Section 389
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358 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. CHAPTER VI. The martyr Agapius. BUT in the fourth year of the persecution, on the twelfth of the calends of December, which would be on the twentieth of the month of Dius, on the day before the Sabbath, Friday, in the same city of Cesarea, occurred what \vas eminently worthy of record. This happened in the presence of the tyrant Maximinus, who was gratifying the multitudes with public shows, on the day that was called his birthday. As it was an ancient practice when the em perors were present, to exhibit splendid shows then, if at any time, and for the greater amusement of the spectators, to collect new and strange sights, in place . of those customary ; either animals from some parts of India, Ethiopia, or elsewhere ; some times, also, men who, by artificial dexterities of the body, ex hibited singular spectacles of adroitness, and to complete the whole, as it was an emperor that exhibited the spectacles at this time, it was necessary to have something more than common and singular, in the preparation of these games ; (and what then should this be 1) one of our martyrs was led forth into the arena to endure the contest for the one and only true religion. This was Agapius, who we have already said had been thrown, to gether with Thecla, to the wild beasts. After being paraded with malefactors, from the prison to the stadium, already a third time and often, and after various threats from the judges, whether through compassion, or out of hope of changing his purpose, had been deferred from time to time for other contests ; at length, when the emperor was present he was led forth. As if he had been designedly reserved for that time, and that also the decla ration of our Saviour might be fulfilled, which he declared to his disciples in his divine foreknowledge, that they would be led be fore kings, for the sake of confessing him. He was brought, therefore, into the stadium, with a certain criminal, who they said was charged with killing his master. This latter one then, the murderer, when cast to the beasts, was honoured with cle