“I am, indeed, a slave of Cæsar’s,” answered the prisoner; “but becoming a Christian, I have been freed by Christ Himself; and by His grace and mercy I have been made partaker of the same hope as those whom you see.” Then turning to a holy priest, Lucianus, venerable for his years and his virtues, the judge thus addressed him: “Come, be obedient to the gods themselves, and to the imperial edicts.” “No one,” answered the old man, “can be reprehended or condemned who obeys the precepts of Jesus Christ our Saviour.” “What sort of learning and studies dost thou pursue?” “I have endeavored to master every science, and have tried every variety of learning. But finally I adhered to the doctrines of Christianity, although they do not please those who follow the wanderings of false opinions.” “Wretch! dost thou find delight in _that_ learning?” “The greatest; because I follow the Christians in right doctrine.” “And what is that doctrine?” “The right doctrine, which we Christians piously hold, is to believe in one God, the Maker and Creator of all things visible and invisible; and to confess the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, anciently foretold by the prophets, who will come to judge mankind, and is the preacher and master of salvation, to those who will learn well under Him. I indeed, as a mere man, am too weak and insignificant to be able to utter any thing great of _His infinite Deity_: this office belongs to the prophets.”[166] “Thou art, methinks, a master of error to others, and deservest to be more severely punished than the rest. Let this Lucianus be kept in the nerve (stocks) with his feet stretched to the fifth hole.[167]--And you two women, what are your names and condition?” “I am a Christian, who have no spouse but Christ. My name is Secunda,” replied the one. “And I am a widow, named Rufina, professing the same saving faith,” continued the other. At length, after having put similar questions, and receiving similar answers from all the others, except from one wretched man, who, to the grief of the rest, wavered and agreed to offer sacrifice, the prefect turned to Pancratius, and thus addressed him: “And now, insolent youth, who hadst the audacity to tear down the edict of the divine emperors, even for thee there shall be mercy, if yet thou wilt sacrifice to the gods. Show thus at once thy piety and thy wisdom, for thou art yet but a stripling.” Pancratius signed himself with the sign of the saving cross, and calmly replied, “I am the servant of Christ. Him I acknowledge by my mouth, hold firm in my heart, _incessantly adore_. This youth which you behold in me has the wisdom of grey hairs if it worship but one God. But your gods, with those who adore them, are destined to eternal destruction.”[168] “Strike him on the mouth for his blasphemy, and beat him with rods,” exclaimed the angry judge. “I thank thee,” replied meekly the noble youth, “that thus I suffer some of the same punishment as was inflicted on my Lord.”[169]