shall meet with kindness from your hands for the evil
which you here receive from me." To which the martyr answered: "There
will be then no room for pardon or favor: nor will one be able to help
another. I will pray that God may bring you to the knowledge of himself
in this life." The judge said: "Consider these things in the next world,
whither I am going to send you: at present obey the king." The old man
answered: "Death is our desire." The emperor then began to interrogate
Aithilahas, and caused him to be hung up by the heels a long time
together. He was at length taken down, and to move him to a compliance,
he was shown a certain Manichaean heretic who had renounced his religion
for fear of torments, and was killing ants, which those heretics held
unlawful, teaching that insects and beasts have rational souls. The
saint, lying on the ground, was scourged till he fell into a swoon, and
then was hauled aside like a dog. A certain Magian, out of pity, threw a
coat over his wounds to cover his naked body; for which act of
compassion he received two hundred lashes, till he fainted. Thamsapor
arriving at his castle of Beth-Thabala, in that country, the governor
caused the martyrs to be carried before him. They were ordered to eat
the blood of beasts: which they refused to do. One told them, that if
they would eat the juice of red grapes curdled, which the people might
think to be blood, this would satisfy the judges. They answered: "God
forbid we should dissemble our faith." We have elsewhere taken notice
that the Christians then observed in many places the positive temporary
law of the apostles.[2] Thamsapor and the governor, after a short
consultation, condemned both to be stoned to death by the Christians.
Joseph was executed at Arbela. He was put into the ground up to the
neck. The guards had drawn together five hundred Christians to his
execution. The noble lady Jazdundocta was brought thither, and earnestly
pressed to throw but a feather at the martyr, that she might seem to
obey the order of the king. But she resolutely resisted their entreaties
and threats, desiring to die with the servant of God. Many, however,
having the weakness to comply, a shower of stones fell upon the martyr,
which put an end to his life. When he was dead, guards were set to watch
his body; but the Christians found means to steal it away on the third
night, during a {594} dark tempest. St. Aithilahas suffered in the
province of Beth-Nubadra;