He cried out then the louder, and with fierceness raged,
and yet more he raved, striking his torturers
with rods and sticks, (and) commanded them torment the more
the holy man in the rack.
He thought that he might soften his mood
by the immeasurable torments; but he strove in vain,
because that they became tired in the tormenting,
so that they could no longer torment the martyr;
and he constantly endured the torments nevertheless.
Datianus then asked, with pale face,
his fierce torturers, thus speaking to them: —
' Where is now your might and your strength gone?
I perceive not your hands, that were ever severe
as often as ye tormented those that were condemned
either for homicide or for murders,
either for sorcery or for secret adultery.
Ever ye subdued them all with torments,
and they could not hide from you their secret deeds.
But now ye cannot overcome this man
so that he may at least be silent in these sharp torments.'
Then smiled the holy man and to the savage one spake: —
'This is verily that which is written in God's law,
that the seeing ones see not, nor the hearing ones hear.
Lord Christ I confess, the Almighty Father's Son,
with the Holy Ghost, one true God.
But torment me yet more for this true confession
that thou in all respects mayst confess thyself overcome.'
Datianus then saith to the Lord's witness,
'Pity thyself, and mar not thy youth,
and shorten not thy life thus in these torments,
that thou mayest at least escape these hard tortures,
at least now at last, though before thou wouldst not.'
Vincentius saith to him thus with keen faith: —
' I dread not thy torments nor thy cruel tortures;
