Upon this confession, the Judge caused him to be scourged and cast into prison, to keep him for some other day. Some time after, he had him brought again before his judgment-seat, and addressed him with kind words, saying: “Symphorian, sacrifice to the gods, that thou mayest be promoted to the highest honor and state at court. If not, I call the gods to witness that I am compelled this day, after various tortures, to sentence thee to death.” Symphorian answered: “What matters it, if we deliver up this life to Christ, since, by reason of debt, in any event we must pay it to him? Your gifts and presents are mingled with the sweetness of the adulterated honey, with which you poison the minds of the unbelieving. But our treasures and riches are ever in Christ, our Lord, alone; and do not perish through age or length of time; whereas your desire is insatiable, and you possess nothing, even though you have everything in abundance. The joy and mirth which you enjoy in this world, is like fine glass, which, if placed in the radiance and heat of the sun, cracks and breaks in two; but God alone is our supreme happiness.” After Symphorian had said these and like things before the Judge, Heraclius, the Proconsul, pronounced sentence of death upon him, saying: “Symphorian, having openly been found guilty of death, because he hath blasphemed against the holy altars, shall be executed with the sword.” When this godly confessor was led to death, to be offered up to Christ, his mother called down to him from the wall of the city this comforting admonition: “Symphorian, my son! my son! remember the living God; let thy heart be steadfast and valiant. We can surely not fear death, which beyond doubt leads us into the true life. Lift up thy heart to heaven, my son, and behold him who reigns in heaven! To-day thy life will not be taken from thee, but be changed into a better one. If thou remainest steadfast to-day, thou shalt make a happy exchange: leaving this earthly house, thou shalt go to dwell in the tabernacle not made with hands.” Symphorian, having been thus strengthened by his mother, was taken out of the city, and beheaded there, having commended his soul into the hands of God, in the time of Emperor Aurelian, and Heraclius, the Proconsul, at Autum in Burgundy. His dead body was buried by certain Christians. Compare _A. Mell., 1st book, fol. 19, col. 4_, and _fol. 90, col. 1, ex Actis Proconsul. Greg. Turan. Degl. Confess., cap. 77_, and _Hist., lib. 2, cap. 15_, with different other authors concerning Symphorian. SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF THE PRECEDING MARTYRS, A. D. 284, DIOCLETIAN ATTAINED TO THE REIGN OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS ISSUED HIS FIRST EDICT AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A SECOND IN 302, CALLED THE TENTH PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS.