The Daughters of Pola: Family Letters Relating to the Persecution of Diocletian
About this ebook
When Diocletian Augustus declared in AD 303 that all men and women must offer sacrifice to the immortal gods or be punished, Agnella’s father, Marcus Acilius Dolabella, præfect of Histria, was quick to put the emperor’s command into effect. Little could he imagine that the death of a single elderly slave from his own household would not only upset his plan, but also lead his own daughter down a path where her actions would provide seed for the burgeoning Christian Church.
Hearkening to the ancient and authentic acts of early Christian martyrs like Saints Perpetua, Felicity, Agnes, Lucy, Cecilia and Crispina,The Daughters of Pola is a beautiful novella written in the learned yet captivating style of John Mason Neale. Cleverly crafted as a sequence of personal letters among the characters during the Great Persecution, the story follows Agnella as she discovers that holding fast to the truth demands a heavy cost and the courage of a gladiator who stands alone in the arena.
This edition of a classic originally written in 1861 includes a new preface to help introduce the historical aspects of the tale to modern readers, a brief biography of the author, and three beautiful antique illustrations by Giovanni Piranesi showing the impressive Roman ruins of the city of Pula as they existed in the 18th century.
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About the author
John Mason Neale (1818-1866) was a poet, hymnodist, novelist, and scholar of the ancient classics. He is perhaps best known for writing the lyrics of the Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas, but was also responsible for the translations into English of the well-known carols,In Dulce Jubilo (Good Christian Men Rejoice) and Veni, Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel). Though an Anglican priest, Neale's interest in patristics and his foundation of the Sisterhood of Saint Margaret in 1854 brought regular accusations of sympathy for the Catholic Church during his lifetime. At one point, he and his wife were even physically attacked as "agents of popery." A prolific writer, Neale penned several works for young readers similar to The Daughters of Pola, including: The Egyptian Wanderers, Exiles of the Cebenna, The Quay of the Dioscuri, and many others.
