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AMACHIUS governor of Phrygia ordered that the temple at
Merum, a city of that province, should be opened, and cleared of the
filth which had accumulated there by lapse of time: also that the
statues it contained should be polished fresh. This in being put into
operation grieved the Christians very much. Now a certain Macedonius
and Theodulus and Tatian, unable to endure the indignity thus put
upon their religion, and impelled by a fervent zeal for virtue, rushed
by night into the temple, and broke the images m pieces. The governor
infuriated at what had been done, would have put to death many in that
city who were altogether innocent, when the authors of the deed
voluntarily surrendered themselves, choosing rather to die themselves
in defense of the truth, than to see others put to death in their
stead. The governor seized and ordered them to expiate the crime they
had committed by sacrificing: on their refusal to do this, their judge
menaced them with tortures; but they despising his threats, being
endowed with great courage, declared their readiness to undergo any
sufferings, rather than pollute themselves by sacrificing. After
subjecting them to all possible tortures he at last laid them on
gridirons under which a fire was placed, and thus slew them. But even
in this last extremity they gave the most heroic proofs of fortitude,
addressing the ruthless governor thus: 'If you wish to eat broiled
flesh, Amachius, turn us on the other side also, lest we should
appear but half cooked to your taste.' Thus these martyrs ended their
life.
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