Σατουρνῖνος ὁ ἀνθύπατος ἔφη· Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς θρησκεύομεν, καὶ ἁπλῆ ἡ καθ’ ἡμᾶς θρησκεία καθέστηκεν· καὶ δὴ ὀμνύομεν κατὰ τῆς συμπεφυκυίας εὐδαιμονίας τοῦ δεσπότου ἡμῶν βασιλέως καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς αὐτοῦ σωτηρίας ἱκετεύομεν· ὃ καὶ ὑμᾶς ὡσαύτως χρῆ ποιεῖν.
ὁ δὲ ἅγιος Σπερᾶτος εἶπεν· Ἐὰν γαληνιώσας μοι τὰς σὰς ἀκοὰς παράσχοις, ἐρῶ τὸ τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἁπλότητος μυστήριον.
Σατουρνῖνος ὁ ἀνθύπατος ἔφη· Ἐναρξαμένου σου πονηρὰ λέγειν κατὰ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἱερέων τὰς ἀκοάς μου οὐ προσθήσω· ἀλλ’ ὀμόσατε μᾶλλον κατὰ τῆς εὐδαιμονίας τοῦ δεσπότου ἡμῶν αὐτοκράτορος.
ὁ ἅγιος Σπερᾶτος λέγει· Ἐγὼ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ νῦν αἰῶνος οὐ γινώσκω· αἰνῶ δὲ καὶ λατρεύω τῷ ἐμῷ θεῷ, ὃν οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τεθέαται· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόντε τούτοις τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὄμμασι. κλοπὴν οὐ πεποίηκα· ἀλλ’ εἴ τι καὶ πράσσω, τὸ τέλος ἀποτίνυμι, ὅτι ἐπιγινώσκω τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ βασιλέα τῶν βασιλέων καὶ δεσπότην πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν.
Σατουρνῖνος ὁ ἀνθύπατος ἔφη πρὸς τοὺς λοιπούς· Ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποδειχθείσης ταύτης πιθανότητος.
ὁ ἅγιος Σπερᾶτος ἔφη· Ἐκείνη ἐστὶν ἐπισφαλὴς πιθανότης, τὸ ἀνδροφονίαν κατεργάζεσθαι ἢ ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατασκευάζειν.
Σατουρνῖνος ὁ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν· Μὴ βουληθῆτε τῆς τοσαύτης μανίας καὶ παραφροσύνης γενέσθαι ἢ δειχθῆναι συμμέτοχοι.
ὁ δὲ ἅγιος Κιττῖνος ὑπολαβὼν ἀπεκρίνατο· Ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἔχομεν ἕτερον ὃν φοβηθῶμεν, εἰ μὴ κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς κατοικοῦντα.
ἡ δὲ ἁγία Δονᾶτα ἔφη· Τὴν μὲν τιμὴν τῷ Καίσαρι ὡς Καίσαρι, τὸν φόβον δὲ τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν ἀποδίδομεν.
ἡ δὲ ἁγία Ἑστία λέγει· Ἐγὼ χριστιανὴ καθίσταμαι.
ἔτι δὲ ἡ ἁγία Σεκοῦνδα ἔφη· Ὅπερ εἰμί, καὶ διαμεῖναι πορεύομαι.
(Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ καλλινίκου μάρτυρος Σπεράτου 3-9)
Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Et nos religiosi sumus, et simplex est religio nostra, et iuramus per genium domni nostri imperatoris, et pro salute eius supplicamus, quod et vos quoque facere debetis.”
Speratus dixit: “Si tranquillas praebueris aures tuas, dico mysterium simplicitatis.”
Saturninus dixit: “Initianti tibi mala de sacris nostris aures non praebebo; sed potius iura per genium domini nostri imperatoris.”
Speratus dixit: “Ego imperium huius seculi non cognosco; sed magis illi Deo servio, quem nemo hominum vidit nec videre his oculis potest. furtum non feci, sed si quid emero teloneum reddo; quia cognosco dominum meum, regem regum et imperatorem omnium gentium.”
Saturninus proconsul dixit ceteris: “Desinite huius esse persuasionis.”
Speratus dixit: “Mala est persuasio homicidium facere, falsum testimonium dicere.”
Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Nolite huius dementiae esse participes.”
Cittinus dixit: “Nos non habemus alium quem timeamus, nisi Dominum Deum nostrum qui est in caelis.”
Donata dixit: “Honorem Caesari quasi Caesari; timorem autem Deo.”
Vestia dixit: “Christiana sum.”
Secunda dixit: “Quod sum, ipsud volo esse.”
(Passio Sanctorum Scillitanorum 3-9)
From: J.A. Robinson, The Passion of S. Perpetua [Texts and Studies 1.2, appendix], Cambridge, 1891.
Saturninus the governor said: “We too are religious and our religion is simple: we swear by the birth spirit of our lord the emperor and offer sacrifice for his health, which you must do as well.”
Speratus said: “If you are prepared to listen to me, I will tell you a mystery of simplicity.”
Saturninus said: “If you’re going to tell bad things about our sacred rituals, I will not listen to you. Rather, swear by the birth spirit of our lord the emperor.”
Speratus said: “I do not acknowledge the authority of this world, but I rather serve that God whom no one has seen or can see with these eyes. I have never been guilty of theft, but whenever I buy, I pay the tax, because I acknowledge my lord, the king of kings and ruler of all peoples.”
Saturninus the governor said to the others: “Stop being of this persuasion!”
Speratus said: “Bad is the persuasion to commit murder, to bear false testimony.”
Saturninus the governor said: “Stop being part of this madness!”
Cittinus said: “We have no other to fear but the Lord our God, who is in heaven.”
Donata said: “Honor to Caesar in his capacity as Caesar, but fear to God.”
Vestia said: “I am a Christian.”
Secunda said: “What I am is exactly what I want to be.”
(tr. J. Armitage Robinson)
Crambe Repetita 