Further Particulars Concerning the Death of Pionius

We will try to be as brief as possible, and, instead of relating everything that belongs to this, present only the last acts of his death.

When the Governor, after much had been said on both sides, said to Pionius: "Why do you make such great haste to meet death?" Pionius answered: "I do not make haste to meet death, but life." Then the Governor said: "You do not act wisely, to hurry to meet death in this way. You are like those who, despising death, for the sake of a little gain offer themselves to fight with the beasts. But since you despise death so much, you will be burned alive."

This sentence of death was read to him from a tablet inscribed with Roman letters: "We have sentenced Pionius to be burned alive, because he has confessed that he is a Christian."

Having been sentenced in this way, Pionius was brought to the place where he was to be burned. There he took off his clothes, and, having looked at his naked body, he lifted his eyes to heaven, praising and thanking God for keeping him to this hour free and unspotted from the idols.

With this, he willingly went and lay down on the firewood, stretched himself over it, and gave himself up to the soldiers, to be nailed to the wood.

When he was fastened to the wood, the servant said to him: "Be converted and change your views, and we will take out the nails." Pionius answered

"I feel that they are in already." And after thinking a little, he said to God: "Therefore, O Lord, I hurry to death, so that I may rise the sooner (or the more glorious)."

Having been nailed to the cross, he was raised up with his face toward the east. When a great heap of wood had been gathered to burn him, he closed his eyes for some time, so that the people thought he had already died. However, he was praying secretly in his heart; for when he had finished his prayer, he opened his eyes, and all at once the flame shot up to a great height, just as with a glad face he spoke the last word of his trust, saying: "Amen, O Lord, receive my soul," and calmly, without showing the least sign of pain, he gave his spirit over into the hands of God.

This happened when Julius Proculus Quintilianus was Proconsul of Asia, and Emperor M. Q. T. Decius was Consul for the third time, and Gratus for the second time, at Rome, in the year 254, by virtue of the seventh persecution under Emperor Decius, at Smyrna, in Asia Minor. Abr. Mell., 1st book, folio 71, columns 3, 4, from Euseb., book 4. Also, Acta per Sym. Metaph. Genuma, and here pro Consularia. [n203-1]