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On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 24

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

24. What then, beloved brethren, shall I chiefly

‹ Section 23 Section 25 ›

relate

,

or

what

shall

I

say

?

When

all

dignified

titles

thus

combine

in

one

,

the

mind

is

confused

,

the

perception

is

misled

;

and

in

the

very

attempt

to

speak

with

brilliancy

,

my

unworthy

discourse

vanishes

away

.

For

what

is

there

to

be

said

which

can

be

sufficient

,

when

,

if

you

should

express

the

power

of

eternal

salvation

,

its

attending

glories

come

in

your

way

;

if

you

would

speak

of

its

surroundings

,

its

greatness

prevents

you

?

The

things

at

the

same

time

are

both

in

agreement

and

in

opposition

,

and

there

is

nothing

which

appears

worthy

to

be

uttered

.

Thus

the

instances

of

martyrdom

have

held

in

check

the

impulses

of

daring

speech

,

as

if

entangled

and

ensnared

by

an

opponent

.

What

voice

,

what

lungs

,

what

strength

,

can

undertake

to

sustain

the

form

of

such

a

dignity

?

At

the

confession

of

one

voice

,

adverse

things

give

way

,

joyous

things

appear

,

kingdoms

are

opened

,

empires

are

prepared

,

suffering

is

overcome

,

death

is

subdued

,

life

is

preferred

,

and

the

resisting

weapons

of

a

mischievous

enemy

are

broken

up

.

If

there

is

sin

,

it

perishes

;

if

there

is

crime

,

it

is

left

behind

.

Wherefore

I

beseech

you

,

weigh

this

in

your

minds

,

and

from

my

address

receive

so

much

as

you

know

that

you

can

feel

.