A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Perpetua, Vivia
PERPETUA, VIVIA,
A Carthaginian lady, about twenty-two years of age, suffered for her faith during the persecution of the Christians by Severus, Emperor of Rome. Her father, a pagan, who loved her tenderly, went to console her in her imprisonment, and attempted to persuade her to renounce Christianity. Perpetua, however, remained firm, which so incensed him, that he beat her severely, and did not visit her for some days. In the mean time she was baptized, having only been a catechumen before. On refusing to sacrifice to idols, she was confined in a dark dungeon and deprived of her infant. Her father again visited her, and in the most tender and affectionate manner entreated her, for his sake and that of her child, to renounce her faith; but she said, "God's will must be done."
After her condemnation, Perpetua and Felicitas, another Christian woman, were thrown to a mad bull, which wounded them severely, but did not kill them. Perpetua then caused her brother to be called, and, addressing herself to him and another Christian, she said, "Continue firm in the faith, love one another, and be not offended at our sufferings."
The people insisted on having the martyrs brought into the amphitheatre, that they might see them die. The beauty of Perpetua, and the weak state of Felicitas, who had just been confined, excited some compassion among the savage beholders. Perpetua fell into the hands of an unskilful gladiator, but she guided his trembling hand to her throat. She perished in 205.