acticable.
On landing, the authors of these acts, who were his companions, say they
were seized with great grief, seeing they were soon to be separated from
their dear master; but he rejoiced to find himself so near the end of
his race. The soldiers hastened him on, because the public shows were
drawing to an end. The faithful of Rome came out to meet him, rejoicing
at the sight of him, but grieving that they were so soon to lose him by
a barbarous death. They earnestly wished that he might be released at
the request of the people. The martyr knew in spirit their thoughts, and
said much more to them than he had done in his letter on the subject of
true charity, conjuring them not to obstruct his going to the Lord. Then
kneeling with all the brethren, he prayed to the Son of God for the
Church, for the ceasing of the persecution, and for perpetual charity
and unanimity among the faithful. He arrived at Rome the 20th of
December, the last day of the public entertainments, and was presented
to the prefect of the city, to whom the emperor's letter was delivered
at the same time. He was then hurried by the soldiers into the
amphitheatre. The saint hearing the lions roar, cried out: "I am the
wheat of the Lord; I must be ground by the teeth of these beasts to be
made the pure bread of Christ." Two fierce lions being let out upon him,
they instantly devoured him, leaving nothing of his body but the larger
bones: thus his prayer was heard. "After having been present at this
sorrowful spectacle," say our authors, "which made us shed many tears,
we spent the following night in our house in watching and prayer,
begging of God to afford us some comfort by certifying us of his glory."
They relate, that their prayer was heard, and that several of them in
their slumber saw him in great bliss. They are exact in setting down the
day of his death, that they might assemble yearly thereon to honor his
martyrdom.[10] They add, that his bones were taken up and carried to
Antioch, and there laid in a chest as an inestimable treasure. St.
Chrysostom says his relics were carried in triumph on the shoulders of
all the cities from Rome to Antioch. They were first laid in the
cemetery without the Daphnitic gate, but in the reign of Theodosius the
younger were translated thence with great pomp to a church in the city,
which had been a temple of Fortune, but from this time bore his name, as
Evagrius {332} relates.[11] St. Chrysostom exhorts all people