overnor. Caesar had replied that they who confessed themselves to be
Christians should be put to the sword, and they who denied sent away
safe and sound. When the time for the great market had fully come, there
assembled a numerous multitude from every nation and every province. The
governor had the blessed martyrs brought up before his judgment-seat,
showing them before the people with all the pomp of a theatre. He
questioned them afresh; and those who were discovered to be Roman
citizens were beheaded, the rest were thrown to the beasts.

"Great glory was gained for Christ by means of those who had at first
denied their faith, and who now confessed it contrary to the expectation
of the Gentiles. Those who, having been privately questioned, declared
themselves Christians were added to the number of the martyrs. Those in
whom appeared no vestige of faith and no fear of God, remained without
the pale of the Church. When they were dealing with those who had been
reunited to it, one Alexander, a Phrygian by nation, a physician by
profession, who had for many years been dwelling in Gaul, a man well
known to all for his love of God and open preaching of the faith, took
his place in the hall of judgment, exhorting by signs all who filled it
to confess their faith, even as if he had been called in to deliver
them of it. The multitude, enraged to see that those who had at first
denied turned round and proclaimed their faith, cried out against
Alexander, whom they accused of the conversion.

"The governor forthwith asked him what he was, and at the answer, 'I am
a Christian,' condemned him to the beasts. On the morrow Alexander was
again brought up, together with Attalus, whom the governor, to please
the people, had once more condemned to the beasts. After they had both
suffered in the Amphitheatre all the torments that could be devised,
they were put to the sword. Alexander uttered not a complaint, not a
word; he had the air of one who was talking inwardly with God. Attalus,
seated on an iron seat, and waiting for the fire to consume his body,
said, in Latin, to the people: 'See what ye are doing; it is in truth
devouring men; as for us, we devour not men, and we do no evil at all.'
He was asked what was the name of God: 'God,' said he, 'is not like us
mortals; he hath no name.'

"After all these martyrs, on the last day of the shows, Blandina was
again brought up, together with a young lad, named Ponticus, about
fifteen year