# Martyrdom of Dasius

- Author: Anonymous
- Latin title: *Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου Δασίου*
- Date: 303–304 (probable)
- Source: Rudolf Knopf, ed., Ausgewählte Märtyrerakten, 2nd ed. (Tübingen, 1913), no. 16, pp. 82–85 (OCR made for this site)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/
- Passages: 13

## Martyrdom of Dasius (title)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-0
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Title of the account.

### Greek text

Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου Δασίου. Κύριε εὐλόγησον.

### English translation (Claude)

Martyrdom of Saint Dasius. Lord, bless.

### Citation (SBL)

Act. pref. (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/0).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-1
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The soldiers' custom: a chosen man plays king for thirty days at the festival of Cronos and is then put to death.

### Greek text

Τῶν ἀϑεμίτων ἱεροσύλων βασιλευόντων Μαξιμιανοῦ καὶ Διοκλητιανοῦ, ἦν ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς ἐκείνοις συνήϑεια τοιαύτη ἐν τοῖς τάγμασι τῶν στρατιωτῶν, ὥστε καϑʼ ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦ Κρόνου τὴν ἐπίσημον ἑορτὴν ἐκτελέσαι. καὶ τοῦτο ὡσανεὶ οἰκεῖον καὶ ἐξαίρετον αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κρόνου δῶρον ἡγοῦντο ἐπὶ τὸ τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ ἐπιτελέσαι σεμνοτέραν παρὰ τὰς ἄλλας ἡμέρας" T ἐπεὶ οὖν ἕκαστος ὥσπερ εὐκταῖον ἱεροσυλίαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐποίει ᾧτινε γὰρ T ὁ τόπος ἐλάγχανεν, κομιζόμενος βασιλικὸν ἔνδυμα, προϊὼν κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κρόνου ὁμοιότητα εἴτ᾽ οὖν ἰδέαν δημοσίως ἐπὶ παντὸς τοῦ δήμου μετὰ ἀναιδοῦς καὶ ἀνεπαισχύντου ἀξίας, ἐπεμβαί- βογῶν μετὰ πλήϑους στρατιωτῶν, ἔχων ἄδειαν συγκεχωρημένην, ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τριάκοντα ἔπραττεν ἀϑεμίτους καὶ αἰσχρὰς ἐπιϑυμίας καὶ ἐνετρύφα διαβολικαῖς ἡδοναῖς. πληρουμένων δὲ τῶν τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν πέρας ἐδέχετο ἣ ἑορτὴ τοῦ Κρόνου, καὶ ὡσανεὶ ἣ εὐκταία αὕτη αὐτῶν ἑορτή. τότε αὐτὸς ὁ τὸ βασιλικὸν ἐπιφερόμενος σχῆμα ἐπιτελέσας τὰ κατὰ συνήϑειαν ἄσεμνα καὶ ἄϑεσμα παίγνια, παραχρῆμα τοῖς ἀνωνύμοις καὶ μυσαροῖς εἰδώλοις προσεκόμιζεν ἑαυτὸν σπονδήν, ἀναιρούμενος ὑπὸ μαχαίρας.

### English translation (Claude)

When the lawless and sacrilegious Maximian and Diocletian were reigning, there was in those times a custom in the ranks of the soldiers of celebrating every year the famous festival of Cronos. And they regarded this as Cronos's own special gift, to make his day more solemn than the other days. … receiving royal clothing and going forth in the likeness or appearance of Cronos himself, publicly before all the people, with shameless and unblushing dignity, he would parade with a crowd of soldiers, having license granted him for thirty days, and would carry out lawless and shameful desires and revel in devilish pleasures. When the thirty days were complete, the festival of Cronos came to its end, and with it this vowed festival of theirs. Then the man who wore the royal costume, having performed the customary indecent and lawless games, at once offered himself as a libation to the nameless and foul idols, being slain by the sword.

### Translation notes

- The editor marks with daggers the clause rendered “…”; literally it reads “since, then, each one performed the sacrilege as if by vow on his day—for to whomever the place fell by lot—.” The festival is the Saturnalia (Cronos = Saturn). “Parade” renders a garbled word (ἐπεμβαί- βογῶν), translated by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 1 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/1).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-2
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The lot falls on Dasius.

### Greek text

Ὡς δὲ ἔφϑασεν ἡ φωνὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν μακάριον Δάσιον, ὥστε καὶ αὐτὸν τὸ δυσσεβὲς τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν τάξιν τῆς ἑορτῆς πρᾶξαι, οὗτος ὡς ῥόδον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν, καϑὼς λέλεκται, ἀνεβλάστησεν. παρεκελεύετο οὖν ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἠναγκάζετο ἵνα τὴν ἐπίσημον ἡμέραν τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ Κρόνου ἐπιτελέσαι ἑτοιμασϑῇ.

### English translation (Claude)

When the call came also to the blessed Dasius, that he too should perform this impiety according to the order of the festival, he sprang up like a rose from thorns, as the saying goes. He was ordered, and at the same time compelled, to make ready to celebrate the famous day of the festival of Cronos.

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 2 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/2).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-3
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The author condemns Christians who keep the pagan New Year masquerades.

### Greek text

Αὕτη ἡ μυσαρὰ παράδοσις καὶ μέχρις ἡμῶν τῶν ἐσχάτων περιελϑοῦσα ἀϑλιωτέρως παραφυλάττεται. οὔτε λήγοντος γὰρ τοῦ κόσμου τὸ ἔϑος τὸ κακὸν τέλος λαμβάνει, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον χειροτέρως ἀνανεοῦται. ἔν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν καλανδῶν Ἰανουαρίων μάταιοι ἄνϑρωποι τῷ ἔϑει τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐξακολουϑοῦντες Χριστιανοὶ ὀνομαζόμενοι μετὰ παμμεγέϑους πομπῆς προέρχονται ἔναλλάττοντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν φύσιν, καὶ τὸν τρόπον καὶ τὴν μορφὴν τοῦ διαβόλου ἔνδύονται" αἰγείοις δέρμασι περιβεβλημένοι, τὸ πρόσωπον ἐνηλλαγμένοι ἀποβάλλουσιν ἐν ᾧ ἀνεγεννήϑησαν ἀγαϑῷ καὶ διακατέχουσιν ἔν ᾧ ἐγεννήϑησαν κακῷ. ἀποτάξασϑαι ὁμολογήσαντες ἕν τῷ βαπτίσματι τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ ταῖς πομπαῖς αὐτοῦ πάλιν στρατεύονται αὐτῷ ἔν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς καὶ αἰσχροῖς.

### English translation (Claude)

This foul tradition has come down even to us of the last times and is kept up still more wretchedly. For not even as the world draws to its end does the evil custom come to an end; rather it is renewed in worse form. For on the day of the Kalends of January, vain people who follow the custom of the Greeks, though they are named Christians, go out in a huge procession, changing their own nature and putting on the manner and form of the devil: clothed in goatskins, with their faces disguised, they cast off the good in which they were reborn and hold fast to the evil in which they were born. Having confessed at baptism that they renounce the devil and his pomps, they again serve as his soldiers in wicked and shameful works.

### Translation notes

- The author's own digression on New Year (Kalends of January) customs of his day.

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 3 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/3).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-4
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius resolves to die for Christ rather than for Cronos.

### Greek text

Ταύτην ὃ μακάριος Δάσιος ματαίαν παράδοσιν εἶναι ἔπιγνοὺς κατεπάτησεν τὸν κόσμον σὺν ταῖς ἀπάταις αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέπτυσεν τὸν διάβολον σὺν ταῖς πομπαῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑπέζευξεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ σταυρωϑέντι Χριστῷ καὶ κατὰ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου ἀτιμίας νικητὴς προῆλϑεν. σοφὸς γὰρ ὑπάρχων ζήλῳ ἁγίῳ ἐξαφϑεὶς ταῦτα ἔν τῇ αὐτοῦ διανοίᾳ διελογίζετο: Ἐὰν ἐν ταύταις ταῖς τριάκοντα ἡμέραις τῆς ματαίας ταύτης καὶ ἀπρεποῦς συνηϑείας φροντίσω πρὸς τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων τιμήν, ἥνπερ ἡ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πίστις βδελύττεται καὶ κωλύει, ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἀπώλειαν αἰώνιον παραδίδωμι. οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς προσκαίρου ταύτης ζωῆς ὀλεϑρίως στερίσκομαι. τίς γὰρ ἡ ὠφέλεια ὑπάρξει μετὰ τριάκοντα ἡμέρας, τῶν μυσαρῶν καὶ βδελυκτῶν παιγνίων τοῦ Κρόνου ἐπιτελεσϑέντων, τῷ ξίφει με παραδοϑῆναι; ἐπαγγελίᾳ ϑαρρήσας ὑπὲρ τῆς τιμῆς τῶν ἀκαϑάρτων δαιμόνων ἐμαυτὸν μαχαίρᾳ παραδίδωμι καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου ἀπαλλαγὴν τῷ αἰωνίῳ πυρὶ παραπεμφϑήσομαι. βέλτιόν μοί ἔστιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὀλίγας ὑπομεῖναι βασάνους καὶ τιμωρίας, καὶ μετὰ ϑάνατον ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων.

### English translation (Claude)

The blessed Dasius, recognizing this as a vain tradition, trampled on the world with its deceits, spat on the devil with his pomps, yoked himself to the crucified Christ, and went forth victorious over the devil's dishonor. For being wise and set on fire with holy zeal, he reasoned thus in his mind: “If in these thirty days of this vain and unseemly custom I devote myself to the honor of demons, which the faith of the Christians abhors and forbids, I hand myself over to eternal destruction; and not only that, but I am also ruinously deprived of this temporal life. For what profit will there be, after thirty days, when the foul and abominable games of Cronos are over, in being handed over to the sword? Trusting in their promise, I would hand myself over to the sword for the honor of the unclean demons, and after departing this life I would be sent on to the eternal fire. It is better for me to endure a few tortures and punishments for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and after death I shall inherit eternal life with all the saints.”

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 4 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/4).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-5
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius refuses and is imprisoned and brought before the legate Bassus.

### Greek text

Δέδοκται οὖν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὥστε παρὰ πάντων προσαχϑῆναι τὸν μακάριον Δάσιον τὴν τοῦ Κρόνου ἐπίσημον ἑορτὴν ἐπιτελέσοντα. ἀπεκρίϑη δὲ ὁ μακάριος Δάσιος τοῖς καταναγκάζουσιν αὐτὸν στρατιώταις" Ἐπειδὴ ἐπὶ τὸ τοιοῦτον μυσαρὸν ἀναγκάζετέ με, κρεῖττόν μοί ἐστιν οἰκείᾳ προαιρέσει τῷ δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ ϑυσία γενέσϑαι ἢ τῷ Κρόνῳ ὑμῶν τῷ εἰδώλῳ ἐπιϑῦσαι ἐμαυτόν. ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ τῆς παρανομίας ὑπηρέται εὐϑὺς αὐτὸν ἐν σκοτεινῇ φυλακῇ κατέκλεισαν καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ ἐξαγαγόντες αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς εἱρκτῆς ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ Βάσσου ληγάτου σύροντες ἀπήγαγον.

### English translation (Claude)

So it was decided on that day that the blessed Dasius should be brought forward by all to celebrate the famous festival of Cronos. The blessed Dasius answered the soldiers who were compelling him, “Since you are compelling me to such a foul thing, it is better for me by my own choice to become a sacrifice to Christ the Master than to sacrifice myself to your idol Cronos.” Hearing this, the servants of lawlessness at once shut him up in a dark prison, and the next day they brought him out of the jail and dragged him off to the praetorium of Bassus the legate.

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 5 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/5).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-6
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius gives his name as “Christian.”

### Greek text

Ὡς δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς τάξεως ἐν τῷ βήματι Βάσσου ληγάτου ὁ ἅγιος μάρτυς Δάσιος παρήχϑη, ἀτενίσας εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ Βάσσος εἶπεν" Ποίας τύχης ὑπάρχεις καὶ τίς καλεῖ; ὃ δὲ μακάριος Δάσιος μετὰ παρρησίας καὶ ἐλευϑερίας ἔφη" Ἀξίας μὲν στρατιωτικῆς ὑπάρχω, περὶ δὲ τῆς προσωνυμίας μου ἐρῶ σοι" τὸ μὲν ἐξαίρετόν μου ὄνομα Χριστιανός εἶμι, τὸ δὲ ἐκ γονέων ἐπιτεϑέν μοι Δάσιος καλοῦμαι.

### English translation (Claude)

When the holy martyr Dasius had been brought by the staff before the tribunal of Bassus the legate, Bassus looked at him and said, “Of what station are you, and what is your name?” The blessed Dasius said with boldness and freedom, “I am of military rank; as for my name, I will tell you: my chosen name is Christian, and the one given me by my parents is Dasius.”

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 6 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/6).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-7
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius declares he serves the heavenly King.

### Greek text

Βάσσος ὃ ληγᾶτος ἔφη" Δεήϑητι τοῖς T ἴχνεσιν T τῶν δεσποτῶν ἡμῶν τῶν βασιλέων τῶν τὴν εἰρήνην παρεχόντων καὶ δωρουμένων ἡμῖν và σιτηρέσια καὶ ἐπὶ πάσῃ λυσιτελείᾳ ἡμῶν ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας φροντίδα ποιουμένων. Δάσιος ὃ μακάριος ἀπεκρίϑη" Ἐγὼ ἤδη εἶπον xal λέγω ὅτι Χριστιανός εἶμι, καὶ οὐ στρατεύομαι ἐπιγείῳ βασιλεῖ, ἀλλὰ βασιλεῖ οὐρανίῳ καὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν δωρεὰν κέκτημαι, αὐτοῦ τῇ χάριτι διαιτῶμαι καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀφάτου φιλανϑρωπίας πλουτῶ.

### English translation (Claude)

Bassus the legate said, “Make supplication to the … of our lords the emperors, who give us peace, grant us our rations, and take thought every day for all our advantage.” The blessed Dasius answered, “I have already said, and I say again, that I am a Christian; I serve as a soldier not to an earthly king but to the heavenly King. I possess his gift, I live by his grace, and I am rich through his unspeakable love for humanity.”

### Translation notes

- The editor marks the word rendered “…” (ἴχνεσιν, “footprints”) as corrupt. Knopf notes that the manuscript has βασιλεῦσι τελεία instead of “all our advantage.”

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 7 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/7).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-8
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius confesses the Trinity and refuses the imperial images.

### Greek text

Βάσσος ληγᾶτος ἔφη" Ἱκέτευσον, Δάσιε, τὰς ἱερὰς εἰκόνας τῶν βασιλέων ἡμῶν ἅσπερ καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ βάρβαρα ἔϑνη σέβονται καὶ δουλεύουσιν αὐταῖς. Δάσιος ὃ μακάριος μάρτυς εἶπεν: Ἐγὼ Χριστιανὸν εἶναι ἐμαυτὸν ὁμολογῶ, καϑὼς πλειστάκις ὡμολόγησα καὶ οὐδενὶ ἄλλῳ ἐπακούω εἰ μὴ μόνον ἑνὶ ἀχράντῳ καὶ αἰωνίῳ ϑεῷ, πατρὶ καὶ υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι ἐν τρισὶ μὲν ὀνόμασι καὶ ὑποστάσεσιν, ἐν μιᾷ δὲ οὐσίᾳ" ἤδη τρίτῃ φωνῇ ὁμολογῶ τὴν πίστιν τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος, ἐπειδὴ δι᾽ αὐτῆς ὀχυρώμενος τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου μανίαν διὰ τάχους νικῷ καὶ καταστρέφω.

### English translation (Claude)

Bassus the legate said, “Supplicate, Dasius, the sacred images of our emperors, which even the barbarian nations revere and serve.” The blessed martyr Dasius said, “I confess myself to be a Christian, as I have confessed many times, and I obey no one else except the one undefiled and eternal God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in three names and hypostases but in one essence. Already for the third time I confess the faith of the Holy Trinity, since, fortified by it, I swiftly conquer and overthrow the madness of the devil.”

### Translation notes

- The Trinitarian formula (“three hypostases, one essence”) reflects later fourth-century terminology and may come from a reviser of the Acts.

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 8 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/8).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 9

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-9
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius will keep the faith despite threats.

### Greek text

Βάσσος ληγᾶτος ἔφη" Ἀγνοεῖς, Δάσιε, ὅτι πᾶς ἄνϑρωπος τῇ βασιλικῇ προστάξει καὶ τοῖς ἱεροῖς νόμοις ὑποτέτακται. ἐπειδὴ φείδομαί σου, τούτου χάριν ἀμερίμνως καὶ ἀδεῶς ἀποκρίνῃ μοι. ὁ δὲ μακάριος καὶ ὅσιος ἀϑλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Δάσιος ἀπεκρίνατο λέγων" Σὺ ποίησον ἅπερ σοι παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων προστέτακται τῶν δυσσεβῶν καὶ μιαρῶν" ἐγὼ γὰρ τὴν πίστιν μου ἥνπερ ἅπαξ τῷ ϑεῷ μου προεϑέμην φυλάξαι, φυλάττω καὶ δυνατῶς καὶ ἀσφαλῶς προσμεῖναι ἐμαυτὸν πιστεύω ἐν ταύτῃ μου τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ" οὐ γὰρ δύνανταί με αἱ ἀπειλαί σου τῆς τοιαύτης προαιρέσεως μεταβαλεῖν.

### English translation (Claude)

Bassus the legate said, “Do you not know, Dasius, that every man is subject to the imperial command and the sacred laws? Since I am sparing you, you answer me carelessly and without fear.” The blessed and holy athlete of Christ, Dasius, answered, “Do what you have been ordered by the impious and foul emperors; for the faith that I once undertook before my God to keep, I keep, and I trust that I will remain firmly and securely in this my confession. For your threats cannot turn me from such a resolve.”

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 9 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/9).

## Martyrdom of Dasius 10

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-10
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius refuses a delay.

### Greek text

Βάσσος ληγᾶτος ἔφη" Ἰδοὺ ἔχεις καιρὸν διωρίας εἰ βουληϑείης ἐν τῷ νοΐ σου διαλογισϑῆναι ὅπως δυνηϑείης ζῆν μεϑ' ἡμῶν ἐν δόξῃ. ὃ δὲ μακάριος Δάσιος εἶπεν" Τίς χρεία καιροῦ διωρίας" ἤδη τὴν βουλήν μου καὶ τὴν πρόϑεσίν μου ἐφανέρωσά σοι λέγων" ποίησον ὃ ϑέλεις, ὅτι Χριστιανός εἶμι. ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ τῶν βασιλέων σου καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτῶν καταπτύω καὶ βδελύσσομαι αὐτήν, ὥστε μετὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου τούτου ἀπαλλαγὴν εἷς τὴν ἐκεῖ ζωὴν ζῆσαι δυνηϑῶ.

### English translation (Claude)

Bassus the legate said, “See, you have a period of delay, if you wish to consider in your mind how you may be able to live with us in glory.” The blessed Dasius said, “What need is there of a period of delay? I have already made my counsel and my purpose plain to you, saying: Do what you wish, for I am a Christian. See, I spit on your emperors and their glory, and I abhor it, so that after departing this life I may be able to live the life there.”

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 10 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/10).

## 11

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-11
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Condemned, Dasius scatters the incense and overturns the idols.

### Greek text

Τότε ὃ Βάσσος ληγᾶτος μετὰ τὸ πολλὰς αὐτῷ τιμωρίας παρασχέσϑαι, δέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀπόφασιν ὥστε ἀποτμηϑῆναι αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλήν. ὅστις ἀπερχόμενος εἷς τὴν ἔνδοξον αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν εἶχέν τίνα προηγούμενον αὐτοῦ μετὰ ἀϑεμίτου ϑυμιατηρίου. ὡς δὲ ἠνάγκαζον αὐτὸν προσενεγκεῖν ϑυσίαν τοῖς ἀκαϑάρτοις δαιμόσιν, τότε λαβὼν ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶν ὃ μακάριος Δάσιος διεσκόρπισεν αὐτῶν τὰ ϑυμιάματα καὶ κατέβαλεν τὰ δυσσεβῆ καὶ ἀϑέμιτα τῶν ἱεροσύλων εἴδωλα εἰς τὴν γῆν κατασύρας, ὥπλισέν τε τὸ μέτωπον αὐτοῦ τῇ σφραγῖδι τοῦ τιμίου σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὗτινος τῇ δυνάμει ἰσχυρῶς πρὸς τὸν τύραννον ἀντηγωνίσατο.

### English translation (Claude)

Then Bassus the legate, after inflicting many punishments on him, gave sentence that his head be cut off. As he went to his glorious martyrdom, someone went before him with an unlawful censer. When they tried to force him to offer sacrifice to the unclean demons, the blessed Dasius took the incense in his own hands and scattered it, threw the impious and unlawful idols of the sacrilegious to the ground, and armed his forehead with the seal of the precious cross of Christ, by whose power he contended mightily against the tyrant.

### Translation notes

- The end of this chapter and chapter 12 were missing from the staged text and have been added from the OCR of Knopf's next page (p. 86).

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 11 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/11).

## 12

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-dasii/0/#p-12
- Source: Knopf, 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Dasius is beheaded at Durostorum on 20 November.

### Greek text

Ἀπῆλϑεν οὖν ὁ ἅγιος μάρτυς ἐπὶ τὸ ἀποκεφαλισϑῆναι μηνὶ Νοεμβρίῳ εἰκάδι, ἡμέρᾳ παρασκευῇ, ὥρᾳ τετάρτῃ, τῆς σελήνης εἰκάδι τετάρτῃ. ἐκρούσϑη δὲ ὑπὸ Ἀνικήτου Ἰωάννου σπεκουλάτορος, καὶ ἐτελειώϑη ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ. Ἤϑλησεν δὲ ὁ ἅγιος Δάσιος ἐν πόλει Δωροστόλῳ, βασιλευόντων Μαξιμιανοῦ καὶ Διοκλητιανοῦ, ἐρωτήσαντος δὲ αὐτὸν Βάσσου ληγάτου, ἐν οὐρανοῖς δὲ βασιλεύοντος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα σὺν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν.

### English translation (Claude)

So the holy martyr went off to be beheaded on the twentieth of November, a Friday, at the fourth hour, on the twenty-fourth day of the moon. He was struck by Anicetus John, the speculator, and his martyrdom was completed in peace. Saint Dasius contended in the city of Durostorum, while Maximian and Diocletian reigned and Bassus the legate examined him, but while in heaven our Lord Jesus Christ reigns, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and to the ages of ages. Amen.

### Translation notes

- A speculator was an executioner. Durostorum lay on the lower Danube (modern Silistra).

### Citation (SBL)

Act. 12 (Knopf, 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-dasii/12).