PREFACE [BY TERTULLIAN?]

1. If past examples of faith can show the grace of God and teach us, why not also write down modern examples, so that by reading and re-living them, God may be glorified and we can be strengthened even more?

2. They were arrested -- church youths -- Revocatus, Felicity, Saturninus and Secundulus. With them also was Vibia Perpetua, born to the upper class, with a liberal education. She had a husband, father, mother and two brothers, one of whom was also a Christian. And she had a son, a child at the breast. She was about twenty-two years of age. What follows is her story, of her own martyrdom as she left it written with her own hand, in her own words.

PERPETUA'S OWN ACCOUNT

3. When we, Perpetua writes, were still under arrest, my father tried to talk me out of Christianity. “Father,” said I, “Do you see this pitcher or whatsoever it is? ” He said, “I see it. ” I said to him, “Can we give it any other name than a 'pitcher,' which it is? ” He answered, “No.” I responded, “In the same way, I can call myself nothing other than what I am, a Christian."

My father was enraged with my response. He attacked me, trying to tear out my eyes. Well, I took the pain, but he lost the argument!

Then because I was without my father for a few days I gave thanks to the Lord! I was comforted because of his absence. At this time we were baptized, and the Spirit declared to me that I must pray for endurance of the flesh.

After a few days we were taken into the prison.

I was much afraid because I had never known such total darkness. O bitter day! It was so hot because of the crowd. The soldiers handled us in cruel ways. And, I was tormented there by care for my child.

Then Tertius and Pomponius, the blessed deacons who came to minister to us, bribed the guards so that for a few hours we should be taken to a better part of the prison and be refreshed. There I suckled my child who was faint with hunger. I hurt deeply because I saw their hurt for my sake. Such cares! I suffered this for many days. Soon it happened that my child could stay with me in prison. This helped so much! I became well and found it easier to care for my child. Suddenly the prison was a palace for me. I would rather be there than anywhere else.

4. Then said my brother to me: “Lady my sister, you are now in high honor. Your prayers are deep and effective. You might ask for a vision. God might show you whether we die here or if we get released.”

In a vision, I saw a huge, gleaming ladder of bronze that reached up to heaven. It was narrow, so that not more than one person could go up at a time. The sides of the ladder were studded with iron swords, spears, hooks, and knives. If anyone went up the ladder carelessly, he would be torn by the swords and knives. At the foot of the ladder swirled a large serpent, waiting to attack those who hoped to ascend the ladder. Fear of the snake alone could stop most people!

Now Saturus went up first (who had of his own free will given himself up for our sakes, because it was he who had come to minister to us and so was arrested.)   He came to the ladder, then turned and said: “Perpetua, I will wait for you.   But be careful that the serpent does not bite you.” I said: “In Jesus’ name, it will not hurt me.”

From beneath the ladder, as though the giant snake feared me, it timidly put forth its head. I stepped on its head and went up. I saw a large space of garden.   In it was a man sitting, white-headed, in shepherd's clothing, milking his sheep. Standing around in white were thousands. He raised his head, saw me and said, “Welcome, child.” He refreshed me with the fresh milk. I took it with joined hands, and all that stood around said, “Amen.”

At the sound of that word I awoke, still eating something sweet beyond my comprehension. At once I told my brother that our end on earth was at hand. It would be a passion. No longer was there hope for release.

5. A few days after, the report went out that our trial was coming. My father returned from the city. He was tired and depressed. He came to me trying again to destroy my faith, saying: “Have pity, daughter, on my grey hairs. Have pity on your poor father, if I am worthy to be called father by you. If with these hands I have brought you to this flower of youth and favored you above all others, then, I beg you, do not give me over to the reproach of men. Look upon your brothers. Look upon your mother and mother's sister. Look upon your son, who will not endure to live after you. Give up your resolution. Do not destroy us all together! For if you die like this, what would we have left?”

This he said in a fatherly way in his love, kissing my hands and groveling at my feet. With tears he called me, not daughter, but lady. And I was grieved for my father because he would not rejoice at my passion.   I comforted him, saying: “What is done at this trial is the will of God, not of men. Know this, that we do not act in our own power, but in God's power.” He went from me even more depressed.

6. Another day as we were eating we were suddenly snatched away to be tried. They took us to the forum. The news of the trial spread and many people gathered. We went up to the tribunal. The others were questioned, and they professed themselves to be Christians.

Then they came to me. My father appeared there also, with my son. He tried to pull me back from the magistrate, saying to me:   “Just do the sacrifice! Have mercy on the child.” Hilarian the procurator said: “Yes, spare your father's grey hairs. Spare the infancy of the boy. Make the sacrifice for the Emperors' prosperity.”

But I answered: “I am a Christian. ” My father stood by me, still trying to smother my faith. Hilarian commanded him to be thrown down and beaten with a rod. I was so sorry for my father's pain, so sorry for his unhappy old age. Then Hilarian passed sentence upon us all and condemned us to the beasts. Cheerfully we went down to the dungeon.

Then because my child had been used to being breastfed and to staying with me in the prison, I sent Pomponius the deacon to my father, asking for the child. But my father would not give him. And as God willed, no longer did he need to be suckled, nor did I become ill. So I was no longer tormented by care for the child and by the pain of my breasts.

9. Then a few days after, Pudens the adjutant, in whose charge the prison was, began to be lenient with us because he understood that God's grace empowered us. He let in many to us that both we and they in turn might be comforted. Now when the day of the games drew near, my father came to me. He was spent with weariness, and began to pluck out his beard and throw it on the ground and to fall on his face cursing his years and saying such words as might move all creation. I was deeply grieved for him.

10. The day before our struggle in the arena, I saw Pomponius the deacon in a vision. He came to the gate of the prison and knocked vigorously.  I opened the gate for him. He was clothed in a richly ornamented white robe.  He said to me, "Perpetua, we are waiting for you. Come!" He held his hand to me, and we began to go through rough and winding places. We arrived breathless at the amphitheatre. He immediately led me into the middle of the arena and said to me, "Do not fear, I am here with you, and I am laboring with you." He departed.

I was astonished to see so many who were watching. Because I knew that I was given to the wild beasts, it surprised me that the wild beasts were not let loose upon me. Then there came forth against me a certain Egyptian, horrible in appearance, with his backers, to fight with me. Also, there came to me, as my helpers and encouragers, handsome youths.  I was stripped, and became a man.  My helpers began to rub me with oil, as is the custom for a contest. I saw that Egyptian, on the other hand, was rolling in the dust!  A man came forth, of fantastic height, taller even than the amphitheatre.  He wore a loose tunic and a purple robe with gold and silver ornaments. He carried a rod, like those that gladiator-trainers carry, and a green branch which had apples of gold.   He called for silence, and said, "This Egyptian, if he should overcome this woman, shall kill her with the sword. If she shall conquer him, she shall receive this branch."  Then he departed.

We drew near to one another, and began to deal out blows. The Egyptian sought to trip me up. So I struck at his face with my heels.  Suddenly I was lifted up in the air, and then began to pound him as if tamping the earth flat. But when I saw that it would take some time to beat him in this way, I then joined my hands so as to lace my fingers together and beat him. I took hold of his head and he fell on his face. Then I stomped on his head. The people began to shout, and my backers to cheer. I drew near to the trainer and took the branch. He kissed me, and said, "Daughter, peace be with you."  Then I awoke and realized that I was not going to fight with beasts, but against the devil. Still I knew that victory awaited me.

I have completed this writing, to this point, several days before the exhibition. But what passed at the exhibition itself, someone else will have to write.

NARRATIVE OF THE MARTYRDOMS

14. God called Secundulus out of the world before us. He was killed in prison, with grace, and so escaped the beasts. Yet if not his soul, his flesh at least knew the sword.

15. As for Felicity, she too received grace of the Lord. For because she was now gone eight months (being indeed with child when she was taken) she was very sorrowful as the day of the games drew near, fearing that for her pregnancy, she should be kept back (for it is not lawful for women that are with child to be brought forth for torture) and lest she should shed her holy and innocent blood after the rest, alone, among strangers and malefactors. Also her fellow martyrs were much afflicted lest they should leave behind them so good a friend and as it were their fellow-pilgrim on the road of the same hope of heaven.

Altogether, we poured out prayers to the Lord, three days before the games. Then Felicity's labor came upon her. Because of the natural difficulty of the eighth month, her labor was hard and she complained. One of the servants of the keepers of the door said:   "You complain now!  What will you do when you are thrown to the beasts? You should have done the simple sacrifice instead!"  She answered, "I myself now suffer that which I suffer, but Jesus suffered for me, and I am to suffer for him." Then she was delivered of a daughter, whom a sister adopted and raised as her own daughter.   Through all this, the adjutant of the prison came to believe. [Blood of the martyrs is seed of the church. --mm]

18. Now dawned the day of their victory!  They went forth from the prison into the amphitheatre as if it were into heaven, cheerful and optimistic. If they trembled at all, it was for joy, not fear.   Perpetua followed behind, glorious of presence, as a true spouse of Christ.   When they had been brought to the gate and were being forced to put on the costumes of the priests of Saturn, the women the dress of the priestesses of Ceres, the noble Perpetua remained of like firmness to the end, and would not put them on. She said: "For this cause came we willingly unto this, that our liberty might not be obscured. For this cause have we devoted our lives, that we might do no such thing as this."   Injustice acknowledged justice. The tribune allowed that they should be brought forth as they were, without more ado.   Perpetua began to sing.

19. But He who had said, ‘Ask and you shall receive [John 16:24]’, gave to them asking that end which each had desired. For whenever they spoke together of their desire in their martyrdom, Saturninus for his part would declare that he wished to be thrown to every kind of beast, that so indeed he might wear the more glorious crown. At the beginning of the spectacle therefore he with Revocatus first faced a leopard and afterwards, Saturninus was torn apart by a bear on a raised bridge. Now Saturus detested nothing more than a bear, but was confident already he should die by one bite of a leopard. Therefore when he was being given to a boar, it was the gladiator who had bound him to the boar that was torn apart by that boar. When Saturus had been tied on the bridge to be assaulted by a bear, the bear would not come forth from his den. So Saturus was called back unharmed a second time.

20. But for the women the devil had made ready a most savage cow, prepared for this purpose against all nature.  For even in this beast he would mock their sex. They were stripped and then made to put on nets. They were brought out.  The people shuddered, seeing the one a tender girl, the other her breasts yet dropping from her late childbearing.  So they were called back and clothed in loose robes.  Perpetua was thrown first.  She fell down.  When she had sat upright, her robe was torn at the side. She drew it over to cover her thigh, mindful more of modesty than of pain.  Next, looking for a pin, she likewise pinned up her hair which was in disarray.  It was not right that a martyr should suffer with her hair messed up. It was her final, glorious moment, and not an agony to looked depressed about.

So she stood up. When she saw Felicity knocked down, she went up and gave her a hand up. Both of them stood up together. Perpetua, as if awakening from sleep (so much was she in the Spirit and in ecstasy), began to look around. She amazed everyone when she asked, “Are we to be thrown to the cow?” When she heard that this had already been done, she would not believe till she saw the marks of mauling on her body and on her dress. Then she called her brother, and that church youth said: “Stand in the faith, and love one another. Be not offended because of our passion.”

21. Saturus also at another gate said to Pudens the soldier, “As I had faith and foretold, I have felt no attack of beasts until now. Believe, Pudens, with all your heart. Now I am going out and will die by one bite of the leopard.”  Immediately, the leopard being released, with one bite Saturus was covered with so much blood that the people (in witness to his second baptism) cried out to him:   "Well washed, well washed." Truly it was well with him who had been baptized like this.

Saturus said to Pudens,  “Farewell! Remember the faith and me. Do not let these things trouble you, but let them strengthen you."   Then he took from Pudens' finger a little ring, and dipping it in his wound gave it back again for an heirloom, leaving him a pledge and memorial of his blood. Then as the breath left him he was cast down with the rest in the usual place for his throat to be cut.

The people asked that the martyrs be brought forward, so that when the sword pierced through their bodies, they could see the final slaughter.  The martyrs first kissing one another, then they got up and went to where the people wanted them.   So they completed their martyrdom with the sign of peace.   Those now silent, who did not move, were run through with the sword.   Saturus died much earlier, since he had gone up earlier, and he now waited for Perpetua.  But Perpetua, lingered and felt sharp pain -- she was stabbed between the bone.  She screamed! When the swordsman's hand missed again (for he was a novice), she set it upon her own neck. And so, this great woman could not otherwise have been slain had she not herself so willed it.

Valiant and blessed martyrs! They were truly called and elected to the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who honor and worship Jesus, ought to read these accounts as being equal to the old accounts -- all of them to the Church's edification.   These new wonders also testify that one and the same Holy Spirit works past and present, and with Him God the Father Almighty, and His Son Jesus Christ Our Lord, to Whom is glory and power without end, for ever and ever. Amen.