|
|
 During
a persecution of Christians under the emperor Septimius Severus, a group of
Christians died together in the arena at Carthage. Their final days have
been recorded for us in a document that is partly in their own words, and
partly in those of an anonymous narrator (sometimes thought to be Tertullian).
What follow are extracts, sometimes condensed, from that document.
Vivia Perpetua was a catchumen (i.e. a convert not yet baptized), well
educated and from a prosperous family, about 22 years old, married and
apparently recently widowed, with a child at her breast, and with two
brothers and both parents still living. (Her father was not a Christian.)
Felicity was a slave woman in advanced pregnancy. With them were Revocatus
(also a slave), Saturninus, and Secundus.
They were arrested and placed in a dungeon, but after a few days two deacons
visited the prison and by a gift of money to the jailers arranged (1) that
they should have an interval in the better part of the prison to refresh
themselves, and (2) that Perpetua should be allowed to keep her child with
her.
Perpetua had a vision in which she saw a golden ladder, guarded by a fierce
dragon, but she climbed it, stepping on the dragon's head to do so. At the
top, she found herself in a green meadow, with many white-robed figures, and
in their midst a shepherd, who welcomed her and gave her a morsel of cheese
from the sheep-milk. She awakened and understood that their martyrdom was
certain.
Perpetua writes:
After a few days there was a report that we were to have a Hearing in
court. And my father came to me from the city, worn out with anxiety. He
came up to me, that he might cast me down, saying: "Have pity, my daughter,
on my grey hairs. Have pity on your father, if I am worthy to be called a
father by you. If with these hands I have brought you up to this flower of
your age, if I have preferred you to all your brothers, do not deliver me up
to the scorn of men. Have regard to your brothers, have regard to your
mother and your aunt, have regard to your son, who will not be able to live
after you. Lay aside your courage, and do not bring us all to destruction;
for none of us will speak in freedom if you should suffer anything." These
things said my father in his affection, kissing my hands, and throwing
himself at my feet, and with tears he called me not Daughter, but Lady. And
I grieved over the grey hairs of my father, that he alone of all my kindred
would have no joy in my death. And I comforted him, saying, "On that
scaffold, whatever God wills shall happen. For know that we are not placed
in our own power but in that of God." And he departed from me in sorrow.
Perpetua had had a brother who died of cancer when he was
eight years old. She prayed for him, and received assurance in a vision that
all was well with him.
Her narrative continues:
After a few days, Pudens, an assistant overseer of the prison, Began to
hold us in high esteem, seeing that God was with us, and he admitted many of
the brethren to see us, that we and they might be mutually refreshed.
Perpetua had another vision, in which she saw herself
fighting against a gladiator in the arena, and winning. She understood this
to signify victory over the devil.
Saturus also had a vision, which he records in his own words, in which he
and the others, having died in the arena, are borne by angels into a
beautiful garden, where they greet other martyrs who have gone before them,
and are brought before the throne of God, surrounded by twenty-four elders
(see Revelation 4), who greet them and say, "Enter into joy." Perpetua says
to Saturus: "I was joyful in the flesh, and here I am more joyful still."
The narrator writes:
Now Felicitas was eight months pregnant, and the law did not Allow a
pregnant woman to be executed. She was accordingly fearful that her death
would be postponed, and instead of dying with her fellow Christians she
would be put to death later in the company of some group of criminals. She
and her companions accordingly prayed, and Felicity went into labor, with
the pains normal to an eight-month delivery. And a servant of the jailers
said to her, "If you cry out like that now, what will you do when you are
thrown to the beasts, which you despised when you refused to sacrifice?" And
she replied: "Now it is I that suffer what I suffer; but then Another will
be in me, who will suffer for me, because I also am about to suffer for
Him." Thus she brought forth a little girl, whom a certain sister brought up
as her own.
The day of their victory shone forth, and they proceeded from The prison to
the amphitheater, as if to an assembly, joyous and of brilliant countenance.
At the gate, the guards were going to dress them in the robes of those
dedicated to Saturn and to Ceres. But that noble-minded woman [Perpetua?]
said: "We are here precisely for refusing to honor your gods. By our deaths
we earn the right not to wear such garments." The guards recognized the
justice of her words, and let them wear their own clothing.
The men of their company were scheduled to be killed by beasts, But the wild
boar turned on its keeper instead, and the bear refused to leave its cage.
The leopard, however, attacked Saturus and mortally wounded him. He bade
farewell to his guard, Pudens, encouraging him to obey God rather than man,
and then fell unconscious.
For the young women there was prepared a fierce cow. Perpetua Was first led
in. She was tossed, and when whe saw her tunic torn from her side, she drew
it as a veil over her middle, rather mindful of her modesty than of her
sufferings. Then the was called up again, and bound up her dishevelled hair,
for it is not becoming for a martyr to die with dishevelled hair, which is a
sign of mourning. She saw Felicity wounded, and took her hand and raised her
up, and at the demand of the populace they were given a respite.
Now all the prisoners were to be slain with the sword, and they Went to the
center of the arena, first exchanging a farewell kiss of peace. The others
died unmoving and silent, but when the awkward hand of the young executioner
bungled her death-stroke, Perpetua cried out in pain, and herself guided his
hand to her throat. Possibly such a woman could not have been slain unless
she herself willed it, because she was feared by the impure spirit.
|
|
