ON THE HOLY MARTYRS
CARPUS BISHOP OF THYATIRA, PAPYLUS DEACON, AGATHONICA HIS SISTER, AGATHODORUS SERVANT, AND MANY OTHERS, LIKEWISE MARTIALIS, ISAAC, AND 44 COMPANIONS, AT PERGAMUM IN ASIA.
UNDER DECIUS.
PrefaceCarpus Bishop of Thyatira, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Papylus Deacon, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Agathonica sister, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Agathodorus servant, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Martialis, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Isaac, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Forty-four others, or more, Martyrs at Pergamum in Asia (Saints)
BY G. H.
Three episcopal cities of Asia were made more illustrious by the glorious contests of these Martyrs: of these the first is Pergamum, Cities named in the Acts: Pergamum, Thyatira, situated in Mysia Major, which is reckoned their homeland, at least of Saint Carpus the Bishop, and in which their triumph was accomplished. The second is Thyatira, a city of Lydia, in which Saint Carpus the Bishop ordained his Deacon Saint Papylus, and in which both were captured, variously interrogated, and, stripped and loaded with iron collars, were driven about: and Saint Papylus said to Valerius the Governor that he was born there. The third city is Sardis, the metropolis of Lydia, to which they were led, and Sardis, and, separately tempted with various blandishments and threats, were tortured with many torments: where also Saint Agathodorus the servant, amid the torments, completed his martyrdom. Thence the others were led back to Pergamum, and after various tortures were beheaded with Saint Agathonica. Now Sardis and Pergamum are distant from each other about thirty hours' journey: which we add here so that the Martyrs may be understood to have been, not only the second time, but also the first time, when tied behind horses they were forced to run that whole distance on foot, in that labor for the whole two days, although it is not so clearly said of the first time in the Acts. the martyrdom indicated by Eusebius, Eusebius Pamphilus makes mention of these illustrious Martyrs in book 4 of his Ecclesiastical History, chapter 15, after he has treated of the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna, who suffered under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, and adds these words at the end of the chapter: Ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ ἄλλων ἐν Περγάμῳ, πόλει τῆς Ἀσίας, ὑπομνήματα μεμαρτυρηκότων φέρεται, Κάρπου καὶ Παπύλου καὶ γυναικὸς Ἀγαθονίκης, μετὰ πλείστας καὶ διαπρεπεῖς ὁμολογίας ἐπιδόξως τετελειωμένων. "Further, also the Acts and monuments of others who suffered martyrdom in the city of Asia, Pergamum, are still current; namely of Carpus, Papylus, and a certain woman Agathonica, who after many and distinguished confessions were consummated by a glorious end."
[2] Thus Eusebius; whom his interpreters so understood, as if Saint Carpus perhaps also had suffered about the same time as Saint Polycarp (whose Martyrdom we showed on January 26 to belong to the second century). In the same way Nicephorus, book 3, chapter 36, has these words: By Nicephorus, "In the very same year, τοῦ δ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἔτους (namely in which Polycarp and others had fallen at Smyrna), history relates that at Pergamum also Carpus the Bishop and Papylus the Deacon and the woman Agathonica underwent martyrdom by a fair death, after very many other martyrs, ὁ λόγος ἱστόρησεν." In the same way the priest Rufinus, By the priest Rufinus, in book 4 of the Ecclesiastical History, chapter 15, having related the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp, adds these words: "After these, also the deeds of other Martyrs at Pergamum, a city of Asia, are recounted: of a certain Carpus and Papyrius and Agathonica, a most excellent woman, and of many others, who for blessed confessions were crowned with martyrdom." Lo, he who to others is Papylus the Deacon, is called Papyrius by Rufinus, and on this day Usuardus, Ado, Notker, and in others everywhere, followed him in their Martyrologies. Ado's words are these: "At Pergamum, a city of Asia, of Saints Carpus the Bishop and Papirius the Deacon, and Agathonica, a most excellent woman, and of many others, who by approved confessions were crowned with martyrdom." Notker, But Notker says "who for blessed Confessors were crowned with martyrdom." Usuardus, with the cited Rufinus, Usuardus, says "who were crowned with martyrdom for blessed confessions, under Antoninus Verus and Aurelius Commodus." In the present-day Roman Martyrology these things are indicated more fully: "At Pergamum in Asia, and in the Roman Martyrology, the birth into heaven of the holy Martyrs, Carpus Bishop of Thyatira, Papylus the Deacon, and Agathonica his sister, a most excellent woman; also of Agathodorus their servant, and of many others; who after various tortures for blessed confessions were crowned with martyrdom, in the persecution of Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus."
On April 8, Saints Carpus, Papyrius and Martialis are commemorated in the Cassino Manuscript: and on April 12 Saints Carpus the Bishop, Paul, Isaac, Agathon and 44 Companions, suffering at Pergamum in Asia, are mentioned in copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology, likewise in the Reichenau Manuscript and in Notker, who calls Polycarp. Elsewhere on 8 and 12 April. Again on this day Saints Polycarp the Bishop and Paul the Deacon are commemorated in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome and various manuscripts, and are said to have suffered at Pergamum. So Polycarp is put in place of Carpus: and Paul is there who to others is Papylus and Papyrius; Agathon too for Agathonica; and the 44 Companions, who elsewhere are called "many others." But Isaac and Martialis are not added. In the Kalendar of the ancient Missal and Ambrosian Breviary, a commemoration is made of Three Hundred Holy Martyrs and Saint Carpus the Bishop and Martyr. But whether all these were his companions is not clear.
[3] Those Acts of the martyrdom or monuments which Eusebius writes were customarily circulated in his time, we would wish still to exist, as cited by him. For those which we give seem to have been elaborated by later writers with a greater apparatus of words, and therefore do not give entirely certain credence of their truth: yet they are such that the whole Greek Church has received them, and in all the Menaea and Synaxaria presents an epitome of them for reading. They suggest they suffered under Decius In them, however, such a variety of torments is set forth as applied against the Martyrs, that unless one should rashly suspect that all, or at least most, are fictitious, it must be believed that the Martyrs did not suffer under the Emperors already named, in the age in which martyrdoms were made almost without a long preparatory apparatus of tortures, and those accused about the Christian faith, the judges were eager not so much to lead them away by torture from it, as on account of it to put them out of the way: but, as is said in the Acts, under Decius—that is, in the third century advanced more than halfway—when the rage of tyrants, more intent upon killing souls than bodies, devised diverse and up to that time unknown kinds of torments among the Romans; the divine power often contending against the industry of human fierceness, and as it were sportive in such matters, while allowing its own Martyrs to be exposed to many deaths successively, and not wishing their life at the end to be finished except by the sword. Therefore we do not hesitate to understand Eusebius' words otherwise than many commonly have taken them, namely, that he wished, considering an occasion not of time but of connected place, to join to the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp, most celebrated at Smyrna in Asia, the memory of others equally famous at Pergamum in the same Asia Minor; and thus gave occasion for error, the more readily because in the next chapter he says that in the same times Saint Justin was adorned with sacred martyrdom—as we have already explained: which however, we gather from what has been said, refers to the preceding contest of Saint Polycarp, not also to others merely inserted incidentally.
[4] The author of the Acts, or more truly the paraphrast, is thought, even by Leo Allatius, to have been Simeon Metaphrastes, as he relates in his Diatribe on the Writings of the Simeons, p. 127. The Acts of the martyrdom, adorned by the Metaphrast, We obtained them in Greek from a threefold manuscript codex: one from the Caesarean Library, whence we had them copied at Vienna in the year 1668 at our own expense; the second of the Most Serene Christina, Queen of Sweden, which we had at Antwerp in the year 1654 and the following; the third copy was left to us by Heribert Rosweyde. given from various Greek manuscripts Aloysius Lipomanus had another from the Vatican library, and in volume VI of his works edited these Acts, translated into Latin by Gentian Hervet, on October 13, on which they are said to have completed their martyrdom. Surius transferred them to this April 13, on which we have already shown that they are venerated by the Latins. We found that same version of Hervet, diligently collated with the Greek text, to be quite faithful, with a new translation but because the style pleased less, as insisting more tightly on the order of the Greek words than the manner and elegance of the Latin tongue allows, we preferred to make them again in Latin, as we often intend to do elsewhere, unless the speed of the press prevents it, not allowing space for preparing a new translation; such labor we did not judge should be undertaken, as not entirely necessary, except after the other requirements were utterly completed.
[5] Some elogium of these Martyrs is contained in the Greek Synaxarium manuscript at the Clermont College of the Society of Jesus at Paris, which we translate into Latin and subjoin here: "Day 13 of the month of October. Elogium from a Greek Synaxarium manuscript. Contest of the holy Martyrs Carpus and Papylus, Agathodorus and Agathonica. These were under the Emperor Decius, physicians by art: of whom Saint Carpus was Bishop of the Pergamene Church, appointed after the departure of John the Theologian and Evangelist: by whom Papylus was consecrated Deacon. Both having been seized by Valerian, Proconsul and Governor of Asia, and having confessed Christ, were tied to horses; and forced to run before the Governor, were dragged all the way to Sardis, and there hung on wood were torn with various scrapings. But Agathodorus (who was Papylus' servant and had followed him) enormously scourged with rods, ended his life in this torment. But Saint Carpus hung and was smiling: and being asked by the Governor, 'Why do you laugh, O Carpus?' answered: 'Because I have seen the glory of God, and rejoiced.' Afterwards both were taken down from the wood and cast into the fire: where, being present, Papylus' Sister Agathonica, when she had seen her brother acting manfully in the fire, having put off feminine weakness with her garments, cast herself into the fire:
and both gave up their spirits to God. Their celebration is performed in the most holy martyr-shrine constructed for their veneration near the palace of Helenae." Thus far the elogium from the Parisian Synaxarium, in which the mention made of Saint John the Evangelist could prove a greater antiquity of the martyrdom, An oratory at Constantinople erected to them. were it not plainly apparent that the compiler of the Synaxarium added something of his own, perhaps induced to do so by the fact that another Saint Carpus flourished in Asia at the time of Saint John the Evangelist: of whom we shall treat on October 13 with the Roman Martyrology.
[6] The martyrium or oratory of these Martyrs is said to be πλησίον Ἑλενιανῶν. Procopius in book 1 of the Persian War makes mention of those royal buildings, saying: Βασίλεια ἕτερα, Πλακιλλιαναί τε καὶ τὰ Ἑλένης ἐπώνυμα, "There are other palaces, called Placilliana and those of Helena." The same solemnity of these Martyrs is also represented in the printed Menaea on the said day, October 13, and the celebration of the feast day. when the whole ecclesiastical office is performed concerning these Martyrs, whose odes and canticles are drawn from the Acts. The same is indicated in the New Greek Anthology, and the mentioned elogium is almost repeated, but Saint Carpus is called, not Bishop of Pergamum, but better with the Acts, Bishop of Thyatira; and the Governor of Asia, according to the same Acts, is called Valerius, not Valerianus: this name, however, is also attributed to him in the printed Menaea, and in the Menology of Sirletus drawn from these, which is of this kind: "Birthday into heaven of the holy Martyrs Carpus, Papylus, Agathodorus and Agathonica: Elogium from the Menology. who were under the Emperor Decius and Valerian the Proconsul of Asia: of whom Carpus was Bishop of Thyatira, but Papylus was a Deacon ordained by Carpus himself. Being detained by the Governor, they confessed the name of Christ with all listening: and when they were unwilling to sacrifice to the idols, tied to horses they walked before the chariot, dragged to the city of Sardis: where, having been hung up, they were torn. And Saint Agathodorus, the servant of the Blessed Carpus and Papylus, strengthened by an Angel of God, himself also confessed Christ. But blessed Carpus, hanging, smiled. Therefore being asked by the Judge what was the cause of his laughter, he said, 'I have seen the glory of my Lord, and I laughed.' But Papylus, stretched out by his four limbs, is lifted on high and stoned. After these things the holy men, led together, are drawn on their backs over spiked boards: beaten from above, and exposed as food to beasts, afterwards cast into a burning furnace: into which also Saint Papylus' sister Agathonice, praying to God, entered together with them. But when the fire had been extinguished by a shower that fell, the holy Martyrs were beheaded with the sword." Thus there. It is added in the printed Menaea: "A lion roaring with human voice spoke and deterred the persecutors from such a rashness." But this is found nowhere else. In the Acts only it is said that when set upon them, it wished to do no harm at all. Moreover in all these epitomes, as also in the Acts, they are said to have died under the Emperor Decius. Further, in these Acts there is no mention of those many other unnamed Martyrs, of whom, after the authors cited above, the Roman Martyrology treats.
ACTS OF THE MARTYRDOM, embellished by Simeon Metaphrastes. From several Greek manuscripts, translated by D. P.
Carpus Bishop of Thyatira, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Papylus Deacon, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Agathonica sister, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Agathodorus servant, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Martialis, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Isaac, Martyr at Pergamum in Asia (Saint) Forty-four others, or more, Martyrs at Pergamum in Asia (Saints)
BY THE METAPHRAST. FROM GREEK MANUSCRIPTS.
CHAPTER I.
The homeland of the Martyrs, their dignity, captivity, first interrogation.
[1] It is useful and expedient above all to remember those who have suffered for Christ: for the mere memory can arouse the soul to the love of God, and as it were make it winged for virtue; and it makes one bear the same contests with the martyrs themselves mentally, for the sake of the enjoyment of the rewards arising from there. But among those who fulfilled those martyr-contests are to be numbered Carpus and Papylus, Born at Pergamum those strong columns of the Church and foundation-stones: who indeed were from an illustrious homeland, I mean from the city of Pergamum: and born of parents loving virtue, they held a rule of life worthy of them, as distinguished shoots from a noble root, since it is allowed from the fruit to know the tree, and to bless the fountain because of the flowing stream. For they made the body content with necessities alone, and performing the episcopate and diaconate at Thyatira rejecting all variety and curiosity; and they used those necessities themselves so sparingly that, although in respect of the flesh they were far from the Angels, yet in respect of abstinence they differed but little from the incorporeal: whence, carried to the highest summit of virtue, they were held worthy to whom the government of the people should be committed. Of whom Carpus, advanced to the pontificate, preached the mysteries of piety at Thyatira; Papylus, honored with the grade of the Diaconate, devoted a fitting zeal in similar labors. Therefore when the fame about them spread everywhere (for such is the nature of virtue, they promote others to virtue. that it cannot lie hidden, but itself proclaims itself), a great multitude flowed to them; and enjoying their doctrine, they advanced much in piety.
[2] While these things were so, it was not possible that he should be quiet who from the beginning is the adversary of good things. Nor indeed was he quiet; but having found not ungenerous ministers of his malice, he persuaded them to denounce the Martyrs to Decius, on the score that they both were impious against the Gods and asserted the vain opinion of the Christians. But he, as being of a mind most hostile to Christians, sends into Asia a certain Valerius, his assessor, a fierce man and a lover of demons, indicating to him what had been reported to him about the Saints, and handing him power against them. Valerius sent into Asia by Decius against them, Valerius therefore soon gave himself to the road: and arrived at the place where those men were staying, immediately offered the customary sacrifices to the empty gods, and soon sent the mandate through the whole region of Thyatira, that as many as were in the place of the sacrifices should without delay approach to offer likewise thanksgivings to his gods; as if his own disease were not enough, unless he should infect as many as possible with the same. By this, moreover, he said he would sufficiently know upon not being found at a public sacrifice, what mind the Martyrs had: "For if," he said, "they too should come together with the multitude, about to be participants in the sacrifices, it will be clear that the things reported to Decius about them were false: but if not, there will be no need to await any further proof."
[3] he orders them to be brought before him: When therefore all came together for performing the sacrifices, and only the distinguished pair of Martyrs was missing (for they were standing outside offering the true sacrifice of their prayers to God), ordering them to be set before him, with a more severe countenance he inquired the cause of the absence, then added: "But now at least let the defect be well supplied in my sight, so that the accusation may return upon the head of its authors, and your glory may shine brighter than before." To this the Saints, superior to fear and human respect, said: "It would be shameful indeed, shameful, to be convicted of great ingratitude by one's own ox or ass (to speak with Isaiah), since these have known their owner and feeder; but we would seem to be ignorant of Him, if, forsaking the true God, we should be joined to the false. Isa. 1:3 and not corrected at all by the ruin of the idols and the earthquake" When these things had been said, immediately God seconded their sentence, and bringing a great earthquake, crumbled all the images of the foolish into dust. And so indeed it was done with the lifeless, which were entirely dissolved: but the malice of Valerius stood unshaken and unchangeable. For when he ought to have wondered at the ineffable power of God, and mocked the excessive weakness of his gods, which surely any wise and prudent man would have done, he, maddened all the more, openly began to rage: and who had hitherto, out of respect for the nobility of the men, abstained from more severe torments, now orders them to be put in iron collars and driven naked through the middle of the forum.
[4] Therefore the Athletes, naked and weighted with iron around their necks, were led around he orders them dragged naked through the city: and they, truly most honorable, went about the forum indecorously, and were laughed at and mocked who were worthy of a thousand praises. But the Judge, thinking that the Saints, confounded by excessive shame from this leading around full of ignominy, would be easier to overcome, judged that they should be approached with more flattering words, and the firmness of their purpose weakened. And he said: "If I indeed saw you showing manifest signs of a mind not sound, I should abstain from persuasion, for I could by torments compel you, then he solicits them to defection more mildly, when I should wish, to be brought over, even unwillingly, to our religion: but now when the very appearance of your faces and the ornament of your morals betray the nobility of your mind, I prefer to be to you a good counsellor. I do not think that you are ignorant how, from time immemorial, the opinion concerning the immortal gods began and remains to this day, not only among us who know the Greek tongue, but also among the barbarians themselves. By them we may see cities rightly constituted, the pride of enemies repressed, peace established. Thus Kings and Princes, many indeed before, but now the Romans, have been raised to such glory as to subject nations and cities, and to overcome all that opposed them. If, therefore, by the discourses of the unskilled, you have been led to this Christian sect, foreign to all reason and newly born, I shall not indeed be angry; for I shall say it was a matter of simplicity: but now, reconsidering yourselves, pass over to what is better, that both the gods may be propitious to you, and you may receive many good things from us, and gain from the Emperor the honor due to benefactors. But if you at all persevere in your former opinion, wholly contrary things shall befall you: and it will be necessary, which may it not be, that you experience us as harsher."
[5] When the Martyrs had heard these things, raising their eyes to heaven, The Saints refute the antiquity of idolatry objected to them, and fortifying themselves wholly with the sign of the Cross, they said: "You seem to have thought that you could easily, without much labor, lead us, as though some rude fellows, to learn impiety. But you have not fallen upon cowardly and degenerate men: certainly not, by this our contest for Christ, and by the exercise of virtue to which we have been trained from childhood. For we shall not call your religion worthy of honor on account of antiquity of time, because not every old thing is also to be praised: for malice is altogether ancient, but is it therefore to be commended? One must not therefore consider whether your religion is ancient, but whether it is at all to be accepted. But we would counsel rather to avoid it with every effort, and to put it out of the way, as one which procures the horrid hell of fire for its followers. And if you wish diligently to examine the matter itself, you shall find the gods whom you worship
to be nothing other than the works of human hands, inanimate and mute, which not only cannot help others at all, but cannot even help themselves. But if man is the work of God, and the idols are the figments of human art, how can anyone, and its vanity, unless he be wholly insensate and plainly an ox or an ass, offer honor to those whom he himself has fashioned? They should rather honor their fashioners, if there were any sense in them. Since then you acknowledge that we are intelligent, and you know that no man of prudence and sound sense would prefer falsehood to truth, turn your mind; and learn from truthful lips Him who is truly the Creator of all, God.
[6] God cannot be circumscribed: and the one Godhead inasmuch as He is altogether uncircumscribed, and loftier than every temporal thought: for the maker of times is not under time, whence neither did He begin to be; but He brought all things, both those visible to the eyes and those knowable by the mind, into existence. Man, therefore, made by God's fashioning, and having received paradise to inhabit, and receiving a precept for the exercise of greater advancement, was drawn by the envy of the devil to disobedience, exchanged incorruption for corruptibility, and by subjecting himself to the will of the flesh became subject to the necessity of death. But the father of envy was not content with this alone, the fall of him whom he envied, but also drew those born afterwards from the same stock to the forgetfulness of God, alas! so that death might reign not only in bodies but also in souls themselves: and he brought it about that, forsaking the true God and willingly closing their eyes to the light of truth, they entered the darkness of idolatry. and they preach the incarnation of the Word. Wherefore the Creator of our race, who by His visceral kindness made us to exist out of nothing, not bearing to see man under the tyranny of the enemy, descended from the paternal bosom, and made like to us in all things except sin, is crucified and dies, willingly to redeem us from sin. Therefore when by His death He had taken away the cause of our fall, He Himself returned to the heavens whence He had descended, but to us He showed the way of returning to Himself. Come now and tell us any such thing done by your gods, unless you are now ashamed to call them gods. As for wealth and riches, or honor to be given by the Emperors, I confess that our reasoning is foreign to common reasoning, since from the Prophet we have learned not to judge these as standing, but as passing, especially since we have our fixed hope in God, and are devoted to His glory, on whose account we have generously chosen even to suffer."
CHAPTER II.
The Saints are carried off to Sardis. Agathodorus undergoes martyrdom: they are led back to Pergamum.
[7] Hearing such things from the Martyrs, Valerius, stirred with wrath and inflamed with the fire of madness, Despoiled of their goods immediately throwing off the mask of mildness, bared the inner ferocity of his mind: and first he gave all the substance of the Saints as plunder to their accusers, a thing indeed greatly despised by the Saints, but highly esteemed by those; and he ordered them to be tied to fierce horses, they are dragged to Sardis; and dragged to Sardis as quickly as possible. The horses therefore beginning to run from Thyatira, scarcely at length toward evening reached Sardis: but the Martyrs, although they had spent the day in that bitter torment, did not yet pass the night devoid of labor, but spent the greater part on divine hymns. But when they had slept a little, and there strengthened by an Angel, Angels stood by them, who both refreshed them from the past labor and made them more ready to endure the torments to come. On the next day they related that divine visitation both to one another and to the others present: and they awaited the coming of Valerius, about to resume the interrogation against them, as excellent soldiers eager for battle, generously and intrepidly looking forward to a death to be undertaken with glory.
[8] again in vain are they solicited by blandishments: Valerius came to Sardis, hoping that although previously the matter had turned out less according to his wish, yet now he would easily find them persuadable and subdued. For he knew only the labor which they had borne: but whence was that earthly soul, and wholly devoid of divine light and goodness, to know what consolation had come to them? But when he saw them now more than before serene in countenance, steadfast in mind, and undisturbed in thought, despairing of making any headway with torments, he turned again to flattery and promises of greater gifts to weaken the constancy of those noble men. But when he had long tried this in vain, and always found them more robust, he turned again to severity; wishing, by that continual change and variety of speech, to ensnare their simplicity in Christ. But defeated here too, seeing that the Martyrs yielded to him not in the least, and that he was fighting like a fox against lions; distrusting all his machinations against them, he thought he must proceed by quite another way, and dismissed Carpus and Papylus, ordering them to be carefully guarded.
[9] What then? The admirable Agathodorus, who, serving the Martyrs, rendered them familiar services, and their servant Agathodorus himself also a perfect Martyr, and on account of his love for his masters a partaker of torments together with them; him, I say, he ordered to be stretched out and beaten mercilessly with ox-thongs, both in order to afflict the Saints with grief on account of the punishment of him who professed the same faith with them, and to strike terror into them. Both sides therefore strove, the Judge and the Martyr: the Judge indeed, by the multitude of blows to draw the man to his opinion; but the Martyr, receiving the blows so cheerfully that he even prayed that the torment might be prolonged, and that the torturers might not be wearied with beating. When therefore the Martyr's body had been long and much cut with scourges, rivers of blood flowed as from a fountain, the entrails were stripped of their coverings, the muscles of the joints were torn apart, cut with scourges, and a great and sharp sense of pain assailed the noble man: but he himself, as if suffering nothing hard, so bore himself in adversity, calmly receiving the showers of blows, and reckoning it enough for easing the torments that he was suffering for Christ. So Valerius lost heart, and the lictors were wearied with beating: he dies under the torment. but the torments even delighted him, since Christ was calling him to heaven, about to crown His athlete. Accordingly he handed over his spirit into the hands of the Lord who called him, and left his dead body to those who were scourging; which they cast away unburied, as food for birds and beasts, so Valerius ordering: but when evening came, some of the inhabitants of that place hid it in a cave, performing a work of humanity, or rather of divine providence so ordering.
[10] After this Valerius, like a cunning and guileful fox, again approached the Saints with milder words, but they stood firm in the faith fearing lest he should lose these too, as he had Agathodorus: for he said: "He indeed has found a death worthy of his madness, unwilling to sacrifice to the immortal gods: but you, being prudent, why do you not look to that which is expedient for you, but wish to be like a man truly unhappy, imprudently choosing a violent death rather than a life to be led in pleasure?" So he. But when he heard the Saints reproaching him with his great madness shown in giving such counsel, and reckoning themselves the happier for this, that they too would imitate the violent death of Agathodorus, he again stripped off the pretended humanity and returned to his accustomed cruelty, to indulge it.
[11] Therefore entering upon a long journey, they are led back to Pergamum he ordered the Saints to follow from the city of Sardis all the way to Pergamum, and to keep up with the speed of the running horses on foot, so that, worn out by the labor of the course, they might, even unwillingly, be drawn away from their purpose and persuaded to sacrifice to the idols. But the Saints, to whom every torment for Christ brought not grief but pleasure (as a sign of their love for Jesus Christ), would have wished that the course were longer and provided an occasion of greater joy. Passing the day therefore in the labor of such a course, so that they could say with David, "And upon the pain of our wounds they have added this too," they were thrust into prison; where, when night came, a certain Angelic, or rather Divine power came to them, forced to run for two days behind the horses. and healed all their blows, and instilled in them greater readiness for the contests. Ps. 68:27 (69:26) But in the morning Valerius arose, and considering the weariness of the previous day, again wished them to follow on foot, to the end only of increasing their labor, whom he believed would not be sufficient for the journey even if they were carried. But when he saw them nevertheless so strong and of a countenance more blooming than those who are refreshed by baths and continual delights in the shade, full himself of demons, he ascribed the matter to magic: and, to indulge his fury, he increased their labor, ordering all their limbs to be weighed down with iron, and them to set out on the way again.
CHAPTER III.
Led back to Pergamum the saints confirm their faith by words, miracles, and torments.
[12] After Valerius and the saints had arrived at the appointed place, Saint Carpus separately solicited he ordered sacrifices to be performed and a tribunal to be set up for him to judge: then setting Carpus before him, and putting on the countenance of a faithful friend and bearing great solicitude for him, he said: "It was fitting that you, respecting my great forbearance toward you, should of your own accord embrace what is more honorable, and sacrifice to the great gods: but now neither moved by persuasions nor by exhortations, as I see, do you show them the least gratitude, and utterly neglect your own benefit. Behold, they, pitying your old age, made it so that you completed the journey without trouble: but you, I know not by what spirit, are both found ungrateful to your benefactors, and, making nothing of me myself, delay to approach their worship. But now at least be willing to assent, and to trust me advising useful things. For I respect your gray hairs, and am afflicted with great sorrow, and I weep for your calamity as if it were my own. But why do I endure any longer? You yourself know that, being so despised, if not my own, at least the injury done to the gods I cannot dissemble." To this the divine Carpus said: "A counsel which leads from light to darkness, he firmly resists, from life to death, no one in his right mind would call counsel, but a plot. If, as you say, you respect my gray hairs, what prevents you from obeying me who advise you as a father? You are indeed afflicted with grief at my torments: but I pity your destruction, and manifestly compassionate you (truth, whom I love, is my witness), because you adore such gods and set a lie as your confidence, to speak with Scripture. Isa. 28:15 But how can those be believed to be gods, who, made of lifeless matter, have from human hands that they exist at all?"
[13] He is cruelly beaten with scourges, Valerius, judging such an injury to his gods not to be borne at all, though Carpus' words were true, returned the worst recompense for what he had well said: for he hated the one who reproved in the gate, according to the divine Amos, and abominated the one who spoke perfectly. Amos 5:10 He ordered therefore immediately—for immoderate indignation was urging him—and the Saint, delivered into the hands of the lictors, was mercilessly beaten with thorny rods, so that the flesh
was torn apart and scattered in the air: and yet even so the fury was not satiated, but again other lictors were brought in who partly singed his sides with lamps, partly inhumanly sprinkled salt upon the wounds: whence rivers of blood flowed through the pavement, and he is scorched with lamps, and the torn fibers caused the Martyr the harshest pain. They should have been wearied in these, even if they had so struck a lifeless thing—surely you have perceived the pain by the mere hearing. But the Martyr, the more the multitude of tortures was increased, the more he was taken with divine love, and was delighted by the torments as by a thing most pleasant; until Valerius, wearied by the man's nobility, sent him back to prison.
[14] Then, turning to the divine Papylus as if now looking upon him for the first time, he began to ask him what parents, what homeland, Papylus also interrogated, or what learning the Martyr had. To whom the Saint said: "Long ago you learned that I came to Thyatira a son of free-born parents; and I profess the art of medicine, not such as is practiced through herbs born of the earth, but such as is divinely granted to man; for we do not define medicine for bodies alone, but also bestow care on spiritual sicknesses." Then the Judge said, "These things are not done without the exercises of Galen and Hippocrates, who obtained such knowledge from the gods." Papylus answered: "Galen indeed and Hippocrates, and all who follow their art, can then help someone when our God, by His kindness, grants them grace for this; He challenges him to a miracle but if not, their zeal is in vain, the experience of their art availing nothing. But those whom you name as Gods, since they cannot even help themselves, how shall they give attention to the cure of another? But if you wish to learn this by the deed itself, let them make the man who sits next to you, deprived (as you see) of one eye, to see: and I shall have nothing further to say." "Do you think," said Valerius, "that there is anyone who can heal this man?" "Not only this man," replied the saint, "but any other sickness, however incurable the evil may seem, he would easily cure who invokes Christ, who heals all infirmities. to be performed on a one-eyed man," When Valerius said, "Let us see now what you say," Papylus said: "I shall not first attempt the matter (for I fear lest, corrupting it, you ascribe the miracle to the demons), but let one of yours first invoke whichever of your gods he wishes, and then I shall manifest the power of my Christ."
[15] Then Valerius, gathering his ministers and certain priests, ordered them to invoke their gods, and to spare neither any art nor labor nor any other reasoning. But they, turning now this way now that, for whom the gods are invoked in vain: one invoked Apollo, another Aesculapius, a third some other of the empty gods, calling upon those impotent, on a matter impossible as far as concerns men. And it was a very ridiculous and shameful action: for will they, as great Isaiah says, ask from the dead for the living? Isa. 8:19 So the whole day was spent: and they indeed prayed, sacrificed, supplicated, performing about those vain things the whole order of rites; but the deaf remained deaf, and no help was brought through those vain actions to him who was partly blind in sight. What then? The Martyr of Christ, lifting up the eyes of his body and mind to heaven, not so Christ in vain. besought the mercy of his Lord; then he impressed the sign of the Cross upon his eyes, touching them with his hand; and soon there followed the illumination of that blind eye; and that which was extinguished was opened, more easily than if it had been closed after sleep; and, what is more, the blindness of his soul also was loosed, and receiving the faith, he beheld the true light which enlightens every man coming into this world; and at the same time a great multitude of men was brought to the acknowledgment of truth by that miracle.
[16] Whom would not such things have converted, and persuaded to seek and learn then Papylus being scourged who that man was endowed with such power, whom Papylus preached? But if all, certainly they did not move Valerius; nay, they made him crueller than himself, as though he were delighting in error, and could not endure the truth to be revealed. Therefore lifting this witness of His upon the wood, he ordered him to be most fiercely beaten, giving such a recompense for the benefit conferred upon his assessor. That fair body was beaten with scourges: but Papylus grieved at nothing, except that graver torments were not inflicted: whence, contrariwise, Valerius, seeing all his torments conquered by the noble constancy of the holy Martyr, could scarcely endure his own grief, bitterly tormented. He ordered therefore other tortures also to be applied, and fire to be brought to his sides, and stones to be thrown at the Saint; but on account of the fire the Martyr suffered nothing unseemly; and the stones, as if revering a body so cruelly cut for Christ, neither fire nor stones hurt them: turned aside to another direction from that in which they were thrown, and by no means struck him. Valerius, therefore, failing and finding no way to torture the Saints further, gave time for the wounds, thinking that, although the Martyrs bore them a little, the wounds themselves turned to putrefaction would torment them with harsher pains, and each Saint is divinely healed, and so make them more soft for future questions. But they, having their physician near them—on whose account they had received the blows with joy—not only were relieved from the pains, but also from the very scars themselves; so that they did not bear even a trace of the blows, and Valerius seemed to have afflicted himself, not the Martyrs, with trouble: for the more their labors were divinely relieved, the more his heart was scourged, and his fury burned no otherwise than fire.
CHAPTER IV.
Death in various ways intended against the Saints, and at last inflicted by the sword—also to Saint Agathonica.
[17] They reproach the judge for slowness in inflicting death. After a little interval of time, Valerius again sat lofty upon the tribunal, and looking furious and fierce, through his eyes, the mirrors of the soul, showed the inner bitterness, inaccessible to most others, surrounded only by the ministers of his arrogance. And the noble men, being brought in, or rather readily entering, you would say were being called to a banquet, not to a contest. But he seemed to himself to be about to terrify them by his look alone, even before threats; and because he imagined that their minds were changed, he inquired of them about their purpose; but they were so far from any such feeling, that on the contrary they reproached him for slowness in pronouncing sentence, and showed it grievous to them that they were not killed quickly enough. "Why," they said, "do you give yourself and your ministers trouble, bringing us often to the tribunal, but always sparing the final sentence? Do you perhaps hope to pervert us, and to persuade us to fall away from Christ and from truth? You can then hope for that, when you see us like your gods, deprived of sense and speech." Scarcely had they said these things, they are dragged over iron spikes, when iron spikes were scattered over the ground, upon which, naked and supine, the noble athletes were thrown and dragged monstrously, a thing most bitter for torture, if it be only placed before the eyes. But God did not fail His servants in these things either, they are torn by scorpions, but (for it is fitting again to mingle in something from the divine Scriptures) "He ascended breathing into their face, and delivering them from affliction": and suddenly the spikes disappeared, and they themselves were preserved unharmed. This matter drove the Judge into manifest fury, and by his command the sides of the Martyrs were so cruelly torn with scorpions, that the limits of nature were passed on both sides, as the lictors raged unmercifully and the Saints endured constantly.
[18] After this the fiercest beasts were gathered together, and a theatre prepared for the saints, they are exposed to beasts, and Valerius himself sat as spectator: who, bringing the Martyrs into the middle, set upon them a bear, believing that as soon as she was loosed she would tear their bodies to pieces: but he saw the irrational nature made, in a wondrous manner, a teacher to those using reason. For the bear, as though reverencing the beautiful feet of the saints announcing true peace, did nothing either wild or at all brutish, but fell before them, and kindly kissed them. This was not enough to give the foolish Judge understanding: but he orders a lion also to be immediately let in. But this too, no less than the bear, obeyed the divine nod, and would do nothing evil to those contending for the common Lord. Valerius nevertheless, striving to conquer even himself in malice, they are submerged in quicklime for three days, ordered the Saints to be plunged into a pit full of lime, which is called quicklime—namely fresh and still burning—and to be left there for full three days; the impious man trying in every way to overcome, yet laboring in vain while he fights against God. For a certain divine grace and power stood by the Martyrs in the very pit, blunting the force of the lime, and preserving the saints from pain.
[19] But Valerius, the more grace he saw appearing in them, the more petulantly he raged, they are shod with studded sandals, contending to seem mightier than God Himself. He orders, therefore, that the feet of the Martyrs be shod with iron sandals, through which long nails had been fixed, and thus shod to run, so that even by such a torment failing they might be judged conquered: but this too was in vain, and the more things and more novel he devised, the more divinely power overshadowed the Saints, and made them superior to all the torments inflicted, and stronger against whatever hardest things. Them so manifestly helped by supernal grace, he nevertheless tried to induce to sacrifice to the gods, they are cast into a furnace so far had his rage maddened him: and when he had nothing further to do, openly conquered and confounded, he commanded a furnace stacked with much fuel to be kindled, and the Saints to be cast into it: but it soon extinguished refreshed them, not burned. Then venerable Agathonica, the true sister, I mean, of the holy Martyr, the divine Papylus, which Agathonica voluntarily enters, entered the fire with them, to be a partaker of the contests—or rather of the crowns. But when the prison again received them, they again began to give themselves to hymns and prayers to God.
[20] Furthermore the Judge, failing in all things, at last, though grudgingly, adjudged them to the sword. and at last with them is put to death by the sword, The holy Martyrs therefore went to the place of execution, full of joy, not even then forsaken by Saint Agathonica: then lifting pure hands to heaven, they prayed not only for themselves, but also for their murderers, that being freed from error they might be turned to piety. This recompense indeed the good disciples of the best Master paid to their enemies, who had prayed that the Father should forgive his crucifiers: but they also acknowledged that a great favor was being done them by those through whom they were being sent to their most highly desired God. their bodies are honorably buried by Christians. Having prayed that all things conducive might befall all, they were beheaded on October 13. But their bodies, lying neglected without honor, the hands of Christians took up, and buried them with lamps and hymns in an adorned place, a place of healing for the faithful and
an inviolable treasure, a scourge to evil spirits, a refreshment and certain medicine of diseases to all the sick; finally, to the glory of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belong honor and power together with the most holy and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
ON THE HOLY MARTYRS
JANUARIUS, PAUL, CARULUS, AROBUS, BASSA, CARITA AND AGATHONIA, LIKEWISE DECIMUS, CALEPODIUS AND LEONITIDES.
CommentaryJanuarius, Martyr (Saint) Paul, Martyr (Saint) Carulus, Martyr (Saint) Arobus, Martyr (Saint) Bassa, Martyr (Saint) Carita, Martyr (Saint) Agathonia, Martyr (Saint) Decimus, Martyr (Saint) Calepodius, Martyr (Saint) Leonitides, Martyr (Saint)
This troop of Martyrs is celebrated in the second place in four copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology, and some others. The first three of these are in some joined to the preceding class, as companions of Saint Euphemia in Martyrdom. Saint Januarius in the Rhinau and Reichenau manuscripts is assigned to Rome, perhaps an occasion having been seized from the Martyrology of Rabanus, in which these things are handed down: "At Rome in the cemetery, the translation of Saint Januarius the Martyr." But these are to be understood rather of some other Martyr. Paul in the manuscript codex of Saint Willibrord is called "Acolyte." Carulus is also written "Catulus," and several times "Carolus": which we are less able to approve. "Arobus" is missing in the Luccan and Blumian autographs, is found in the other two: "Bassa" is also called "Passa"; and for "Agathonia" (for we think it should so be read) is found "Azatonia," "Aroazonia," and "Agathonica": but this is the Pergamene Martyr mentioned above with Saints Carpus and her brother Papylus. In the Corbey codex "Decimus" is added, not mentioned by others. In the Tamlacht they are given, but with the names rather corruptly transcribed as "Januaria," "Parura," "Karolus," whether the three others should be joined. "Arobus," "Bassa," "Carita," "Castonica": and instead of "Acolyte" another Martyr "Accolus" is read, and "Calipodius" and "Leonitides," not mentioned by others, are inserted.