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On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 15

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

15. Wherefore, beloved brethren, with a firm faith

‹ Section 14 Section 16 ›

,

with

a

robust

devotion

,

with

a

virtue

opposed

to

the

fierce

threatenings

of

the

world

,

and

the

savage

murmurs

of

the

attending

crowds

,

we

must

resist

and

not

fear

,

seeing

that

ours

is

the

hope

of

eternity

and

heavenly

life

,

and

that

our

ardour

is

inflamed

with

the

longing

for

the

light

,

and

our

salvation

rejoices

in

the

promise

of

immortality

.

But

the

fact

that

our

hands

are

bound

with

tightened

bonds

,

and

that

heavy

links

fastened

round

our

necks

oppress

us

with

their

solid

weight

,

or

that

our

body

strained

on

the

rack

hisses

on

the

red

-

hot

plates

,

is

not

for

the

sake

of

seeking

our

blood

,

but

for

the

sake

of

trying

us

.

For

in

what

manner

should

we

be

able

to

recognise

even

the

dignity

of

martyrdom

,

if

we

were

not

constrained

to

desire

it

,

even

at

the

price

of

the

sacrifice

of

our

body

?

I

indeed

have

known

it

,

and

I

am

not

deceived

in

the

truth

of

what

I

say

,

when

the

cruel

hands

of

the

persecutors

were

wrenching

asunder

the

martyr’s

limbs

,

and

the

furious

torturer

was

ploughing

up

his

lacerated

muscles

,

and

still

could

not

overcome

him

.

I

have

known

it

by

the

words

of

those

who

stood

around

.

“

This

is

a

great

matter

.

Assuredly

I

know

not

what

it

is

—

that

he

is

not

subdued

by

suffering

,

that

he

is

not

broken

down

by

wearing

torments

.

”

Moreover

,

there

were

other

words

of

those

who

spoke

:

“

And

yet

I

believe

he

has

children

:

for

he

has

a

wife

associated

with

him

in

his

house

;

and

yet

he

does

not

give

way

to

the

bond

of

his

offspring

,

nor

is

he

withdrawn

by

the

claim

of

his

family

affection

from

his

stedfast

purpose

.

This

matter

must

be

known

,

and

this

strength

must

be

investigated

,

even

to

the

very

heart

;

for

that

is

no

trifling

confession

,

whatever

it

may

be

,

for

which

a

man

suffers

,

even

so

as

to

be

able

to

die

.

”

Notes

15
[The terrible pictures in S. Stefano Rotondo (see p. 288, supra) might seem to have been taken from this graphic treatise. Can our faith and love be compared with that of these sufferers?]
16
[To me, these dramatic narrations of what was going on among the crowds that gazed upon the tortures of Christ’s witnesses, are very suggestive of the whole scene. Compare pp. 295–296, supra.]