11 Whereupon Alexander 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.
12 Then they put a cord round
Thecla's waist, which bound also
her feet, and with it tied her to
the bulls, to whose privy-parts they
applied red-hot irons, that so they
being the more tormented, might
more violently drag Thecla about,
till they had killed her.
13 The bulls accordingly tore
about, making a most hideous noise;
but the flame which was about Thecla,
burnt off the cords which were
fastened to the members of the
bulls, and she stood in the middle
of the stage, as unconcerned as
if she had not been bound.
14 But in the mean time Trifina,
who sat upon one of the benches,
fainted away and died; upon which
the whole city was under a very
great concern.
15 And Alexander himself was
afraid, and desired the governor,
saying: I entreat you, take
compassion on me and the city,
and release this woman, who has
fought with the beasts; lest both
you and I, and the whole city,
be destroyed;
16 For if Caesar should have any
account of what has passed now,
he will certainly immediately
destroy the city, because Trifina,
a person of royal extract, and a
relation of his, is dead upon her
seat.
17 Upon this the governor called
Thecla from among the beasts to him,
and said to her, Who art thou? and
what are thy circumstances, that not
one of the beasts will touch thee?
18 Thecla replied to him; I am
a servant of the living God; and
as to my state, I am a believer on
Jesus Christ his Son, in whom
God is well pleased; and for that
reason none of the beasts could
touch me.
19 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, hope and defence
to those who are hopeless; and in
a word, all those who do not
believe on him, shall not live,
but suffer eternal death.
20 When the governor heard these
things, he ordered her clothes
to be brought, and said to her,
Put on your clothes.