Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/49

Rh of Nealces, a Grecian painter, who studied under her father, and became an artist of some eminence. born in that city, of Pretextat, a Pagan, and a Christian woman, named Fausta, who instructed her in the principles of her own religion. After the death of her mother, she was married to Publius Patricius, a Roman knight, who obtained a rich patrimony with her; but no sooner discovered her to be a Christian, than he treated her harshly, keeping her confined, and almost in want of necessaries, while he lavished the wealth he had received with her in luxury and extravagance.

On his death, in the course of a few years, Anastasia gave herself more freely to the study of the Holy Scriptures, which had always been her delight, and to works of charity. Her fortune, though very large, scarcely sufficed for the relief of the poor, and the confessors of Christianity, by whom the prisons were at that time filled.

Her retired manner of life, and her charities, soon led to a suspicion of her religion. She, and three of her female servants, sisters, were arrested by the officers of the emperor, who wanted to make them sacrifice to idols. This they constantly refused to do; on which the three sisters were put to death upon the spot, and Anastasia conducted to prison. She was then exiled to the island of Palmaria; but soon afterwards brought back to Rome, and