atment
for righteousness' sake. The more perils that thou subjectest us to
for the sake of our religion, the more shalt thou be our benefactor.
Do therefore as thou wilt: for we shall not consent to do aught outside
our duty, nor shall we surrender ourselves to sin. Deem not that it is
a slight sin to betray a fellow-combatant and fellow-soldier into thy
hands. Nay, but thou shalt not have that scoff to make at us; no, not
if thou put us to ten thousand deaths. We be not such cowards as to
betray our religion through dread of thy torments, or to disgrace the
law divine. So then, if such be thy purpose, make ready every weapon
to defend thy claim; for to us to live is Christ, and to die for him is
the best gain."

Incensed with anger thereat, the monarch ordered the tongues of these
Confessors to be rooted out, and their eyes digged out, and likewise
their hands and feet lopped off. Sentence passed, the henchmen and
guards surrounded and mutilated them, without pity and without ruth.
And they plucked out their tongues from their mouths with prongs, and
severed them with brutal severity, and they digged out their eyes with
iron claws, and stretched their arms and legs on the rack, and lopped
them off. But those blessed, shamefast, noble-hearted men went bravely
to torture like guests to a banquet, exhorting one another to meet
death for Christ his sake undaunted.

In such divers tortures did these holy monks lay down their lives for
the Lord. They were in all seventeen. By common consent, the pious
mind is superior to sufferings, as hath been said by one, but not of
us, when narrating the martydom of the aged priest, and of the seven
sons with their equally brave mother when contending for the law of
their fathers: whose bravery and lofty spirit, however, was equalled by
these marvellous fathers and citizens and heirs of Hierusalem that is
above.

XXIV.

After the monks had made this godly end, the king bade Araches, his
chief councillor, now that they had failed of their first plan, to look
to the second and summon the man Nachor. At dead of night Araches
repaired to his cave (he dwelt in the desert practising the arts of
divination), and told him of their plans, and returned to the king at
day-break. Again he demanded horsemen, and made as though he went in
quest of Barlaam. When he was gone forth, and was walking the desert,
a man was seen to issue from a ravine. Araches gave command to his men
to