and is thrown PAUL AND THECLA. to wild beasts distressed loud tone, Force me | presence of a multitude of spectanot, who am a stranger; force me tors. not, who am a servant of God; I am one of the principal persons of Iconium, and was obliged to leave that city because I would not be married to Thamyris. 5 Then she laid hold on Alexander, tore his coat, and took his crown off his head, and made him appear ridiculous before all the people. 6 But Alexander, partly as he loved her, and partly being ashamed of what had been done, led her to the governor, and upon her confession of what she had done1 he condemned her to be thrown among the beasts. CHAP. VIII. 4 Trifina, without any surprise, accompanied Thecla, and the shelion licked the feet of Thecla. The title written which denotes her crime, was, Sacrilege. Then the woman cried out, O God, the judgments of this city are unrighteous. 5 After the beasts had been shewn, Trifina took Thecla home with her, and they went to bed ; and behold, the daughter of Trifina, who was dead, appeared to her mother, and said; Mother, reputed by you as your daughter let the young woman, Thecla, be in my stead; and desire her that she should pray for me, that I may be translated to a state of happi 2 Thecla entertained by Trifina; 3 WH HICH when the people saw, they said: The judgments passed in this city are unjust. But Thecla desired the favour of the governor, that her chastity might not be attacked, but preserved till she should be cast to the beasts. 2 The governor then inquired, Who would entertain her; upon which a certain very rich widow, named Trifina, whose daughter was lately dead, desired that she might have the keeping of her; and she began to treat her in her house as her own daughter. 3 At length a day came, when the beasts were to be brought forth to be seen; and Thecla was brought to the amphitheatre, and put into a den in which was an exceeding fierce she-lion, in the 6 Upon which Trifina, with a mournful air said, My daughter Falconilla, has appeared to me, and ordered me to receive you in her room; wherefore I desire, Thecla, that you would pray for my daughter, that she may be translated into a state of happiness, and to life eternal. 7 When Thecla heard this, she immediately prayed to the Lord, and said: O Lord God of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ, thou Son of the Most High, grant that her daughter Falconilla may live for ever. Trifina hearing this groaned again, and said: O unrighteous judgments! O unreasonable wickedness! that such a creature should (again) be cast to the beasts! SOn the morrow, at break of day, Alexander came to Trifina's house, and said: The governor and the people are waiting; bring the criminal forth. sup 1 There being something wanting here in the old Greek MS. it is plied out of the old Latin version, which is in the Bodleian Library, Cod. Dig. 39, rather than out of Simeon Metaphrastes, a writer of the eleventh century, The beasts refusing PAUL AND THECLA. to destroy Thecla. 2 But a she-lion, which was of all the most fierce, ran to Thecla, and fell down at her feet. Upon which the multitude of women shouted aloud. 3 Then a she-bear ran fiercely towards her; but the she-lion met the bear, and tore it in pieces. 9 But Trifina ran in so violent-pointed for fighting with the ly upon him, that he was affright- beasts: and the lions and the bears ed, and ran away. Trifina was one were let loose upon her. of the royal family; and she thus expressed her sorrow, and said; Alas! I have trouble in my house on two accounts, and there is no one who will relieve me, either under the loss of my daughter, or my being unable to save Thecla. But now, O Lord God, be thou the helper of Thecla thy servant. 10 While she was thus engaged, the governor sent one of his own officers to bring Thecla. Trifina took her by the hand, and, going with her, said: I went with Falconilla to her grave, and now must go with Thecla to the beasts. 11 When Thecla heard this, she weeping prayed, and said: O Lord God, whom I have made my confidence and refuge, reward Trifina for her compassion to me, and preserving my chastity. 12 Upon this there was a great noise in the amphitheatre; the beasts roared, and the people cried out, Bring in the criminal. 13 But the women cried out, and said: Let the whole city suffer for such crimes; and order all of us, O governor, to the same punishment. O unjust judgment ! O cruel sight! 14 Others said, Let the whole city be destroyed for this vile action. Kill us all, O governor. O cruel sight! O unrighteous judg 4 Again, a he lion, who had been wont to devour men, and which belonged to Alexander, ran towards her; but the she-lion encountered the he-lion, and they killed each other. 5 Then the women were under a greater concern, because the she-lion, which had helped Thecla, was dead. 6 Afterwards they brought out many other wild beasts; but Thecla stood with her hands stretched towards heaven, and prayed; and when she had done praying, she turned about, and saw a pit of water, and said, Now it is a proper time for me to be baptised. 7 Accordingly she threw herself into the water, and said, In thy name, O my Lord Jesus Christ, I am this last day baptized. The women and the people seeing this, cried out, and said, Do not throw yourself into the water. And the governor himself cried out, to think that the fish (sea-calves) were like to devour so much beauty. 8 Notwithstanding all this, Thecla threw herself into the water, in the name of our Lord Je sus Christ. 9 But the fish (sea-calves,) when they saw the lighting and fire, were killed, and swam dead upon the surface of the water, and a cloud of fire surrounded Thecla, so that as the beasts could not She is saved PAUL AND THECLA. come near her, so the people could! not see her nakedness. 10 Yet they turned other wild beasts upon her; upon which they made a very mournful outcry; and some of them scattered spikehard, others cassia, others amomus (a sort of spikenard, or the herb of Jerusalem, or ladies-rose) others ointment; SO that the quantity of ointment was large, in proportion to the number of people; and upon this all the beasts lay as though they had been fast asleep, and did not touch Thecla. 11 Whereupon Alexander said to the Governor, I have some very terrible bulls; let us bind her to them. To which the governor, with concern, replied, You may do what you think fit. 12 Then they put a cord round Thecla's waist, which bound also her feet, and with it tied her to the bulls, to whose privy-parts they applied red-hot irons, that so they being the more tormented, might more violently drag Thecla about, till they had killed her. 13 The bulls accordingly tore about, making a most hideous noise; but the flame which was about Thecla, burnt off the cords which were fastened to the members of the bulls, and she stood in the middle of the stage, as unconcerned as if she had not been bound. 14 But in the mean time Trifina, who sat upon one of the benches, fainted away and died; upon which the whole city was under a very great concern. 15 And Alexander himself was afraid, and desired the govenor, saying: 1 intreat you, take compassion on me and the city, and release this woman, who has fought with the beasts; lest both you and I, and the whole city, be destroyed; and released. 16 For if Casar should have any account of what has passed now, he will certainly immediately destroy the city, because Trifina, a person of royal extract, and a relation of his, is dead upon her seat. 17 Upon this the governor called Thecla from among the beasts to him, and said to her, Who art. thou? and what are thy circumstances, that not one of the beasts will touch thee? 18 Thecla replied to him; I am a servant of the living God; and as to my state, I am a believer on Jesus Christ his Son, in whom God is well pleased; and for that reason none of the beasts could touch me. 19 He alone is the way to eternal salvation, and the foundation of eternal life. He is a refuge to those who are in distress; a support to the afflicted, hope and defence to those who are hopeless; and, in a word, all those who do not believe on him, shall not live, but suffer eternal death. 20 ¶ When the governor heard these things, he ordered her clothes to be brought, and said to her, put on your clothes. 21 Thecla replied: May that God who clothed me when I was naked among the beasts, in the day of judgment clothe your soul with the robe of salvation. Then she took her clothes, and put them on; and the governor immediately published an order in these words; I release to you Thecla the servant of God. 22 Upon which the women cried out together with a loud voice, and with one accord gave praise unto God, and said; There is but one God, who is the God of Thecla; the one God who hath delivered Thecla. 23 So loud were their voices PAUL AND THECLA. Thecla visits Paul that the whole city seemed to be shaken; and Trifina herself heard the glad tidings, and arose again, and ran with the multitude to neet Thecla; and embracing her, said: Now I believe there shall be a resurrection of the dead; now I am persuaded that my daughter is alive. Come therefore home with me, my daughter Thecla, and I will make over all that I have to you. 24 So Thecla went with Trifina, and was entertained there a few days, teaching her the word of the Lord, whereby many young women were converted; and there was great joy in the family of Trifina. 25 But Thecla longed to see Paul, and inquired and sent every where to find him; and when at length she was informed that he was at Myra, in Lycia, she took with her many young men and women; and putting on a girdle, and dressing herself in the habit of a man, she went to him to Myra in Lycia, and there found Paul preaching the word of God; and she stood by him among the throng. CHAP. X.* 1 Theclarisits Paul. 6 visits Onesiphorus. 8 visits her mother. 9 who repulses her 12 Is tempted by the devil. Works miracles. UT it was no small surprise BUT to Paul when he saw her and the people with her; for he imagined some fresh trial was coming upon them; 2 Which when Thecla perceived, she said to him: I have been baptized, O Paul; for he who assists you in preaching, has Assisted me to baptize. 3 Then Paul took her, and led her to the house of Hermes; and Thecla related to Paul all that had befallen her in Antioch, inso much that Paul exceedingly wondered, and all who heard were con and her mother firmed in the faith, and prayed for Trifina's happiness. 4 Then Thecla arose, and said to Paul, I am going to Iconium. Paul replied to her: Go, and teach the word of the Lord. 6 But Trifina had sent large sums of money to Paul, and also clothing by the hands of Thecla, for the relief of the poor. 6 ¶ So Thecla went to Iconium. And when she came to the house of Onesiphorus, she fell down upon the floor where Paul had sat and preached, and, mixing tears with her prayers, she praised and glori fied God in the following words: 7 O Lord the God of this house, in which I was first enlightened by thee; O Jesus, son of the living God, who wast my helper before the governor, my helper in the fire, and my helper among the beasts; thou alone art God for ever and ever, Amen. 8 Thecla now (on her return) found Thamyris dead but her mother living. So calling her mother, she said to her; Theoclia, my mother, is it possible for you to be brought to a belief, that there is but one Lord God, who dwells in the heavens? If you desire great riches, God will give them to you by me; if you want your daughter again, here I am. 9 These and many other things she represented to her mother, (endeavouring) to persuade her (to her own opinion). But her mother Theoclia gave no credit to the things which were said by the martyr Thecla. 10 So that Thecla perceiving she discoursed to no purpose, signing her whole body with the sign (of the cross), left the house and went to Daphine; and when she came there, she went to the cave, where she had found Paul with Onesiphorus, and fell down upon Works miracles. PAUL AND THECLA. on the ground; and wept before God. 11 When she departed thence, she went to Seleucia, and enlightened many in the knowledge of Christ. 12 ¶ And a bright cloud conducted her in her journey. 13 And after she had arrived at Seleucia she went to a place out of the city, about the distance of a furlong, being afraid of the inhabitants, because they were worshippers of idols. 14 And she was led (by the cloud) into a mountain called Calamon, or Rodeon. There she abode many years, and underwent a great many grievous temptations of the devil, which she bore in a becoming manner, by the assistance which she had from Christ. 15 At length certain gentlewomen hearing of the virgin Thecla, went to her, and were instructed by her in the oracles of God, and many of them abandoned this world, and led a monastic life with her. 16 Hereby a good report was spread everywhere of Thecla, and she wrought several (miraculous) cures, so that all the city and adjacent countries brought their sick to that mountain, and before they came as far as the door of the cave, they were instantly cured of whatsoever distemper they had. 17 The unclean spirits were cast out, making a noise; all received their sick made whole, and glorified God, who had bestowed such power on the virgin Thecla ; 18 Insomuch that the physicians of Seleucia were now of no more account, and lost all the profit of their trade, because no one regarded them; upon which they were filled with envy, and began to contrive what methods to take with this servant of Christ. Escapes defilement. CHAP. XI. 1 Is attempted to be ravished, 12 cxcupes by a rock opening, 17 and closing miraculously. THE THE devil then suggested bad advice to their minds; and being on a certain day met to gether to consult, they reasoned among each other thus: The vir gin is a priestess of the great goddess Diana, and whatsoever she requests from her, is granted, because she is a virgin, and so is beloved by all the gods. 2 Now then let us procure some rakish fellows, and after we have made them sufficiently drunk, and given them a good sum of money, let us order them to go and debauch this virgin, promising them, if they do it, a larger reward. 3 (For they thus concluded among themselves, that if they be able to debauch her, the gods will no more regard her, nor Diana cure the sick for her.) 4 They proceeded according to this resolution, and the fellows went to the mountain, and as fierce as lions to the cave, knocking at the door. 5 The holy martyr Thecla, relying upon the God in whom she believed, opened the door, although she was before apprized of their design, and said to them, Young men, what is your business? 6 They replied, Is there any one within, whose name is Thecla ? She answered, What would you have with her? They said, We have a mind to lie with her. 7 The blessed Thecla answered: Though I am a mean old woman, I am the servant of my Lord Jesus Christ; and though you have a vile design against me, ye shall not be able to accomplish it. They replied: It is impossible but we must be able to do with you what we have a mind. |