Second Examination of the Three Aforementioned Christians

When Maximus held court the second time over these faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ, and sat on his judgment seat, he said: "Call in the ungodly Christians." Demetrius the captain answered: "Here I am, my lord!" Then the Proconsul said to Tharacus: "Do you not know that age is honored in many respects? Have you, then, not considered whether you will still persist in your first intention? Indeed, take counsel with yourself, and sacrifice to the gods, for the prosperity of the princes; so that you may attain to honor."

Tharacus answered: "If the princes, and others who are of the same opinion with you, knew what there is in this honor, they themselves would turn away from the blindness of their vain way of life."

Tharacus was put on the rack the second time. The Proconsul said to his beadles: "Strike him on the mouth with stones, and say to him: Give up your folly." Tharacus answered: "If I did not take more care for my salvation than you people do, I would be as foolish as you are."

The President said to him: "See, they have knocked your teeth out; do have compassion on yourself."

Tharacus replied: "Do not imagine that; for even if you had every one of my limbs crushed, I could still remain strong and steadfast in Him who strengthens me."

The President said: "Believe me, it is better for you to sacrifice."

Tharacus answered: "If I knew that it were better for me, I would not wait for this advice from you."

When Tharacus stopped speaking, the Proconsul said to his hangmen: "Strike him on the mouth and make him speak."

Tharacus replied: "My cheeks are knocked to pieces; how can I answer any longer?"

Maximus said: "And will you, madman, not yet consent to worship and sacrifice to the gods?"

Tharacus answered: "Although you have deprived me of my voice, so that I cannot cry aloud, you will nevertheless not injure my soul; but in this hour you have greatly strengthened me in my opinion."

Maximus said to his servants: "Bring fire! Stretch out his hands, and put fire on them."

Tharacus replied: "I do not fear your temporal fire; but I would have to fear eternal fire, if I obeyed you."

When the glowing fire was laid on his hands, the President said: "See, the fire is consuming your hands; give up your folly, therefore, and sacrifice to the gods."

Tharacus answered: "You speak to me as though, because of your cruelty, I had already yielded to your wish; however, through the grace of God I am, in all my sufferings, as strong as ever."

The Proconsul said: "Tie his feet together, and hang him up by his heels, and make a thick smoke under his face."

Tharacus replied: "I neither regard your fire, nor do I fear your smoke."

When he was hung up, Maximus said to him:

"There you will hang, until you consent to sacrifice to the gods."

Tharacus answered: "You may sacrifice; for you are accustomed to sacrificing human beings; but for me it is not lawful."

Maximus said to his servants: "Bring vinegar mixed with salt, and pour it into his nostrils."

NOTE. Here a whole leaf is missing in the original, namely, of the tortures which Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus suffered in the second examination on the rack; however, concerning Andronicus the following addition was found.

The Proconsul said (namely, to Andronicus): "All this nonsense can do you no good. But come, and sacrifice to the gods, so that you may not perish under the punishment."

Andronicus replied: "It is the same that you have heard the first and the second time; for I am not a child, to be moved or turned by words."

The President said: "You will nevertheless neither conquer me nor despise my tribunal."

Andronicus answered: "We do not conquer you, but our Lord Jesus Christ strengthens us."

The President said: "The next time we hold court over these men, let other kinds of torture be put into practice. In the meantime put him (Andronicus) in irons, and keep him in prison until tomorrow, and let no one see him."