ll
began to do penance like Ninive, and fled, with the emperor at their
head, to a great distance from the city. After the term appointed for
its pretended destruction was elapsed, they sent scouts to the city,
which they had left quite empty, and, hearing that it was still
standing, returned to it, and with their fears forgot their repentance
and all their good resolutions. To prevent the danger of penitents
imposing upon themselves by superficial conversions, St. Barbatus took
all necessary precautions to improve their {433} first dispositions to a
sincere and perfect change of heart, and to cut off and remove all
dangerous occasions of temptations.

Footnotes:
1. The devil was sick, the devil a monk would be;
The devil was well, the devil no monk was he.
2. S. Aug. Serm. de Excidio Urbis, c. 6, t. 6, p. 627, ed. Ben.

FEBRUARY XX.

SS. TYRANNIO, BISHOP OF TYRE,

ZENOBIUS, AND OTHERS, MARTYRS IN PHOENICIA, ETC.

From Eusebius, Hist l. 8, c.7, 13, 25. St. Jerom in Chron. Euseb.

A.D. 304, 310.

EUSEBIUS, the parent of church history, and an eye-witness of what he
relates concerning these martyrs, gives the following account of them.
"Several Christians of Egypt, whereof some had settled in Palestine,
others at Tyre, gave astonishing proofs of their patience and constancy
in the faith. After innumerable stripes and blows, which they cheerfully
underwent, they were exposed to wild beasts, such as leopards, wild
bears, boars, and bulls. I myself was present when these savage
creatures, accustomed to human blood, being let out upon them, instead
of devouring them, or tearing them to pieces, as it was natural to
expect, stood off, refusing even to touch or approach them, at the same
time that they fell foul on their keepers, and others that came in their
way.[1] The soldiers of Christ were the only persons they refused,
though these martyrs, pursuant to the order given them, tossed about
their arms, which was thought a ready way to provoke the beasts, and
stir them up against them. Sometimes, indeed, they were perceived to
rush towards them with their usual impetuosity, but, withheld by a
divine power, they suddenly withdrew; and this many times, to the great
admiration of all present. The first having done no execution, others
were a second and a third time let out upon them, but in vain; the
martyrs standing all the while unshaken, though many of them very young.
Among them was a youth of not yet twenty,