The President said: “The next time we hold court over these men, let other modes of torture be put in practice. In the meantime put him (Andronicus) in irons, and keep him in prison until tomorrow, and let no one see him.”
The President said: “Call the ungodly Christians in.” Demetrius, the centurion, answered: “Here I am.”
_Tharacus brought forth first._--When he had brought forth Tharacus, the Proconsul said: “Dost thou still despise imprisonment, bonds, punishments, and tortures? Follow my advice, O Tharacus, and abandon this confession, which profits thee nothing. Rather sacrifice to the gods, by whom all things exist.”
Tharacus answered: “Woe shall come upon them. Thou thinkest that the world is governed by them; whereas they are destined for eternal fire; and not they only, but all those also who serve them.”
The President said: “And dost thou not yet desist, thou impious blasphemer! or thinkest thou not that for thy rash words I should cause thee to be instantly beheaded?”
Tharacus replied: “Then I would not die a lingering death, but a short one. But let me have a long conflict, that in the meantime my faith in the Lord may grow and increase.”
The President said: “Thou and thy fellow-prisoners must die according to the laws.”
Tharacus answered: “What thou sayest is an evidence of thy ignorance; for those who do evil die justly; but we who know of no evil, that is, who have committed nothing worthy of death before men, but suffer for the Lord, expect with confident hope the heavenly reward from the Lord.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou accursed miscreant! what reward have ye to expect, seeing you die for your wickedness?”
Tharacus replied: “It is not lawful for thee to inquire into, or to ask, what reward the Lord has laid up for us in heaven; and therefore we patiently suffer the wrath of thy madness.”
The President said: “Darest thou thus address me, thou accursed [one], as though thou wert mine equal?”
Tharacus answered: “I am not thine equal; but it is lawful for me to speak, and no one can silence me, for the sake of him who strengthens me, namely, the Lord.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou miscreant, I shall deprive thee of the power.”
Tharacus answered: “No one can take away the power from me, neither thou, nor your princes, nor Satan, the father of you all.”
_Tharacus put to the rack._--The President said: “Now, seeing thou art bound and suspended, in order that you may be tortured, sacrifice in time, before I cause thee to be punished according to thy deserts.”
Tharacus replied: “That thou mayest do; but since I was formerly a soldier, thou mayest not torment me with all manner of punishment. Yet, lest thou think, I might yield to thy perverseness, go on and devise and inflict upon me all sorts of punishment.”
The President said: “Do not think that I shall sentence thee at once. I shall cause thee to be put to death by degrees.”
Tharacus answered: “Whatever thou intendest to do, do at once, and do not threaten.”
The President said: “If thou think, that some women will come and embalm thy body, thou art greatly mistaken, for it is my intention that nothing shall remain of thee.”
Tharacus replied: “Do with my body as pleaseth thee, now as well as after my death.”
“Maximian,” said the Proconsul, “break his jaws, and tear his lips.”
Tharacus answered: “True, thou hast crushed and marred my face; but thou hast quickened my soul.”
The President said: “Thou wretched man! Desist from thy vain thoughts, and sacrifice; that thou mayest be delivered from these pangs.”
Tharacus replied: “Dost thou think I am a fool or a madman, and that I, who trust in the Lord, shall not live in heaven? Thou mayest deprive me of this temporal life for a little while; but thou wilt thereby cast thine own soul into eternal damnation.”