The Life and Passion of Cyprian
A short life of Cyprian from his conversion to his execution, written by one of his deacons who shared his exile. It is an account of the bishop’s last year by a man who was with him.
Jerome names the author: Pontius, Cyprian’s deacon, who was with him in exile until the day of his death and left a book on his life and death (On Illustrious Men 68). The writer himself says that Cyprian chose him as one of the companions of his exile at Curubis (12).
The work is praise as much as record. Pontius passes quickly over Cyprian’s early life, defends at length his decision to go into hiding under Decius, and tells the trial and death in detail. He says that Cyprian was chosen bishop while still a recent convert, and that he was the first bishop in Africa to die as a martyr (5, 19). He gives almost no dates; those come from the Proconsular Acts of Cyprian.