A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Agatha, Saint
AGATHA, SAINT,
A Sicilian lady, who was remarkable for her beauty and talents. Quiutianus, governor of Sicily fell in love with her, and made many vain attempts on her virtue. When he found Agatha inflexible, his desire changed into resentment, and discovering that she was a Christian, he determined to gratify his revenge. He ordered her to be scourged, burnt with red-hot irons, and torn with sharp hooks. Having borne these torments with admirable fortitude, she was laid naked on live coals mingled with glass, and being carried back to prison, she expired there, A.D. 251.
It is said that Quintianus was drowned while on his way to take possession of the estates of the virgin martyr, who was afterwards canonized, the 5th. of February, that being St. Agatha's day, and occupying a conspicuous position in the Greek and Roman calendar. She is considered the peculiar patroness of Sicily, where there is a miraculous well named after her, which has the credit of haring several times stayed the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius.