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Ad Martyras

Tertullian

Chapter 6

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Passing, too, from examples of enduring constancy having such an origin

‹ Chapter 5

as

this

,

let

us

turn

to

a

simple

contemplation

of

man’s

estate

in

its

ordinary

conditions

,

that

mayhap

from

things

which

happen

to

us

whether

we

will

or

no

,

and

which

we

must

set

our

minds

to

bear

,

we

may

get

instruction

.

How

often

,

then

,

have

fires

consumed

the

living

!

How

often

have

wild

beasts

torn

men

in

pieces

,

it

may

be

in

their

own

forests

,

or

it

may

be

in

the

heart

of

cities

,

when

they

have

chanced

to

escape

from

their

dens

!

How

many

have

fallen

by

the

robber’s

sword

!

How

many

have

suffered

at

the

hands

of

enemies

the

death

of

the

cross

,

after

having

been

tortured

first

,

yes

,

and

treated

with

every

sort

of

contumely

!

One

may

even

suffer

in

the

cause

of

a

man

what

he

hesitates

to

suffer

in

the

cause

of

God

.

In

reference

to

this

indeed

,

let

the

present

time

bear

testimony

,

when

so

many

persons

of

rank

have

met

with

death

in

a

mere

human

being’s

cause

,

and

that

though

from

their

birth

and

dignities

and

bodily

condition

and

age

such

a

fate

seemed

most

unlikely

;

either

suffering

at

his

hands

if

they

have

taken

part

against

him

,

or

from

his

enemies

if

they

have

been

his

partisans

.

Notes

1
[After the defeat and suicide of Albinus, at Lyons, many persons, some of Senatorial rank, were cruelly put to death.]