He was struck with a stick, and the judge
condemned Vivia Perpetua and Felicitas, with the other Christians,
to be exposed to the wild beasts."
Another low groan broke from Pentaur. Timokles hesitated an instant,
then hurried on:
"The Christians were to die in the amphitheatre of Carthage. At the
gate of the amphitheatre, the guards offered the men among the
Christians the red mantle of the priests of Saturn, and offered the
women the fillet worn by the priestesses of Ceres. But the
Christians refused. 'We have come here,' they said, 'of our own free
will, that we might not be deprived of our freedom. We have
forfeited our lives in order to be delivered from doing such
things.' Even the heathen could see the justice of this, and the
Christians were not compelled to wear the things. In the
amphitheatre, Vivia Perpetua and Felicitas were put into a net, and
allowed to be attacked by a wild cow. Then the two martyrs gave each
other the kiss of peace, and a gladiator killed them."
Timokles paused once more. Still no response.
"I remember hearing one thing more concerning Vivia Perpetua,"
ventured Timokles. "In prison she had had a vision. She thought she
saw a golden ladder stretching up to heaven, and on either side of
the ladder were swords, and spears, and knives. At the foot of the
ladder lay a dragon. Perpetua thought in her vision that she was
commanded to mount the ladder.
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