Telemachus

Telemachus was a monk in the declining Roman Empire who learned that prayer must lead to courageous action. He preferred a quiet life apart from violence and felt ashamed after running away while thieves attacked travelers. His abbot sent him on a thousand mile journey to Rome, where Telemachus encountered Christians cheering as prisoners fought to the death in the Colosseum. Recognizing his friend Alfrick among the gladiators, he entered the arena and stood between the swords, pleading for the killing to stop. The angry crowd killed him, but his sacrifice haunted the young emperor Honorius. The emperor ended the gladiatorial games, and Telemachus became an example of how one faithful person can confront cruelty without becoming cruel.