Platonis

ON SAINT PLATONIS,

AMONG THE GREEKS.

Platonis, among the Greeks (Saint)

G. H.

After the Persian Martyrs have been reported, there are subjoined in the Greek Menaia and in Maximus, Bishop of Cythera, three other Saints, of whom in the first place, Saint Platonis a woman separated from the others, is celebrated Saint Platonis, without the region being added in which she lived; then two Martyrs of Ascalon, without their names being expressed, are reported: all of whom Sirleto did not sufficiently distinguish in the Greek Menology collected by him, when he wrote thus: "Likewise Saint Platonis, and of two Holy Martyrs at Ascalon." Hence Baronius, with the said Greek Menology, joined them thus: "At Ascalon the passion of Saints Platonis and two other Martyrs." In the cited Menaia and in Cytherius these words are read: "τῇ ἀυτῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ὁσίας Πλατωνίδος" (On the same day, of the holy Platonis). In the Chiflet manuscript Menaia it is added that she rested "ἐν εἰρήνη" (in peace). she rested in peace. But because in Greek "τὸ πλάτος" indicates something broad, wide, or open, this allusion is made in the distich added in the Menaia:

"Πόλου πλάτη φέρει σε τὴν Πλατωνίδα, Ταῖς ἀρεταῖς λάμψασαν ἐις γῆς τὰ πλάτη"

"The broad expanses of heaven bear you, Platonis, Who have illuminated the broad expanses of earth with your virtues."

In what state this pious woman flourished — virgin, widow, or married — we have thus far been unable to affirm. In the nominative she is called Platonis, as is clear from the Greek form of inflection itself: which those have not observed by whom "Platonides" was read with a masculine ending.

ON TWO HOLY MARTYRS,

AT ASCALON IN PALESTINE.

Two Martyrs, at Ascalon in Palestine (Saints)

G. H.

Ascalon was an ancient maritime city of Palestine, once chief among the cities of the Philistines, and under the Christians an Episcopal see subject to the metropolis of Caesarea: which we have shown was occupied by the Saracens in the eighth century of Christ, in the Acts of the 20 Martyrs, monks of the Laura of Saint Sabas on March 20, chapter 1; and this city, now called Scalona, is still the seat of a Turkish Prefect. To this city the Greeks assign two Martyrs in the printed and manuscript Menaia and in Maximus of Cythera with this eulogy: "On the same day of two Holy Martyrs, who at Ascalon, buried in the earth up to their loins, gloriously ended their life." In the Menaia this distich is added:

"Ἀνήροτυς γῆ καρπὸν ἐκφύει, λέγε, Ὁ κάρπος ἄνδρες ἄχρις ὀσφύος δύο"

"Tell how the untilled earth now bears fruit: The fruit is two men, up to the loins."

That Sirleto, by making Platonis, a pious woman, into a man, did not sufficiently separate her from these Martyrs, and gave others occasion to err the more, we have already said above. At what time these Martyrs earned the crown of glory is not clear. We have subjoined them to Platonis, because, as earlier, so also later, under the iconoclasts or Saracens, the Martyrs could have fallen.