# Martyrdom of Conon - Author: Anonymous - Latin title: *Martyrium Cononis* - Date: ca. 250 (approximate) - Source: Oscar von Gebhardt, ed., Ausgewählte Märtyrerakten (Berlin: Karl Curtius, 1902), item XII, pp. 129–133 (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-cononis/ - Passages: 7 ## Martyrdom of Conon (title) - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-0 - Source: Gebhardt, 129 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Title of the account. ### Greek text Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου Κόνωνος. ### English translation (Claude) Martyrdom of Saint Conon. ### Citation (SBL) Act. pref. (Gebhardt, 129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/0). ## Martyrdom of Conon 1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-1 - Source: Gebhardt, 129 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: At Magydos the inhabitants flee when the governor summons them. ### Greek text Πάλιν ὦ τῆς δυσσεβοῦς κρίσεως. Μετὰ τὸ τελειωϑῆναι τοὺς ἁγίους τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυρας Παπίαν, Διόδωρον καὶ Κλαυδιανὸν ἐπεβέβηκεν ὁ ἡγεμὼν τῇ πόλει Μαγυδώ, καὶ καϑίσας ἐν τῷ προαστείῳ τοῦ Διὸς ἐπειρᾶτο κἀκεῖσε τοὺς οἰκήτορας διὰ τοῦ κήρυχος προσχαλεῖσϑαι. οἱ δὲ τῆς κηρυχῆς τοῦ βοῶντος ἐπακούσαντες μᾶλλον σπουδαιοτέρως ὑπεχώρησαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως πάντα καταλείψαντες, ὥστε τὴν πόλιν μόνην ὑπολειφϑῆναι μετὰ τοῦ μιαροῦ ἄρχοντος καὶ τῆς τάξεως αὐτοῦ. ὃ δὲ ἀπέστειλεν σιγγουλαρίους καί τινας ἄλλους κύκλῳ τῆς πόλεως ἀναζητεῖν πανταχοῦ καὶ κατ᾽ οἶκον, εἴ τινας εὕροιεν. ἦλϑον οἱ ἀποσταλέντες καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ μηδένα εὑρηκέναι ἐν τῇ πόλει ἢ ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς. ### English translation (Claude) Once more—oh, the impious judgment! After the holy martyrs of Christ Papias, Diodorus, and Claudian had been perfected, the governor came to the city of Magydos and, taking his seat in the suburb of Zeus, tried there too to summon the inhabitants through the herald. But when they heard the herald's proclamation, they withdrew from the city all the more eagerly, leaving everything behind, so that the city was left empty with the foul magistrate and his staff. He sent singulares and some others round the city to search everywhere, house by house, in case they might find anyone. Those who had been sent came back and reported that they had found no one in the city or in the fields. ### Translation notes - The opening words seem to join this account to a preceding one. Singulares were soldiers detached to a governor's guard. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 1 (Gebhardt, 129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/1). ## Martyrdom of Conon 2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-2 - Source: Gebhardt, 129 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Conon, a gardener, is found and dragged to the governor. ### Greek text Καί τις ὀνόματι Ναόδωρος, ὁ καὶ ᾿Ἵπελλῆς, πατὴρ πόλεως, καὶ ἄλλος τις, νεωκόρος [ὀνόματι], ἐμμαινόμενος καὶ αὐτὸς τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ τῶν εἰδώλων, ἠξίωσαν τὸν ἡγεμόνα δοθῆναι αὐτοῖς βοήϑειαν, ὥστε ζητῆσαι ἐν οἷς ὑπώπτευον τόποις. καί τις βοηϑὸς ὀνόματι Ὡριγένης, ἐπιβὰς καὶ αὐτὸς σὺν τῷ προειρημένῳ Ναοδώρῳ μετὰ καὶ εἰρηναρχικῆς τάξεως καὶ ἑτέρων τινῶν, ηὗρον τὸν μακάριον Κόνωνα ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ λεγομένῳ Καρμενά, βασιλικὸν ἐπαρδεύοντα κῆπον. καὶ ἐγγίσαντες τῷ τρισμακαρίῳ μάρτυρι ἐχαιρέτιζον αὐτὸν λέγοντες" Χαῖρε, Κόνων. καὶ ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος, ἡ ἀχέραιος ψυχή, ὁ ἄκακος τῇ διανοίᾳ, λέγει πρὸς αὐτούς" Χαίρετε καὶ ὑμεῖς, τέχνα. λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ὠριγένης" Παπία, καλεῖ σε ὁ ἡγεμών. ἅγιος Κόνων λέγει" Καὶ ἐμοῦ ὁ ἡγεμὼν τί χρείαν ἔχει, ξένου ἀνθρώπου καὶ μάλιστα Χριστιανοῦ; ἐὰν ζητῇ τοὺς ὁμοίους ἑαυτοῦ, ζητείτω, καὶ οὐχὶ ἄνϑρωπον γεηπόνον, μοχϑοῦντα τὸ καϑ' ἡμέραν. καὶ ἐπαπορηϑεὶς ὁ παράνομος Ναόδωρος ἐπὶ τῇ ἀντιλογίᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου Κόνωνος, κελεύει δεϑῆναι αὐτὸν τῷ ἵππῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὕτως ἕλκεσϑαι. καὶ ὁ ἅγιος μάρτυς οὐδὲν ἀντεῖπεν τοῖς ἐφέλκουσιν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ πράως καὶ ἐπιεικῶς ἐπηκολούϑει τοῖς παρανόμοις. ### English translation (Claude) Then a man named Naodorus, also called Apelles, the father of the city, and another man, a temple-warden, himself raving with the impiety of the idols, asked the governor to give them help, so as to search the places they suspected. And an assistant named Origen, going out together with the aforesaid Naodorus, with the irenarch's staff and some others, found the blessed Conon in a place called Carmena, watering an imperial garden. Approaching the thrice-blessed martyr, they greeted him, saying, “Greetings, Conon.” And the servant of Christ, the guileless soul, innocent in mind, said to them, “Greetings to you too, children.” Origen said to him, “Father, the governor is summoning you.” Saint Conon said, “And what need has the governor of me, a stranger, and above all a Christian? If he is looking for those like himself, let him look for them, and not for a man who works the land and toils day by day.” The lawless Naodorus, put out by holy Conon's reply, ordered him to be tied to his horse and dragged along like that. And the holy martyr said nothing against those who dragged him, but followed the lawless men meekly and gently. ### Translation notes - The editor deletes “by name” after “temple-warden” (no name follows). “Father” renders Παπία, an affectionate form of address. The irenarch was the local police magistrate. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 2 (Gebhardt, 129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/2). ## Martyrdom of Conon 3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-3 - Source: Gebhardt, 130 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Conon is presented to the governor and declares he obeys Christ the King. ### Greek text Λέγει ὁ Ναόδωρος τῷ ᾿Ωριγένειʼ Ἢ ϑήρα ἡμῶν οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήϑη᾽ ὁ γὰρ ζητούμενος ηὐρέϑη. οὗτος ὑπὲρ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πάντων ἀπολογήσασϑαι ἔχει. καὶ προσαγαγόντων αὐτὸν τῷ ἡγεμόνι Ναόδωρος λέγει" Εὐμενείᾳ τῶν ϑεῶν καὶ προστάγματι τοῦ αὐτοχράτορος καὶ τῇ σῇ εὐτυχίᾳ, ἄρχον ἡμῶν ἐπίλεκτε, ηὑρέϑη ὁ ζητούμενος φίλτατος τοῖς ϑεοῖς πᾶσιν πειϑόμενος καὶ τοῖς νόμοις καὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ. χαὶ ὁ, ἅγιος Κόνων μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ἔφη· Οὐχ ὡς ἔστιν λέγεις ἐγὼ γὰρ πείϑομαι τῷ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ Χριστῷ. Ὠριγένης λέγει. Ἐπίλεκτε τῶν ἡγεμόνων, πολλὰ περιοδεύσαντες κύκλῳ τὰ περὶ τὴν πόλιν οὐδένα εὑρεῖν δεδυνήμεϑα εἰ μὴ τὸν γέροντα τοῦτον ἐν κήπῳ τινί. ### English translation (Claude) Naodorus said to Origen, “Our hunt has not been in vain; the man we were looking for has been found. He can make the defense for all the Christians.” And when they had brought him to the governor, Naodorus said, “By the favor of the gods and the command of the emperor and your good fortune, our excellent ruler, the man we were looking for has been found—most dear to all the gods, obedient to the laws and to the great emperor.” And holy Conon said with a loud voice, “You do not speak as it is; for I obey the great King, Christ.” Origen said, “Excellency among governors, though we went all round the city we could find no one except this old man in a garden.” ### Citation (SBL) Act. 3 (Gebhardt, 130; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/3). ## Martyrdom of Conon 4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-4 - Source: Gebhardt, 130 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The governor urges Conon to offer a token sacrifice and mocks the crucified Christ. ### Greek text Ὁ δὲ ἡγεμὼν λέγει τῷ μάρτυρι· Εἰπέ μοι, ἄνθρωπε, πόϑεν εἶ, ἢ ποίου γένους τυγχάνεις, ἢ τί τὸ ὄνομά σου; Κόνων εἶπεν Πόλεως μέν εἰμὶ ἐγὼ Ναζαρὲϑʼ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, συγγένεια δέ μοί ἐστιν πρὸς Χριστόν͵ ᾧ ἐκ προγόνων λατρεύω, ὃν ἔγνωκα ἐπὶ πάντων ϑεόν. ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ τύραννος" Εἰ ἔγνως τὸν «Χριστόν, γνῶϑι καὶ τοὺς ἡμετέρους ϑεούς. ἐμοὶ πείσϑητι καί, μὰ τοὺς ϑεοὺς ἅπαντας, τιμὴν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν περιποιεῖς σεαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐγενῆ πίστιν καὶ δόξαν ἐν ὑπερβολῇ. οὐ λέγω σοι Θῦσον, ἀλλʼ οὐδέ τε τῶν τοιούτων ποίησον᾽ μόνον δὲ λάβε λίβανον βραχὺν καὶ οἶνον καὶ ϑαλλὸν καὶ εἰπέ· Δίε πανύψιστε, σῶξε τὸ πλῆϑος τοῦτο. τοῦτο εἰπέ, καὶ ἕτερον οὐδέν σε ἐπάγω. ἐμοῦ ἄκουσον παρακαλοῦντός σε καὶ φύγε τὴν ἀσεμνοτάτην ϑρησκείαν. τί πλανᾶσθε, ἄνθρωπον ϑεὸν λέγοντες, καὶ τοῦτον βιοϑανῆ; ὡς ἔμαϑον παρὰ Ἰουδαίων ἀκριβῶς, καὶ τί τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ καὶ ὅσα ἐνεδείξατο τῷ ἔϑνει αὐτῶν καὶ πῶς ἀπέϑανεν σταυρωϑείς. προκομίσαντες γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ ὑπομνήματα ἐπανέγνωσάν μοι. παῦσαι οὖν τῆς τοιαύτης μωρίας καὶ ἔσο μεϑ᾽ ἡμῶν εὐφραινόμενος.: ### English translation (Claude) The governor said to the martyr, “Tell me, man, where are you from, or of what family are you, or what is your name?” Conon said, “I am of the city of Nazareth in Galilee, and I am related to Christ, whom I serve from my forefathers and whom I have known as God over all.” The tyrant said to him, “If you have known Christ, know our gods as well. Be persuaded by me, and, by all the gods, you will gain for yourself no ordinary honor, but also noble trust and glory in abundance. I do not say to you, ‘Sacrifice,’ nor do anything of that sort; only take a little incense and wine and a branch and say, ‘Most high Zeus, save this people.’ Say this, and I lay nothing else on you. Listen to me as I appeal to you, and flee this most indecent religion. Why do you go astray, calling a man God—and one who died a violent death at that? So I learned accurately from the Jews: what his descent was, what he displayed to their nation, and how he died, crucified. For they produced his records and read them to me. Stop, then, such foolishness, and be with us and enjoy yourself.” ### Scripture references - Rom 9:5: echo, medium confidence - 2 Tim 1:3: echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - “God over all”: cf. Rom 9:5 (Gebhardt's margin). The governor's account of Christ, which he says he learned from the Jews, is given as written. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 4 (Gebhardt, 130; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/4). ## Martyrdom of Conon 5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-5 - Source: Gebhardt, 131 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Conon rebukes the governor and defies his threats. ### Greek text Ὁ δὲ μακάριος μάρτυς στενάξας καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων ϑεὸν προσευξάμενος, τῷ τυράννῳ ἔφη" ᾿Ασεβέστατε πάντων ἀνϑρώπων. εἴϑε τοιαύτης μωρίας καὶ σὺ ἧς μετέχων xoi μὴ ἤπολλες ψυχάς, ἃς οὐκ ἔδει ἀπολέσϑαι, προσέχων λίϑοις ἀψύχοις καὶ ἔργοις χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοῖς μὴ βλέπουσιν μήτε ἀκούουσιν. πῶς δὲ ἐτόλμησας τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων ϑεὸν οὕτω βλασφημῆσαι, οὗ ἐν χερσίν ἔστιν ἡ πνοή σου· ἐμοὶ δὲ γένοιτο καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἀνεξαρνήτως ἀεὶ ὑμνεῖν xci δοξάζειν αὐτὸν τὸν τῶν ὅλων σωτῆρα καὶ ϑεόν. xai ὃ ἀσεβὴς τύραννος μεμηνὼς ἐπὶ τοῖς λεχϑεῖσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος λέγει πρὸς αὐτόνʼ Ἐμοὶ οὐ πείϑῃ, αἱ βάσανοί σε πτοῆσαι πείσουσινʼ εἰ δὲ καὶ τῶν βασάνων καταφρονεῖς, λέοντί σε πικροτάτῳ παραβαλὼν οὕτως σε ἀναλώσω, ἢ βορὰν τοῖς ἐκ βυϑοῦ ϑηρίοις παραδώσω σε, ἢ ἐπὶ σταυροῦ χρεμάσας ἀποκτανϑῆναΐ σε ποιήσω, ἢ λαβροτάτῳ πυρὲ ἐν λέβητε. ὑποκαιομένῳ βαλῶ σε xai ἐκτήξω τὰς σάρκας σου, ἐὰν μὴ ϑύσῃς τοῖς ἀηττήτοις καὶ αἰωνίοις ϑεοῖς. καὶ ὁ μακάριος μάρτυς λέγει πρὸς τὸν ἀσεβῆ τύραννον" ᾿Ασχημονεῖς, ἡγεμών" λόγοις ἐπαγγελλόμενος μόνον, ἐκφοβεῖν μὲ οἰόμενος, νομέζεις πεῖσαί με; οὐ πείσεις με· μὴ γένοιτο. βλέπε δὲ μή σε ὁ κριτὴς ταρτάρῳ παραδώσῃ ἀνυπερ- ϑέτῳ, ἢ πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ εἰς αἰῶνας, ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυταιʼ αἱ γὰρ coi βάσανοι, ἃς ἐπαγγέλλη μοι, οὐ δύνανταί μὲ ἀδικῆσαι" ϑεὸν γὰρ ἔχω τὸν ἐνδυναμοῦντα με. ὃ δὲ τύραννος εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν᾽ Εἰ xoi αἱ βάσανοι οὐδὲν ἰσχύσουσιν κατὰ σοῦ, ἔτι πικροτέρας βασάνους ἐπινοήσομαι κατὰ σοῦ. ### English translation (Claude) The blessed martyr groaned and looked up to heaven, and having prayed to the God of all he said to the tyrant, “Most impious of all men! Would that you too shared in such foolishness, and were not destroying souls that ought not to perish, giving heed to lifeless stones and the works of human hands, which neither see nor hear. How did you dare so to blaspheme the God over all, in whose hands is your breath? But may it be granted to me and to all who call upon his name always to hymn and glorify him without denying him, the Savior and God of all.” The impious tyrant, maddened by what the holy martyr had said, said to him, “You do not obey me; the tortures will persuade you to fear. And if you despise even the tortures, I will throw you to a most savage lion and so destroy you, or give you as food to the beasts of the deep, or hang you on a cross and have you put to death, or throw you into a cauldron heated with a fierce fire and melt away your flesh, unless you sacrifice to the unconquered and eternal gods.” The blessed martyr said to the impious tyrant, “You disgrace yourself, governor. Making promises only in words, thinking to frighten me, do you suppose you will persuade me? You will not persuade me—may it never be! But see that the Judge does not hand you over to Tartarus without reprieve, or to the unquenchable fire forever, where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. For the tortures you promise me cannot harm me; for I have God who strengthens me.” The tyrant said to him, “Even if the tortures have no power against you, I will devise still more bitter tortures against you.” ### Scripture references - Dan 5:23: allusion, high confidence - Mark 9:48: quotation, high confidence - Isa 66:24: allusion, medium confidence - Phil 4:13: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:25: echo, low confidence - Ps 115:5 (113:13 LXX): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - Dan 5:23; Mark 9:48 (Isa 66:24); Phil 4:13; cf. Matt 5:25 (Gebhardt's margin). The clause “the tortures will persuade you to fear” is uncertain in the manuscript; Gebhardt suggests a correction with the same sense. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 5 (Gebhardt, 131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/5). ## Martyrdom of Conon 6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-cononis/0/#p-6 - Source: Gebhardt, 132 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Conon is made to run before the chariot with nailed feet and dies praying; a short summary of his martyrdom follows. ### Greek text Σκεψάμενος μετὰ τῶν συνέδρων αὐτοῦ κελεύει ἥλους γενέσϑαι ὑπὸ ἄρϑρων καὶ καϑηλώσας τοὺς πόδας τοῦ μάρτυρος ἐποίησεν ἔμπροσθεν προτρέχειν αὐτὸν τοῦ ἅρματος αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐλαυνόμενος δυσὶν φραγελλίοις οὐδὲν ἀπεχρίνατο, ἀλλ᾽ ἔψαλλεν λέγων" Ὑπομένων ὑπέμεινα τὸν κύριον, καὶ προσέσχεν μοι καὶ εἰσήκουσεν τῆς δεήσεώς μου. ὡς δὲ ἐπλησίασεν τῷ ἐμπορίῳ ϑεὶς τὰ γόνατα ὀλιγοψυχῶν ἐκ τοῦ κόπου μακάριος Κόνων καὶ ἀναβλέψας πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ δεσπότην ἐπηύξατο λέγων" Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, δέξαι τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ ῥῦσαί με ἀπὸ τῶν αἱμοβόρων κυνῶν καὶ ἀνάπαυσόν με μετὰ πάντων τῶν δικαίων σου τῶν πεποιηχότων τὸ ϑέλημά σου. ναί, ὁ ϑεός μου, ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν αἰώνων. καὶ ταῦτα εὐξάμενος καὶ σφραγίσας ἑαυτὸν εὐϑέως ἀπέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα. δὲ παράνομος ἡγεμών, πολλὰ καταπλαγεὶς ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ τοῦ μάρτυρος, ἐξώρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸν ἴδιον δρόμον. ὁ δὲ μακάριος Κόνων προσφορὰ προσηνέχϑη τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων ϑεῷ· ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν. Ἄϑλησις τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Κόνωνος τοῦ κηποροῦ. Οὗτος ἦν κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους Δεκίου τοῦ βασιλέως ἐκ Ναζαρὲτ τῆς Γαλιλαίας. εἶτα ἦλθεν ἐν πόλει Μαγυδὼν τῆς Παμφυλίας, καὶ ἦν ἐν τόπῳ λεγομένῳ Καρμενὰ κῆπον καλλιεργῶν καὶ λάχανα φυτεύων καὶ ποτίζων, ἐξ ὧν τὴν τροφὴν ἐπορίζετο. ἦν δὲ τὸν τρόπον ἁπλοῦς" ὡς καὶ τοὺς μέλλοντας κρατήσειν αὐτὸν ἐπιστάντας καὶ ὡς ἐν παιγνέῳ ἀσπαζομένους αὐτὸν ἀντασπάζεσθϑαι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν διʼ ἣν ἦλϑον εἰπόντας, ὅτε ὁ ἡγεμὼν Πούπλιος αὐτὸν καλεῖ, ἀποκρίνασϑαι" Ποίαν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐμοῦ χρείαν ἔχει, καὶ μάλιστα ὑπάρχοντος Χριστιανοῦ; καλείτω τοὺς ὁμόφρονας αὐτοῦ. δεσμευϑεὶς καὶ ἀχϑεὶς πρὸς τὸν ἡγεμόνα καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ϑῦσαι τοῖς εἰδώλοις προτραπείς, βαϑὺ στενάξας καὶ τὸν τύραννον καϑυβρίσας καὶ ἐμμένειν τῇ εἰς «Χριστὸν ὁμολογίᾳ βεβαιωσάμενος, ἥλοις σιδηροῖς τοὺς πόδας καϑηλωϑεὶς καὶ τρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἅρματος ἀναγκαζόμενος, λειποψυ- χήσας καὶ ἐπὶ γόνυ κλιϑεὶς καὶ προσευξάμενος παρέδωκε τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ κυρίῳ. ### English translation (Claude) After deliberating with his advisers, he ordered nails to be driven through the joints; and having nailed the martyr's feet, he made him run ahead of his chariot. Driven on with two whips, he answered nothing, but sang a psalm, saying, “I waited patiently for the Lord, and he attended to me and heard my prayer.” When he came near the market-place, the blessed Conon, fainting from exhaustion, fell on his knees, and looking up to his own Master he prayed, saying, “Lord Jesus Christ, receive my soul, rescue me from the bloodthirsty dogs, and give me rest with all your righteous ones who have done your will. Yes, my God, King of the ages.” And having prayed this and sealed himself with the sign, he at once gave up his spirit. The lawless governor, greatly astonished at the martyr's victory, set out on his own journey. And the blessed Conon was offered as an offering to God, the King of the ages; to whom be the glory to the ages of ages. Amen. The contest of the holy martyr Conon the gardener. He lived in the times of the emperor Decius, from Nazareth in Galilee. Then he came to the city of Magydos in Pamphylia and lived in a place called Carmena, tending a garden, planting and watering vegetables, from which he got his food. He was simple in character: when those who were about to arrest him came up and greeted him as if in play, he greeted them in return; and when they told him why they had come—that the governor Publius was summoning him—he answered, “What need has he of me, especially since I am a Christian? Let him summon those of his own mind.” He was bound and brought to the governor, and when urged by him to sacrifice to the idols, he groaned deeply, reviled the tyrant, and affirmed that he would remain in his confession of Christ. His feet were nailed with iron nails and he was forced to run in front of the chariot; fainting, he sank to his knees, prayed, and gave up his spirit to the Lord. ### Scripture references - Ps 40:1 (39:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Acts 7:59: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 22:20 (21:21 LXX): echo, low confidence - 1 Tim 1:17: echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - Ps 40:1 (LXX 39:2); cf. Acts 7:59 (Gebhardt's margin). “Through the joints” follows Gebhardt's correction (ἄρθρων) of the manuscript's “number.” The closing paragraph (“The contest of the holy martyr Conon …”) is a separate short summary of the martyrdom, printed after the account; it names the governor Publius and dates Conon to the reign of Decius. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 6 (Gebhardt, 132; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/martyrium-cononis/6).