Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-02-17
The Seven SIcepers.

To sleep like the Seven Sleepers is
an expression signifying very sound
slumber. a. Who the Seven Sleepers
were, and what gave them this sleepy
head reputation, the following story
will show: '- 2's
The story goes back to the time of
the Roman Emperors. Under some of
the emperors the Christians were terri
bly, prosecuted. One of them, Decius,
was most inhuman. In the,year $50,
while on tour through the empire, he
came to Ephesus in Asia Minor This
was very great city in those days. De-
cius ordered all the Ephesians to Join
with him in offering sacrifices to
the gods Jupiter and Apollo,
and the goddess Diana. You re-
member the story of the great Diana of
the Ephesians, which you have read in
the Acts. The penalty of disobedience
was to be death. Amongst the Christians
in the city there were seven young men
of noble families, who refused to obey
the decree. Their names were Maxi
minian, Malchus, Martiminian, Diony-
sius, Joannes, Serapio and Constantine.
When they were brought before De-
cius, his threats failed to move them.
DESTROYS, on account of their high
standing and influence, to win them
over, the Emperor left them the time
until his coming to the city to change
their minds. Pa. s....... ... a.
AS soon as he was gone, the seven
hid themselves in cave in the noun
tains near by. Spies tracked them out,
and on Decius' return, showed him the
spot. Enraged, he ordered the mouth
of the cave to be closed by wall. A
heather, who admired the bravery of
the young men and desired that their
bones when found should be treated
with respect, wrote on piece of parch-
ment their names and the cause of their
entombment. This writing, enclosed
in an iron casket, he contrived to drop
unseen into the cave. Undismayed by
the fate before them, when the wall
shut out all light from them, the seven
quietly lay down to sleep.
Nearly two hundred years after, a
man in search of building material
found an old wall made of large square
stones These being suited to his pur-
pose, he tore the wall down, and the
light of day once more broke into the
cave where the Seven Sleepers lay.
They, waking up, SUI sed that but
one night had passed, and thanked God
for their deliverance. Malchus was
sent into the city to buy bread. Amazed
by the strange sights he saw, he wan
dered along until he came to a bakers
shop. The baker looked in astonish-
ment at the silver he offered
in payment, and asked him
where he had gotten SO ancient
a coin. This question brought out his
story, and a great multitude of wonder
ing people soon hastened to the cave,
where his companions and the casket
were found. Even the then Emperor,
Theodosius, hurried to Ephesus to be-
hold the wonder. But in the same
hour that Malchus returned, the young
men again fell asleep, this time in
death. Sometimes the legend is varied
by the addition of the story of
their dog, which followed them
into the cave. He is said to have
stood guard over them all the time
without eating or sleeping. Another
fable is more improbable still-it de-
clares that the sun, out of respect to
them, altered it's course twice day in
it's endeavor to shine into the cavern,