Germanicus, an Eminently Pious Man, in the Year 170

In P. J. Twisck's Chronicle the following account is found for the year 170: "Germanicus, with other dear friends of God, had to suffer severe persecution and torture for the name of Christ, and was finally cast before the wild beasts, and so willingly ended his life." 2nd book, van den undergang, page 46, column 1, from Euseb., book 4.

Concerning the cause of his conversion, suffering and death, other authors write this: "When the bystanders (while the Christians were being miserably put to death) saw with their eyes that the flesh of the martyrs of Christ was lacerated and torn loose by many scourgings and stripes, even to the innermost veins and the deepest sinews, so that their entrails and the most secret parts could be seen moving; and that the torturers then strewed potsherds, sea shells, and even caltrops on the ground, over which they rolled and dragged the Christians, thus tormented, and on which they pressed them down with their naked bodies; and that at last, when because of the earlier torments they could scarcely live or draw breath any longer, they cast them before the wild beasts to be devoured by them; I say, when the spectators of these tragedies saw how inhumanly these people were treated, and, on the other hand, how patiently the suffering Christians endured the tortures, they were greatly amazed, indeed terrified.

"Among these was the aforementioned Germanicus, who, being strengthened through the grace of God," so powerfully overcame the natural and inborn weakness of the mind, which so greatly dreads bodily death, that for his singular steadfastness he could well be considered one of the most eminent martyrs. For when the Stadtholder sought to persuade him, and to move him by soft words, to spare the bloom of his youth and to have mercy on himself, he despised his counsel, and, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, did not count his youthful life precious."

"After that, the ancient writers state how the wild beasts were let loose on him, and how greatly he desired to be devoured by them, so that he might be delivered from this body of sin and death; so that both the Jews and the heathen who stood by were exceedingly astonished at him. So this pious witness of the Son of God departed this life with an immovable heart, and became united with Christ, his blood bridegroom and Savior." Compare Abr. Mell., 1st book, of the Hist., folio 39, columns 1 and 2, with Joh. Gysii Hist., folio 16, column 4, and folio 17, column 1, from Euseb., book 4. [n156-1]