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BASILIDES may be counted the seventh of these. He led to
martyrdom the celebrated Potamiaena, who is still famous among the
people of the country for the many things which she endured for the
preservation of her chastity and virginity. For she was blooming in
the perfection of her mind and her physical graces. Having suffered
much for the faith of Christ, finally after tortures dreadful and
terrible to speak of, she with her mother, Marcella, was put to
death by fire. They say that the judge, Aquila by name, having
inflicted severe tortures upon her entire body, at last threatened to
hand her over to the gladiators for bodily abuse. After a little
consideration, being asked for her decision, she made a reply which
was regarded as impious. Thereupon she received sentence immediately,
and Basilides, one of the officers of the army, led her to death.
But as the people attempted to annoy and insult her with abusive
words, he drove back her insulters, showing her much pity and
kindness. And perceiving the man's sympathy for her, she exhorted
him to be of good courage, for she would supplicate her Lord for him
after her departure, and he would soon received a reward for the
kindness he had shown her. Having said this, she nobly sustained the
issue, burning pitch being poured little by little, over various parts
of her body, from the sole of her feet to the crown of her head. Such
was the conflict endured by this famous maiden. Not long after this
Basilides, being asked by his fellow-soldiers to swear for a certain
reason, declared that it was not lawful for him to swear at all, for
he was a Christian, and he confessed this openly. At first they
thought that he was jesting, but when he continued to affirm it, he
was led to the judge, and, acknowledging his conviction before him,
he was imprisoned. But the brethren in God coming to him and
inquiring the reason of this sudden and remarkable resolution, he is
reported to have said that Potamiaena, for three days after her
martyrdom, stood beside him by night and placed a crown on his head and
said that she had besought the Lord for him and had obtained what she
asked, and that soon she would take him with her. Thereupon the
brethren gave him the seal of the Lord; and on the next day, after
giving glorious testimony for the Lord, he was beheaded. And many
others in Alexandria are recorded to have accepted speedily the word of
Christ in those times. For Potamiaena appeared to them in their
dreams and exhorted them. But let this suffice in regard to this
matter.
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