Opening the library…

Search the Bible

On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 13

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

13. And now, beloved brethren, I shall come

‹ Section 12 Section 14 ›

to

that

point

whence

I

shall

very

easily

be

able

to

show

you

how

highly

the

virtue

of

martyrdom

is

esteemed

,

which

,

although

it

is

well

known

to

all

,

and

is

to

be

desired

on

account

of

the

insignia

of

its

inborn

glory

,

yet

in

the

desire

of

its

enjoyment

has

received

more

enhancement

from

the

necessity

of

the

times

.

Because

if

any

one

be

crowned

at

that

season

in

which

he

supposes

himself

to

be

crowned

,

if

perchance

he

should

die

,

he

is

greatly

rewarded

.

Therefore

,

sublime

and

illustrious

as

martyrdom

is

,

it

is

the

more

needful

now

,

when

the

world

itself

is

turned

upside

down

,

and

,

while

the

globe

is

partially

shattered

,

failing

nature

is

giving

evidence

of

the

tokens

of

its

final

destruction

.

For

the

rain

-

cloud

hangs

over

us

in

the

sky

,

and

the

very

air

stretches

forth

the

mournful

rain

(

curtain

)

;

and

as

often

as

the

black

tempest

threatens

the

raging

sea

,

the

glittering

lightning

-

flashes

glow

terribly

in

the

midst

of

the

opening

darkness

of

the

clouds

.

Moreover

,

when

the

deep

is

lashed

into

immense

billows

,

by

degrees

the

wave

is

lifted

up

,

and

by

degrees

the

foam

whitens

,

until

at

length

you

behold

it

rush

in

such

a

manner

,

that

on

those

rocks

on

which

it

is

hurled

,

it

throws

its

foam

higher

than

the

wave

that

was

vomited

forth

by

the

swelling

sea

.

You

read

that

it

is

written

,

that

we

must

pay

even

the

uttermost

farthing

.

But

the

martyrs

alone

are

relieved

of

this

obligation

;

because

they

who

trust

to

their

desires

for

eternal

salvation

,

and

have

overcome

their

longings

for

this

life

,

have

been

made

by

the

Lord’s

precepts

free

from

the

universal

suffering

.

Therefore

from

this

especially

,

beloved

brethren

,

we

shall

be

able

to

set

forth

what

great

things

the

virtue

of

martyrdom

is

able

to

fulfil

.

Notes

12
[The sufferings of this life are here supposed to be retributive in the case of those who must be weaned from the world. Martyrs have weaned themselves, and go gladly to their rest.]