And he went along the road to Lystra, and stood waiting for him, and kept looking at the passers by according to the description of Titus. And he saw Paul coming, a man small in size, bald-headed, bandy-legged, well-built, Or, healthy. For sometimes he seemed like a man, and sometimes he had the countenance of an angel.
And he said: Grace be with thee and thy house. And Demas and Ermogenes were jealous, and showed greater hypocrisy; so that Demas said: Are not we of the blessed God, that thou hast not thus saluted us? And Onesiphorus said: I do not see in you the fruit of righteousness; but if such you be, come you also into my house and rest yourselves. And Paul having gone into the house of Onesiphorus, there was great joy, and bending of knees, and breaking of bread, and the word of God about self-control and the resurrection; Paul saying: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: Matt.
Luke xx. And while Paul was thus speaking in the midst of the church in the house of Onesiphorus, a certain virgin Thecla, the daughter of Theocleia, betrothed to a man named Thamyris, sitting at the window close by, listened night and day to the discourse of virginity and prayer, and did not look away from the window, but paid earnest heed to the faith, rejoicing exceedingly. And when she still saw many women going in beside Paul, she also had an eager desire to be deemed worthy to stand in the presence of Paul, and to hear the word of Christ; for never had she seen his figure, but heard his word only.
And as she did not stand away from the window, her mother sends to Thamyris; and he comes gladly, as if already receiving her in marriage. And Theocleia said: I have a strange story to tell thee, Thamyris; for assuredly for three days and three nights Thecla does not rise from the window, neither to eat nor to drink; but looking earnestly as if upon some pleasant sight, she is so devoted to a foreigner teaching deceitful and artful discourses, that I wonder how a virgin of such modesty is so painfully put about.
Thamyris, this man will overturn the city of the Iconians, and thy Thecla too besides; for all the women and the young men go in beside him, being taught to fear God and to live in chastity. Moreover also my daughter, tied to the window like a spider, lays hold of what is said by Paul with a strange eagerness and awful emotion; for the virgin looks eagerly at what is said by him, and has been captivated.
But do thou go near and speak to her, for she has been betrothed to thee. And Thamyris going near, and kissing her, but at the same time also being afraid of her overpowering emotion, said: Thecla, my betrothed, why dost thou sit thus? Turn round to thy Thamyris, and be ashamed. Moreover also her mother said the same things: Why dost thou sit thus looking down, my child, and answering nothing, but like a mad woman?
And they wept fearfully, Thamyris indeed for the loss of a wife, and Theocleia of a child, and the maidservants of a mistress: there was accordingly much confusion in the house of mourning. And while these things were thus going on, Thecla did not turn round, but kept attending earnestly to the word of Paul. And Thamyris starting up, went forth into the street, and kept watching those going in to him and coming out.
And he saw two men bitterly contending with each other; and he said: Men, tell me who this is among you, leading astray the souls of young men, and deceiving virgins, so that they do not marry, but remain as they are.
I promise, therefore, to give you money enough if you tell me about him; for I am the first man Or, a chief man. And Demas and Ermogenes said to him: Who this is, indeed, we do not know; but he deprives young men of wives, and maidens of husbands, saying, There is for you a resurrection in no other way, unless you remain chaste, and pollute not the flesh, but keep it chaste.
And Thamyris said to them: Come into my house, and rest yourselves. And they went to a sumptuous dinner, and much wine, and great wealth, and a splendid table; and Thamyris made them drink, from his love to Thecla, and his wish to get her as his wife. And Thamyris said during the dinner: Ye men, what is his teaching, tell me, that I also may know; for I am no little distressed about Thecla, because she thus loves the stranger, and I am prevented from marrying.
Demas and Ermogenes said: Bring him before the governor Castelios on the charge of persuading the multitudes to embrace the new teaching of the Christians, and he will speedily destroy him, and thou shalt have Thecla as thy wife. And we shall teach thee that the resurrection of which this man speaks has taken place, because it has already taken place in the children which we have; i.
And Thamyris, hearing these things, being filled with anger and rage, rising up early, went to the house of Onesiphorus with archons and public officers, and a great crowd with batons, saying: Thou hast corrupted the city of the Iconians, and her that was betrothed to me, so that she will not have me: let us go to the governor Castelios. And all the multitude said: Away with the magician; for he has corrupted all our wives, and the multitudes have been persuaded to change their opinions. And Thamyris, standing before the tribunal, said with a great shout: O proconsul, this man, who he is we know not, who makes virgins averse to marriage; let him say before thee on what Or, whose.
And Demas and Ermogenes said to Thamyris: Say that he is a Christian, and thus thou wilt do away with him. But the proconsul stayed his intention, and called Paul, saying: Who art thou, and what dost thou teach? And Paul lifted up his voice, saying: Since I am this day examined as to what I teach, listen, O proconsul: A living God, a God of retributions, a jealous God, a God in need of nothing, consulting for the salvation of men, has sent me that I may reclaim them from corruption and uncleanness, and from all pleasure, and from death, that they may not sin.
Wherefore God sent His own Son, whom I preach, and in whom I teach men to rest their hope, who alone has had compassion upon a world led astray, that they may be no longer under judgment, O proconsul, but may have faith, and the fear of God, and the knowledge of holiness, and the love of truth.
If, therefore, I teach what has been revealed to me by God, wherein do I do wrong? And the proconsul having heard, ordered Paul to be bound, and sent to prison, until, said he, I, being at leisure, shall hear him more attentively. And Thecla by night having taken off her bracelets, gave them to the gatekeeper; and the door having been opened to her, she went into the prison; and having given the jailor a silver mirror, she went in beside Paul, and, sitting at his feet, she heard the great things of God.
And Paul was afraid of nothing, but ordered his life in the confidence of God. And her faith also was increased, and she kissed his bonds. And having gone out, they examined the gatekeeper; and he said to them: She has gone to the foreigner into the prison.
And having gone, they found her, as it were, enchained by affection. And having gone forth thence, they drew the multitudes together, and informed the governor of the circumstance. And he ordered Paul to be brought to the tribunal; but Thecla was wallowing on the ground i. And she came, exulting with joy. And the crowd, when Paul had been brought, vehemently cried out: He is a magician! You may already know people on Myspace.
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Tell my followers about Myspace? Let your followers know you're on Myspace with a Tweet. Welcome to Myspace. Just start typing to find music. Play Next. Create a mix. Soon a pile was erected, and after she had made the sign of the cross she went up thereon, and the wood was kindled. When the fire was blazing, a heavy rain and hail came down from heaven, and thus Thecla was saved. After several days, when the children were hungered, Paul took off his cloak and gave it to one of the children, saying, 'Go, my child, and buy bread.
When she was brought to him, he thanked God for her safe deliverance. Thecla said to Paul, 'I will cut my hair, and will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. I fear lest another temptation came upon thee worse than the first, and that thou withstand it not. As they were entering into thine city; a certain ruler of the Syrians, Alexander by name, seeing Thecla, clave unto her in love, and would have given gifts and presents unto Paul.
But he said, 'I know not the woman of whom thou speakest, nor is she mine. But as Thecla would not suffer this, she took hold of Alexander and tore his cloak and pulled off his crown.
Ashamed of what had happened, Alexander had her brought before the governor, who condemned her to t he wild beasts, allowing her, however, at her own request that she might remain pure until she should fight with the wild beasts-to stay with a certain woman named Tryphsena.
And the title of her accusation was 'Sacrilegious. But Trypusena cried aloud, so that Alexander fled away. And straightway the governor sent an order that Thecla should be brought.
And Tryphsena, holding her by the hand, it, said, 'My daughter Falconilla, indeed, I took to the tomb: and thee, Thecla, I am taking to the wild beasts. And lions, and bears, and a savage lioness were let loose against her.
But instead of killing Thecla, they tore one another. While she was praying, many more wild beasts were sent in. And when she had ended her prayer, she turned and saw a trench filled with water, and she said, 'Now it is time for me to wash myself. And as she stood naked, there was a fiery cloud round about her, so that neither was she seen naked; nor could the wild beasts do her hurt. And when other beasts were cast into the theatre, the women wept again.
And some of them threw down sweet-smelling herbs, so that there was an abundance of perfumes. And all the wild beasts, even as though they had been restrained by sleep, touched her not. When fierce bulls were let loose, Tryphsena fainted, and the multitude cried, 'Queen Tryphsena is dead.
Therefore hath not one of the beasts touched me. For he alone is the way of salvation, and the ground of immortal life. He is at refuge to the tempest-tossed, a solace to the afflicted, a shelter to them that are in despair; and, once for all, whosoever shall not believe in him shall not live eternally.
When she was released, she stayed with Tryphsena eight days. And she instructed her in the word of God, so that most, even of the maid-servants, believed.
But Thecla desired to see Paul. When she was told that he was staying at Myra of Lycia, she went there, being dressed in man's attire. And when she saw him, she said, 'I have received the baptism, O Paul! For he that wrought together with thee for the gospel hath been effectual also with me for the baptism.
How great or how little the substratum of truth in it, we cannot decide. The fact is that churches were built in honor of the "beata virgo martyr Thecla;" in prose and rhyme the deeds of our heroine were celebrated; and Sept. Date of Compilation. But among the Babylonians, among whom this wonder occurred, this is all that happened, that the young man was not destroyed; but here the beasts chose to wage war against each other on behalf of Thecla: how much more outstanding is this miracle among us!
I think that, as she prayed in interior silence, she used words like these: Once again the author draws attention to his own creativity. For all of this, not yet worthily, I thank you all the same that I have been found by you wholly worthy of these sufferings and brandings. If you see fit, cloak me now in death: resolve this fear for me through a baptism of death; resolve for them their toil against me. If I give up my life then they will give up entirely the violence and tyranny against me.
When this was accomplished, the whole public resounded and rebuked this strange and fatal audacity: to plunge headlong and recklessly into the water that so clearly held death from the seals. While this is what the virgin welcomed gladly, only so that she might meet with the consummation in Christ, the whole populace wailed at this—too foolhardy and horrible!
But the martyr was not neglected: for suddenly a heavenly fire flashed up and fell upon the waters; it removed from the beasts their ability to act and it cloaked Thecla, who was naked, and provided for her the requirement of a private chamber. But even as these divine signs were occurring no reverent fear came upon the irreverent Alexander. The result was that, although Thecla was caught among many beasts, she enjoyed great freedom among them.
God did not usually use an excess of power to repulse those who were being impious without restraint, but with fleas and frogs and mice and locusts and other such things he was always fighting against those who aspire to great power cf. As this was going on, Alexander was even more shameless.
As for Alexander, having devised the use of fire alongside the natural ferocity of the bulls, he applied it through burning stakes to the breast of the bulls. This clever scheme ended up as its opposite for the clever schemer and deviser against the wisdom and power of God.
Here it seems to refer to a gangway near the arena entrance. This filled the whole city at once with great fear and terror—for immediately the evil event was broadcast—and filled the judge with intense dread.
Alexander was shocked and trembling, falling prone on the ground, using such words as these to the governor:. Let her leave here, let her be cast out of the city, let her be taken away to others, let her then be gone and grant to others the experience of her strange and novel nature.
Wondrous ruler, this fear which has shaken and rattled this city all around is not normal: that Tryphaina quickly died because of this woman condemned to fight the beasts. So if you are convinced by me, cast her out of the city, let us attend to the salvation of this imperial woman, if we have any reason or consideration for our own safety!
He asked who she was and what she had done to show herself stronger than the beasts, perhaps inappropriately coming to a suspicion and an idea not fitting for Thecla. For to those who happen to be in ignorance of the divine and of the force bestowed upon holy people from God even the wonders of the saints are suspect.
To merely recall them is to be filled with pollution! As for a man who is holy and suited to God, living a well-ordered life, out of prayer alone, a few words, and not many tears he makes happen very easily and handily what he wants God to bring about for him. Of this sort was Elijah, who uttered a few small things and proffered some rustic phrases, yet accomplished great things 1 Kgs Jas Of this sort was Moses, who just from prayer and stretching up his holy hands to the sky defeated an entire people in battle that is the Amalekites [Ex ].
And again in this way he ordered a sea, so great and unstable an element, to be its opposite—for he divided it for the passage of the people, and brought it together again—and also he accomplished this by prayer Ex Now Rome, the greatest and imperial city, was witness to this miracle. This incident comes from the noncanonical Acts of Peter. Of this sort was Paul, who shook an entire prison from its depths and nearly brought it down Acts , who raised Eutychus from the dead Acts , and who blinded Elymas, someone renowned for sorcery Acts So too through similar types of prayers and words was Thecla able to overcome fire and lions and bulls and sea-creatures!
God is my champion and my patron, and his only-begotten Son, who from long ago has existed and co-existed and been forever with his Father, but has now been seen on the earth and been proclaimed through many others and through my own teacher, Paul. Everyone who genuinely has confidence and faith in him will come upon gifts equal to or even greater than mine. In contrast to the Acts of Thecla , in the Life the feminine ornament Thecla surrendered at the jail in Iconium is replaced in Antioch.
When the clothing was brought to her, and the governor in his own voice invited her to make use of the clothing, the virgin received his words with pleasure and in response said:. When Thecla had prayed such things, the governor, wanting to make her shine even more gloriously and distinctively, in his own voice and with such words, declared to the Antiochene public:.
We have all observed them in common; these matters are numerous and miraculous and truly worth of a divine sign. Her being cast out to so many and such harmful beasts—such that it often caused a great shudder because of them for those of us seated above and watching—and her coming back safe and sound, how could it not be clear even to the very stupid that some god from heaven truly shields her and fights for her, on account of her life of temperance, of modesty and dignity befitting well-born girls?
And when that great cry and lamentation advanced into the very upper air, the animal spectacle was filled with it, the whole city was filled with it, as such a great and miraculous and superior wonder, contrary to human nature, had taken place. Have no more fear, my girl! You will no longer receive any evil trial! Should we wish to inflict one upon you you would suffer no harm, since you have been armed with invincible and adamantine weapons.
But go forth to those whom you desire and wherever you wish: only establish your god as kindly and favorable to us, whoever he is! When she did see her she clung to her and embraced her and then let loose tears of delight over her; as she welcomed her she said to her:. I have rejoiced even more that not only were you saved against all hope, but that I have seen the proof of the words concerning the resurrection, which you spoke so often to me, come to pass in you first of all.
That you so clearly escaped death and an end already made evident has produced in me a sufficient and very confident assurance! As a result I have also been persuaded about my only beloved daughter Falconilla, that what was requested has truly come to pass through your prayer. But come now! Become the heir of all that I have! For if you have not begrudged me the good things which are in heaven, shall I jealously withhold from you these earthly and perishable things?
Now come and assume the status of Falconilla for me also in the succession of property: for I think this would please her. As Tryphaina said these things, all the women rushed together to her house and there was nothing going on except getting their fill of rejoicing and discussing God.
For once one has received the seed one must count on what comes after. While she was greatly fretting and diligently searching, she was informed that Paul was in Myra that is the capital city of Lycia. Learning this, and without any delay, she left Antioch, putting on something more manly to wear in order to conceal with her outfit the shining bloom of her youth—for none of these misfortunes was able to bedim or obscure her beauty, but had instead made it more honorable and conspicuous by the beauty of her soul.
She made for the city of Myra, separated from Antioch by no little sea and land. Longing for the teacher cut it short for her and for those following along in her longing: they were the young men and women enslaved to Tryphaina. As she came into the city of Myra, she found Paul himself doing his usual favorite things: teaching, exhorting, admonishing, instructing through his discourse about faith.
As she suddenly came near and appeared she filled all of them with wonder and speechlessness, and Paul with fear: for the previous misfortunes moved him to suspicion of other bad things. So then drawing her away at some distance from the sight of the crowd and those present—so that no one, wounded by her beauty, might become the cause of more serious matters—he asked her all the things done by her, and asked her again.
With great joy at these words, as it seems, in reply she said to Paul:. The author uses distinctly classical terms here. For already the time has come for me to leave and to make for my own city, Iconium. As for you, do not stop praying and beseeching on my behalf, so that I might finish the course of piety to the end without impediment or dishonor, and that I might make for the Kingdom of Heaven and receive Christ as my king and my bridegroom, because of whom I have suffered these things, and perhaps I shall suffer again and I shall be victorious again.
But you alone, my teacher, do not ever cease praying and pleading on behalf of me, your daughter. For you have begotten me in your bonds according to Christ. So go and teach the word, and finish the gospel-spreading race, and share my eagerness on behalf of Christ.
This is why Christ has chosen you through me: so that he might acquire you as an apostle, and so that he might entrust to you some of those cities which have not yet been catechized. For it is necessary for you to multiply the talents of gold cf.
Matt Looking at the place where Paul was sitting then and teaching, she fell face-down on it and kissed and watered the ground with her tears; she declared with such words as these:. As for me, every death and danger on behalf of piety is preferable to the delight and banquet in paradise: that I might only appear worthy to suffer because of you and for you always!
It is odd that the author did not invent a prosopopoetic speech of Thecla to her mother here, particularly since she does address Theocleia directly in the Acts of Thecla.
This is a city which lies at the outskirts of the territory of Oriens, presiding and having preeminence over every city of Isauria, abutting a sea and neighboring a river. The name of the river is Calycadnus; it comes down from the inland regions of Cetis and passes through the region and numerous cities.
On its journey toward us it incorporates other rivers from their respective regions and locations and becomes that which we see. It ends at us and at the neighboring sea, which stretches to the east and to the south and separates us from Cyprus. The city is wonderful and most elegant, being of such a size that it lacks no grace in its proportion.
On one point alone is she inferior in her great rivalry that is, with Tarsus and in a way slightly subordinate and forgoing her precedence to her: that the other is the homeland and city of the great Paul, from whom it became possible for us to have the holy virgin.
So then: having arrived at this city and finding it pleasing, Probably the oldest form of the Acts of Thecla ends with Thecla preaching in Seleucia and then dying. She fortified herself against the demon Sarpedon, who occupied a ridge over the sea and deceived many and led them astray from the faith through various deceptions and fraudulent oracles. She also fortified herself against the lofty and warlike demon Athena, who like a vulture according to Homer perhaps even now was occupying the tower named for her; to the weavers dwelling in that area and to the foolish little people she cries out and brandishes her grimy and fringed aegis, so that we might make a little fun of all those people there who, in an Athenian manner, dwell on the acropolis and revere Pallas.
In the third and fourth miracles, Thecla drives out Zeus and Aphrodite. In a short version, she re-emerges in Rome looking for Paul, finds him dead, dies soon after and is buried there.
In a longer version, she enters into the rock forever as here. As a result it is a place of healing for all people, and is established as a common site of propitiation for all the earth. You might never find her shrine or indeed, city, for now it has been built up into a city with respect to its form, its bustle, and its beauty without locals or foreigners, with everyone streaming into it from everywhere: some only for honor and prayer, eager to offer up and dedicate something of their own to her; others for treatment and assistance from the illnesses and pains and demons oppressing them.
I shall produce a memorial through another labor and book, if God wills it and the virgin helps me.
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