Library › Acts of St Thalelæus

Acts of St Thalelæus

tr. Conybeare, 1894

thalelaeus

In the reign of Numerius,¹ and when Theodorus was judge, in the city of Ægæ, nine days before the kalends, in the month Hori, which was the twenty-third day of the month, the judge² took his seat in the Temple of Hadrian in the city of Ægæ, and said: “Summon hither the violator of religion.” The guards say: “Behold, here he stands, we pray thee.” Theodorus the judge said to them: “Where did ye take him, for I see that his beard just begins to shoot, and that he is resplendent with the bloom of youth?” Denesius, the chief executioner, said: “As we were coming to the metropolis Anazarb,³ and were still distant by fifty stades, we saw him running in an easterly direction; and when he saw us, he hid himself in the middle of a grove of trees. But we knew he was a Christian, so we invoked the gods and halted in the grove for forty days and forty nights, till we found him hidden in an olive-tree; and when we took him in order to bind him he began to fight with us, but we beat him with bludgeons and broke his bones, and then we put manacles on his hands and feet, and have brought him to thee.”

Theodorus the judge said to him: “Of what religion art thou, or of what rank, or of what city, and what is thy name?” Thalelæus said: “If thou wilt learn of what religion I am, I am named a Christian; but if thou wilt learn how men name me, I am called Thalelæus, and I am from Lebanon, and I have believed in the Galilean, and I am a friend of those of Jerusalem. My mother is Romaniana, and my father Becosianus; and I am by profession a physician, and have become a deacon of John the Bishop. And when there were persecutions of the Christians, they all fled, and they took me alone and brought me before Tiberianus the judge of Edessa. And he subjected me to cruel tortures, and three times he had me scourged publicly and without mercy, thinking that he would turn my mind and make me deny God; but I called upon the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and He saved me from his lawless hands; and now I have come and am brought before thy court, by which it is allotted to me to die for the name of my God. Do with me what thou wilt, for Christ is near who helps me.”

The judge said: “Out upon thee, thou runaway; think not that thou art able to escape from my hands.” Thalelæus said: “I believe in God, that is Ruler of all, that He putteth not to shame those who trust in Him in Christ, and those who for His name, come to bear this testimony.” The judge said: With an awl do ye bore through his ancles and pass cords through them, and drag him over the city; since he is a runaway, and lest he escape from the emperors.”

And they began to do so, but they wearied and were not able to. Then came the chief Lictor and said: “We pray thee, O Lord, from dawn until now have we laboured, but have been able to do nothing.” The judge said: “Begin to work afresh, to see if ye can bore them through.” And Asterius the carpenter came, and said: “As thou didst command, we have bored through his ancles, and have fastened them with thongs.” Theodorus the judge said: “Bring hither the runaway.” And they brought him in. Then said he to him: “Come and sacrifice to the gods according to the command of the emperors, that thou mayest be saved from the tortures that await thee.” Thalelæus said: “I am a Christian, and I do not worship idols, lest I should lose the rewards promised me by God.” The judge said: “Come, hang him head downwards, like one of the mad knaves.” But the servants of Satan hung up the mere tree; and the disciple of Thalelæus, Timotheus, said: “See what the ministers of Satan do.” Thalelæus said: “Hush, brother, for it is Christ who helpeth us, and maketh their labour in vain.” The judge said: “O wretch, what is it? did I not command you to hang yonder man, and you have hung up and tortured a mere tree, and turned to ridicule the royal commands.” Asterius the carpenter said: “He liveth, the Lord God of yonder believing man. I do not transgress nor turn to ridicule your commands; but I too acknowledge Christ as king of heaven and earth, in whom he also has his hope and belief.”

But Alexander the chief Lictor said: “Truly we have seen a great glory by reason of this blessed man, and we are not able to lay hands upon him, because we too have believed in Christ and are Christians, by whom receiving the knowledge of the truth, we will become fellowsufferers of the holy Thalelæus.” But when the judge saw this he was very wroth with them, and he roared like a lion and gnashed his teeth upon them. But Asterius and Alexander fell to praying, and said: “Lord God of the Christians, suffer not that Satan should take captive and snatch away the souls of Thy servants, who make their confession to Thee.” And when they had said this, they fled from the presence of the judge. But a certain Midos, from the court, came upon them and slew them; and then he came and told the judge, saying: “O Lord Judge, I came upon them in the mountains, and took and slew them with the sword, and cast forth their bodies on the mountain, and the multitude saw all.”

The judge said: “Which dost thou prefer, O Thalelæus, to sacrifice to the gods and be saved, or to die a miserable death?” Thalelæus said: “Thou canst not persuade the servants of God to sacrifice to vain demons and to their images; and I have no fear of thy tortures, for Christ is near to me, who is my hope, and He will snatch me from thy tortures.” Then the judge was wroth, and rose of himself to torture the blessed one; but his hands were withered. Then the ruler prayed and said: “I beseech thee, servant of the true God, pray for me that my hands may be healed.” And when Thalelæus prayed, his hands were healed; and all wondered and began to say: “Great is the God of the Christians.” The judge said: “Let a ship-captain be called.” And when he came, he said: “Cast yonder man into the ship and carry him to the city of Siprus, and there let him die, but let him not die by my hands.” Thalelæus said: “Thou didst make a beginning, and from thee I receive my consummation”; but they took him and threw him into the ship. And as they were going on their way and rowing, Thalelæus said: “Christ is able to turn back the ship to the place where Theodorus smote me.” And as they went on their course, there was a violent wind against them in the middle of the sea; and it turned back all the ships along with that one in which was the holy Thalelæus. And when they came near to where there was the tribunal, Thalelæus cried out to the judge and said: “Where then are thy gods, or where is thy boasting? Behold, Christ hath turned against thee and conquered thee, and hath blunted the sting of Satan thy father.”

The judge said: “Behold, how that he hath bewitched us and caused the ships to flee.” And he ordered wizards to be brought before him; and when they were brought in, Theodorus the judge said: “What are we to do with him, for he hath vanquished us with his wizardry? Urbicus, the wizard, answered:” This race of Christians is full of sedition, and worthy of an evil death. But do thou do that which I tell thee, and quickly wilt thou destroy him. Make boards and set sharp nails around as with a compass, and nail the boards against the hair of his head; and then let him be dragged through the midst of the city into the arena, and in that way the force of his wizardry is broken. And thereafter let them throw him to the wild beasts, that they may tear his flesh.” And then the judge in haste ordered them to make a machine of nails and boards; and when they had made it they brought in the holy Thalelæus. And having spread out his hands, he stood in prayer, and said: “O Lord God, draw nigh to Thy servant, and vanquish the evil designs of Satan, that Thy name may be glorified in me, and that they may know the impiety of their wickedness, and that it is no wizardry, but the ineffable might of Thy Godhead.” And when he had said this, they threw him upon the tables and nailed them, and having bound him, they dragged him through the middle of the city to the arena. And the judge took his seat in the Arena, and said: “Let it be proclaimed, that this is he who hath joined the evil cult of the Christians.” The guards say: “But we think that he is dead.” The judge said: “Warm a brand and make it like fire, and pierce his side, for fear that he trick us.” But the blessed Thalelæus made upon himself the sign of the holy cross of Christ, and moved himself and leaped up, and broke all the bonds with which he was fastened to the nails; and he stood up amidst them, and spoke to the tyrant and said: “Blessed is God, who has raised me from the dead and hath put to shame the worshippers of the idols.”

Then the judge commanded that they let loose upon him wild beasts; and a lioness came, but did him no harm. And next he let loose upon him a leopard, but the wild beasts came and lay at his feet and fawned upon him. And the holy Thalelaeus with a loud voice said: “Blessed are they who believe in Christ; blessed are they who without looking back shall offer themselves to make confession of Him. Blessed are they who shall give themselves to the torture for Christ’s sake, because they vanquish Satan.” And when the judge heard this, he said: “How hath he bewitched the wild beasts, by calling upon the name of Christ.” And he ordered them to bear him to the wall of the arena, that all the population of the town should stone him.

Then Thalelæus cried out and said: “Almighty Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, turn away from me the threats of men, that they may know that Thou alone art God, and that, besides Thee, there is no other, and that I am Thy servant.” And when he had said this and prayed, the stones were turned back, and wounded many of the impious; but the saint was not wounded, for he was overshadowed by the grace of Christ. And the judge ordered him to be taken down, and said to him: “Offer now sacrifice to the gods, for by them art thou helped; wherefore I also have been patient with thee: but if thou wilt not, then I swear by Asclepius,⁴ I will order thee to be put to still more bitter torments.” Thalelæus said: “I am a Christian, and to demons I cannot sacrifice; do as thou wilt, I have no fear of thy torments, since it is Christ who helpeth me.”

Then the judge said: “Mix bitumen and rosin and sulphur, and put it into an iron caldron, and when it is boiling hot, then pour it over his head.” Thalelæus said: “I believe in my Lord Jesus, who has helped me and will help me; and He it is who vanquishes thee through me; but thou art lawless, and blinded by impiety, so that thou dost not see the help which Christ renders me.” Then they brought the caldron while it was still boiling, and poured it over his head; but it was like cold water, and did not subdue him. The judge said: “By thy exceeding wizardry thou dost conquer all men, and I have fears lest thou shouldst bewitch us also, or persuade us.” And he bade them call Urbicus the wizard, and through him he contended against the saint with all manner of charms. But when Urbicus was vanquished in all, the judge said: “Summon hither the enchanters, Ilithopus and Karticur.” And when they were come before him, the judge said, “What shall we do with this Christian, for he will boast that he has conquered us? Throw him therefore among the wild beasts.” But they said: “Whole days the wild beasts are here and have not tasted him.” Then said the judge: “Spare him not, but cast him to the wild beasts that they may destroy him.” When they had cast him into the pit, the wild beasts ran and fell at his feet, and licked his feet and did him no harm. And there were in the pit vipers and basilisks and horned snakes. And the saint remained in the pit for three days and for three nights and was ever glorifying God. Then after three days the judge called the enchanters and asked them if the wild beasts had destroyed that wizard. But the enchanters said: “We pray thee, according to thy command, we cast him into the pit, and he has lain among the wild beasts for three days and three nights, but they have not touched him. And meanwhile he, without ceasing, day and night, continued to praise the name of the Lord his God.”

Then the judge wondered, and ordered him to be brought in; and when he came in before him, the judge began to try to catch him by words, and said: “Come hither, good man, sacrifice to the gods, acknowledge Hadrian, the autocrat, and I dismiss thee.” Thalelæus said: “Even before I told thee, and now I tell thee again, I am a Christian, and I deny not my God, and I sacrifice not to stone idols that are senseless and to foul demons. And as to Hadrian, an impious man, why dost thou constrain me; because I acknowhim not, but that I say which I know, that he is a lawless, and impious, and unholy and crafty man.” Theodorus the judge said: “Thou dost not escape from my hands, till I have exacted from thee vengeance for the gods whom thou hast blasphemed and insulted, contemning our judgments.” Then he ordered a furnace to be heated, and they heated it to excess. And there came one Claudianus from the court and said to the judge: “The oven hath been heated until it glows with the white radiance of fire.” Then the judge ordered them to cast Thalelæus into the furnace together with his seven companions who bore the name of Christians, and whose names are the following: Narcissus, Thetius, Acastasia, Philadus, Macarias, Theodula, and Anastasia. And the executioners took Thalelæus and his companions who had suffered many tortures for the name of the Lord, and threw them into the furnace; but they continued to praise and glorify God, who made them worthy thus to die and attain to the heavenly crown. And they embraced one another, man with man, and woman with woman, and they cried out and said: “O Thou who wast the Protector of the three children in the furnace, preserve us that we remain scatheless in this fire, and receive our spirits, O Thou that art holy and true; and set us in the ranks of Thy saints in the tents of light, in order that we may without ceasing glorify Father and Son and Thy Holy Spirit, now and for ever, Amen.” And having said all this, they gave up their souls into the hand of the Lord. And on a sudden there was a sound of thunder and lightnings and heavy rains, and the fire was extinguished. But the judge fainted from fear, and called out, saying: “Woe to me, a sinner, because I have offended God, and done ill to His saints.” And in a few days He was removed from life; and many believed on the Lord.

I, Tanebus, the slave of the Holy Thalelæus, took the bodies of the saints, and I laid them in a tomb at the head of the circus, near to the Temple of Hadrian. Whereby God is continually glorified in the sufferings of His holy martyrs, and bestows healing upon spirit and flesh, to them that build up the memorials of the saints, who truly glorify the Lordship of the Three Persons and the single Godhead, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Contents