A Dangerous Situation, A Dangerous Wife

Novimus et alium ea tempestate nomine Saturum: qui, cum lucidum esset membrum Ecclesiae Christi, et privatatem Arianorum libertate catholica frequenter argueret (fuit hic procurator domus Hunerici), convenitur, accusante Marivado quodam diacono, quem Hunericus infaustus singulariter honorabat, ut fieret Saturus Arianus. Promittuntur honores et divitiae multae si faceret, praeparantur supplica dira si nollet: hac optione proposita, ut is regalibus iussibus non obediret, primo facta discussione, et ante amissa domo vel substantia, distractis omnibus mancipiis ac fiilis, uxor eius, ipso praesente, camelario in conjugium traderetur. Quod ille plenus Deo magis ut velociter proveniret, impios provocabat. Ob quam causam uxor eius inducias visa est ab his qui exsequebantur, nesciente marito, petisse. Accedit ad maritum alia Eva consilio magistrata serpentis. Sed ille Adam non fuit, qui illecebrosa bitae arboris poma contingeret: quia non indigens, sed Saturus vocabatur, saturatus ab ubertate domus Dei, et torrente deliciarum eius potatus. Advenit mulier ad locum ubi maritus singularis orabat, conscissis vestibus, crineque soluto, secum comitantibus, filiis, unamque infantulum, quae tunc lactabatur manibus gestans; quam nescientis projiciens ad pedes mariti, etiam ipsa suis genua complectitur uluis, sibilans vociferatione draconis: Miserere mei, dulcissime, simul et tui; miserere communibus liberis, quos conspicis ipse. Non subjaceant conditioni servili, quos claros prosapia eddidit generis nostri. Non subjiciar ego indigno et turpi conjugio vivente marito, quae mihi semper inter coaevas plaudebam de Saturo meo. Cognoscit Deus quia invitus facturus es hoc, quod forte voluntarie aliquanti fecerunt. Cui ille Job sancti voce respondit: Tamquam una ex insipientibus mulieribus loqueris. Formidarem, mulier, si sola esset hujus vitae amara dulcedo. Artificio, conjux, diaboli ministras. Si diligeres maritum, nunquam ad secundam mortem attraheres proprium virum. Detrahant filios, separent uxorem, auferant substantia; mei Domini ego, securus de promissis, verba tenebo: Si quis non dimiserit uxorem, filios, agros, aut domum, meus non poterit esse discipulus. Quid ulta? Discedente muliere cum filiis refutata, confortatur Saturus ad coronam, discutitur, interdicitur ei prodeundi accessus. Totum ei tulerent, stolam tamen baptismatis auferre ei non potuerunt.  Victor Vitensis, Historia Persecutionis Africae Provinciae, Lib II

We shall note another in this storm, one by the name of Saturus, he who was a shining member of the Church of Christ and also a procurator of the house of King Hunericus. He frequently disputed against the depravity of the Arians and for the liberty of Catholics, and so it came about that by the information of a certain deacon Marivadus, whom Hunericus had singularly honoured, that it was determined to make Saturus an Arian. They promised him honours and great wealth if he would do so, and they threatened dire punishments if he refused. But this man remained disobedient to the orders of the king, and so it was first proposed, before taking his house or goods, to bring out his dependents and sons and his wife bound and led by a camel driver before him. That man, full of God, told them to do it quickly, and thus further provoked those impious, and because of this his wife was induced, without the knowledge of the husband, to seek to lead him astray. She approached her husband like another Eve schooled by the counsel of the serpent. But he was no Adam that he would touch the alluring apple of the tree; because not 'Needy' but 'Saturus' he was named, being saturated with the abundance of the house of God and its overflow was his drink. The wife came to the place where the remarkable husband prayed and tearing her clothing and pulling her hair, with her retinue of children, including an infant who was then feeding in her arms, falling at the feet of the husband, embracing his knees and crying out, she hissed these serpentine words: 'Have mercy on me, sweet one, and on yours; have mercy on our children whom you see here. Do not subject them to a servile condition, these glories our lineage has brought forth. May I not be reduced to poverty and disgrace by my living spouse whom always I would praise among his contemporaries. God knows that you are unwilling to do what is asked, yet no small number have done what you yet refuse.' To this our Job with sacred voice replied, ' You speak like one of the foolish women. I fear only, wife, the bitter sweetness of the life they offer. With cunning, woman, you serve the devil. If you love your husband, do not drag him to the second death. Let them drag away sons, seize a wife and carry off property; I am confident in the promises of my Lord and I hold to his words: If a man will not give up his wife, children, lands or house, he is not able to be my disciple.' What more? Learning that the wife and children had been refuted, that Saturus had laid hold upon the crown, they brought him to nothing, and prohibited anyone from assisting him. Everything he had was taken away but for his baptismal garment, for that they were not able to strip from him. Victor Vitensis, History of the Persecution of the African Province, Book 2