The Passion of Marian and James · §6 · Acts of the Martyrs

Prison Cannot Sadden Believers and Marianus Sees His Welcome

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The narrator is speaking in prison after Marian's hanging torture, introducing Marianus himself reporting his vision to the brothers.

What now, pagans? Do you believe Christians feel the pains of prison and shudder at earthly darkness when the joy of eternal light awaits them? The Spirit has embraced heaven in its mind, with faithful hope of the grace to come, and is now not concerned with its own punishments. You may search out a hidden and concealed place for torture, the heavy horrors of a dark cave and a house of gloom, but for those who trust in God no filthy place feels foul and no time feels sad. Christ cherishes them by day and by night, those brothers dedicated to God the Father.

After that torment of his body, Marian sank more deeply into calm sleep. When he woke, he told us himself what God's gracious favor had shown him to strengthen his hope of salvation. He said, "Brothers, I was shown the towering top of a lofty tribunal, exceedingly white."

"A judge with a handsome face presided there in the governor's place. An execution platform stood there too, no low stand and no climb of a single step, but set with many steps and rising high to ascend. Single groups of confessors were brought forward, and that judge ordered them led out to the sword. My turn came as well. Then I heard a clear and vast voice saying, 'Bring Marian forward.' I climbed onto that execution platform, and suddenly Cyprian appeared, seated at that judge's right hand. He stretched out his hand and lifted me to a higher place on the execution platform. He smiled and said, 'Come, sit with me.' Other groups were heard while I sat beside him."

"That judge rose, and we escorted him to his headquarters. Our path lay through a place lovely with meadows and clothed with the glad leaves of green groves, shaded by cypresses rising high and pines striking the sky, so that you would have thought the whole circle of the place was crowned with green groves. In the middle a basin was overflowing with a very clear spring, rich in its flow and pure in its waters. Suddenly that judge vanished from our eyes. Then Cyprian seized a bowl lying on the edge of the spring. He filled it from the spring like a thirsty man and drank, and he filled it again and handed it to me, and I drank gladly. As I was giving thanks to God, I woke at the sound of my own voice and rose."

Latin

Quid nunc, gentiles? Creditis Christianos sentire carceris poenas et saeculares horrere tenebras, quos manet gaudium lucis aeternae? Spiritus cum fida spe uenientis gratiae caelos mente complexus, suis iam non interest poenis. Secretam licet suppliciis quaeratis et abditam sedem, graues antri caligantis horrores domumque tenebrarum, fidentibus in deum nullus squalidus locus, nullum tempus triste sentitur. Fouet illos deo patri dicatos fratres diebus Christus et noctibus. Etenim Mariano post illam uexationem corporis altius in soporis tranquilla resoluto, quid diuina dignatio ad fiduciam spei salutaris ostenderit, expergefactus nobis sic ipse narrauit: Ostensum est, inquit, mihi, fratres, tribunalis excelsi et candidi nimium sublime fastigium, in quo ad uicem praesidis iudex satis decora facie praesidebat. Illic erat catasta, non humili pulpitu nec uno tantum ascensibilis gradu, sed multis ordinata gradibus et longe sublimis ascensu. Et admouebantur confessorum singulae classes, quas ille iudex ad gladium duci iubebat. Uentum est et ad me. Tunc exauditur mihi uox clara et inmensa dicentis: Marianum applica. Et ascendebam in illam catastam, et ecce ex inprouiso mihi sedens ad dexteram eius iudicis Cyprianus apparuit et porrexit manum et leuauit me in altiorem catastae locum, et arrisit et ait: Ueni, sede mecum. Et factum est ut audirentur aliae classes, me quoque assidente. Et surrexit ille iudex, et nos eum deducebamus ad praetorium suum. Iter autem nobis erat per locum pratis amoenum et uirentium nemorum laeta fronde uestitum, opacum cupressis consurgentibus in excelsum et pinis pulsantibus caelum, ut putares eum locum per omnem circuitus ambitum lucis uirentibus coronatum. Sinus autem in medio perlucidi fontis uberantibus uenis et puris liquoribus redundabat. Et ecce subito ab oculis nostris ille iudex recessit. Tunc ibi Cyprianus fialam, quae super marginem fontis iacebat, arripuit, et cum illam de fonte sitienti similis inplesset, hausit, et inplens iterum mihi porrexit, et libenter bibi. Et cum Deo gratias dicerem, excitatus, inquit, mea uoce, surrexi.

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About this text

A friend who shared their road tells how Marian, a reader, and James, a deacon, were arrested near Cirta in Numidia, tortured, strengthened by visions in prison at Lambaesis, and beheaded by a river with many others.

The writer, who does not give his name, was a close companion of the martyrs, arrested with them but later released, writing to Christian brethren as the fraternity and people of God during the persecution under Emperor Valerian in Numidia. At Marian and James's own request he records their contest not to boast of their crown on earth but so the people may be armed by their example for faith.

Bishops Agapius and Secundinus suffered first after calling at the writer's house, and Marian and James were then arrested near Cirta, confessed Christ and their offices, suffered hanging torture, and endured prison with prayer. In prison they and fellow prisoner Aemilianus report their own visions in their own quoted words, with a tribunal voice and Cyprian heard and seen in Marian's account, a shining youth in James's, a rose crowned boy promising a heavenly meal in another, and a pagan blood brother whose questions in Aemilianus's dream are quoted and answered. After delay while many lay Christians were executed, the clerics were condemned by the governor at Cirta and beheaded together by a river outside the city, with light, white horsemen, Marian prophesying coming judgments, and Marian's mother rejoicing over his body, alongside Tertulla and Antonia, Mary the mother, Secundinus, and a twin boy with his mother.

A reader needs only a few renderings used here. Governor is the Roman provincial governor, reader is the lower clerical office Marian avows and deacon is the office James avows, confession of faith is the open avowal I am a Christian, crown is heavenly reward, execution platform is the high stepped place of display and death, official report is the written charge and confession sent with prisoners, and love feast is the heavenly meal after death. Cyprian is the dead bishop martyred at Carthage who appears to welcome them, the Decian persecution is the earlier persecution James had already survived, the only formal scriptural sentence is the camel through the needle's eye cited as Matthew 19:24 with parallels in Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25, and the closing joy points to 2 Maccabees 7.

Printed text used

Translated from Oscar von Gebhardt, Acta martyrum selecta (Berlin: A. Duncker, 1902) (Latin)

This work has passed our source check. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Latin on any section, or the Latin source link, to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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