apital, Caesarea. The
fury of the tyrants raged violently, and the devil had instigated his
soldiers to wage, like so many wolves, a bloody war against the servants
of Jesus. Upon the least suspicion they broke into houses, made rigorous
searches, and if they found a Christian, they treated him upon the spot
with the greatest cruelty, their impatience not suffering them to wait
the bringing him before a judge. Every day new sacrileges were
committed; the faithful were compelled to assist at superstitious
sacrifices, to lead victims crowned with flowers through the streets, to
burn incense before idols, and to celebrate the enthusiastic feasts of
Bacchus. Arcadius, seeing his city in great confusion, left his estate
and withdrew to a solitary place in the neighboring country, serving
Jesus Christ in watching, prayer, and other exercises of a penitential
life. His flight could not be long a secret; for his not appearing at
the public sacrifices made the governor send soldiers to his house; who
surrounded it, forced open the doors, and finding one of his relations
in it, who said all he could to justify his kinsman's absence; they
seized him, and the governor ordered him to be kept in close custody
till Arcadius should be taken. The martyr, informed of his friend's
danger, and burning with a desire to suffer for Christ, went into the
city, and presenting himself to the judge, said: "If on my account you
detain my innocent relation in chains, release him; I, Arcadius, am come
in person to give an account of myself, and to declare to you, that he
knew not where I was." "I am willing," answered the judge, "to pardon
not only him, but you also, on condition that you will sacrifice to the
gods." Arcadius replied, "How can you propose to me such a thing? Do you
not know the Christians, or do you believe that the fear of death will
ever make me swerve from my duty? Jesus Christ is my life, and death is
my gain. Invent what torments you please; but know that nothing shall
make me a traitor to my God." The governor, in a rage, paused to devise
some unheard-of torment for him. Iron hooks seemed too easy; neither
plummets of lead, nor cudgels could satisfy his fury; the very rack he
thought by much too gentle. At last {130} imagining he had found a
manner of death suitable to his purpose, he said to the ministers of his
cruelty, "Take him, and let him see and desire death, without being able
to obtain it. Cut off his limbs joint by joi