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Narrative of Sts Cyprian and Justa

tr. Lewis, 1900

Chapter 11

Again, the martyrdom of Cyprian the wizard, and of Justa the virgin.

At the appearance of our Redeemer, Jesus the Christ from heaven upon the earth, and on the fulfilment of the words of the prophets, everything beneath the heaven was illumined, that they might be baptized into one God the Father Almighty, and into the Lord Jesus the Christ, and into the Holy Spirit in the belief of the truth.

Now there was a certain virgin whose name was Justa, and the name of her father was Aedesius; and of her mother Cledonia, in the town of Antioch which is near Daphne. And this blessed one listened to a certain deacon whose name was Praylius, from a window which was near her house. And when she heard the great deeds of God, and how our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ put on a body, and the heralding of the prophets, and His birth from Mary, and the worship of the Magi; and about the appearance of the star and the praise of the angels, and the signs of the miracles that were done in His name and by His power; and of the redemption of the cross; and of His resurrection from the dead; and of His glory in the presence of the disciples; and of the living words of His gospel to His apostles; and of His ascension to Heaven; and of His being seated on the right hand; and of His imperishable kingdom; and of the bliss that passeth not away, and of the deathless life.

[And when the blessed one had heard these things, she marvelled greatly in the belief of the truth, and the eye of the maiden sparkled with the love of the Holy Spirit. She longed greatly and sought that she might again see the deacon Praylius; but she could not (do it)¹.] She answered and said to her mother, “Hearken to thy daughter, my mother, and turn from error, and thou shalt escape from everlasting torment; as thou hast heard that the scriptures of our Lord Jesus Christ say, He who hath made the heaven and the earth and all that is therein. For sculptures are nothing. They are of stone, and of wood, and of gold, the work of men’s hands, images, deaf, and blind, and lifeless.” Then her mother said to her, “Nay, my daughter, let not thy father hear this in thy thoughts.” But the blessed one answered and said to her mother, “Know ye, O my father and my mother, that henceforth I am a Christian, and I worship the Christ my Redeemer, because by means of this deacon I have learnt the way of life. And henceforth there is no God except the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And He gives life to the men who believe in Him, and He has redeemed them from the destruction of the wicked, and has made them to inherit deathless life.” When she had said these things, she signed herself in the Threefold name, and began to pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. But her mother told her father everything that the blessed one had said. Then immediately numberless hosts of angels appeared to them, holding lamps of fire in the chamber¹. And in the midst of them they saw the Christ, saying, “Come to Me, I will make you enter the kingdom of heaven. With all the holy ones who have done well in My presence.”

And when Aedesius, the father of the girl, saw that sight, he was seized with great wonder. And he arose in the morning, and led his wife, and his daughter, the blessed one, and they went to the church with that deacon, beseeching him to present them to the bishop. And when he presented them, the Bishop received them. And they fell at his feet and besought him that he would give them the seal of the Christ. But he was unwilling to give it to them, until the deacon related to him about the vision of the Christ which he had seen, and about the faith and the love to the Christ of the maiden.

But Aedesius shaved his hair because he was a priest of the gods; and he fell at the feet of the Bishop, and he gave to the three the seal of the Christ. And the holy Aedesius was deemed worthy of the priesthood, and he lived a short time, and went to rest in the true faith. And the holy virgin went at all seasons to the church of the Christ. But a certain man, a lawyer of a great family, who was evil in his deeds, and who was enchained in the worship of error, of dead images, saw the blessed one going at all seasons to the house of God. And when he saw her, he was captivated by the love of the maiden, and he sent many people after her, that he might take her to wife. But she said to them all with a loud voice, “I am betrothed to the Christ.” And the wicked man, by the mad impulse of Satan, assembled a great crowd, and watched her as she went to the house of God. And he wished to lead her away by force. And when they came to lead her forcibly away, those who were with the maiden cried with a loud voice. And when those who were in their house heard these things, they came out grasping swords. And those who had come to seize the handmaiden of God by force, fled.

But the holy one sealed herself with the sign of the Christ, and she seized the insolent man and flung him on the ground. And she struck him on the face. And she tore his clothes and left him stupified, as her sister Thecla had done to the insolent Alexander. And she went forthwith to the house of God.

But he went in a great rage to Cyprian the wizard, and promised him two talents of gold, if mayhap he might entrap the holy maiden with his sorcery, whilst the madman did not know that the power of the Christ is unconquerable.

But when Cyprian the wizard had heard these things, he was grieved for the young man, and called up a certain cruel demon by his sorcery. And it answered and said to him, “Why hast thou called me?” And Cyprian said to it, “That I may please a certain maiden of the Galileans, if thou canst bring her to me.”

But the demon, ashamed, promised that it would bring her to him, whilst he was unable to conquer the truth. Cyprian answered and said to it, “Tell me, what are thy works, in which thou confidest, and I will send thee away.” The accursed demon answered and said to him, “I am a rebel against God, and I obey Satan. And I made Eve to sin, and I have driven Adam out of Paradise. And I have robbed him of bliss and of delight. And I have taught Cain to kill his brother. And I have polluted the earth with blood. And I have increased adultery and sorcery. And I have made all lasciviousness and drunkenness. And I have incited silly laughter. And I have taught men to worship images. And I have counselled that the Christ should be crucified. And I have shaken the whole city. And I have overturned walls. And I have divided houses.”

And when the demon had said these things that had been done by it, it said to the wizard, “I have done all these things, and am I unable to conquer this?” Then Cyprian said to him, “Take this root and sprinkle it round about the house of the maiden. And I will take her mind away from her, and immediately she will obey thee.” And when he had said these things to the demon, he went straight to the house of that maiden. But the blessed one stood up to pray the None in the night to God the lover of the penitent. And when she became aware of the arrival of the demon, she prayed all the more to the Living God, because her mind was satiated with the love and the power of the Cross, and she signed herself with the sign of the Christ. And she called with a loud voice, saying, “O Lord, Almighty God! Father of our Lord Jesus the Christ, ²Thou who didst kill the man-slaying serpent, and didst deliver those who were bound by Satan, O Lord God! who didst create man in Thine (own) image, and didst leave him in the paradise of delights to enjoy himself in Thy commandments,—and he was thrown down by the deception of the serpent. And when he sinned thus Thou didst not forsake him, but by the power of Thy cross Thou didst cure his wounds, and didst make him whole, by means of the Christ, the Redeemer of the worlds, He by whom the created things were made, and the heavens were set in order, and the earth was stretched out; and the waters of the great deep were separated, that all natural things should confess to Thee, O God! O Lord Jesus the Christ, redeem Thy handmaiden; and let not the temptation of the enemy come near me. To Thee, O Lord! I have made a vow that I would be a virgin to Thine only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Redeem Thy handmaiden, because I have loved Thee and will love Thee, with³ all my heart, and with³ all my soul, and with³ all my strength. Thou, O Lord! hast made the light of Thy love to shine on my soul. I beseech Thee, O Lord! leave me not to the hands of the Wicked one, that I may not transgress the promise that I have made to Thee. Chase away the thought of the rebel from my mind; and keep me in Thy truth.” And when she had said these things, she signed herself with the sign of the Christ, and she puffed at the demon; and he went away ashamed; and he stood before Cyprian; and Cyprian said to him, “Where is the woman for whose sake thou hast been sent?” The demon answered and said to him, “Do not ask me, for I cannot tell thee. For I saw a certain sign and I have run away.” But Cyprian laughed at him; and he again called by his sorcery a stronger demon than the first one. And the cursed one boasted, and said to Cyprian, “I knew thy commandment and also the cowardice of him who was before me. Send me O my father! and I will do thy will.”

And Cyprian said to him, “Take this root, and throw it outside the house of the maiden, and I will come and persuade her.” And when the demon had come to the place which Cyprian had told him of, the handmaiden of God stood up to pray the Sext of the night, saying thus, “At midnight I have arisen, and I will praise Thee for Thy righteous judgments. God of all! Lord of the heights and of the depths, who hast confounded Satan by Thy power, and hast put him down under the feet of Thy disciples. May the confirmation of Thy mercy remain with me, O God! who didst receive the sacrifice of Abraham; and didst hear the prayer of Daniel; and didst overthrow Bel, and didst slay the dragon; and didst shew the knowledge of Thy divinity to the Babylonians, God, who by means of Thine Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, didst dispose everything, and didst bring out everything that was concealed in darkness to the light; and didst bring to life even those who were dead. And now, O Lord! in the abundance of Thy grace neglect me not, O Merciful One! but keep my soul and my body near to Thy holiness. Keep also the lamp of my virginity, that it may not go out; that I may enter with the Bridegroom, the Christ, to the marriage feast; and may commit to Him my virginity in purity and holiness.”

And the demon went away from her ashamed, and appeared to Cyprian. And Cyprian answered and said to it, “Where is the woman on whose account thou hast been sent?” It answered and said to him, “I cannot tell thee. For I saw a certain sign and I was afraid, and ran away.”

Then Cyprian called one whom he thought to be stronger than they, who was the father of the demons, and said to him, “Who is this slight thing by whom thy power has been conquered?” The demon answered and said to him, “I will bring her to thee, be ready at once.” Cyprian answered and said to it, “What is the sign of thy victory?” The demon answered and said to him, “I will enfeeble her with much fever for six days, and at midnight I will make her ready for thee.”

And the demon went and appeared to the maiden in the form of a maiden, her companion. And it went in and sat down on the bed as if it had been a woman, and the evil one began to talk to the handmaiden of God in the manner of penitence. “I beseech thee, O handmaiden of God, receive me, that I may be with thee. The Christ, thy Lord, hath sent me to thee. For I also am a virgin like thee, and shew me what is the struggle for virginity, or what recompense there is to those who keep it in purity. For I have seen thee that thou art greatly afflicted in the conflict.”

But the holy maiden, the servant of God, answered and said to her, “The tongue⁴ of man cannot describe the reward of the virginity which is for the sake of the Christ; for it⁵ is very great. God has promised to those who love Him and preserve their virginity, what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it arisen in the heart of man. Who is able to comprehend the blessings which God has promised to those who love Him and preserve their virginity in purity? The struggle for virginity in this world is for a little while; but the blessings which are preserved for it in that world are neither transitory nor corruptible.”

But the wicked demon began to speak with guile to the handmaid of God, saying to her, “Behold, I have heard that Eve was a virgin in Paradise, and was not blest. And when Adam had known her, and she had given birth to children, she received the knowledge of good and of evil. And by her means the world was peopled; and there was the succession of races and of tribes.”

But when the holy virgin heard these things, she rose up to pray because of the words of the crafty one. And the cursed fiend kept close to her, lest perchance there might be an opportunity for him to capture her. But the blessed handmaid knew the craftiness of Satan, and was much troubled because she had perceived that he was a deceiver; and she hastened to prayer in the presence of God. And she sealed herself with the sign of the cross. And she puffed at that demon in the power of Jesus the Christ. And he fled ashamed from beside the handmaiden of God, and went sadly to him who had sent him. But the holy one was strengthened by the power of the Christ, and rested from the dispute with the crafty one, and gave thanks to God who had helped her in the struggle. And straightway the fever left her. And she began to say, “Praise be to Thee, O Christ! who strengthenest those who seek refuge with Thee and who dost illuminate (with) Thy glorious beams those who are blind in the darkness of evil, Thou, O Lord! in the abundance of Thy mercy, deliver me not up to be vanquished by a stranger to righteousness. But help Thy handmaiden who hopes in Thee. For my flesh shudders for fear of Thee, and I have been afraid of Thy judgments. Give glory to Thy holy name, that those who hate me may see and be ashamed. For Thou, O Lord! hast helped me, and hast comforted me with Thy threefold power.”

And the demon had gone and had appeared to Cyprian the wizard. And it replied, saying to him, “I too, have again been vanquished by one weak woman.”

Cyprian answered and said, “Where is the power of thy victory? tell me.” The demon answered and said to him, “Ask me not, for I am unable to tell thee. For I saw a sign and I was shaken and fled. But if thou art willing that I should tell thee the truth, swear to me, and I will tell thee.”

Cyprian answered and said to him, “What have I that I can swear by to thee?”

The demon said, “Swear to me by the great power that abides with me.”

Cyprian said to him, “No, by thy great power, I will not go away from thee.”

And the demon had become trustful and said to him, “I saw the sign of Him who was crucified. And I shook, and I was afraid, and I ran away.”

Cyprian said to him, “Is therefore He who was crucified greater than thou art?” The demon said, “Be patient and listen to me and I will tell thee truly. All that robs and deceives is allied to us, and becomes our comrade in that fearful place. For that torment is bitter. For they boil copper and place it on the limbs of both men and women. And thus by hard boiling they are⁶ tortured before the tribunal of Him who was crucified. And the angels also afflict them with severity.”

Cyprian said, “Therefore I also wish that I could be a friend to Him who was crucified; that I also may not fall into His hard condemnation.”

The demon said, “And hast thou not sworn to me by my great power that thou wilt not deal falsely?”

Cyprian said, “By what have I sworn to thee and have dealt falsely?”

Saith the demon, “By my great power.”

Cyprian said, “I reject thee and I scorn thy great power. For this night I have surely learned that I can take refuge in the prayer and the intercession of a virgin. And I supplicate by the power of the cross. And by it all thy lying power is humbled. For I also sign myself with the cross, and deny thee and all thy power.”

And when he had spoken thus, he sealed himself with the sign of our Redeemer, and said, “Glory be to Thee, O Christ! O invincible Power!”

And immediately Satan fled.

And Cyprian said, “Henceforth I believe in the Christ, and He redeems from all the power of the Evil one.”

But the demon went away ashamed. And Cyprian took the tablets of his sorcery and made the four men of his household carry them; and thus he went to the house of God; and he fell at the feet of the presbyter Euthymius⁷, and said to him:

“O blessed servant of God! I implore thee that I may become a soldier of God and of our Lord Jesus the Christ; and that I may be inscribed in the book of the believers—those who serve Him.” But the presbyter Euthymius imagined that perhaps he was seeking to deceive those who were in the church. So the holy one said to Cyprian, “Let it suffice thee that thou hast deceived so many people who are without. Take heed to thyself, and do not come into the church of God with guile. For the power of the Christ is invincible.”

Cyprian answered and said, “Of a truth, my lord, I, too, know that it is invincible. For this night I sent demons against the holy virgin Justa. And she conquered them by her prayer and by her love to the Christ. But take the books of my sorcery, with which I have done all the evil, and burn them in the fire. And take pity on me, and let me belong to the flock of the Christ.”

And when the holy Euthymius had heard these things from that wizard, he took his tablets and burnt them in the fire. And he blessed him and began to say to him, “Be constant in the house of God at the time of prayer.”

And Cyprian went to his house rejoicing; and he broke all the images that belonged to him. And all night he beat his hands on his face and on his breast, saying, “I have dared to withstand Thy power, Lord Jesus the Christ! in all the wicked things that I did. And how may I bless Thee with the mouth wherewith I cursed the men who called upon Thy name.” And he threw dust upon his head, and flung himself on his face upon the earth, and wept for seven days. And after the seven days, he got up early as great Saturday began, and he went to the house of God. And as he was going on the road, he said in his prayer:

“O Christ! O Helper of those who call upon Thee in truth! If I am worthy to become Thy servant, shew me some place where I may enter Thy holy house, and may hear from the reading of Thy holy scriptures, O Lord! that Thou hast received me.”

And when he had entered the house of God he heard the chorister⁸ say, “Thou hast seen (it) O God! be not silent.” And then, “O Lord! be not far from me.” And again he heard Isaiah who said, “Behold my servant shall deal prudently, and shall be exalted, so that many shall be astonished at him,” and again David saith, “Mine eyes have prevented the watches that I might meditate on Thy word.”

And again Isaiah has said, “Fear not, O my servant Jacob, and Israel, whom I have chosen.” And again the Apostle, who says, “The Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.” And again David hath said, “Who shall relate the wonderful works of the Lord? “And again the Gospel, which hath said, “That whosoever believeth in me should not perish, but should have eternal life.” And again they proclaimed, “That whosoever did not receive the sign should go out.” And Cyprian sat at the threshold of the door, and one of the deacons said to him, “Rise and get thee out.” But Cyprian answered and said unto him, “I am a bond-servant of the Christ; and thou sayest to me, ‘Get thee out!’”

And that deacon said to him, “Thou art not yet initiated, Cyprian.” And Cyprian said to him, “As the Christ liveth, He who confounded the demons, and hath had mercy on me and on the maiden, I will not go out until I am initiated.” And Asterius the deacon went and informed the Bishop. And the Bishop called Cyprian. And he repeated to him the words of the holy scriptures. And he prayed, and thus he baptized him in the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ.

And after eight days he became a preacher of the hidden mysteries.

And when it was Pentecost, he was full of the grace of God, and healed demons and pains in the name of Jesus the Christ. And until one year was completed, he became the assessor of the Bishop. And for sixteen years he held the sacred throne. And after these things the holy Euthymius summoned the Bishops who were round about, and said to them things that were worthy of the Church of God, and he, while still living, gave him the throne of the bishopric. And after a few days, the holy Euthymius went to rest in the Lord⁹, and confided to him the flock of the Christ. For the holy Cyprian had put many things in order, and had made the holy Justa a deaconess, and he enlightened many, and delivered them from all the heresies of destruction; and increased the Church of the Christ; fulfilling the words of the prophets, fulfilling also the commandments of the Christ, whilst he laboured concerning the belief of the truth. He looked on the people who were scattered, and on the wolf whilst he was robbing.

And the holy Cyprian taught many (people) of the city by letters. But the Lord of evil, crafty Satan, incited the sons of error to calumniate the holy one before Eutolmius, Count of the East, and they said to him, “Cyprian is the teacher of the Christians; and he makes void the glory of the gods by his many sorceries, with a certain virgin, and disturbs all the world by his letters, and makes women virgins.”

And the Count was filled with rage, and he commanded the judges to bind Cyprian and the maiden carefully, and to bring them to the city of Damascus and produce them before him. And when they had come before the Count he said to them, “Art thou the teacher of the Christians? who of old hast turned away many from the praise of the gods, and hast deceived many by Him who was crucified? exalting Him more than the gods?”

But the holy Cyprian said, “Why hast thou given thyself to the likeness of wickedness? and to the madness of the evil one? For I, as thou hast said, was captive to the enemy of justice, whilst I was the teacher of the pagans; and I slew many by every kind of sin. And when the Christ redeemed me, He helped me also by means of this maiden. A certain lawyer from the house of Claudius fell in love with her. And when he could not find (a way) to do evil to the handmaiden of God, desiring to capture her for his wife, he came to me and begged me to do the business of love for him. And I, confiding in the books of my sorcery, sent the demons against her. And she made them flee by the sign of the Christ. And thus (it was) until the third one. I even sent their chief, and that holy maiden overthrew them by the same sign of the Christ. And when I saw what had happened, I adjured that demon that he should tell me for what reason he could do nothing with the power of the maiden. And when the demon was burnt by the angel he told me all the truth. And he said to me again, I am the discoverer of all bad things. And I recollected myself and gave the tablets of my sorcery to the Bishop, my predecessor, whilst all the chief men of the city were present. And he burnt them in the fire. I would also persuade thee now to withdraw thyself from the madness of images, and come to the house of God, and thou shalt know the power of the Christ, which is invincible.”

Then the Count was enraged against the blessed one. And he commanded that he should be hung up and combed. Also concerning the holy virgin, he commanded that she should be beaten¹⁰ with rough thongs on her face; the two being hung opposite to each other. And the maiden began to say, “Glory be to Thee, O true Christ! that Thou hast brought me who am unworthy near, to fulfil Thy will. And I am beaten¹¹ because of Thy name, which exalts its worshippers.” And when the lictors were weary of beating the blessed one, she praised God all the more.

But the Count commanded them to cease from her. And when Cyprian was being combed he did not feel the combs.

The Count answered and said to him, “Sacrifice and escape from the tortures, and thou shalt not die miserably.”

The holy Cyprian replied and said to him, “Why dost thou exalt thyself against God and withdrawest from Him? and dost not wish to draw near to the gospel of the Christ? For thou wilt not keep me back from the path of life. For I am running that I may attain to the heavenly-minded who inherit the kingdom, and may be made worthy, by means of those tortures which thou art bringing to me, of bliss that can never pass away.”

The Count said, “And wilt thou inherit the kingdom of heaven because of these tortures? I will bring greater ones than these to thee.”

And he commanded that they should conduct him to the prison-house, and the holy Justa with him. And he commanded that they should be guarded with diligence. And when they entered the prison-house, it shone by the grace of our Lord Jesus the Christ who was with them.

And after a few days the Count commanded that they should bring them before his judgment seat. And the Count answered and said to the blessed ones, “Do not be deceived by the faith and the sorcery of a mortal man, and lose your lives.”

But Cyprian answered and said to him, “This death has won eternal life for those who love Him.”

The senseless Count answered and said, “Heat the frying-pan and throw into it pitch, and wax, and bitumen, and fling the blessed ones into it¹² when it boils.” And when they had thrown him in, he was not at all hurt.

Then the Count commanded, and they brought the blessed Justa to the frying-pan. And when she drew near, the Evil one cast fear into her mind, and she began to be afraid. But the blessed Cyprian cried and said to her, “Come, O handmaiden of God! for thou hast shown me the path of life; and thou hast opened to me the door of heaven; and thou hast shown me the glory of the Christ. Thou hast been strengthened against the demons. Even their chief thou hast reckoned as nothing by the power of the cross. And how shouldst thou fear the fire.”

And the blessed one signed all her body, and ascended into the fiery frying-pan. And both of them rejoiced and exulted in the frying-pan as amongst refreshing dew.

And Cyprian answered and said, “Glory be to God in the highest, and peace on the earth; and goodwill to upright and faithful men.” And he said again, “Because Satan is fallen from heaven, and is trampled beneath the feet of all those who believe in the King, the Christ, our Redeemer. For He hath bound the Evil one in darkness and all who obey him. I praise Thee, O God! for all in which Thou hast deemed us worthy to suffer contempt for Thy sake. I implore of Thee, O merciful Lord, to receive our sacrifice for a sweet savour of Thy greatness.”

And the Count heard, and laughed, and said, “I curse you and all the skill of your sorcery.”

And Athenus his colleague and profane friend said to the Count, “Let thy Highness command me, my lord, and I will approach the boiling pan in the name of the gods; and I will overcome the great power of the Christ.” And the Count said to him, “Approach.” And when he approached the frying-pan, he lifted up his voice and said, “Great is the god Zeus! and the father of the gods Asclepius, who giveth health unto men.” And when he came near to the boiling of the flame he fell, and all his limbs were split like wax before the fire. But the grace of God preserved the holy Cyprian and the maiden without a spot; because they praised God.

And the Count was troubled and said, “What shall I do? He who was my priest and friend has died miserably. What I shall do to these wicked people I do not know.” Terentinus answered and said to him, “Have nothing to do with these people whom thou dost call wicked. And do not withstand the truth. For the power of the Christians is invincible. But send them to the Emperor, shewing him the matter of their crime.”

And the Count wrote the report about it thus:

“To the great Emperor Cæsar, who ruleth by land and by sea, Diocletian, greeting. Against the commandment of thy Majesty have these men arisen. And I have apprehended them: Cyprian, who is the teacher of the Christians, and the virgin, who is named Justa. And from the reports, my lord, thou wilt learn into how many tortures and afflictions I have thrown them; and they would not be persuaded by me to obey thy laws, my lord, and I have sent them to thine august Majesty.” And when the Emperor had read these reports about the blessed ones, he was greatly astonished at their endurance, and his friends implored him and said to him, “Do not withstand the great power of God.”

And when the Emperor had heard [it] he said: “To Cyprian who is the teacher of the Christians with the virgin Justa, who have chosen the vain heresy of those who are called Christians; and have forsaken life, and have chosen death. Therefore I command concerning them, that their heads be taken off with the sword.

And while the blessed ones were being led off to death, to a certain place in which they were to reach their consummation, they asked the lictors that a little time might be given them, in which they might pray.

And the holy Mar Cyprian began to pray, saying, “Remember, O Lord! Thy Church, in every place, and all Thy faithful and true servants, and be Thou near to those who love Thy name.”

And he made the sign of the Christ over his whole body, and he placed the virgin Justa on his right hand: and he persuaded these lictors that she should be beheaded before him. And so the lictors did.

And the holy Cyprian said, “Glory be to Thee, O Christ, the Strengthener of Thy worshippers!”

And a certain great man was there whose name was Theoctistus, a faithful man; and he approached and greeted the holy martyr as he was being slain with the sword. And Balbus, the colleague of the Emperor, commanded concerning him, that his head should be taken off with the sword.

And when they had been crowned, and the blessed Theoctistus with them, the bodies of the blessed ones were thrown to the wild beasts. And they did not approach them for many days.

But a sailor, a certain faithful man, when he heard about the end of the holy ones, because he was a kinsman of Theoctistus, took faithful men of his own with him. And he made them sit for six days and six nights, until they had snatched away the corpses of the blessed martyrs from the custodians, because the bones of the blessed ones were much more precious to them than gold, or silver, or costly pearls. And they carried them to the city of Rome with their memoirs. And they gave them to a certain woman whose name was Rufina, of the distinguished family of the Claudians. And this faithful woman Rufina carried the bones of the holy martyrs and laid them in an honourable place wrapped in pure linen, and with fragrant spices. And every one who approached the blessed ones received health and help from them.

And these things were done in the consulate of Diocletian, in the city of Nicomedia, on the fifteenth of the month which is called Haziran, our Lord Jesus the Christ reigning in heaven and on earth.

Here endeth the Martyrdom of Cyprian the wizard, and of Justa the virgin, and of the faithful Theoctistus.

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