Callista : a Tale of the Third Century

by John Henry Newman

  At length the judge began--"Let the servant from the _Officium_ standforth." The _officialis_ answered that he had brought a prisoner chargedwith Christianity; she had been brought to him by the military on thenight of the riot.

  The _scriba_ then read out the deposition of one of the _stationarii_, tothe effect that he and his fellow-soldiers had received her from the handsof the civic force on the night in question, and had brought her to theoffice of the Triumvirs.

  "Bring forward the prisoner," said the judge; she was brought forward.

  "Here she is," answered the _officialis_, according to the prescribedform.

  "What is your name?" said the judge.

  She answered, "Callista."

  The judge then asked if she was a freewoman or a slave.

  She answered, "Free; the daughter of Orsilochus, lapidary, ofProconnesus."

  Some conversation then went on among the magistrates as to her advocate or_defensor_. Aristo presented himself, but the question arose whether hewas _togatus_. He was known, however, to several magistrates, and wasadmitted to stand by his sister.

  Then the _scriba_ read the charge--viz., that Callista was a Christian, andrefused to sacrifice to the gods.

  It was a plain question of fact, which required neither witnesses norspeeches. At a sign from the Duumvir in came two priests, bringing inbetween them the small altar of Jupiter; the charcoal was ready lighted,the incense at the side, and the judge called to the prisoner to sprinkleit upon the flame for the good fortune of Decius and his son. All eyeswere turned upon her.

  "I am not a Christian," she said; "I told you so before. I have never beento a Christian place of worship, nor taken any Christian oath, nor joinedin any Christian sacrifice. And I should lie did I say that I was in anysense a Christian."

  There was a silence; then the judge said, "Prove your words; there is thealtar, the flame, and the incense; sacrifice to the genius of theEmperor."

  She said, "What can I do? I am not a Christian." The judges looked at eachother, as much as to say, "It is the old story; it is that inexplicable,hateful obstinacy, which will neither yield to reason, common sense,expediency, or fear."

  The Duumvir only repeated the single word, "Sacrifice."

  She stopped awhile; then she came forward with a hurried step. "O myfate!" she cried, "why was I born? why am I in this strait? I have no god.What can I do? I am abandoned; why should I not do it?" She stopped; thenshe went right on to the altar; she took the incense: suddenly she lookedup to heaven and started, and threw it away. "I cannot! I dare not!" shecried out. There was a great sensation in court. "Evidently insane," saidsome of the more merciful of the Decurions; "poor thing, poor thing!" Herbrother ran up to her; talked to her, conjured her, fell down on his kneesto her; took her hand violently, and would have forced her to offer. Invain; all he could get from her was, "I am not a Christian; indeed, I amnot a Christian. I have nothing to do with them. O the misery!"

  "She is mad!" cried Aristo; "my lord judges, listen to me. She was seizedby brutal ruffians during the riot, and the fright and shock have overcomeher. Give her time, oh! give her time, and she will get right. She's agood religious girl; she has done more work for the temples than any girlin Sicca; half the statues in the city are her finishing. Many of you, mylords, have her handiwork. She works with me. Do not add to my anguish inseeing her deranged, by punishing her as a criminal, a Christian: do nottake her from me. Sentence her, and you end the whole matter; give her achance, and she will certainly be restored to the gods and to me. Will youput her to death because she is mad?"

  What was to be done? The court was obsequious to the Proconsul, afraid ofRome; jealous that the mob should have been more forward than themagistracy. Had the city moved sooner, as soon as the edict came, therewould have been no rising, no riot. Already they had been called on for areport about that riot and an explanation; if ever they had need to looksharp what they were doing, it was now. On the other hand, Callista andher brother had friends among the judges, as we have said, and their pleawas at once obvious and reasonable. "If she persists, she persists, andnothing can be said; we don't wish to be disloyal, or careless of theemperor's commands. If she is obstinate, she must die; but she dies quiteas usefully to us, with quite as much effect, a month hence as now. Notthat we ask you to define a time on your own authority; simply do this,write to Carthage for advice. The government can answer within an hour, ifit chooses. Merely say, 'Here is a young woman, who has ever beenreligious and well conducted, of great accomplishments, and knownespecially for her taste and skill in religious art, who since the day ofthe riot has suddenly refused to take the test. She can give no reason forher refusal, and protests she is not a Christian. Her friends say that thefright has turned her brain, but that if kindly treated and kept quiet,she will come round, and do all that is required of her. What are we todo?' "

  At last Callista's friends prevailed. It was decided that the judgesshould pass over this examination altogether, as if it had been renderedinformal by Callista's conduct. Had they recognised it as a proper legalprocess, they must have sentenced and executed her. Such a decision was ofthis further advantage to her, that nothing was altered as to her place ofconfinement. Instead of being handed over to the state prison, sheremained in her former lodging, though in custody, and was allowed to seeher friends. There had been very little chance of her recovery, supposingshe was mad, or of ever coming out, if she had once gone into theformidable _Carcer_. Meanwhile the magistrates sent to Carthage forinstructions.