Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/47

 so that there was an abundance of perfumes. And all the wild beasts were as hypnotized and touched her not. And Alexander said to the proconsul, "I have some terrible bulls, to which we will bind her that is to fight with the beasts." And the proconsul said in a sullen manner, "Do what thou wilt." And they bound her by the feet between the bulls, and put red-hot irons under their privy parts, so that they, being rendered more furious, might kill her. They rushed about, therefore; but the burning flame consumed the ropes, and she was as if she had not been bound.

36. And Tryphaena fainted standing beside the arena, so that the servants said, "Queen Tryphaena is dead." And the proconsul put a stop to the games, and the whole city was in dismay. And Alexander fell down to the feet of the proconsul and cried, "Have mercy upon me and upon the city, and give the woman free, lest the city be also destroyed. For if Caesar hear of these things, he will possibly destroy the city also along with us, because his kinswoman Tryphaena [the Queen], has died beside the circus gate."

37. And the proconsul summoned Thecla out of the midst of the beasts, and said to her, "Who art thou? and what is there about thee, that no one of the wild beasts touch thee?" She answered, "I am a servant of the living God; and as to what there is about me, I have believed in the Son of God, in whom he is well pleased, wherefore not one of the beasts has touched me. For he alone is the goal of