ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS
AMPHIANUS, VICTOR AND FOURTEEN OTHERS.
CommentaryAmphianus, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Victor, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Fourteen Others, Martyrs in Africa (SS.)
G. H.
Four ancient copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology
begin this day with these Martyrs,
and the Lucense together with the Blumian with these words: IV
Nones of April. In Africa SS. Amphianus,
Victor and fourteen others. The same are read
in Rabanus, Notker and the author of the spurious Bede,
likewise in the MS. Martyrologies of Monte Cassino, Altempsian, &
Barberini: as also (but with the arena of Africa omitted) in the MS.
of the Church of Prague. In the Hieronymian copy of Corbie,
printed at Paris, only four companions are indicated, but ten
in the Epternach copy: with which agree the MSS. Vatican of
St. Peter, Trier of St. Martin & Utrecht of St.
Mary, & another of the Queen of Sweden, cited by Holstenius in
his Adversaria to the Roman Martyrology. The MS. Martyrology
of St. Cyriacus, often cited by Baronius in his Annotations,
omitting Victor, has these things: In Africa the birth
of SS. Amphianus & fourteen others. But Galesinius,
omitting Amphianus, so writes: In Africa of St. Victor,
& his fifteen companion Martyrs. With the companions
omitted, two others are reported in the MSS. Richenau, Rheinau,
Aachen, Augsburg of St. Udalric & Paris
of Labbe, with these words: In Africa of Amphianus, Victor: whose
bare names, without the arena of martyrdom, are also
inserted in the Supplement of Greven to Usuard. We have treated on this day of
St. Apphianus, Martyr of Caesarea in Palestine, who by
many both Greek and Latin is also called Amphianus:
but from him we judge this African Martyr Amphianus
to be plainly different: and to him, besides Victor,
we add, with many others, fourteen companions in the title.
If anyone should prove from elsewhere that only ten companions are to be joined,
we do not wish to draw a contentious rope with him.