# Tharacus, Probus, And Andronicus, Three Pious Christians, First Very Dreadfully Tormented, Then Thrown Before The Wild Beasts, And Finally Thrust Through, For The Faith Of The Son Of God, At Tarsus In Cilicia, A. D. 290. · Page 2 of 3

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Probus examined.—Demetrius, the Captain, said:
“Lord, here is one already.”

Thereupon the President said to Probus: “Tell
me first thy name.”

Probus answered: “In the first place, my noblest
name is, that I am a Christian; secondly, men call
me Probus.”

The Proconsul asked again: “Of what nation
and descent art thou?”

Probus replied: “My father was from Thracia, a
citizen, born at Pergamus, in Pamphilia; but I am
a Christian.”

The Proconsul said: “Thou shalt not gain much
by this name; but listen to me, and sacrifice to the
gods; that thou mayest be honored by the princes,
and be our friend.”

Probus answered: “I desire neither honor from
the emperors nor thy friendship; for not small was
the wealth which I forsook, in order faithfully to
serve the living God.”

The Proconsul commanded them, to take his
cloak off him, strip him, rack him, and scourge
him with raw thongs. While they scourged him,
Demetrius, the captain, said: “O wretched man!
behold, how thy blood is spilled upon the earth.”

Probus replied: “My body is in your hands; but
all these torments are a precious balm to me.”

After he was scourged, the Proconsul said to him:
“Thou wretch! wilt thou not yet cease from thy
folly? and dost thou still persist in thy obstinacy?”

Probus answered: “I am not vain, but more
courageous in the Lord, than you people are.”

The President said to his servants: “Turn him
over, and scourge him on his stomach.”

Probus prayed, saying: “O Lord, come and
succor thy servant.”

Maximus, the Proconsul, said to the executioners:
“While you scourge him, ask him, saying: ‘Where
is thy helper?’ ”

Probus replied as they scourged him: “He has
helped me, and shall still help me.”

The President said: “Thou wretched man! do
spare thine own body; for the earth is soaked with
thy blood.”

Probus answered: “Be assured, the more my
body suffers for the name of Christ, the more my
soul is healed and quickened.”

After he had been thus scourged and tortured,
the Proconsul commanded them to fetter his hands
and feet with irons, and thus keep him in prison;
however to bring before him another.

Andronicus examined.—Demetrius, the Centurion,
placed Andronicus before Maximus’ judgment
seat, saying: “Sir, here is the third one.”

The Proconsul said: “What is thy name?”

Andronicus answered: “Wouldst thou openly
know who I am? I am a Christian.”

Maximus said: “Those who have preceded thee
have gained nothing by this name; therefore thou
must answer me aright.”

143

Andronicus replied: “Men generally call me
Andronicus.”

Maximus asked him of what nationality he was.

Andronicus answered: “Of noble blood.”

Maximus said: “Spare thyself, and hearken to
me, as to thy father; for those who have prated
such nonsense before thee have gained nothing by
it. But honor thou the princes and the fathers, and
be obedient to our gods.”

Andronicus replied: “Thou didst well call them
fathers; for thou art of the father, the devil, and,
having become one of his children, thou doest his
works.”

Maximus said: “Wilt thou, a stripling, despise
and mock me? Knowest thou not, what torments
are ready for thee?”

Andronicus said: “Dost thou think I am a fool,
that I should be willing to be found inferior to my
predecessors, in suffering? I stand prepared to endure
all thy torments.”

The Proconsul commanded that he should be
stripped, ungirded, and suspended to the torture-stake.
Demetrius, the Captain, moved by pity,
said: “Listen to me, wretched man, before thy
body be racked.”

Andronicus answered: “It is better that my
body perish, than that thou shouldst do with my
soul according to thy pleasure.”

Maximus said: “Take advice, and sacrifice, before
thou be tortured to death.”

Andronicus replied: “Never from my youth up
did I sacrifice, and do still not wish to do so, though
thou constrain me.”

Maximus said: “Lay on, and rack him well.”

Anaximus, the horn-blower, who was to execute
the sentence, spoke to Andronicus, saying: “I am
old enough to be thy father; I advise thee to the
best: do what the Proconsul commands thee.”

Andronicus replied: “Because thou art older,
and hast no understanding, therefore thou advisest
me to sacrifice to stones and evil spirits.”

While he was being tormented, the Proconsul
said: “Thou wretched man! Dost thou not feel
any torments, seeing thou hast no compassion upon
thyself, and dost not forsake thy folly, which cannot
save thee?”

Andronicus answered: “My sincere confession,
which thou callest a vain folly, is perfectly good, as
putting all hope and confidence upon the Lord our
God; but thy temporal wisdom shall die forever.”

The President asked: “Who is it that has taught
thee this folly?”

Andronicus replied: “The quickening word, by
which we are quickened, teaches us that our Lord
is in heaven, who works in our hearts the living
hope of our blessed resurrection from the dead.”



## Original source

[Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_143)

[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

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