45. Panegyr. Vet. ix. 3. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. viii 14, et in
Vit. Constant. i. 33, 34. Rufinus, c. 17. The virtuous
matron, who stabbed herself to escape the violence of
Maxentius, was a Christian, wife to the praefect of the
city, and her name was Sophronia. It still remains a
question among the casuists, whether, on such occasions,
suicide is justifiable?