Martyrdom of Lacaron

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The Martyrdom of Lacaron

Coptic and English

Anthony Alcock

This is the first of the Bohairic Coptic texts published by I. Balestri and . y!ernat Acta Martyrum "C#C$%

&'()*+ the Martyrdom of Lacaron pp. , to -,. A Latin translation as published by Balestri and y!ernat in the

C#C$ series in &'(/% and details of the manuscripts from hich they ha!e been taken are to be found there "pp. 0

to '*.

The texts are in manuscripts that all bear the designation Cod.1at. Copt.% folloed by a classification number.

Copies of the texts ere made by 2aphael Tuki "&)(&3&)/)*% an orthodox Copt ho con!erted to 2oman

Catholicism as a young man% taught Coptic language and culture in 2ome for ,( years and as consecrated

Catholic Bishop of the 4ayyum in &)5&. These copies ere used by 6eorg 7oega hen he compiled his catalogue

of Coptic mss in the Borgia Museum in &/&(.&

The term parrhsia 8free speech8 occurs se!eral times in the text%- as it does in other martyrological and

hagiographical texts. 9robably the most useful ork for the reader to consult is 6iuseppe #carpat Parrhesia greca

e parrhesia cristiana "-((&*% hich is essentially a lexicographical study of the term and ho it is used. $n the

sub:ect of speech% I ha!e italici;ed all direct speech in the text.

I hope that this ork may be useful to those in the early stages of reading Coptic. The language and structure of

the text are relati!ely simple+ there is a good deal of repetition of !ocabulary% in!ol!ing 8he said8 and 8he replied8%

hich is to be expected in a report based on the court proceedings that took place before the martyrdom% albeit

one that has been 8ritten up8.

& 6. 7oega Catalogus codicum manusriptorum qui in Museo Borgiano Velitris adservantur "&/&(- 4irst instance on p. & of the text.

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The protagonists are Arianus% usually referred to as simply the 8go!ernor8 and Lacaron% hose name is

accompanied by his title and ad:ecti!es.. The exchanges beteen them follo a pattern+ the go!ernor says little

hile the speeches of the martyr become progressi!ely longer% culminating in an extraordinary prayer at hich

<esus is present% either in!isible to or unrecogni;ed by the onlookers.

As an essentially narrati!e text temporal clauses are relati!ely common. These are rendered in to ays+

"&* prep. "4en* = def. art. "p * = !erbal noun prefix " jin* = caus. infin. "cre* = sub:. = !erb.

A. Mallon Grammaire Copte ed. M. Malinine "&'05* >> -55ff has a useful section on this construction. In > -)-

he points out that it is used mostly in cases here one e!ent precedes another% less often hen the to e!ents are

simultaneous.

"-* the !erbal prefix eta3% hich is also used for the -nd 9erf. and 9ast 2elati!e%

The first construction occurs -0 times and the second construction occurs 5 times.

Bothe are ?uite different from #ahidic% hich deals ith the to constructions as follos++

The first construction is expressed by the prep. "xn* = def. art. "p * = caus. infin. "tre* = sub:. = !erb% thus in the

first example on p. & para. &+ 8in their being brought@hen they ere brought8 is

4enpjincrouenou "Bohairic* and xmptreuentou "#ahidic*

The second construction is expressed in #ahidic by ntere 3% hich is not% as far as I kno% attested in Bohairic.

Another point that may be of interest to the student is that the !erbal noun prefix in Bohairic is

predominantly masculine " jin* and in #ahidic predominantly feminine "qin*.

ictionaries consulted

Crum+ .E. Crum A Coptic Dictionary "&','*

L#<+ . Liddell% 2. #cott and . <ones+ Greek-English e!icon "&'(*

Lampe+ 6. Lampe Patristic Greek e!icon "&'5&*

Moulton3Milligan+ <.. Moulton and 6. Milligan Voca"ulary o# the $e% &estament illustrated #rom papyri "&'-'*

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&he martyrdom o# the holy martyr o# Christ Apa acaron' and all those %ho completed it

%ith him( )e completed his contest * and his glorious struggle on the +*th o# Paope, in

peace o# God( Amen(

It happened in year &/ of iocletian5 the laless emperor% hen Arianus as go!ernor of

Antinoe)% that he boarded his !essel/ and sailed south. e tied up on the banks of Asyut and

made his ay up to the city in search of Christians that they might orship the defiled idols.

The go!ernor sat in the theatre' and ordered those standing before him to bring him all the

Christians. hen they ere brought% the go!ernor said to them+ill you sacri#ice to these

imperial gods or not . They all said in unison+ e %ill not sacri#ice to these li#eless gods

and de#iled a"ominations( e are openly Christians and our God is in heaven( )e %ill help

us( At that moment he ordered them all to be beheaded by the sord. The completed their

martyrdom and ent up to hea!en in glory.

After this the praepositus&( made his ay to the go!ernor and said to him+ My lord

go!ernor% there is a soldier here ho does not orship the gods but scorns them as non3

di!ine beings and does not obey your order% saying+ / am a Christian(

, I am unable to find this name elsehere. The language used of martyrsresembles that used of athletes and% like the inning athlete in a contest% the pri;e

in!ol!es a 8cron8% financial reard and immortality in poetry being replaced by eternal life in hea!en.

0 9aope is the second month of the Coptic calendar. According to the <ulian calendar it starts on #eptember-/@6regorian calendar $ctober &&

5 The emperor ho presided o!er the 6reat 9erseuction% hich began in ,(,. It as so closely associated ith

iocletian "one of four emperors beteen c. -/0 and ,&&* in Egypt that the Christian calendar% knon as the Dear ofthe Martyrs% starts not ith the persecution itself but the accession date of iocletian "-/*

) Arianus is named in the earliest knon martyrological text as the go!ernor of the Thebaid% an area stretching from

Thebes "mod. Luxor* to Antinoe "mod. #hekh 8Ibada* cf. 9. !an Minnen 89. uke in!. ,/+ Martyrdom of #tephanosof Lenaios8 Analecta Bollandiana &, "&''0*+ &,3,/% ho dates it to the th cent. The emperors named in the text are

1alerius Constantius "year &* and Maximinus "year -*. I ha!e read only the English translation of this article posted by the author on the .

/ lezwrion+ lusorium% hich can ha!e the meaning 8pleasure !essel8.' $n the sur!i!al of an amphitheatre at Asyut cf. Charles 9oncet Voyage to Ethiopia +012-+344 English tr. &)(' p. , +

8I beheld the ruins of an ancient and magnificent amphitheatre8

&( The 6reek term is a transliteration of the Latin praepositus. L#< cite a th cent% papyrus text here it is a militarytitle.



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The go!ernor became angry and had him brought before him. The praepositus brought him

before the go!ernor% ho said+ hat is your name The saint replied+ /# you are asking

%hat my name according to the #lesh is5 it is acaron( But the name in %hich / live ++is the

6one %ho has "een called in 7esus Christ 8. The go!ernor said+ )o% old are you Apa

Lacaron replied+ / am +* today.&- The go!ernor asked him hat he did. The saint replied that

he as a soldier ith a mortal king% but from no on it as his intention to be a soldier ith

an immortal king%&, the Fing of Fings and Lord of Lords% <esus Christ. The go!ernor asked

him+ hy have your le#t your soldiering . &ell me no% %here you are #rom. The saint

replied+ 8ince you %ish to kno% %here / am #rom5 / am #rom Med9el +* attached to a division+,

in Asyut( :or this reason / %ish to "ecome a soldier o# the king o# those in heaven and those

on earth5 my ord 7esus Christ5 king o# all the aeons( / have le#t my soldiering5 %hich is

mortal and corrupti"le( / am no% openly a Christian5 "elonging to the God o# heaven5 my

ord 7esus Christ .

The go!ernor ansered+ 8acri#ice to these gods and / %ill let you go5 especially "ecause you

are a soldier( ;ou have opposed the emperors "y con#essing that you are a Christian5 so+0 %e

%ant to "e merci#ul to you

&& Acts -,% &

&- 4or a soldier ho :oined the army aged & cf. E. Birley 8#ome 2oman Legionary Centurions8 79E )' "&''/*+ &&0&, The !erb bwl ebol has a ide range of meanings and the most suitable here is Crum ,,a meaning "p*.

& E. AmGlineau a g<ographie de l6=gypt copte "&/',* p. -,&0 numerus&5 loipon

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in particular so that you might sacri#ice and receive honour . Apa Lacaron replied+ / "eg

you that / may please the >ing o# all >ings in order to receive the cro%n o# immortality #rom

)im( Do not think5 governor that you %ill "e a"le to deceive me %ith your lying %ords( /

despise you and your empty %ords "ecause o# my con#ession +3 o# my ord 7esus Christ .

The go!ernor ansered and said to the soldiers+ &hro% him on his "elly and %hip him %ith

cal# sine%s and tell him to listen to the command o# our lord emperors . The holy Apa

Lacaron ansered mildly+ /t is my command to listen to the orders o# the great king o# truth5

my ord 7esus Christ5 %ho saves everyone %ho hopes in )im. The go!ernor had him

flogged until his blood floed upon the earth% saying+8acri#ice( Do not die a pain#ul death

at my hands(+2 The holy Apa Lacaron ansered and said to the go!ernor+8on o#

la%lessness5 %e have God as our helper5 %ho is a"le to help us( )e %ill save us #rom your

hands and destroy you and your #ello% impious rulers. The go!ernor ordered him to be hung

on the stake and flayed until his insides fell to the ground and his blood soaked his entire

body. The :ust Apa Lacaron bore this torture ith fortitude. The go!ernor also ordered him

to be thron into

&) This ord omologia also toards at the end

&/ This phrase occurs times in the text.

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prison until he decided ho he ould punish him% for he as handsome in appearance.&'

That e!ening the Lord appeared to him and said+ Be strong5 acaron5 #or / am the ord

7esus Christ( Be victorious and take strength( / am %ith you in your #uture tri"ulations( /

pledge that you %ill cele"rate %ith my saints in heavenly 7erusalem and your name %ill "e

glori#ied on earth and your martyrdom %ill "e "ecome #amous in the %hole %orld( Be

victorious and take strength. In this ay the #a!iour embraced him. e ga!e him the sign of

peace and departed to hea!en in glory ith is holy angels. The blessed Apa Lacaron kept a

!igil that e!ening until the folloing day% strengthened by the :oy ith hich the Lord had

blessed him.

hen day daned% Arianus the go!ernor ordered a tribunal to be set up for him so that the

saint might be brought to him that he might hear him. The saint as brought singing 9salms+

God5 attend to my help and save me in your name .-( The go!ernor ordered the saint to be

chained to an iron bed% and his mouth to be opened ith iron forceps and his teeth to be

remo!ed one by one and molten lead poured on to his mouth and body. e then ordered

him to be remo!ed from the bed and hung on a stake and flayed.

&' The nexus beteen these obser!ations is not easy to understand+ does the go!ernor ant to be careful not to destroy

his appearance or is that exactly hat he ants to do-( 9s. 5'% &

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The holy martyr cried aloud+ My ord 7esus Christ5 save me #rom all this harsh punishment .

The go!ernor ordered a bron;e co to be brought and his body to be nailed to it ith

?uantities of long nails and fine needles.-& Through all of this the saint as completely

unconscious. The go!ernor ordered the bron;e animal to be dran by machines attached to

it so that all the saint8s limbs ould come apart and become like the dust of the earth. The

blessed Apa Lacaron continued to bear all of this punishment ith fortitude. Afterards the

go!ernor ordered him to be thron into prison in iron shackles.

is fame spread through the entire city that he as a man of 6od ho had the Lord ith him.

There as a oman in the city hose son as in the fields ploughing ith his beasts. $ne

of them fell don and died instantly. hen she heard about Apa Lacaron% she arose and

ent to him in prison and begged him% saying+ / "eg you5 martyr5 that Christ may help me5

"ecause my younger son %as ploughing the #ields today %ith his animals and one o# them

dropped dead( The blessed Apa Lacaron% hen he sa her humility and fer!our% said to her+

&ake this sta## o# mine and and put it on the head o# the "east5 like this5 and say? @/n the

name o# 7esus Christ the 8on o# the living God #or %hose holy name / have received this

pain5 arise and stand(@ The oman took the staff and placed it on the head of the beast%

saying+ /n the name

-& beroni may be a 6reek ord. The only ord I kno that is similar is the Mod. 6reek HJKN 8fork8.

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o# 7esus Christ the God o# the holy Apa acaron5 arise and stand . At that moment he arose

and stood. hen the multitude sa hat happened% they ga!e gory to 6od and the holy Apa

Lacaron.

Oo% there as someone in prison ith Lacaron and he as possessed by a demon. e

begged-- Lacaron% saying+ /# you %ish5 you can heal me. Lacaron replied+ Do you "elieve

that my God can heal you The man possessed by the demon ansered that he belie!ed it.

The saint arose and prayed+ My ord 7esus Christ5 my God5 let it "e %ith this man

according to his "elie# . The man as healed instantly. All those in the prison% hen they sa

hat happened% cried aloud+ ne is the God o# the holy Apa acaron( &here is no other God

"ut )im5 the one %ho listens to all those cry up to )im %ith their %hole heart(

There as also a city official in the prison for debt in the matter of public taxes.-, hen he

sa hat happened% he arose and kissed the feet of the holy Apa Lacaron and begged him+

8ervant o# Christ5 "aptie me as a Christian. hen Lacaron sa his upright belief% he made

the sign of the cross on the ground ith his right thumb% and ater came pouring out. e

bapti;ed the man in the name of the 4ather% #on and oly #pirit.

-- The !erb used is ouw¥t Crum 0(b

-, I take arywn to be some sort of public official and dhmosion to refer to 8public8 taxes cf. Moulton and Milligan o.

&0. The Coptic preposition e3 means 8against8 cf. for example Matt. 5% &- yw neteron nan ebol 8forgi!e us

our debts+

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There as also a oman possessed by a demon. The demon cast her don and cried out+ /

"eg you5 acaron5 do not torture me( / %ill come out o# her( / have the #ace o# a dog(* / have

"een inside this %oman #or +' years and she has "een my d%elling place( / %ill no% come

out o# her . Lacaron replied to the inmates+ et us arise and pray. e arose and spread his

hands and prayed+ ord 7esus Christ5 listen to my prayer5 receive it #rom me5 give voice to

my tears( et everyone kno% that you are the e!alted God o# the hum"le and the helper o#

those %ho have none5 the one %ho has e!panded )is holy heaven and made it #irm and

adorned it %ith stars5 %ho has hung the hills in scales and the rivers in a "alance5, the one

%ho appeared in the %om" o# Mary the /mmaculate Virgin that )e might save the entire

race o# mankind5 %ho appeared to )is holy apostles that they might preach )is "lessed

name that you might "e "lessed and that glory may "e given to the your great holy goodness

%hich is alight to the %hole %orld( Glory to you5 my ord 7esus Christ #orever and ever(

Amen(hen he said the 8Amen8% they all repeated it after him. At that moment the demon

cast the oman to the ground and came out of her like a flash of fire. All the people in the

prison cried out+ ne is the God o# acaron and there is none "eside )im.

- The term 8dog3face8 brings to mind the :ackal epaet "8opener of the ays8*% ho led the deceased into the

underorld in the pharaonic period.-0 Is. (% &-

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And then there as a man hose arm had been cut off. e came to Lacaron and asked him+

)eal me5 ord( / am in pain. The blessed one stretched forth his finger and made the sign of

the cross% saying+ Put your hand to your shoulder and5 in the name o# the ord 7esus Christ5

you %ill "e made %hole. hen he put his arm to his shoulder% he as able to hold out his

arm% like e!eryone else. The multitude of the inmates%-5 hen they sa hat happened%

cried out+ &here is no God in heaven or on earth e!cept 7esus Christ the God o# Apa

acaron.

Arianus the go!ernor% hen he heard about the miracles and onders performed by Apa

Lacaron% ordered him to be brought to the tribunal. The go!ernor said to him+ / have taken

pains to spare you. The saint replied+ Do not spare me% his face illuminated like the sun as

he as speaking to the go!ernor% ho said to him+ #acrifice. Do not die a pain#ul death5

acaron. The saint replied+ ;esterday you %ere going to spare me5 "ut today do not spare

me5 #or / am prepared to die #or my ord 7esus Christ( / have "rought my "ody as a sacri#ice

to God( :or it is %ritten? Do not "e a#raid o# the one %ho %ill kill your "ody( ;our soul5 it is

impossi"le #or them to kill it .-) The go!ernor ordered him to be hung on the stake and his

body flayed until his insides came forth from his belly. The blessed one raised his eyes to

hea!en% saying+

-5 4or the form xotp ith this meaning see Crum 0,&b

-) Matth. &(% -/

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isten to me5 my ord 7esus Christ5 and send me your great holy archangel Michael that he

may help me in my hour o# need(

At that moment Michael the archangel came out of the hea!ens and put the entrails of the

saint back into his belly and brought him don from the stake. There as no disfigurement

on his body and nothing at all rong as ith him. The executioners-/% hen they sa the

angel put back his entrails% belie!ed in 6od. At that moment the armour they ere earing%

they placed at the feet of the go!ernor and said+ e are Christians openly and %e "elong to

the God o# Apa acaron. Arianus became angry and said+ hat have you seen . They

replied+ hat %e have seen %e are una"le to tell you5 #or it is %ritten? @Do not place

precious things "e#ore s%ine lest they trample them %ith their #eet and turn around and tear

you to pieces(@ -' Arianus replied+ ;ou %retches5 do you not kno% that your li#e is my hands .

The executioners said to him? Do %hatever you %ill to us and %e %ill not "e crushed "y

your tortures5 #or %e have Christ our God as our helper . Arianus became extremely angry

and ordered a ditch to be dug and filled ith fire. At that moment the saints spontaneously

hurled themsel!es into the fire. This is ho

-/ quaestionarius( A !i!id account of the role of these people and others in a trial is pro!ided by. <. illon &he 7usticeo# Constantine "-(&-* p. &-,

-' Matth. )% 5

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they nobly completed their martyrdom and recei!ed the immortal cron and ent up to

hea!en in glory.

The assessor ,( said to the go!ernor+ My lord5 i# you leave this magician acaron in the city5

every"ody here %ill "elieve him( ook5 he has already per#ormed many miracles using the

name 67esus Christ65 the one %ho angered rulers o# the %hole %orld( et us prepare tortures

#or him5 ten thousand times %orse than these. The saint ga!e thanks to 6od. ith a shining

face he continued to sing psalms% saying+ God5 do not stop "lessing me5'+ #or la%less rulers

have gloried over me. hen the 8amen8 as said% he lay don and slept.

In the middle of the night Apa Lacaron arose and prayed+ ord5 i# you open the lips o# my

mouth5' it %ill "less you and /n the middle o# the night / %ill arise and appear to you on the

tri"unal o# truth.,, hen he stopped praying% the de!il in the form of an angel of 6od came

to the saint and said+ ;ou made many requests "e#ore God( )e has sent me to you to #orti#y

you5 so that %hen the governor hears'* you tomorro% and asks you certain things5 you %ill

reply %ithout murmuring in your heart and you %ill receive the "ene#it #rom the God o#

heaven. Apa Lacaron kne he as the de!il and told him+ Go a%ay #rom me5

,( $n thes uses of the term PQRSUVJWX cf. Lampe &-5)a,& 9s. &(/% &,- 9s. 0(% &)

,, 9s. &&/% 5-, Essentially the same meaning as the English 8hear8 in a :udicial context.

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8atan5 the servant o# la%lessness( ;ou have no share o# the servants o# the living Christ .

hen the de!il heard the name of Christ% he became like a flame of fire and ithdre from

him. Apa Lacaron said to himself+ et us continue to "e vigilant ', and ask that the enemy

not deceive us.

hen the go!ernor sat don at the tribunal% he ordered Apa Lacaron to be brought to him.

hen he as brought the go!ernor said to him+ / do not %ish you to sacri#ice like me "ut /

%ant you to o##er up a only little incense on the altar( / %ill release you #rom tortures. The

saint said to the go!ernor+ ;ou %ish to deceive me %ith your %ords o# #lattery5 %hich cause

anger to God and )is angels. The go!ernor then ordered a bench,5 to be brought and the

saint to be made to sit on it. 4ine nails ere brought and the saint as pierced ith them%

one of them in his right side until it came out of his body and he as fixed to the bench% and

another one in his left side and another in his head until it came out of his genitals,) and he

as attached to the bench. The go!ernor said+ acaron5 let your God in %hom you "elieve

come and save you #rom my hands and let me see )is po%er .

At that moment an angel of 6od came don from hea!en and took the nails aay from the

body of the

,0 Coptic occasionally uses the so3called periphrastic form% maren¥wpi enrwis% hich I understand to ha!e

progressi!e or continuous meaning here. #ee also note 00

,5 su"sellium,) YZQRZ[W

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saint and pierced the go!ernor ith them. The go!ernor cried out+ acaron5 / no% kno% that

the God you %orship is a po%er#ul God( /# you heal me5 / %ill "elieve in him . The saint

replied+ / kno% you %ill not "elieve5 "ut "ecause o# the many people standing here5 / %ill

"eg my ord 7esus Christ to grant you this cure this time too . At that moment Apa Lacaron

placed his hand all o!er his body and said+ /n the name o# my ord 7esus Christ %hom /

%orship5 %ill you sho% your po%er so that all these people may kno% that you are God and

there is none "eside you and that they may glori#y your name . At that moment the nails

sprang from the body of the go!ernor like ater falling upon the earth. The go!ernor cried

aloud+ &here is no god like Apollo and Artemis5 these upon %hom the entire %orld depends5

#or / have "een healed "ecause o# them. Apa Lacaron said to him+ ;ou %ill come into my

hands once again.,/

The go!ernor became angry and said to the executioners+ Bring me many instruments o#

torture and place them "e#ore him that / may torture him %ith them until / see %hether his

God %ill rescue him #rom my hands. hen they brought the instruments of torture and

placed them before the saint% as they ere mercilessly torturing him% no torture of theirs

touched his

,/ The go!ernor has used the phrase 8my hands8 more than once in the texts to express the control he has o!er Lacaron.

ith this statement the martyr seems to be re!ersing the discourse% hich of course infuriates the go!ernor. In thenext paragraph he e!en smiles as the go!ernor is 8hoist ith his petard8.

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body. The executioners,' did not stop( torturing him from morning to e!ening.& The saint

did not feel anything at all. The go!ernor became !ery angry. e arose and took the

implement from one of the executioners that he might strike the head of the blessed Apa

Lacaron. At that moment% the implement in his hand escaped from him and fell upon his

on head% ounding his head. The blessed Apa Lacaron smiled and said+&ruly the Psalm o#

David does not lie %hen it says that those %ho #ight %ith us are those %ho have "een

humiliated and #allen5 consumed "y their s%ords and their arro%s "roken.-

The go!ernor replied and said+ By the po%er o# the omans and Apollo the great god

acaron is per#orming magical tricks. e then ordered a ooden heel to be brought and

said to the executioners+ Put this magician on it and sa% it *' in the middle. They put the

saint on the heel and dragged him on it. e as in great pain% for his hole body had

started to di!ide into to. The martyr then lifted up his eyes to hea!en and prayed+God

hear my prayer( Do not "e silent to me5 ord5 #or / am a stranger and complete e!ile as my

#athers too %ere( $o%5 ord God o# )osts5 do not remain distant #rom me( Do not

,' V\]NWX

( 4or auyatotou "they stopped* read mpouyatotou "they did not stop*& The phrase euerbasanizin Mmof 8they torturing him8 is repeated after rouxi 8e!ening8 and is not translated

here.- To 9salms referred to+ -5% - and ,5% &0% but more an allusion than a citation.

, 1erb oueise "Crum '-a*

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let me die until / shame this la%less %retch( ord God o# )osts5 give me the strength to "ear

this torture o# the impious governor #or the sake o# your holy name that / may #ind openness

o# speech in your sight5 ord God o# All5 the merci#ul and charita"le5 may you count me

among the sheep o# your #old and give me strength5 my ord5 in your virtues o# light .

As he as saying this. the Lord <esus appeared to him at that moment. e said+ Courage5

holy martyr5 "eloved o# my good #ather( Come to me and / %ill sho% you your cro%n( ;ou

can then go "ack to the tri"unal and #ight #or my name and shame the la%less governor .

The #a!iour took the saint up to hea!en. e shoed him the hea!ens and embraced him

ith all the saints and shoed him his throne% his cron and his garment of glory. The saints

all said to him in unison+ Be victorious5 holy martyr5 the champion o# Christ the >ing( ;ou

%ill receive the immortal cro%n o# marytrdom and inherit the good things o# the kingdom o#

heaven.

It happened that after the Lord had shon him all these things e brought him back don to

earth to the heel% took the limbs of the saint% put them back together again and raised him

once again in perfect condition. The Lord said to him+ Peace to you( Go and shame this

la%less governor5 the

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the entire multitude looking at you. Later he arose and stood before the go!ernor and the

entire multitude. The laless go!ernor said to him+ / do not kno% you( Go a%ay #rom me.

The saint replied and said to him+ hy do you say this5 you son o# the devil . Am / not the

one you had sa%n . My ord 7esus came to me5 took my lim"s and put them "ack together(

)e raised me and sent me to you that / might shame you and your la%less emperors.

The entire multitude standing there then cried out+ne is the God o# the holy Apa acaron(

&here is none "eside )im5 %hose name remains #orever and ever . The go!ernor said to the

crod standing by+ Do not "e distur"ed( All these things that have happened through magic5

haven6t they . et us ask him to per#orm some %onders( /# he is a"le to per#orm them5 then

%e too %ill "elieve in his God . Apa Lacaron said to the go!ernor+ Ask me %hat you %ant .

The go!ernor said to him+ / %ant this sandal on my #oot to "ecome an animal once again

that / might "elieve in your God . At that moment the saint spread his hands and prayed+ God

%ho created heaven and earth and everying in them5 the one %ho sent )is only-"egotten son

to the %orld5 gave )is "ody and "lood to save us #rom our sins5 receive my prayer today

and reveal your po%er "e#ore this tyrant and

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this entire multitude around him so that your holy name might "e glori#ied and all these

people might kno% that there is no God "ut the ord God the Almighty and )is only-

"egotten 8on and the )oly 8pirit #orever and ever( Amen(

As the blessed Apa Lacaron finished his prayer% the sandals on the go!ernor8s foot once

again became a calf before the go!ernor and the entire multitude. The go!ernor then said+

Did / not tell you . acaron is per#orming magical tricks. At that moment he ordered the

calf to be killed and its corpse thron to the dogs and a doctor to be bought to cut out

Lacaron8s tongue. hen the doctor arri!ed% the go!ernor said to him+ &ake this "oy and cut

his tongue out5 #or / can no longer listen to him.

hen the tongue of the saint as cut out% he said to the go!ernor+ ;ou have cut out my

tongue so / %ill not "e a"le to speak again( $o% / %ill take a spiritual tongue5 against

%hich neither you nor your #ather the devil has any po%er . The go!ernor replied to Apa

Lacaron+ isten to me and taste o# the meat on the altar and drink o# the %ine o# sacri#ice( /

%ill release you so that you can go and escape #rom this torture. The blessed

Lit. 8I ill not be able to bear the number of his ords.8 This is the only instance knon to me in a Copticmartyrological text of a doctor brought in to perform a surgical procedure on a martyr.

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Apa Lacaron said to the go!ernor+ God #or"id that / %ill ever do this :or it is %ritten that

you cannot receive #rom the ta"le o# the ord and that o# the demons.0 The go!ernor

became extremely angry and ordered his mouth to be opened and the the meat stuffed into

it.

hen they stopped doing this to him% the go!ernor said+ acaron5 your open speech*0 "e#ore

your God has stopped today. Lacaron replied+ Do not re9oice too soon5*3 enemy o# God and

companion o# the demons %ho hates the mercy o# God and is a stranger to the practices o#

all the saints. At that moment the go!ernor became angry and sent him to prison. $n the

folloing day he had Apa Lacaron brought to him from the prison to the tribunal. Apa

Lacaron said to himself+ hat is this la%less one going to do me

hen he reached the tribunal the go!ernor said to him+ 8acri#ice to the gods5 acaron( Do

not die a pain#ul death at my hands. The blessed Apa Lacaron replied mildly+ / %ill not

sacri#ice( Do as you %ish %ith me( My God is %ith me5 helping me5 like an adamantine

%all *2 surrounding my soul and my "ody together . The go!ernor said to him+ acaron5 %ill

you #orce me to punish

0 & Cor. &(% -&

5 4or parousia read parrhsia

) Lit. 8before your :oy is complete8 Mpatepekra¥i jwk ebol

/ Coptic sobt. I can find no #criptural allusion to any such structure and I onder if the riter of this text might

ha!e been familiar ith the tradition in the Alexander 2omance of an adamantine all to keep out 6og and Magog%the forces of barbarism mentioned in 2e!. -(% /. This external threat may ha!e found some resonance in the lateClassical period. as the people knon as the uns began to appear as a threat to the 8ci!ilisation8 of the 2oman

Empire.

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you even more %ith your resolute %ords . 8acri#ice no% and / %ill let you go.

hen the go!ernor heard these ords of Apa Lacaron% he ordered him to be hung from a

column by his head for three days. The soldiers did to him as the go!ernor ordered. Apa

Lacaron% suspended from the colum% prayed as follos+ My ord 7esus Christ5 the #irst

martyr5*1 %ho is the ord o# Aeons %ith )is divine po%er5 %ill you send me your holy angel

to help me. As he said this% an angel of the Lord appeared and stood abo!e him. r released

him from the column and brought him don and set him on his feet ithout any trace of

harm.0( The angel said to him+ Be #irm and you %ill "e strong5 gladiator o# Christ5 #or the

completion o# your contest is near . After the angel of the Lord had said this% he embraced

him and ent up to hea!en% the saint looking after him.0&

$n completion of the third day the go!ernor said+Go and see this %retch5 %hether he is

dead or not . The soldiers ho had suspended

' Title used by 6elasisus Cy;icenus the 0th cent% church historian% hose ork can be found in <.9. Migne PatrologiaGraeca /0 &-/(. 4or the recent re!i!al of the idea of <esus as the 4irst Martyr "as distinct from #tephanos^cron_* cf. for example #. 9atterson Beyond the Passion "-((*

0( Lit. 8e!il8.0& Acts &% &(

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the saint from the column% they ent and found the saint standing at the foot of the column.

They ere extremely surprised and called out+ e are Christians openly and %e "elong to

the God o# acaron. They took off their armour and thre it in the face of the go!ernor%

ho said to them+ hat have you seen that you have thro%n your armour a%ay . )ave you

attached yourselves to the God o# acaron The soldiers said+ hat %e have seen %e %ill

not tell you5 #or you are a stranger to us . The go!ernor+ Damn it 0- / speak %ell %ith you(

;ou speak "adly to me( &o "e sure,' / do not kno% ho% to punish you5 "ecause you have not

yet received "aptism.

The blessed Apa Lacaron% the gladiator of Christ% hen he heard this from the go!ernor% said

to the soldiers+ :ind strength5 #or my ord 7esus Christ is %ith us. Thus he prayed+ ook

do%n on me5 my ord5 on me and and my "rothers here %ith me no% so that your holy

name may "e glori#ied . At that moment the blessed Apa Lacaron made the sign of the cross

on the earth ith his right hand and a spring of ater came pouring out% as hite as sno

and he bapti;ed them in the name of the 4ather% #on and oly #pirit. The soldiers said to the

go!ernor+ God has made us %orthy o# )is holy "aptism( ;ou have seen it %ith your o%n

eyes( Pass sentence on us that %e may leave you(

0- The oath is+ RZR\ RU`Z\ 8bad head8.

0, A 6reco3Coptic phrase+ xolws rw

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The go!ernor became angry and said+ / order them to "e "eheaded "y the s%ord % hich as

done instantly. $n the &st day of Thout0 they completed their contest and recei!ed the

unfading cron in hea!en.

After all these things Arianus said to Lacaron+ 8acri#ice to the gods and do not die a pain#ul

death at my hands5 #or you are an intelligent person. The saint replied+ / am an intelligent

person at all times5 #or / seek the the kingdom o# my ord 7esus Christ5 this one to %hom /

am going shortly,, to receive the indestructi"le cro%n. hen the go!ernor heard this% he

ground his teeth and said to him+ 8ince you are not going listen to me and do %hat the

emperors command5 / order you to "e "eheaded "y the s%ord .

hen the blessed one heard his sentence% he started thanking05 6od. At that moment the

soldiers put a narro bridle 0) on his mouth and brought him to the place here he as to

die. e said to the executioners+ Bear %ith me a little that / may o##er a prayer to God . A

large crod gathered. The blessed Apa Lacaron spread his hands and prayed as follos+ My

ord 7esus Christ stand "y me and give me strength that / may complete my contest .

The #a!iour <esus appeared to him at that moment. Oobody kne im0/ except the saint

alone% ho said to im+ My ord and my God5 you have heard me praying to you( $o%

0 The first month of the Coptic calendar.

00 Coptic+ +nou e+na¥e eratf I ha!e used the 9resent Continuous in English ?uite deliberately% because one of

its meanings is the future that has been arranged.

05 I understand af¥wpi ef¥epxmot to be inchoati!e. The same periphrasis is used in the #ahidic !ersion of Lk.

)% ,/% here as¥wpe es+pe translates the 6reek Imperfect "RZU`UN*% hich can be understood as continuing

8she began8 "JZW* in the early part of the sentence. The faithful Bohairic translator has folloed the 6reek+

nas+i.

0) I take it that the 6reek ord is Z]KX. Oone of the dictionaries I ha!e consulted "L#<% Moulton and Milligan and

Lampe * are especially helpful+ L#< supplies ords of hich it might be the e?ui!alent meaning 8cur!ed8 and8narro8. #ince this de!ice is attached to 8his mouth8 "erwf*% I ha!e used the term 8bridle8% but this is not the

meaning of the 6reek ord. The same ord in Mod. 6k. means 8loss% destruction8.

0/ t is not entirely clear to me hether this means that only Lacaron could see <esus and kne ho e as or hetherthe onlookers could see im too but did not kno ho e as.

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my ord / "eg you to complete #or me that %hich / asked o# you5 "ecause you are merci#ul

and charita"le( &he 8aviour said to him? / %ill do as you %ish( &he "lessed Apa acaron

said?,1 / "eg you5 my ord5 not to let my "ody rot in the earth "ut to keep it %hole and "uild

a shrine over it and glori#y those %ho "uild the shrine in in heavenly 7erusalem in e!change

#or their e##orts and count them among your saints( /# one makes a pledge to my shrine and

#ul#ils it5 may you "less04 him and his entire household( ord5 do not let any storm or any

animals enter my shrine( et no polluted adulterers or unclean spirits approach the place

%here my "ody is laid( /# one sick o# any sickness or i# one possessed "y a demon comes to

my shrine to %orship my "ody5 may you grant them a cure( &he one %ho %rites my

martyrdom5 as an aide-m<moire50+ may you separate the %riter #rom his sins and and save

them #rom the evil snares o# the devil and your "lessing and mercy and peace "e enduring

im all their d%ellings and may you %atch over them and %rite their name in the Book o#

i#e and "less every one %ho hears my martyrdom and those %ho provide an agapF0 on the

day o# my commemoration( May you give them their %ages and #ul#il their requests and save

them #rom all %ickedness5 all those %ho in pain come to my shrine and %orship over my

"ody( May you pour #orth

0' hat follos seems to me an extraordinary prayer% in hich Lacaron emphasises the somehat 8pharaonic8

emphasis on the preser!ation of the physical body in marturion or topos. This contrasts rather sharply ith

the !ies of someone like #henoute.cf.% for example% the admirable discussion in Caroline T. #chroeder Monastic Bodies? Discipline and 8alvation in 8henoute o# Atripe "-(()* ch. .

5( The !erbal prefix "ere* used here and subse?uent sentences is hat A. Mallon Grammaire Copte th ed. "&'05*

calls 8futur Gnergi?ue8 . It follos the frame !erb in the pre!ious sentence+ 8I beg8. It is not the so3called $ptati!e

"mare*5& Coptic+ eu¥enermeui cf.Crum -(&a. Crum is not certain hat ¥e means. Lacaron8s reference to himself and

the composition of his martyrdom seems extraordinarily arrogant.

5- A commemorati!e meal% in this case held on the feast day of the martyr at the shrine% hich caused people like#henoute a certain amount of dis?uiet because of the rumours of inappropriate beha!iour on these occasions.



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your mercy on them and "less them and #orgive them their sins( / too my 8aviour5 my you

#orgive me my sins and give me rest 0' in accordance %ith your great mercy5 / %ho am a

%retch5 God %ho loves man and re%ards everyone %ho "elieves in )im(

hen the blessed Apa Lacaron had finished his speech% the #a!iour said to him+ Be strong(

All your trou"les are over( / s%ear to you mysel# that everything you have said / %ill do( &he

things you have not mentioned / %ill do them( / %ill leave the angels to look over your "ody

day and night5 receiving the memory o# those %ho come to your shrine and "ringining it to

me( / %ill "less each one according to his %orth( After the #a!iour had said this% e

embraced him and ent up to he hea!ens in glory.

The blessed one returned to the executioners and said to them+Come and complete your

service. At that moment the executioners arri!ed. The blessed Apa Lacaron stretched out his

muscle and his holy head as taken off. e completed his good confession in the &th of

9aope. A great light appeared in that place. The hole place as suffused ith perfume

because of the number of angels ho had come for the soul of the blessed Apa Lacaron. The

#a!iour took his soul ith im and is angels ho ere folloing im. The chorus of all

the saints ent before him and greeted him until he as taken to the city of $ur Lord and

$ur 6od

5, A Coptic and a 6reek ord "Mton and YSHZPNX* ith the same meaning are used and it seems pointless to use

to English ords

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and $ur #a!iour <esus Christ from hom the glory appropriate to im and is 6ood

4ather and the life3gi!ing5 oly #pirit% fore!er and e!er. Amen.

Lord ha!e mercy on the retch ho rote this% Chael son of Matoi. 50Amen

5 The phrase jWHWNK occurs in connection ith the oly #pirit in the Creed adopted at the Council of

Constantinople in ,/&.50 The lexical item also means 8soldier8 but here it is clearly a proper name cf. Crum &'(b

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Documents

Martyrdom of Lacaron