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[edit] contradictions
The external sources contradict themselves in the details of the anecdote. I ask for help regarding this issue, which I expose below:
- [1] says the guards question them; they give as their names those of the prophets and their city as Jerusalem (meaning the heavenly city). They are brought before the governor, Firmilian, who tries to extract more precise information. They remained mute, were accused of being Christian, tortured, then beheaded.
- [2] says they confess to the guards their Christian identity and the reason for their journey, and because of that they are arrested and tortured on a rack. Firmilian then interrogates them, asking Elias what their native country was. Elias answered, “Jerusalem,” meaning not the earthly city, but rather the heavenly Jerusalem. The governor thereupon orders Elias to be tortured further and all five men to be beheaded.
- [3] says they are detained at Caesarea and thrown into prison for confessing Christ. The youths appear before Firmilian, and take the names of Old Testament prophets, Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel and Daniel when asked for their names. Asked where they are from, the youths say that they are from Jerusalem, meaning the heavenly Jerusalem. Firmilian knew nothing of such a city, since Jerusalem had been razed to the ground by the emperor Titus in the year 70. The emperor Hadrian (117-138) built a new city on the site, which was called Aelia Capitolina. Firmilian tortured the youths for a long time, trying to find out the location of the unknown city, and to persuade the youths to apostatize. But nothing was accomplished, and the governor ordered them to be beheaded by the sword.
So, what's the real story?
- do they confess being christians right away(2,3), or not(1)?
- do they mention the prophet names' and jerusalem to the guards(1), or to firmilian (2,3)?
- are they tortured by the guards(2), or just imprisoned (1,3)?
- after the second interrogation, are all of them tortured(1,3), or just Elias(2)?
Please note that there isn't a pattern of accordance between these sources (for example, always 1 against 2 and 3). Can anyone acess Eusebius' book or other reliable source to clear out this issue? Waldir talk 21:31, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
