13. But (say they) subsequently tortures had come,28    “Were at hand.” and severe sufferings were threatening those who resisted. He may complain of tortures who has been overcome by tortures; he may offer the excuse of suffering who has been vanquished in suffering. Such a one may ask, and say, “I wished indeed to strive bravely, and, remembering my oath, I took up the arms of devotion and faith; but as I was struggling in the encounter, varied tortures and long-continued sufferings overcame me. My mind stood firm, and my faith was strong, and my soul struggled long, unshaken with the torturing pains; but when, with the renewed barbarity of the most cruel judge, wearied out as I was, the scourges were now tearing me,29    Or, “the scourges were lacerating my already wearied body.” the clubs bruised me, the rack strained me, the claw dug into me, the fire roasted me; my flesh deserted me in the struggle, the weakness of my bodily frame gave way,—not my mind, but my body, yielded in the suffering.” Such a plea may readily avail to forgiveness; an apology of that kind may excite compassion. Thus at one time the Lord forgave Castus and Æmilius; thus, overcome in the first encounter, they were made victors in the second battle. So that they who had formerly given way to the fires became stronger than the fires, and in that in which they had been vanquished they were conquerors. They entreated not for pity of their tears, but of their wounds; nor with a lamentable voice alone, but with laceration and suffering of body. Blood flowed instead of weeping; and instead of tears, gore poured forth from their half-scorched entrails.

0476A XIII. Sed tormenta postmodum venerant, et cruciatus graves reluctantibus imminebant. Queri de tormentis potest qui per tormenta superatus est? Potest excusationem doloris obtendere qui victus est in dolore? Potest rogare talis et dicere: «Certare quidem fortiter volui, et, sacramenti mei memor, devotionis ac fidei arma suscepi; sed me in congressione pugnantem cruciamenta varia et supplicia longa vicerunt. Stetit mens stabilis et fides fortis, et cum torquentibus poenis immobilis diu anima luctata est: sed, cum, durissimi judicis recrudescente saevitia, jam fatigatum nunc flagella scinderent, nunc contunderent fustes, nunc equuleus extenderet, nunc ungula effoderet, nunc flamma torreret, caro me in colluctatione deseruit, infirmitas viscerum cessit, nec animus sed corpus 0476B in dolore defecit.» Potest cito proficere ad veniam causa talis. Potest ejusmodi excusatio esse miserabilis. Sic hic Casto et Aemilio aliquando Dominus ignovit; sic, in prima congressione devictos, victores in secundo praelio reddidit, ut fortiores ignibus fierent qui ignibus ante cessissent, et unde superati essent, inde superarent. Deprecabantur illi non lacrymarum miseratione sed vulnerum, nec sola lamentabili voce, sed laceratione corporis et dolore. Manabat pro fletibus sanguis, et pro lacrymis cruor semiustulatis visceribus defluebat.