 4. Add that a city Cilicia (if a city or town comes under this name) never existed anywhere in the world. Moreover, by a manifest error there is read in the Letter prefixed to the Acts: What was done in Pamphylia concerning the Martyrs we have recounted: that Letter was sent to the people of Iconium in Lycaonia, and these are asked to be willing to transmit the Acts of the martyrdom into Pisidia and Pamphylia (since they were less remote from those provinces): but what need was there for those Acts to be sent into Pamphylia through the people of Iconium, if the holy Martyrs had fallen in Pamphylia itself?
[19] The Acts, which can not ineptly be divided into four parts, so that the first three of these are assigned to the three interrogations, namely each to each, their proconsular Acts while the fourth comprises the martyrdom and its circumstances, accurately describe the circumstances of the martyrdom. The three first are the proconsular Acts themselves, taken down by public notaries and bought back for the price of 200 denarii from Sebastus the spiculator; the last was written by eyewitnesses, Marcius, Felix and Verus; or Marcion, Felix and Barnabas, as our Vatican copy has. These Acts, examined not without much inquiry, Marcianus, Lysias and the other nine mentioned by name in the same letters destined in their common name, by letters given, which are prefixed to the Acts, to be sent by messengers to Iconium, and thence to the faithful of Pisidia and Pamphylia; of whose number were probably those three who composed the fourth part: for the Marcius mentioned in the Acts seems the same as Marcianus: Felix is read in both places: Verus or Barnabas is indeed absent from the encyclical letters; but it could easily have happened that he was called by one name in the Acts and by another in the encyclical letters; just as the same man was probably the one who is found called Verus in these copies of the Acts and Barnabas in those. Whence it is by no means not to be wondered at that these Acts are everywhere celebrated with the highest praises: and if error has crept into their copies here and there, this is to be attributed not to the authors of the original Acts, but to the unskilfulness or drowsiness of those who copied them.
[20] to be published from the genuine Acts of the MM., published by Ruinart. Baronius first published these Acts in Latin in volume 2 of the Annals at the year 290, and illustrated them with his Annotations: but since they were mutilated here and there, after Baronius Rosweyde brought forward fuller ones, which exist in Surius at the 11th day of October, written in the same language; but not complete in all respects either. More augmented again than these, and written in Greek, from the Colbert codex, with an ancient Latin version added, Émeric Bigot published at the Paris press in the year 1680; as also those which Metaphrastes wrote, having changed after his custom the original phrasing of the Acts. Finally Ruinart, having obtained another Colbert codex, published the entire Acts of these Martyrs, collated with various manuscripts, illustrated them with notes, and judged them worthy to be placed among the genuine and select Acts of the Martyrs, adding not only the ancient Latin version but also the Latin encyclical Letter of the people of Anazarbus to the people of Iconium, and the Graeco-Latin Addition, which were absent from the Surian and Baronian edition. Leo Allatius had certain Greek Acts in his hands, one or two texts of which he exhibits in the Diatriba de Simeonum scriptis, page 90, quite accommodated to the sense of the Latin version and less wordy; which Tillemont took as an indication of the original text, Ecclesiastical Monuments, volume 5, page 702. Our Vatican copy expresses the aforesaid texts in almost the same and as many words; yet because in this copy, equally as in the Acts edited by Ruinart, Anazarbus is adorned with the title of metropolis, which it did not have before Theodosius II, neither this nor Ruinart's Codex seems to exhibit the original text. Here, therefore, will be reprinted the Acts which Ruinart edited, together with the ancient Latin interpretation; and wherever, as sometimes happens, it departs from the Greek text, and it seems worth the trouble, it will not be irksome to inform the reader of the matter in the Annotations.
Annotations* θλᾶται
ACTS OF SS. TARACHUS, PROBUS AND ANDRONICUS, MM., FROM RUINART.
Tharacus, M., at Anazarbus in Cilicia. (S.)
Probus, M., at Anazarbus in Cilicia. (S.)
Andronicus, M., at Anazarbus in Cilicia. (S.)
BHL Number: 7981, 7982
LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF ICONIUM. From Ruinart.
[A letter of the people of Anazarbus sent to the faithful of the neighbouring provinces.] Pamphilius, Marcianus, Lysias, Agathocles, Parmenon, Diodorus, Felix, Gemellus, Athenion, Tarachus and Orosius, to Aquilo, Basso, Berullo, Timotheus a, with all the Brethren who are in Iconium b, faithful in truth and holy and of one mind in Christ Jesus our Lord. What was done in Pamphylia c concerning the Martyrs we have recounted: desiring to share in their bonds, and longing that their deeds be made manifest, we undertook it. And because it was necessary for us to collect all the writings of their confession, we transcribed all these from a certain man named Sebastus, one of the spiculators, for two hundred denarii d; in which is the beginning and consummation of their passion, and all the things which God deigned to do for us through the same most valiant Martyrs of God; and these things with much inquiry we have written back to you, all of them, thus glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. And we beseech you, brethren, that you too deign to transmit all these things to the brethren in the Lord who are of Pisidia and Pamphylia e, that they too may know what was done through the same most valiant Martyrs of God, that they may praise and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, so that each one of you, hearing, may be edified and strengthened in every contest, armed in faith and incorruptible glory, fervent in the Holy Spirit, that you may be able to resist, in all His power, those who oppose the truth.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER I. The first interrogation of the holy Martyrs.
Εν ὑπατείᾳ Διοκλητιανοῦ σεβαστοῦ τὸ πρῶτον; τῇ πρὸ ὀκτῶ Καλανδῶν Απριλίων, ἡγεμονεύοντος Φλαυίου , Γαΐου, Νουμερίου τοῦ καὶ Μαξίμου τῆς Κιλικίας ἐν Τάρσῳ τῇ μητροπόλει, ἀυτοῦ τοῦ Μαξίμου πρὸ βήματος καθεζομένου, Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Οἱ προσενεχθέντες τῇ μεγαλειότητί σου, κύριέ μου, ἐπὶ τῆς Πομπηιουπόλεως, ὑπὸ Εὐτολμίου καὶ Παλλαδίου τῶν σπεκουλατόρων, ὡς ὄντες τῆς ἀσεβεστάτης θρησκείας τῶν Χριστιανῶν, μὴ πειθόμενοι τοῖς τῶν ἀυτοκρατόρων ὁρισθεῖσιν, ἵστανται ἐπὶ τοῦ καθαρωτάτου βήματός σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν πρὸς Τάραχον· Τίς καλῇ; Δεῖ γὰρ σε τὸν τάξει καὶ πολιᾷ καὶ ἡλικίᾳ προβεβηκότα, πρῶτον ἀποκρίνασθαι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Χριστιανός εἰμι. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Παυσάμενος τῆς ἀσεβοῦς τᾶυτης λέξεως, τί σου τὸ ὄνομα; Φράσον. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Χριστιανός εἰμι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τύψαντες ἀυτοῦ τὸ στόμα, λέγετε ἀυτῷ· ἕτερα ἀνθ᾽ ἑτέρων μὴ ἀποκρίνου. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ ὃ ἔχω ὄνομα ἐν ἐμοὶ, τοῦτο καὶ λέγω. Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἐν χρήσει ὄνομα ζητεῖς, Τάραχος παρὰ τῶν γεννησάντων με καλοῦμαι· ἐν δὲ τῶ στρατεύεσθαι με, Βίκτωρ ἐκλήθην.
[2] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ποίας εἶ τύχης; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Στρατιωτικῆς, καὶ Ῥωμαῖός εἰμι τῶ γένει, ἐγεννήθην δὲ ἐν Κλαυδιουπόλει τῆς Ἰσαυρίας. Διὰ δὲ τὸ Χριστιανόν με εἶναι, νῦν παγανεύειν ᾐρετισάμην. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ὀυκ ἐξῆν γάρ σοι στρατεύεσθαι, ὄντι ἀσεβεστάτῳ. Τίς οὖν σε τῆς ἀφέσεως κατηξίωσεν; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐδεήθην Φουλβίονος τοῦ ταξιάρχου, καὶ ἀπέλυσέ με. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Κᾀγὼ τὴν πολιάν σου κατανοήσας, βούλομαί σε εὐνοίας τε καὶ τιμῆς καταξιῶσαι πεισθέντα μοι, φίλον τε τῶν ἀυτοκρατόρων ποιῆσαι, προσελθόντα καὶ θύσαντα τοῖς θεοῖς. Ὃ καὶ ἀυτοὶ διατελοῦντες οἱ ἀυτοκρατόρες ὑπὲρ πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης πράττουσι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Σφάλλονται καὶ ἀυτοὶ, πολλῇ πλάνῃ παρὰ τοῦ σατανᾶ περιελαυνόμενοι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Κλάσατε ἀυτοῦ τὰς σιαγόνας, ὑπὲρ ὣν ἔφη σφάλλεσθαι τοὺς σεβαστούς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ εἶπον, καὶ ἀεὶ λέγω, ὅτι πλανῶνται ὡς ἄνθρωποι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Θύσον, φημὶ, τοῖς πατρῴοις θεοῖς, παυσάμενος τῆς ἐθελοφρονημότητός σου. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ τῷ πατρῴῳ μου Θεῷ λατρεύω οὐκ ἐν ἅιματι θυσιῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν καταρᾷ καρδίᾳ. οὐ γὰρ χρήζει τοιούτων θυσιῶν ὁ Θεός.
[3] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἔτι τὸ τῆς ἡλικίας σου μέρος αἰδούμενος, καὶ τὸν τοῦ γήρως τρόπον οἰκτείρων παραινῶ σοι πᾶσαν ἀποθέμενον μανίαν, τιμῆσαι μὲν τοὺς ἀυτοκράτορας, αἰδεσθῆναι δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς, καὶ εἴξαντά μοι τὸν πατρῷον νόμον εὐσεβῆσαι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου οὐκ ἀφίσταμαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐκοῦν θύσον προσελθών. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἀσεβεῖν οὐ δύναμαι, εἶπον, τὸν πατρῷόν μου νόμον τιμῶ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἕτερος οὖν τίς ἐστιν παρὰ τοῦτον νόμος, ὦ κακὴ κεφαλή; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἔστιν εἰς ὃν ὑμεῖς ἀσεβοῦντες, λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις, ἀνθρώπων ἐπινοίαις, προσκυνεῖτε. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καταυχενίαις πληγαῖς τύπτοντες ἀυτὸν εἴπατε· Μὴ μώριζε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ τῆς μωρίας ταύτης οὐκ ἀφίσταμαι τῆς σωζούσης με. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ σε παύσας τῆς μωρίας ταύτης, φρόνιμόν σε ποιήσω.
[4] Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ποίει ὃ θέλεις· ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις τοῦ σώματός μου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἄρατε ἀυτοῦ τὸν χιτῶνα, καὶ ῥάβδοις ἀυτῷ χρησάσθε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Νῦν ἀληθῶς φρονιμώτερόν με ἐποίησας ταῖς πληγαῖς ἐνδυναμώσας με, ἔτι μᾶλλον πεποιθέναι με ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀυτοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνοσιώτατε καὶ τρισκατάρατε, πῶς δυσί θεοῖς λατρεύεις· καὶ ἀυτὸς ὁμολογῶν, τοὺς θεοὺς ἀρνῇ; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ Θεὸν ὁμολογῶ τὸν ὄντως ὄντα. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἰπεν· Καὶ μὴν καὶ Χριστόν τινα ἔφης εἶναι Θεόν. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Οὕτως ἔχει. Ἀυτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῶν Χριστιανῶν, δί᾽ ὃν καὶ πάσχοντες σωζόμεθα. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Παυσάμενος τῆς φλυαρίας σου τάυτης, πρόσελθε καὶ θύσον τοῖς θεοῖς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Οὐ φλυαρῶ, ἀλλὰ ἀληθεύω. Ἑξήκοντα γὰρ ἐτῶν εἰμι λοιπόν, καὶ οὕτως ἀνήχθην, τῆς ἀληθείας μὴ ἀφιστάμενος. Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· φείσαι σεαυτοῦ, ἄνθρωπε, καὶ θύσον ἀνασχόμενός μου. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἄπελθε, νουθέτησον σεαυτὸν, ὑπηρέτα τοῦ σατανᾶ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὗτος μὲν σιδηροῖς μείζοσι περιληφθείς ἀναληφθήτω εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον. Προσαγάγετε δὲ τὸν καθ᾽ ἡλικίαν τοῦ προτέρου τὸν δεύτερον.
[5] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἔστηκεν, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πᾶσαν ματαιολογίαν ἀποθέμενος, εἰπὲ τίς καλῆσαι; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Τὸ πρῶτον καὶ ἐξαίρετον Χριστιανός δεύτερον δὲ, παρὰ ἀνθρώπων καλοῦμαι Πρόβος. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ποίας τύχης; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Πατρὸς μέν εἰμι Θρακός· ἐγεννήθην δὲ ἐν Σίδῃ τῆς Παμφυλίας. Παγανὸς δέ εἰμι, Χριστιανὸς δὲ ὤν . Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Μηδὲν ὠφελούμενος ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου, πείσθητί μοι, καὶ θύσον τοῖς θεοῖς, ἵνα καὶ παρὰ τῶν σεβαστῶν τιμηθῆς, καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν φίλος ἔσῃ. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Οὔτε τιμῆς τῶν σεβαστῶν χρήζω, οὔτε τῆς σῆς ὠφελείας κήδομαι. Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ὀλίγων ὑπαρχόντων κατεφρόνησα, ἵνα τῷ ζῶντι Θεῷ διὰ Χριστοῦ λατρεύω. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Περιελόντες ἀυτοῦ τὸ παλλίον, καὶ περιζώσαντες τείνατε, καὶ νεύροις ὠμοῖς τύψατε.
[6] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Φεῖσαι σεαυτοῦ, ἄνθρωπε, τὸ αἇμά σου βλέπεις ῥέον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τὸ σῶμά μου πρόκειται ὑμῖν· ἐμοὶ δὲ αἱ βάσανοι ὑμῶν ἀλείμματα μύρων εἰσίν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐ παύῃ τῆς μανίας σου λοιπὸν, ἢ ἐπιμένεις, ἄθλιε; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ οὐ μαίνομαι, ὑμῶν δὲ φρονιμώτερος ὢν, δαίμοσιν οὐ λατρεύω. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Σρέψαντες ἀυτὸν καὶ κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τύψατε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Κύριε, βοήθει τῷ δούλῳ σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τύπτοντες ἀυτὸν λέγετε· Χριστιανὲ ἄνθρωπε, ποῦ ἐστὶν ὁ βοηθῶν σοι; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Καὶ ἐβοήθησεν, καὶ βοηθεῖ μοι. Οὕτως γὰρ τῶν βασάνων σου καταφρονῶ, ὡς μὴ πείθεσθαὶ σοι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πρόσχες τῷ σώματί σου, πανάθλιε, ὅτι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ σώματός σου τὴν γῆν ἐπλήρὼσεν. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τοῦτο γίνωσκε, ὅτι ὅσον τὸ σῶμά μου πάσχει διὰ Χριστόν, τοσούτον τὴν ψυχὴν ὑγιεινότερος γίνομαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Βάλλοντες ἀυτῷ σίδηρα εἰς τέσσαρα κεντήματα, ἀυτὸν διατείνατε, μὴ ἐάσαντες ἀυτὸν ἐπιμελείας τυχεῖν· τὸν δὲ ἕτερον εἰς τὸ μέσον τοῦ βήματος ἀγάγετε.
[7] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἕστηκε, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τί καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομὰ σου. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Χριστιανός εἰμι· πάντως γὰρ τοῦτο θέλεις ἀκοῦσαι· ἰδοὺ οὖν εἶπόν σοι, ὅτι χριστιανός εἰμι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τῶν πρό σου μηδεν ὠφελησάντων ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦτου, συντόμως ἐρωτώμενος, εἰπὲ τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Εἰ τὸ κοινὸν ὄνομά μου πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἐρωτᾷς, Ἀνδρόνικος κέκλημαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ποίου γένους εἶ; Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Εὐγενὴς εἰμι, καὶ τῶν πρώτων Εφεσίων υιός. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πάσης ἀπαλλαγεὶς ἐπινοίας ἀλόγων * θέλησον ὡς πατρὶ πεισθῆναί μοι· καὶ γὰρ οἱ πρὸ σοῦ θελήσαντες μωρᾷναι, οὐδὲν ὠφέλησαν ἑαυτοὺς· σὺ δὲ τιμήσας τοὺς ἀυτοκράτορας, καὶ τοῖς πατρῴοις θεοῖς θύσας, εὐεργετηθήσῃ. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Καλῶς πατρῴους ὀνομάζετε. Πατέρα γὰρ ἔχοντες ὑμεῖς τὸν σατανᾶν, υἱοί ἐστε ἐκείνου, καὶ διάβολοι γεγόνατε. Τὰ γὰρ ἐκείνου ἔργα πράττετε. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τὸ νέον σου τῆς ἡλικίας προπετέστερόν σε ποιεῖ· καὶ μείζονάς σοι παρέξει τὰς ὕβρεις. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Νέος μὲν εἶναί σοι δοκῶ τοῖς ἔτεσι, τέλειος δὲ εἰμι τῇ ψυχῇ πρὸς ἅπαντα. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τῆς πολυλογίας σου παυσάμενος, θύσον τοῖς θεοῖς, ἵνα τῶν αἰκισμῶν ἀπαλλαγῆς.
[8] Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Δοκεῖς με τοσοῦτον ἄφρονα ἐ͂ιναι, ἵνα τῶν πρὸ ἐμοῦ σοι μηδὲν ἀποκρινομένων ἥττων γένομαι· ἑτοιμότερός σου εἰμὶ πρὸς πάντα. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἄρατε ἀυτοῦ τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ περιζώσαντες ἀυτὸν ἀναρτήσατε. Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Πρὸ τοῦ τὸ σῶμά σου ἀφανισθῆναι, πείσθητί
μοι, πανάθλιε. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Συμφέρει τὸ σῶμά μου ἀφανισθῆναι, καὶ μὴ τὴν ψυχήν. Ποίει ὁ θέλεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πείθῃ καὶ θύῃς πρὶν ἢ ἁψάμενός σου ἀπολέσω σε. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἐγω οὐδέποτε ἔθυσα, οὐδὲ ἐκ νεότητός μου, οὐδὲ νῦν θύω, μάλιστα οἷς ἀναγκάζεις με δαίμοσιν. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Ἅψασθε ἀυτοῦ τοῦ σώματος. Ἀθανάσιος κορνικουλάριος εἶπεν· Πείσθητι τῷ ὑπατικῷ. Πατήρ γὰρ σου τοῖς ἔτεσίν εἰμι, καὶ συμβουλεύω σοι. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἄπελθε, νουθέτησον σαυτὸν, ὅτι γέρων ὢν, ἀσύνετος εἶ, πείθων με λίθοις καὶ δαίμοσιν θύειν.
[9] Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Ὀυχ ἥψαντό σου αἱ βάσανοι, πανάθλιε, ἵνα σαυτὸν ἐλεήσας, παύσῃς τῆς μωρίας ταύτης, τῆς μηδὲν ὠφελούσης σε; Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἡμῶν ἡ μωρία ἀυτὴ ἀναγκαία ἐστὶν τοῖς ἐλπίδα ἔχουσι εἰς Χριστόν· ἡ γὰρ σοφία πρόσκαιρος οὐσα αἰώνιον θάνατον τοῖς ἔχουσιν ἀυτὴν προξενεῖ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· τίς σε ἐδίδαξε τὴν μωρίαν ταύτην; Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ὁ σωτήριος λόγος, εἰς ὃν καὶ ζῶμεν καὶ ζήσομεν, ἔχοντες ἐν οὐρανῷ Θεὸν, τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμῶν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀπαλλάττου τῆς μωρίας σου, πρὶν ἐπιπλείονά σε βασανίζων ἀπολέσω. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Τὸ σῶμὰ μου πρόκειταί σοι, ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις, ποίει ὃ θέλεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Χαράξατε ἀυτοῦ τὰς κνήμας εὐτονώτατα. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἴδοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ κρινάτω σε ἐν τάχει, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἀδικήσαντά με βασανίζεις ὡς φονέα.
[10] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀβεβῶν εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ εἰς τοὺς σεβαστοὺς, καὶ τοῦ βήματός μου καταφρονῶν, οὐδὲν ἀδικεῖν φάσκεις; Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγωνίζομαι τῆς εἰς τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεόν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐυσεβὴς ἦς, εἰ ἐτίμας τοὺς θεοὺς, οὓς καὶ οἱ ἀυτοκράτορες σέβονται. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἅυτη ἀσέβειά ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ εὐσέβεια, ἵνα καταλιπὼν τὸν ζῶντα Θεὸν, λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις προσκυνήσω. Μάξιμος ἐ͂ιπεν· Ἀσεβοῦσιν οὖν οἱ ἀυτοκράτορες, δήμιε; Ἀνδρόνικος ἐ͂ιπεν· Ἀσεβοῦσιν, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ. Εἰ δὲ θέλεις καὶ ἀυτὸς ὀρθῷ λογισμῷ χρήσασθαι, γινώσκεις ὅτι ἀσέβειά ἐστι τοῖς δαιμοσι θύειν. Μάξιμος ἐ͂ιπεν· Στρέψαντες τὰ πλῆκτρα, τὰς πλευρὰς ἀυτοῦ κεντήσατε. Ἀνδρόνικος ἐ͂ιπεν· Πρόκειμαί σοι. Ὡς θέλεις, τὸ σῶμά μου αἴκιζε. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν ἐ͂ιπεν· Ἅλας προσαγάγετε, καὶ ὀστράκοις ἀυτοῦ τὰς πλεύρας ἀνατρίψατε. Ἀνδρόνικος ἐ͂ιπεν· Ἐστερέωσας ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν ἐ͂ιπεν· Κατ᾽ ὀλίγον σε ἀφανίσω. Ἀνδρόνικος ἐ͂ιπεν· Οὐ φοβοῦμαι σου τὰς ἀπειλάς. Ὁ γὰρ λογισμός μου κρείττων σου πάσης ἐπινοίας καὶ κακίας ἐστίν· ὅθεν καταφρονῶ σου τῶν βασάνων. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν ἐ͂ιπεν· Δήσαντες ἀυτοῦ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τοὺς πόδας, φυλάττετε ἐις τὸ δεσμωτήριον.
St. Tarachus, having professed Christ at Tarsus Diocletian and Maximian being consuls for the second time a, on the twelfth day before the Kalends of June b, at Tarsus, metropolis of Cilicia, Numerianus Maximus the governor sitting in judgment, Demetrius the centurion said: "There have been brought before your nobility, lord, in the city of Pompeiopolis c, by Eutolmius Palladius the spiculator d, those who are most evil and impious Christians, who do not consent to the precepts of our lords: they are present before the tribunal of your nobility." Maximus the governor said to Tarachus: "What are you called? For you ought to be interrogated first, since you are older in age. Answer." Tarachus said: "I am a Christian." Maximus said: "Spare this impious profession. Say, what are you called?" Tarachus said: "I am a Christian." Maximus said: "Break his jaws, saying: Do not answer one thing for another." Tarachus said: "What my name is, this I say. But if you ask this, which is common, I am called Tarachus by my parents; and when I was serving as a soldier I was named Victor e."
[2] and to sacrifice to the gods Maximus said: "Of what family are you?" Tarachus said: "I am of military station and a Roman f, but born in the city of Claudiopolis of Isauria g. And because I am a Christian, I renounced military service h." Maximus said: "For you were not worthy, impious one, to serve as a soldier. But how did you withdraw from the army?" Tarachus said: "I besought Publio the commander, and he dismissed me i." Maximus said: "Therefore have regard to your old age, since I wish that you be one of those consenting to the precepts of our lords, and receive great honour from me. Therefore approach and sacrifice to our gods, since the princes themselves also venerate them over the whole world." Tarachus said: "They err with the great error of Satan." The governor said: "Break his jaws, because he said that the emperors have erred." Tarachus said: "I have said and I say that they err as men." Maximus said: "Sacrifice to our gods, and leave off all your cunning." Tarachus said: "I serve and sacrifice to my God, not in blood, but in a clean heart. For such sacrifices are not necessary to God."
[3] being invited in vain, Maximus said: "Still I have pity in part on your age and on your prudent old age, and I admonish you to dismiss all vanity and to sacrifice to our gods k." Tarachus said: "I do not depart from the law of the Lord." Maximus said: "Therefore approach and sacrifice." Tarachus said: "I do not work impiety, since I honour the law of God." Maximus said: "Is there, then, another law besides that, O evil head?" Tarachus said: "There is, I say, by which you, impious ones, adore stones and wood, the works of men l." Maximus said: "Beat him on the neck, saying: Do not be vain." Tarachus said: "I do not depart from that vanity which makes me safe." Maximus said: "I will make you rest from that vanity, and will make you prudent."
[4] and, beaten with rods on that account, he is shut up in prison: Tarachus said: "Do what you will: you have power over my body." Maximus said: "Take off his garments and beat him with rods." Tarachus said: "Now truly you have made me prudent, strengthening me with blows. More and more I desire to trust in the name of God and of His Christ." Maximus said: "Unjust and accursed one, how do you serve two gods, whom you confess with your voice; and now you deny the gods?" Tarachus said: "I confess openly Him who is the true God." Maximus said: "Now you have confessed Christ also as God m." Tarachus said: "And rightly. For He is the Son of God n, the hope of Christians, for whom we suffer and are saved *." Maximus said: "Leave off your wordiness; approach and sacrifice." Tarachus said: "I am not wordy, but I speak the truth. I am sixty-five years old o, and so I have grown, not departing from the truth." Demetrius the centurion said: "O man, spare yourself and sacrifice. Listen to me." Tarachus said: "Depart from me with your counsel [p], minister of Satan." Maximus said: "Let this one, bound with great iron chains, be taken back into prison. Bring another, the one following him."
[5] Demetrius the centurion said: "He is here, lord." Maximus the governor said: "What are you called? Answer first [q]." Probus said: "First, what is noble, a Christian: second, among men I am called Probus." St. Probus, beaten with raw sinews Maximus the governor said: "Of what family are you, Probus?" Probus said: "I had a father from Thrace: but I was born at Side in Pamphylia [r]. I am a plebeian, but a Christian." Maximus said: "Nor will you make any gain from that name. Listen to me and sacrifice to the gods, that you may be honoured by the princes: and you will be our friend." Probus said: "I neither want the honour of the princes nor desire your friendship. For the substance of my riches which I left, that I might serve the living God, is not small." Maximus said: "Strip him, and take off his cloak, and gird him, and stretch him out, and beat him with raw sinews."
[6] Demetrius the centurion said: "Be merciful to yourself, O man, and likewise brought back into prison, seeing your blood poured out upon the ground." Probus said: "My body is before you: but your torments are ointment to me." Maximus said: "You do not rest from your vanity, but persist in your hardness, wretch." Probus said: "I am not vain, but more prudent than you; therefore I do not sacrifice to demons." Maximus said: "Turn him round and beat him on the belly." Probus said: "Help Your servant, Lord." Maximus said: "Beating him, say to him: Where is your helper?" Probus said: "He helps and will help me. For I so hold your torments for nothing that I do not yield to you." Maximus said: "Look to your body, wretch, since the earth is filled with your blood." Probus said: "Know this, that as much as my body suffers for Christ, so much the more is my soul healed and given life." Maximus said: "Put iron on him; bind him fast through four places of the sinews [s], not permitting anyone to apply care to him. Bring another into the middle of the tribunal."
[7] Demetrius the centurion said: "He is here, lord." Maximus said: St. Andronicus "What are you called?" Andronicus said: "Openly, if you wish to know, I tell you that I am a Christian [t]." Maximus said: "Those who were before you obtained nothing from that name. But you ought now to answer us fittingly." Andronicus said: "My common name among men, I am called Andronicus." Maximus said: "What family are you?" Andronicus said: "Of a noble family, and the son of [one] of the first order of the Ephesians." Maximus said: "Spare all foolish talk and vanity, and willingly listen to me as to a father. For those who before you wished to become fools gained nothing. But you, honouring the princes and fathers, consent to our gods." Andronicus said: "You rightly name them fathers, since you yourselves have Satan for father. For you have become sons of the devil, and you perform his works." Maximus said: "The youth of your boyhood still restrains me [u]. For know that great torments are being prepared for you." Andronicus said: "I seem to you young in years, but I am mature in soul and in all things." Maximus said: "Desist from much talk, approach, sacrifice, that you may be able to escape torments."
[8] Andronicus said: "Do you think me so foolish the governor Maximus that I should be found less than those who went before me? I am ready for you for all torments." Maximus said: "Strip him, and gird him, and hang him up." Demetrius the centurion said: "Before your body is destroyed, wretch, listen to me." Andronicus said: "It is better that my body perish than my soul also. Do what you will." Maximus said: "Consent and sacrifice, before, laying hands on you , I destroy you." Andronicus said: "I have never sacrificed from my infancy, and I do not sacrifice now. Besides, those to whom you compel me to sacrifice are demons." Maximus said: "Touch his body." Athanasius the cornicularius [x] said: "Consent to the governor. I am your father in years; therefore I counsel you." Andronicus said: "Go, give counsel to yourself, because you are older and have no sense, giving me such counsel, that I should sacrifice to stones and demons."
[9] in a manner not unlike, but equally in vain, Maximus said: "Do you not feel the torments, wretch, so that you may have pity on yourself and depart from that vanity which cannot save you?" Andronicus said: "That vanity is very good for those who have hope in the Lord; but temporal wisdom works everlasting death." Maximus said: "Who taught you that folly?" Andronicus said: "The word which gives life, in which we also live [y], having in heaven the Lord, the hope of our resurrection." Maximus said: "Depart from your folly before I begin to torture you more heavily." Andronicus said: "My body is placed before you. You have power; do what you will." Maximus said: "Torture his shin [z] strongly." Andronicus said: "May God look upon it, because without cause you subject me to penalties like a murderer."
[10] attacks. Maximus said: "You despise the precepts of the princes, and my tribunal seems nothing to you [aa]." Andronicus said: "I trust in the mercy and truth of God: hence I suffer this. [bb]" Maximus the governor said: "You would be merciful [cc] if you honoured the gods whom the princes adore." Andronicus said: "It is impiety to abandon the true God and to adore stones." Maximus said: "Have the princes, then, offended? O condemned one!" Andronicus said: "They have offended, as I understand. For if you wish to understand with right sense, know that it is an offence to sacrifice to demons." Maximus said: "Turn him over and prick his sides [dd]." Andronicus said: "I am before you; subject my body to penalties as you will." Maximus said: "Take potsherds [ee], and rub his wounds." Andronicus said: "You have now strengthened my body in its wounds." Maximus said: "I will destroy you bit by bit." Andronicus said: "I do not fear your threats. For my mind is better than the thought of your malice; therefore I despise your torments." Maximus said: "Bind his feet and neck with iron, and let him be held under guard."
ANNOTATIONS.
p. Greek: Admonish yourself.
q. Supply: All vain talk being dismissed.
r. In Baronius and Surius there is had at Perge, which is also a city of Pamphylia. Metaphrastes also reads at Side. The Codex of St. Remigius dissents from the others, wrongly substituting for Pamphylia Pisidia, to which Side does not belong.
s. That is, bind both hands and feet in the stocks. So Ruinart.
t. One order of words follows here in the Latin text, another in the Greek: that the Latin may correspond to the Greek, read thus: I am a Christian; for you altogether desire to hear this: behold, therefore, I have told you that I am a Christian. Maximus the governor said: since that name has profited nothing to those who went before you, being asked, tell your name without circumlocution. Andronicus said: if you ask my common name among men, I am called Andronicus. Maximus the governor said: Of what family are you? Andronicus said: of a noble one, and of the first rank among the Ephesians, etc.
u. In the Greek is read: Your youth makes you more petulant, and will increase your punishments.
x. The scribe of the prefect, or, as they now say, secretary, so called from the writing horn or inkwell. In Surius Anaxius is read for Athanasius.
y. In the Greek is added: and shall live.
z. The Greek text has shins. The 2nd Colbert Codex and Rosweyde: Torture his mouth.
aa. In the Greek is had: Since you behave impiously toward the gods and the emperors, and spurn my tribunal, do you call yourself innocent?
bb. In the Greek is had: I contend for piety, which is toward the true God.
cc. Read: You would be pious, etc., as the words immediately preceding require.
dd. In the Greek is had: Turning the whips, prick his sides.
ee. Greek: Bring salt and rub his sides with potsherds.
another Ms. assistente another Ms. Entulineo Φλαβιανοῦ Νουμεριανοῦ Ms. Polybionem Ms. per another Ms. sanamur Ms. ἡμῶν Χριστιανὸς δὲ νῦν. Ed. φιλίας Ed. λόγων Ms. of St. Remigius incipiam exterminare te ii
CHAPTER II. The second interrogation of the holy Martyrs.
Δευτέρα ἐξέτασις ἐν Ἀναζαρβῷ τῇδ᾽ ἐν μητροπόλει. Φλάβιος, Γάἳος, Νουμεριανὸς, Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν ἐ͂ιπεν· Κάλει τοὺς τῆς ἀσεβοῦς θρησκείας ὑπηρέτας τῶν Χριστιανῶν. Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης ἐ͂ιπεν· Ἑστήκασι, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν ἐ͂ιπεν· Οἴμοι, Τάραχε, πάνυ τὸ γῆρας τίμιον τοῖς πλείοσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐ͂ιναι νομίζω, διὰ τὸν προσόντα μοι ἐις συμβουλίαν λογισμόν· ὅθεν νουθετήσας σεαυτὸν, μὴ θελήσης τοῖς προτέροις λογισμοῖς καὶ σήμερον ἀποχρήσασθαι, ἵνα θύσας τοῖς θεοῖς, τὸν ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἔπαινον ἀναδέξῃ. Τάραχος ἐ͂ιπεν· Χριστιανός ἐιμι· τὸν δὲ ἔπαινον τοῦτον εὔχομαί σε καὶ τοὺς ἀυτοκράτοράς σου, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀποθεμένους τὴν πώρωσιν * τυφλώσεως, ἀναδέξασθαι λογισμὸν κρέιττονα καὶ στερεωποιηθέντα, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ ζωοποιηθῆναι.
[12] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν ἐ͂ιπεν· Λίθοις τὸ στόμα ἀυτοῦ κόψατε, καὶ ἔιπατε ἀυτῷ· παῦσον ἀπὸ τῆς μωρίας σου. Τάραχος ἐ͂ιπεν· Εἰ μὴ ἔνηφον, ὅμοιός σου μωρὸς ἂν ἤμεν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμών ἐ͂ιπεν· Ἴδε καὶ τοὺς ὁδόντας σου σαλευθέντας, καὶ σεαυτὸν ἐλέησον, πανάθλιε. Τάραχος ἐ͂ιπεν· Οὐ λυπεις * με ἐν οὐδενὶ, κᾂν ἕκαστον τῶν μελῶν μου ἀκρωτηριάσης· ἀλλ᾽ ἕστηκά σοι ἑδραῖος ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντι με Χριστῷ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πείσθητί μοι, λυσιτελεῖ γάρ σοι, καὶ θύσον προσελθών. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Εἰ ᾔδειν ὅτι συμφέρει μοι, οὐκ ἂν ἔπασχον ταῦτα. Μάξιμος ἡγεμών εἶπεν· Τύπτοντες αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα, κράζειν ἀυτῷ φήσατε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Τῶν ὀδόντων μου διαπεπτωκότων, καὶ τῶν σιαγόνων συγκλασθέντων κράζειν οὐ δύναμαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως πείθῃ, ἀνόσιε; προσελθὼν τοῖς βωμοῖς, σπεῖσαι τοῖς θεοῖς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Εἰ καὶ τὴν φωνὴν μου ἐνεπόδισας εἰς τὸ κράζειν, ἀλλὰ τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς μου λογισμὸν οὐδὲν βλάψεις· ἐις μέιζονα γὰρ εὐτονίαν με ᾠκοδόμησας.
[13] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἰπεν· Ἐγὼ σου τὸν τόνον καθαιρῶ, ἀνοσιώτατε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Πάσαις ταῖς ἐπινοίαις σου προβεβλημένος, ἡττῶ σε ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ ἐνδυναμοῦντός με Θεοῦ. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Προσαγάγετε ἀυτῷ πῦρ ἐις τὰς χεῖρας, ἁπλώσαντες ἀυτάς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Τὸ πῦρ σου οὐ φοβοῦμαι τὸ πρόσκαιρον· φοβοῦμαι δὲ, μὴ ἄρα σου πεισθὲις, τοῦ αἰωνίου πυρὸς μέτοχος γένωμαι. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ καὶ αἱ χεῖρές σου ἠφανίσθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ πυρός· παύεις τῆς μανίας σου, ἀνόητε, καὶ θύεις; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Οὕτω μοι ὁμιλεῖς ὡς παραιτησαμένου τὸ σῶμα ἐπινοίαις πείθειν, καὶ νῦν ὅτι στερεός εἰμι ἐν πᾶσιν οἷς κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ πράττεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Δήσαντες ἀυτὸν ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν ἀναρτήσατε εἰς ὕψος, καὶ καπνὸν δριμὺ προσαγάγετε τῇ ὄψει αὐτοῦ. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Τοῦ πυρός σου κατεφρόνησα· καὶ τὸν καπνόν σου ἔχω φοβηθῆναι; Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Θύσαι ὁμολόγησον, ὡς ἀνήρτησαι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Θύσον συ, ὡς ἔχεις ἔθος, ὑπατικὲ, καὶ ἀνθρώπους θύειν· ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο τοῦτο πρᾶξαι.
[14] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Προσαγάγετε ἀυτῷ ὄξος δριμὺ μετὰ ἄλατος κατὰ τῶν μυκτήρων ἀυτοῦ. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Τὸ ὄξος σου γλυκύ ἐστι καὶ τὸ ἄλας σου ἐμοὶ μωρόν. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Μίξαντες σίναπον τῷ ὄξει, ἐκχέετε ἀυτῷ κατὰ τῶν ῥινῶν. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Πλανῶσί σε οἱ ὑπηρέται σου, Μάξιμε, καὶ μέλι ἀντὶ σινάπεως ἐνέχεόν μοι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐπινοήσω σοι βασάνους τῇ ἑξῆς δικασίμῳ, καὶ πάυσω σε τῆς μωρίας σου. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Κᾀγὼ ἑτοιμότερος ταῖς ἐπινοίαις σου γενήσομαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καθελόντες ἀυτὸν καὶ δήσαντες σιδήροις, παράδοτε τῷ δεσμοφύλακι· τὸν δὲ ἕτερον μετὰ τοῦτον κάλει.
[15] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἕστηκε, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Λέγε μοι, Πρόβε, ἔκρινας ἀπαλλάττεσθαι τῶν βασάνων, ἢ οὐδέπω τῆς μωρίας σου ἀπαλλάττῃ; ὅθεν προσελθὼν θύσον τοῖς θεοῖς, ὃ καὶ οἱ ἀυτοκράτορες ὑπὲρ κοινῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων πράττουσιν. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἑτοιμότερός σου καὶ σήμερον καθέστηκα, καὶ ἐκ τῶν πρώτων ἐξετάσεων καὶ πληγῶν δυναμώτερος, διὸ καὶ πείραν μου λάμβανε, πάσαις ἐπινοίαις καὶ ἐπαγγελίαις τιμωριῶν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ, οὔτε οἱ ἀυτοκράτορές σου, οὔτε οἱ δαίμονες οἷς θρησκεύεις πλανώμενος, οὔτε ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ σατανὰς πείσουσί με ἀσεβήσαντα προσκυνῆσαι θεοῖς, οἷς οὐ γινώσκω. Ἔχων δὲ τὸν Θεόν μου ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἀυτὸν λατρεύων προσκυνήσω. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὗτοι γὰρ οὐκ εἰσι θεοὶ ζῶντες, ἀνοσιώτατε; Πρόβος εἶπεν· οἱ ἐν λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις ἔργοις χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων τυγχάνοντες, πῶς δύνανται θεοὶ εἶναι ζῶντες; Σφάλλῃ ὑπὸ πολλῆς ἀγνοίας, τούτοις θρησκεύων, ὑπατικέ.
[16] Μάξιμος ἡγεμών ἐ͂ιπεν· Σφάλλεσθαι με νουθετοῦντά σε ἡγῇ, ὦ μιαρὰ κεφαλὴ, θρησκεύοντα τοῖς
θεοῖς; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Θεοὶ οἱ οὐκ ἐποίησαν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀπολέσθωσαν, καὶ πάντες οἱ θρησκεύοντες ἀυτοῖς. Ὁ θυσιάζων γὰρ θεοῖς ἑτέροις, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται. Τῷ γὰρ Κυρίῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς θυσίαν δει προσφέρειν οὐ δι᾽ αἵματος, ἀλλ᾽ αἰνέσεος ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ, τῆς εἰς ἀυτὸν ἀληθείας καὶ γνώσεως. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Παυσάμενος τῆς ἐθελοκάκου φρονιμότητός σου, θύσον τοῖς θεοῖς, Πρόβε, καὶ σώθητι. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Πολλοῖς θεοῖς οὐ λατρεύω· ὅν δὲ γινώσκω Θεὸν εἶναι ἀληθῶς, εὐσεβῶς τούτῳ λατρεύων προσκυνήσω. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ούκοῦν τῷ τοῦ Διὸς προσελθὼν βωμῷ θύσον, ἵνα μὴ πολλοῖς, ὡς ἔφης, λατρεύῃς θεοῖς. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ Θεὸν ἔχω ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, τοῦτον καὶ φοβοῦμαι· τοῖς γὰρ λεγομένοις ὑπὸ σοῦ θεοῖς οὐ λατρεύω. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καἱ πάλαι ἔφην, καὶ νῦν ἐρῶ, θύσον τῷ μεγάλῳ θεῷ καὶ ἀηττήτῳ ἐπόπτῃ Διΐ. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τὸν τῆς ἰδίας αδελφῆς ἄνδρα, μοιχόντε καὶ παιδοφθόρον, πόρνον τε καὶ βέβηλον, ὡς πάντες οἱ ποιηταὶ ἀυτῷ μαρτυροῦσιν, ἵνα μὴ τὰ λοιπὰ ἀυτοῦ καὶ ἄσεμνα λέγω καὶ ἀπόῤῥητα, τούτῷ, ἄδικε καὶ ἀνόσιε, κελεύεις με θύειν;
[17] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν λέγει· Τύπτοντες ἀυτοῦ τὸ στόμα, λέγετε ἀυτῷ· μὴ βλασφήμει. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τί με δέρεις; Τοῦτο προεῖπον σοι· ὅτι οἱ θρησκεύοντες ἀυτοῖς, οὗτοι περὶ ἀυτῶν λέγουσιν· ὅθεν οὐ ψεύδομαι, ἀλλὰ ἀληθεύω, ὡς καὶ σὺ γινώσκεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τὴν μωρίαν σου τρέφω, μὴ αἰκιζόμενός σε; πυρώσαντες οὖν σίδηρα, ἐπιστήσατε ἀυτὸν. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τὸ πῦρ σου ψυχρόν ἐστι καὶ οὐχ ἅπτεταί μου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πυρώσαντες ἀυτὰ εὐτονώτατα, ἐπιστήσατε ἀυτὸν κρατοῦντες καθ᾽ ἑκάτερα. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τὸ πῦρ σου ψυχρὸν γέγονεν, οἱ ὑπηρέται σου καταπαίζουσί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Δήσαντες ἀυτὸν τείνατε, καὶ νεύροις ὡμοῖς σχίσατε * τὸν νῶτον ἀυτοῦ, λέγοντες ἀυτῷ· θύσον καὶ μὴ μώριζε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τὸ πῦρ σου οὐκ ἐφοβήθην, καὶ τῶν βασάνων σου ού φροντίζω. Ἑτέραν εἰ τινα ἄλλην ἔχεις μηχανὴν τιμωρίας, πρόσφερε, ἵνα δείξω τὸν ἐν ἐμοὶ Θεόν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ξυρήσαντες ἀυτοῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν, ἄνθρακας ἐκκεκαυμένους ἐπίθετε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἐκαυτηρίασάς μου τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ ἐδοκίμασας ὅτι Θεοῦ ἐιμι δοῦλος, καὶ φέρω τὰς ἀπειλάς σου.
[18] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐἰ θεῶν δοῦλος ᾖς, ἔθυες ἂν ἀυτοῖς, καὶ εὐσεβὴς ᾖς. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ Θεοῦ δοῦλος ἐιμι, καὶ οὐ Θεῶν τῶν ἀπολλυόντων τοὺς φοβουμένους ἀυτοὺς. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πάντες οὖν οἱ εὐσεβοῦντες ἀυτοὺς, τρισκατάρατε, οὐ παρεστήκασὶ μου τῷ βήματι τίμιοι τοῖς θεοῖς καὶ τοῖς σεβαστοῖς, ὑμᾶς τε καθορῶντες, ὑπὲρ δυσφημίας τῶν θεῶν τιμορουμένους. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Πίστευσον ὅτι ἀπώλοντο, ἐι μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔπραξαν καὶ μὴ νοήσαντες * δουλεύσωσι δὲ τῷ ζῶντι Θεῷ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Κλάσατε ἀυτοῦ τὴν ὄψιν, ἵνα μὴ λέγῃ Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ θεούς. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἀληθῆ λέγοντα τύπτεσθαι τὸ στόμα μου κελεύεις, παρανομώτατε; Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐ μόνον τύπτεσθαι τὸ στόμα σου κελεύω, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν βλάσφημόν σου γλῶσσαν περικοπῆναι κελεύω, ἵνα παυσάμενος τῆς μωρολογίας σου θύσῃς προσελθών. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Κᾄν τὸ λαλοῦν ὄργανον περικόψαι θελήσῃς, ἔχω ἐνδὸν τὴν ἀθάνατον γλῶτταν, δι᾽ ἧς ἀποκρίνομαί σοι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τέως καὶ οὗτος ἀναληφθήτω ἐις τὸ δεσμωτήριον. ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος κάλει Ἀνδρόνικον.
[19] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἕστηκε, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τῶν πρὸ σοῦ ἐξετασθέντων πολλὰς τιμωρίας ὑπομεμενηκότων, καὶ μηδὲν ὠφεληθέντων, τρισάθλιε, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ μυρίους καὶ τοσούτους αἰκισμοὺς μόλις ἐπέισθησαν εὐσεβῆσαι τοῖς θεοῖς, τιμὰς οὐ μικρὰς παρὰ τῶν ἀυτοκρατόρων δέξασθαι ἔχουσιν. Ὅθεν πεισον καὶ σὺ σεαυτὸν πρὸ τῶν βασάνων, καὶ κερδῆσαι θέλησον τὰς τιμωρίας, ἵνα θύσας τοῖς θεοῖς, εὐσεβὴς γεγενημένος καὶ ὑπήκοος τοῖς σεβαστοῖς, τιμὰς παρ᾽ ἐκείνων σοι πρεπούσας δέξῃ. Εἰ δὲ μὴ βουληθῇς, ὄμνυμί σοι τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἀηττήτους ἀυτοκράτορας, οὖχ ἁπλῶς ἀπειθήσαντά σε τιμωρήσομαι. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Μηδὲ τῶν πρὸ ἐμοῦ σοι ἀπολογησαμένων τοσαύτης ἀδρανίας * μου καταγίνωσκε, μηδὲ ἔικειν ποικίλοις λόγοις καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον φρόνημα ἀπατᾶν νόμιζε. Οὔτε γὰρ ἀυτοὶ τὸν πατρῶον νόμον ἀρνησάμενοι πεισθεῖεν τῇ σῇ μανίᾳ, καταλιπόντες τὰς ἐις Θεὸν ἡμῶν ἐλπίδας. Οὔτε ἐγὼ τοσοῦτον ἐλαττονήσω πίστει καὶ ὑπομονῃ τῇ πρὸς τὸν Κύριον καὶ Θεὸν καὶ Σωτῆρα ἡμῶν, μήτε τοὺς θεούς σου γινώσκω, μήτε σε, μήτε τὸ βῆμα σου φοβούμενος. Ὥστε τὰς ἀπειλάς σου πλήρου, καὶ τάς τιμωρίας ἐπάγαγε, καὶ τὰ βασανιστήρια εὐτρέπιζε, καὶ πάντα τρόπον ἐπιχέιρει ἐπὶ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον, βίαζε.
[20] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τέινατε ἀυτὸν τοῖς πάλοις, καὶ νεύροις ὠμοῖς μαστίζετε. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Οὐδὲν μέγα * ἐπεγγέιλω κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ πράττεις, ὀμνύων τε τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τοὺς παρὰ σοὶ ἀυτοκράτορας· ἇυταί σού ἐισιν αἱ ἀπειλαί; Ἀθανάσιος κορνικουλάριος εἶπεν· Ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου ἓν τραῦμά ἐστιν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἡγῇ τοῦτο, πανάθλιε; Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Οἱ ζῶντα Θεὸν ἀγαπῶντες, τούτων οὐ φροντίζουσιν. Μάξιμος ἠγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἅλας πάσατε ἀυτοῦ τὸν νῶτον. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Πλέιονά μοι πασθῆναι κέλευσον, ἵνα ἄσηπτος διαμείνας δυνηθείην ἀντιστῆναι τῇ κακίᾳ σου. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Στρέψατε ἀυτὸν καὶ κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τύψατε, ἵνα αἱ πρῶται πληγαὶ ἀναξανθεισαι μέχρι τῶν μυελῶν ἀυτοῦ καταδράμωσιν. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Καὶ ταῖς πρῶταις σου βασάνοις τραυματισθὲις, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά μου ὑγιές ἐστιν, ὡς ἐθέασω, τῷ βήματί σου παρέστηκα νῦν ὁ θεραπεύσας με τότε, ἰάσεταί με καὶ νῦν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐ παρήγγειλα ὑμῖν, κακοὶ στρατιῶται, μηδενὸς ἀυτοῖς θεραπέιας τυχειν παρά τινος, ἀλλὰ μένειν ἀνεπιμελήτους, ὡς τοῖς θράυμασι τῶν πληγῶν κατατρυχομένους πεισθῆναι ἡμῖν; Πηγάσιος κομενταρήσιος εἶπεν· Μὰ τὸ σὸν μέγεθος, οὐδὲις ἀυτῶν ἐπεμελήθη, οὐδὲ ἐισῆλθέ τις πρὸς ἀυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐνδοτάτῃ φυλακῇ ἐφρουροῦντο δεδεμένοι· ἐι δὲ εὕροις ὅτι ψεύδομαι, κεφαλὴν ἔχω, ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις.
[21] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πῶς οὖν αἱ πληγαὶ ἀυτῶν γέγοναν ἀφανεις. Πηγάσιος κομενθαρήσιος εἶπεν· Οὐκ οἶδα πῶς ἐθεραπεύθησαν μὰ τὴν σὴν ἀρετήν. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ὁ ἡμέτερος σωτὴρ καὶ Ἰατρὸς, ἀνόητε, μέγας ἐστὶ, καὶ τοὺς εὐσεβεις τῷ Θεῷ οὐ φαρμάκων ἐπιθέσει θεραπεύει, ἀλλὰ λόγῳ ἰώμενος τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπ᾽ ἀυτόν· κατοικει μὲν οὐρανοὺς, πάρεστι δὲ ἡμῖν ἀπανταχῇ, ὃν σὺ οὐ γινώσκεις ἀσύνετος ὤν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Αὐταί σου αἱ μωρολογίαι οὐδέν σε ὠφελήσουσιν· ἀλλὰ προσελθὼν θύσον τοῖς, θεοῖς ἵνα μὴ κακηνκάκως σε ἀπαλλάξω. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Τὸ ἅπαξ καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ σοι ῥηθὲν ἕν ἐστιν. Οὐ γὰρ παιδίον εἰμὶ δυνάμενον κολακείᾳ λόγων ἀπατᾶσθαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐ νικήσετέ με καταφρονήσαντες ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ βήματός μου. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς ἡττηθῶμεν ταῖς τῶν λόγων καὶ βασανιστηρίων ἀπειλαῖς· ἕξεις δὲ ἡμᾶς γενναίους ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἐνδυναμοῦντος ἡμᾶς διὰ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ σοτῆρος ἡμῶν. Ἐκ μέρους δὲ τάχα καὶ σὺ γινώσκεις, ὑπατικὲ, ὅτι οὐ φοβηθησόμεθά σε οὐδὲ τοὺς αἰκισμούς σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Παρασκευασθήτωσάν μοι ποικίλα βασανιστήρια, τῇ ἑτέρᾳ περὶ ἀυτοῦ ἐξετάσει. Οὗτος δὲ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ σιδήρων γεγενημένος ἀναληφθῄτω εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, μηδενὸς ἀυτοὺς ὁρῶντος ἐπὶ τῆς εἱρκτῆς.
[St. Tarachus, being again enticed in vain to sacrifice to the gods, at Mopsuestia] The second interrogation was made in the city of Siscia a. Numerianus Maximus the governor, sitting, said to Demetrius the centurion: "Call the most impious Christians, who serve an evil law." Demetrius the centurion said: "They are here, lord." Maximus said: "I know that old age is honoured in many, because there is in them good thought and sense; accordingly you have considered with yourself, Tarachus, not to wish to remain today too in your former thoughts: but rather approach, sacrifice to the gods for the honour of the princes, that you may obtain honour b." Tarachus said: "If both the princes themselves and the others who share their sentiments understood that honour, all would be separated from the blindness of the thoughts of their vanity, and would be given life by the most true God into a better and stronger faith c."
[12] Maximus said: "Break his mouth with stones, and say to him: his mouth is bruised with stones, Depart from your folly." Tarachus said: "If I were not shrewd d, I would be senseless like you." Maximus said: "Behold, you see your teeth broken to pieces; have pity on yourself now, wretch." Tarachus said: "You will persuade me e in nothing: for, if you crush all my limbs, I stand firm, strong in Him who makes me strong." Maximus said: "Believe me, that it is better for you to sacrifice." Tarachus said: "If I knew that it was better, I would not be suffering these things from you." Maximus said: "Beat him on the mouth, shouting f: Answer." Tarachus said: "My jaws are broken; how shall I answer you g?" Maximus the governor said: "And in all these things you do not consent, O senseless one? Approach, therefore, the altar and sacrifice to the gods." Tarachus said: "If you have taken away the voice of my crying, you have not harmed the sense of my soul, but have built me up for the better."
[13] fire and smoke are applied, Maximus the governor said: "I will lay bare * your hardness, accursed one." Tarachus said: "I am present to all your devices, but I conquer in Him who makes me strong, that is, in the name of God." Maximus said: "Bring fire, and spread out his hands and burn them." Tarachus said: "I do not fear your temporal fire; but I fear, if I consent to you, lest perhaps the eternal fire have dominion over me." Maximus said: "What now? Behold, your hands are destroyed by the fire: rest from your vanity, senseless one, and sacrifice to the gods." Tarachus said: "You speak to me as though I had already consented to your will or given my will to your cruelty. But I am strong in all things which are prepared against me h." Maximus said: "Bind him by the feet and hang him on high, and put acrid smoke under his face." Tarachus said: "I have despised your fire; and ought I to fear your smoke?" Maximus said: "Since you are hung up, consent and sacrifice." Tarachus said: "Sacrifice yourself, governor, as you have the custom of sacrificing men: but it is not lawful for me to do this."
[14] his nostrils are tortured with vinegar and salt: Maximus said: "Bring sharp vinegar with salt, and pour it into his nostrils." Tarachus said: "Your vinegar is sweet to me, and the salt is insipid to me." Maximus said: "Mix mustard with the vinegar, and drench his nostrils." Tarachus said: "Your ministers are deceiving you, governor;
they have poured honey into me instead of mustard." Maximus said: "At the next session I will devise other torments, and will make you rest from your folly." Tarachus said: "And you will find me ready in all your devices *." Maximus said: "Take him down and bind him with iron chains, that he may be handed over to custody: and bring the one following him."
[15] but Probus Demetrius the centurion said: "He is here, lord." Maximus said: "Tell me, Probus, have you considered sparing yourself penalties, or do you not yet depart from your madness? But now approach and sacrifice to the gods: since the princes themselves also sacrifice for the safety of men." Probus said: "I stand before you bold; for both by the past interrogations and blows I am most strong, and now try on me all your torments: neither you nor your princes i will make me offend, so as to sacrifice to gods whom I do not know. But I have my God in heaven. Him alone I serve and adore." Maximus said: "Are these not living gods, accursed one?" Probus said: "Stones and wood, works of the hands of men, how can they be living gods? You err from much ignorance in sacrificing to these, governor."
[16] from the constancy of the faith Maximus said: "Do you say that I err, O evil head, in sacrificing to the gods?" Probus said: "The gods who did not make heaven and earth, let them perish k." Maximus said: "Cease from your cunning and sacrifice to the gods, Probus, and you will be safe." Probus said: "I do not sacrifice to many gods; but Him whom I know to be the true God, adoring I will adore." Maximus said: "Then approach and sacrifice to Jupiter, the great god, and not to many, as you said." Probus said: "I have God in heaven; Him alone I fear; for to those who are called gods by you I do not consent, nor do I adore them." Maximus said: "Again I say to you: Sacrifice to Jupiter, the most invincible god l." Probus said: "Do you call him god who committed fornication with his own sister, and did many other things which I cannot say m? Do you call this one god?"
[17] Maximus said: "Break his mouth, that he may not blaspheme." neither blows nor the burning of his feet and head Probus said: "Why do you beat me? All who sacrifice to him say this. I do not lie, but I speak the truth, as you yourself too know very well." Maximus said: "I am now converting your folly n. Now heat iron and put it on him o." Probus said: "Your fire is lukewarm, and does not touch me." Maximus said: "Heat the iron more fiercely, and, while he stands, put it on him [p]." Probus said: "Now truly your fire has become lukewarm. Your ministers are mocking you." Maximus said: "Bind him and stretch him out, and beat him with raw sinews, and lay open his back [q]." Probus said: "I did not fear your fire; I despise your torments. But if you have another device, apply it, that you may know who is the God in me." Maximus said: "Shave his head, and put fiery coals on it." Probus said: "You have burned my feet and head; and you have proved that I am a servant of God, and endure your anger."
[18] Maximus said: "If you were a servant of the gods, you would sacrifice to them moves him: and adore them." Probus said: "I am a servant of God, and not of the gods, who destroy those who consent to them." Maximus said: "Are not all who consent to them present before my tribunal, honoured by the gods and the princes? But you, thrice accursed, are looked at * by all on account of your disobedience [r]." Probus said: "Believe me; all have perished unless, being converted, they do penance for that in which they have offended: for knowingly they served idols, and abandoned the living God [s]." Maximus said: "Break his face, that he may not say God, but gods." Probus said: "Because I have spoken the truth, you have ordered my mouth to be broken, most wicked one." Maximus said: "Not only your mouth, but also your blasphemous tongue I will cut off, that you may depart from the folly of your words and sacrifice to the gods." Probus said: "Even if you have the organ which speaks in me cut off, I have an interior and immortal tongue, with which I will make answer." Maximus the governor said: "Now let this one also be taken back into custody; bring another, the one following him."
[19] Demetrius the centurion said: "He is here, lord." likewise in vain to St. Andronicus Maximus the governor said: "Those who were interrogated before you, Andronicus, suffered many torments and made no gain, the wretches: but after so many and such things as they suffered, we could scarcely convert them to the gods. But they are going to receive great honour from the princes. Whence do you too take counsel for yourself, and gain freedom from torments, and sacrifice to our gods, and obey our will, that you may obtain worthy honour from the princes. But if you will not, I swear to you by the gods and our most invincible princes, do not think that you will escape from my hands [t]." Andronicus said: "Wretched and lying one, why do you deceive me? For you cannot turn our liberty or trample on our sense. For neither could they deny the Lord and consent to your folly. Consider, then, that you will find me too such. Armed by my God I stand before you in the faith and power of the Lord God almighty and our Saviour, neither knowing your gods, nor fearing the princes or your tribunal. And now let all your devices and all the kinds of penalties which you have devised against the Servants of God be brought forward into the midst [u]."
[20] new blows, the former Maximus said: "Stretch him on the stakes, and beat him with raw sinews." Andronicus said: "You have devised nothing great beyond your former threat [x]: are these all your threats?" Athanasius the cornicularius [y] said: "Your whole body is afflicted, and do you hold all these things for nothing, wretch?" Andronicus said: "Those who love the living God despise all these things." Maximus the governor said: "Rub his back with salt ." Andronicus said: "Order more salt to be put on, that I may be seasoned and stand against your malice." Maximus said: "Turn him over and beat him on the belly, that the former wounds may be roused and descend to the marrow." Andronicus said: "In the first interrogation too you afflicted my body, and I was brought sound before your tribunal. He is present now too who cures and saves me." Maximus the governor said: "Did I not command you, O evil soldiers, that no one should approach him or cure him, but that he should be so that the wounds themselves might rot in him?" Pegasius the commentariensis [z] said: "By your magnificence, no one cured him, nor did anyone go in to him. He was kept in chains in the inner prison: and if you find me a liar, I have a head; you have power."
[21] being healed by divine help, are inflicted. Maximus the governor said: "How then do his wounds not appear?" Pegasius the commentariensis said: "I do not know how he was cured, by your nobility." Andronicus said: "Our physician is great and kind, O fool. He does not put on medicine or plaster, but by word alone cures all who hope in Him. For He dwells in heaven: He is present everywhere, whom you do not recognise, senseless one." Maximus the governor said: "These words of your folly will profit you nothing: but approach and sacrifice to the gods, that I may not destroy you badly and wickedly [aa]." Andronicus said: "Both the first and the second things which you heard from me are one. For I am not a boy, to be seduced and trampled on by your words." Maximus said: "You will not conquer me or despise my tribunal." Andronicus said: "Nor are we conquered by your words, or torments, or your anger; but we stand in your sight as athletes strong in Him who strengthens us, Jesus Christ our Lord. For in part perhaps you perceive and know, governor, that we do not fear you or your penalties." Maximus said: "Let other kinds of torments be prepared for me at the next session. But let this one be taken back into custody in iron chains, and be seen by no one in the bottom of the prison."
ANNOTATIONS.
o. Set him upon it.
p. Greek: Seized on both sides, set him upon it.
q. There follows: Saying to him: Sacrifice, and do not play the fool.
r. In the Greek is read: They look down upon you, tortured for insults to the gods.
s. In Bigot: Ἀπώλοντο, εἰ μὴ μετανοήσωσιν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔπραξαν, καὶ εἰ μὴ μετανοήσαντες δουλεύσωσι τῷ ζῶντι Θεῷ. They have perished, unless they do penance for what they have committed, and, doing penance, serve the living God.
t. In the Greek is read: I will afflict you, resisting, with not one kind of punishment only.
u. The Greek has thus: Do not accuse either those who before me gave account to you, or me, of so great cowardice, nor think that we comply with your cunning reasonings and that you deceive the sense of our mind. For neither are they those who, renouncing their ancestral law, would assent to your madness, abandoning the hope which is in our God: nor shall I be of so much less faith and patience toward the Lord, our God and Saviour; nor do I know your gods; nor do I fear you or your tribunal. Wherefore carry out your threats, inflict penalties, prepare instruments of tortures, attack the Servant of God in any way, use force. But this speech of Andronicus seems too prolix to be judged original.
x. I render the Greek words thus: You do nothing great against me of the things which, swearing by your gods and emperors, you announced to me, namely that you would do if I did not obey you.
y. See letter x in the Annotations to the chapter above.
z. It belonged to the commentarienses to enter the names of defendants in the records, and they were their guards.
aa. Badly and wickedly: so the translator turned the word κακηνκάκως: but it seems that κακὸν κακῶς should be read, so that the sense is: Lest I destroy you, an evil one, evilly.
Ms. ἀπόῤῥητον τῆς μολύνῃ Ed. σοι Ed. μου τὰς ὠμάς σου ἐπινοίας, πειθῃ κἂν νῦν Ed. δριμὺν l. ἀνθρώποις l. κόψατε καὶ μὴ μετανοήσαντες another Ed. expellam Comp. tormentis Rosweyde despiceris supply: μηδέ add: ὧν Rosweyde plagas ejus another Pagasius*
CHAPTER III. The third interrogation of the holy Martyrs.
Τρίτη ἐξέτασις ἐν Μαμψίστοις. Φλάβιος, Γαΐος, Νουμεριανὸς, Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Κάλει τοὺς τῆς ἀσεβοῦς θρησκείας τῶν Χριστιανῶν μύστας. Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἑστήκασι, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καὶ νῦν τῇ τῶν πληγῶν ἀνοχῇ βούλει πεισθείς ἀπαλλαγῆναι, Τάραχε, τῆς ἀναιδοῦς σου ὁμολογίας, καὶ προσελθὼν θύσον τοῖς θεοῖς, δ᾽ι οὓς τὰ πάντα συνέστηκεν. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Μή σοι καλῶς, μήτε ἀυτοῖς, ἵνα δι᾽ ἀυτῶν ὁ κόσμος κυβερνᾶται, οἷς ἡτοίμασται τὸ πῦρ καὶ ἡ αἰώνιος κόλασις· οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀυτοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ποιοῦσιν ὑμῖν τὸ θέλημα ἀυτῶν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐ παύῃ, μιαρώτατε, βλασφημῶν; ἦ νομίζεις διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀναισχυντίας νικᾶν; ὅτι τὴν κεφαλὴν σου λαβῶν ἀπαλλάττω σε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Εἰ ἦν μοι συντόμως ἀποθανεῖν, οὐκ ἦν τοῦτο μέγα ἀγώνισμα. Νῦν δὲ ἐπιπλεῖον ποίει ὃ θέλεις, ἵνα μοι ἐν Κυρίῳ ἡ προσκοπὴ τῆς ἀθλήσεως ἀυξηθῇ.
[23] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ταῦτα πάσχουσι καὶ οἱ ἕτεροι δεσμῶται, οἱ ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων αἰκιζόμενοι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Καὶ τοῦτό σοι τῆς ἀνοίας ἐστὶ καὶ τῆς πολλῆς τυφλότητος, μὴ γινώσκοντος, ὅτι οἱ μὲν τῆς ἀδικίας ἐργάται ταῦτα δικαίως ὑπομένουσιν· οἱ πάσχοντες δὲ διὰ Χριστὸν μισθὸν κομίζονται παρὰ ἀυτοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνόσιε καὶ μιαρώτατε. Τίνα οὖν μισθὸν ἐκδέχεσθε τοῦ βίου κακῶς ἀπαλλάξαντες; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἔξεστί σοι οὐδὲ ἐπερωτᾷν περὶ τούτου, οὐδὲ μανθάνειν τὴν ἀποκειμένην ἡμῖν ἀντιμισθίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ φέρομεν νῦν τὰς ἀπειλὰς τῆς ἀπονοίας σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὕτω μοι ὁμιλεῖς, ἀνόσιε, ὡς ὁμότιμός μου ὤν. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ ὁμότιμός σου οὐκ εἰμὶ, ἀλλὰ μήτε γένωμαι πότε, παῤῥησίαν δὲ ἔχω τοῦ φθέγγεσθαι, καὶ οὐδεὶς κωλύσαι δύναταί με, διὰ τὸν ἐνδυναμοῦντά με Θεὸν διὰ Χριστοῦ. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Ἐγώ σου τὴν παῤῥησίαν ταύτην ἐκκόψω, μιαρώτατε.
[24] Τάραχος εἶπεν· Οὐδείς μου τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἀφαιρεῖται, οὔτε σὺ, οὔτε οἱ αὐτοκράτορές σου, οὔτε ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ σατανὰς, οὔτε οἱ δαίμονες, οὓς θρησκεύεις, πλανώμενος. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ὅτι καὶ λαλῶ σοι, ἐν ἀπονοίᾳ σε κατέστησα, δυσσεβέστατε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἑαυτῷ καταγίνωσκε. Ἐγὼ γὰρ, ὡς οἶδεν ὁ Θεός μου, ᾧ λατρεύω, ὅτι καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου βδελύσσομαι, οὐ μὴν δὲ καὶ ἀποκριθῆναί σοι ἤθελον. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τὸ λοιπὸν λογισάμενος τὸ μὴ ἐπιπλεῖον αἰκίζεσθαί σε, θύσον προσελθών. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ μου ὁμολογίᾳ τῇ ἐν Τάρσῳ, καὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ὁμοίως ἐξετάσει τῇ ἐν Μαμψίστοις , ὡμολόγησα Χριστιανὸς εἶναί με , καὶ νῦν ἐνταῦθα ὁ ἀυτός εἰμι. Πείσθητί μοι, μάθε τὸ ἀληθές. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀφ᾽ οὗ σε βασανίσας ἀπολέσω, τί ὠφελήσεις μετανοῶν, πανάθλιε; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Εἰ μετενόουν, τὰς πρώτας σου πληγὰς καὶ δευτέρας ἐφοβούμεν, καὶ ἐποίουν τὸ θέλημά σου. Νῦν δὲ ἑδραῖος ὢν οὐ φροντίζω σου ἐν Κυρίῳ· πράττε ὅ θέλεις, ἀναιδέστατε.
[25] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐπλεόνασά σου τὴν ἀνίδειαν ἐπιπλεῖον μὴ τιμωρούμενός σε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Καὶ πάλαι ἔφην, καὶ νῦν λέγω· ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις εἰς τὸ σῶμά υου, πράττε ὃ θέλεις. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Δήσαντες ἀυτὸν ἀναρτήσατε, ἵνα μὴ ᾗ μωρός. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Μωρὸς ἐι ἤμην, ὅμοιός σου συνησέβουν σοι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ὡς ἀνῄρτησαι, πείσθητί μοι, πρὶν ταῖς πρεπούσαις σοι βασάνοις ὑποπέσῃς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα οὐκ ἔξεστί σοι κατὰ τοῦ σώματός μου, στρατιωτικὸν ὄντα, οὕτως παρανόμως βασανίζειν· πλὴν οὐ παραιτοῦμαι σου τὰς ἀπονοίας, πράττε ὃ θέλεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Στρατιώτης ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας θεοὺς τιμῶν καὶ σεβαστοὺς, δώρων καὶ προκοπῶν ἀξιοῦται. Σὺ δὲ ἀσεβέστατος ὢν, ἀφέσεως ἀτίμου τετύχηκας, διὸ χειρόνως σε βασανισθῆναι κελεύω.
[26] Τάραχος εἶπεν· Πράττε ὁ θέλεις· πολλάκις γὰρ περὶ τούτου ἠξίωσά σε· τί ὅλως ἀναβάλλῃ; Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Μὴ νόμιζέ με οὕτως προσφέρεσθαι σοι, ὡς προεῖπον, ἵνα συντόμως σε ἀπαλλάξω τοῦ ζῆζ· κατ᾽ ὀλίγον σε τιμωρούμενος, θηρίοις τὰ λείψανά σου παραδώσω. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ὁ ποιεῖς, ποίει διά τάχους· μὴ λόγοις μόνον ἐπαγγέλου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οἴει τὸ σῶμά σου μετὰ θάνατον ὑπὸ γυναικαρίων θεραπεύεσθαι καὶ μύροις ἀλείφεσθαι, μιαρώτατε; ἀλλά καὶ περὶ τούτου μελήσει μοι, ὥστε τὰ λείψανά σου ἀφανισθῆναι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Καὶ νῦν αἰκίζου τὸ σῶμά μου, καὶ ἀποκτείνας ποίει ὃ θέλεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Θύσον προσελθὼν, φημὶ, τοῖς θεοῖς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Εἶπόν σοι ἅπαξ, ἀναίσθητε, ὅτι οὔτε τοῖς θεοῖς σου θύω, οὔτε τοῖς βδελύγμασί σου προσκυνῶ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἅψασθε ἀυτοῦ τῶν παρειῶν, καὶ κατὰ τὰ χείλη ἀυτοῦ διαῤῥήξατε. Τάραχος εἰπεν· Καὶ τὰς ὄψεις μου ἠφάνισας καταισχύνας, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν μου ἀνανεάζεις.
[27] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· ἀναγκάζεις με, ἄθλιε, ἄλλως σοι προσενεχθῆναι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Μή με λόγοις φοβερίζειν νόμιζε. Ἕτοιμός σοι εἰμὶ πρὸς πάντα, φέρων τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ὅπλα ποῖα, τρισκατάρατε, φέρεις, εἰπὲ, γυμνὸς ὢν καὶ τραυματίας ὅλος; Τάραχος εἶπεν· Σὺ μὲν ἀγνοεῖς τᾶυτα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δύνασαι τὴν πανοπλίαν μου βλέπειν τυφλὸς ὥν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνέχομαί σου τῆς μανίας. Οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ τῶν ἀποκρίσεων παροξυνθεὶς, τοῦ σώματός σου θᾶττον ἀπαλλάξω σε. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Τί γὰρ φαῦλον εἶπον; ὅτι οὐ δύνασαι, φημὶ, βλέπειν τὰ κατ᾽ ἐμὲ, μὴ τῇ καρδίᾳ καθαρὸς ὢν, ἀλλὰ ἀσεβέστατος καὶ πολέμιος τῶν δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐκ ὀρθῶς ζῆν καὶ τὸ πρότερόν σε ὑπολαμβάνω, ἢ γόητα, ὡς φασί τινες, πρὸ τοῦ βήματος ὄντα. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἐγενόμην τοιοῦτος, οὔτε νῦν εἰμι. Οὔτε γὰρ δαίμοσι λατρεύω, κατάπερ ὑμεῖς, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ τῷ διδόντι μοι τὴν ὑπομονὴν καὶ ὑποβαλόντι μοι λόγον καὶ ἔτι * λαλήσω πρὸς σέ.
[28] Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Οὐδέν σε ὠφελήσουσιν οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι σου. Θύσον, ἵνα τῶν αἰκισμὼν ἀπαλλαγῇς. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Δωκεῖς, με πάνυ μωρὸν εἶναι καὶ ἀνόητον, ἵνα μὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου ἀνασχόμενος ζήσω δι᾽ αἰῶνος; Ἀλλά σου τοῦ μὲν πρὸς ὥραν ὠφελοῦντος τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν ἀποκτείνοντος εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Ὀβελίσκους πυρώσαντες, προσθετε ἀυτῷ κατὰ τῶν μαζῶν. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Καὶ πλείονα τούτων ἐὰν ποιήσῃς, οὐ πείσῃς τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶξαί σοι, καὶ μωρφὰς δαιμόνων προσκυνῆσαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Φέρετε ξυρὸν, καὶ ἀφέλετε ἀυτοῦ τὰ ὦτα, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀυτοῦ ξυρήσαντες, ἀνθρακίαν ζέουσαν πυρώσατε ἀυτήν. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Τὰ ὦτά μου περιεῖλες, ἀλλὰ τῆς καρδίας μου στερεὰ ὀντα μένει βέβαια. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τῷ ξυρῷ τὸ δέρμα περιέλετε τῆς μιαρᾶς κεφαλῆς ἀυτοῦ, καὶ ζεούσης ἀνθρακίας πληρώσατε ἀυτήν.
[29] Τάραχος εἶπεν· Καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμά μου εἰ ἀποδείρῃς κελεύσεως σῆς, τοῦ Θεοῦ μου οὐκ ἀφίσταμαι τοῦ ἐνδυναμοῦντός με ὑπομένειν σου τὰ ὅπλα τῆς κακίας. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Λαβόντες τοὺς ὀβελίσκους τοὺς πεπυρωμένους, πρόσθετε τὰς μασχάλας ἀυτοῦ. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ἴδοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ κρινάτω σε σήμερον. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ποῖον Θεὸν ἐπικαλῇ, τρισκατάρατε, εἶπέ μοι. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Ὃν σὺ οὐ γινώσκεις ὄντα ἐγγὺς ἡμῶν, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἀυτοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐχ ἁπλῶς σε ἀναιρῶ, ἵνα, ὡς πάλαι εἶπον, τὰ λείψανά σου ἐν ὀθονίοις περιβαλοῦσι καὶ μυρίζουσαι προσκυνοῦσιν· ἀλλὰ κακηνκάκως σε ἀποκτείνας, καυθῆναι προστάττω, καὶ τὴν τέφραν τοῦ σώματός σου διαρανῶ. Τάραχος εἶπεν· Καὶ πάλαι σοι εἶπον, καὶ νῦν λέγω· ὃ θέλεις ποιεῖ· ἐξουσίαν ἔλαβες ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀναληφθεὶς εἱς τὸ δεσμωτήριον φυλαττέσθω τῇ ἐξῆς θηριομαχήσει· τὸν δὲ ἕτερον μετὰ τοῦτον προσάγαγε.
[30] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἕστηκε, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐλογίσω ἑαυτὸν παραμυθησάμενος, μὴ τοῖς ἀυτοῖς περιπεσεῖν, Πρόβε, οἷς καὶ σὺ πάλαι καὶ ὁ πρὸ σοῦ δυστυχέστατος ὑπομεμένηκεν· νομίζω δὲ τοῦτο καὶ πέπεισμαι ἑαυτῷ, ὅτι σὺ φρόνιμος ὢν μετέγνως θύσαι θέλων, ἵνα παρ᾽ ἡμῶν τιμηθῇς, εὐσεβὴς τοῖς θεοῖς ἐπιδειχθείς· προσελθὼν τοῦτο πρᾶξον. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ὁ λογισμὸς ἡμῶν εἷς ἐστιν, ὑπατικέ, καὶ γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ δουλεύομεν. Μὴ νόμιζε δὲ ἕτερόν τι ἀκούειν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ἢ ἀκήκοας καὶ μεμάθηκας· ὠφελήσεις
δὲ οὐδέν κολακεύων, οὐδὲ πείσεις ἀπειλούμενος, οὐδὲ μαλάξεις μου τὸ ἀνδρεῖον, ἐν οἷς φλυαρῶν ὁμιλεῖς. Τολμηρότερος δὲ καὶ σήμερον παρέστηκά σοι· καὶ καταφρονῶ τῆς ἀπονοίας σου. Ὥστε τί περιμένεις , ἀνόητε, καὶ τὴν μανίαν σου οὐ γυμνοῖς; Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Νῦν συνεφωνήσατε τοὺς θεοὺς ἀρνησάμενοι δυσσεβῆσαι; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἀληθῶς εἴρηκας. Νῦν οὐκ ἐψεύσω, καίτοι ἀεὶ ψευδόμενος· συνῃνέσαμεν γὰρ κατὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν καὶ ἄθλησιν καὶ ὁμολογίαν, διὸ καὶ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀντιστήκωμέν * σου τῇ κακίᾳ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πρίν σε ἀτιμώτερον ὑπομεῖναι παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ, σκεψάμενος ἀπαλλάττου τοιάυτης σου μωρίας καὶ ἐλέησας σεαυτὸν, θέλησον ὡς πατρὶ πεισθῆναι μοι, εὐσεβήσας τοὺς θεούς.
[31] Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἐπὶ πάντα ὁρῶ σε ἄπιστον, ὑπατικέ. Ἀλλὰ πείσθητί μοι ὀμνύοντί σοι τὴν καλὴν μου εἰς Θεόν ὁμολογίαν· ὅτι οὔτε σὺ, οὔτε οἱ δαίμονές σου, οἷς θρησκεύεις πλανώμενος, οὔτε ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ σατανᾶς, οὔτε οἱ δεδωκότες σοι καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τὴν ἐξουσίαν δυνήσονται ἀνατρέψαι ἡμῶν εἰς Θεὸν πίστιν καὶ εὔνοιαν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Δήσαντες ἀυτὸν καὶ περιζώσαντες ἐξ ἀκρῶν ποδῶν ἀυτοῦ, λαβόντες ἀναρτήσατε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Οὐ πάυῃ δυσσεβῶν, ἀνοσιώτατε τύραννε, ὑπὲρ τῶν ὁμοίων σου δαιμόνων ἀγωνιζόμενος; Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πείσθητί μοι πρίν σε παθεῖν· φεῖσαι τοῦ σώματός σου· ὁρᾷς πόσα σοι πρόκεινται κακά; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Πάντα μοι τὰ ὑπὸ σοῦ γινόμενα, ὠφέλειά μου τῆς ψυχῆς γίνεται· διὸ ποίει ὃ βούλει. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πυρώσαντες τοὺς ὀβελίσκους, πρόσθετε αὐτῷ κατὰ τῶν πλευρῶν, ἵνα μὴ ᾗ μώρος.
[32] Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ὅσον σοι μωρὸς δοκῶ εἶναι, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον τῷ Θεῷ μου φρόνιμός εἰμι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἔτι πυρώσαντες τοὺς ὀβελίσκους, τὸν νῶτον ἀυτοῦ διακαύσατε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Πρόκειταί σοι τὸ σῶμά μου. Ἴδοι ὁ Θεὸς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν μου καὶ δικάσει μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ ἐμοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ὃν ἐπικαλῇ, πανάθλιε, ἀυτός σε παρέδωκεν κατ᾽ ἀξίαν τῆς προαιρέσεώς σου τᾶυτα πάσχειν. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ὁ Θεός μου φιλάνθρωπος ὢν οὐδενὶ κακῶς ἀνθρώπῳ θέλει· ἀλλὰ ἕκαστος τὸ συμφέρον ὀιδεν ἑαυτῷ, ἀυτεξούσιος ὢν καὶ κύριος καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν τοῦ ἰδίου λογισμοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐκχέατε ἀυτῷ οἶνον ἐκ τῶν βωμῶν, καὶ κρέας βάλετε εἰς τὸ στόμα ἀυτοῦ. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, ἴδε ἐξ ὕψους ἁγίου σου τὴν βίαν, καὶ κρίνον τὴν κρίσιν μου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Πολλὰ ὑπομεμενηκὼς, πανάθλιε, ἴδε, τῷ βωμῷ ἀπεγεύσω, τί λοιπὸν ἔχεις ποιῆσαι; Πρόβος εἶπεν· οὐδὲν μέγα ἔπραξας, ἄκοντί μοι τῶν ἀκαθάρτων σου θυσιῶν ἐκχέας τῇ βίᾳ πως, ἵνα οἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν προαίρεσίν μου.
[33] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καὶ ἔφαγες καὶ ἔπιες, ἀναίσθητε. Ἐπαγγέλου καὶ ἑαυτῷ τοῦ πράττειν, ἵνα καθαιρεθῇς τῶν δεσμῶν σου. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Μή σοι καλῶς, παράνομε, ἵνα νικήσῃς μου τὴν πρόθεσιν, καὶ βεβηλώσῃς μου τὴν ὁμολογίαν. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνωσκε, ὅτι εἰ καὶ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων σου βρωμάτων ὅλων ἐκχέῃς μοι, οὐδέν με βλάψεις. Τὴν γὰρ βίαν μου ὁρᾷ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καύσαντες τοὺς ὀβελίσκους, τὰς κνήμας ἀυτοῦ διαφλέξατε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Οὔτε τὸ πῦρ σου, οὔτε αἱ βάσανόι σου, οὔτε, ὡς πολλάκις εἴρηκα, ὁ πατήρ σου σατανᾶς πείσει τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποστῆναι τῆς εἰς τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν ὁμολογίας. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Οὐδὲν τοῦ σώματός σου ἔχεις ὑγιες τὸ λοιπὸν, καὶ ἔτι ἀσυνετεῖς, πανάθλιε; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Τὸ σῶμά μου διὰ τοῦτο ἐξέδωκά σοι, ἵνα ἡ ψυχή μου ὑγιὴς διαμείνῃ καὶ ἄσπιλος. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἥλους ὀξεῖς πυρώσαντες πείρατε τὰς χεῖρας ἀυτοῦ. Πρόβος εἶπεν· δόξα σοι, Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ὅτι καὶ τὰς ἐμὰς χεῖρας κατηξίωσας ἡλωθῆναι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Αἱ πολλαὶ βάσανοι, Πρόβε, μωρότερόν σε γενέσθαι παρασκευάζουσιν.
[34] Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἧ πολλή σου ἐξουσία καὶ ἡ ἀμέτρητος κακία, ὦ Μάξιμε, ἀληθῶς οὐ μόνον μωρὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τυφλὸν ἐποίησάν σε· ἃ γὰρ πράττεις, οὐ γινώσκεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνόσιε, μωρὸν καὶ τυφλὸν τολμᾶς λέγειν τὸν ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας θεῶν ἀγωνιζόμενον; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἔιθε τυφλὸς ᾖς τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ μὴ τῇ καρδίᾳ· νῦν δὲ νομίζων βλέπειν, ἐν σκότει τυγχάνεις ὁρῶν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνάπηρος ὡς ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου αἰτιάσαι με, δύστηνε, ὅτι καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου εἴασα ἀκμὴν ὑγιεῖς εἶναι; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Εἰκαὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου μὴ ὦσιν ἐν τῷ σώματί μου διὰ τὴν σὴν ὠμότητα, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου τυφλωθῆναι ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων οὐ δύνανται. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ ἐκκόψας τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ σε τιμωρήσομαι, ἀνόητε. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Μὴ μοι μόνον λόγοις ἐπαγγέλου· οὐ γὰρ φοβερίσῃς τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλὰ εἰκαὶ ἔργοις τοῦτο πράξεις, οὐ λυπήσεις με. Τὸν γὰρ ἀόρατόν ὀφθαλμόν μου οὐκ ἂν ἀδικῆσαι δυνηθῇς. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἐκκεντήσατε τούς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀυτοῦ, ἵνα κἂν ζῶν ὀλίγον τοῦ φωτὸς ἀποστερηθῇ. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἴδε καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου τοῦ σώματος ἔλαβες, ἀλλὰ μή σοι καλῶς, ὠμότατε τύραννε, ἵνα δυνηθῇς ἐμὲ τοῦ ζῶντος ὀφθαλμοῦ στερῆσαι.
[35] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ὅλος ὤν ἐν τῷ σκότει, πανάθλιε, λαλεῖς; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Εἰ ᾔδεις τὸ ἐν σοι σκότος, ἐμακάριζες με, δυσσεβέστατε. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Νεκρὸς ὢν ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου, τοῦ φλυαρεῖν οὐκ ἀφίστασαι, δύστηνε; Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἕως ὅτε τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐν ἐμοὶ μένῃ, οὐ παύσομαι λαλῶν ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Θεῷ διὰ Χριστοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Μετὰ ταύτας βασάνους ζῇν ἔτι προσδοκᾷς, καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι οὐδὲ σεαυτῷ σε ἀποθανεῖν καταλείψω. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Εἰς τοῦτο ἀθλῶ σοι καὶ ἀγωνίζομαι, ἐπικατάρατε, ἵνα ἡ καλή μου ὁμολογία τελεία γένηται, σοῦ μὲν ὁπωσδήποτε ἀποκτείναντος, ἀνελεῆμον καὶ μισάντρωπε. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Κατ᾽ ὀλίγον σε ἀναιρῶ ταις πληγαῖς, ὡς ἄξιος εἶ. Πρόβος εἶπεν· Ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις, ὑπερήφανε, τυράννοις ὑπηρετῶν. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἄρατε ἀυτὸν, καὶ δήσαντες σιδήροις φυλάττετε εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, μήτις τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἀυτοῖς πλησιάζων μακαρίζη ἀυτοῖς, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἀσεβοῦντες ὑπομεμενήκασι πὰρ ἐμοῦ, δηλαδὴ μετὰ τὴν δικασίμην θηρίοις παραδοθησόμενον *. Κάλει τὸν ἀνοσιώτατον Ἀνδρόνικον.
[36] Δημήτριος ἑκατοντάρχης εἶπεν· Ἕστηκε, κύριε, δέομαί σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Κἂν νῦν τὸ νέον σου τῆς ἡλικίας ἐλεήσας, Ἀνδρόνικε, σώφρονα λογισμὸν ἔδωκας ἑαυτῷ τοῦ εὐσεβῆσαι εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς; ἢ ἔτι τῇ προτέρᾳ μανίᾳ κέχρησαι τῇ μηδέν σε ὠφελῆσαι δυναμένῃ; εἰ μὴ βουληθείης ἀνέσχασθαί μου, καὶ θύσαι τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ τοῖς τε ἀυτοκράτορσι τιμὴν τὴν δέουσαν ἀπονεῖμαι, οὐχ ἕξεις παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ τινὰ παραμυθίαν οἴκτου οὐδεμίαν. Ὥστε προσελθὼν θύσον καὶ σώθητι. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Μή σοι καλῶς εἴῃ, πάσης ἀληθείας ἐχθρὲ καὶ ἀλλότριε, καὶ θηρίων ἀναιδέστατε τύραννε· τὰς ἀπειλάς σου πάσας ὑπήνεγκα, καὶ νῦν πέιθειν με δοκεῖς, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἀσεβῶν καὶ τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλους τιμωρούμενος κελεύεις παρανομεῖν; Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ λύσεις μου τὴν ὁμολογίαν πρὸς Θεόν. Ἕστηκα γὰρ ταῖς ὠμοτάταις ἐπινοίαις σου ἀγωνιζόμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ δείξω σοι τὴν νεανίαν καὶ εὔτονον φρόνησιν τῆς ψυχῆς μου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Δοκῶ σε μαίνεσθαι, καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Δαιμόνιον εἰ εἶχον, ἐπειθόμην ἄν σοι. Νῦν δὲ ἄνευ δαίμονος ὢν οὐ πείθομαι. Δαίμων δὲ ὅλως εἶ καὶ τὰ τῶν δαιμόνων πράττεις. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Καὶ οἱ πρότερόν σου ἔλεγον, ἅπερ ἤθελον πρὸ τῶν βασάνων· ὕστερον δὲ τῇ τῶν πληγῶν ὠμότητι πεισθέντες εὐσεβῆσαι τοῖς θεοῖς, εὐγνώμονες γεγόνασι περὶ τοὺς σεβαστοὺς, καὶ σπέισαντες ἀυτοῖς ἐσώθησαν. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Οὐδὲν ἔξωθεν τῆς κακῆς σου φρονήσεως λέγεις ψευδόμενος· καὶ γὰρ οἷς θρησκεύεις πλανώμενος, οὐχ ἑστήκασιν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ· ψεύστης γὰρ ὑπάρχεις, ὡς καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου. Διὸ κρινεῖ σε ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τάχει, ὑπηρέτα τοῦ Σατανᾶ καὶ πάντων τῶν δαιμόνων. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Εἰ μή σοι χρήσωμαι ὡς ἀσεβεστάτῳ καὶ καθαιρήσω σοι τὸ εύτονον. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Οὐ φοβηθήσομαι οὔτε τὰς ἀπειλάς σου ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Θεοῦ μου.
[37] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Προσαγάγετε πῦρ καὶ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον δεσμεύσαντες προσάψατε τῇ κοιλίᾳ ἀυτοῦ. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἐὰν καὶ ὅλως καυθήσομαι ὑπὸ σοῦ, καὶ ἔτι ἐμπνέω, οὐ νικήσεις με, ἐπικατάρατε τύραννε. Πάρεστι γὰρ ὁ ἐνδυναμῶν με Θεὸς, ᾧ λατρεύω. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἕως πότε οὐ πείθῇ μωρὸς ὤν; κἀν ἑαυτῳ θέλησον ἀποθανεῖν. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἕως ὅτε ζῶ, νικῶ σου τὴν κακίαν, ὅλως ὑπὸ σοῦ ἀναιρεθῆναι σπουδάζων· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ κάυχημά μου ἐν Θεῷ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Προσαγάγετε ἀυτῷ τοὺς ὀβελίσκους πεπυρωμένους κατὰ τῶν μεσοδακτύλων. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἀσύνετε καὶ Θεοῦ πολέμιε, πάσης ἐπινοίας τε τοῦ σατανᾶ μεστὸν ὅλον *, ὁρῶν τὸ σῶμά μου καταπεφλεγμένον ὑπὸ τῶν βασάνων σου, νομίζεις ἔτι με φοβεῖσθαι τὰς ἐπινοίας σου; Ἔχω δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ἐμοὶ ᾧ λατρεύω διὰ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καταφρονῶ σου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Μωρὲ, τοῦτο οὐκ οἶδας, ὅτι ὃν ἐπικαλῇ ἄνθρωπόν τινα γεγενημένον κακοῦργον, ὑπὸ ἐξουσίᾳ δὲ Πιλάτου τινὸς ἡγεμόνος ἀνηρτῆσθαι σταυρῷ, οὗ καὶ ὑπομνήματα κατάκεινται.
[38] Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Φιμώθητι, ἐπικατάρατε, οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι λέγειν. οὐ γὰρ ἄξιος εἶ λαλῆσαι περὶ τούτου, ἀσεβέστατε· εἰ γάρ ᾖς ἄξιος, μακάριος ὢν, οὐκ ἠσέβεις εἰς τοὺς δούλους ἀυτοῦ. Νῦν δὲ τῆς εἰς ἀυτὸν ἐλπίδος ἠλλοτριωμένος, οὐ μόνον ἑαυτὸν ἀπώλεσας, ἀλλὰ καὶ βιάζῃ τοὺς ἀυτοῦ, παρανομώτατε. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Σὺ δὲ τί ὠφελήσεις, ἀπονενοημένος ὢν, τῇ πίστει καὶ τῇ ἐλπίδι τοῦ κακούργου, οὐπερ λέγεις, Χριστοῦ; Ανδρόνικος εἶπεν· Καὶ ὠφελήθην καὶ ὠφεληθήσομαι δι᾽ ὦν καὶ ταῦτα ὑφίσταμαι. Μάξιμος ἡγεμών εἶπεν· * βούλομαί σε βασανιστηρίοις χρησάμενος συντόμως ἀπαλλάξαι· ἀλλὰ θηρίοις παραδοθεὶς ἕκαστον τῶν μελῶν σου ἀναλισκόμενον ὁρῶν τοῦ ζῆν ἀπαλλάξεις. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν. Σὺ γὰρ οὐ πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἀγριώτερος εἶ, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀνδροφόνων ἀποτομώτερος, ὅτι τοὺς οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότας ἢ κατηγορουμένους ἐπ᾽ ἀδικίᾳ τινὶ ἐτιμωρήσω ὡς φονέας; ὅθεν ἐγὼ τῷ Θεῷ μου λατρεύω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ παραιτοῦμαί σου τὰς ἀπειλάς. Πρόσαγε, εἴ τι νομίζεις, βασανιστήριον χαλεπώτατον, καὶ εὑρήσεις τὸ ἀνδρεῖον μου.
[39] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνοίξαντες αὐτοῦ πρῶτον τὸ στόμα, ἐμβάλετε ἀυτῷ κρέας τῶν βωμῶν, καὶ ἐγχέατε ἀυτῷ οἶνον. Ὁ δὲ Ἅγιος εἰπεν·
Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἴδε τὴν βίαν μου. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Τί λοιπὸν ποιεῖς, κακοδαῖμον, εἰς οὓς εὐσεβῆσαι οὐκ ἠθέλησας καὶ θύσαι, ἴδε ἀπεγεύσω ἐκ τῶν βωμῶν. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Μωρὲ καὶ τυφλὲ καὶ ἀνόητε τύραννε, βιαζόμενος μετὰ ἀνάγκης ἐνέχεάς μοι· οἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὃς ἐμβατεύει τοὺς λόγους, ὃς καὶ δύνατός ἐστὶ ῥύσασθαί με ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ σατανᾶ καὶ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν αὐτοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμών εἶπεν· Ἕως πότε μωραίνεις τὰ μηδέν σε ὠφελοῦντα. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ καὶ τὴν ὠφέλειαν προσδοκῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ ὑπομένω ταῦτα. Ἀλλὰ σὺ οὐκ ἐπίστασαι, ἃ ἀποβλεπόμενος καρτερῶ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἕως πότε μωραίνεις; γλωσσοτομήσω σε, ἵνα καὶ οὕτως μὴ φλυαρῇς. Καταγινώσκεις μου, ὅτι ἀνεξικακῶν μωρότερον σε ἐποίησα γενέσθαι. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Εἰς τοῦτο ἀξιῶ, περίελέ μου τὰ χείλη καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐν οἷς ἔδοξας τὰ μιάσματά σου ἐπιβεβληκέναι μοι.
[40] Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἀνόητε, διὸ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν καρτερεῖς τιμορούμενος; Ἴδε τούτων, ὡς εἶπον, ἀπεγεύσω. Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Μή σοι καλῶς εἴη, τύραννε μιαρώτατε, μήτε τοῖς τὴν ἐξουσίαν τάυτην δεδωκόσι σοι, ἵνα ἐγὼ τῶν ἀσεβεστάτων θυσιῶν ἀλισγηθῶ. Σὺ δὲ ὄψει τί ἐποίησας κατὰ τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Τολμᾶς ὑβρίζειν τοὺς ἀυτοκράτορας, ὦ κακὴ κεφαλὴ, τοὺς βαθείαν εἰρήνην τῷ κόσμῳ παρεσχηκότας; Ἀνδρόνικος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ καὶ ὑβρίζω, λοιμοὺς ὄντας καὶ αἱμοπότας, οἵτινες τὸν κόσμον ἀνάστατον ἐποίησαν, οὓς ὁ Θεὸς τῇ ἀθανάτῳ χειρὶ ἀυτοῦ, μὴ μακροθυμήσας εἰς ἀυτοὺς, ἀμείψηται τῇ τοιάυτῃ παιδίᾳ, δι᾽ ἧς δυνήσονται γνῶναι, ἃ πράττουσιν εἰς τοὺς δούλους ἀυτοῦ. Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Βαλόντες σίδηρον εἰς τὸ στόμα ἀυτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀναιδῆ καὶ βλάσφημον γλῶσσαν ἀυτοῦ περιέλετε, ἵνα μάθῃ μὴ βλασφημεῖν εἰς τοὺς σεβαστοὺς· καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν καὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας τῆς μιαρᾶς κεφαλῆς καύσατε. Καὶ τεφρώσαντες ἀυτὰ, πάντα διαράνατε, ὡς μή τινα τῶν ὁμοφύλων τῆς ἀσεβεστάτης ἀυτοῦ θρησκείας γυναικάρια ἐπιτηρήσαντα ἐπικομίσασθαι, καὶ φυλάττειν ὡς τίμια ἀυταῖς ὄντα καὶ ἅγια. Ἀυτὸν δὲ λαβόντες φυλάττετε ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ παραδόντες, ἵνα ἅμα σὺν τοῖς ἀσεβεστάτοις ἑτέροις * ἀυτοῦ κατομιγεῖς, τῇ ἑξῆς θηρίοις παραδοθῶσιν, καὶ δὴ ταῦτα οὕτως ἐγένετο.
Maximus at Anazarbus the third time The third interrogation was made in the city of Anazarbus a. Maximus said: "Call the most wicked and impious Christians." Demetrius the centurion said: "They are here, lord." Maximus said: "If b you still despise the bonds of blows and penalties c and of custody, listen to me, Tarachus, and depart from your impious confession, from which you have no gain: but sacrifice to the gods, since through them all things stand d." Tarachus said: "Never may it be well with those e through whom the world is supposedly governed, for whom fire and eternal torments are prepared; not only for them, but also for all who do their will." Maximus said: "Do you not rest from blaspheming, most wicked one? Or do you think that through the impudence of your words I will cut off your head and you will depart f?" Tarachus said: "If it were so, that I should die in short order, I would not have a great contest. But now act so that the striving of faith may increase for me in the Lord."
[23] St. Tarachus, Maximus said: "Your equals too, who are in chains, suffer such things, and die by * the laws." Tarachus said: "This which you say is the folly of your mind: since those who work evil die evilly with reason g. But we, who know no evil but suffer for God, hope to receive a heavenly reward from our God." Maximus said: h "Accursed and worthless one, what reward do you expect, ending badly and wickedly?" Tarachus said: "It is not lawful for you to ask about this, nor to know what reward God has prepared, laid up for us in heaven: for that reason we endure the anger of your mind." Maximus said: "Do you speak so to me, accursed one, as though you were my equal?" Tarachus said: "I am not your equal, but I have the power of speaking, and no one can restrain me, through Him who strengthens me: He is God." Maximus said: "The power which you have I will root out from you, most wicked one."
[24] when to sacrifice to the gods Tarachus said: "No one takes away from me that power, not even your father Satan i." Maximus said: "Or because I speak to you in coaxing k." Tarachus said: "Your coaxing be with you l. For I, as God knows, whom I serve, since your face is horrible to me, do not wish even to speak with you * m." Maximus said: "Now consider with yourself, lest you rush into great torments. Approach and sacrifice." Tarachus said: "I have already, both in my first confession n and in the second o, likewise confessed that I am a Christian: and now I am what I am. Believe me [p], I do not do this; for it is not lawful for me to sacrifice." Maximus said: "What can your hardness do? For I will afflict you with torments, and afterwards you will repent, fool." Tarachus said: "If I were to repent, I would have repented in the first penalties and in the second, and would have consented to your will. But now I am strong in the Lord: do what you will, impudent one."
[25] he could not compel him by words, Maximus the governor said: "You say true, that I am impudent, who still bear with you [q]." Tarachus said: "Both then I said and now I say, you have power over my body: do what you will." Maximus said: "Bind him and hang him up, since he is a fool." Tarachus said: "If I were a fool, I would be like you, and would acquiesce in your will." Maximus said: "Since you are hung up, acquiesce and sacrifice, before I have penalties applied to you according to your desert." Tarachus said: "Although it is not lawful for you to apply all penalties to me, because I was a soldier [r]: yet do not think that I will acquiesce in your iniquity. Fulfil on me all your devices of penalties." Maximus said: "Soldiers always sacrifice to the gods for the safety of the princes, that they may merit rank. But you, since you are most evil, in that you even fled from military service [s], therefore must suffer greater torments."
[26] Tarachus said: "Why do you threaten [t]? I tell you often: his face to be struck, his lips to be cut, Do what you will, impious one." Maximus said: "Do not think that you are condemned once; but I will destroy you piece by piece, and give your remains to the beasts." Tarachus said: "What you are going to do, do quickly: do not promise with words." Maximus said: "Do you think that some little women are going to embalm your body after death with spices or ointments, most wicked one? For I will even now consider how to destroy your remains." Tarachus said: "Both now apply to my body what you will, and after death do what you will." Maximus said: "Sacrifice first." Tarachus said: "I have told you rather often, fool, that I sacrifice neither to your gods nor to your shameful things." Maximus said: "Break his face and cut his lips." Tarachus said: "Even if you have destroyed my face, you have given life to my soul."
[27] Maximus said: "You exasperate me, wretch; and I will appear another man to you [u]." yet making no progress even so, Tarachus said: "Do not think me timid at your words: I am ready for you for all things, carrying the arms of God." Maximus said: "What arms do you carry, accursed one? Behold, you are naked, all wounded." Tarachus said: "You do not know. For you cannot see my arms, since you are blind." Maximus said: "I bear with all your vanity. For, persisting in your answers, you do not exasperate me so as to hand you over to death at once." Tarachus said: "For what evil did I say, that you cannot see my arms? Because you are pure neither in body nor in heart, but an impious devourer of the Servants of God." Maximus said: "You did not live rightly: but you have lived deceitfully until now before my tribunal [x]." Tarachus said: "Neither was I such, nor am I deceitful. For I do not adore demons, but the living God, who will give me patience, and what I shall say and what I shall speak to you."
[28] Maximus said: "Keep away from your vain thoughts [y]. the breasts to be burned with spits, the ears cut off, the head Sacrifice, that you may be freed from these straits." Tarachus said: "Do you think that I am foolish and insane, so as not to live for ever trusting in my God? For you take care of your body for a temporal hour; but you kill your soul for ages of ages." Maximus said: "Heat spits, and put them to his breasts *." Tarachus said: "Even if you do worse than these, you will not turn the Servant of God, so that I should adore shameful things and demons." Maximus said: "Bring a razor and cut off his ears. And shave his head, and put coals upon him." Tarachus said: "You have cut off my ears, but the ears of my heart are strong and firm." Maximus said: "Flay his head with the razor and put coals on his head."
[29] Tarachus said: "Even if you order my whole body to be flayed, I do not depart from my God, to be flayed, and his armpits burned, he orders: who makes me strong to endure the arms of your malice." Maximus said: "Take spits, and heat them exceedingly, and put them under his armpits." Tarachus said: "May God look today from heaven, and judge." Maximus said: "What God do you call on, accursed one?" Tarachus said: "Him whom you do not know [z], who will render to each according to his works." Maximus said: "I will not destroy you so, as I said before, that little women may wrap your remains in linen and adorn them with ointments and perfumes: but, badly and wickedly [aa], I will order you to be burned, and scatter the ash of your body to every wind." Tarachus said: "Both before I told you and now I tell you, do what you will: you have power in this world." Maximus said: "Let this one be taken into custody and kept for the next show with the beasts: and bring another before the tribunal."
[30] nor less in St. Probus Demetrius the centurion said: "Probus is here, Lord." Maximus the Governor said: "Take counsel for yourself, lest you rush into the past penalties, Probus. For before you, those who wished to persist in their hardness afterwards repented. Do you too sacrifice, that you may be honoured by us and received by the gods. Approach and sacrifice [bb]." Probus said: "Our mind is one, Governor, because we serve one true God. Do not think to hear anything else from us. For you have both heard and learned: since you cannot turn us, nor extinguish our virtue by your anger [cc]. I am present before you today bold, despising all your contention. What, then, are you waiting for [dd]?" Maximus said: "You have taken counsel together in malice to deny the gods." Probus said: "Now you have spoken the truth, and have not lied [ee]. For we have taken counsel together
for the safety of our truth, that we may stand against your malice as strong athletes in the Lord." Maximus said: "Before you feel my hardness, take counsel for yourself, and depart from these torments, and have pity on yourself, that you may be pious toward the gods [ff]."
[31] losing his labour, Probus said: "In all things I see you faithless, Governor. But believe me, as I swear to you that the confession in Jesus Christ our Lord is good: since neither you, nor the demons to whom, erring, you sacrifice, nor those who gave you this power over us, can pervert from us the faith and charity which we have in the Lord." Maximus said: "Gird him, and hang him up by the feet." Probus said: "Do you not rest from offending, unjust tyrant, from striving on behalf of demons like yourself?" Maximus said: "Believe me, before you suffer, take counsel for your body. For you see what evils are prepared for you." Probus said: "All things which shall be done to me by you are done for the consolation of my soul: therefore do what you will." Maximus said: "Heat spits, and apply them to his sides, that he may not be a fool."
[32] his sides with glowing spits, Probus said: "As much as I seem a fool to you, so much the shrewder am I in the law of the Lord." Maximus said: "Heat the spits exceedingly, and put them on his back." Probus said: "My body is subject to you. May the Lord look from heaven on my humility [gg]." Maximus said: "The God whom you call on, wretch, has Himself handed you over to suffer these things as your will deserves." Probus said: "Our God is a lover of men. He wills ill to no man: but each one [hh] acts as it is with him, having free will." Maximus said: "Pour wine into him, and put meat from the altar into his mouth." Probus said: "May the Lord see, and look from His most high seats on the violence which I suffer, and judge my judgment." Maximus said: "You have endured much, wretch; behold, you have now received of the sacrifice. What have you to do?" Probus said: "You have done nothing great, putting into me [ii] some of your defilements, and you poured wine into me, doing violence. God knows my will."
[33] Maximus said: "You have eaten and drunk thereof. his calves to be burned, nails fixed in his hands, But profess that you will do this, that you may be freed from these chains." Probus said: "Never may it go well with you, that you should conquer my purpose and defile my confession. For you ought to know this, that even if you melt down all the defilement of your altars [kk] in its entirety and pour it into me, I shall be defiled by nothing thereof. For God knows and sees the violence which I suffer." Maximus said: "Heat spits, and put them on his calves." Probus said: "Neither your fire, nor your torments, nor your father Satan can pervert the servant of God from his confession." Maximus said: "You have not one sound place in your body. What have you to do [ll]? Senseless and wretched one?" Probus said: "For this reason I handed over my body to you, that my soul might be sound and incorrupt." Maximus said: "Burn sharp nails, and fix them in his hands." Probus said: "Glory to You, Lord, because You have deigned that my hands too should be crucified in Your name." Maximus said: "Many torments have made you vain."
[34] Probus said: "Much power has made you not only foolish and his eyes but also blind: for what you do you do not know." Maximus said: "Unjust one, do you call me senseless, and have you dared to call me blind, because I strive on behalf of the pious gods?" Probus said: "Would that you were blind in your eyes and not in your heart! But now, when you hope that you see, you are in darkness and do not see." Maximus said: "Weak in your whole body, wicked one, do you dare to say such things against me, because I have so far left your eyes sound in you?" Probus said: "Even if my eyes are not in my body, because of your iniquity, yet the eyes of my heart cannot be blinded by man." Maximus said: "I will cast out your eyes, and in this I will torture you, senseless one." Probus said: "Do not promise these things only with words, wishing to intimidate the servant of God: but if you truly carry out what you say, I shall not be saddened. For you will not be able to harm the invisible eye." Maximus said: "Pierce his eyes, that living he may be separated bit by bit [mm] from this light." Probus said: "Behold, you have taken away the eyes of my body too: but never may it go well with you, most cruel tyrant, that you should be able to take away the interior eyes."
[35] Maximus said: "You are wholly in darkness, wicked one, to be pierced out: and do you speak such things?" Probus said: "If you knew the darkness which is in you, you would magnify me, impious one." Maximus the governor said: "You are wholly dead in the flesh, and do you not cease from much speaking, most wicked one?" Probus said: "As long as I have my spirit in me, I shall not be silent in my God, who makes me strong." Maximus said: "Do you hope to live after these torments? Or do you think that I will let you die glad?" Probus said: "In this I fight the fight, that I may accomplish a good and entire confession, and be slain by you without mercy." Maximus said: "I will kill you little by little with blows, as you deserve." Probus said: "You have power, ministering to impious men and tyrants." Maximus said: "Take him away and bind him, and keep him in custody: and let no one of their companions approach and magnify them, because they have persisted in impiety: and at the next show [nn] they will be handed over by me to the beasts. Bring the one following him, the most unjust Andronicus."
[36] St. Andronicus, however, no less constant in faith, Demetrius the centurion said: "He is here, Lord." Maximus the governor said: "Even now take counsel for your age. Have you considered with prudent sense, so as to be pious toward the gods? Or do you still persevere in the past savagery of will, which cannot profit you? But consent to my will, and sacrifice to the gods, whom the princes themselves also honour; and they will render honours which you too will receive. For otherwise you will find no consolation from me [oo]. Therefore approach and sacrifice, and you will be safe." Andronicus said: "Never may it go well with you, alien from all truth, tyrant full of the savagery of wild beasts; you show all your cruelty: and now will you as it were persuade me, in which, impiously torturing the servants of God, you order me to act outside the law [pp]? But you will not loose my confession which I have in God. I stand against your hardness, and I strive against your devices in the Lord. I will show you the continence of my age and the virtue of a wise soul." Maximus said: "You seem to me as it were to rave and to have a demon." Andronicus said: "If I had a demon, I would consent to you. But now I am without a demon, because I do not acquiesce in demons. But you are wholly a demon, and you work the very things which are of demons." Maximus said: "Those who before you wished to talk said many things they wished before the torments; but afterwards, from the blows and penalties which were applied to them, they confessed that they were pious, sacrificing to the gods and the princes, and were saved." Andronicus said: "You work nothing foreign to the malice of your thought, telling a lie. For those whom you worship never stood in the truth. May God judge you quickly, minister of all evils [qq]." Maximus said: "If I do not act so, as I am impious, I will lay low all your pride and strength [rr]." Andronicus said: "I do not fear you, nor your anger. I will resist you in the name of the Lord my God."
[37] his belly to be burned, glowing spits to be inserted between his fingers; Maximus said: "Give papyrus, and make bundles of it, and apply fire to his belly." Andronicus said: "Even if I am wholly burned, and there is spirit in me, you will not conquer me, accursed one. For He is present who strengthens me, my God, whom I serve." Maximus said: "How long will you not acquiesce, senseless one? Or do you seek to die your own death?" Andronicus said: "As long as I live, I shall conquer your malice. I hasten wholly to be slain by you: for it is glory to me in God." Maximus said: "Heat spits, and put them glowing between his fingers." Andronicus said: "Senseless one and despiser of God, you are wholly full of every device of Satan. For you see my body burned by your penalties; and do you think that I fear your devices? But I have Christ in me: I despise you." Maximus said: "Most wicked one, do you not know that the Christ whom you invoke was a certain man [ss], punished under the custody of Pontius Pilate [tt], whose Acts also are laid up [uu]?"
[38] Andronicus said: "Be silent, unclean spirit. For it is not lawful for you to speak of this, wicked one. For if you were worthy, you would not have offended against the servants of God. and when he was not bent even so, But now you are alienated from His hope. For you have destroyed not only yourself, but also those who consent to you, to whom you do violence, most wicked one." Maximus said: "But what gain have you, most savage [xx] of all, by faith and hope in a man whom you call Christ?" Andronicus said: "I have great gain, and shall have a reward on account of all these things which I endure." Maximus said: "I do not wish to add penalties to you with other torments, or to hand you over to death at once, but I will have you given to the beasts, that you may see your limbs one by one destroyed by the beasts before the departure of your soul." Andronicus said: "Senseless one and despiser of God, you are wholly full of every device of Satan, you who are fiercer than all beasts and more wicked than all murderers, who kill with penalties, like murderers, those who have done nothing wrong and have no accusers. Therefore I serve my God, and condemn [yy] all your severities. Apply, then, whatever torments you think of, most wicked one, and you will find my strength in Christ my Lord."
[39] Maximus said: "Open his mouth, and put into him meat from the altar, profane meats to be thrust into his mouth, and pour wine into him." Andronicus said: "Lord my God, see the violence which I suffer." Maximus said: "What have you to do now, accursed demon? Those to whom you would not be pious so as to sacrifice, you have now tasted of their altar." Andronicus said: "Senseless one and tyrant, you have drenched me, suffering violence, with danger, with that which does not defile me, because I did not do this voluntarily: as God knows, who searches thoughts, who is able to free me from the anger of Satan and his ministers." Maximus said: "How long, senseless and ignorant one, will you speak those things which will not save you?" Andronicus said: "I expect my salvation from God; but I am ignorant whether I endure these things in pain [zz]." Maximus said: "How long will you be seduced by folly, foolish one? I will have your tongue cut, that so at least you may not speak much. For this reason you despise me, because I still bear with you and have made you vain." Andronicus said: "In this I ask you, that you cut off from me my lips and tongue, on which you think you have put your defilements."
[40] Maximus said: "How long, foolish one, do you hold out, placed in penalties? he orders his teeth to be knocked out and his tongue cut off. Behold, as I commanded, you have tasted of the sacrifices." Andronicus said: "Never may it go well with you, tyrant, nor with those who gave you this power, that I should acquiesce in you and taste the defilements of your unclean sacrifices. But you, know what you have done with the servants of God. May the Most High see, and judge you [aaa]." Maximus said: "You curse the princes, O evil head, who have granted a long and kindly peace [bbb]." Andronicus said: "I have cursed and I curse the powers and the blood-drinkers, who have overturned the world, whom may God with His high arm overturn and crush and destroy, and give anger upon them; that they may know what they do against the servants of God." Maximus said: "Put iron into his mouth, and knock out his teeth, and cut out his evil and blasphemous tongue, that he may learn not to blaspheme against the princes. And take his teeth and blasphemous tongue and burn them and make ash, and scatter it everywhere, that none of his impious consorts, or any of the little women, may gather it or keep it, or esteem it as something precious or holy. But take him and guard him, that together with his consorts he may be offered to the beasts at the next show."
ANNOTATIONS.
g. That is, deservedly.
n. Add: at Tarsus.
p. There follows in the Greek: Perceive the truth.
q. Greek: I have increased your impudence the more by not punishing you.
r. Diocletian, namely, had written back to the governor Salustius: We do not allow soldiers to be subjected either to torments or to the penalties of plebeians in criminal cases, even if they appear to have been dismissed without having completed their service: except, namely, those who were discharged with ignominy. See the Code of Justinian, book 9, title 41, num. 8. There follows in the Greek: For the rest, I do not flee your madness; do what you will.
s. In the Greek it is had: You were discharged with ignominy.
t. In Surius is read: You are moved: Greek: Why do you delay at all?
u. You compel me, wretch, to put on another mind toward you.
x. I judge that you did not live rightly before, or that you use sorcery before my tribunal, as some say.
y. In the Greek is read: These words of yours will profit you nothing.
z. Add: Since He is near us.
aa. See letter aa in the preceding chapter.
bb. These words of Maximus to Probus I interpret thus: See, exhort yourself, lest you fall into the same things, Probus, which you lately, and that most unhappy one before, endured; but this I think and trust concerning you, that, since you are prudent, having changed your counsel, you will willingly sacrifice together with us, that you may be honoured by us, having given a proof of piety toward the Gods. Approach, and do this.
cc. Greek: Neither will you succeed by flattery, nor will you persuade by threats, nor will you soften the strength of my mind by your futile words.
dd. Greek: Why do you delay, madman, and not show your fury openly?
ee. There is added in the Greek: Although always lying.
ff. In the Greek is read: Before you suffer something more ignominious from me, put away, the matter being weighed, that folly of yours, and, having pity on yourself, listen to me as to a father, and venerate the Gods. For more ignominious the Bigot edition has something more cruel, τί ὠμότερον.
gg. Add: And He will judge between you and me.
hh. After each one there follows in the Greek: knows what suits him, being of his own right and Lord of his own judgment.
ii. Add from the Greek text: Unwilling.
kk. The Bigot edition has: βωμῶν: the word βρῶμα signifies Food or Meat; but the matter comes to the same.
ll. In the Greek is read: And are you still raving?
mm. Read in the Greek: ἵνα ζῶν κατ᾽ ὀλίγον.
nn. That is, at the public games.
oo. So the Greek text: Have you now at least, having pity on your age, given yourself prudent counsel, Andronicus, to venerate the Gods? Or do you persist in your former madness, which will profit you nothing? If you will not obey me and sacrifice to the gods and pay the honour due to the emperors, you will have no solace of commiseration from me.
pp. In the Greek it is read thus: I have endured all your threats, and now do you think to persuade me of those things by which, impiously punishing the servants of God, you order me to sin against the law?
qq. Greek: Minister of Satan and of all the demons.
rr. In Bigot it is read thus: εἰ μή σοι χρήσομαι, ὡς ἀσεβεστάτῳ, καὶ καθελῶ σου τὸ εὔτονον, οὐδὲν ὠφελήσω. Unless I deal with you as with a most wicked man, and take away from you that firmness of mind, I shall have accomplished nothing.
ss. There is added in the Greek: A malefactor.
tt. Greek: Fixed to a cross.
uu. See the Preliminary Commentary, num. 15.
xx. In the Greek is read: Madman.
yy. Greek: I do not decline.
zz. There follows in the Greek: But you do not know, looking to what things I endure these.
aaa. This period is absent from the Greek text.
bbb. A deep and long peace does not fit the year 290, to which Baronius affixed the death of the holy Martyrs. See the Preliminary Commentary, num. 14.
Ed. Μοψουεστίᾳ με is superfluous τί Ed. ἀναβάλλῃ συνεφωνήσαμεν ἀνθίσταμέν Ed. δίκην Ed. ἀλλὰ Ed. Big. παραδοθήσεσθαι μέλλοντας perhaps μεστὸς ὅλος add οὐ ἑταίροις ex supply: nollem (I would not wish) another maxillas or ascillas*
CHAPTER IV. The final punishment of the holy Martyrs, and their burial.
Τὰ ἀκόλουθα τῆς ἐπιστολῆς πρὸς Ἰκονίους, τῶν ἔνδεκα ἀδελφῶν περὶ τῆς τελειώσεως τῶν Μαρτύρων. Τῆς τοίνυν τετάρτης * ἐξετάσεως γενομένης τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἀνοσιώτατος Μάξιμος μετακαλεσάμενος Τερεντιανὸν τὸν Κιλικάρχην, ἀυτὸν φιλοτιμῶν, ἐκέλευσε τῇ ἑξῆς πάνδημον θέαν ἐπιτελεῖν τῶν κυνηγίων τῇ πόλει. Καὶ ὁ Τερεντιανὸς παραχρῆμα τοῖς ἐφεστῶσι τῶν θηρίων ἑτοίμως γενέσθαι διέταττεν. Πρωΐας δὲ γενομένης, πᾶσα ἡ πόλις σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ παιδίοις ἐξείσαν ἐπὶ τὸ στάδιον. ᾖν γὰρ ὁ τόπος τοῦ θεορίου τούτοις ἀπὸ μηλίου μικρὸν πλείονος ἑνός· πληρωθέντος δὲ τοῦ ἀμφιθεάματος τῶν ὄχλων, ἀνίει ὁ ἀνοσιώτατος Μάξιμος ἐπιτελῶν καὶ συνθεωρῶν ἀυτοῖς. Ὡς δὲ καιρὸς εἶχε τῆς θέας ἀυτοῖς, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἡμέρας μέτρον ὑπεχώρει, πολλῶν πεπτωκότων ἀνθρώπων, τούτων μὲν καὶ ἐκ τῶν σφαγιασθέντων ἀνθρώπων ὑπὸ τῶν δουλαρίων μὲν μαχαίρᾳ, τούτων δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν θηρίων ἀναιρεθέντων· ἡμῶν δὲ παραμενόντων καὶ παρατηρουμένων ἀνυπόπτως τὴν φυλακὴν, στρατιῶται ἀποστέλλονται ἐξαίφνης ἀπὸ τοῦ μιαρωτάτου Μαξίμου, καί τινας ἀγγαρεύσαντες απλῶς ἐπιτιθέασι φέρειν τούς Μάρτυρας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θηριομαχεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ οἷοί τε ἦσαν ἐπὶ τὸ βαδίζειν, ὡς ἐκ τῶν πληγῶν καὶ καυστηρίων ὀγκώμενοι.
[42] Ὡς οὖν ἴδομεν τούτους ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν φερομένους, προσελθόντες ὀλίγον ἀνίημεν ἐν τῷ πλησίων ὄρει μετὰ σπουδῆς, καὶ καθίσαντες ἑαυτοῖς συμπολλοῖς εὐχῶν τε καὶ δάκρυσιν καὶ στεναγμοῖς κατὰ τῶν πετρῶν ἡσυχάζομεν. Τῶν δὲ Ἁγίων εἰσαχθέντων εἰς το μεσώτατον τοῦ ἀμφιθεάματος, καὶ γογγυσμοῦ οὐκ ὀλίγων ὑπὸ τῶν ὄχλων γενομένου, τῶν μὲν χαλεπαινόντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνοσίᾳ κρίσει τῶν καταδικασθέντων, τῶν δὲ τὴν θεωρίαν ἀυτῶν ἀρνουμένων, ὡς ἐκ τούτου οὐκ ὀλίγους ὄχλους κατεληλυθέναι λοιδορουμένους τῷ Μαξίμῳ. Ὁ δὲ ἐκέλευσεν ἀποστείλας σημειοῦσθαι καὶ εὐδήλους καθίστασθαι τοὺς κατιόντας τῇ ἑξῆς ἀυτῶν ὡς καταδικασθησομένων. Θηρίων τε οὐκ ὀλίγων ἀπολυθέντων καὶ μὴ ἁψαμένων τῶν Ἁγίων σωμάτων, ἐχαλέπαινεν ὁ Μάξιμος σφόδρα, καὶ μετακαλεσάμενος τὸν τῶν θηρίων ἐπιστάτην, ἐκέλευσε μαστίξας ἀπειλὴν οὐ μικρὰν, εἴ τι θηρίον εἴη χαλεπώτερον, τοῦτο ἀπολύεσθαι τοῖς καταδίκοις τὸ τάχος. Ὁ δὲ τῷ τῆς ἀπειλῆς φόβῳ ἔντρομος γενόμενος, ἀνδροφόνον ἀπολύει ἄρκον, ὥς τινες ἔλεγον, ὑπ᾽ ἀυτῆς τρεῖς ἄνδρας ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναιρεῖσθαι. Καὶ ἀυτὴ δὲ ἀπολυθεῖσα ἐγγύς τε ἀυτῶν γενομένη, τῶν μὲν λοιπῶν σωμάτων διαβᾶσα, ἐπέδραμε τῷ ἁγίῳ μάρτυρι Ἀνδρονίκῳ, κᾀκεῖθεν παρακαθεσθεῖσα * τὸν ἰχῶρα τῶν τραυμάτων ἀπέλειχεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῇ γραφῇ· θῆρες ἄγριοι εἰρηνεύσωσί σοι.
[43] Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος Ἀνδρόνικος προσθεὶς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀυτοῦ ἐξεβιάζετο θυμῶσαι τὸ θηρίον, ὅπως ἀψαμένον ἀυτοῦ, τοῦ ζῆν ἀπαλλάξῃ. Ἡ δὲ ἅρκος παραμείνασα συνανέπιπτε τῷ Ἁγίῳ. Καὶ θυμοῦ πλησθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν ἀυτὴν ἀναιρεθῆναι. Σφαγείσης δὲ ἀυτῆς παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Ἀνδρονίκου ἀνέπεσεν. Μεταπεμψάμενος δὲ ὁ Κιλικάρχης, (δεδιὼς, μήποτε ὀργισθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ὑπόδικον ἀυτὸν καταστήσει) ἐκέλευσε λέαιναν τὴν ἀποσταλεῖσαν ἀυτῷ παρὰ Ἡρώδου τοῦ Αντιοχέως Συριάρχου ἀφεθῆναι. Καὶ τάυτης ἀπολυθείσης φόβος καὶ τρόμος εἶχε τοὺς θεατὰς, διὰ τὸ μετὰ μεγάλου μυκήματος καὶ βρυγμοῦ τάυτην ἐκβεβηκέναι· ἡ δὲ ὡς εἶδε τὰ ἅγια σώματα ἐῤῥιμμένα, ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν μακάριον Τάραχον, καὶ κύψασα τοῖς ποσὶν ἀυτοῦ προσεκύνησεν. Ὁ δὲ ὅσιος Τάραχος τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτέινας καὶ τῶν τριχῶν καὶ τῶν ὤτων ἀυτῆς ἁψάμενος, ἐφείλκετο πρὸς ἀυτόν. Ἡ δὲ ὥσπερ πρόβατον ἑλκόμενον ἀνέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα ἡ ἀποσεισαμένη * ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἔρχεται παρελθοῦσα καὶ τὸν ἅγιον Πρόβον. Τοῦ δὲ κατηραμένου Μαξίμου, προστάττοντος, μὴ ἀνοίγεσθαι ἀυτῇ, ἡ λέαινα τοῖς ὀδοῦσι τῶν σανίδων ἁψαμένη, διαῤῥῆξαι τάυτας ἐβιάζετο, ὥστε τὸν ὄχλον φοβηθέντα φωνῆσαι. ἀνοίγεσθαι τῇ λεαίνῃ.
[44] Ὥστε ἀγανακτήσας ὁ Μάξιμος καὶ τὸν Τερεντιανὸν αἰτιασάμενος εκέλευσε μαχαιροφόνους τῶν λουδαρίων εἰσελθεῖν καὶ ἀποσφάττειν ἀυτούς. Καὶ τούτων ἀναιρεθέντων ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας, κατιὼν τῆς θέας ὁ Μάξιμος, δέκα στρατιώτας καταλιμπάνει, καὶ
τὰ σώματα τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων μετὰ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ βεβήλων σωμάτων ῥιφέντα φυλάττεσθαι κελεύει. Ἦν γὰρ τὸ λοιπὸν σκότος. Ὡς οὖν τὸ προσταττόμενον ἐγίνετο, καὶ τὰ σώματα καταμιγέντα ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐφυλάττετο. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ὀλίγον ἀποβάντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους, θέντες τὰ γόνατα, εὐχὴν ἐποιούμεθα πρὸς τὸν ὕψιστον Θεὸν, ὅπως τῇ ἀγαθῇ ἀυτοῦ φιλανθρωπίᾳ δυνηθείημεν ῥύσασθαι τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων ἀυτοῦ τὰ λείψανα. Εὐξαμένων δὲ ἡμῶν, πάλιν ὀλίγον τοῦ ὄρους καταδραμόντες, ὀρῶμεν τοὺς μὲν φύλακας εὐωχομένους, πυρὰν δὲ πλησίον τῶν σωμάτων ἐκκαιομένην. Καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω μικρὸν ἤλθομεν, καὶ κάμψαντες τὰ γόνατα, σὺν μιᾷ φωνῇ ᾐτούμεθα τὸν Θεὸν καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἁυτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ ἐπινεῦσαι τοῖς αἰτουμένοις ἀυτὸν δοῦναι βοήθειαν ἐξ ὕψους ἀυτοῦ τοῦ λυτρώσασθαι τὰ ἅγια σώματα ἐκ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ μιαρῶν σωμάτων.
[45] Παραχρῆμα δὲ σεισμοῦ γενομένου οὐ μικροῦ, βρονταὶ καὶ ἀστραπαὶ τὸν ἀέρα συνήλαυνον, καὶ πολλοῦ σκότους γενομένου σφοδροτάτου, εἰς ἔκπληξιν ὑετοὶ κατεφέροντο. Μετ᾽ ὀλίγον δὲ τοῦ ἀέρος παυσαμένου, πάλιν εὐξάμενοι ἀπίημεν ἐπὶ τὰ σώματα, καὶ εὑρίσκομεν τὰ φῶτα κατασβεσθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν ὄμβρων, τοὺς δὲ φύλακας ὑποχωρήσαντας. Θεωρήσαντες δὲ μετὰ πολλοῦ θάρσους ἐπλησιάσαμεν. Μὴ δυνάμενοι δὲ εὑρεῖν τὰ σώματα τῶν Ἁγίων, τὰς χεῖρας ἐῖς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνατείναντες, ἐδεόμεθα τοῦ Θεοῦ γνωρίσαι ἡμῖν ποῖά εἰσι τὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἀυτοῦ Μαρτύρων λείψανα. Ἐξαίφνης δὲ ὁ πανελεήμων Θεὸς τῇ ἀπαραθέτῳ ἀυτοῦ εὐσπλαγχνίᾳ λαμπαδοῦχον ἀστέρα ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατίησι. Καί οὗτος καθ᾽ ἔκαστον σῶμα ἐπιτιθέμενος ἐδήλου ἡμῖν τὰ σώματα τῶν δούλων ἀυτοῦ· καὶ ἁρπάσαντες μετὰ χαρᾶς τὰ τούτων λείψανα, ἀνίημεν ἐπὶ τὸ πλησίον ὄρος, δεόμενοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ συνευδοκήσαντος ἡμῖν. Ἀπελθόντες οὖν ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ ὄρους, καὶ τούτους ἀποθέμενοι, καὶ μικρὸν ἀναπαυσάμενοι, ὅπου δ᾽ ἂν παρετίθεμεν τὰ λείψανα τῶν Ἁγίων, εὐχὴν ἐποιούμεθα πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, τελειῶσαι τὸ ἔργον ἡμῶν, ὃ προεθέμεθα. Ἐπήκοος γίνεται ὁ πανελεήμων Θεὸς, καὶ τὸν ἁγιώτατον ἀστέρα πάλιν κατίησιν ὁδηγήσαντα ἡμᾶς· κᾳκεῖθεν πάλιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει κουφίσαντες τά σώματα, εἰς τὸ ἕτερον μέρος τοῦ ὅρους ἀνακύπτομεν, καὶ μικρόν τι καταδραμόντες, τοῦ ἀστέρος ἡμᾶς καταλείψαντος, πέτραν κοίλην διασκοπήσαντες, κρύπτομεν τὰ σώματα, φοβηθέντες τὴν μέλλουσαν ἀναζήτησιν γενέσθαι ὑπὸ Μαξίμου.
[46] Μετὰ πολλῆς οὖν ἀκριβείας ταῦτα πράξαντες, κατέβημεν ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως ὀψόμενοι τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι περὶ τούτων. Ἡμερῶν δὲ τοίνυν τριῶν διελθουσῶν, καὶ τοῦ Μαξίμου τῆς πόλεως ἀνακεχωρηκότος, καὶ τῶν φυλάκων τιμωρηθέντων ἐπὶ τῇ γενομένῃ κλοπῇ τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων, ὑμνήσαντες τὸν ἁγιώτατον ὕμνον, πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἠγαλλιῶμεν, πολλὴν πρόφασιν ἐν Χριστῷ κεκτημένοι. Ἐγὼ μὲν Μαρκίων καὶ Φήλιξ καὶ Βόρος παρεμείναμεν τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἀναλήψει ἀυτῶν, ἵνα καὶ τὸν τόπον τῶν ἁγίων λειψάνων ἀσφαλισώμεθα· ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὸν βίον ἡμῶν ἐνταῦθα κρίναντες ἀναλύσαι, καὶ σὺν ἀυτοῖς καταξιωθῆναι τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν ἀποτεθεῖναι· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τὸν Θεὸν αἰνέσαντες, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἡμᾶς κατηξίωσεν· ὅτι ἀυτῷ πρέπει δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, προσκύνησις εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν. Προπεμφθέντες ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὥρμησαν, οὑς προσδέξασθε μετὰ φόβου καὶ πολλῆς αἰδοῦς, ὄντας ἐργάτας τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀυτοῦ, μνημονεύοντες καὶ ἡμῶν ἐν ταὶς δεήσεσι πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.
At length, brought into the theatre, So the Martyrs of God completed the third a confession. And the impious and accursed Maximus, calling to him Terentianus, priest of the city of Cilicia b, ordered him to prepare a show for the city on the next day c. And Terentianus presently ordered those who were in charge of the beasts to prepare everything. And when morning had come, the whole city, a multitude of men and women, went out to the amphitheatre. Now the place of the spectacle is a mile from the city, more or less. And when the amphitheatre had been filled with people, Maximus came to carry out the spectacle. And when many hours had passed, the bodies of many gladiators lying there were devoured by the wild beasts d. But we, while we were in hiding, waiting and diligently keeping watch and looking on with all fear, suddenly the impious Maximus orders his soldiers to produce the holy Martyrs of God. And the soldiers impressed men, and put the Martyrs upon them, and carried them to the amphitheatre. For they could not walk, because of the laceration of the penalties and the burning of the fire.
[42] When we saw them being brought by the soldiers, approaching a little on the nearest slope of the mountain, and thrown to the wild beasts, we placed ourselves in haste, with great entreaty of tears, in the middle of a cleft of the rocks, and rested a little. And when they had been brought in, they were thrown into the middle of the amphitheatre, and there arose a great fear and a murmur of the people, saying: "An unjust judge, who has judged thus." For many too left the spectacle, and despising it went away murmuring against Maximus. And Maximus commanded his soldiers to mark those who were departing, so that he might hear them afterwards. And he ordered many wild beasts to be let loose. And when the beasts had come out, they did not touch the bodies of the saints: and the impious Maximus was the more angered; he ordered the keepers of the beasts e to be called, and ordered them to be beaten; and with much threatening he told them to let out the most savage beast they had. And they in fear let out a most evil bear f, which they said had killed three men that very day. And it approached the bodies of the Saints, and defiled no body. And when it had passed by, it came to saint Andronicus, and, sitting down, licked his wounds [g].
[43] But saint Andronicus put his head upon the bear, and goaded it to become angry and the more quickly to render up his spirit. But the bear suddenly became as it were tame. Filled with anger, Maximus ordered the bear itself to be killed, and it was killed before the feet of saint Andronicus. And Terentianus, priest of the city of Cilicia, fearing lest perhaps Maximus should be angered and condemn him, sent and ordered a lioness to come out, which had been sent to him by Herod, the chief man h of Antioch. And when the lioness had come out, fear and trembling was on the spectators, because she roared much: and when she had come out, she saw the bodies of the Saints thrown down, and came to blessed Tarachus and laid herself down before his feet, as though adoring him. But saint Tarachus drew her to himself with his hand, that the beast might be angered. But the lioness lay beside the blessed Martyr with great tameness, like a sheep. And the impious Maximus, full of wrath, ordered the lioness to be provoked; and she, provoked, with a great roar broke the postern gate i, so that all the people cried out from fear: "Let it be opened for the lioness."
[44] and by Maximus's order they are slain with the sword; whose bodies, Then Maximus, filled with anger, called to him Terentianus the priest, and ordered the gladiators to be brought in to kill the holy Martyrs of God with the sword. And at once the command of Maximus was fulfilled, and they were consumed by the sword. And when Maximus had withdrawn from the amphitheatre, he left there ten soldiers, to mix the bodies of the Saints among the bodies of the gladiators, so that they could not be recognised. While the soldiers were doing this, we, approaching near by, fixed our knees, praying the Most High that the goodness of His piety would show us the relics of the holy Martyrs k. And after prayer we again approached, and saw the guards dining, and having a fire before them on account of the night watches. Again we fixed l our knees, and prayed the Lord to fulfil our desire, and to send us help from His high seat m, and to show us the bodies of the Saints.
[45] made manifest by the indication of a star, the faithful bury them, Then suddenly there was a great earthquake, and thunders and lightnings; a very great storm of rains came down: and when the storm had ceased, we prayed again, and approached the bodies, and found the fire extinguished by the storm. And the guards had fled from the wrath and the earthquake and the storm of rains. And when we were seeking the bodies [n], we raised our hands to heaven, entreating God to show us the relics of the Saints. Suddenly the merciful God [o] sent from heaven a shining star, which rested over each of the bodies of the Saints. And the holy splendour of the star went before us, showing the way. And when we had failed on the way from weariness, we set down the bodies and rested: but the star did not withdraw from us. And when we were considering where we should bury the bodies of the blessed Martyrs in hiding, we entreated God that He Himself would accomplish through us the work which had been begun. And, filled with strength and carrying the bodies of the Saints, we came to a certain part of the mountain [p]: and when the star had withdrawn from us, we saw in a part of the mountain an open rock, in which we placed the bodies of the Saints; fearing a future search by Maximus, we hid them with great diligence.
[46] Then returning to the city, we came to learn eyewitnesses of the event. what had been done, and we found [q] the guards already punished by Maximus, because he had not found the bodies of the Saints. But we, exulting, said a hymn to God, because the condescension of Christ had worked through us. I, Marcius [r], and Felix [s], and Verus [t], desire to spend the remaining time of our life in that same place, that our bodies may be worthy to be placed with them: and in great glory we have blessed God in all things which He has done with us, to whom is honour and power for ages of ages, amen. Those whom we send to you, receive them with great joy of charity. For they are workers of God, of Christ. Hold us in remembrance in the grace of God, to whom is honour in all things and among all in Christ Jesus our Lord with the Holy Spirit before all ages, and now and always and unto all ages of ages, amen.
ADDITION.
Ἐν δὲ τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτει τοῦ διωγμοῦ ἐτελειώθησαν οἱ ἅγιοι Μάρτυρες, καὶ ἀνελήφθησαν τῇ πρὸ πέντε εἰδῶν Ὀκτωβρίων, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὑπερβερετίω, τουτέστιν Ὀκτωβρίω ια᾽. Καὶ τῇ πλησιασάσῃ νυκτὶ ἐτέθη ἐν τῷ ὄρει τὰ σκηνώματα τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων Πρόβου, Τάραχου καὶ Ἀνδρονίκου τῶν προκειμένων ἐν Ἀναζαρβῷ τῇ ἐνδόξῳ πόλει, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.
Further, the holy Martyrs were consummated in the first year of the persecution, and were taken up on the day before the fifth of the Ides of October, which is the eleventh of Hyperberetaeus, that is, of October. And on the next night the relics of the holy Martyrs Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus, lying in the glorious city of Anazarbus, were deposited on the mountain, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ages of ages.
ANNOTATIONS.
p. That of Anazarbus, as far as appears, namely the one from which the city itself received its name.
q. Add from the Greek: Three days having passed, and Maximus having set out from the city.
r. Perhaps the same who is called Marcianus in the Letter prefixed to the Acts.
s. Probably the same Felix mentioned there.
t. In the Greek text he is called Barbas in Bigot: in Allatius, as also in our Vatican copy, Barnabas: perhaps he was a man of many names, and one of those who wrote the Letter prefixed to the Acts to the people of Iconium.
Ed. τρίτης l. σὺν πολλαῖς εὐχαῖς Ed. ὀλίγου παρακαθίσασα perhaps, as in the Edition, οὐκ ἀντέτεινε· τὴν χεῖρα δὲ ἀποσεισαμένη Ed. better μαχαιροφόρους * δουλαρίων