Martyrs Felix and Nicetius

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS FELIX AND NICETIUS,

AT VERONA IN ITALY.

From the Martyrologies.

Felix, Martyr, at Verona in Italy (S.)

Nicetius, Martyr, at Verona in Italy (S.)

J. B. S.

This is in the Hieronymian codex, whence Florentini drew his text, the penultimate annunciation for this day, conceived in these terms: And in Italy, in the city of Verona, the birthday of St. Felix and St. Nicetus. It is not clear enough, In the most ancient Epternach one it is read a little otherwise: And in Verona of Felix. And elsewhere of Niceta: which manner of speaking seems more conformable to the Veronese monuments, as will appear from what is to be said below. Both again the Corbie codex joins, but under a most different position, in this manner: And in Italy, in the Roman city, the birthday of Sts. Felix and St. Nicetus: so that Florentini here suffered his credit to be desired, noting thus: St. Felix and Nicetius in the Italian city Verona, all the manuscript books already adduced unanimously exhibit, while meanwhile the Roman city is marked in the Corbie codex; by the drowsiness, I think, of an unskilled copyist, since in all the other smaller codices too, the Rhinau and Reichenau, Verona is most expressly expressed, yet so that from these another difficulty arises, or rather the already-mentioned Epternach annunciation is confirmed, while Felix alone is attributed to Verona: And in Verona, of Felix, Nicetius being plainly excluded. But on the contrary in the Augsburg and Labbe codices it is read: Of Felix the martyr, of Nicetus, all position being there excluded.

[2] whether both are to be ascribed to Verona. That this must be preserved, as also the two Martyrs, other Martyrologists persuade, and especially Notker, reading with the text: In the city of Verona, the birthday of Sts. Felix and Nicetius. For the same fight the Florarium of the Saints Ms., the Lübeck-Cologne edition, and Greven, reading also: In Italy, in the city of Verona, of the blessed Felix and Nicetus the martyrs, to whom may be added Maurolyco: At Verona, of Sts. Felix and Niceta the martyrs. Nor here would I dare to assent to Florentini, when he seems to wish to confuse this holy Felix with the one of the same name, of whom we treated on 19 July, not a martyr, but a bishop confessor, of whom we there said whatever Ferrari and the Veronese monuments could suggest. Thou wilt say, these two holy Martyrs are unknown at Verona: I do not altogether deny it; but many such occur in the Hieronymian codices, who were unknown in various places, before these were published. But for the rest it is clear from other things too, that those Martyrs are to be ascribed to the Veronese, at least St. Felix the martyr, whose relics, in their copious published index, are said to be kept in three different churches, namely of St. Bernardino, St. George, and St. Zeno the Greater. Concerning St. Nicetius arguments do not fight equally clearly; so that perhaps from the Epternach and other above-cited codices he must be recalled elsewhere.

ON THE HOLY SEVEN ANONYMOUS MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA.

From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.

The Seven Anonymous Martyrs at Nicomedia (SS.)

J. B. S.

At Nicomedia, the birthday of Martyrs to the number of 7, writes the text of Florentini; and to nearly the same effect the Corbie codex: At Nicomedia, the birthday of Martyrs, to the number of seven, with their companions. Rightly in the same place the same Florentini notes that these seven anonymous Nicomedians are wholly owed to the manuscript codices. That is, he says, to our books, the Corbie, the Queen of Sweden, and the most ancient Antwerp (say Epternach), in which not 7 but 8 martyrs are indicated, unless it must be called an error of the copyist, from the consonance of all the others. So plainly I think it must be said, since even in the Rhinau and Reichenau codices no more than seven are reported, the position being changed, by another error, in this last, of Nicomedia into Antioch: which of whatever sort it was, this at least is certain, that concerning those holy Martyrs nothing has hitherto been found by us elsewhere.