In a long Christian persecution, King Varanes caused St. Benjamin to be beaten and imprisoned. He had lain a year in the dungeon when an ambassador from the emperor obtained his enlargement on condition he should never speak to any of the courtiers about religion. Benjamin declared that he could not detain the truth in captivity, conscious to himself of the condemnation of the slothful servant for having hid his talent. The king, being informed that he still preached the faith in his kingdom, ordered him to be apprehended. He was gruesomely tortured and finally expired in 424 when a knotty stake was thrust into his bowels to rend and tear them.