The Martyrdom of Tarbula, Symeon’s Sister

At about the same time the queen fell ill. Tarbula, the sister of Symeon the bishop, a holy virgin, was arrested together with her servant, who shared the same way of life, and also a sister of Tarbula’s, who after the death of her husband had renounced marriage and lived the same kind of life. They were arrested because the Jews accused them. The Jews reported that, in their rage over Symeon’s death, the women had harmed the queen by their sorcery. Since the sick readily believe the most hideous tales, the queen believed the charge, especially because it came from the Jews. She had adopted their beliefs and lived by the observance of the Jewish rites, and she had great confidence in their truthfulness and in their devotion to her. The Magi seized Tarbula and her companions and condemned them to death. After sawing them in two, they fastened the bodies up on poles and made the queen pass between the poles as a means of turning the disease away. It is said that this Tarbula was beautiful and very stately in form, and that one of the Magi, who had fallen deeply in love with her, secretly sent her a proposal to lie with him, promising as a reward to save her and her companions if she consented. But she would not listen to his lewdness. She treated the Magi with scorn and rebuked his lust. She chose to die bravely rather than betray her virginity. [a]

Sapor’s edict, which we mentioned above, had ordered that the Christians should not be slaughtered without distinction, but that the priests and the teachers of their beliefs should be put to death. So the Magi and the chief Magi went through the whole country of Persia, taking pains to mistreat the bishops and presbyters. They searched for them above all in the country of Adiabene, a part of the Persian dominions, because it was entirely Christian. [c]