E00665: Coptic Martyrdom of *Kollouthos (physician and martyr of Antinoopolis, S00641) taking place at Hermopolis (Middle Egypt), illustrating the contrast between the cruelty of the governor and the piety of the saint who cites from the scriptures and performs miracles; presumably written in the 6th/7th c.

Only the beginning of this martyrdom is preserved, setting the scene and beginning with the trial that quickly turns into a power contest between governor and saint.

B.N. Copte 78, fol. 17v, col. II,3–25:

ⲁϥⲕⲉⲗⲉⲩⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲧⲁⲗⲟϥ ⲉⲡϩⲉⲣⲙⲏⲧⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲥⲉϩⲱⲕⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉϯϩⲃⲟⲕ ⲛⲁϥ · ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲧⲁⲗⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲡϩⲉⲣⲙⲏⲧⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲁϥⲥⲫⲣⲁⲅⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲕⲟⲗⲟⲩⲑⲟⲥ ⲁⲡϩⲉⲣⲙⲏⲧⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲟⲩⲱϭⲡ ⲁϥⲣⲥⲛⲁⲩ · ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁⲣⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲙⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲁϣ ⲛϭⲟⲧ ⲧⲉ · ⲁϥⲕⲉⲗⲉⲩⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲕⲉϩⲉⲣⲙⲏⲧⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲁⲗⲉ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲕⲟⲗⲗⲟⲩⲑⲟⲥ ⲉⲣⲟϥ [ⲛ]ⲥⲉϩⲱⲱⲕⲉ ⲙ[ⲙⲟϥ]

‘The governor commanded immediately to have him put onto the hermetarion and to have him scraped and stabbed. When he was put onto the hermetarion, saint Apa Kollouthos immediately sealed himself (with the sign of the cross) and the hermetarion broke in two.
Arianos said: “Look at the magic of the Christians, what form it takes!”
And the governor commanded to have another hermetarion brought and to put Apa Kollouthos on it and scrape [him].’

(Text and trans. G. Schenke)