Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/200

 182 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP, cry of" We will die with him," arose at once among " the listening multitude of christians who waited heforc the palace gates. The generous effusions of their zeal and affection were neither serviceable to Cyprian nor dangerous to themselves. He was led away under a guard of tribunes and centurions, without resistance and without insult, to the place of his execution, a spacious and level plain near the city, which was already filled with great numbers of spectators. His faithful pres- byters and deacons were permitted to accompany their holy bishoj). They assisted him in laying aside his upper garment, spread linen on the ground to catch the precious relics of his blood, and received his orders to bestow five-and-twenty pieces of gold on the execu- tioner. The martyr then covered his face with his hands, and at one blow his head was separated from his body. His corpse remained during some hours ex- posed to the curiosity of the gentiles : but in the night it was removed, and transported in a triumphal proces- sion, and with a splendid illumination, to the burial place of the christians. The funeral of Cyprian was publicly celebrated, without receiving any interruption from the Roman magistrates; and those among the faithful who had performed the last offices to his person and his memory, were secure from the danger of enquiry or of punishment. It is remarkable, that of so great a mul- titude of bishops in the province of Africa, Cyprian was the first who was esteemed worthy to obtain the crown of martyrdom'. Various in- It was in the choice of Cyprian either to die a mar- ma^nvrdom? 'y^' ^^' ^^ ^^^^ ^" apostate : but on that choice depended the alternative of honour or infamy. Could we sup- pose that the bishop of Carthage had employed the profession of the christian faith only as the instrument of his avarice or ambition, it was still incumbent on him to support the character which he had assumed " ; ' Pontius, c. 19. ]I. de Tillemont (Memoires, torn. iv. part i. p. 450. note 50.) is not pleased with so positive an exclusion of any t'onner martyrs of the episcopal rank. " Whatever opinion we may entertain of the character or principles of