Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus, Three Pious Christians, in the Year 290

At Tarsus in Cilicia, the birthplace of the apostle Paul, three pious Christians were imprisoned in the year 290, namely, Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus. They were brought to prison, before the tribunal, and to the rack, and suffered beyond measure for the name of the Lord and the faith in Jesus Christ, and were finally put to death. We shall notice this, and present to the reader the judicial proceedings, as we have found them in ancient authors. From Act. Procons. [n225-1]

When Diocletian was Emperor for the fourth time, and Maximian for the third, 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 he 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 like this any more."

Tharacus responded: "I have told you my best name; but if you want to know what my parents called me, my name is Tharacus, and when I followed war, I was called Victor."

The President asked him: "Of what nation are you, Tharacus?"

He answered: "Of the noble nation of the Romans, and I was born at Claudianopolis, a city in Syria; but being a Christian I have abandoned war."

The Proconsul said: "You are not worthy of the pay; but how did you leave the service?"

Tharacus replied: "I asked Publius, our General, for permission, and he discharged me."

The President said: "Have regard for your age, then; for I want you, too, to be one of those who obey the commands of our lords, the emperors, so that you may be promoted by me to great honors. Come here, 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: "Strike 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 your folly."

Tharacus answered: "I serve my God, and sacrifice to Him: not with blood, but with a pure heart; for these sacrifices (namely such as are stained with blood) are unnecessary."

The President said: "I have pity for your age; therefore I urge you to forsake this folly, and sacrifice to the gods."

Tharacus replied: "I will not depart from the law of the Lord; and because I honor the law of God, I shall beware of such wickedness."

The President said: "Is there, then, another law besides this, you wicked wretch?"

Tharacus answered: "Your law commands the worship of wood, stone, and the work of man."

Tharacus put to the rack. The Proconsul, or President, then said to his hangmen: "Strike him on the neck, and tell him not to speak such folly."

While they were beating Tharacus, he said: "I shall by no means abandon this confession, which saves me."

The Proconsul said: "I shall make you forsake this folly, and be more prudent."

Tharacus answered: "Do what you will; you have full power over my body."

Maximus, the Proconsul, said to his servants: "Strip him, and scourge him with rods."

Tharacus answered, as he was scourged: "Truly, you have made me more prudent, since by these stripes you strengthen me more and more in my confidence in God and His Anointed, Jesus Christ, who is His Son."

The President said: "You accursed and unrighteous fellow! How can you serve two gods at once? See, now you certainly confess more than one god. Why then do you deny those whom we worship? Do you not confess Christ and the Lord?"

Tharacus answered: "Yes, I do; for He is the Son of God, the hope of all Christians, for whose sake we are wounded, and healed."

The President said: "Leave off this useless babbling; come here, and sacrifice."

"I do not say much," replied Tharacus, "but I speak the truth; for I am now sixty-five years old, and have believed this way, and do not desire to depart from the truth."

Demetrius, the Centurion, said: "O wretched man! Spare yourself, sacrifice, and follow my advice."

Tharacus answered: "Depart from me, you servant of Satan, with your advice."

Maximus commanded them to put heavy iron chains on him, and take him back to prison, and to bring forth another.

Probus examined. Demetrius, the Captain, said: "Lord, here is one already."

Then the President said to Probus: "Tell me first your name."

Probus answered: "In the first place, my noblest name is that I am a Christian; secondly, men call me Probus."

The Proconsul asked again: "Of what nation and descent are you?"

Probus replied: "My father was from Thracia, a citizen, born at Pergamus, in Pamphilia; but I am a Christian."

The Proconsul said: "You shall not gain much by this name; but listen to me, and sacrifice to the gods, so that you may be honored by the princes, and be our friend."

Probus answered: "I desire neither honor from the emperors nor your friendship; for it was no small wealth that I forsook, in order to serve the living God faithfully."

The Proconsul commanded them to take his cloak off him, strip him, rack him, and scourge him with raw thongs. While they scourged him, Demetrius, the captain, said: "O wretched man! See how your blood is spilled upon the earth."

Probus replied: "My body is in your hands; but all these torments are a precious balm to me."

After he was scourged, the Proconsul said to him: "You wretch! Will you not yet cease from your folly? And do you still persist in your obstinacy?"

Probus answered: "I am not vain, but more courageous in the Lord than you people are."

The President said to his servants: "Turn him over, and scourge him on his stomach."

Probus prayed, saying: "O Lord, come and help Your servant."

Maximus, the Proconsul, said to the executioners: "While you scourge him, ask him, saying, 'Where is your helper?'"

Probus replied as they scourged him: "He has helped me, and shall still help me."

The President said: "You wretched man! Do spare your own body; for the earth is soaked with your blood."

Probus answered: "Be assured, the more my body suffers for the name of Christ, the more my soul is healed and quickened."

After he had been thus scourged and tortured, the Proconsul commanded them to fetter his hands and feet with irons, and to keep him in prison in this way; but to bring another before him.

Andronicus examined. Demetrius, the Centurion, placed Andronicus before Maximus' judgment seat, saying: [n225-2] "Sir, here is the third one."

The Proconsul said: "What is your name?"

Andronicus answered: "Do you want to know openly who I am? I am a Christian."

Maximus said: "Those who have gone before you have gained nothing by this name; therefore you must answer me properly."

Andronicus replied: "Men generally call me Andronicus."

Maximus asked him what his nationality was.

Andronicus answered: "Of noble blood."

Maximus said: "Spare yourself, and listen to me, as to your father; for those who have prated such nonsense before you have gained nothing by it. But honor the princes and the fathers, and be obedient to our gods."

Andronicus replied: "You did well to call them fathers; for you are of the father, the devil, and, having become one of his children, you do his works."

Maximus said: "Will you, a stripling, despise and mock me? Do you not know what torments are ready for you?"

Andronicus said: "Do you think I am a fool, that I should be willing to be found inferior to my predecessors in suffering? I stand prepared to endure all your torments."

The Proconsul commanded that he should be stripped, ungirded, and hung on the torture stake. Demetrius, the Captain, moved by pity, said: "Listen to me, wretched man, before your body is racked."

Andronicus answered: "It is better that my body perish, than that you should do with my soul as you please."

Maximus said: "Take advice, and sacrifice, before you are tortured to death."

Andronicus replied: "Never from my youth up did I sacrifice, and I still do not wish to, though you constrain me."

Maximus said: "Lay on and rack him well."

Anaximus, the horn blower, who was to execute the sentence, spoke to Andronicus, saying: "I am old enough to be your father; I advise you for the best: do what the Proconsul commands you."

Andronicus replied: "Because you are older, and have no understanding, you therefore advise me to sacrifice to stones and evil spirits.

While he was being tormented, the Proconsul said: "You wretched man! Do you not feel any torments, seeing you have no compassion upon yourself, and do not forsake your folly, which cannot save you?"

Andronicus answered: "My sincere confession, which you call a vain folly, is perfectly good, since it puts all hope and confidence upon the Lord our God; but your temporal wisdom shall die forever."

The President asked: "Who is it that has taught you this folly?"

Andronicus replied: "The quickening word, by which we are quickened, teaches us that our Lord is in heaven, who works in our hearts the living hope of our blessed resurrection from the dead."

Maximus said: "Stop this folly before we torture you still more severely."

Andronicus answered: "My body is before you; you have full power over it; do as it pleases you."

The Proconsul said: "Torture him exceedingly on the mouth."

Andronicus replied: "The Lord sees that you punish me even as a murderer."

The President said: "Do you still despise the commands of the princes? And do you think my tribunal is without power?"

Andronicus answered: "I trust in the mercy and truth of God's promise, and therefore I suffer all this patiently."

Maximus asked: "Have the princes transgressed, then, you wretched man?"

Andronicus replied: "Yes, as I understand it, they have; for it is a transgression to sacrifice to idols."

While he was being tormented, the Proconsul said: "Turn him over, and torment him on his sides."

Andronicus said: "I am before you. Torment me as you please."

The President said to the executioners: "Take potsherds, and scrape open the old wounds."

When they had done this, Andronicus said: "You have strengthened my body by these torments."

Maximus said: "Before long I will exterminate you; before long I will kill you."

Andronicus answered: "I do not fear your threats; my sentiments are better than all your wicked thoughts."

Then the Proconsul commanded that irons should be put on his neck and feet, and that he be kept with the others until the second examination.