Section 394
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 363 combatants among the Greeks for their liberty, she exclaimed against the judge, from the midst of the crowd, " Arid how long, then, will you thus cruelly torture my sister ?' He, the more bitterly incensed by this, ordered the woman immediately to be seized. She was then dragged into the midst, and after she had called herself by the august name of our Saviour, attempts were first made to bring her over to sacrifice by persuasion. But when she refused, she was dragged to the altar by force. But her sister remaining the same, and still adhering to her purpose, with a resolute, intrepid step, she kicked the altar, and over turned all on it, together with the fire. Upon this, the judge, ex asperated, like a savage beast, applied tortures beyond all that he had done before, all but glutting himself with her very flesh, by the wounds and lacerations of her body. But when his mad ness was gratified to satiety, he bound her and the former, whom she called sister, together, and condemned them to the flames. The former of these was said to be of Gaza, but the other, Valentina by name, was a native of Cesarea, and well known to many. But how could I sufficiently describe the martyrdom that followed this, and with which the most blessed Paulus was crowned? Who, indeed, was condemned at the same time with these, under one and the same sentence of death. About the time of his ex ecution, he requested of the executioner, who was on the point of cutting off his head, to allow him a short space of time, which being granted, with a loud and clear voice, he first interceded with God in his prayers, imploring pardon for his fellow-christians, and earnestly entreating that peace and liberty might be soon granted them. Then he prayed for the conversion of the Jews to God through Christ. Then he proceeded, in order, imploring the same things for the Samaritans, and those Gentiles who were in error and ignorance of God, that they might come to his know ledge, and be led to adopt the true religion, not omitting, or neglecting, to include the mixed multitude that stood around. After all these, oh, the great and inexpressible forbearance ! he prayed for the judge that condemned him to death, for the im perial rulers themselves, and for him, too, that was about to sever his head from his body, in the hearing of him and all pre33*