The Deeds of Páulus and Theókleia 9

Then Theókleia was taken out of the hand of Trúphaina, stripped naked, had an encircling cloth put on, and was thrown into the place appointed for fighting with the beasts. Then the lions and the bears were let loose upon her. But a she-lion, which was of all the most fierce, ran to Theókleia and fell down at her feet. At that, the multitude of women shouted aloud. Then a she-bear ran fiercely toward her; but the she-lion met the bear and tore it to pieces. Again, a he-lion who had been accustomed to devour men, and which belonged to Aléxandros, ran toward her; but the she-lion encountered the he-lion, and they killed each other. Then the women had a greater concern because the she-lion that had helped Theókleia was dead. Afterwards they brought out many other wild beasts, but Theókleia stood with her hands stretched towards heaven and prayed. When she finished praying, she turned about and saw a pit of water and said, "Now is a proper time for me to be immersed." Accordingly, she threw herself into the water and said, Anointed, I am this last day immersed!" Upon seeing this, the women and the people cried out and said, "Do not throw yourself into the water!" And the governor himself cried out to think that the sharks were likely to devour so much beauty. Notwithstanding all this, Theókleia threw herself into the water in the name of our Sovereign Yâhuwshúa` the Anointed. But when the sharks saw the lightning and fire, they were killed and floated dead on the surface of the water, and a cloud of fire surrounded Theókleia so the beasts could not come near her, and the people could not see her nakedness. Yet they turned other wild beasts upon her, at which the women made a very mournful outcry. Some of them scattered spikenard, others cassia, others amomus [an aromatic shrub], others ointment; so that the quantity of ointment was large in proportion to the number of people; and upon this all the beasts lay as though they had been fast asleep and did not touch Theókleia. Whereupon Aléxandros said to the governor, "I have some very terrible bulls; let us bind her to them!" To which the governor, with concern, replied, "You may do what you think fit." Then they put a cord around Theókleia's waist, which bound also her feet, and with it tied her to the bulls, to whose privy-parts they applied red-hot irons so that they, being even more tormented, might more violently drag Theókleia about till they had killed her. The bulls accordingly tore about, making a most hideous noise; but the flame which was about Theókleia burned off the cords which were fastened to the members of the bulls, and she stood in the middle of the arena as unconcerned as if she had not been bound.

But in the meantime, Trúphaina, who sat upon one of the benches, fainted away and died; then the entire city was greatly concerned. And Aléxandros himself was afraid and implored the governor, saying: "I entreat you, have compassion on me and the city, and release this woman who has fought with the beasts; for fear that both you and I, and the entire city be destroyed! For if Kæ ́sar should have any account of what has now taken place, he certainly will immediately destroy the city because Trúphaina, a person of royal extract and a relation of his, is dead upon her seat." Then the governor called Theókleia from among the beasts to him and said to her, "Who are you? And what are your circumstances, that not one of the beasts will touch you?" Theókleia replied to him, "I am a servant of the living Power, and as to my state, I am a believer on Yâhuwshúa` the Anointed, His Son, in Whom the Power is well pleased. For that reason, none of the beasts could touch me. He alone is The Way to eternal salvation and the Foundation of eternal life. He is a Refuge to those who are in distress, a Support to the afflicted, a Hope and Defense to those who are hopeless, and by a Word, all those who do not believe on Him shall not live, but suffer death for the age." When the governor heard these things, he ordered her clothes to be brought and said to her, "Put on your clothes." Theókleia replied, "May that Power Who clothed me when I was naked among the beasts, in the day of judgment clothe your néphesh (self) with the Robe of salvation." Then she took her clothes and put them on; then the governor immediately published an order in these words: "I release to you Theókleia the servant of the Power." Then the women cried out together with a loud voice, and with one accord gave praise unto Yâ-hwéh and said: "There is but one Power, Who is the Power of Theókleia; the one Power Who has delivered Theókleia!" Their voices were so loud that the entire city seemed to be shaken, and Trúphaina herself heard the glad tidings and arose again, and ran with the multitude to meet Theókleia; and embracing her, said: "Now I believe there will be a resurrection of the dead; now I am persuaded that my daughter is alive! Come home with me, my daughter Theókleia, and I will turn over all that I have to you." So Theókleia went with Trúphaina and was entertained there a few days, teaching her the Word of Yâ-hwéh, whereby many young women were converted. So there was great joy in the family of Trúphaina. But Theókleia longed to see Páulus, and inquired and sent everywhere to find him; and when at length she was informed that he was at Myra in Lycia, she took with her many young men and women. She dressed herself in the habit of a man and went to him in Myra in Lycia. There she found Páulus preaching the Word of Yâ-hwéh, and she stood by him amid the throng.

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