Acts of Peter

Acts of Peter martyrdom-3:1

And on the following day a still larger multitude gathered on the via sacra, (i. e., holy street) to see him fly. And Peter also went to the place to see the spectacle and to refute him. For when he came to Rome, he confused the people by his flying. But Peter, who rebuked him, was not yet at Rome which he misled and deceived, so that some were driven out of their senses. And standing on an elevated place he began to speak upon seeing Peter: “Peter, now, when I am about to ascend in the presence of all who see it, I say to thee, if thy God is almighty, whom the Jews have killed, who stoned you, who were chosen by him, let him show that his belief is of God; let it be manifested by this (event), whether it is worthy of God. For I ascend and will show myself to this people, who I am.” And, behold, he was lifted up, and they saw him ascending over Rome and over its temples and hills. And the believers looked at Peter. And beholding the wonderful spectacle, Peter cried to the Lord Jesus Christ, “If thou allowest him to do what he has undertaken, all who believed on thee shall be offended, and the signs and wonders which thou hast shown to them through me will not be believed. Make haste, O Lord, show thy mercy and make that he fall down, become enervated, and die not, but be prevented from doing damage and break his shank in three places.” And he fell down and broke his shank in three places. And they cast stones upon him, and each went to his home having all faith in Peter. And one of Simon’s friends, Gemellus by name, from whom Simon had received much — he had a Greek wife — quickly ran away from the street, saw him with the broken shank, and said, “Simon, if God’s power is broken, shall not that God, whose power thou art, be darkened?” And Gemellus also followed Peter, and said to him, “I also, wish to be one of those who believe on Christ.” And Peter said, “How could I be spiteful, my brother? Come and stay with us.” And Simon, being in misery, found some who carried him by night on a stretcher from Rome to Aricia. There he remained and stayed with a man (named) Castor, who on account of his sorcery had been driven from Rome to Terracina. Being operated, Simon, the angel of the devil, found there the end of his life.