but I wished to still thy father's weeping
that thou mayst not be lost to him, or, at any rate, to the gods.'
Then Chrysanthus asked, amongst other speeches:
'What goodness had your god Saturn
who devoured his sons when they were born,
even as his worshippers have written in their books;
or what goodness had the horrible Jove,
who lived in the world in foul fornication,
and chose him his own sister to wife,
and committed many manslaughters and deeds of murder,
and raised up sorcery to deceive the unwary?
Or what holiness was in the hateful Hercules,
the immense giant, who killed all
his neighbours, and wholly burnt himself
alive in the fire, after he had killed
men and the lion and the great serpent?
What can the lesser gods be to believe in,
since the foremost gods lived so foully?'
Thus Chrysanthus for a long while urged Daria
to the true faith with words, until she turned to God
by forsaking the error of the worship of devils.
Then they were steadfast, and lived together
in the appearance of marriage, their chastity being preserved,
until Daria received baptism in God,
and learnt God's books from the well-taught youth,
and strengthened her mind, continuing in virginity.
Then after a time many men were converted
by their manner of life from the devil's worship
to belief in Christ and to pure living.
The youths were converted through Chrysanthus' teaching,
and maidens through Daria's, many to the Lord;
renouncing marriage and pleasant desires,
until some men stirred up an accusation about this,
and they were accused before the cruel prefect
who at that time governed the wide-spread city of Rome.
