Library › Narrative of St Euphemia

Narrative of St Euphemia

tr. Lewis, 1900

Chapter 9

EUPHEMIA.

Again, the martyrdom of the blessed Euphemia, which took place a mile from the town of Chalcedon, in the days of the Emperor Trajan Caesar.

When Priscus was Proconsul in Europe, there was a great assembly of Christians in the town of Chalcedon. And Priscus the Proconsul had a wicked friend, whose name was Apellianus. And he was a sophist in the erudition of the Greeks. He was a worshipper of Ares. This Apellianus accused the Christians, saying, “O glorious warrior amongst men, and Proconsul wise of heart! let this be known to thy Highness. Because Ares is a great god, so all men should offer sacrifices and libations to him¹ by command of the great Emperor.” And this pleased Priscus the Proconsul for the destruction and evil of the souls of those who were enchained in error. And he nailed up placards full of menaces and fierce threats in all the palace of his Highness, which were inscribed after this manner: “Men and friends, citizens of Chalcedon, be it known to you all that it is proper for you to hallow a day, that by command of the Emperor there may be offered a sacrifice to the great god Ares. But if any one should be found who remains in an evil mind, and preaches and teaches the religion of the Christians, I will destroy his body by severe tortures. And let this be the sign to you. When at the time of the sacrifices the horn shall sound which assembles you all, ye shall all hasten reverently [and] eagerly to this temple of Ares and offer sacrifices, and know the great god Ares.” And every day Apellianus was assidious, that at the time that the horns should sound, and they should move tumultuously before the altar, as was their custom, an investigation should be made about every man as to who had the greatest zeal. And he who blew² on the horn blew mightily, and collected all who had lost hope. But the Christians, those in whose souls God dwelt, were all assembled in one house, and they besought God by prayer and entreaty. And the blessed Euphemia was also constantly amongst them, she being the daughter of the senator Philophrōn. And Drusina her mother was with her. And she was a believer, and did much almsgiving, because she was looking for the hope and the promise of the Christ. Therefore Apellianus, being of the household of Satan, said to the Proconsul: “There are people here who shut themselves up in a single house, who are not willing to obey the commandment of the Emperor, nor the commandment of thy Highness. And if thou shouldst overlook it now, many will turn from the great reverence for the gods, and will go and join themselves to them, and will scatter and disperse our sacrifice with derision.” And when the Proconsul had heard this, he commanded them to come into his presence. And when these blessed ones came, Euphemia came in the midst of them with a joyful countenance and in chaste attire, more than all those who were with her, while she illuminated by her splendour the faces of those who contemplated her.

And when they came and stood before the judgment seat of the Proconsul, he³ answered and said to them: “Let all of you be submissive and obedient to the commandment of the Emperor, and sacrifice to the great god Ares.”

But they all together replied with one voice [and] with the blessed Euphemia, saying, “Be this known unto thee, O Proconsul. We are the servants of the Eternal God, the great King who dwells in the heaven of heavens, and of His true Son, our Lord Jesus the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. He who hath stretched out the heaven and hath established the earth; and hath created all works. Him we all worship, being eager to offer ourselves to Him in the sacrifice which is pleasing to Him.”

But when Priscus the Proconsul heard [this] he said to them, “I am astonished at each one of you. And I honour the prudence of your mind. Because I have more knowledge; and I see the loveliness of you all. Therefore be persuaded by me, and obey the Emperor. And take delight in the sacrifice of the gods; so that ye may have greater friendship from me; and that the Emperor may take knowledge of you; and that ye may have greater rank and office.”

But when these brave men heard these things, they abated nothing of the splendour which suffused their faces; but the more were they exalted to the excellencies of the knowledge of God. And whilst the blessed Euphemia was with them, and they were all assembled together in the likeness of a host of angels, they said to the Proconsul, “We, O Proconsul! are the servants of the Most High God; and we are eager that we may be known by Him in the faith which He has delivered to us; and that we may receive His promise which says: ‘O good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a little, behold, I set thee over much.’ And also to thee O Proconsul! does it not escape thee, that each one of those who have temporal authority is eager to please him who has given him the authority, that by means of it he may find higher degrees? If therefore it be that those who are mortal and corruptible, are subject unto mortal and corruptible kings, because they receive and seek for transient and unprofitable degrees, how much more should we keep the covenant, which we have made with God, who is incorruptible, and we expect to inherit the promises in His presence, those which endure for ever, which are incorruptible and inalienable. Do therefore what thou wilt, for we are ready because of the expectation of the heavenly promises to give ourselves over readily to death; and we shall receive the treasures that are being kept for us in the presence of God Almighty.”

And when Priscus the Proconsul heard these things he changed his countenance; and commanded that each of them should be tortured with hard and bitter torments. And while these blessed ones were being tortured daily, they endured all the torments for the sake of the Christ, those heroes exulting with joy and encouraging each other to resist bravely in the struggle. And they encouraged the blessed and brave Euphemia that she might attain joyfully to the coronation of her confession of the Christ. And they said to her, “O brave and persevering one! adorn thyself with thy faith, and be courageous in thy sound mind. And like a wise woman who has put on the Christ, receive the victory with all the fathers, whilst thou holdest an unquenchable lamp. Be fortunate in being numbered with the five virgins, those who carried their lamps with joy before the bridegroom, He who will return a full reward in the kingdom of heaven.” And when the nineteen days of the labour of the conflict of the blessed martyrs were fulfilled, and they were in the prison nourished by the Holy Spirit; on the twentieth day an idea occurred to Priscus the Proconsul, suggested by the wicked Apellianus, whose mind was also like his name. And he prepared himself for the interrogation of the blessed martyrs. And whilst he was sitting on his judgment seat, he commanded and they called the noble ones, whilst the blessed Euphemia was in the midst of them like a lamp. And the Proconsul asked them, saying, “Tell me, O young men! Have ye felt these tortures and will ye be persuaded to sacrifice to the great god Ares?” And they said to the judge as with one voice with the noble Euphemia: “How long, O Proconsul! art thou possessed by vanity? when wilt thou not turn from the error which has taken hold of thee? that thou mayest know God thy Creator.”

Then Priscus commanded those soldiers of Satan to strike the blessed ones on their cheeks and say to them, “Be persuaded and sacrifice to the great God Ares.” And the soldiers did⁴ as they were commanded. And when they had struck those blessed ones on their cheeks, their faces shone all the more; and those soldiers were powerless, and left off beating the blessed ones, and became as dead people.

And Apellianus, who was of the household of Satan, he who was perfect in the idea of the devil’s error, said to the Proconsul, “Pronounce the condemnation of these people, and send them to the Emperor.” And this speech pleased the Proconsul and all his companions. And he commanded that they should be cast into the prison-house, and should be kept carefully until it should be the will of the Proconsul that they should be sent to the Emperor. And the number of them all was forty-nine. And the blessed Euphemia was with them also. And when they had come into the prison-house, Sudrinus the disturber and robber came like a thief and like a wolf who fell upon the flock, and snatched away the bravest and strongest of heart, Euphemia alone, imagining that he would find her like a loosened garment. But the beloved of the Christ was covered with joy, and she raised her eyes to heaven saying, “My Lord and my God, Jesus the Christ, Thou art my hope, and let not the work of Thy handmaiden who is before Thee perish.”

And when Priscus heard [it] he said to her, “Honour thyself and know the splendour of thy race. And do not thyself destroy thyself: But thou hast been seduced by false words like a woman. Turn now and sacrifice to the great god Ares.” But the noble and pure woman said, “The strength of athleticism is not weakened by the weak nature of a woman; but by the preservation of the body the defects of sickness are filled up, for by my nature I stand like a man, that I may be worthy to receive the promises of my fathers.”

And Priscus the Proconsul was troubled in his mind that he was overcome by a woman. And he commanded that a machine should be arranged on wheels, and that the blessed one should be thrown amongst them; so that whilst she was stretched out on the machine, and was crushed by it, she should quickly give up the ghost. But when she was thrown amongst the wheels, she marked the sign of the Christ in the shape of a cross on her breast, saying, “O chief of iniquity! how many torments has the enemy of truth poured out in Priscus the murderer? Behold! he sits in accusation and imagines the art of the devil, celebrating the mysteries of his father Satan, as the enemy of the truth. O doer of evil and deceitful man! The torments of thine art do not touch the limbs of my soul; because I have the Christ helping me. And I hope that by means of great and sore tortures I may show to all men the endurance of the struggle whilst I am worshipping.”

And when the blessed Euphemia said these things, those soldiers of wickedness turned the wheels upon her. And whilst every one of her limbs was broken with the crushing of the wheels, the health of her soul was longing and was offering thanks to God, saying, “Let Thy goodness and the light of Thy truth be with me. Thou who hidest with Thyself⁵ those who call upon Thee⁶ in truth, turn to Thy weak and stricken handmaiden and save me from this abyss of that wicked and bad and devilish one, and from the threat of Priscus, this hater of good things.”

And when she had said these things, immediately an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and broke these wheeled machines, and dislocated the limbs of these soldiers, so that they were supposed to be other people from their appearance. And the blessed and victorious one emerged without a single stain. And her cheerfulness was seen in the presence of all men. And the Proconsul said, “By the victorious fortune of the Emperor, and by the good-will of the gods towards us, I swear that if thou dost not sacrifice to the great god Ares, I will destroy all thy body with fire; and thy God shall not help thee, He whom thou dost hope to serve.” But the blessed Euphemia answered and said unto him, “This fire with which thou threatenest me, is one which fills up a moment in burning and is immediately quenched. But I am not weak enough to fear thy threats.” Then the blessed one answered again and said to Priscus: “Have not these noble champions been thrown into prison for the love of the Christ by thy wicked command? I fear not thy fire, because the Christ is with me. He it is who helps me. But I trample upon thy threats.”

And the Proconsul wondered and was astonished at her; and he commanded that the furnace should be kindled until it should shoot up flames of fire to about forty-five cubits with great strength; and that other soldiers should bring Euphemia. And when they had brought her, she stood up resplendent, with a cheerful countenance and a whole body and said, “Blessed art thou, O God, who dwellest on high, and beholdest in the depth; Thou⁷ whom the angels praise, and the archangels worship. I the little, lowly woman supplicate before Thee, because I am persuaded by the excellence of Thy grace, and I seal myself with Thy victorious name; that I may find the redemption of Thy Christ. Thou art He who didst manifest and send Thine angel to the three children in the furnace. And Thou didst scatter from them the strength of the great flames, and didst change the threatening of the Babylonians to peace. Show also to my humility the help that is from Thyself, and deliver me from the mouth of this cruel lion; and from the net of this wicked hunter, and from the threatening of Priscus this Proconsul. For Thy name is glorious and holy for ever.”

And when she had said these things, the Proconsul commanded those soldiers to bind her and to throw her into the fire. And the soldiers bound her carefully. And they laid hold of the blessed one. But one of the soldiers whose name was Sosthenes, whilst he was holding his girdle in his hand, approached the Proconsul and said to him, “Command, O Proconsul, that I be bound with this girdle. For I am not able to stretch out my hand against this blessed one. For behold! I see before my eyes great hosts carrying lamps of light, and looking out for when they may receive her.”

And Victor, a soldier who had turned to the knowledge of the truth and had loosened the chains of the blessed one from her, when he said to the Proconsul, “I implore of thee, O Proconsul, to absolve me from the commandment of thy violence; for it is hard for me to stretch forth my hands against this holy one. For behold! I have seen on the edge of the furnace men who were standing and scattering the fire and watching that this blessed one should be kept without a blemish.”

And the Proconsul commanded that those ones should be guarded, and that other soldiers should stand up. But one came whose name was Caesar, and another, Barbessus, and they caught up the blessed one, and flung her into the fire. And immediately the servants of the Only Son of God received her, the angels holding lamps of the light of peace. And they extinguished the flame of the fire. And that fire turned upon the soldier whose name was Caesar, and devoured him. And after the fire had devoured Caesar the soldier of the Proconsul, the blessed one stood up in the midst of the furnace, as in a beautiful temple of great glory. And she saw the Christ our glorious Lord; and she stretched out her hands towards Him and said, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of my fathers, who in Thy gracious and passionless Divinity hast not neglected Thy lowly handmaiden, and hast extended and exalted Thy true name in every place: and hast established the splendour of Thy faith. And hast chased away the tempest of wickedness; and hast illuminated and increased Thy righteousness by me. And in uprightness by Thy Holy Spirit Thou hast charmed away from us the cursed serpent, and by the skilfulness of Thy many miracles Thou hast crowned those who put their trust in Thee. Grant to me that by Thy will I may triumph in Thy presence; and that I may be worthy to be numbered with those who worship Thee in truth.”

And when she had said these things, she went out from the furnace unhurt; being commended to those of the soldiers who believed in the Christ; the King of truth, And the Proconsul commanded, “Throw the blessed one into the prison-house that she may be guarded there with the prisoners, till the next day,” whilst he was full of his threat of the wicked device as to how he should destroy the handmaid of God. But the blessed one went from his presence to the prison-house, giving glory to God.

And the noble soldiers of the Christ rejoiced in the triumph of the blessed one, and gave glory to God, saying, “Blessed be Thou, O God! for ever and ever, Amen. Grant to Thy servant, O Lord! that she may be worthy to testify with all the fathers, those who were worthy to be martyred and were put to death for the sake of Thy holy name.”

THE SECOND INTERROGATION OF EUPHEMIA.

Again on the following day the Proconsul went forth and sat on his judgment seat; and he commanded them to bring Sosthenes and Victor before him, the soldiers who believed in the Christ. And he said to them, “Sacrifice to the gods.” But they answered and said to him, “O Proconsul, we have surely erred from of old by the instigation of the enemy of mankind, whom thou worshippest; and for a certain time we have worshipped him, and we have destroyed our hope towards the true God. But we believe now in Him who has enlightened the dark eyes of our heart, by means of His handmaiden the blessed Euphemia. Who is able to wipe out the record of our debts. He who was with us in the trouble of the enemy of the truth, we believe that He is able to inscribe us [as] citizens of the Holy City, in the Book of Life. Do then what thou wilt with eagerness, the works of thy father Satan, and torture us, because we do not assent to thine error, and we do not receive the commandment of the Emperor, who commands that he be worshipped; because he is a servant of the living God, and we do not worship impure and false gods.”

And when the Proconsul had heard these things from them, he commanded that a [bear?] should come, and that the blessed ones should be thrown to it, so that their bodies might be devoured by it. And the two were immediately thrown together to it. And they began to speak thus, and to give glory to the Lord Almighty, the Pure and Holy One. “He who hath established all works with wisdom; and by His powerful word assembleth the host of the seas; and by His commandment He hath established the earth; and He hath separated the darkness from the light; He who slew the murdering dragon, and loosed the bands of death by the murder of the Crucified One. Loose us also now from the pangs of corruption; and deliver us from the laceration of the manslayer, and grant to us that we may honour Thy holy name in peace without blemish and without spot of soul or of body.” And immediately there was a voice from heaven, saying, “I have heard your prayer, and have received your intercession.” And these ones, when they heard the voice, committed their souls the more to God. And when they were thrown to the wild, destroying beast, they immediately committed their spirits to God, and received Him whom they loved with joy, because of whom the blessed ones had died⁸.

And when the Proconsul saw what had happened to the blessed ones, he arose immediately and went to his Praetorium. And the Christians, who happened to be there, took the bodies and wrapped them up and buried them⁹ in the earth in a fair covering.

And when it was dawn, the Proconsul arose, and went out that he might go and hear the blessed Euphemia. And when she emerged from the prison-house, she went like an innocent lamb of the Christ and said with a clear voice: “I give Thee glory, O Lord! with a new song upon this earth. I extol Thee, O Lord! with all my strength, I sing a psalm to Thee, giving glory to Thy name amongst all peoples.” And when she had prayed and had finished, she came and stood before the judgment seat of the Proconsul.

And the Proconsul began to interrogate her, saying to her, “How long wilt thou be a fool? and how long wilt thou destroy thyself in this manner? for the great god, the Emperor, desires to be reconciled to thee, if thou wilt also do his will, and wilt sacrifice to Ares, to whom he also sacrifices. Be persuaded therefore by me and sacrifice, that thou mayest live. And in the world thou shalt be a mother of many.” But she laughed, and answered, saying to him, “Truly I would have no mind and no sense, if I were to do what thou desirest; and were to hearken to the Emperor, and to worship those who are no gods by nature, and were to sacrifice to those dumb and voiceless idols, O wicked and senseless man! and were to renounce all the beauty that is in the Christ, and were to rush into the snare of Satan. Thou art eager to make me in thy fashion like unto thyself, who art the heir of hell and everlasting quenchless fire. And thou pervertest the servants of God from the truth. For the strength of the Christ is with me, and I believe that He helps me at all times.”

And the Proconsul commanded that they should bring four great stones, and should fix great instruments at the corners of the stones, and that the blessed one should be thrown into the midst of them. And when these stones were shaken by the instruments by being moved to and fro, they should tear the body of the blessed one.

And the instruments were arranged, and he commanded that she should go in amongst them chained. And when the lamb¹⁰ of the Christ went in amongst these stones, she knelt on her knees, and implored with many tears and besought God, saying, “I beseech Thee, O Lord my God! and I pour out my soul before Thee, prostrate before Thee and I offer my lowliness, and I shed my tears, my back is ready for smiting, and 1 withdraw not my face from spitting. I call upon Thy name, and I take refuge in Thy true fear. Have mercy upon Thy handmaiden, and leave me¹¹ not to this destruction which the craft and wickedness of the evil one has prepared against me. I may be stripped of all wicked things, my thoughts shall be purified from uncleanness, men shall be amazed at Thy help; let not his wiles have power on the spiritual cymbals of my soul. Let my purity¹² shine, O Lord! in the world, that Thy name may be glorified for ever.” The noble woman said all these things while she was kneeling in her prayer. And the lictors worked till they were wearied, hanging on the contrivance of the wheels, and not one of them moved from its place; but they and the wheels became like fine chaff. And she was found as a lamb without blemish; and the judge and those who were with him contemplated the brightness of her face. And after all these contrivances which they had sought out in wickedness, the judge commanded them to dig a deep place, and to surround it with water as with a wall, and to cast evil beasts therein; and to shut up the noble woman there, and when the beasts should leap from the water, they should destroy Euphemia with vehemence.

And when the blessed one knew it, she was prepared for the place, and the waters were pressed together; and the beasts were flung in before the wicked man commanded it.

And the holy Euphemia ran, and stood on the edge of the lake of water. And she sealed herself with the sign of the cross, and said to the judge with a loud voice, “O liar far from the truth! wily man, disciple of Satan, thou art well called by this name, saws (driven by) water are prepared for thee, which when they receive thee with anger, shall dislocate all thy limbs; because thou hast embittered the God who made thee, the Giver of life and light, and hast contemned the worshippers of the Christ. And when the blessed one had said these things, she signed herself with the cross on the right hand and on the left, and cried to God her deliverer. And she looked up¹³ to heaven, “O Christ the light of my soul! be with Thy handmaiden to-day, and deliver me as Thou didst deliver Daniel in the den, and like Jonah in the belly of the fish.”

And when she had finished speaking, she threw herself into the midst of the water. And when all these beasts perceived her, they ran to meet her with joy; and they carried her and lifted her up above the water. And they rocked her like a nurse her darling, for they were greatly restrained by the fear of God.

Then when the Proconsul saw the great and powerful miracles that had happened, he said to Apellianus, the pagan and sophist, “What is that power? and who is it that helps this woman? for as I have seen, the demons obey her, and she conquers every one by her sorceries.” The Proconsul said, “And how do the gods endure to see these things, and they do not take vengeance.”

Apellianus said, “Because in their mercy they do not take vengeance.”

The judge said, “Let swords and sharp stones be fixed in the earth, and let no[thing] be seen above them. And when Euphemia comes confidently, and is walking as on plain ground, she will trample on the swords, and will fall there on the stones and die like a wild boar.” He commanded therefore, and his soldiers completed the contrivance of the wicked one. And when they had completed the arrangement according to the commandment of the Proconsul, the blessed Euphemia came with joy and cheerfulness, as one who had borne all these things, and yet did not fail of the truth of Jesus the Christ her Lord. And when she had borne all these afflictions, while these soldiers of wickedness were provoking her, that she might run to that place, the angels snatched her up and transported her over that place quite unhurt, and those soldiers fell into what they had fabricated for the blessed one; and they died by the work of their own hands.

And again the blessed one opened her mouth and gave glory and said, “Thou God, knowest what is in the hearts of all, Thou art He in whose presence are all secrets. O Giver of treasures that cannot be spoiled, and of heavenly promises, Who hast stretched out the earth and established it upon nothing, and by Thy word hast appointed all works. And Thou hast created the light, and caused it to shine upon all. Thou¹⁴ who by Thy good-will didst send Thine only Son, our Lord Jesus the Christ from heaven to loose the bands of death; and to bind and to subjugate the chiefs and the worshippers of error. Thou¹⁴ who art near to Thy worshippers, to those who stand in the conflict for the sake of Thy name. And Thou art a helper to them in all their afflictions. Help Thy handmaiden also now, and by the prayers of those blessed and holy ones who have been thrown into the prison because of Thy divine name¹⁵, and are hoping to finish their divine course, deliver me also, Thy handmaiden, and keep me in the one harmony with Thy Holy Spirit, because Thou art God. For Thou keepest not anger and Thou dost save in the times of affliction.”

And when the Proconsul saw these things, he commanded them to bring the holy woman before his judgment-seat. And he answered and said unto her, “Dost thou know, O Euphemia! that whilst thou art of a very great and distinguished family, thou hast been led into error and hast remained in it until now? And I who am a governor keeping what is right for the Emperor, thou standest against me, truly, like a wise and skilful woman. But nevertheless now at least be persuaded by me. And forgive me these insults and torments which I have made thee endure, and sacrifice to the gods, and be not a reproach of all men; and remain in thy distinguished family.”

But the blessed one, because her mind was established in the Christ, answered and said to the tyrant, “Why do I see that thy face is full of bitterness and guile? O workman who composes with ornamented words! O wolf clothed in sheep’s clothing while he does the works of destruction! and wicked robber, proffering words that are sweet to hear, but in their sequel they are more bitter than wormwood. I am not foolish to such a degree, that I should leave Him, the treasure of life, and should be allied to the bitterness of the devil. Therefore be not deceived, O Proconsul! because thou canst not persuade me to sacrifice to foul fiends; and thou canst not force my will, that I should call those gods who are no gods. For how can they be called gods who have never been so? and how dost thou not perceive that thou comparest with the life that is eternal a dead thing which never existed, and commandest us to offer a sacrifice to it. I am not persuaded by thy words, which are full of bitterness. Be eager therefore and do what thou wilt; for I am eager that I may be made worthy by means of thy wicked wiles of the everlasting victory. Where the Father is, where the Creator of the angels is, where the Giver of the crowns of victory is; there is the anointing of the truth; there is also the Christ who crowns His champions; there is also the Holy Spirit, He who strengthens those who endure afflictions for His sake.”

And the Proconsul was angry when he heard these things, and he commanded that they should scourge the blessed one with rods, saying to her, “Be persuaded, and sacrifice to the gods.” But whilst she was being scourged, she spake thus:

“Thy tortures do not come upon me, O wicked man! Thou art parted from life and thou hast no permanent abode. For thou art weak, because thy tyrannical power is conquered.”

But Apellianus and the Proconsul with him recollected in their mind; and the judge commanded that they should bring sharp saws and pans of fire, and that the saws should, by the construction of their instruments cut up the blessed one and fling her limbs into the pans of fire, that thus she might be pounded to pieces like fine ashes. And when those instruments were arranged in that manner of contrivance, they brought the blessed Euphemia, and threw her amongst the saws, and the saws were turned about, and were scattered; also the pans of fire that were fixed amongst them were quenched, and no hurt came to her from any of these things, because the angels of God kept close to her for her assistance. And when the Proconsul and Apellianus his friend saw that this worshipper of the Christ was victorious over all their afflictions and torments, they took counsel amongst themselves how they might destroy the holy one, and they invited the city to the theatre which is called the arena where beasts are let loose for the Stadium. And when she stood in the midst of the Stadium, she began to say, “Thou art near, O Lord! to those who call upon Thee in truth. Receive my spirit to Thyself, as Thou didst receive the sacrifice of our father Abraham; so also do Thou receive the sacrifice of my spirit to Thyself.” And whilst she said this, she sealed herself on all sides, calling on the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And four lions were loosed against her, with two other evil beasts. And these lions leapt upon her with a run. And they kissed the foot-prints of the blessed one. And the other beasts did so likewise. And thus was finished the martyrdom and the conflict of the blessed one. One of these beasts ran, and bit her on her shoulder only: and immediately a voice was heard a voice from heaven saying, “Ascend on high O Euphemia! climb and stand in the place of the saints, and receive thy victory, and the reward of thy finished course.”

And when this voice was heard, there was a great earthquake, so that all the place was shaken, and every one was seized with trembling. And the blessed one said, “Requite, O Lord! also this unclean Proconsul according to his wickedness, and enter into the conflict along with Thy holy servants, O Thou, my God and my Lord! and justify them.” And when she had said these things, she committed her soul into the hands of her Lord. And her father Philophrōn entered with her mother; and they took her holy body, and carried it far away, and they buried it in a lonely place, which they had arranged for it, which was about one mile distant from the city of Chalcedon.

And the Proconsul sent those blessed ones who had been thrown into prison with the Blessed One to the Emperor with an epistle; that the Emperor might command whatsoever he willed about them. And he commanded those cavalry soldiers that they should convoy them peacefully on the way; and keep them until they should go before the Emperor. For the Proconsul fell into a sore sickness, and was bitterly tormented according to the word of the Blessed One which she spake to him.

Here endeth the martyrdom of the Holy Euphemia.

Contents