r to renounce Christianity. Failing in his
arguments and entreaties, he even exercised the parental right which the
law of his day gave him to chastise his daughter; but he could elicit no
word of decision from her other than: "God's will must be done."

While in the prison she was baptized, and was thus still more strongly
fortified to meet the trial which was before her. At her examination we
have such a picture as is indicated above. The judge entreated her to
have compassion on her father's tears, on her infant's helplessness, as
well as on her own life. He pointed out to her the cruel position in
which she was placed by her religion, and used this as an argument
against it. But it all availed nothing. She was returned to the prison
to await the day of execution. Her companion in this direful
anticipation was Felicitas, a married woman who was about to become a
mother. This Christian woman also, on being brought before the
procurator, had been entreated by him to have pity upon herself and her
condition; but she had replied that his compassion was useless, since no
thought of self-preservation could induce her to be unfaithful to her
religion. While in the prison she gave birth to a girl, which was
adopted by a Christian woman who as yet was free.

On the day of their execution, Perpetua and Felicitas were taken to the
amphitheatre and stripped of their clothing; but on this occasion,
however lacking the people may have been in the quality of mercy, they
at least showed some feelings of decency, for they requested that the
women might be allowed to have their garments. The two martyrs were then
exposed to the fury of an enraged bull. The animal attacked them both;
but as neither of them was mortally wounded, an officer despatched them
with his sword.

The authorities doubtless congratulated themselves that by the death of
these poor women the hated religion was by so much reduced; but "the
blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church," and by the courage of
its martyrs more people were incited to investigate the new faith than
by their sufferings were deterred from following it. In fact, there are
instances on record that the constancy of the Christians in their
sufferings bore immediate fruit in the conversion of the spectators;
where those who came to revile shared in the end the death of those they
helped to persecute. The most noted example of this kind is that of
Potamiana, who suffered under the emperor S