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Vitus ádmodum puer, ínscio
patre, baptizátus est ; quod cum ille rescivísset, nihil prætermísit, quo
fílium a christiána religióne removéret. Qua in voluntáte
permanéntem, Valeriáno júdici verbéribus castigándum trádidit. Sed
nihilóminus in senténtia persístens, patri rédditus est. Sed dum eum
pater grávius puníre cógitat, Vitus Angeli mónitu, comítibus Modésto et
Crescéntia, ejus educatóribus migrat in aliénas terras ; ibíque eam
sanctitátis laudem adéptus est, ut ejus fama ad Diocletiánum perláta,
ipsum imperátor accérseret, ut fílium suum a dæmone vexátum liberáret.
Quo liberáto, cum ei amplíssimis præmiis ingrátus imperátor, ut deos
cóleret, persuadére non potuísset, una cum Modésto et Crescéntia vínculis
constríctum mittit in cárcerem. Quos ubi constantióres esse cómperit,
demítti jubet in ingens vas liquáto plumbo, fervénti resína ac pice plenum
; in quo, cum trium Hebræórum puerórum more divínos hymnos cánerent, inde
erépti leóni objiciúntur, qui, prostérnens se, eórum pedes lambébat.
Quare inflammátus ira imperátor, quod multitúdinem vidébat miráculo
commovéri, eos in catásta sterni jubet, et ita cædi eórum membra atque
ossa divélli. Quo témpore tonítrua, fúlgura magníque terræmótus
fuére, quibus templa deórum corruérunt, et multi oppréssi sunt.
Eórum relíquias Floréntia, nóbilis fémina, unguéntis condítas honorífice
sepelívit. |
Vitus was a child who was baptized without his father's
knowledge. When his father had found it out, he used his best
endeavours to dissuade his son from the Christian religion, but as he
found him persistent in it, he handed him over to Valerian the judge to be
whipped. But as he still remained unshaken as before, he was given
back to his father. But while his father was turning over in his
mind to what severe discipline to subject him, Vitus, being warned by an
Angel, fled out of the country, in company with his foster-parents
Modestus and Crescentia. In his new home he gained great praise for
holiness, so that the fame of it came to Diocletian, which Emperor sent
for him to deliver his own child which was vexed with a devil. Him
Vitus delivered, but when the Emperor found out that with all his great
gifts he could not bring him to worship the gods, he had the ingratitude
to cast him and Modestus and Crescentia into prison, binding them in
fetters. But when they were found in their prison more faithful than
ever to their confession, the Emperor commanded them to be thrown into a
great vessel full of melted lead, resin, and pitch. Therein these
three, like the three Holy Children in the burning fiery furnace, sang
praise unto God ; and upon that they were haled forth and cast to a lion,
but he lay down before them, and licked their feet. Then the
Emperor, being filled with fury, more especially because he saw that the
multitude that looked on were stirred up at the miracle, commanded Vitus,
Modestus, and Crescentia to be stretched upon a block and their limbs
crushed, and their bones rent one from the other. While as they were
dying there came great thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, so
that temples of the gods fell down, and many men were killed. As for
that which remained of the Martyrs, the noble lady Florence took it, and
embalmed it with spices, and honourably buried it. |
