ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

Chapter VI.—Continuation. Several other martyrs.

To these men who spent their lives in the practice of holiness, there is to be added a great multitude of the elect, who, having through envy endured many indignities and tortures, furnished us with a most excellent example. Through envy, those women, the Danaids³²³²    Some suppose these to have been the names of two eminent female martyrs under Nero; others regard the clause as an interpolation. [Many ingenious conjectures might be cited; but see Jacobson’s valuable note, Patres Apostol., vol. i. p. 30.] and Dircæ, being persecuted, after they had suffered terrible and unspeakable torments, finished the course of their faith with stedfastness,³³³³    Literally, “have reached to the stedfast course of faith.” and though weak in body, received a noble reward. Envy has alienated wives from their husbands, and changed that saying of our father Adam, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.”³⁴³⁴    Gen. ii. 23. Envy and strife have overthrown great cities and rooted up mighty nations.