Name: St. Perpetua Date: 203 CE Region: Madaura [modern Algeria] Citation: Passio Sanctarum Perpetuae et
Felicitatis 10 |
Before she was killed, St. Perpetua had a vision in which she became a
man and fought a gladiator. Many people interpret this transformation as her
gaining skills and abilities that she was denied access to because of her
gender. The day before our execution, I saw this in a vision. The deacon
Pomponius came to the door of the prison and started knocking on it
violently. And I went to the door and opened it. He was clothed in loose,
bright clothing, and had special shoes on. He told me, “Perpetua, we are
waiting for you, come on!,” and he held out his hand for me, and we began to
walk through rough and uneven places. We nearly didn’t make it, but we
finally arrived at the amphitheater and he brought me into the middle of the
arena and told me, “Don’t panic. I am here with you, and I’ve got your back.”
And he left me. And I saw a huge crowd of people, thunderstruck. Since I knew that I was
condemned to die by beasts, I was wondering why there weren’t any animals
around me. Instead, a certain Egyptian fighter—absolutely huge warrior—came
to fight me along with his co-worker. But young, honorable youths rose up along
side of me to cheer me on and help me fight. I took off my robe, and became a
man. And my helpers began to anoint me with oil (something that happens in
the arena)[1]. And I
saw the Egyptian rolling in the dust. And there was a certain man who was
huge (even taller than the tower of the amphitheater), who wore a loose purple
robe with two stripes across the middle of his chest, wearing special shoes
made of gold and silver. He carried a staff like a referee would, but it was
a leafy branch that had golden apples. He shushed the crowd and said, “If
this Egyptian fighter wins, he will kill her with a sword, but is this woman
wins, she will get this branch.” And he left. And we approached each other and began to fight. He tried to grab my
feet, but I was kicking at his face with my feet. He tossed me into the air and I began to
slice at him as if my feet couldn’t reach the ground. But when I saw I had a
chance, I wove my fingers together and I grabbed him by the head, and I struck
him in the face and I kicked him in the head. And the crowd began to shout and
my fans began to cheer. And I went up to the referee and I got the branch.
And he kissed me and told me, “Daughter, Peace be with you.” And I began to
do my victory dance towards the Sanaviviarian gate. And then I woke up. And I
understood that I wasn’t going to fight beasts, but I was going to fight the
devil, but that I would be victorious. I had this vision the day before the
Games; if someone wishes to write down what actually happens at the Games,
let them do so. |
Pridie quam
pugnaremus, video in horomate hoc: venisse Pomponium diaconum ad ostium
carceris et pulsare vehementer.Et exivi ad eum et aperui ei; qui erat vestitus discincta
candida, habens multiplices galliculas. Et dixit mihi: “Perpetua, te expectamus; veni.” Et tenuit
mihi manum et coepimus ire per aspera loca et flexuosa.Vix tandem pervenimus
anhelantes ad amphitheatrum et induxit me in media arena et dixit mihi: “Noli
pavere. Hic sum tecum et conlaboro tecum.” Et abiit.Et aspicio populum
ingentem adtonitum; et quia sciebam me ad bestias damnatam esse, mirabar quod
non mitterentur mihi bestiae. Et exivit quidam contra me Aegyptius foedus
specie cum adiutoribus suis pugnaturus mecum. Veniunt et ad me adolescentes
decori, adiutores et fautores mei. Et expoliata sum et facta sum masculus; et
coeperunt me fauisores mei oleo defricare, quomodo solent in agone. Et illum
contra Aegyptium video in afa volutantem. Et exivit vir quidam mirae magnitudinis ut etiam excederet
fastigium amphitheatri, discinctatus, purpuram inter duos clavos per medium
pectus habens, et galliculas multiformes ex auro et argento factas, et ferens
virgam quasi lanista, et ramum viridem in quo erant mala aurea. Et petiit
silentium et dixit: “Hic Aegyptius, si hanc vicerit, occidet illam gladio;
haec, si hunc vicerit, accipiet ramum istum.” Et recessit. Et accessimus ad
invicem et coepimus mittere pugnos. Ille mihi pedes adprehendere volebat; ego
autem illi calcibus faciem caedebam. Et sublata sum in aere et coepi eum sic
caedere quasi terram non calcans. At ubi vidi moram fieri, iunxi manus ut
digitos in digitos mitterem et apprehendi illi caput; et cecidit in faciem et
calcavi illi caput. Et coepit populus clamare et fauisores mei psallere. Et
accessi ad lanistam et accepi ramum.Et osculatus est me et dixit mihi: “Filia,
pax tecum.” Et coepi ire cum gloria ad portam Sanauiuariam. Et experrecta
sum. Et intellexi me non ad bestias, sed contra diabolum esse pugnaturam; sed
sciebam mihi esse victoriam. Hoc usque in pridie muneris egi; ipsius autem
muneris actum, si quis voluerit, scribat. |
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