Foxs Book of Martyrs | Page 8

ornamental literature of Greece. He then travelled to
Egypt to study astronomy, and made very particular observations on
the great and supernatural eclipse, which happened at the time of our
Saviour's crucifixion.
The sanctity of his conversation, and the purity of his manners,
recommended him so strongly to the christians in general, that he was
appointed bishop of Athens.
Nicodemus, a benevolent christian of some distinction, suffered at
Rome during the rage of Domitian's persecution.
Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Milan.
Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus,
where he zealously governed the church till A. D. 97. At this period, as
the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy,
meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous
idolatry, which so exasperated the people, that they fell upon him with
their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner, that he expired of the
bruises two days after.
The Third Persecution, under Trajan, A. D. 108.
Nerva, succeeding Domitian, gave a respite to the sufferings of the
christians; but reigning only thirteen months, his successor Trajan, in
the tenth year of his reign A. D. 108, began the third persecution

against the christians. While the persecution raged, Pliny 2d, a heathen
philosopher wrote to the emperor in favor of the Christians; to whose
epistle Trajan returned this indecisive answer: "The christians ought not
to be sought after, but when brought before the magistracy, they should
be punished." Trajan, however, soon after wrote to Jerusalem, and gave
orders to his officers to exterminate the stock of David; in consequence
of which, all that could be found of that race were put to death.
Symphorosa, a widow, and her seven sons, were commanded by the
emperor to sacrifice to the heathen deities. She was carried to the
temple of Hercules, scourged, and hung up, for some time, by the hair
of her head: then being taken down, a large stone was fastened to her
neck, and she was thrown into the river, where she expired. With
respect to the sons, they were fastened to seven posts, and being drawn
up by pullies, their limbs were dislocated: these tortures, not affecting
their resolution, they were martyred by stabbing, except Eugenius, the
youngest, who was sawed asunder.
Phocas, bishop of Pontus, refusing to sacrifice to Neptune, was, by the
immediate order of Trajan, cast first into a hot lime-kiln, and then
thrown into a scalding bath till he expired.
Trajan likewise commanded the martyrdom of Ignatius, bishop of
Antioch. This holy man was the person whom, when an infant, Christ
took into his arms, and showed to his disciples, as one that would be a
pattern of humility and innocence. He received the gospel afterward
from St. John the Evangelist, and was exceedingly zealous in his
mission. He boldly vindicated the faith of Christ before the emperor,
for which he was cast into prison, and tormented in a most cruel
manner. After being dreadfully scourged, he was compelled to hold fire
in his hands, and, at the same time, papers clipped in oil were put to his
sides, and set on fire. His flesh was then torn with red hot pincers, and
at last he was despatched by being torn to pieces by wild beasts.
Trajan being succeeded by Adrian, the latter continued this third
persecution with as much severity as his predecessor. About this time
Alexander, bishop of Rome, with his two deacons, were martyred; as
were Quirinus and Hernes, with their families; Zenon, a Roman

nobleman, and about ten thousand other christians.
In Mount Ararat many were crucified, crowned with thorns, and spears
run into their sides, in imitation of Christ's passion. Eustachius, a brave
and successful Roman commander, was by the emperor ordered to join
in an idolatrous sacrifice to celebrate some of his own victories; but his
faith (being a christian in his heart) was so much greater than his vanity,
that he nobly refused it. Enraged at the denial, the ungrateful emperor
forgot the service of this skilful commander, and ordered him and his
whole family to be martyred.
At the martyrdom of Faustines and Jovita, brothers and citizens of
Brescia, their torments were so many, and their patience so great, that
Calocerius, a pagan, beholding them, was struck with admiration, and
exclaimed in a kind of ecstacy, "Great is the God of the christians!" for
which he was apprehended, and suffered a similar fate.
Many other similar cruelties and rigours were exercised against the
christians, until Quadratus, bishop of Athens, made a learned apology
in their favour before the emperor, who happened to be there and
Aristides, a philosopher of the same city, wrote an elegant epistle,
which caused Adrian to relax in his severities, and relent in their