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The inverse wisdom of a second-century martyr
“Perpetua was a grandstander,” says Sarah Ruden. “She saw martyrdom—and that means testimony—as a personal glorification.”
Saint Perpetua by Gracie Morbitzer (from The Modern Saints project / http://themodernsaints.com)
Sarah Ruden is a translator, a writer, and a scholar of the ancient world. In her new book, Perpetua (Yale University Press), Ruden offers both a portrait of the ancient martyr and a new translation of her diary.
Who was Perpetua, and what was she like?
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