Ivor cracked his whip. The oxen began to pull on Lucy. Nevertheless, Lucy stood firm. Many cracks of the whip were heard. The oxen were pulling their hardest. Many were tiring out.
“The lass is still na movin’ sir,” Ivor said.
“Stop the oxen, Ivor. Take the ropes off her, but leave them nearby,” Paschasius commanded. Ivor and the men unbound Lucy and lead the oxen out of the hall. Paschasius went to Lucy and asked:
“Why is it that a thousand men cannot move you, weak as you are?”
“Even if you called ten thousand men, they would hear the Holy Spirit speaking thus: ‘Cadent a latere tuo mille, et decem millia a dextris tuis, tibi autem non adpropinquabit malum’. (‘A thousand shall fall beside you, and then a thousand at your right hand, but no evil will approach you’.)” Lucy replied. Ivor returned.
“What shall we do now, my Lord Paschasius?” Ivor asked.
“We shall burn her alive. We shall drench the maiden in pitch and oil. If she will not move, she will die here.” Lucy heard this and prayed:
“Lord, deliver me from the fires my enemies set before me.” Piles of wood were set around her. Torches were brought in.
“Guards apply the torches, now,” Paschasius commanded. The guards placed the torches on the wood. Amata turned away.
“Your precious god will not protect you now,” Paschasius said. However, God protected Lucy, and made the flames not touch her.
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“Are you sure you poured oil on the maiden, Ivor?” Paschasius asked.
“I swear I did, my Lord,” Ivor said. Marcus told Amata that the fire had not harmed Lucy.
“Then why has she not been harmed?” Paschasius asked. From inside the fire, Lucy said:
“I have obtained from Christ in prayer that this deadly fire may have no power over me, that you will be put to shame, and that this example will dispel all fear of torture from believers and take from unbelievers their cruel joy.”
Paschasius had his servants put out the fire. He went over to Ivor.
“Ivor, her eyes mock me,” Paschasius said. Ivor whispered into Paschasius’ ear. What Ivor said to Paschasius must have been so evil, for Paschasius had a look of madness in his own eyes. He chucked an evil chuckle. Ivor went over to Lucy and put out Lucy’s eyes. He gave them to Paschasius. He held them up in his hands and laughed an evil laugh. Amata gasped. Marcus comforted his sister. Many of the squeamish gasped. Paschasius tried to give Lucy’s eyes to Julia. Julia gave out a scream. Lucy closed her eye lids, ran her fingers around them five times while praying:
“Lord, Jesus Christ, I love thee with my whole heart. Please restore my sight a sign of your love for me.” Immediately something happened because she felt eyes. She opened them and lo and behold, her sight was restored. Her eyes were still green and still sparkled like jewels. Paschasius slipped Lucy’s eyes to Julia. He then shouted:
“I’VE HAD IT! THIS MAIDEN HAS NOT MOVED A MUSCLE. EVEN WHITH 100 MEN, EVEN WITH TWENTY TEEMS OF OXEN SHE STILL WILL NOT MOVE. WHAT SHALL I DO?” His friends and his whole assembly, with the exception of Marcus and Amata, began to chant:
“Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!” Paschasius followed the crowd’s advice. He then pulled out his dagger and stabbed Lucy in the throat. The cut was deep. Blood flowed from her. Virgil cheered. Lucy fell to the ground. Yet Lucy still spoke:
“I tell you truly that peace is granted to God's congregation, and the furious emperor Diocletian is deposed from his empire, and Maximian the evildoer is dead. Even as the city of Catania within its walls has the powerful intercessions of my sister Agatha, so am I allotted by Almighty God now to this city of Syracuse, to intercede for you, if you receive the faith.” As Lucy said this, five legionaries and a centurion came into the hall.
