Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Martyrdom of Sts Perpetua and Felicitas
"Next she asked for a pin to fasten her untidy hair: for it was not right that a martyr should die with her hair in disorder, lest she might seem to be mourning in her hour of triumph." (paragraph 20)
I find it very interesting that martyrdom is such a thing of pride in this era. I was under the impression that after their death people admired the martyrs, along the lines that they did not die in vain, but rather for their faith. But throughout this piece, the people seem to be relishing their condemnation and death, and see it as their "hour of triumph." Rome turns it into a spectacle through the use of wild beasts and gladiators, but the martyrs accept this show and go along with it, putting their hair up and giving birth prematurely so that they can all die together. This honor of death is due in part to the honor that came with Jesus's death, and also partially the Stoic idea of an honorable death, according to the reading guide. These people seem to me to be dying to gain glory, rather than for their beliefs in Jesus. When a death becomes this much of a spectacle, is it really out of faith, or is for the honor that came along with being a martyr?
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They were also very concerned that they die together, as seen when they pray that Felicitas give birth so that she may die with them, as opposed to being executed later along with "common criminals". These all seem like trivial concerns in the face of death, and I agree that they reveal the importance that the Martyrs placed not just on dying for their faith but on the manner in which they die, and are seen dying, for their faith.
ReplyDeleteI also feel like this is relevant to our discussion of the image of the martyrs. She did not want to die alongside the common thieves because it would make her death somehow less significant. Here again we see her worry about image, her personal appearance, as she seems to want her martyr to be grand and exactly as she plans
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Rachel when she asserts that people seem to be dying for their own personal glory rather than belief in their faith. I think that many people, especially women, felt obsolete and completely irrelevant so its possible that these people were so bored and so unhappy with their own lives that they may as well end it and make a spectacle while doing so. That may be rather harsh but I think martyrdom could have definitely been a cry of attention.
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