" The next morning Paul was brought before the govern- or by Thamyris, who acted in accordance with the words of his advisers. The governor said to Paul, 'Who art thou, aud what dost thou teach ? fn- they bring no small ac- cusation against thee.' But Paul, lifting up his voice, said, 'Forasmuch as I am this day examined concerning what I teach, listen, O governor! The living God, the God of retributions, he who is a jealous God, a God who is in need of nothing (impoabti]^), a God who taketh thought for the salvation of men, hath seut me to reclaim them from uncleauuess and corruption, from all pleasure, and from death, so that they may not sin. Wherefore, also, God sent his own Sou, whom I preach unto you, teaching men that they should rest their hope on him, who alone hath had compassion upon a world that was led astray, that^men may no longer be under condemnation, but that 'they may have faith," and the fear of God, and the kn<nvl- edge of holiness, and the love of the truth. If I therefore teach that which has been revealed to me by God, wherein do I go astray?' When the governor had heard this, he ordered Paul to be bound and be put in ward, saying, 'When I shall be at leisure, I will hear him more atten- tively.'
"Thecla, having bribed the keeper of the door, was ad- mitted by night to the imprisimed apostle, and sitting at his feet, heard the wonderful works of God. When "she was found there, she was brought before the governor to- gether with Paul; the latter was scourged and cast out of the city, but Thecla was ordered to be burned. Soon a pile was erected, and after she had made the sign of the cross she went up thereon, and the wood was kindled. When the fire was hlazirig, a heavy laiu aud hail came down from heaven, and thus Thecla was saved.
"Now Paul was fasting' with Onesiphorus and his wife and children, in a new tomb, on the way from Icouium to Japhne. After several days, when the children were ahuufjered, Paul took oft" his cloak and Kave it to one of the children, sayiiiK,' Go, my child, and Iniy bread.' On the way the boy met Thecla, who was looking for Paul. When she was brousrht to him, he thanked God for her safe de- liverance. Thecla said to Paul, 'I will cut my hair, and will follow thee whithersoever thou ^oest.' But he an- swered, 'This is a shameTess a;j;e, and tlnni art very fair. I fear lest auother temptation come upou thee worse than
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the first, and that thou Withstand it not' Thecla said, 'Only niiike me a parlalier of the seal that is iu Chi-isi, and temiJtalion shall not touch nie.' But Paul aiiswei-ed, 'U 'i'liecla, wait with patience and thou slialt post^ess the walei-.'
"And Paul sent away Onesiphoi-ns and all his house nntn Iconinni, and went to Antioch with Thecla. As they were eniei-ing into the city, aceilain ruler of the Syrians, Alex- ander by name, seeini,' Thecla, clave unto her in love, and would have given gifts and presents unto Paul. But he said, ' I know not tlie woman of whom thou speakest, n(ir )Sf.he mine.' At this Alexander embraced her in the street of the city. But as Thecla would not sutler this, she took hold of Alexander and tiu'e his cloak and pulled oft' his crown. Ashamed of what had happened, Alexander had her brought before the governor, who condemned her to the wild beasts, allowing her, however, at her own request —that she might remain pure until she should tight with the wild beasts— to stay with a ceriaiu woman named Trvphfena.
'"' When the games were exhibited, they bound Thecla to a fierce lioness, but the beast licked her feet. And the ))eop!e marvelled greatly. And the title of her accusation was 'Sacrilegious.' And the women cried out, 'An im- pious sentence has been passed in this city.' After the t^how, Trvphama again received Thecla, for her daughter Falconilla was dead, and had said to her mother, in a dream, 'Mother, take this stranger, Thecla, in my stead, and she will pray for me, that I may be transferred to the lilace of the just.' And Thecla prayed, saying, 'O Lord God, who hast made the heaven and the earth, Son of the Most High, Lord Jesus Christ, grant unto this woman ac- cording to her desire, that her daughter Falconilla may live forever.'
"The next day Alexander came again to fetch Thecla. But Tryphfena cried aloud, so that Alexander fled away. And straightway the governor sent an order that Tliecla should be'brouirht. And Tryphiena, holding her by the hand, said, 'My^danghter Falci>nilla, indeed, I took to the tomb; and thee, Thecla, I am taking to the wild beasts.' And Thecla wept very bitterly and said, 'O Lord God, in whom I have believed, to whom I have fled for refuge, thou who didst deliver me from the fire, do thou grant a recompense to Tryphiena, who hath had ccnnpassion on thy servant, and hath kept me pure.' When Thecla had lieen taken out of the hands of Tryphsna, they stripped her of her garments, and a girdle was given to her, and she was thrown into the theatre. And lions, and bears, and a savage lioness were let loose against her. But in- stead of killing Thecla, they toie one another. While she was praying, many more wild beasts were sent in. And when she had ended her prayer, she turned and saw a trench filled with water, and she said, 'Now it is time for me to wash myself.' And she cast lierself in, saying, 'In the name of Jesus Christ, 1 baptize myself on the last day.' And t.he seals saw the glaie of the fire of lightning, and floated about dead. And as she stood naked, there was a fiery cloud round about her, so that neither was she seen naked, nor could the wild beasts do her hurt. And when other beasts were cast into the theatre, the women wept again. And some of them threw down sweet-smelling herbs, so that there was an abundance of perfumes. And all the wild beasts, even as though they had been restrained 1>y sleep, touched her not. When fierce bulls were let loose, Tryphiena fainted, and the multitude cried, 'Queen Try- Ijhsena is dead.' Alexander now asked the governor to release Thecla, saying, 'If CiBsar hear of these things, he will destroy the city, liecause his kinswoman queen Try- ])hien;i had died beside the theatre.' And the governor Ciilled for Theclii out of the midst of the wild beasts, and said unto her, 'Who art thou? and what; hast thou about thee, that none of the wild beasts toucheth thee?' _^nd she said, 'I, indeed, am a servant of the living God ; <ind as to what there is about me, I have believed in the Son of God, in whom God is well pleased. Therefore hath not one of the beiists touched nie. For he alone is the way of salvation, and the ground of immortal life. He is a refuge to the tempest-tossed, a solace to the iifflicted, a shelter to them that are in despair; and, once for iill, who- soever shall not believe in him sh;ill not live eternally.' When she was released, she stayed with Tryphiena eight days. And she instructed her in the word of God, so that most, even of the maid-servants, believed. But Thecla desired to see Paul. When she was told that he was stay- ing at Myra of Lycia, she went there, being dressed in miin's attire. And when she saw him, she said, 'I have received the baptism, O Paul ! For he tlnit wrought to- gether with thee for the gospel hath been eftectual also with me for the baptism.' When Thecla told him that she was going to Icouium, Paul said to her, 'Go and teach the word of God.'