Cecilia's Trial

[patriarch]

 Here, abandoning all attempt at brevity out of love for this saint and the better to illustrate her glory, is the full text of Gueranger's chapter on her trial. Abundant footnotes in Latin from the Acts of St. Cecilia are the source of the following dialogue:

Almachius shuddered in the presence of so noble and gentle a victim, and feigning not to recognize the daughter of the Cecilii, thus boldly addressed her: 

"Young woman, what is thy name?"

"Men call me Cecilia, but my most beautiful name is that of Christian."

“What is thy rank?”

“A citizen of Rome, of a noble and illustrious race.”

“My question refers to thy religion; we know the nobility of thy family.”

“Your interrogation was not very precise, since it requires two answers,” replied Cecilia.

“Whence comes this assurance in my presence?”

“From a pure conscience and a sincere faith.”

“Art thou ignorant of the extent of my power?”

“And do you know who is my protector and spouse?”

“Who is he?”

“The Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Thou wert the bride of Valerian, this I know.”

The virgin could not unfold the mysteries of heaven to profane ears.  She took no notice, therefore, of the prefect’s remark, but reverting to the insolent manner in which he had boasted of his power: “Prefect, “ she said, ”you spoke of power; you have not the least idea what it is; but if you question me upon the subject, I can demonstrate the truth to you.”

“Well, speak,” replied Almachius. “I would like to hear thy ideas.”

“You only listen to what pleases you,” said Cecilia; “however, attend. The power of man is like a bladder inflated with wind.  Let but a needle pierce the bladder, it will immediately collapse.”

“Thou didst commence with insult,” replied the prefect, “and wilt thou continue in the same strain?”

“Insults,” replied the virgin, ”consist in alleging things which have no foundation.  Prove that what I have said is false, and I will acknowledge that I have insulted you; otherwise your reproach is injurious.”

Almachius changed the subject:”Knowest thou not that our masters, the invincible emperors, have ordered that those who confess themselves Christians are to be punished; whereas those who consent to deny the name of Christ are to be acquitted?”

“Your emperors are in error as well as your excellency. The law which you quote simply proves that you are cruel and we innocent.  If the name of Christian were a crime, it would be our part to deny it, and you by torments to force us to confess it.”

“But,” said the prefect, ”the emperors have enacted this law through motives of clemency, that they might provide you with the means of saving your lives.”

“Can there be anything more unjust than your conduct toward the Christians!” replied the virgin. “You use tortures to force criminals to acknowledge the time, place, and the accomplices of their guilt; whereas our crime is that we bear the name of Christian, and if we do but deny that name, we obtain your favor. But we know the greatness of this name, and we cannot deny it.  Better die and be happy, that live and be miserable. You wish us to pronounce a lie; but in speaking the truth, we inflict a much greater and more cruel torture upon you." 

(to be continued) 
   

  

  


 

 

[VOW]

To Patriarch:

Thanks for cleaning that up, Hon. It reads a LOT easier now, and I'm hooked on Cecilia!


Peace,
~VOW

 

[patriarch]

"Cease this audacity," said Almachius, "and choose either to sacrifice to the gods, or to deny the name of Christian, and thou shalt go in peace."

"What a humiliating position for a magistrate!" said Cecilia with a smile of compassion.  "He wishes me to deny the title which proves my innocence, and to pollute my lips with a lie.  He consents to spare me, but his mercy is a refinement of cruelty.  If you believe the accusation brought against me, why endeavor to force me to deny it?  If you desire to release me, why do you not inquire into the truth of the charge?"

"Here are the accusers," replied Almachius; "they declare that thou art a Christian.  Simply deny it and the accusation is worthless; but if thou wilt persist in not denying it, thou wilt see thy folly when thy sentence is pronounced.'

"The accusation is my triumph," said Cecilia,"the punishment will be my victory.  Do not tax me with folly, rather reproach yourself for thinking you could induce me to deny Christ."

"Unhappy woman!" exclaimed Almachius. "Knowest thou not that the power of life and death is placed in my hands by the authority of the invincible princes? How darest thou address me with so much pride?"

"Pride is one thing, firmness another," replied the virgin. I spoke with firmness, not with pride, for it is a vice we detest. If you are not afraid of hearing the truth, I will prove to you that what you have said is false."

"Well," said the prefect, "what did I say that is false?"

"You told an untruth when you said that the princes had conferred upon you the power of life and death."

"I told a lie in saying that? said Almachius with astonishment.

"Yes," replied Cecilia," and if you will permit me, I will prove to you that your lie is self-evident."

"Explain thyself," said the prefect quite disconcerted.

"Did you not say that the princes have conferred upon you the power of life and death? You well know that you have only the power of death.  You can take away life from those who enjoy it, but you cannot restore it to the dead. Say, then, that the emperors have made you a minister of death, and nothing more; if you add anything else, you do not speak the truth.."

The prefect concealing his mortification at this affront, said with feigned moderation: "Cease this audacity, and sacrifice to the gods!" As he spoke, he pointed to the statues in the Praetorium.

"You have certainly lost the use of your eyes," replied Cecilia. "I, and all who have good sight, can only see in the gods of which you speak, pieces of stone, brass or lead."

"As a philosopher, I bore thy insults when they were directed only against me," said Almachius, "but I will not suffer an insult against the gods."

"Since you first opened your mouth," replied the virgin, with severe irony, "you have not uttered a word that I have not proved to be either unjust or unreasonable. That nothing may be wanting, behold you convicted of having lost your sight. You call gods these objects which we all see are but useless stones.  Touch them yourself, and you will feel what they are. Why thus expose yourself to the ridicule of the people? Everyone knows that God is in heaven.  These stone statues would be of more service if they were cast into a furnace and converted into lime.  They decay in their idleness, and are incapable of either protecting themselves from the flames, or of delivering you from them.  Christ alone can save from death, and deliver the guilty from eternal fire."

These were the last words which Cecilia pronounced before the judge. In her animated replies she had avenged the dignity of man, so unworthily violated by idolatry and pagan tyranny; she had branded the gross materialism which had so long enslaved the world, redeemed by the blood of God. Nothing remained but to suffer the glorious death for which she so ardently longed.