ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF PERSIA: DADAS AND GOBDELAAS AND CASDIA OR CASDOA AND PERHAPS GUDELIA, MARTYRS,
IN PERSIA
Fourth century.
COMMENTARIUS PRÆVIUS.
The announcement of these Martyrs in the Calendars: what sort the Acts are: whether Gudelia, a woman, seems to be distinguished from Gobdelaas, a man: the time of the martyrdom.
Dadas, martyr in Persia. (S.)
Gobdelaas, martyr in Persia. (S.)
Casdia or Casdoa, martyr in Persia. (S.)
Gudelia, martyr in Persia. (S.
BY J. S.
[1] Both in the printed Menaia and in the Menology of the Greeks, Gudelia announced among the Greeks and in the Roman Martyrology, as it was rendered into Latin by Sirleto, Gudelia the martyr is first announced alone as a woman, and then three are placed together. Baronius followed this in the Roman Martyrology at this day, where he has as follows: In Persia, of holy Gudelia the martyr, who, when she had converted very many to Christ and had refused to adore the sun and the fire, under king Sapor, after many torments, the skin of her head being drawn off, and being fastened to a stake, deserved to obtain the triumph. This is faithfully enough from Sirleto. But the Greek Menaia add two verses, and certain other things in the elogium. These are the verses:
Σοὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τῇ Κεφαλῇ τῶν ὅλων, Χριστὲ προσῆξεν ἐκ ξίφους Γουδελία.
To you, the Head of all things, O Christ, Gudelia offered her head by the sword.
In the verses, which are otherwise clear, I observe only that it is not evident whether Gudelia is a man or a woman. But in the elogium which is added, the matter is treated altogether as of a woman.
[2] But in the said elogium she is asserted to have been a Christian and to have converted many of the Persians, she is said to have been afflicted with various torments: and therefore to have been seized by king Sapor, and first tormented with many torments, and yet to have been unwilling to sacrifice to the fire, mention of the sun being omitted. Then the particular torments are set forth in this manner: εἰς φυλακὴν ἐνεβλήθη λιμοκτονησεῖσα ἐπὶ χρόνοις πολλοις. She was cast into prison to be killed by hunger over a long time. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐκβληθεῖσα τῆς φυλακῆς, καὶ μὴ πεισθεισα τὸν Χριστὸν ἀρνήσασθαι, πρῶτον μὲν ἐξεδάρη τῆς κεφαλῆς τὸ δέρμα. εἶτα προσηλωθεῖσα τῷ ξύλῳ, καὶ καθηλωθεισα ἰσχυρῶς, παρέδωκε τὴν ἁγίαν ἀυτῆς ψυχὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ. But after these things, being brought out of prison, since she could not be induced to deny Christ, first indeed she was stripped, the skin of her head being drawn off: then, fastened to a stake and violently transfixed, she delivered her holy soul to the Lord. From these things we shall presently see, other reasons also being added, that it is ambiguous and uncertain whether Gudelia is distinguished from the second of the three Martyrs who are presently subjoined by Baronius.
[3] He writes thus of them: In the same place, of the holy martyrs Dadas, then Dadas, Gobdelaas, and Casdoa are recorded: kinsman of king Sapor, Casdoa his wife, and Gabdelas his son, who, despoiled of their honors and torn by various torments, after long imprisonments were executed by the sword. In these things certainly some matters need correction. For in the Menaia and in the Acts Casdia or Casdoa is called the daughter of king Sapor himself, not the wife of Dadas or of Sapor. Gabdelas, who is called Gobdelaas in the Acts and Menaia, is everywhere called the son of Sapor and the brother of Casdoa. I should not indeed wish to contend that it is certainly established that Gabdelaas was Sapor's son and Casdoa his daughter, since the Acts and the other documents which we have in hand are not of such great authority: but certainly we ought not to attribute other things to them, since these are not known from elsewhere. But about that condition of theirs Maximus Cytheraeus also agrees, who is accustomed to follow the Menaia, and the more ancient Constantinopolitan Synaxary which belonged to Sirmond. In this Synaxary the same things are more briefly reported which are more at length in the manuscript Acts and the printed Menaia; except that the name of the second Martyr is there written in our copy Γουδελαᾶς for Γοβδελαᾶς, a single letter being changed, and thus it comes very close to the name of Gudelia, if she is another Martyr.
[4] It can be doubted whether Gudelia is other than Gobdelaas; But, as I have already said, it appears uncertain whether Gudelia is not Gobdelaas or Gudelaas himself: for I do not so far trust the compilers of the Menaia that it seems to me improbable that the same person, with the name slightly changed, was set down twice. For indeed almost nothing is said of Gudelia which does not agree with the Acts of Gobdelaas. She is said to have been tormented with many torments; but so many things are reported to have been inflicted in the Acts of Gobdelaas that it is scarcely credible that the tyrant tried so many various things to kill one man. She is said to have been long in prison to be killed by hunger. But in the Acts the tyrant is read to have forbidden anyone to bring water to Gobdelaas or to approach him at all, so that he seems to have wished to kill him by want of nourishment, or at least the author of the other elogium could have believed this from that passage. Again, the skin is said to have been drawn from Gudelia's head: plainly the same is asserted of Gobdelaas in the Acts. Gudelia is said to have been fastened to a stake, and thus to have expired, because she was violently transfixed. In the same way again the death inflicted on Gobdelaas is reported: for he is read to have delivered up his soul, transfixed through his whole body with sharp reeds. Wherefore nothing is asserted of Gudelia which is not narrated in almost the same manner of Gobdelaas, and I could nowhere find Gudelia except in the Menaia, and in those documents which are most plainly patched together from the Menaia.
[5] yet this appears more probable. Yet on the other side there is no lack of reasons for distinguishing Gudelia from Gobdelaas. The first is that she is celebrated in the two verses given above, and in them it is rather suggested that she was slain by the sword than in the manner already stated: whereas Gobdelaas is praised in other verses, in which he is said to have been slain in a manner conformable to the Acts. These are the verses:
Ο Γοβδελαᾶς πείρεται τοῖς καλάμοις. Τὸν καλάμῳ τυφθέντα Χριστόν μου σέβων.
Gobdelaas is pierced with reeds, honoring my Christ who was struck with a reed (or cane).
Now besides the diversity of sex asserted in the elogia, in the very verses too there is added a diversity of name, which in verses, on account of the meter, is of more weight than in prose. On account therefore of these verses I should not dare to confound Gudelia with Gobdelaas, but it becomes more probable to me that they are different: for commonly in the verses of the Menaia truer things are said than in the elogia attached. Hence I rather believe that Gudelia was struck with the sword than killed in the manner asserted in the elogium. Perhaps her elogium was carelessly patched together from the Acts of Gobdelaas. But about matters so uncertain we can and ought to establish nothing certain.
[6] Of Dadas, who is first among these Martyrs, the Menaia give two verses conformable to the Acts. Dadas cut limb from limb:
Ξίφει μεληδὸν σῶμα πᾶν τετμημένος, Τὸ πνευμα σώζεις μάρτυς Υψίστου Δάδα.
Cut limb from limb over your whole body with the sword, you preserve your spirit, Dadas, martyr of the Most High.
These present no difficulty, for Dadas is read in the Acts to have fallen cut limb from limb.
[7] But in the verses in which Casdoa is praised there is again a difficulty, Casdoas, perhaps the Gargalus of the Acts: Casdoa dead of her wounds. because a man Casdoas is joined to her, who under that name at least occurs nowhere in the Acts or elogia.
Αθλοῦσιν ἄμφω Κασδόας καὶ Κασδόα Ὁ μὲν σπαθισθεὶς, ἡ δὲ θλασθεῖσα ξύλῳ.
Both contend, Casdoas and Casdoa, he indeed being cudgeled, but she crushed with a stake.
There are several doubts here. First, who Casdoas is: for that Casdoa seems altogether to be Sapor's daughter, who is recorded in the Acts; but the man Casdoas does not appear in them. The word σπαθίσθεις too is taken in various ways, being derived from the verb σπαθίζειν. For in the Middle Ages σπαθίζειν sometimes means to slay with the sword, from σπάθα, in the Middle Ages a sword: sometimes to strike with a cudgel or staff, and this comes nearer to the ancient meaning of that verb. If Casdoas were said to have been slain by the sword, he would be altogether unknown in the Acts. But if he is said to have been so beaten with staves that he died, such a one is found in the Acts at number XI: but he is there named Gargalus. If he is really meant here, in one place or the other the name is corrupted, and it remains doubtful whether he was called Casdoas or Gargalus. Of Casdoa the king's daughter, who in the Acts is read to have died of the blows, it is said well enough in the verses that she was crushed with a stake or with staves.
[8] The Acts to be published, an abridgement of which is in the Menaia: As for what concerns the Acts of the three Martyrs whom I have recorded in the title, and to whom the Menaia add a man Casdoas, and the Acts a Gargalus as it were
as a fourth, we have them in manuscript from the Vatican library, and from Greek codex 1190 of that library, with this title: Μαρτύριον τῶν ἁγίων ἐνδόξων μεγάλων τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαρτύρων, Δάδα, Γοβδελαᾶ, καὶ Κασδίας, τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἀυτοῦ. The Martyrdom of the holy, glorious, great martyrs of Christ, Dadas, Gobdelaas, and Casdia his sister. Thus in the Acts the name of the last Martyr is everywhere written Casdia; but in the Menaia and other Calendars she is constantly named Casdoa. Almost the same Acts are found in the printed Menaia, as a lengthy elogium, which represents the punishments inflicted on the Martyrs in the same manner as the Acts, and for the most part in the same words, so that there can be no doubt that it was composed from the Acts. For only those things have been omitted which seemed less necessary to the compilers of the Menaia, such as the many things read at the beginning about the severity of the persecution under Sapor king of the Persians; and then very many sayings attributed to the Martyrs or to the persecutors.
[9] but they are of slight authority: Hence I shall give the Acts collated with the printed Menaia, and shall correct some faults of our copy from the Menaia. If anything too is now and then read expressed in a different way in the printed text, I shall inform the reader of it in the Annotations. But as for the credit which the Acts deserve, this cannot be of the highest. For indeed not a few things are asserted in the Acts which seem improbable, such as I shall point out in the Annotations; and namely the variety and multitude of the torments which are said to have been inflicted on Gobdelaas, according to the Acts the king's son, is so great as to exceed belief. Whether Gobdelaas was really Sapor's son, and Casdia his daughter, and Dadas his kinsman, I cannot say for certain. Such things are not improbable; but they cannot be made certain from documents of this kind. And so we publish the Acts only that the studious reader may see what the Greeks said about these Martyrs.
[10] the time of the martyrdom. For the time of the martyrdom I have broadly assigned the fourth century, because from nearly the beginning of the fourth century there reigned in Persia Sapor II, who stirred up a most grievous persecution against the Christians. Assemani in the Bibliotheca Orientalis volume 4 page 51 extends the persecution of Sapor II from the year 330 to 370, and writes about it at length. But since we do not know in what year of the persecution our Martyrs suffered, it is not necessary to investigate whether that epoch is altogether accurate; but we can conjecture that about the middle of the fourth century, taken broadly, these Martyrs were crowned.
ACTS
By an anonymous author
From a Vatican manuscript, collated with the printed Menaia, J. S. being the translator.
Dadas, martyr in Persia. (S.)
Gobdelaas, martyr in Persia. (S.)
Casdia or Casdoa, martyr in Persia. (S.)
Gudelia, martyr in Persia. (S.)
BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR.
CHAPTER I.
A grievous persecution under Sapor: Dadas is denounced, and, having confessed himself a Christian, extinguishes with the sign of the cross the burning furnace into which he was to be cast: hence Gobdelaas, being converted, is subjected to many torments.
ἘΝ ταῖς ἠμέραῖς τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς καὶ ὁμωτάτου, καὶ ἀπανθρώπου, καὶ ἀσεβεστάτου σαβωρίου βασιλέως περσῶν ἢν διογμὸς μέγας τῶν Χριστιανῶν κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ χώραν· καὶ ἐξεπέμπον τὰ γράμματα κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ χώραν διὰ τοῦ παρανομοτάτου βασιλέως, ὅπως τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ θεοῦ πικραῖς τιμωρίαις καὶ βασάνοις παραδόντες πλείσταις. καὶ πάντες οἱ πιστοὶ κατακρύπτοντο ἐν ὅρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὁπαῖς τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἦσαν φευγοντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ βασιλέως· καὶ ἢν στενοχωρία, καὶ λύπη μεγάλη τοῖς πιστοῖς. καὶ οἱ πλείονες τῶν πιστῶν προσπίπτοντες ἀπήνεγκαν θυσίαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτά τις τῆς συγκλήτου πρῶτος, ὁρῶν τὰ μεγαλία τοῦ θεοῦ, τὰ γινόμενα διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων, θείῳ ζήλῳ κινηθεὶς, προσῆλθε τῷ Χριστῷ ὁλοψύχως, ὅστις ὑπῆρχεν καὶ συγγενὴς τοῦ παρανομοτάτου βασιλέως, οὗ τὸ ὅνομα Δάδας.
[2] Προσελθόντες δὲ τινὲς τῶν ἀπίστων ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ βασιλεῖ, λέγοντες, βασιλεῦ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ζῆθι. οἱ πάντες τὴν σὴν μεγάλην ἐξουσίαν τρέμουσιν, καὶ τά σου προστάγματα πράττουσι, καὶ προσπίπτουσιν τοῖς θεοῖς. καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ [οὐκ] εἰσὶ πιστοὶ οἱ δοκοῦντες εἶναι, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ συγγενεῖς σου τυγχάνουσιν, καὶ πρώτους τοῦ παλατίου σου, καὶ τῆς συμβουλῆς πεποίηκας. καὶ νῦν κατὰ τῆς βασιλείας σου μελετῶσι κακὰ, καὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις θεοῖς οὐ προσανέχουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῶν ναζωραίων πείθονται σεβάσμασιν. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας ταῦτα, ἐμμανὴς γενόμενος, ἠλλιώθη ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ, λέγων· καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραβὰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἐντολὴν; ἀναγγείλατέ μοι, καὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς προστάγμασι καταφρονεῖ; οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Δάδας ὁ σὸς συγγενὴς οὐ πείθεται τοῖς δόγμασιν ὑμῶν. ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ μισάνθρωπος καὶ ἀπηνὴς ἐταράχθη· ἢν γὰρ ὁ Δάδας ἀποσταλεὶς παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἄρχειν εἰς τὰς ἑτέρας χώρας. καὶ ὡς ἐσέβετο τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν τῷ φανερῷ, ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τούτου.
[3] Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀποστείλας πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀνδραμέλεχ, τὸν πρῶτον τῶν μεγιστάνων αὐτοῦ, μαθεῖν τὸ ἀληθὲς. ὅς ἐλθὼν εὗρεν αὐτὸν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ τὸν Χριστὸν σεβόμενον· ὁ δὲ διὰ γραφῆς ἐσαφήνησε ταῦτα τῷ βασιλεῖ. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς δι᾽ ἀντιγραφῆς δέδωκεν αὐτῷ πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν κατά τε τοῦ Δάδα, καὶ κατὰ παντὸς Χριστιανοῦ· ἥντινα ἀντιγραφὴν ἀπέστειλεν μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Γοβδελαᾶ. δεξάμενος δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἀνδραμέλεχ, συνεδριάζοντος αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ Γοβδελαᾶ, ἤρξατο ποιεῖν τὴν ἐξέτασιν Δάδα. ἀνακρίναντες δὲ αὐτον ἐπιμελῶς, καὶ τὰ συντείνοντα πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν αὐτὸν ὁμιλήσαντες, εὗρον τὸν ἅγιον ὁλοψύχως πιστεύοντα εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτου προθύμως ἀποθανεῖν βουλόμενον.
[4] Τότε προσέταξαν κάμινον λαυροτάτην ἀναφθῆναι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὸν ἅγιον βληθῆναι προσέταξαν· ἀναφθείσης δὲ τῆς καμίνου ἐπὶ πολὺ, καὶ εἰς ὕψος ἀρθείσης τοσοῦτον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς βλέποντας καταπλήττειν· ἀγαγοντες τὸν ἅγιον Δάδαν πρὸς τὸ ἐναποριφθῆναι ταύτη, ὡς ἤδη πλησίον τοῦτον ἡ κάμινος εἶχεν, εὐθὺς τῷ σημείῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ ταύτην κατασφραγήσας, παραυτίκα ἐσβεσμένη ἀπεκατέστη, καὶ ὕδωρ ἀντὶ φλογὸς ἀνέβλησεν. τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ παράδοξον θαῦμα ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἰὸς σαβωρίου θεασάμενος, ὁ Γοβδελαᾶς ἐξεπλάγη, καὶ εἶπε τῷ Δάδα· προσφιλέστατε Δάδα τίς σὲ τὰς τοιαύτας γοητείας, καὶ μαγγανείας ἐδίδαξεν; ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο πρὸς αὐτὸν· θέλεις καὶ αὐτὸς παρὰ τοῦ ἐμοῦ διδασκάλου ἀξειωθεὶς μαθεῖν; καὶ ὁ Γοβδελαᾶς εἶπεν· ἐὰν πιστεύσω τῷ θεῷ σοῦ, δυνύσωμαιͅ κᾀγὼ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖν; καὶ ὁ Δάδας εἶπεν· οὐ μόνον ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ καὶ μείζωνα ποιήσεις, συμβασιλεύσεις τοίνυν καὶ αὐτῷ. προστάξας οὖν ὁ Γοβδελαᾶς ἀναφθῆναι κάμινον ἐπὶ πλείονας ἡμέρας καὶ ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εὐθέως ἀπεσβέστη ἡ κάμινος, καὶ ὕδωρ ἀντὶ φλογὸς πάλιν ἀντίβλησεν. Τούτου γενομένου, προσπεσὼν ἐπίστευσε τῷ Χριστῷ. ταῦτα ἰδὼν Ἀνδραμέλεχ ἀπελθὼν ἀνήγγειλε τῷ βασιλεῖ.
[5] Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας, ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Γοβδελαᾶς γέγονε Χριστιανὸς, ῥάβδοις ἀκανθώδοις κοπῆναι προσέταξεν, καὶ ὑπὸ τεσσάρων στρατιωτῶν τύπτεσθαι· τούτων δὲ ἀτονησάντων, ἕτεροι ἀντ᾽ αὐτῶν εἰσήχθησαν. ὁ δὲ ἅγιος τυπτόμενος καθ᾽ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος, ὑπομονὴν δοθῆναι σιωπηρῶς ηὔχετο ἐκ θεοῦ. καὶ ἄγγελος αὐτῷ φανεὶς, ἐνίσχυε λέγων, θάρσει, μετὰ σοῦ γὰρ εἰμὶ. καὶ καθειρθεὶς, διεβήβασεν ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ ἡμέρας πέντε. εἶθ᾽ οὕτω γαργάλου τινὸς, ἐκ τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν ἐξουσίαν κατά τε τοῦ ἁγίου, καὶ κατὰ παντὸς Χριστιανοῦ λαβόντος, εὐθὺς δὲ ὁ γάργαλος προσέταξεν αὐτὸν βουνεύροις τύπτεσθαι ἀφειδῶς. τοῖς δὲ βουνεύροις τυπτόμενος ὁ ἁγίος, προσηύχετο, ἀναθεματίζων τὸ πάτριον σέβας. τότε ὁ γάργαλος, λώρους δύο προσέταξεν ἐκβληθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ ἁγίου ἄχρι τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, εἰπὼν οὕτως· Πὰντως ἐλθὼν ὁ Χριστός σου ἀποκαταστήσει σε ὑγιῆ. καὶ τούτου γενομένου, δήσας αὐτὸν ἀσφαλῶς, ἐναπέθετο τῇ εἰρκτῇ· ὁ δὲ τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ὁ ἄγγελος ἐπιστὰς αὐτῳ, ἔλυσεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ αὐτὸν ὑγιῆ ἀπεκατέστησεν ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν.
[6] Λυθέντων οὖν αὐτο μάτως τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου ὑγιοῦς ἀποκαταστάντος, ὥσπερ τὸ πρότερον, ἰδὼν ὁ Γάργαλος ταῦτα ἐξέστη, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἀνήγγειλε τῷ βασιλεῖ. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν· ἀπόκτεινον τὸν δυσσεβέστατον, οὐ γὰρ υἱός μου ἐστὶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίβουλος, ἐπεὶ ἐπίστευσεν εἰς ἄνθρωπον βιοθανῶντα, καὶ ἀνόητον. ὁ δὲ γάργαλος προσέταξεν, ἐμβαλόντες σοῦβλαν πεπυρωμένην ἐπὶ τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ διαβηβασθῆναι ἐπὶ τὸ ἕτερον. τούτου οὖν γενομένου, ἀπέθεντο αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ. προςευχομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ, ἐλθὼν ἄγγελος κυρίου ἦρε τὴν σούβλαν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτὸν. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ γάργαλος, πάλιν βουνεύροις τοῦτον προσέταξεν ταθῆναι, καὶ σφοδρῶς μαστιγωθῆναι. εἶθ οὕτως αὐτὸν τοῖς βουνεύροις ἀφειδῶς καταξάνας, καθεῖρξε, καὶ τῇ ἐξῆς πάλιν ῥάβδοις ῥοΐναις προσέταξεν τυφθῆναι αὐτὸν ἀνηλεῶς. τούτου δὲ γενομένου, αὐτὸν πάλιν καθεῖρξεν ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ.
[7] Εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτὸν τῆς φυλακῆς, καὶ ἰδὼν ὑγιῆ, ἐξέστη καὶ εἰπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν· κακότροπε ἕως πότε αἱ μαγείαι σου αὕται, ἅς ποιεῖς, ἐνεργοῦσιν; οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ ζωή σου ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖράς μου ἐστὶν; νῦν οὖν σοι λέγω, πίσθηθι τοῖς θεοῖς, ἵνα καλίον σοι γέννῃται. ἕως πότε τῇ μωρίᾳ ταύτῃ ἐπιμαινῆς; καὶ ἀλλότριος, καὶ ἀποσυνάγωγος ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλείας γεγέννησαι τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς, οὐ μὴν δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τῶν μεγίστων θεῶν, καὶ ἄξιος πολλῶν τιμωριῶν γενέσθαι. νῦν οὖν συμβουλεύω σοι, ὥσπερ φιλόστοργος πατὴρ, ἵνα τί σοι ἀγαθὸν γένηται· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς εἰς ἀγάπην ἀνυπέρβλητον δείξης· ὁ δὲ ἁγίος τὸ ὄμμα εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἄρας ἕλεγεν· κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὅτι ἠξίωσάς με ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ σου ταύτῃ στῆναι, καὶ νῦν, δέσποτα, διαφύλαξόν με ἀπὸ τὰς χεῖρας i τῶν ἀνοήτων ἀνθρώπων τούτων, καὶ συγκαταρήθμισόν με τῶν χορῶν τῶν ἁγίων σου μαρτύρων τῶν εὐαρεστησάντων ἐνώπιόν σου, ὅτι εὐλογητὸν τὸ ὄνομα σου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμὴν.
[8] Επὶ τούτοις οὖν ὁ γάργαλος θυμωθεὶς προσέταξεν ὀγκίνοις σιδηροῖς τὰς πλευρὰς αὐτοῦ καταξάναι. τούτων οὖν ξεομένων, ἔλεγεν· ἴδωμεν εἰ εἰσέλθη ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ἰάσεταί σε. ὁ δὲ ἅγιος σιωπηρὸς προσηύχετο. εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ξέοντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πολὺ, προσεταξεν ἀποῤῥιφῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ. ὡς δὲ μόνον ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ ὁ ἅγιος προσηύξατο, λέγων οὕτως· κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ καταξιώσας με κοινωνὸς * γενέσθαι τοῦ πάθους τῶν ἀγίων σου μαρτύρων, τῶν εὐαρεστησάντων τὸ ἅγιον ὄνομά σου, συναρίθμησον τοίνυν καὶ ἐμὲ τῆς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου μετ᾽ αὐτῶν στάσεως, καὶ διαφύλαξόν με ἀπὸ τὰς χεῖρας τῶν παρανόμων ἀνδρῶν τούτων, ὅτι ἐκύκλωσάν με κύνες πολλοὶ, καὶ συναγωγῇ πονηρευμένων περιέσχον με, καὶ νῦν δέσποτα, ἀνίσχυσόν με, ἵνα ἀνδρείως στῶ διὰ
τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον καὶ νικήσω τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου, κύριε, ὅτι εὐλογητὸν τὸ ὄνομά σου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμὴν. Τῆς δὲ εὐχῆς τελεσθείσης, ἀπεκατέστη ὁ ἅγιος ὑγιὴς δοξάζων καὶ εὐλογὥν τὸν θεὸν. ἰδῶντες αὐτὸν οἱ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ οὕτως ἔχοντα, ἐξέστησαν λέγοντες· μεγας ὁ θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν.
[9] Μαθὼν δὲ ταῦτα ὁ ἄρχων, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις θυμωθεὶς, ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτὸν τῆς φυλακῆς, καὶ ἐκέλευσεν ὀγκίνους σιδηροὺς βληθῆναι κατὰ τοῦ ὅμου τῆς δεξιᾶς αὐτοῦ χειρὸς, καὶ κρεμασθῆναι ἀπὸ ὥρας τρίτης ἕως ἐννάτης. καὶ τούτου γενομένου, ὁ ἅγιος προσηύχετο λέγων· εὐχαριστῶ σοι δέσποτα τῶν ἁπάντων, ὅτι ἐνεδειξαν εἰς ἐμὲ κακὰ πολλὰ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἠδυνήθην κυριευθῆναι ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν· ἀλλἀ ἀνάδειξον εἰς ἐμὲ, κύριε ὁ θεός μου, τὸ ῥηθὸν τὸ φάσκον, τὸ, αἰσχυνέστωσαν πάντες οἰ ἐχθροί μου, ὅταν τῷ ὀνόματί σου τῷ ἁγίῳ ἐπεκαλεσάμην, ὅτι δεδοξασμένον ὕπάρχει εἱς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμὴν. καταχθεὶς οὖν ἐκεἶθεν, τῇ φυλακῇ πάλιν κατησφαλίσθη. ἡ οὖν μήτηρ, καὶ ἡ ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπεθύμουν αὐτον θεάσασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐφοβοῦντο τὸν βασιλέα.
While a savage persecution was raging under Sapor, Dadas, having been converted, In the reign of the impious and most savage, inhuman and most impious Sapor, king of the Persians, there was a huge persecution against the Christians in all the cities and provinces. a Letters were sent by the most wicked king into every city and place, that those who believed in the name of the true God should be consigned to bitter torments and many tortures. But all the faithful hid themselves in the mountains and caves and in the hollows of the earth; and they fled from the face of the king: and there was great distress and sorrow among the faithful. And many of the faithful, falling down through fear, sacrificed to the idols. After these things a certain man, chief b of the senate, beholding the mighty works of God which had been done through many martyrs, moved by divine zeal, came to Christ with his whole soul. He was also a kinsman of the most wicked king, whose name was Dadas.
[2] is denounced to the king, But certain of the unbelievers, going to the king, announced this, saying: O king, live for ever. All venerate your great power with trembling, and carry out your commands, and adore the gods. And now, behold, they are [not] c faithful who seem to be so: nay rather, they who are both your kinsmen, and who have been made chief men of your palace and of the senate. And now against your kingdom they plot evils, and do not cleave to the greatest gods; but follow the rites of the Nazarenes. When the king heard this, being driven into a rage, with changed countenance he said: And who is he who transgresses my precept (announce him to me) and despises my command? But they said: Dadas your kinsman does not follow your teachings d. But hearing this, the inhuman and harsh man was troubled: for Dadas had been sent into other provinces to govern them: and after he worshipped Christ openly, they announced it to the king.
[3] and being examined by the king's order, But the king sent to him Andramelech, the first among his magnates, that he might learn the truth. He, when he had come, found that Christ was in truth worshipped by him; and by letters informed the king of it. But the king by a rescript gave him all power both against Dadas and against every Christian. This rescript he sent with his son Gobdelaas. When Andramelech had received it, Gobdelaas sitting with him, he began to institute the examination of Dadas. But questioning him diligently, and speaking with him what was conducive to their purpose, they found the Saint believing with his whole heart in our Lord Jesus Christ, and willing eagerly to die for him.
[4] Then they ordered a very great furnace to be kindled, and the Saint to be cast into it. The furnace being brightly kindled, [is condemned to the furnace. The furnace being divinely extinguished, Gobdelaas is converted.] and the flame raised to so great a height that beholders were carried into amazement; when they were leading holy Dadas that he might be cast into it, and he, as soon as he was near the furnace, had formed the sign of the cross upon it, immediately it stood extinguished and poured forth water instead of flame. Having beheld that wondrous prodigy, Gobdelaas, the son of king Sapor, was astounded, and said to Dadas: Most beloved Dadas, who taught you such tricks and magic arts? But he answered him: Do you too desire, being counted worthy, to learn from my Master? Gobdelaas said: If I shall believe in your God, shall I too be able to do such things? Dadas replied: Not only these things, but you shall do greater also: you shall assuredly reign with him. Therefore, when for several days Gobdelaas had ordered the furnace to be kindled, and had invoked the name of Christ, immediately the furnace was extinguished e, and again poured forth water instead of flame. This being done, becoming a suppliant, he believed in Christ. Andramelech, seeing this, went away and announced it to the king.
[5] Various torments But the king, hearing that his son Gobdelaas had become a Christian, ordered him to be beaten with thorny rods and to be flogged by four soldiers. And when these were wearied, others were brought in in their place. The Saint, being beaten over his whole body, silently prayed that endurance might be given him by God. And an angel appearing heartened him, saying: Be confident, for I am with you. Then, being shut up in prison, he passed five days. Then a certain Gargalus, having received power from the king both against the Saint and against every Christian, at once ordered him to be beaten unmercifully with ox sinews: and being beaten with the sinews the Saint prayed, anathematizing the ancestral worship. Then Gargalus ordered two thongs to be cut out of the Saint's body from the feet to the head, saying thus: Your Christ will surely come and restore you whole f; and this being done, having bound him with secure bonds, he put him in prison. But an angel g standing by him that night loosed him from his bonds and made him whole from his wounds.
[6] The bonds therefore being loosed of themselves, and the Saint restored to his former soundness, inflicted on Gobdelaas, Gargalus, seeing this, was astounded, and going away announced it to the king. But he said to him: Kill the most impious man: for he is not my son, but a plotter, since he has believed in a man condemned to death h and mad. But Gargalus ordered that a spit glowing with fire should be so thrust into his ear that it should come out through the other. This being done, they laid him in the prison. But while he prayed in custody, an angel of the Lord, coming, took away the spit and healed him. Beholding this, Gargalus ordered him again to be beaten with ox sinews and violently scourged. Then, having thus cruelly lacerated him with the sinews, he shut him in prison, and on the next day ordered him again to be savagely beaten with knotted rods. This being done, he again shut him up in custody.
[7] Afterwards, leading him out of the prison and beholding him whole, from which he is said to have recovered he was astounded, and said to him: Wicked man, how long shall these magic arts of yours which you practice have their effect? Do you not know that your life is in my hand? Now therefore I say to you: believe in the gods, that it may go better with you. How long will you cling to this folly? You have been made an alien and an outcast from your father's kingdom: and not this only, but also from the love of the greatest gods, and worthy to be subjected to many punishments. Now therefore I advise you, like a loving father, that some good may befall you: and also that you may turn your father's anger into a surpassing love. But the Saint, lifting up his eyes to heaven, said: Lord Jesus Christ, I give you thanks, because you have deemed me worthy of this favor, that I should stand fast in this confession of you: and now, Lord, preserve me from the hands of these mad men, and number me among the choirs of the holy martyrs who have pleased in your sight, for blessed is your name for ever and ever.
[8] by divine power, Therefore Gargalus, blazing up on account of these things, ordered his sides to be torn with iron hooks. While these were being torn, he said: Let us see whether Christ will come in and heal you. But the Saint prayed silently. Then, when they had scraped him for a long time, he ordered the Saint to be cast into prison. But as soon as the Saint prayed alone in custody, speaking thus: Lord Jesus Christ, who have deemed me worthy to be made a partaker of the suffering of the holy martyrs who have praised your holy name, number me also among those standing at your right hand, and preserve me from the hands of these wicked men, for many dogs have surrounded me, the council of the malignant has beset me: and now, Lord, strengthen me, that I may stand manfully for your holy name and overcome your enemies, Lord, for blessed is your name for ever, amen; the prayer being finished, the Saint was made whole, praising and magnifying God. But those who were in the prison, when they saw him in this state, were astounded, saying: Great is the God of the Christians!
[9] all marveling. The governor, learning this, and being angered on that account, drove him out of custody, and ordered iron hooks to be thrust into the shoulder of his right arm, and him to be hung up from the third hour until the ninth. This too being done, the Saint prayed, saying: I give you thanks, Lord of all things, because they have shown many evils upon me, but I could not be subdued by them. But show forth in me, Lord my God, the word which says: Let all my enemies be confounded, because I have called upon your holy name, which is blessed for ever: amen. And so, being taken down from there, he is again given back to custody. But his mother and his sister desired to see him; but they feared the king.
ANNOTATIONS.
others also of Sapor's nobles are read to have been crowned with martyrdom.
* κοινωνὸν
CHAPTER II.
Other torments of Gobdelaas: the death of them all.
ὙΠομνησθεὶς δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς λέγει τῷ γαργάλῳ· ἔτι ζῆ Γοβδελαᾶς ὁ γόης δὲ; ὁ δὲ λέγει, ναὶ βασιλεῦ, ζῆ. πολλὰ μὲν ἐνεδειξάμην δεινὰ εἰς αὐτὸν, ἔτι δὲ ζῆ. τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς προσέταξεν ἀποσπασθῆναι τὸ δέρμα τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ τένοντος, καὶ καλύψαι τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ· καὶ πάλιν ῥιφεὶς ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ ἐδόξαζε τὸν θεὸν. τῇ δὲ ἐξῆς μαθῶν ὅτι ζῆ, τοὺς ὄνυχας τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν χειρῶν ἐκριζώσας, καὶ τοὺς τέσσαρας γομφίους μύλωνας τῶν ὀδόντων αὐτοῦ, ἔῤῥιψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ, ὡς κῦνα τεθνηκότα, προστάξας μὴ δωθῆναι αὐτῷ ὕδωρ, μὴ τέ τινα εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν. ἀφήκετο δὲ ἡ αδελφὴ αὐτοῦ Κασδία, καὶ δέδωκεν αὐτῷ ὕδωρ, εἰπὼν * τῷ δεσμοφύλακι, ὡς ἐκφορόν τινι τὸ γεγονὸς κατάθης, τὴν κεφαλήν σου ἀποτμηθήσει.
[11] Καὶ μέχρι μὲν τούτου τάς ἰάσεις ἐδέχετο, ὡς μὴ πεπαγιωμένης οὔσης καὶ στερεᾶς τῆς τούτου ψυχῆς. παγιαθείσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως αύτῷ, ἰάσεις μὴν οὐκ ἐδέχετο, ὑπομονὴν δὲ καὶ προθυμίαν ἐν ταῖς βασάνοις λαμβάνων, τῇ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐπιλάμψει τετραυματισμένος ὦν, ἔχαιρε, καὶ ἑτέρους ἐθεράπευε, καὶ πάντες ἐθαύμαζον ἐπὶ τούτοις. Γάργαλος δέ τις ἕτερος μάγος, ἐν τῷ δεσμοτηρίῳ ὢν χάριν πολλῶν κακῶν, ὧν διαπράξατο, ἰδὼν τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ ἁγίου, καὶ τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γινομένα ἔνδοξα καὶ ἐξαίσια ἐν τῇ φυλακῆ, ἔπεσεν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ἁγίου λέγων· δέομαί σου δοῦλε τοῦ θεοῦ, μνήσθητί μου ἐνώπιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου. ὁ ἅγιος εἶπε· πίστευσον εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ ῥύσεταί σε ἐκ πάντων τῶν κακῶν σου. γάργαλος εἶπε· πιστεύω κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, καὶ προσεκολλήθη τῷ ἁγίῳ Γοβδελαᾶ. καὶ τῇ ἐξῆς καθίσας ὁ ἄρχων, παρέστησεν ἀμφοτέρους, καὶ ἀποδύσας τὸν γάργαλον προσέταξεν τύπτεσθαι ῥάβδοις. τυπτόμενος δὲ καὶ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀποβλέπων, κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ἔλεγεν, διὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου πάσχω, ἐνδυνάμοσόν με. καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, παρέθετο τὴν ψιχὴν τῷ κυρίῳ.
[12] Τὸν δὲ ἅγιον Γοβδελαᾶν βαλλῶν εἰς τεκτονικὸν κοχλίαν, κατέξεσε τοὺς δύο πόδας αὐτοῦ· εἶθ᾽ οὕτως σφαίρας σιδηρᾶς ἐκπυρώσης, τάς μασχάλας αὐτοῦ κατέκαυσεν. ἐμβληθέντος δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν, οἱ δέσμιοι χριόμενοι ἐκ τῶν ἰχώρων τῶν σαρκων αὐτοῦ, ἐθεραπεύοντο ἐκ τῶν πληγῶν, ὧν ἐπεφέροντο ἀπὸ τῶν μαστίγων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσθενεῖς εἰσερχόμενοι, ῥῶσιν ἐλάμβανον, καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸν. ἀκούων δὲ ὁ ἄρχων ἠπίστει. καὶ μετὰ πέντε καὶ δέκα ἡμέρας ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτὸν τῆς φυλακῆς, εὗρεν αὐτὸν ὁλόκληρον σῶον καὶ ὑγιῆ, καὶ ἰδὼν ἐξέστη. καὶ βαλλὼν εἰς λέβητα πίσσαν, καὶ τέαφον, καὶ ἐκκαύσας αὐτὸν σφοδρῶς, προσέταξεν ἐν τούτῳ βληθῆναι τὸν ἅγιον. ὁ δὲ ἅγιος ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ προευξάμενος ἀνεβλήθη τῷ λέβητι, καὶ εὐθὺς διεῤῥάγη ὁ λέβης. τούτου δὲ διαῤῥαγέντος, ἐξῆλθεν ὁ ἅγιος οὑγιὴς, μηδ᾽ ὁποσοῦν μολυνθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. τότε σκεψάμενος μετὰ τῶν σῦν αὐτῷ ὁ γάργαλος, ἐσταύρωσε τὸν ἅγιον ἐπὶ ξύλου γυμνὸν, καὶ προσέταξεν τοξεύειν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ὥρας ἱκανὰς πλῆθος λαοῦ. καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν πρᾶγμα παράδοξον· οὐ μόνον γὰρ ὁ ἅγιος ἔμεινεν ἄθρωτος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τὰ πεμπόμενα κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου βέλη ἀπηώρυντο, τοῦτο πάντας ἐξέπληξεν. ὁ δὲ τὴν βουλὴν ταύτην δοὺς τείνας τὸ τόξον αὐτοῦ κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου, τοῦ βέλους ἀνακάμψαντος, καὶ τὸν δεξιὸν αὐτοῦ ὀφθαλμὸν τρώσαντος, δεδήλωκεν αὖθις πάντα τῷ βασιλεῖ.
[13] Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀπέστειλεν Κασδίαν τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ κατηχῆσαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῆς Γοβδελαᾶν. ἡ δὲ ἀπελθῶσα, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ κατηχηθεῖσα, γέγονε Χριστιανὴ. ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐθυμώθη λίαν, προσέταξεν ταθῆναι αὐτὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ῥάβδοις τύπτεσθαι. οὗ γενομένου, ἔῤῥιψαν αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ δεσμοτηρίῳ. ἡ δὲ Κασδία κειμένη ὑπὸ τῶν προενεγθέντων αὐτῆς μαστίγων, φησὶ πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον Γοβδελαᾶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῆς· εὗξαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι ὑπηνεγκεῖν τὰς βασάνους. ὁ δὲ ἅγιος ἔφη πρὸς αὐτὴν· ἡ πρὸς Χριστόν σου πίστις μὴ ἐκλείπῃ, καὶ ἐλπίζω, εἰς ὅν ἐπίστευσας, οὐ μή σου ἅψηται βάσανος, οὐδ᾽ οὐ μὴ πειρασθῆς ἑτέρας βασάνους. ἐξαγαγὼν δὲ ὀ βασιλεὺς τὸν ἅγιον Γοβδελαᾶν, προσέταξεν δεθῆναι τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς πόδας, καὶ ῥιφῆναι εἰς τοὺς κήλωνας ἵππους, ὅπως καταπατηθῆ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν δι᾽ ὅλης τῆς νυκτὸς. οὗ γενομένου, ἀβλαβὴς διεφυλάχθη, εὐλογῶν τὸν θεὸν. πρωΐας δὲ εὑρεθεὶς σῶος, καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν λελυμένος ἐξέστησεν ἅπαντας.
[14] Τότε σούβλας πυρώσας κατέκαυσεν αὐτὸν· εῖθ᾽ οὕτως κελεύει δύο ὀγκίνους βληθῆναι εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ κρεμασθῆναι αὐτὸν εἰς δύο ξύλα ἀπέχοντα ἀλλήλων ἀπὸ πηχῶν τριῶν. ὁ δὲ ἅγιος καὶ ἀπηωρημένος ὦν προσηύχετο. Δαδιῆς δὲ καὶ Αὐδιῆς χριστιανοὶ ὄντες, παρειστήκεισαν ἀπογράφοντες τὰ τοῦ μάρτυρος ἄθλα ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ βασιλέως. πρὸς οὗς ὁ ἅγιος, εἰ δυνατὰ, εῖπεν, ἡμῖν, ἀγάγετέ μοι πρὸς τὸ βαπτισθῆναί με, ὕδωρ καὶ ἔλαιον. εἰ δὲ ἀδυνάτως ἔχετε, εὔξασθε ἵνα τοῦτο γένηται. ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ, ἰδοὺ νέφος μικρὸν, ὧς ὀμίχλη, ἐπισκιάσαν τὸν ἅγιον, ἐξέχεε κατὰ τῆς κέφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ἔλαιον καὶ ὕδωρ κρουνηδὸν, καὶ ἄκουσε φωνῆς λεγούσης αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ ἐδέξω τὸ βάπτισμα δοῦλε τοῦ Χριστοῦ Γοβδελαᾶ· καὶ ἐφάνη τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὧς φῶς, καὶ εὐωδία γέγονεν οὐκ ὀλίγη. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ἅγιος τῆς φωνῆς ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ κρεμάμενος, προσηύξατο πρὸς τὸν θεὸν, εὑχαριστῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· εὐχαριστῶ σοι δέσποτα κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὀ θεός μου ὅτι κατηξίωσάς με ἐξ ἀναξίου γενέσθαι με ἄξιον, καὶ οὐ συνεχώρησάς με ἀπολέσθαι μετὰ ἀσεβῶν τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρῶν αἱμάτων τὴν ζωήν μου, ὧν ἐν χερσὶν αἱ ἀνομίαι· ἡ δεξίὰ αὐτῶν ἐπλήσθη αἱμάτων ἁγίων, τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου ὀνόματός σου ἐκχυνομένων. ἐμοῦ δὲ δέσποτα διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν μου ἀντελάβου, καὶ ἐλέησόν με κύριε, ότι ὁ ποῦς μου ἔστη ἐν εὐθήτητι, καὶ λύτρωσαί με ἀπὸ τῆς κακουργίας αὐτῶν, ὅπως δοξάζω τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον, ὅτι εὐλογημένον ὑπάρχει εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμὴν.
[15] Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καταγαγὼν αὐτὸν ὁ Γάργαλος ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, καὶ ἐκ τῆς τιμωρίας τῆς πικρὰς ταύτης, ὀξύνας καλάμους προσέταξεν ἅπαν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ κατακεντηθῆναι ἀπὸ ποδῶν μέχρι καὶ κεφαλῆς. ὁ δὲ ἅγιος μάρτυς ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ταῖς ὥραις κατακεντούμενος, καὶ πρὸς Χριστὸν εὐχόμενος, παρέδωκε τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ κυρίῳ. Τότε ὁ γάργαλος, λύσας τοὺς δύο πόδας αὐτοῦ ἐν σπαρτίῳ, καὶ ἵπποις ἀγρίοις τοῦτον προσδήσας, ἐκέλευσεν γυμνὸν τὸ σῶμα ἕλκεσθαι εἰς τραχεῖς καὶ πετρόδεις τόπους, ὅπως αἱ σάρκες αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι διαμερισθῶσι τῇ γῇ καὶ ταῖς πέτραις, ὅ καὶ γέγονε. τὸ δὲ περιλειφθὲν σῶμα κόψας εἰς τρεῖς μερίδας διεσκόρπησεν· ὅπερ λαβόντες μετὰ πολλοῦ τιμήματος οἱ προμνημονευθήντες δὺο χριστιανοὶ ἄνδρες, οἱ καὶ πρεσβύτεροι ὄντες, αὐδιῆς καὶ δαδιῆς, καὶ ἁρμαξαδαᾶς διάκονος, ἀπήγαγον ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀρώμασι καὶ συνδόνι εἰλήσαντες κατέθεντο ἐπιμελῶς.
[16] Τὸν δὲ ἅγιον Δάδαν, τὸν ἐνδοξότατον συγγενῆ τοῦ βασιλέως, πρότερον πολυειδῶς καὶ πολουτρόπως βασανίσαντες, μεληδὸν κατέκοψαν· καὶ οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν κυρίῳ ἐτελειώθη. φιλόθεοι δὲ τινὲς λαβόντες καὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ κοπέντα λείψανα, καὶ κηδεύσαντες κατέθεντο ἐν ἐπισήμῳ τόπῳ. ψάλλοντες * δὲ τῶν προμνημονευθέντων τριῶν ἀνδρῶν δι᾽ ὅλης τῆς νυκτὸς, περὶ τὸ μεσονύκτιον εὐρέθη καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Γοβδελαᾶς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν, καὶ φησὶν· ἐνδυναμοῦσθε ἐν κυρίῳ ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ στῆτε ἐδραῖοι καὶ ἀκίνητοι, καὶ μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτανόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι. οἱ δὲ ὡς εἶδον αὔτὸν ἐχάρησαν. εἰπε δὲ αὐτοῖς πάλιν· δώη ὑμῖν κύριος τὸν μισθὸν ὑπέρ ὧν πεποιήκατε· καὶ κλίνας τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ πρὸς Δαδιῆ λέγει· λάβε τὸ κέρας τοῦ ἐλαίου, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἔλθε εἰς τὸν περίβολον τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ χρίσον Κασδίαν τὴν ἀδελφήν μου, καὶ μεταδὸς αὐτῇ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ὁ δὲ λαβὼν αὐτὰ ἐπορεύθη, καὶ ὡς κατέλαβε τὴν θύραν, ὥφθη αὐτῷ ἄγγελος κυρίου, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ βαπτίσας αὐτὴν ὁ ἱερεὺς, καὶ μεταδοὺς τοῦ ἀχράντου σώματος, εἶπεν αὐτῇ· ἄπελθε καὶ κάθευδε ἕως τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ εὐθέως λαβὼν ὁ ἅγγελος τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῆς, ἀνῆλθεν εἰς οὐρανοὺς.
[17] Πρωΐας δὲ γενομένης, εἰσελθοῦσα ἠ μήτηρ αὐτῆς, καὶ εὑροῦσα ταύτην τελειωθεῖσαν, ἀπῆλθε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· τοῦ λοιποῦ βασιλεῦ χαῖρε σὺ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία σου· ὁ υἱός μου, ὡς μυριων φονευτῶν ἐγκλήματα μόνος ἔχων, μυριοπλασίως τιμωρηθεὶς τοῦ ζῆν παρὰ σοῦ ἀπηλλάγη. καὶ ἰδοὺ νῦν καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ μου, ὡς φονεύτρια παρὰ τοῦ ἰδίου πατρὸς γυμνὴ, ὥσπερ ληστὴς, ταῖς ἀκανθώδεσι ῥάβδοις καταξανθεῖσα, καὶ αὐτὴ ἐτελεύτησεν. ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ ἀνάλγητος ἐκεῖνος, καὶ αἱμοβόρος βασιλεὺς οὐδ᾽ ὁποσοῦ ἐκάμφθη πρὸς οἶκτον. ἡ δὲ βασίλισσα λαβοῦσα ἀρώματα πολυειδῆ καὶ ἠδύπνοα, ἐμύρισε τὸ
λείψανον τῆς ἁγίας αὐτῆς θυγατρὸς, καὶ πορφύρᾳ βασιλικῇ εἰλήσασα κατέθετο μετὰ τῶν κατακοπέντων λειψάνων Γοβδελαᾶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς, εἰς δόξαν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ φιλανθρώπου θεοῦ ἡμῶν. ὧν ταῖς πρεσβείαις καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων ἐλεῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς, ὅτι αὐτῷν πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμῂ καὶ προσκύνησις σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ αὐτοῦ πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ἀγαθῷ, καὶ ζωοποιῷ αὐτοῦ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμὴν.
After the torments Gobdelaas receives water from his sister: But the king, remembering his Son, says to Gargalus: Does Gobdelaas the magician still live? And he says: He does indeed live, O king. I have inflicted many grievous things upon him; yet he still lives. Then the king ordered the skin of his head to be drawn off from the neck, and his face to be veiled a: and being again cast into prison, he praised God. On the next day, learning that he was alive, having torn out by the roots the nails of his feet and hands, and four of his molar teeth, he cast him into custody like a dead dog, commanding that no water b should be given him and that no one should go in to him. His sister Casdia nevertheless came and gave him water, saying to the keeper of the prison: If you make the deed known to anyone, you shall be beheaded.
[11] And thus far indeed the Saint obtained healings, and converts Gargalus the magician, who dies for the faith. because his soul was not yet confirmed and solid c. But his faith being confirmed, he no longer obtained healings d, but attaining patience and eagerness in his torments, and wounded by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, he rejoiced and healed others: and all marveled at these things. But another Gargalus e, a magician, who was in prison on account of the many crimes he had committed, when he saw the Saint's endurance and the glorious and magnificent deeds done by him in the prison, fell at the Saint's feet, saying: I beseech you, Servant of God, remember me before your Christ. The Saint said: Believe in him, and he will rescue you from all your evils f. Gargalus said: I believe, Lord Jesus Christ; and he cleaved to holy Gobdelaas. On the following day the governor, sitting on his tribunal, summoned both, and ordered Gargalus, loosed from his bonds, to be beaten with rods. And being beaten, and looking up to heaven, Lord Jesus Christ (he said), for your name I suffer, strengthen me; and saying this he delivered up his spirit to the Lord.
[12] But he cast holy Gobdelaas into a screw-press made with a carpenter's craft, Other punishments of the Saint, by whose blood some are healed: and scraped away both his feet, and then with a red-hot iron ball burned his armpits. But when he had been brought back into the prison, the prisoners were healed by the gore of his flesh from the wounds which they endured from the scourgings; and the sick too, coming in, obtained health and praised God. Hearing this, the governor did not believe. After fifteen days, moreover, bringing him out of custody, he found him unharmed and restored to perfect health, and seeing it he was astounded. And putting pitch and sulphur into a cauldron, and making it boil violently, he ordered the Saint to be cast into it. But the Saint, looking up to heaven and praying, was cast into the cauldron, and immediately the cauldron burst. And when it had burst, the Saint came out whole, and not even in the least injured by it. Then, counsel being taken with his people, Gargalus put the Saint on a cross, naked, and commanded a great crowd to assail him with arrows for several hours. And an admirable spectacle was to be seen. For not only did the Saint remain unharmed; but that the darts also shot against the Saint hung suspended in the air, made all astounded. But he who had given that counsel, when he had bent his bow against the Saint, the arrow returning and wounding his right eye, again reported everything to the king.
[13] Casdia converted by him, and grievously beaten by the king's order. But the king sent Casdia his daughter to admonish her brother Gobdelaas. But she, when she had come, being instructed by her brother, became a Christian. When the king understood this, he blazed up violently, and ordered his own daughter to be stretched out and beaten with rods: which being done, they cast her into prison. But Casdia, lying prostrate from the blows inflicted on her, said to holy Gobdelaas her brother: Pray for me, for I cannot endure the torments h. The Saint answered her: Let your faith in Christ not fail: and I hope from him in whom you have believed that no torment will touch you, nor will you be tried by another torture. But the king, bringing out holy Gobdelaas, ordered his hands and feet to be bound, and him to be thrown among fierce horses, that he might be trampled by them all night. Which being done, he was preserved unharmed, praising God. But in the morning, being found unhurt and loosed from his bonds, he cast astonishment upon all.
[14] The baptism of Gobdelaas; Then he burned him with glowing spits: then he orders two hooks to be thrust into his hands, and him to be hung up between two beams three cubits apart from each other. But the Saint, even hanging in the air, prayed. But Dadies and Audies i, being Christians, were present writing down the Martyr's contests, secretly, however k, for fear of the king. To whom the Saint said: If it is in your power, bring to me water and oil to baptize me; l but if this can in no way be done, pray that it may be done. As he was saying this, behold, a small cloud, like a mist, overshadowed the Saint, and poured upon his head oil and water like a torrent, and he heard a voice saying to him: Behold, you have received baptism, servant of God, Gobdelaas: and his face appeared shining, and there arose no small fragrance of sweet odor. But when the Saint, hanging on the beam, heard the voice, he prayed to God, giving thanks and saying: I give you thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, because from being unworthy you have deigned to make me worthy, and have not allowed my soul to perish with the impious, and my life with men of blood, in whose hands are iniquities, whose right hand is filled with the blood of the Saints, shed for your holy name. But me, Lord, you have received on account of my innocence m: and have mercy on me, Lord, for my foot has stood in the straight path; and rescue me from their malice, that I may praise your holy name, which is blessed for ever. Amen.
[15] his death and burial. After these things Gargalus let him down from the beam and from that bitter punishment, and ordered his whole body to be pierced through with sharp reeds from the feet to the head. But the holy Martyr, being pierced for many hours n, and directing his prayers to Christ, delivered up his spirit to the Lord. Then Gargalus, his feet being bound with a rope, and tying the rope to untamed horses, ordered his naked body to be dragged over rough and rocky places, so that all his flesh might be scattered over the ground and the rocks: which also was done. But the remaining body, cut into three parts, he dispersed. And the two Christian men mentioned before, who were also priests, Audies and Dadies, and Armaxadaas the deacon, gathering it with much honor, carried it into their houses, and, embalming it with spices and wrapping it in a linen cloth, carefully laid it away.
[16] But holy Dadas, the most glorious kinsman of the king, The slaying of Dadas, and the death of Casdia. having first afflicted him with manifold and various torments, they cut in pieces limb from limb o: and thus he too ended his life in Christ. But certain lovers of God gathered his severed relics, and burying them, laid them in a notable place. But while the three men just praised were singing psalms through the whole night, about midnight holy Gobdelaas too was found among them, and said: Be strengthened in the Lord, brethren, and stand firm and unmoved: and do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. And they, when they saw him, rejoiced. But he said to them again: May the Lord give you the reward of the things you have done. And bowing his head, he says to Dadies: Take the horn of oil and the most holy Body of Christ, and go into the king's enclosure [p], and anoint Casdia my sister, and give her the holy body of Christ. The priest, having taken these things, went; and when he came to the door, he saw an angel of the Lord, and with him he entered. He baptized her, and gave her the immaculate Body; then he said: Go and sleep until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And immediately the angel, her soul being taken away [q], returned to heaven.
[17] Now when the morning time was dawning, the Saint's mother, entering and finding her dead, The queen's grief at the death of her son and daughter. went away to the king and said to him: Henceforth, O king, rejoice, you and your kingdom. My son, as though bound by the crimes of a thousand murderers, tormented in a thousand ways, has been torn from life by you.
And behold, now my Daughter also, as though guilty of murder, stripped naked by her own father like a robber, torn with thorny rods, has died as well. Hearing this, that inhuman and bloodthirsty king was in no way bent toward compassion. But the queen, taking manifold ointments of pleasing odor, anointed the body of her holy Daughter, and, wrapping it in royal purple, laid it away with the severed relics of Gobdelaas her son [r], to the glory of our good and merciful God. By the patronage of these and of all the Saints may God have mercy on us and preserve us: since to him is due all glory, honor, and adoration, with the Father who is without beginning, and with his perfectly holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
p. That a place in the royal palace is meant becomes certain from this, that the queen is said to have entered that place in the morning. Yet by περίβολον it is not made certain what sort of place in the palace it is, since that word is expounded in very various ways. Perhaps Casdia's chamber was in the circuit of the palace. The author indeed had before left her in prison: but in other matters too he contradicts himself: and Casdia could have been transferred from the prison to her own chamber.
q. The apparition of Gobdelaas, and of the angel entering with Dadies to Casdia, and immediately after the baptism carrying off her soul, we deservedly reckon among those things which do not deserve belief. Casdia could nevertheless have received baptism: but we do not believe that it was done in the manner here reported.
r. Already at number 15 the burial of Gobdelaas was related, whose body is said to have been gathered by the priests and the deacon, and laid away by them. This had to be done secretly on account of the bitterness of the persecution. And so here again the author contends with himself, when Casdia is said to have been laid away, along with the relics of Gobdelaas, by the queen, who is nowhere read to have been converted. Likewise I should believe that what he says the queen said to the king was devised by the author. Moreover, to declare my judgment about these Acts in a single word, most things in them are suspect on account of the little fables sprinkled through them.
* εἰποῦσα
* ψαλλόντων