Imprisoned

A provincial judge once wanted to see Poemen and he would not allow it. So the judge arrested Poemen's nephew as if he were a criminal and imprisoned him, saying, "I will release him when Poemen comes to ask about him."

The boy's mother came to her brother, Poemen, and began to weep outside the door to his cell. Bitterly unhappy, she began to reproach him, saying, "You may have a heart of steel, you may be pitiless, but at least have some mercy on your kin and relent."

But her told her, "Poemen is not a father of children." So she went away.

When the judge heard this, he sent a messenger to say, "You have only to ask and I will release him."

Poemen sent back this message, "Try his case legally. If he ought to die, let him die. If he is innocent, do as you say."