E02474: The Greek Martyrdom of *Areadne (martyr of Prymnessos, S01596), of the 4th/6th c., recounts the story of a young female slave who flees to the mountain in order to escape her persecutors, and is miraculously swallowed up by the earth; her feast is on 8 October. Probably written in Prymnessos (Phrygia, west central Asia Minor).
Creators: name: Erizos
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Martyrdom of Areadne of Prymnessos (BHG 0165)<br><br>Summary<br><br>1. Hadrian and Antoninus send orders that Christians should either offer sacrifice or be taken to trial. The Christian girl Areadne is a slave of Tertyllos, chief citizen (πρῶτος τῆς πόλεως) of Prymnessos in Phrygia Salutaris.<br><br>2. Tertyllos celebrates a sacrifice on the birthday of his son, but Areadne fasts instead of participating in the banquet. She is accused of being a Christian by one of her fellow servants to her mistress who attempts to force her to eat. Areadne resists: she has been a Christian, like her parents, and although her masters own her body, they do not own her soul.<br><br>3. The mistress informs her husband, and Tertyllos has Areadne flogged and locked up in his house, offering her just a small amount of food.<br><br>4. Thiry days later, it is reported to the governor Gordios that Tertyllos, first man of Prymnessos, has a Christian woman at home, and people are worried that the city might be punished by the emperors. Gordios summons all the council and the people at the council house and reads out to them the decree of the emperors: it prescribes death and confiscation of property for anyone that fails to report a Christian person to the authorities; the accuser of such a person is reimbursed with three hundred dinars; anyone planning to conceal a Christian should also be brought to trial.<br><br>5. The city council requests leave to defend its case and Gordios orders that written records be kept. A scholar called Nikagoros undertakes to defend Tetryllos, who happens to be his uncle. He lists manifold offices Tertyllos has held, and various acts of service and largesse he has performed for the public, including feasts of the imperial and civic cults, of which he was an archpriest.<br><br>6. Gordios demands that the defendant focuses on the current issue. Nikagoros continues that Areadne was acquired by Tetryllos as part of his wife’s dowry. She was born in the household, while her parents, also Christians, had been purchased slaves. Tertyllos has subjected her to torture, but she persists in her religion.<br><br>[this section is missing in the Greek manuscript, due to the loss of one page, but it is known from a Latin translation of the text, where the martyr is called Maria] <br><br>7. All the council testifies in favour of Tertyllos, and Gordios declares him free of all charge, while he summons the girl to trial.<br><br>8. She is brought to the tribunal, while the people demand that she be burned alive. She offers a prayer to Christ.<br><br>9. The governor keeps quiet for an hour, and interrogates the martyr. She confesses her faith and renounces the gods.<br><br>[The Greek text resumes here]<br><br>10. The martyr continues her confession, and the governor threatens her with torture unless she sacrifices. He orders that she be prepared for torments and hung on a stake.<br><br>11. The people plead that the martyr be pardoned.<br><br>12. They ask that she be given three days to reconsider.<br><br>13. The governor grants the grace, while Areadne requests that her master be freed of all charges. The governor accepts that, and promises to give her property and freedom, if she converts. He orders that she be under guard, but free.<br><br>14. The martyr is taken down from the stake, crosses herself, and prays citing Psalm 120 (I lift up my eyes to the mountains, Where does my help come from?...). She runs to the neighbouring mountain, while the people chase her. She prays asking for Christ’s protection.<br><br>15. A rock opens up and receives the saint. The pagans find only a piece of her clothing hanging by the rock. They return and report to the governor.<br><br>16. The governor orders a certain Philokomos, chief temple verger, to go with a large group to the site and dig up the ground. Philokomos invites the people to join him in avenging the goddess of the city, and they gather at the temple, bringing tools. While they are about to set off, a thunderbolt and earthquake occur, and two fearsome horsemen appear from heaven. They strike and kill some of the pagans. <br><br>17. The rest are chased to the gates of the temple, while the verger dies at the gateway. Fire comes down from heaven, burns the temple and idols, and kills some pagans. 2700 people die or get injured.<br><br>18. The rest run into the city, confessing the Christian God. They enter the church and pray for atonement. Three thousand people are converted. The martyrdom of Areadne brings an end to the persecution. She died on 4 October.