Lysias, almost beside himself, commanded that they should be put naked into boiling caldrons. But seeing that the boiling water did not injure them, or, at least, that they could not thereby be made to apostatize, he had them taken out of the city and beheaded. Their dead bodies were buried by Caius and Hermogenes in the nearest cave. This happened A. D. 285, on the 30th day of October; in the city of Aegæa in Cilicia. _Idem. Ibidem. ex Actis Zenobii procons. per Metaphorast._ 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. At Tarsus in Cilicia, the birthplace of the apostle Paul, there were imprisoned, A. D. 290, three pious Christians, namely, Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus; who, having been brought to prison, before the tribunal, and to the rack, and having suffered beyond measure for the name of the Lord and the faith in Jesus Christ, were finally put to death, concerning which we shall notice and present to the reader the judicial proceedings, as we have found them in ancient authors. From _Act. Procons_. When Diocletian was Emperor for the fourth, and Maximian for the third time, Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus were brought by the captain Demetrius before Maximus, the President, at Pompeiopolis. _First examination of Tharacus._--Maximus first asked Tharacus his name, because the latter was the oldest. Tharacus answered: “I am a Christian.” Maximus said: “Be silent about this ungodly name, and tell me your name.” Tharacus again replied: “I am a Christian.” Maximus said to his beadles: “Break his jaws, and tell him not to answer me thus any more.” Tharacus responded: “I have told thee my best name; but if thou desirest to know how my parents called me, my name is Tharacus, and when I followed war, I was called Victor.” The President asked him: “Of what nation art thou, Tharacus?” He answered: “Of the noble nation of the Romans, and was born at Claudianopolis, a city in Syria; but being a Christian I have abandoned war.” The Proconsul said: “Thou art not worthy of the pay, but how didst thou leave the service?” Tharacus replied: “I asked Publius, our General, for permission, and he discharged me.” The President said: “Have regard for thy age, then; for I desire thee, too, to be one of those who obey the commands of our lords, the emperors; so that thou mayest be promoted by me to great honors. Come hither, therefore, and sacrifice to our gods, for the princes themselves, who are the monarchs of the whole world, honor the gods.” Tharacus answered: “They err grossly; however, they are seduced by Satan.” The President said: “Smite him on the cheek, because he has said that the emperors err.” Tharacus replied: “Yes, I have said it, and say it still, that they as men are liable to err.” The President said: “Sacrifice to our gods, and forsake thy folly.”