Suicide is a competition.

Eusebius, the early-Christian bishop and scholar, complains that the Euphemites, a competing Christian sect, thought themselves overshadowed by the martyrs, and sought to take up martyrdom themselves. The Italian Cardinal, Baronius, rejoices that for every one “heathen” martyr, the Donatists put forth “swarms of men.”

Donne summarizes: “For that age had grown so hungry and ravenous for [suicide] that many were baptized only because they would be burned, and children were taught to vex and provoke executioners so they might be thrown into the fire.”

Donne speaks of the zeal and disappointment of those not sentenced to death – not wanting to be left behind. And he reports of an eventual Roman response: “Our primitive church was so enamored of death and so satisfied with it that, in order to vex and torture them, the magistrate made laws to take from them the comfort of dying and increased their persecution by stopping it.”

< § >

—
Donne, Biathantos, 24-7.