Coptic Martyrdoms and Lives in the Dialect of Upper Egypt

Coptic Martyrdoms and Lives in the Dialect of Upper Egypt

Translated by E. A. Wallis Budge

Manuscripts of the 5th–10th century

Ten Coptic texts that Budge first published: the martyrdom of Saint Victor the General and Celestinus of Rome’s encomium on him, the lives of Eustathius and Theopistê, of Apa Cyrus, of John the Monk and of Onnophrios the anchorite, the encomium of Flavianus on Demetrius, two writings of Apa Ephraim on the ascetic life, and Timothy of Alexandria’s discourse on Abbatôn, the angel of death. Most of them are legendary, and the names of the authors are those that the manuscripts give.

I. The Martyrdom of Saint Victor the General

1 (Brit. Mus. MS. Oriental, No. 7022) [HERE BEGINNETH] THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT BIKTÔR (VICTOR), THE GENERAL AND MARTYR, THE MAN GLORIOUS IN CHRIST, THE WEARER OF THE CROWN IN VERY TRUTH, WHO COMPLETED HIS GLORIOUS STRIFE ON THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH DAY OF THE MONTH PHARMOUTE. IN THE PEACE OF GOD. MAY HIS HOLY BLESSING COME UPON US, AND MAY WE ALL BE SAVED TOGETHER. AMEN. And it came to pass in the kingdom (i. e. reign) of the Emperor Diocletian, in the third year of his reign, in the first month, that the Devil led his heart astray from God, and made him to do the things that were not seemly. And Diocletian worshipped idols, and thrust the God of heaven behind his back, for the sake of [creatures made of] wood and stones, and for the sake of the vain things that were fashioned by the hands of men. Hearken [ye] now to [the account of] the valour of the young man [called] Victor.

2 And the Emperor Diocletian took counsel and decided to do the things that were unseemly before God, Jesus the Christ; and this is what he did. He made seventy images of gold, and gave unto them the name of 'gods', which they certainly were not. To thirty-five of these he gave names of gods, and to thirty-five the names of goddesses; now the number of his other gods and goddesses amounted to one hundred and forty. And the Emperor Diocletian affixed a decree on the outside of the door of the Palace, wherein it was written thus: 'I, the Emperor Diocletian, [hereby] command that from Rômania [in the north] to Pelak (Philac) in the south, every man, whether he be eparch, or general, or count, or bishop, or elder, or deacon, or reader, or servant, or free man, or soldier, or countryman, shall worship my gods. And any one among these who shall say, "I am a Christian," shall be remembered, and he shall die by the sword. And as for you, O all ye noblemen of high senatorial rank, who hold office in con-

3 nection with the Palace, ye shall give effect to this decree in Ā such a way that every man shall worship my gods; for these are the gods who give us victory in battle, and it is they who are the protectors of you yourselves, and they give strength unto you and unto the whole army. Therefore, he that doth not rise up early in the morning, and come at dawn [to me so] that we may go into the temple together and offer up sacrifices to the gods, he, I say, that doth not come [hither] shall be cast into the sea, so that [all men] may know that I am king, and that there is no other king besides me.' And it came to pass at dawn, on the first day of the month Parmoute, that the Emperor Diocletian, and all his army, and the eparchs, and the generals went into the temple. And the Emperor took his seat upon the throne, and he caused the herald to make a proclamation, saying, 'O [all] ye Roman people, come ye and offer up sacrifice.' And the Emperor made an altar of silver and a vessel wherein to burn incense of gold; and he made a great pedestal of gold, and he placed it before the altar so that the [statue of] Apollo might be set upon it. And the Emperor commanded them to bring frank-incense, and the finest flour of wheat, and the purest oil, and rare old wine, and to pour them out upon the altar whereon was blazing fire. And afterwards they lighted two hundred candles on golden candlesticks, and four hundred candles on silver candlesticks, and two hundred white horses drew his gods into the temple.

4 And when they had brought his gods into the temple the Emperor Diocletian stood up on his throne, and he lifted his crown off his head, and set it upon the head of [the statue of] Apollo, and he bowed down and worshipped it three times, saying, 'Thou art the god who livest, O Apollo, the greatest of the gods, who dost give unto us victory in war.' And after the Emperor had worshipped Apollo, his three fellow [Caesars], Romanus, Basileides, and Euaios, came and worshipped Apollo also. Now these held equal rank and power with the Emperor, and he loved them exceedingly. And he had given unto each one of them fifty centenarii of gold, in addition to the most noble rank of generals in the army and the other honours which he had bestowed upon them. And Diocletian said unto them, 'O my fellow [Caesars], I pray you to be persuaded by me, and to worship my gods. Ye yourselves can see this great festival which hath spread abroad everywhere this day. I swear by the salvation of my strength, and by the salvation of the seventy gods, and by the strength of the great god Apollo, that I will make the whole world worship my gods, and the festival which is being celebrated this day shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world. And ye yourselves shall give propitiatory offerings and gifts to the temple of Apollo, besides those which the eparch and the generals shall give.' And Romanus gave thirty centenarii of gold, and Basileides gave twenty, and Euaios gave ten, and the Emperor gave sixty; in all they gave as free-will offerings to [the temple of] Apollo one hundred and twenty centenarii of gold. And the Emperor also gave three precious jewels [to be set] in the crown of Apollo, and they were of exceedingly great price.

5 And the Emperor said unto Romanus, the general of the army, 'Offer thou up sacrifice to my gods'; and Romanus went forward and offered up sacrifice together with his two fellow [Caesars], as did also the other nobles who were attached to the Palace. On that day six hundred thousand soldiers and two millions of the people of the country worshipped [Apollo], and all the multitudes of the people were gathered together at the sacrifice of the Emperor. And it came to pass that when the turn of the Protector had come to offer up sacrifice, now his name was Basileides, he would not worship the gods of the Emperor; and Diocletian put him to death together with all his house. And the whole city was greatly shaken by the thronging of the multitude, and men died, being choked by the fumes of the frankincense, and by the smell of the incense which the people were offering

6 up upon the altar. And those who died through being crushed by the multitudes were five thousand in number, in addition to those who died in the temple, who were also five thousand in number. And the Emperor Diocletian went about throughout the whole city, saying, 'When ye shall have finished offering up your sacrifices, [ye shall] eat and ye shall drink at the door of [the temple of] Apollo and Artemis, and ye shall glorify them, for it is they who have made the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and mankind.' And the Emperor went back to the Palace at the time of the morning meal, and he called Romanus the general and said unto him, 'Take this edict, and make the rest of the multitude offer up sacrifice before thou dost leave them.' Then Romanus the general took the edict from the hand of the Emperor, and he gave orders to the people, saying, 'O Romans, offer ye up sacrifice.'

7 And it came to pass that when all the people had offered up sacrifice, it came to the turn of his son to offer up sacrifice. Now he was a young man of nineteen years of age, and he worshipped God, and held His commandments in fear. He was a virgin in body, he ate once only each week, he prayed all night long, and from the day wherein he had heard the Christians crying out to him in the church his heart had departed into heaven. He hated the world. He did not drink wine, neither did he eat food cooked with fire. He did not decorate his person, and he did not adorn himself with rich apparel and fine raiment. He did not mount the horse which was used in a chariot (i. e. a war-horse). He neither ate food with his father nor did he enter into converse with him in the presence of any one who was greater than himself. He never gave utterance to an obscene (or, scurrilous) word, and never, under any circumstances, did he swear an oath by anything or by anybody. And whenever he heard concerning any one who was in distress, if that person were a Christian, he used to minister unto him, and give unto him of whatsoever he had need, without informing his father and mother of the same. And this was in addition to the things that he used to give to his slaves daily. He was wont to rise each morning at break of day, and to come forth to the door of his house, and if he saw any one naked he would strip himself of the garment which he had on him, and give it to him. And he performed all the commandments which were written, and he fulfilled all the instructions in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus the Christ.

8 And his father wearied him exceedingly, saying, 'I shall take the daughter of Basileides the general for thee to wife,' for his father and Basileides had made an agreement in respect of her for two hundred centenarii of gold, besides gifts, and four hundred centenarii of silver, and ten menservants, and ten hundred maidservants wearing golden bracelets, and four hundred horses, and ten hundred mules, and ten hundred camels, and ten hundred farms which were under tillage, and ten hundred ships which sailed the sea, and ten houses (palaces?) to [each] one of which were attached ten farms under tillage, besides the things which his father was to give to him, and a very large number of men who were to do the work on [his] land. And the blessed Apa Victor would not be persuaded by his father and Basileides, and he said unto them, 'All these things shall perish'; and he kept himself for the kingdom that is in the heavens. And the Lord Jesus was wont to appear to him, face to face, and He loved him because of his purity. And the noble Victor made for himself a small chamber in his house, and there he would retire to be free from the company of his parents. He had not slept upon a couch since he was fifteen years of age. He prayed by day and by night, and he fasted from one sabbath to another. He attended the assemblies for the Holy Communion. He prayed one thousand and sixty-five prayers during the day, and seven hundred and thirty prayers during the night. His food consisted of bread and salt only.

9 And the Devil goaded him with carnal desire, for he wished to make him fall into fornication; but this noble Apa Victor vanquished him by means of prayers, and fasting, and by his Christian citizenship. And his fellow noblemen were always making a mock of him, saying, 'Why dost thou not eat? Why dost thou not drink? Why dost thou not wear fine apparel and put on beautiful raiment? Thou wilt die, and then others will consume thy possessions.' But he was wont to make answer [unto them], saying, 'Apparel becometh moth-eaten, gold and silver crumble away, [and] the beauty of the body becometh destroyed in the tomb.' And Apa Victor was wont to go into his chamber, and to pray unto God in the following manner: 'O Lord, hearken unto me! [O] Lord Jesus the Christ, Thou knowest the speech of heresy, and [Thou knowest] whether I love Thee or not. O my Lord Jesus the Christ, permit Thou not the love of women to rise up in my heart, lest Satan find a place of abode in my heart, and lest mine enemies rejoice over me, and lest Thou Thyself become wroth with me, and say unto me in the day of the Judgement of Truth [when] I come into Thy hands, "Depart thou from Me." But let Thy lovingkindness bear patiently with me, and do Thou not remove Thyself from me. Glory be unto Thee, O Father, Who art in the Son, and unto Thee, O Son, Who art in the Father, and unto [Thee, O] Holy Spirit, for ever, and ever, and ever! Amen.'

10 Then Romanus the general said unto Apa Victor, his son, 'O my son Victor, it is now thy turn to worship the gods of the Emperor, in whose honour the whole city is keeping this day a feast, especially Apollo, the greatest of the gods.' And Apa Victor looked into the face of his father, saying, 'O my father, hath this foolishness obtained such a hold upon thee this day as to make thee forsake the God of heaven for the sake of the glory that is vanity? Remember, therefore, that which our Lord Jesus saith in the Gospel, "Whosoever denieth Me before men, him will I Myself deny before My Father, Who is in the heavens, and before His holy angels. Do not therefore deny Him, O my father, that He may not deny thee. For God gave a commandment unto Moses, saying, "Speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, Be ye not like unto the nations who worship creatures instead of Him that created [them]. And lift ye not up your eyes to the heavens, to worship the sun, and the moon, and the stars, when ye see them, and the feathered fowl of the heavens, and the four-footed creatures of the earth, for in that day I will destroy you, saith the Lord. Now therefore, O my father, be not thou like unto them, lest God destroy thee. By the truth of God, O my father, I grieve on thy account.

11 For it would be better for thee that thou hadst never been born than that, having been born, thou shouldst live and make thyself a man without God.' And whilst Apa Victor was saying these words all the soldiers of the army were looking on him and on his father. Then Romanus said, 'O my son Victor, hearken unto me, and do thou offer up sacrifice, and let us bring to an end our trouble in this place. Now I have never given thee an occasion to grieve from thy childhood up. Remember, O my son Victor, that I am seeking after thy bride, and I am going to take her for thee to wife in the very next month which is coming.' Apa Victor said unto his father, 'I have not asked thee for a bride or for a gift, but I am grieving exceedingly for thee, for thou hast denied the Saviour. In very truth, O my father, thou art a miserable man, for the works which thou art doing God hateth. Now woe and confusion shall come upon thee, because David said, He who is in a battle, and he who carrieth away stuff (or, spoil), the same share [appertaineth] to both alike. Moreover, O my father, the man who committeth sin, and the man who is of the same opinion as the man who committeth it, the same disgrace [appertaineth] to both alike. I beg thee therefore, by every means, do not this thing, O my father.

12 Get thee away from this sin which leadeth unto death. Look thou into the Gospel of the Lord, and see that whilst the Jews were crying out "Crucify Jesus", Pilate the Governor took water, and washed his hands, and made himself free from the liability [for His death] among the high priests and the Jews, and he delivered his soul from death.' 13 And his father was filled with indignation, and he swore an oath, saying, 'By Apollo, the greatest of the gods, I will deliver thee over to the Emperor [so that] he may destroy thee. Dost thou not know that I am well acquainted with the matter wherewith thou art occupied? Thou hast learned to work magic in this Name of Jesus. Think not, however, O Victor, that He will be able to help thee, for very many men of thy kind have died for His sake, and they have been stripped of their worldly goods and of their estates and possessions. Peradventure thou art grief-stricken because I have not taken for thee to wife thy bride.'

14 And Apa Victor answered and said, 'My father, the fruit of the Devil hath taken deep root in thee.' Romanus said unto Apa Victor, 'Knowest thou not, O miserable one, that when a man is disobedient unto his father they put him to death?' Apa Victor said unto his father, 'Yesterday thou didst worship God and I was thy son; but to-day I am not thy son, because thou hast made thyself disobedient unto God, and thou dost worship idols. Truly did Paul the scribe say, "In the case of a man who is a heretic, if after thou hast admonished him once or twice, and he doth not hearken unto thee, let him alone, for thou knowest that his portion is not with God. For this reason thou art not my father.' Romanus said unto him, 'Hearken unto me, O my son Victor. Do not throw away and waste thine early manhood. And do not disgrace thyself in the midst of the imperial palace, and before the whole of the Emperor's army. I myself shall be put to shame because of thee, and shall be disgraced before the Emperor and his servants, for thou art setting at naught the law of the Emperors, and thou art shewing thyself to be an ill-educated young man among thy companions. And they will take away from thee thy rations, and the Emperor will be angered because of thee.

15 But, if thou wilt hearken unto me, I will make an appeal to the Emperor on thy behalf, and he will make thee a general, and thou shalt be a man of dignity and honour in the palace of the Emperor. Be thou not disobedient to me, O my son. Dost thou not know that I and thy mother have no other son except thee? I swear by the health of Apollo that if thy mother were to hear that thy body hath troubled thee during the last few days, she would be able neither to eat, nor to drink, and she would grieve sorely [about] thee. O my son Victor, I swear by mine own health, that on the day whereon thou wast born to me I made an offering of twenty centenarii of gold to the temple of Apollo. I was bound, deaf, …On the third day after thou wast born to me, I betrothed the daughter of Basileides to thee to wife. And therefore I swear by thine own health, O my son Victor, that if thou wilt worship the glorious gods of the Emperor, I will make a gift unto thee of another thirty centenarii of gold, in addition to the other things which I have determined to give unto thee.'

16 Then Basileides and Euaios went to Apa Victor, and they said unto him, 'Verily we come to entreat thee this day as a free man. Wilt thou then make thyself to be as it were a slave before us? Why hath thine heart turned its gaze aside in this manner? And why hast thou not hearkened to thy father who hath made supplication to thee? Do not put our hearts to shame, who bow humbly before thee.' And Apa Victor became wroth, and he cried out, saying, 'O God, look Thou with Thine eyes, and with Thine ears hear. As I wish to live, even so do I wish that every one else may have life with me also. I have no feeling of envy (or, jealousy) in me. Behold Thou then, O God, the things which they are doing unto me, and see how they even dare to say unto me,'

17 "Take thou thirty centenarii of gold, and deny Jesus in the ix midst of this multitude." Do they not think that I myself am Judas who betrayed (or, gave away) his Lord for thirty [pieces] of silver, for which reason he inherited the outer darkness for ever? I swear by the prayers of the saints, for I am not worthy to take an oath by the name of God, that if thou wouldst give unto me the whole world, and the kingdom of Diocletian, and his possessions, and his gods of gold and of silver, which he hath made, I would not offer up sacrifice. For it is written, "If thou shalt gain the whole world, and lose thy soul, what is the profit [to thee?]" Dost thou not know that for the last twelve years I have fasted the whole week through, from Sabbath to Sabbath, and that I have never once washed in a bath?'

18 And when Romanus had heard these things from his son Victor, he said, 'I swear by Apollo that I will deliver thee into the hands of the Emperor, and he shall destroy thee. Thou dost not know what I know well, that thou art treating the law with contempt; for it is written, "When a son is disobedient to his father they shall slay him.'' And Apa Victor said unto his father, 'Behold, that which is written is fulfilled this day, A father shall deliver his son over to death.' If thou shalt deliver me over [to death], O my father, there existeth One Who will help me. Shall not I reward thee with the reward of my Lord? For when the Jews were standing before Him, and crying out Crucify Him", and were buffeting Him, He did not reward them with evil in place of evil, but He shewed compassion upon them. And moreover He is shewing mercy and longsuffering towards all this multitude this day, and upon this lawless king who is carrying out these evil designs in the midst of this city.'

19 And the Devil filled the heart of the father of Apa Victor, and he made him to deliver Apa Victor over into the hands of Diocletian the Emperor. And when the Emperor had looked into the face of Apa Victor, he said unto him, 'O thou Victor, why hast thou not hearkened to thy father, and worshipped my gods? Is it possible that thou dost not know that I have absolute power over thee?' And Apa Victor tore off his golden chain, and removed the insignia of his rank which he had on him, and he threw them in the face of Diocletian, saying, 'Indeed I am in no way a soldier, and I will not wear the badge of an emperor who is mortal, for I wear the badge of the Emperor who is in the heavens. For it is written in the book of the Christians, "It is not possible for you to perform the service of two masters; [ye must] either [serve] God or mammon." And again, "It is not possible for you to eat at the table of the Lord, and at the table of the demons." Now, therefore, I will serve the God of heaven, and I will not serve mammon, that is to say, thee, O Emperor.'

20 And the Emperor said unto Apa Victor, 'How dost thou dare to insult me in this fashion? Dost thou think that there are no instruments of punishment and torture in the prison-house wherewith I can have thee punished? Have I not already commanded (or, announced to) thee, saying, "Never let me hear this name of Jesus [issue] from thy mouth?" If it were not that I should inflict shame on thy father, I would not permit thee to utter one word in my presence. Is it possible that thou hast never heard that an Emperor like unto myself gave orders to a governor, who put to death thy God Jesus, in whom thou puttest thy confidence? This king was Herod, who gave orders to Pilate, and Pilate put Him to death. Now, if it was a mere governor who slew Jesus thy God, how much more is it possible for me, an Emperor, to destroy this name of Jesus from under heaven, and every one who worshippeth Him? Now, therefore, O Victor, come, hearken to thy father, and do thou offer up sacrifice to the gods. If, however, thou wilt not do so, I will banish thee, and they shall put thee to death.'

21 And Romanus turned towards his son Apa Victor and said unto him, 'Art thou still not persuaded to pay worship unto the gods of the Emperor?' And Apa Victor said unto his father, 'If Diocletian be thy god, [good and well]; but he is no god of mine, for my Lord is Jesus the Christ.' And his father was exceedingly wroth, and he commanded them to bind his son's arms behind him, and to carry him outside the city, and to spear him there [until] he died. And they tied the arms of this noble Apa Victor behind him, and they fastened a gag in his mouth, so that they might carry him outside [the city] to destroy him; and when he was coming out soldiers accompanied him. 22 And the Devil took the form of a soldier, and he made himself visible to Victor, and he said unto him, 'O Victor, where wilt thou fulfil this evil course of action? By these acts of thine thou art abandoning thy father to grief. Thou thinkest that thy father hateth thee. This is certainly not so, for thy father loveth thee exceedingly. Now, therefore, hearken thou unto me, and let me tell thy father that thou hast repented, and he will cease to be angry with thee. Do not, then, do not, I say, be disobedient unto him. Consider Isaac, the son of Abraham, who shewed no disobedience to his father when he saw the knife of slaughter which was to kill him coming down upon him. Now, therefore, do not make thy father to grieve, otherwise thou wilt fall under the curse of Ham, who was under the curse of his father, because he looked upon his father's nakedness. Now, therefore, do not shew disobedience to thy father, and then I will petition the Emperor, and he will make thee a general.' And Apa Victor said unto the Devil, 'I have not set my mind upon the possession of the rank of general in this world, but upon the kingdom of my Lord Jesus the Christ.'

23 And when these words had been said [by him] they went in and told the Emperor that Romanus had passed sentence of death upon his son, Apa Victor, and that his head was to be cut off, [because] he had sinned against the Emperor and his gods. And Diocletian sent two [of his] bodyguards so that they might seize him, and bring him to him. And the Emperor said unto his father, 'I know this day that thou carest neither for [thy] wife nor [thy] son as much as thou carest for me and my gods, and that thou hast gone so far as to deliver over to death thine only son for my sake. But hearken unto me and unto the things which I will declare unto thee, O Romanus. Hearken unto me. Peradventure this impostor hath led his heart astray. I will banish him to Rakote, and let him lie there in prison until he dieth.

24 And Apa Victor was exceedingly wroth, and he said unto the Emperor, 'O thou stupid and senseless Emperor, this matter which thou seekest to effect is good, [for] thou wilt make thyself a stranger unto us, and we shall become strangers unto thee. [ And the greater part of thine army shall hate thee, and God shall be angry with thee, and He shall send His wrath upon thee, and shall destroy thy kingdom.' And the Emperor was wroth, and he commanded immediately that [his servants] should reduce his supply of food, but he did not cut off his rations altogether, and the Emperor allowed him sufficient food to keep him alive lest he should die of hunger. And he caused him to be deprived of his rank of count. And he made them to fasten Apa Victor's hands behind him, and he tied him to the tail of a horse, and shaved the crown of his head, and he suspended a bell from his neck, and four soldiers filled their hands with palm branches and beat him therewith, and they dragged him naked round about through all the city, and a herald went before him crying out, 'These things are done unto this man because he will not offer up sacrifice to the gods of the Emperor'; and they went through every part of the city with him.

25 And on the new moon of Parmoute, the first day of the month of the beginning of the year, according to the computation of the Romans, Diocletian took a sheet of parchment, and wrote on it these words: 'I, Diocletian, who am the Lord of all the World, write unto Armenius, the Count of Rakote, that so soon as this man Victor, who is banished, is brought unto thee, thou shalt examine him carefully three times, and shalt afterwards drive him to the baths, and burn him.' 26 And straightway they delivered him over into the hands of Four soldiers in order that they might take him to Rakote. There was [an iron] collar round his neck, there was a gag in his mouth, there was fettering iron about his feet, and he was naked, and there were iron casings about his legs, and the soldiers drove him along with blows. And Apa Victor said unto the soldiers who were in charge of him, 'My brethren, I pray you to cease to treat me with such harshness and cruelty, and to vex me so seriously. What is the evil thing which I have done unto you, that ye should rejoice over me with such keen pleasure? I have never done any injury to you, and I have never committed an act of injustice against you. If the Lord will He can prepare my way of escape, not only from you, but from everybody. Do not therefore, O my brethren, rejoice over me because evils have risen up against me, for it is written, "Rejoice not over any man who is about to die; remember that we must all die.' I served as a soldier with you at one time, therefore do not treat me with contumely, and for God's sake remove this gag from me, so that I may be able to say the word I would say unto my mother.' And the soldiers shewed compassion and removed the gag from his mouth, and Victor went into his house.

27 And when his mother had seen him, she was greatly disturbed within herself, and she rose up on her throne, and she said, 'Is it thou, O my son Victor, thou light of mine eyes?' And when she saw that he was naked, and that he was wearing iron fetters on his hands and on his feet, she said unto him, 'Why art thou in this state, O my son Victor? Truly my soul is greatly disturbed when I see thee in this state. Art thou mad? Could not the Emperor have adjudged thee [to pay] money, rather than treat thee in this way?' And Apa Victor said unto his mother, 'Weep thou, O my mother, for they are going to remove the name of Victor from thy house this day. Now, therefore, hearken thou unto me, O my mother, and I will declare in thine ears my words which are sweet. Before everything do thou fear God, and do thou glorify His saints. Keep holy His sabbaths. Observe the times of fastings. Neglect neither the widows nor the orphans, for from this day forward I myself shall be an orphan, without father and without mother, so that the lovingkindness which thou shewest in this world will God also shew to some one else. May He transfer it to me myself in that other world which I am about to enter, for there is nothing greater than love (i. e. charity). Visit those who are sick. Clothe him that is naked. Give drink to him that is thirsty. Receive a stranger into thy house, because from this day onward I shall be myself a stranger. Thus shall the blessing of Sarra be upon thee. The things which I have spoken unto thee, O my mother, may God make sufficient for thy soul.

28 'Now, therefore, O my mother, I know of a certainty that I shall never have a sight of thee again after this present sight, even if I live. If thou hearest that I have died, seek after my body and bring it to this place. Make not thyself 29 like unto my father who hateth [his] son, but be thou compassionate. And do thou ascribe glory unto God by day and by night, so that He may shew compassion unto thee in the days of necessity. Now, therefore, may God bless thee because of the refreshing (or, rest) which thou hast given unto me during the little time which I have been with thee; and may my soul rest with thee for ever! And now I am going to a strange country, and into a city that is not mine, wherein I shall beg from one person after another, and wherein I shall be a helpless and a most miserable stranger. Verily, O my mother, I am become an orphan, fatherless and motherless. If at this present time a man goeth away on a journey into a far country, whether in connection with trafficking or whether for some other purpose, when he cometh back after a long time to his house he will find his servants, and his parents, and his kinsfolk alive; and if he hath suffered tribulation in the strange land he will forget his sufferings, because he will find all his people safe and sound. On the other hand, wretched and miserable is that man who, when he goeth on a journey into a strange country, must abide in exile until he die, and indeed, such is my own case this day. I am going to make myself a stranger unto thee, and unto all the people of my house. Swear by thy salvation, O my mother, that thou wilt not neglect to enquire after my body. If I die, be not forgetful of my youth. Remember, O my mother, that I passed nine months in thy womb before thou didst bring me forth, and that I drank at thy breasts for three years.'

30 Then straightway his mother and his slaves wept [for him], for he was a kind-hearted man, and would hearken unto the man of no account as well as unto the noble. And his mother said, 'Look at me, O my son Victor. What hath happened to thee? Could not the Emperor have sentenced thee to pay a fine of gold or silver, rather than have made thee endure these things and banishment to a remote city? Explain to me why it is that thou art in this disgraceful state. Explain to me so that I may sacrifice my own soul (or, life) to save thee. Is not thy father present in the Palace that the Emperor hath done these things unto thee?' And Apa Victor said unto his mother, 'All these things have happened unto me because of my father, but God shall, in truth, forgive him, O my mother. Had it not been for the Emperor my father would have cut off my head. A stranger hath had compassion upon me, and my father hath not had compassion upon me this year. O my mother, if my father shall do evil(?) shall he not die? Diocletian shall become blind before he dieth, he shall receive alms at the gate of the city of Antioch, and his seed shall perish quickly, because he hath persecuted the Name of the Lord Jesus. Woe be unto every one who shall hearken unto him, for their habitation shall be the pit of the abyss for ever, and their father is the Devil.'

31 And his mother said unto Apa Victor, 'Dost thou not know that in the coming month I am going to take thy bride for thee?' And Apa Victor said unto his mother, 'O my mother, what use is it for thee to bring me a bride, and to put riches of every kind into my hands? For it is written, "The world shall pass away and the desirable things thereof, but he who shall do the will of God shall abide for ever." Now therefore, O my mother, do thou the will of God, so that thou mayest live for ever. For gold and silver rust, [fine] raiment becometh moth-eaten and falleth into holes, a man dieth and he turneth into corruption in the tomb, and the remembrance of him perisheth on the earth; but the righteous man shall never be moved. O my mother, say not in thy heart that possessions are of value, for they have no value with God, Who can make the poor man into a rich man, and the rich man into a poor man before the sun shall set this day.'

32 After these things he set out and departed, and he took off the ring which was on his finger, and gave it to his mother, and he prayed to God in the following words, saying, 'Jesus, my Lord, Who sittest upon the chariot of the Cherubim and Seraphim, [Whom the angels] stand before, Whom the denizens of the heavens call "Sabaoth", Whom the peoples on the earth call "Jesus the Christ", Whom the nations [call] "the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit", keep Thou me without movement (i. e. steadfast), and without trepidation. Lead Thou me not into temptation, for I am not capable of bearing up against it, but deliver me from the Evil One. For unto Thee belong the power and the glory for ever. Amen. O my Lord, be Thou with me in every place wherein they shall take me, for I know not whither they will carry me.'

33 After these words he blessed all his household and saluted (i. e. kissed) them. And he sealed the door of his bedroom in the Name of the Christ Jesus, and came out, and said, 'O my house and my servants, truly I am departing from you, and I am departing from thee, O my mother; never again after this moment shall I return to gaze upon you. Remember, O my servants, that I have never neglected (?) any one of you, or [any] stranger. I am not like unto other young men who are uninstructed, and I have never spoken a word out of place, but I have paid to the humble man the respect that was due to his humble estate, and to the noble the honour that was due to his exalted degree. Verily, O my mother, with the very same treatment which I have meted out to the general and the eparch, have I treated the man who was poor and him who was wretched, and I have paid honour unto them as unto God. I have never for a single day manifested any sign of haughtiness and pride, for I knew that each and every one of us must die.'

34 And after these things Apa Victor came out and joined himself unto the soldiers, and they put the gag in his mouth, and they seized him, and dragged him along, and placed him in a boat; and when they had arrived at Rakote, they transferred him to the prison, and they delivered the letter [of the Emperor] to Armenius, Count of Rakote. And at the third hour of the twentieth day of Pharmoute, the soldiers took the letter and had it read to the Duke, according to that which Diocletian had written therein. the second martyrdom of saint apa victor the general. IN THE PEACE OF GOD. MAY HIS HOLY BLESSING COME UPON US, AND MAY WE ALL BE SAVED. AMEN. 35 And the Duke was in the praetorium passing sentences of it judgement upon the soldiers for the sake of the Name of the Christ, and he commanded that Apa Victor should be guarded in prison until the following day. And on the morrow, when the Count was seated on the judgement throne, in the midst of the market-place of Rakote, he gave orders, saying, 'Bring to me this profane man Victor, who hath been banished hither, and concerning whom the Emperor's letter hath already been read to me.' And when they had brought Victor before the Count, he said unto him, 'Wilt thou not read the letter which concerneth my patient endurance again? [If thou wilt] thou wilt find stated in it that I have been banished to this place for the sake of this Name [of Christ, for they] said, "Offer sacrifice [to Apollo]"; because I will not offer up sacrifice [I have been brought here].' The Duke said unto him, 'O bad head! Wouldst thou make a mock of me? By the health of Apollo, this is thy punishment: we are to destroy thy body by fire. Knowest thou not that it is the Emperor who hath commanded me what I am to do unto thee? He hath commanded me to cast thee into the furnace of the baths, but I would shew mercy unto thee for the sake of thy father.'

36 And Apa Victor spake unto the Duke, saying, 'Yesterday thou didst disgrace my father; do not disgrace him to-day. And moreover, [in spite of what] thou sayest, I will make bold and will speak in thy presence, according to this world. In times past, before I was delivered over unto thee, I received rations and money [from the Emperor], and I was also the fourth officer in his Palace with the rank of Count; and, after the Emperor, my father was the second [in rank] in the Palace. But if I go on to speak of these things thou wilt say that I am a man of overweening pride. O Duke, remember thou the day wherein thou wast appointed Count and didst enter upon thy duties. Thou didst make supplication unto my father, saying, "Make me Count of Rakote. And my father did not consider thee of sufficient honour for the position, and would not discuss the matter with thee. Then thou didst make entreaty to me secretly, and didst say, "Speak to thy father on my behalf. Let him take from me three centenarii of gold, and give me the office of Count. And I took thee into my house, and I made all my slaves to wait upon thee, and they received gifts of gold armlets [from thee]. And after these things my father came in, and I threw myself on my knees before him on the ground, and I remained there until he was persuaded by me, and he made thee a Count.

37 And yet thou didst not keep in mind any one of these things for which thou canst now repay me. But it is written in the Gospel, "He who did eat of my bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. And the Duke made [his men] to inflict gashes in the face of Apa Victor, and he made them to stretch him out with thongs [of leather], and they gave unto him fourteen stripes with the triple flogging whips, saying, 'I will torture thee until thou diest, according to the orders of the Emperor.' Afterwards the Duke made his man to drive iron nails into his hands and feet, and he covered (? his whole body with iron, from his head to his feet, and he cast him into prison, where they abandoned him to hunger and thirst until the following day. 38 And when the morning was come the Count made them bring Apa Victor unto him, and when he had been brought into his presence every part of him was loaded with iron [fetters]. And the blessed man Apa Victor was not able to walk because of the weight of the iron which had been placed on his body; and the soldiers supplied twelve [men and] they carried him. And when he had entered into the praetorium the Duke said unto him, 'Can Jesus in Whom thou believest deliver thee out of my hands? [Nay]. Put thy belief in Apollo, who is able to save thee, and especially in Artemis, the greatest of the gods.' And Apa Victor said unto him, 'I will not offer up sacrifice.' And the Duke commanded his men to hoist him up on the wooden framework of the rack, and he said unto Apa Victor, 'Wilt thou offer up sacrifice or not?' And Apa Victor said, 'I will not offer up sacrifice.' And the Duke commanded his men to work the rack and stretch him, but Apa Victor did not feel at all what they were doing, and the executioners were exhausted, and they ceased working the rack. The Duke said unto them, 'Why do ye not continue to work the rack?' And they said unto him, 'He is like unto a wall, or a stone, which feeleth nothing however much it may be racked.'

39 And the heart of Apa Victor was carried up into the heights of heaven, and [the angels] instructed him concerning the kingdom of heaven, and concerning the city of the righteous, and the saints saluted him. And Abel and Zacharias came up to him, and they said unto him, 'Greatly distinguished art thou, O Apa Victor.' Michael said unto him, 'Bear patiently, O valiant athlete. Fear thou not this tyrant, for I will be with thee, and I will deliver thee. I say unto thee that as the angels are wont to utter the names of all the saints coupled with [their own] names, even so shalt thou be named with the three holy [children], Re Ananias, Azarias, and Misael. And thy throne shall be stablished in heaven before the Lord Jesus. At the moment when thou shalt lift thy hands up to heaven they shall take the form of the seal of heaven, and they shall give light within the veil, before the altar of sacrifice. And an exceedingly sweet-smelling savour shall rise up before the Father, for the refreshing of those who are in the heavens, and the refreshing shall extend also to those who are undergoing punishments (or, tortures). And the angels shall rejoice over thee, and Jesus shall exult upon His throne, and all the saints shall be glad with thee.' After [these things] Michael released the soul of Apa Victor, and it came and entered again into his body, which was suspended upon the frame of the rack. And Michael informed him concerning everything that should happen to him.

40 And Apa Victor resisted the Duke strenuously. And the Duke said unto him, 'Wilt thou offer up sacrifice or not?' but Apa Victor answered him not a word. And when the Duke saw that he would not speak, he commanded his men to bring six lighted torches, and to fasten them to his sides (or, ribs). And when they had done this he made them bring a number of red-hot pointed irons, and they thrust them through his belly until they came out of his back. And they did these things three times to him { until his skin peeled off him. Afterwards the Duke said unto him, 'Wilt thou not [now] offer up sacrifice?' And the Duke commanded his men to place hot ashes upon his head, and to put a helmet [of iron] on him; and Apa Victor did not sink under this torture. And the Duke made them to take him off the frame of the rack, and to lay him upon the bed of iron, and to kindle a fire beneath it. And he made them pour burning sulphur and pitch, [mixed with other] inflammable substances, down his throat. And the Duke said unto him, 'Hearken unto me, and do not die a death of torture. Is it not better for thee to be with me? Do thou not wish to live with me? Dost thou not know that thy Lords, the Emperors, are they who have written [to me] concerning thee?' And Apa Victor was not able to answer a word, because of the pain which he was suffering from his torturing, for the bed of iron was exceedingly hot under him.

41 And the Duke said unto Apa Victor, 'Speak one word unto me, and I will release thee, O thou unholy exile!' And Apa Victor said unto the Duke, 'Seeing that I did not hearken unto my father nor unto the Emperor when they made entreaty to me, and seeing that I continued my disobedience to the point that I forsook all my possessions, and abandoned this world which shall pass away, according to that which is written, "Man shall die, and the creeping things and the worms shall possess his inheritance," [thinkest thou that I shall hearken unto thee?'] And the Duke was wroth, and he commanded his servants to throw him into the furnace of the public baths of Rakote, bound hand and foot. And he bore iron fetters on his hands and feet and there RĜ was a gag in his mouth. And certain people of the city, both men and women and children, wept for him, and they said, 'Woe for this wretched man, for his body will be destroyed in the fire; would that he had been one of those who offered up sacrifice!'

42 And Apa Victor stood up and prayed in the midst of the fire, saying, 'I beseech thee, O my Lord Jesus the Christ, to be unto me a helper, and to assist me in all my tribulations, for I am a wretched and most miserable creature, in order that all this city may know that there is no other God besides Thee, Who art [God] alone.' And at that very moment the holy Archangel Michael came down from heaven, and went into the furnace of the bath, and spread out his holy apparel over Apa Victor, and he caused the flame of fire to become like the dew at the first hour of the day. And he lifted him up on his wing of light, and the wing turned into a green meadow. And Michael broke the iron fetters which were fastened upon his hands and his feet, and he and Apa Victor remained talking together concerning the mysteries of the kingdom which is in the heavens, and the city of the righteous.

43 And after [these things] the Duke said unto those who were sitting with him, and unto the men of Rakote, 'O ye Alexandrians, Jesus shall not deliver him out of my hands, for there are no gods besides Apollo and Artemis.' And the Duke stripped off his clothes in order that he might go into the bath to bathe, and Michael raised up the [stone] slab of the bath, and thrust Apa Victor upon it. And the governor came into the bath, and cried out, saying, 'Take shame to thyself this day, O Apa Victor, and let thy God in Whom thou hast placed thy trust be ashamed also.' And Apa Victor said unto the Duke, 'O thou lawless man, why dost thou revile my God? Thou art wondering where thy god Apollo is, and thou sayest, "Offer up sacrifice unto the gods who cannot move." Nevertheless thou knowest well that there is power in my God to deliver me from thy tortures.' And Armenius the Count said unto him, 'This day do I know that thou art an arch-magician, and that thou dost work magic.' And the Duke set out to leave the bath, and he mounted his horse, and sentenced Apa Victor to be beheaded.

44 And the magistrates (or, authorities) and the people of Rakote made entreaty to the Duke that he would not put Apa Victor to death in their city, because they were afraid lest Apa Victor's father would destroy the whole city on account of it, saying, 'He is a mighty general. Let him be banished to the south of Egypt, and let them put Apa Victor to death there.' Then the Duke meditated within himself, saying, 'What shall I gain by making his father an enemy of mine?' Then the Duke took a sheet of skin, and he wrote thereon the following words: 'I, Armenius, the Duke of Rakote, write to Eutuchianus, the Count of the Thebaid. Immediately they bring unto thee this profane man Victor, who hath been banished [hither by the Emperor], examine thou into his case most carefully, and either make him offer up sacrifice or put him to death, according to the decree of our Lord the Emperor.' Then the Duke delivered Apa Victor over to the soldiers that they might take him to the south, to the Thebaïd, to Eutuchianus, the Duke of the Thebaïd.

In the Peace of God. Amen.

45 And on the twentieth day of Pharmoute they banished the blessed man Apa Victor, and four soldiers brought him to the south in ten days. There was a collar of iron about his neck, and there were chains on his hands, and ankle-fetters on his legs, and the torturings had made him weak and helpless. And when the soldiers arrived at Antinoë they tied up the boat to the shore, and they found that the governor had that day departed for the south. And they unfurled their sail, and set out for the south, and they overtook the Count [of the Thebaïd] as he was lying becalmed in mid-stream, for there was no wind. And the soldiers brought Apa Victor into the lower part of the boat—now he had neither eaten nor drunk for twelve days—and they delivered him over to Eutuchianus, the Duke, and they gave him a supply of food according to what the Count of Rakote had commanded. And Apa Victor said in his heart, 'There is something which this lawless man shall do for me, besides that which is in my body.'

46 Then the Count Eutuchianus commanded them to tie up the boat to the shore, and to set up his seat of justice at that place. And when the morning of the following day had come they prepared for him a seat of justice there. And Apa Victor passed the whole night in the lower part of the boat, blessing God and saying, 'Blessed art Thou, O King of all the ages (or, worlds), the Father the Almighty, and Thine only-begotten Son Jesus the Christ, our Lord, Who hast delivered me in every place whither they have taken me. Stand Thou by me in the future, and be Thou with me in the presence of this lawless man.' Then Eutuchianus commanded his men to bring Apa Victor to the shore, and he said unto him, 'Thou art Victor, the magician. Now, therefore, in what way wilt thou work magic? Shew me, before I disgrace thee, and thou diest.' Apa Victor answered and said unto the Duke, 'I am not a magician, and I have not devoted myself to the doing of this [kind of] work. On the contrary, I am a servant of the Christ Jesus, Who hath delivered me out of all my tribulations.' And Eutuchianus said unto him, 'For what reason didst thou not offer up sacrifice before thou didst submit to these tortures? However, come now, and offer up sacrifice with the men who are here, so that it may be well with thee.'

47 And Apa Victor answered and said, 'I am not at all afraid of men, and I will not offer up sacrifice, but I am afraid of my Lord Jesus the Christ. For it is written, "Be not afraid of those who can kill your bodies upon the earth, because there is nothing besides this which they can do unto you. But fear ye Him Who hath the power to destroy your souls and your bodies in Gehenna."' 48 And the Duke said unto him, 'Hast thou come hither to persuade (or, convert) us by a homily which is vain? If thou darest again to utter words in my presence I will make my servants to tear out thy tongue. Unless thy father compel me to release thee I will not set thee free, and though profane and sacrilegious persons ought not to be cast into the furnace of a bath, thou art worthy of death, and death shall now be thy portion.' And the Duke commanded his servants to fasten the hands of Apa Victor behind him, and they cut out his tongue, and cut off the outer parts of his lips. And he made them bring out his necessary organs, and pour boiling oil upon them, and he made them pierce them with iron borers. And other tools which had been made red-hot in the fire did he make them drive into Apa Victor's ears, and these they worked deeper and deeper into them until at length the fumes of the burning flesh penetrated into the inmost parts of his head. And he made them thrust these red-hot tools under the nails of his feet and the skin of his head, and he made them scatter over him burning coals of fire, and he made them to bring fire and lay it over his body. And the Duke said unto him, 'Wilt thou offer sacrifice or not?

49 [If thou wilt not] I will put thee to death with excruciating tortures.' AB And he made them bring vessels (? filled with boiling bitumen, which they emptied down his throat. And the Duke said unto him, 'Wilt thou offer sacrifice or not, or wilt thou die by torture?' And the blessed man Apa Victor said unto the Duke, 'Woe be unto thee, O Duke! Thou deniest God for the sake of things which have been made by the hands of man, and thou and thine Emperors shall be punished with severe punishment.' And Eutuchianus was wroth, and he took an oath by the life of the Emperor and by the lives of the gods, and he said unto Apa Victor, 'Since thou wilt not sacrifice, and since thou hast been put to shame on the rack, I must destroy thee by banishment until thou shalt die.' 50 And Epiphanius the recorder answered and said, 'Hearken unto me, and let me say this thing unto thee, O my Lord Count. Behold, there is a certain Camp very far away in the south which is deserted, and there is no man living in it. Behold, it is fifteen years since I became a soldier, and [during that time] I have never seen any one in it. Now, therefore, banish Apa Victor to that place, [and keep him there] until he shall die.' And the Count of the Thebaid commanded [that this should be done, and he passed] sentence on him, saying, 'I, Eutuchianus, hereby command that this profane man Victor be taken to the Camp of Hierakion, and that he be compelled to remain there until he die.' And straightway four men Aue seized Apa Victor, and carried him away to that place.

51 And the noble man Apa Victor was strong and of good courage, and he related to the four [soldiers] his sufferings in the place of torture up to that time. And it came to pass on a certain day that Apa Victor was outside the place of torture, and the Devil came unto him in the form of a soldier, and said unto him, 'Hail, Apa Victor. I am a soldier of the imperial Palace, and thy father hath sent me unto thee to give thee this message: "Rise up, come back to me here, so that I may make thee a general. Have I not suffered pain [in longing] for thee? Come back, so that I may make thee [a general]. Wilt thou not hearken unto me? It is thou thyself alone who hast drawn upon thy head these sufferings. Other people, strangers, are eating up thy goods." Dost thou not know that thou art an only son, and that thy parents have no son [but thee] to succeed them? They have adopted (?) as a son the offspring (?) of [one] of their slaves. And now he rideth the horses, and [the Emperor] hath made him a Count in thy place. He weareth thine apparel, and meanwhile thou art destroying thy soul with tribulations. And behold, thou art dwelling in this desert place! Art thou not afraid lest thieves attack thee by night?'

52 Then the Devil began to produce a written letter, and he unrolled it before Apa Victor, and said unto him, 'Look at this, and thou wilt recognize the handwriting of thy father and his seal.' And Apa Victor looked closely at the man, and he knew of a certainty that he was a phantom, and he said unto him, 'Get thee gone from me! It is through Aue thee that the whole world is in a state of disruption, and it is through thee that the worship of idols flourisheth.' And the blessed man Apa Victor turned his face towards the east, and said, 'Shew Thy compassion upon me, O Thou only Son of Thy Father, my Lord Jesus the Christ, and deliver Thou me out of all my tribulations.' And when the Devil heard the Name of Jesus, straightway he made himself visible. 53 And Apa Victor continued to live in the Camp, and Jesus was with him in everything which he did. And the noble man Victor meditated within himself and said, 'What kind of work can I do whereby I may live?' Now he had learned the trade of an artisan, and whilst he was living by himself in the Camp he used to make seats and lamp-stands. And it came to pass one day whilst the blessed man Apa Victor was living in exile that the Lord Jesus came to him. Now He had changed His apparel (or, form), and had taken the appearance of a grey-headed old man, who had come thither from a far-distant place. And He knocked at the gate of the Camp, and Apa Victor came outside, and when he saw the grey-headed old man he was filled with sorrow and compassion for Him, and he kissed Him, saying, 'Come inside, O my lord brother, Thou good man; it seemeth to me as if I had seen Jesus this day.' And Apa Victor did not know who the old man was, and the two of them went into the tower wherein Victor lived. Then Apa Victor said unto the man, 'Let us offer up prayer to God'; and Jesus said unto him, 'Let us offer up prayer.' And Apa Victor said unto Him, 'Do Thou stand up first, because Thou art greater than I, and Thou art [more] holy [than I].

54 I am nineteen years old this day, and the sign of this world hath not as yet ceased to manifest itself in my body, and the wickedness of this world hath not entirely disappeared from my heart.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Forgive me, O my brother! I will stand up [and pray].' And Jesus and Apa Victor spread out their hands, and it came to pass that as they were praying the ten fingers of Jesus became ten lamps of fire which penetrated to the throne of the Father. 55 And it came to pass that when they had finished praying Apa Victor went forward and saluted Jesus—now he knew not who He was—and he said unto Him, 'Sit Thou down so that I may be able to enjoy Thy face fully, for behold, it is a very long time since I have seen a man. And I adjure Thee to inform me truthfully of what place Thou art a native, so that I may know whether Thou art a native of my own city [or not].' And Jesus said unto him, 'Thou art a Roman (Greek?) of Cilicia. Thy father is Romanus, and thy mother is Martha, and the wife whom they betrothed to thee is Theonōe; but God hath chosen thee for Himself.' And Apa Victor wept in His face, and said unto Him, 'O my brother, great is Thy faith. I see that Thou art a prophet, or perhaps Thou art an angel of God. But tell me news about my house (or, home), for behold, it is a very long time since I departed from my country.' And Jesus answered [and said], 'O my brother, shew an act of lovingkindness to me, and give me a cake of bread, so that I may eat it, for it is seven days

56 since I ate food.' And Apa Victor said unto Him, 'In truth, Ac O my brother, this day is the fortieth day in which nothing hath entered my mouth, and for forty days I have not taken my clothes off my body. And as the Lord liveth, I have neither bread nor water in this wilderness, nor anything whatsoever which hath the appearance of food. But now, O my brother, rise up, take this lamp-stand and these seats (or, stools), and also my shoe latchet, and go Thou into the city which is near and sell them at their [proper] price, and buy us some bread that we may eat, lest our souls decay through weakness.' And Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Where in this wilderness dost thou find a man with whom to hold converse? And who is it that taketh care to provide thee with food?' And Apa Victor answered and said unto Him, 'Woe be unto me, O my brother! [Long will it be] before I shall arrive in that other world wherein no respect of persons is shewn.

57 Mayest Thou find it. My Lord the Christ dwelleth there, the Apostles and the Patriarchs dwell there, and thousands of thousands, and tens of thousands of tens of thousands stand round about it. And if any man who is a sinner shall arrive therein he shall not find boldness (or, freedom of speech) therein, because of the sins which he hath committed, both those committed during the day and those committed during the night. As for me, how wretched shall I be in that hour! Woe is me, because of the ignorance which hath been set in the hearts of men, whereby each one faileth to remember death until the moment when it overtaketh him before he knoweth it! Woe is me, for I have made supplication to death, but I have not found it. I have begged that some sickness might attack me, but it hath not done so. Thou knowest, O my Lord, that I have made entreaty for my death more than for my life, for I am without father and without mother in this world. I bear witness by my Lord Jesus the Christ, that if Thou departest from me this day, Thou shalt come back again and shalt visit me. I am the servant which is unprofitable. When I shall die Thou shalt bury my body, lest it remain lying about in this world, wherein there is no man whatsoever who shall keep me in remembrance.'

58 Then Jesus had compassion upon Apa Victor, and He looked upon him as he wept, and said unto him, 'Dost thou know Who I am? I am He Who delivered thee from the rack of torture at Rakote. I am He Who delivered thee from the iron bed. I am He Who kept thee in safety in the furnace of the bath. I am Jesus the Christ, Who delivered thee from all thy tribulations. I will be with thee in every place whither thou shalt go. Grieve thou not because thou art living in this wilderness. Amen, I say unto thee, that thou shalt be with Me in the Jerusalem of heaven, My beloved city. And as I shall take My seat upon My throne, thou also shalt sit upon thy throne. And I will make every tyrant (or, governor) and every ruler to hold in wonder thy name whensoever they shall hear it. And I will make them to come to thy shrine, and to bring gifts unto thee in My Name. I will make many mighty wonders and signs to become manifest at thy shrine. Whosoever shall come to thy shrine, and shall make a vow, and shall not pay the same, because of these unpaid vows will I enter into judgement with them. As for this tower wherein thou dwellest, the multitudes who shall come thereto shall not destroy it. [The story of] thy life and conversation and of thy great valour shall reach the uttermost ends of the earth. This year shalt thou dwell in exile, but in the next year they shall cut off thy head with the sword in this Camp; for thou shalt suffer certain pains for My Name's sake. And I will come unto thee again, and I will give thee strength until thou shalt have put to shame the Duke and his torturings.'

59 And straightway Apa Victor cast himself down at the feet of the Lord, saying, 'Who am I, that I should be deemed worthy by Thee for Thee to speak to, O my Lord?' And Jesus kissed him, and He departed into heaven, and the angels sang hymns to Him. And Apa Victor continued to live in the Camp, and the Lord Jesus was with him. And Apa Victor purchased for himself the materials for his burial, and his coffin. And large numbers of soldiers flocked to the Camp for the sake of the blessed man Apa Victor. And the blessed man Apa Victor doubled the number of the prayers which he used to make, and he kept fasts for very long periods, and he diligently observed the Sabbaths, and the Lord Jesus was with him. In the peace of God. May His holy blessing be with us! Amen. 60 And it came to pass that after Saint Apa Victor was banished he lived in the Camp. And Sebastianus, the Duke, came to inspect the Camp. And Asterius, the praetor of the Camp, cast himself down before the Count, and Sotérichos, who was the accountant (or, clerk), gave him a written statement concerning Apa Victor, so that he might summon him into his presence. Then the Duke ordered his servants to set his judgement throne inside the gate of the Camp, in order that he might hear [the case of] the holy man Apa Victor. And when the morning had come the Duke took his seat upon the throne, and he commanded his servants to bring the righteous man into his presence. And the torturers seized Apa Victor whilst he was in his cell, and he had lentils in his hand, and he was eating, and Apa Victor threw the lentils through the window, saying, 'O my Lord Jesus the Christ, do Thou make these lentils to become stones which shall never be destroyed! And they shall be a sign unto all the generations which are to come, lest these wicked men tread them down.' And Apa Victor prayed, saying, 'O my Lord Jesus the Christ, let me not be put to shame before this wicked man.' And afterwards he came down [from his cell], and stood before the Duke.

61 And the Duke said unto him, 'These are the letters which the Emperor hath sent to be read unto thee; hearken unto them, and offer up sacrifice.' And Apa Victor answered and said, 'I belong to a King Who is deathless, and therefore I will not worship an emperor who will die. For all the kingdoms of the world shall perish and be destroyed, but the glory of God shall never, never perish; therefore I will not offer up sacrifice. For the pomp and glory of this world are nothing as compared with God. Verily, I know well that I did receive a salary of sixty from my father, who is a general, and that God hated me because I received these things wickedly. Now therefore, O Duke, neither gold nor silver will be of the least value to a man in the hour of his necessity. For this reason let us fight with ourselves, for forgetfulness hath spread itself over our heart, so that we may never cease to remember the death [which cometh] in this world. I have never glorified myself, and I have never exalted myself. For this reason that which is written is fulfilled in me: "He who exalteth himself shall be abased, and he who abaseth himself shall be exalted."

62 Then Sebastianus was exceedingly wroth, and he said unto Apa Victor, 'Offer up sacrifice.' And Apa Victor answered and said, 'I will not offer up sacrifice. Whatsoever thou wishest to do unto me that do. I fell into the hands of the four torturers (?) before this, and I was not afraid of them, for the Lord gave me strength during all my torturings. Now therefore, O Duke, I was banished to this spot because of this Name, for [they said], "Offer up sacrifice," [and I would not do so]. And, moreover, I do not wish to remain in this world which shall dissolve away and perish. Be it known unto thee also, O Duke, that if thou put me to the torture many, many times, thou wilt only give additional strength to the reasoning power of the mind which is within me. Wholly fitting for me is it that I should be held worthy to endure revilings for the Name of the Christ.'

63 And the Duke said unto Apa Victor, 'Cease thy say; thou art always talking! Art thou a deacon, or a reader, that thou possessest such perfect knowledge of this [kind] of wisdom?' And Apa Victor said, 'I would give thanks unto the Christ [if I were], only I am not worthy of so great a gift as this—to be made a deacon or a reader. The grace of God is received through Jesus the Christ, Who giveth wisdom unto every man whose heart is right with Him, because He is the giver of riches, and His treasury is filled with wisdom [which] He giveth unto every one who shall profit through Him in respect of good things. For as the good husbandman is in the habit of giving manure to his field, so that he may supply it with strength and enable it to bring forth its crop, even so doth the wisdom of God live in the soul of him that seeketh after it, and it permitteth neither the net of death nor the wiles of the Devil to have dominion over it. For the Lord is mighty, and He is able to perform everything.' And the Duke said unto him, 'Dost thou then go so far as to choose for thyself death rather than life?' And Apa Victor answered and said unto him, 'This death is not by any means death, but life everlasting. I am able to endure patiently thy torturings.'

64 Then the Duke made his servants to strip Apa Victor naked, and to cut his sinews, and to fasten his hands behind him, and to drive skewers into him; and afterwards he made them to dismember (?) him. And the Duke said unto him, 'Offer up sacrifice.' And Apa Victor said unto him, 'I will not offer up sacrifice.' And afterwards he made his servants to break the joints of his legs and arms until his bones stuck out through his skin. And Apa Victor said unto him, 'I give thanks unto Thee, O my Lord Jesus the Christ, because all the joy of the Christ hath drawn nigh unto me.' And the Duke said unto him, 'They delivered thee over into my hands as a magician. Now, then, if thou dost not hearken unto me, I will torture thee with the most terrible tortures.' And Apa Victor said, 'I will not offer up sacrifice.' And the Duke said unto him, 'Why dost thou not go on taking thy salary? Why dost thou take no pleasure in thy chariot and in thine armour?' And Apa Victor answered and said,

65 P P Because they are used in acts of violence. For this reason I will not eat the rations. I have in the world which is to come spiritual food laid up for me, and when I shall have eaten thereof I shall never feel hunger again.' And the Duke commanded them to strip him naked, and to cast him into a furnace wherein the fire had been lighted for two days. And afterwards they brought him into the presence of the Duke, who said unto him, 'O wicked head! I swear by the health of Apollo that thy punishment shall be the destruction of thy body by fire.' And the Duke commanded [his servants] to prepare a furnace, and to heat it for four days, and then to cast Apa Victor into it. And Apa Victor prayed in the depths of the furnace, saying, 'O my Lord Jesus the Christ, at the [mention of] Whose Name the sea dried up, let [this] fire be extinguished, and let the heat thereof be destroyed. Blessed be Thy Name for ever! Amen.'

66 And they brought him and set him before the Duke, [and it was found that] the fire had not touched him. Then Sebastianus said unto Apa Victor, 'By the glorious gods Apollo and Artemis, I will torture thee [sorely]. I will send and bring a magician who is more powerful than thou, [and] he shall make an end of thy magic.' And the Duke commanded them to bring a magician. And the magician [came], and he made medicaments [containing] the essence and the venom of serpents, and he pronounced over them a very large number of [magical] names. And after [this] he said unto Apa Victor, 'Take [these], swallow them, and then I shall see if thou art strong enough [to suffer in no way thereby].' And the blessed man Apa Victor said unto the magician, 'I have no desire to swallow them, but in order that thou mayest know that my God hath power to make of no effect every kind of magic, [I will do so].' And Apa Victor made over himself the Sign of the Cross in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, saying, 'Do Thou not let me be put to shame before this lawless man.' Thereupon Apa Victor swallowed the medicaments, and no member whatsoever of his suffered the least injury; on the contrary, he was filled with a feeling of happiness like unto the happiness of those who have been drinking wine.

67 And the magician made other medicaments which were far more powerful than those which he had made first, using even the gall and the humours from a corpse. These he placed in a vessel, and he pronounced over them such mighty magical names that even the earth shot out light at the mention of them. And he said unto Apa Victor, 'My lord, take these this time also, and if no evil thing happen to thee I will believe in thy God.' Then the blessed man took these medicaments and drank them, and no evil whatsoever happened to him. 68 Then the magician said, 'Strong indeed is he who hath shewn strength! Mighty is he who hath shewn might! Thou hast delivered [thy] soul from death, and made it to live once again. For [it is with thee as it was with] Andrew, when he was broken on the cross, he was made new again. And this is what happeneth unto those who have gone astray in their sins; when they wish [it] the Lord maketh them into new creatures again.' And straightway the magician relinquished all the possessions which he had, and he was taught the Name of the Holy Trinity, and all his books which were full of magic he burned in the fire.

69 And the Duke said unto Apa Victor, 'Be wise, and offer up sacrifice.' And Apa Victor said unto him, 'Indeed I am wise at all times.' And the Duke said unto him, 'But this time thou art acting the fool.' And Apa Victor said, 'The fools of the world are those whom God hath chosen to put to shame the wise.' The Duke said unto him, 'Where is this writing found?' And Apa Victor said, 'It is Paul who wrote it.' And the Duke said, 'Is Paul then a god?' And Apa Victor said unto him, 'As the wise man among architects when he is about to build seeketh for a site whereon another hath laid the foundation, and then buildeth upon it, even so is Paul, who came at the end—he setteth the roof on the Scriptures.' And the Duke said unto him, 'Cease thou to utter such words of folly as these, for these actions will profit thee nothing, and thou shalt die. Thou art a child. Hearken unto me now; do thou offer up sacrifice so that I may set thee at liberty.' And Apa Victor said unto him, 'I am not a fool; I nay, I am a wise man. If I were to hearken unto thee, and if I were to offer up sacrifice, I should in truth be a fool. Fools can never walk in the truth, because their hearts make them blind, and they become liars, like their father the Devil.'

70 And the Duke was wroth, and he commanded [his servants] to tear out the intestines from his body down to his feet (or, legs). And Apa Victor spake before the Duke, saying, 'The tendons, nerves, and sinews which thou hast dragged out from my body are like unto the pointed instruments wherewith [the physicians] probe a wound in order to liberate the foetid pus which is in it, and to give relief to the whole body. That is the case with me at this moment. And now I will give thanks unto my Lord Jesus the Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.' And the Duke made [his servants] bring some oil, and they lighted a fire under it, and kept it burning until the oil was boiling. And he made them pour it upon his necessary organs, and immediately the oil had been poured upon them they fell off on the ground. And the blessed man Apa Victor answered and said, 'This oil which thou hast poured upon me is like unto the cool water which a man is wont to drink during the hot weather, and in which he washeth himself so that he may feel the relief thereof from the heat in his whole body.' And the Duke commanded [his servants] to hoist him up on the rack of torture, and to stretch him thereon, and he made them put six burning torches close to his body; and they racked him for a period of two hours. And the fire did not scorch his body in the least degree, for God was with him, and He gave him strength in all his tribulations.

71 And the Duke said unto him, 'O wicked head! I weary myself. I would spare thee from being put to shame, and thou wilt not turn (i. e. repent). Come now, offer up sacrifice.' MC And Apa Victor said unto him, 'Yesterday thou didst spare me; to-day spare thou me not. Do whatsoever it pleaseth thee to do unto me.' And the Duke commanded [his servants] to pour vinegar and ashes into his mouth. And Apa Victor said, 'This vinegar and these ashes, which thou makest me to drink, are like unto honey dropped down my throat.' Then the Duke commanded his servants to dig out his two eyes whilst he was alive. And straightway the executioners came and thrust red-hot knives into his eyes and ears, and forthwith his two eyeballs were ripped out and fell upon the ground. And a smoke (i. e. dizziness) mounted up in his brain. And Apa Victor said unto the Duke, 'Even if thou hast the power and dost make blind the eyes of my body, I have still left within me other eyes, that is to say, those of the mind and understanding, which will give me light, according to that which Peter the Apostle said, "If it be that ye see with the eyes of the body, ye shall see the works of the world, which are vain, that is to say, fornication, and slandering, and murder, and calumny, and pride, because of which things the wrath of God cometh." Therefore I have no need of the eyes of my body.'

72 And the Duke answered and said unto him, 'If thou wilt compel me now to inflict further severe tortures upon thee, [I must do so].' And Apa Victor said unto him, 'Inflict upon me any punishment thou wishest to inflict, for I am prepared to bear up under it; only take care to spare me not.' Then the Duke commanded [his servants] to hang him up on a pillar head downwards for three days and three nights, so that all his blood might pour out from his mouth and nostrils; and the soldiers who had hung him up departed to their houses, and left him hanging. And after three days the Duke commanded them to bring him down [from the pillar] and to bring him to him, so that he might know whether he was alive or dead; and straightway the soldiers departed [to fetch him]. And when they laid their hands upon him they became blind. And Apa Victor said, 'In the Name of my God, for Whose sake I am suffering all these sufferings, receive ye your sight through [His] power, which is holy'; and straightway they received their sight. And when the Duke saw what had taken place, he commanded [the soldiers] to flay his body, and to tear out his tongue. And Apa Victor said unto the Duke, 'Even though thou strippest off me my skin which is outside me, I have still another skin, which is inside me, and which neither thy power nor thy tortures can injure. And again, though thou shalt cut out my tongue, God is wont to perform judgement [on behalf of] those whose mouths are silenced. Now, therefore, I care nothing for thy tortures.'

73 And whilst the blessed man Apa Victor was saying these things, behold, a certain young woman whose name was Stephanou, who was the wife of a soldier, looked out through her window—now she was about fifteen years of age—and cried out, saying, 'Blessed art thou, O Apa Victor, and blessed art thou in all thy works. All thy sacrifices have been received from thy hands, even as were received the sacrifices of Abel, the righteous man, which he brought unto God in integrity of heart. God shall shew compassion upon thee as He did upon Enoch, the scribe of righteousness. Thou art perfect and righteous in thy generation as was Noah. Thou dost believe on God, as did Abraham. Thou dost lay thy body on the altar as a sacrifice, as did Isaac. Thou dost manifest patient endurance, as did Jacob at the time when Esau pursued him [when he was] going to Laban. Thou art a man of wisdom and understanding, as was Daniel the Prophet. Thou hast been instructed in divine things by thy dreams like Joseph. Thou hast manifested patient endurance like Job, the man of God. The Enemy hath been envious of thee as he was of Isaiah the Prophet, whose body they sawed in twain lengthwise with a wood saw. And the fire hath not touched thee, even as the fire of Nebuchadnezzar touched not the Three Holy [Children]. Thou hast given thy heart unto God, even as did David, the son of Jesse. Behold, I swear by thy salvation, O Apa Victor, that two crowns shall be sent down from heaven, being borne by twenty-four angels; one of these is for thee, and the other shall be for me. Though like thee I am a vessel of infirmity, I shall have an inheritance among the mighty ones.'

74 And when the Duke heard this woman proclaiming these things, he commanded his soldiers to bring her unto him. And when they had brought her, the Duke said unto her, 'How many years old art thou that thou dost dare to proclaim these violent words in such an impudent manner?' And she said unto him, 'I am fifteen years and eight months old.' And the Duke said unto her, 'How many years is it since thou didst marry [thy] husband?' And she said unto him, 'Behold, one year and six months.' And the Duke answered and said unto her, 'Offer up sacrifice now, O Stephanou, and do not die an evil death.' And she said unto him, 'My name is indeed Stephanou, the interpretation of which is "crown incorruptible", and therefore I will not offer up sacrifice, because I wish to receive the crown which is [indicated by] my name.' Then the Duke was exceedingly wroth, and he commanded his soldiers to set her between two palm-trees, and to tie her to each of them. And they pulled the trunks of the two palms close to her body by means of a rope, and tied them together. And afterwards the two palms were released suddenly by cutting the rope, and in this way she was rent asunder down to the middle of her body, and she became two pieces. Thus she fulfilled her martyrdom in peace, and she departed into the heavens, unto Him Whom she had loved, the Christ, in great glory. Amen.

75 Then the Duke passed the sentence of death upon Apa Victor, [and ordered his soldiers] to cut off his head. And the blessed man Apa Victor answered and said unto him, 'I give thanks unto my Lord Jesus the Christ, Who hath given unto me these riches for ever. Now, therefore, hearken ye unto me, and I will declare unto you the following things which have been revealed unto me. Now after I am dead ye yourselves shall also die, at the end of my eleventh [year].' And as concerning the Duke Sebastianus, an ekstasis shall take place, and certain men in a town shall delay [in paying tribute], and he shall embark in his boat and depart to despoil them, and as [the crew] are tying up the boat to the bank the Duke shall come forth. And as he is coming down from the boat by the landing plank he shall trip up, and the monobolis shall penetrate his foot, and the foot shall mortify, and he shall die at the end of the twenty-fourth year after my death. And again, all the wise men and all the orators shall go and eat their midday meal together at the end of the eighth year after my death, and the house wherein they are shall fall down upon them, and they shall all die together.

76 And when Asterius, the governor of the Camp, the same who delivered the written accusation of me to the Count, as a result of which he tortured me, shall tie up his ass on the north side of the Camp when he shall arrive there, and shall beat her, she shall bite him, and he shall fall ill and die. And after ten days the men of my household shall come seeking after my body; give it to them. For I have already bought the funerary swathings for my body and my coffin, in order that they may not bury me in the funerary equipment of a stranger. Only, I pray you, do not prevent my body from being given unto those who shall seek after it. For there shall be an exceedingly great upheaval of the sea, and mighty events shall take place in the spot wherein my body shall be deposited. And the people of the whole country shall come to my shrine, and many mighty deeds shall take place on the spot where they shall deposit my head, and the people of the whole country shall come to my shrine by reason of the mighty deeds which shall be done therein. I am a young man twenty years of age. I entreat you all, O my fellow soldiers, to let me depart to the presence of my Lord Jesus the Christ. This is the day which I have been [long] expecting, and behold, it hath come this day.'

77 And straightway they tied a gag in his mouth. And Apa Victor said unto the executioner, 'Dismiss me speedily, for the sake of the angels who have hold upon me.' Now the executioner was not pleased to do so, for he only struck his neck with the sword, and his head hung by the skin of the neck. And Apa Victor was in torture, and his spirit was sorely distressed in him. And he looked up and saw Horion the Kourson, and he said unto him, 'Take the sword out of the hand of this lawless man, and do thou make an end of me, for this wicked man of Sioout hath already done very many evil things to me during my lifetime, and now also at my death he doth grievously afflict my spirit. May the Lord reward him according to what he hath done unto me.' And Horion the Koursón said unto Apa Victor, 'My lord, do not think in thy heart concerning me that I would lift up my hand against my brother soldier. I swear by thy salvation, O my brother Apa Victor, and by the dire need which is on thee, that I have never stretched out my hand even against a bird, to shed its blood, and it is impossible for me to lay my hand upon thee [with violence]. But I pray thee to remember me in the place whereunto thou departest.' And Apa Victor answered and said, 'The Lord Jesus the Christ shall shew mercy unto thee, for in this very same year thou shalt die, and the Lord shall forgive thee thy sins. The enemy and the martyr shall come forth to thee, [and] I shall follow after them and shall sing hymns with them.'

78 And Horion placed his napkin before his face. And [Apa Victor] said unto him, 'O my beloved brother, I entreat thee most earnestly'; and [Horion] girded on the sword. And the Camp was shaken three times. Then he cut off his head, he consummated his martyrdom. And Horion lifted up his eyes to heaven, and he saw the soul of Apa Victor, which Ausouel carried [to heaven] in a napkin made of byssus, and the saints saluted the soul of Apa Victor. And when they had taken off the head of Apa Victor blood mingled with milk came forth. And he consummated his glorious martyrdom on the twenty-seventh day of the month Parmoute, at the tenth hour of the day. And all the words which he spake before they took off his head came true. Peace be upon every one who hath suffered martyrdom for the Name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, to Whom be glory, and to His Good Father, and to the Holy Spirit, life-giving and consubstantial, now and always, for ever and ever. Amen.