ON ST. ANTHUSA, SOLITARY; LIKEWISE ON ST. ATHANASIUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR, AND ON TWO SERVANTS OF ST. ANTHUSA, CHARISIUS AND NEOPHYTUS, MARTYRS,
AT TARSUS IN CILICIA,
UNDER VALERIAN.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Their cult, various observations, their Acts.
Anthusa, solitary, at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
Athanasius, bishop and M., at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
Charisius, M., servant of St. Anthusa, at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
Neophytus, M., servant of St. Anthusa, at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
J. P.
[1] At Tarsus, of the holy Athanasius, bishop and martyr, of Anthusa, a noble woman whom he had baptized, and of her two servants, who suffered under the emperor Valerian. Their memory in the Roman Martyrology, Such is the announcement of the present Roman Martyrology on this XXII day of August, from the Menology of the Greeks; to whom we must henceforth have recourse for the other records which pertain to these same Saints. The Menology of Sirlet therefore says: On the same day, the birthday of the blessed martyr Anthusa, and of Athanasius the bishop, who baptized her, and of Charissimus and Neophytus, her servants. The great printed Menaea make this mention of them, also on this day: The memory of the holy martyr Anthusa, and of Athanasius the bishop who baptized her, and of Charesimus and Neophytus, her servants. In honor of all of whom these little verses composed there are read. And of Anthusa indeed thus, with an allusion to her name, which in Latin sounds "flowering," and to Seleucia, her native soil:
Ἀνθῆσαν ἐκ γῆς τῆς Σελευκείας ῥόδον, Ἀνθοῦσαν ἐδρέψαντο χεῖρες ἀγγέλων.
A rose flowering before in the city of Seleucus, Anthusa, an angelic hand plucks you.
[2] In the two following, concerning St. Athanasius, there is likewise an allusion to his name, and in others which in Latin is "immortal":
Ἀθανάσιος κᾄν τεθνήξομαι ξίφει, Καὶ ζῶσι Χριστοῦ ζῶν τετάξομαι φίλοις.
Though I, Athanasius, fall about to die by the sword, Life is mine with the living friends of Christ.
Of the two servants of St. Anthusa these two verses are subjoined, the poet observing that by their martyrdom they were made noble from servants:
Δοῦλοι δύο τμηθέντες εὗρον οἱ δύο Τὴν εὐγήνειαν, ἣν ἀπόλεσαν πάλαι.
The sword slays two servants; the two find What they had lost before, the rank of nobles.
[3] In the Chifflet Menaeon on this day also are noted: Ἀνθούσης, Ἀθανασίου, καὶ τῶν δούλων αὐτῆς. That is: in the Greek calendars: Of Anthusa, of Athanasius, and of her servants (namely of St. Anthusa). But in our manuscript supplement to the printed Sirmond-Chifflet Menaea, mention is made only of the eulogy of Anthusa, to which it is indicated that there is added in Sirmond: Τελεῖται δὲ ἡ τῆς Ἁγίας σύναξις ἐν Ἱπποΐχνοις. The solemnity of the Saint is kept at Hippoichna. I suspect that a place at Constantinople is here designated; which, however, I have not hitherto found in Du Cange's Constantinopolis Christiana. But as regards the eulogies, Sirlet and the great printed Menaea have them. And they contain a compendium of the Acts; but since we are afterwards to bring these forward, we forbear to transcribe them. Yet after our custom we shall turn into Latin the Basilian eulogy, whose Greek text is found at the end of the first volume of this month of August in our work, page 667. Thus, then, it runs in Latin:
[4] Their eulogy. Anthusa, martyr of Christ, lived under the reign of Valerian, having her birth from the city of Seleucia, the daughter indeed of rich parents, but of idolaters. But she, kindled with the desire of Christ, left both her parents and her home; and taking with her Charisimus and Neophytus, her servants, feigning that she was departing to her nurse, she set out upon the road which leads to the city of Tarsus, wishing to be baptized. But an angel of the Lord, snatching up Athanasius, bishop of Tarsus, led him on the road to meet her: and since water was lacking, the bishop, having poured forth prayers, brought water out of the earth, and baptized her and her servants. Then, returning to her mother but not being received, she set her mind upon the solitary life, and, having rightly run through her contest, she rested. But the bishop Athanasius, together with Charisimus and Neophytus, by Valerian
being seized, and having first endured many torments, was at length beheaded; and thus, the course of martyrdom being completed, they received the kingdom of heaven.
These things, which I have gathered above concerning our Saints, must be illustrated by various observations.
[5] Various observations are given upon the announcements I observe therefore first, that St. Anthusa in the announcement which is found in the Menology of Sirlet is marked with the title of blessed martyr: which is strange, because it openly conflicts with the eulogy which is immediately subjoined, where among other things it is said of her: Living in the desert twenty-three years among the wild beasts, and nourished by them … she commended her spirit to God himself in peace. Hence that slip passed into the Roman Martyrology, since Baronius in his notes alleges the Menology of the Greeks, namely that of Sirlet, which he used. And that error he more clearly adopts in the Annals to be cited below. The same hallucination is in the great printed Menaea; which I suspect both there and elsewhere took its origin from this, that in a manuscript copy there was this abbreviation or one like it, μρς, that is, μητρὸς, "of the mother," and not μάρτυρος, "of the martyr," as could and should have been gathered from the context of the narrative or eulogy. Let our Greek transcript of the Menology of the emperor Basil serve as an example, in which, besides many other abbreviations found there, is this one, to our purpose, on the XXV day of July: Μνήμη τῆς ἁγίας Ἄννης τῆς μρς τῆς θκου, that is, Θεοτόκου. The memory of St. Anne, mother of the Mother of God. And, not to seek further examples, our Papebroch seems, in the Greek title which is prefixed to the Life of our St. Anthusa transcribed by him from the Ambrosian codex, and to be subjoined by us in print after this Commentary, to have found μρς or something like it: for the word μάρτυρος, which perhaps without consulting the text of the narrative he had incautiously written at first, he struck out, and above it set with his own hand μητρὸς ἡμῶν, "our mother." Which title, if we believe the Acts, is altogether fitting to the Saint, because she lived the monastic life for so many years and died in it.
[6] It has seemed strange to me also that this error crept into the Basilian Menology, of the sacred calendars, in whose Greek copy is written whole and clearly μάρτυς Ἀνθοῦσα, "Anthusa the martyr," and that in the strict sense of the name, as is clear from our Latin text, the interpreter of the Greek, given by us above, since in it she is called martyr of Christ. But I suspect that this happened by the copyist's error, because in the title which is prefixed to that same text I read in our manuscript only: Καὶ μνήμη τῆς ἁγίας Ἀνθούσης. And the memory of St. Anthusa. And there follow in the same title these words: Καὶ ἄθλησις ὁσίου Ἀθανασίου ἐπισκόπου, καὶ τῶν συν αὐτῷ. And the contest of the holy Athanasius the bishop and of his companions. By which these are distinguished as martyrs from St. Anthusa, who was not a martyr; and this is also confirmed from the title which is prefixed to our Ambrosian transcript, and will be given afterwards, when we treat of the various copies of the Life.
[7] I observe secondly that in our Ambrosian transcript another day is assigned to our Saints, upon the day of their cult, namely the twenty-fourth of August, as is gathered from the words which are written in the margin of that same copy, μηνὶ τῷ αὐτῷ κδ᾽. That is: In the same month (August), the XXIV. But since both in the other sacred calendars and especially in the Roman ones, to which we are accustomed to conform, the Saints are announced on the present day, we too treat of them on this day. Although, if credit is to be given to our manuscript from the Vatican library, which is marked Codex 1671, and which after the Life of St. Anthusa relates separately the martyrdom of the holy bishop Athanasius, who gave light to St. Anthusa, as the inscription or title of that martyrdom bears — if credit, I say, be given to that manuscript, τὸν μὲν της ἀφθαρσίας στέφανον οὗτος ὁ μακάριος Ἀθανάσιος εἰς ἀμοιβὴν ἀγαθῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ κομίζεται τῇ προσδεκαπέντε καλανδῶν Μαρτίων. Which in Latin run thus: This blessed Athanasius bears away from God the crown of immortality in recompense for his good deeds on the fifteenth of the Kalends of March. But the two servants of St. Anthusa were crowned after St. Athanasius, according to the account, such as it is, of their contest, which follows from the cited Vatican codex in our transcript; which runs thus: Ἐτελειώθησαν δὲ οἱ ἅγιοι Μάρτυρες τοῦ Χριστοῦ μηνὶ Ἀυγούστῳ κδ᾽. And the holy martyrs of Christ were consummated in the month of August, on the XXIV day. Baronius, presently to be cited, says that these suffered, as also Athanasius and Anthusa, on the XXII day of August: about which day let him see to it. I do not find the day of St. Anthusa's death in the Acts.
[8] upon the time of their death, I observe thirdly that the life of St. Anthusa and the death of our three martyrs are referred to the reign of the emperor Valerian. Baronius at the year of Christ 260, number 32, says: But as regards the Cilician martyrs: among many others who suffered in Cilicia, Athanasius the bishop and Anthusa a noble woman and her two servants completed their martyrdom at Tarsus on the eleventh of the Kalends of September. Observe in passing that the Saint is here most clearly, but wrongly, numbered with the three other martyrs. But that year does not conflict with the Acts, which record that the Saints lived under the said emperor. But as for what the same Acts say at number 4 concerning the monastic habit with which she was clothed, beware of understanding this of such a habit strictly so called, that is a religious one, which by no means suits the times of Valerian. We too have placed today's Saints under this emperor before, with the Roman Martyrology and with the Acts such as they are, so long as more certain things are not at hand. But some other matters occur which must be added to our observations above.
[9] upon the various Anthusas of the same name, I observe therefore fourthly, and lest today's Anthusa be confused with others of the same name, I enumerate various others with our Rader, who in his manuscript observations on the Greek Menaea, on occasion of this one, says: Six holy women of this name are celebrated in the Menaea: on the XXII of February, the XII of April, the XXII of July, the XXVII of July, the XXII of August, and below on the XXVII of August the younger. The first was a martyr with XII servants, and is given in our work on the XXII day of February. The second, the daughter of Constantine Copronymus, has been deferred by us from the XII day of April to the XVII of the same month. The third, which was indicated in those same manuscript observations as belonging to the XXII of July, I do not find in the Menaea. The fourth, Anthusa the Virgin under Constantine Copronymus, has been produced by us on the day on which she was assigned above, the XXVII of July. The fifth is today's. The sixth, the younger, who, clothed in haircloth and cast into a well, expired; of whom it will be seen elsewhere. Today's was called the elder by reason of the one following on the XXVII of August, as Rader adds; yet I do not read that the name of "elder" is added in her announcement in the said Menaea. Today's Anthusa, therefore, is sufficiently distinguished from the others of the same name by the peculiarities just assigned.
[10] and observations upon her servants and upon St. Athanasius. I observe fifthly some things concerning the two servants of St. Anthusa, and concerning the arena of their contest as well as that of St. Athanasius. Those servants are in our Acts called Charisius and Neophytus; in the Greek Menaea Χαρήσιμος καὶ Νεόφυτος εὐνοῦχοι, Charesimus and Neophytus, eunuchs; in the Menology of Sirlet and in the Greek Vatican transcript the name Neophytus agrees with the other copies; but in the Vatican one, in the course of the martyrdom, the other is called Charisimus; but in Sirlet's, Charissimus and Carissimus. And although it matters nothing, or at least little, in which form you express that name, yet we in the title before this Commentary have both written that name as it is found in our Greek Ambrosian manuscript, and have joined Neophytus to him from the same and from others, even though the announcement of the Roman Martyrology gives the name of neither. This too we have followed above in placing the arena of the three martyrs at Tarsus, which is a city of Cilicia; where likewise with the same we have referred St. Anthusa, even though she did not die there but in the desert, according to the Acts; because more certain evidence is not at hand, by which we might more distinctly illustrate that placing.
[11] But account must also be taken of the various copies which record the deeds of our Saints. Various The Vatican one designated above bears this title: Βίος καὶ πολιτεία τῆς ἁγίας Ἀνθούσης. The Life and manner of life of St. Anthusa. And it begins thus: Ἦν τις ἐπίσκοπος ἅγιος ταῖς πράξεσιν, ὀρφανῶν ἀντιλήπτωρ, χηρῶν ὑπερασπιστὴς, καταπονουμένων βοητὸς, καὶ χειμαζομένων λιμήν· ἦν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἀθανάσιος. Παραγενόμενος δὲ οὗτος ἐν Ταρσῷ τῆς Κιλικίας. Which in our Latin transcript from the same Vatican library, in the place before indicated, the interpreter renders thus: There was a certain bishop very holy in life and works, the helper of orphans, the defender of widows, the reliever of afflicted men, and the harbor of the storm-tossed. That man's name was Athanasius. He, when he had come to the city of Tarsus in Cilicia, etc. This transcript rightly distinguishes the Life of St. Anthusa, who died in the desert, from the Martyrdom of St. Athanasius and of Sts. Charisius and Neophytus, since it relates each separately with new titles prefixed, as I indicated above; but it labors under other inconveniences, of which we shall presently treat.
[12] Lambeck in book 8 of the Commentaries on the Imperial Library of Vienna, page 209, from codex 14, places these four Saints on the XXIV of August, copies and under the same title, just as if they had all been martyrs, in this way: Μηνὶ Αὐγούστῳ κδ᾽. Μαρτύριον τῆς ἁγίας μάρτυρος Ἀνθούσης, καὶ τῶν παίδων αὐτῆς Νεοφύτου καὶ Χαρησίμου, καὶ Ἀθανασίου ἐπισκόπου τοῦ βαπτίσαντος αὐτούς. In the month of August, the XXIV. The martyrdom of the holy martyr Anthusa, and of her servants Neophytus and Charesimus, and of Athanasius the bishop who baptized them. The beginning of the Greek narrative in Lambeck is: Ἦν τις ἐπίσκοπος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ὀνόματι Ἀθανάσιος, ἅγιος ταῖς πράξεσιν ὑπάρχων, etc. Which I render thus in Latin: There was in those days a certain bishop named Athanasius, being holy in his works. Our Janning long ago left it noted that the beginning of that copy, from which he recites some things which follow in it, differs little from the Vatican one; and in the margin of that Greek transcript he noted some other things from the Imperial manuscript, and wrote the end of it after the last words of the Vatican one. But it is not worth the trouble to transcribe it here, since it is nearly like the end of that same Vatican transcript.
[13] Finally, another copy is entitled: Βίος καὶ πολιτεία τῆς ἁγίας μητρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀνθούσης, καὶ μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγ. ἱερομ. Ἀθανασίου, Χαρισίου καὶ Νεοφύτου. Greek, That is: The Life and manner of life of our holy mother Anthusa, and the martyrdom of the holy hieromartyr Athanasius, and of Charisius and Neophytus. That it was taken from the Ambrosian codex f. N. n. 152, our Papebroch has added, who transcribed that same copy. Its author is Laurence, monk of Rossano in Calabria. This codex we have already cited several times in the course of this month of August, and especially on the XIII day of that month, page 116, in the preliminary Commentary on St. Maximus, §10,
number 80. Thither therefore I send the reader for further information.
[14] Moreover I have chosen for the press the Life of St. Anthusa and the contest of the three martyrs from the said manuscript rather than from the Vatican one, which relate the Acts of these Saints, not because I approve everything contained in it as pure and genuine (for that leopard at number 7, not to mention other things which are brought forward without sufficient authority, seems to have something of the Greek temper); but because it dispatches the matter briefly enough, which the Vatican copy draws out into a longer discourse, after the manner customary with the Greeks, who are wont to stuff the Lives of the Saints with speeches, digressions, marvelous events, addresses, visions, and prodigies. And to show the loquacity of the Vatican biographer, I bring forward this passage of his, which the Latin interpreter has rendered from the Greek in these words: At that time there arose a very impious emperor named Valerian, who, having seized the most holy Athanasius, put him to death with the greatest torments. But when the holy virgin Anthusa had learned from the Holy Spirit that blessed Athanasius had been consummated in martyrdom, "Blessed are you," she said, "Athanasius; for God has held your faith accepted, as the gifts of Abel. God has looked upon you, as upon that Enoch who was translated into the tabernacles of the just. God has loved you, as Noah, who saw the world sunk in the flood of waters. God has chosen you as Daniel, whom he snatched from the lions' den. God has delivered you, as he delivered Ananias, Azarias, and Misael from the flame of the furnace. The Lord God has received your sacrifice, as that of Abraham offering his son. You have been made perfect, as Joseph, who was sold in Egypt by his brothers. God has not forsaken you, but has helped you as he helped David. You have received wisdom as Solomon."
[15] are enumerated. Here is another of the same bran, or worse: Another demon came. "Come," he said, "come, Anthusa, and drink of the river of milk and honey." To whom Anthusa said: "Who then are you?" Then he said: "I dwell in these desert places, as you also do." But the holy virgin said: "I adjure and charge you by the holy name of God, that you tell who you are." Then he said: "I am he who inflamed Adam and suggested that he eat of that tree and be cast out of paradise. I am he who received power against the body of Job. I am he who kindled Judas Iscariot to deliver the Son of God to be fastened upon the cross." But enough of words; that it may be plain even from these that I have not without reason kept that copy from the press. But what the Vatican copy adds at the end of the Martyrdom of St. Athanasius appears, if not of poor credit, at least of uncertain credit. And they are these: Ἀνὴρ δέ τις εὐλαβὴς ὑπάρχων θήκην ἐξ ἀργυρίου κατασκευάσας, ἀπέθετο τὸ λείψανον τοῦ μάρτυρος, καὶ ἀπήνεγκεν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ ἀπέθετο, μισθὸν ἐκ τῆς περὶ τὸν Ἅγιον μνήμης αἰονίων ἀγαθῶν θησαυρὸν πορισάμενος διὰ τοῦ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Which I thus render into Latin: A certain man endowed with piety, having made a case of silver, laid the relics of the martyr in it, and carried them to Jerusalem, and laid them up, having obtained as the reward of [his] remembrance of the Saint the treasure of everlasting goods, through our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. And that the Imperial copy is also longer than is fitting I gather from the Lambeck cited, who notes that in the codex of the Vienna library it runs from folio 248, page 1, column 2, to folio 258, page 1, column 1. Let us now bring forward our copy, such as it is; to which we do not append Annotations, since so brief a Commentary can easily be consulted.
ACTS
By a certain Laurence, monk of Rossano in Calabria.
From the Ambrosian codex f. N. n. 152. Translated by J. P.
Anthusa, solitary, at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
Athanasius, bishop and M., at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
Charisius, M., servant of St. Anthusa, at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
Neophytus, M., servant of St. Anthusa, at Tarsus in Cilicia (S.)
A. By Laurence
Οὐαλεριανοῦ τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς τὰ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς ἐγκεχειρισμένου σκῆπτρα, καὶ διωγμοῦ μεγάλου κατὰ Χριστιανῶν κινηθέντος, ὁ μέγας οὗτος Ἀθανάσιος τῇ Ταρσέων ἐνδιατρίβων τηνικαῦτα πόλει, πάντας τοὺς πιστοὺς ὑπεστήριζε πρὸς τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν ἀγάπην, καὶ πάντας ἐδίδασκε, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶς ἀπίστων τοῖς θαύμασιν ἐνῆγε πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ πολλοὺς τῷ θείῳ βαπτίσματι κατελάμπρυνε. Τὰ περὶ τούτων γοῦν τῆς φήμης καὶ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τῆς Σελευκείαν διαβιβασάσης, ἡ Ἀνθοῦσα, ῥόδον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν φυεῖσα, καὶ ἐξ ἀγριελαίου καλιέλαιον· ἕλληνες γὰρ οὗτοι οἱ ταύτης ἦσαν γεννήτορες, ὁ μὴν Ἀντωνῖνος, ἡ δὲ Μαρτυρία καλούμενοι· πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν διηγέρθη, καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα, ὅστις ἄρα καὶ ἔιη, κατιδεῖν ἐπεθύμει. Σκέπτεται τοίνυν τὸ πρὸς τὸν τροφὸν ἀπελθεῖν ἐκεῖσέ που διάγουσαν, καὶ τῇ μητρὶ προσιοῦσα τὴν ἀπέλευσιν ἐξαιτεῖ. Ταύτης δὲ τὴν τοῦ Παυλίνου προφασισαμένης φόβον· ἀνὴρ δὲ οὗτος κατα δευτέρους γάμους τῆς Μαρτυρίας· ἡ Ἀνθοῦσα λύπῃ συνείχετο τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ δὴ καὶ φαίνεται ταύτῃ καθ᾽ ὕπνους ὁ Κύριος μορφῆ τοῦ Ἀθανασίου, καὶ εὐφρσύνης αὐτῆς πληροῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ τὸν τῆς πίστεως ὑποτίθησι λόγον, καὶ ἅμα πρωῒ στέλλει τινὰς τῶν οἰκετῶν πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον, έφ᾽ ᾧ τοὺς ἰδόντας τὴν μορφὴν, αὐτῇ προσαγγεῖλαι.
When Valerian the impious had been entrusted with the sceptres of the Roman empire, and a great persecution had been stirred up against the Christians, this great Athanasius, then dwelling in the city of Tarsus, was supporting all the faithful in the love of Christ, and was teaching all, and by his miracles was leading many of the unbelievers to piety, and was making many illustrious by divine baptism. When therefore report of these things had carried the news even to Seleucia itself, Anthusa — a rose sprung from thorns, and from a wild olive a cultivated olive; for her parents were pagans, the one called Antoninus, the other Martyria — was roused at the hearing, and desired to behold the man, whoever he might be. She plans therefore to go away to her nurse, who dwelt somewhere thereabouts, and, coming to her mother, asks leave to depart. But when her mother pleaded fear of Paulinus — this man was the husband of Martyria by a second marriage — Anthusa was straitened in soul with grief; and indeed the Lord appears to her in sleep in the form of Athanasius, and fills her soul with gladness, and sets before her the word of faith; and at dawn she sends some of her household servants to the Saint, so that those who had seen his form might report it to her.
[2] Γέγονε τοῦτο· συνῆκεν ἐντεῦθεν ἐκ τοῦ ὁμοιότητος, θείαν εἶναι τὴν ὄψιν· ἔθέν τοι καὶ χαίρουσα ἦν, καὶ εὔελπις, ὡς ὄψεται πάντως αὐτόν. Πρόσεισιν οὖν αὖθις τῇ μητρὶ, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ προτέρᾳ ποιεῖται παράκλησιν· κᾀκείνη μὴ βουλομένη λυπεῖν τὴν φιλτάτην, πληροῖ ταύτης τὴν αἴτησιν, καὶ πέμπει σὺν θεραπείᾳ πάσῃ πρὸς τὴν τροφόν. Ἤδη γοῦν τὴν ὁδὸν ἀνύουσα βλέπει μακρῶθεν τὸν Ἀθανάσιον κατὰ ψυχὴν ἐν αὐτῇ διερχόμενον, καὶ συμβαλοῦσα τὴν ἐκείνου μορφὴν, ἕνα τῶν παίδων αὐτῆς εἰς ἐρώτησιν πέμπει, εἰ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνός ἐστι μαθεῖν έκζητοῦσα. Μανθάνει τοῦτο, καὶ τοῦ ὀχήματος ἀποβάσα, μόνη πρόσεισι τούτῳ, καὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν ἀπονέμει προσκύνησιν, ἀπαγγέλλει τὸν ὄνηρον, αίτεῖ τὴν τῆς πίστεως ἔκθεσιν, αἰτεῖ τοῦ Χριστοῦ βάπτισμα, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι μερίδος ἀξιοῖ.
[2] This was done; and thereupon she understood from the likeness that the vision was divine; wherefore she was joyful and of good hope that she would assuredly see him. She comes therefore again to her mother, and makes the same entreaty as before; and she, unwilling to grieve her dearest one, fulfills her request, and sends her with a full retinue to the nurse. And now, as she was accomplishing the journey, she sees from afar Athanasius, whom she had seen in her soul, passing along it; and comparing his form, she sends one of her servants to inquire, seeking to learn whether he were that same man. She learns this; and, alighting from her carriage, she comes to him alone and renders him the fitting obeisance; she announces her dream, she asks for an exposition of the faith, she asks for the baptism of Christ, and begs to become of his portion.
[3] Οὐκ ἀναβάλλεται πρὸς τὴν τούτου δόσιν ὁ μέγας· ἀλλ᾽ εἴς τινα τόπον ἀνακεχωρημένον σὺν αὐτῇ τε καὶ παιδίσκαις ὀλίγαις γενόμενος, ἐπεὶ μὴ εἶχεν ὕδωρ ὁ τόπος, εὔχεται, καὶ πηγῆς ἀναδοθείσης, ἀγγέλων ἐφεστώτων αὐτῇ, οὓς καὶ ἡ Ἀνθοῦσα καὶ αὐτὸς Ἀθανάσιος ἑῳράκει, βαπτίζει ταύτην ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἳοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, τῆς μακαρίας Τριάδος· καὶ πλεῖστα περὶ τῆς πίστεως διδάξασαν τῷ Θεῷ παρατίθησιν. Ἄπεισον οὖν τὸ καλὸν ἄνθος τῆς παρθενίας ἡ Ἀνθοῦσα πρὸς τὴν ίδίαν τροφὸν· δέχεται ταύτην ἀσμένως ἐκείνη· βλέπει μὴ δεδοξασμένην τὴν καταστολὴν αὐτῆς, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκτρὰν· βλέπει ξένην μορφὴν, καὶ ὑπέρλαμπρον διαγωγὴν, δίαιταν ἄλλην· καὶ λογισμοῖς προσπαλαίει, μανθάνει Χριστιανὴν αὐτὴν γενέσθαι παρὰ τῶν παίδων· καὶ λύπῃ συνέχεται, ἀλλοτριόφρων οὖσα, καὶ μὴ θέμις εἶναι λέγει, κᾂν πρὸς βραχὺ μεῖναι παρ᾽ αὐτῇ.
[3] The great man does not delay the giving of it; but going with her and a few maidservants to a certain retired place, since the place had no water, he prays; and a spring being given forth, with angels standing by her, whom both Anthusa and Athanasius himself beheld, he baptizes her in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the blessed Trinity; and having taught her very many things concerning the faith, he commits her to God. Anthusa therefore, the fair flower of virginity, goes away to her own nurse; and she receives her gladly; she sees that her attire is not glorious but pitiable; she sees a strange appearance and an exceedingly bright manner of life, another way of living; and she wrestles with her thoughts, and learns from the servants that she has become a Christian; and she is straitened with grief, being of another mind, and says that it is not lawful that she should stay with her even for a short time.
[4] Τοίνυν ἡ παῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἀπάρασα, τὰ οἰκεῖα καταλαμβάνει, καὶ ἐπεὶ πρόστε τὸ ξένον τῆς μορφῆς, πρόστε τὸ παρηλλαγμένον τῆς καταστολῆς καὶ ἡ μήτηρ ἐκπέπληκτο, καὶ διεμερίζετο τὴν ψυχὴν, μαθεῖν ἐζήτει τί τὸ συμβάν. Οἱ παῖδες οὖν ἀπαγγέλλουσι τὰ συμβεβηκότα πρὸς αὐτὴν, κᾀκείνη τῷ ἀνδρὶ καταλέγει τὸ δράμα. Τὸν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ δὲ καιρὸν ἡ Ἀνθοῦσα πρὸς φυγὴν ἱκανὸν εὑρηκυῖα ὑποχωρεῖ· καὶ πρός τινα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῷ τέως γίνεται τόπον· εἶτα μετὰ τὴν ζήτησιν, καὶ τὴν ἀπαγόρευσιν τῆς εὑρέσεως, τὸν Ἀθανάσιον τάχος καταλαμβάνει, καὶ τοῦ τῶν μοναχῶν καταξιοῦται σχήματος, τὴν ἔρημόντε βλέπει, καὶ πρός τι σπήλαιον γίνεται, κᾂν τούτῳ πρὸς μεγάλους ἀποδύεται τοὺς ἀγῶνας, τῆς ἄνωθεν θείας χειρὸς συνεφαπτομένης, καὶ συντηρούσης αὐτήν.
[4] Then the girl, departing thence, reaches her home; and since her mother too was astounded, both at the strangeness of her appearance and at the change of her attire, and was divided in soul, she sought to learn what had happened. The servants therefore report to her what had befallen, and she recounts the affair to her husband. But Anthusa, finding the intervening time sufficient for flight, withdraws; and for the present comes to a certain hidden place; then, after the search and the giving up of hope of finding her, she quickly reaches Athanasius, and is deemed worthy of the habit of monks; she looks upon the desert, and comes to a certain cave, and in it strips herself for great contests, the divine hand from above laying hold with her and preserving her.
[5] Τοῦ διωγμοῦ τοίνυν κρατοῦντος, καὶ μεγάλα πνέοντος, συλλαμβάνεται παρὰ τῶν διωκτῶν Ἀθανάσιος, καὶ τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως κατὰ τὴν Τάρσον διάγοντος προσάγεται βήματι, καὶ μὴ πειθόμενος θυσίας εἰδώλοις προσοίσειν, τείνεται κατὰ γῆς, καὶ ξύλοις ἁδροῖς συντλᾶται τὰ μέλη, τὰς σάρκας σπαράσσεται, καὶ πικρῶς καταξαίεται, αἵματος ἡ γῆ πληροῦται, καὶ θάμβους οἱ παρεστῶτες. Εἶτα καὶ ξίφει τὴν κεφαλὴν ὁ καλλίμαρτυς ἀποτέμνεται, καὶ φιλοτίμῳ ταφῇ παραδίδοται. Διαβάλλονται τοίνυν τῷ τυράννῳ καὶ Χαρίσιος και Νεόφυτος τῶν οἰκητῶν τῆς Ἀνθουσης οἱ πρόκριτοι, οἵ τινες καὶ αὐτοὶ σὺν αὐτῆς τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος ἠξιώθησαν, καὶ πρὸς ἄρνησιν Χριστοῦ καὶ οὗτοι προσκαλοῦνται. Ἑπεὶ δὲ μὴ ἐπειθοῦντο, φρουρᾷ ζοφώδει, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ ταύτης κακοῖς ἐμβάλλονται. Ἡμερῶν δὲ γενομένων ἑπτὰ, ἄγονται πάλιν πρὸς τὴν ἐξέτασιν, καὶ πάλιν θύειν τοῖς εἰδώλοις καταναγκάζονται· οὐ πείθονται, καὶ τῷ ξύλῳ προσαναρτῶνται, καὶ σιδηροῖς ὄνυξι τὰς πλευρὰς καταξέονται· εἶτα καὶ ξίφει τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτέμνονται, καὶ οὕτω τὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἀνύσαντες δρόμον, ἐν Κυρίῳ καλῶς τελειοῦνται.
[5] The persecution therefore prevailing and blowing mightily, Athanasius is seized by the persecutors, and is brought to the tribunal of the emperor, who was staying at Tarsus; and, not being persuaded to offer sacrifices to the idols, he is stretched upon the ground, and his limbs are crushed with heavy cudgels, his flesh is torn, and he is bitterly scraped; the ground is filled with blood, and the bystanders with amazement. Then the noble martyr has his head also cut off with the sword, and is given over to an honorable burial. Charisius and Neophytus therefore, the chief of the household of Anthusa, who themselves also had been deemed worthy with her of divine baptism, are accused before the tyrant, and these too are summoned to deny Christ. But when they were not persuaded, they are cast into a gloomy prison and into the evils that come from it. And when seven days had passed, they are led again to examination, and again are compelled to sacrifice to the idols; they are not persuaded, and are hung upon the wood, and their sides are scraped with iron claws; then their heads too are cut off with the sword, and thus, having accomplished the course of martyrdom, they are nobly made perfect in the Lord.
[6] Ἀλλὰ τούτων οὕτω γενομένων ἡ μέγαλη καὶ περίφημος Ἀνθοῦσα τοῦς ὄρεσιν ἦν ἐμφιλοχωροῦσα, καὶ τοὺς ἀσκητικοὺς ἀνύουσα πόνους, χρόνους, ὥς φασι, τρεῖς προς τοῖς ἐικοσὶ, τροφὴν τὰς φυομένας ποιουμένη βοτάνας, καὶ ἄλλην τὴν παρὰ τοῦ φιλάττοντος ἀγγέλου κομιζομένην αὐτῇ. Ἔνθα δὴ καὶ θείας χάριτος τὸ τέλος αὐτῇ γνωρισάσης Ἀθανασίου, Χαρισίουτε, καὶ Νεοφύτου, δόξαν ἐδίδου Θεῷ τῷ πάντα πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον οἰκονομοῦντι. Πολλὰς οὖν ὁ πονηρὸς κινήσας κατ᾽ αὐτὴν μηχανὰς, καὶ διὰ πάντων ἤττηται, καὶ καταπεπάτηται· καὶ γὰρ προσιὼν αὐτῇ ποτε ὥς τις μοναχὸς, Ἔγειραι, λέγει, παρθένε· στῶμεν εἰς προσευχήν. Ἐκείνη δὲ συνεῖσα τὴν πλάνην τοῦ δαίμονος, εὐχαῖς αὐτὸν ὡς καπνὸν διέλυσε, καὶ ὡς χοῦν ἐξελίκμησε. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον.
[6] But these things having thus come to pass, the great and famous Anthusa was dwelling in the mountains and accomplishing ascetic labors for twenty-three years, as they say, making her food of the herbs that grew, and other food which was brought to her by her guardian angel. And there indeed, when divine grace had made known to her the end of Athanasius and of Charisius and of Neophytus, she gave glory to God, who orders all things unto what is profitable. The evil one therefore, having stirred up many devices against her, was in all of them defeated and trodden down; for coming to her once in the guise of a monk, he says: "Rise, virgin; let us stand for prayer." But she, perceiving the deceit of the demon, dissolved him by her prayers like smoke, and winnowed him away like dust. And so much for these things.
[7] Προσευχομένης δὲ ταύτης μιᾷ τῶν νυκτῶν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ σπηλαίῳ, σεισμὸς γίνεται μέγας, καὶ σύντρομος ἐκείνη πεσοῦσα πρὸς γῆν, ἄγγελος αὐτῇ θεῖος ἐπιστὰς. Μὴ φόβου, λέγει, Ἀνθοῦσα, καλῶς τὸν ἀσκητικὸν διήνυσας δρόμον· Δεῦρο, λοιπὸν ἀπόλαβε τοὺς ἡτοιμασμένους σοι τῶν πόνων μισθοὺς, καὶ τὸ στέφος τῆς ἀφθαρσίας. Τούτων ἡ παρθένος ἀκούσασα διανίσταται πρὸς εὐχὰς, εἶτα καὶ τῇ πέτρᾳ, ᾗπερ εἴθιστο τὸν ὕπνον, ὁσάκις αὐτὴν ἡ τοῦ σώματος ἠνάγκαζε φύσις, τελεῖν, ἑαυτὴν ἀνακλίνασα, τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸ πνεῦμα παρέθετο. Χρόνοις οὖν ἐπίτισι τοῦ πανάγνου σώματος αὐτῆς θείᾳ προνοίᾳ φυλαττομένου, ἡ μεγάλη Πολυχρονία τὴν κοίμησιν αὐτῆς χρηματίζεται· ἦν δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὄρεσι τὸν ἀσκητικὸν διανύουσα δρόμον. Εὐθὺς οὖν ἀναστᾶσα καταλαμβάνει τὸ σπήλαιον, καὶ, ἰδοὺ, πάρδαλις ἐξιοῦσα, καὶ τοῦ ῥάκους τοῖς ὀδοῦσιν αὐτῆς ἐπιλαβομένη πρὸς αὐτὸ ταύτην εἰσάγει, καὶ φέρουσα πρὸς τοῦ σώματος ἵστησιν. Ἡ δὲ τοῦτον νεαρὸν ὥσπερ εὑρηκυῖα, καὶ ἄρτι θανὲς, κατασπασαμένη, καὶ δάκρυσι πλύνασα, τάχος τὸν ἐν μοναχοῖς ἀοίδιμον καταλαμβάνει Ἀβράμιον, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα γνωρίζει.
[7] And as she was praying one of the nights in that same cave, a great earthquake occurs, and she, falling trembling to the ground, a divine angel stood by her. "Fear not," he says, "Anthusa; you have nobly accomplished the ascetic course. Come now, receive the rewards of your labors prepared for you, and the crown of incorruption." Hearing these things, the virgin rises up to prayers; then, reclining herself upon the rock on which she was accustomed to take her sleep, as often as the nature of the body compelled her, she committed her spirit to the Lord. Her all-pure body being preserved for some time by divine providence, the great Polychronia is informed by an oracle of her falling asleep; and she too was accomplishing the ascetic course in those same mountains. Rising up therefore at once she reaches the cave, and behold, a leopard coming forth, and taking hold of her garment with its teeth, leads her into it, and, bringing her, sets her beside the body. And she, finding it as though fresh and but newly dead, embracing it and washing it with tears, quickly reaches Abramius, renowned among monks, and makes the matter known.
[8] Καὶ οὗτος ἅμα τρεῖς παραλαβὼν ἀδελφοὺς ἔρχεται σὺν τῇ Πολυχρονίᾳ, καὶ τὰ εἰκότα τελέσαντες ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ, τῇ γῇ τὸ ἀνθινὸν παραδίδωσι σῶμα ἐκεῖνο τῆς Ἀνθούσῆς, καὶ οὕτως ὑπέστρεψε. Χρόνος παρῆλθεν οὐχὶ συχνὸς, καὶ ἄγγελος αὐτῷ θεῖος παρακελεύεται οἶκον εὐκτήριον πρὸς τῷ σπηλαίῳ ποιῆσαι, καὶ μονὴν ἀποκαταστῆσαι. Ὃ δὴ θᾶττον ὁ γέρων διαπραξάμενος κοινὸν ἀγαθὸν, καὶ θαυμάτων σοφὸν τοῖς περιοίκοις ἀπέδειξε, τὰς τῶν θαυμάτων πηγὰς εἰς ἔτι χωρηγοῦντα τοῖς χρήζουσιν, εἰς δόξαν Πατρὸς, καὶ Υἵοῦ, καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, τῆς μιᾶς ὁμοουσίου καὶ ἀδιαιρέτου Τριάδος· ᾗ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμὴ, καὶ προσκύνησις νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
Anthusa, desirous of seeing St. Athanasius, While the impious Valerian was wielding the sceptres of the Roman empire, and a great persecution had been stirred up against the Christians, that great Athanasius, who at that time was living in the city of Tarsus, was strengthening all the faithful in the love of Christ, and was teaching all, and drew many of the unbelievers by his miracles to the worship of the true God, and made many illustrious by divine baptism. Amid these things, therefore, when the report had spread through Seleucia itself, Anthusa — a rose sprung from thorns, and from a wild olive a fruit-bearing olive (for her father and mother were pagans; he indeed was called Antoninus, and she Martyria) — was roused to hear him, and desired to see the man, whoever he might be. She was purposing to depart and go to her nurse who dwelt there, and, betaking herself to her mother, she asks leave for the journey. But when her mother pleaded the fear of Paulinus (he was the husband of Martyria by a second marriage), the mind of Anthusa was afflicted with grief: and the Lord appears to her in sleep under the form of Athanasius, and fills her mind with gladness, and sets before her the reason of the faith. Without delay, in the morning she sends some of her servants to the Saint, so that they might report to her what form they had seen.
[2] No sooner said than done: and she understood from the likeness that the vision had been divine. obtains her wish: Whence she rejoiced, and had good hope that she would certainly see him. She goes therefore again to her mother, and makes the same entreaty as before. And she, unwilling that her dearest one should be saddened, fulfills her request, and sends her with all her retinue to the nurse. When therefore the journey was now completed, she sees at a distance Athanasius going forward, according to the spirit with which she was endowed; and, having made a conjecture from his countenance, she sends one of her servants to question him, seeking to learn whether this were Athanasius. She learns this, and, descending from her carriage, goes to him alone, shows him fitting reverence, announces her dream, asks an exposition of the faith, demands the baptism of Christ, and entreats that she may become some part of him.
[3] The great man does not defer to give it; but betaking himself with her and a few maidservants to a certain solitary place, she is baptized by him: since there was no water in it, he prays; and a spring being brought forth, beside which angels stood, whom both Anthusa and Athanasius himself had seen, he baptizes her in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the blessed Trinity: and, having instructed her in many things concerning the faith, he commits her to God. And so Anthusa, that fair flower of virginity, went away to her nurse. She receives her willingly: she does not see her honorable garment, but a pitiable one: she sees a new appearance, and shining manners, another rule of life; and, considering the matter earnestly with herself, she learns from the servants that she has been made a Christian: she is afflicted with grief, and, bearing a mind alien from these things, she says that it is not lawful that she should stay with her even for a short time.
[4] The girl therefore, setting out thence, comes to her own home; and, she forsakes her parents and hides herself in the desert. since at the novelty of her appearance and the change of her garment her mother too was astounded, and, turning her mind now this way and now that, sought to learn what had happened. The servants therefore report what had befallen her. And she recounts the matter to her husband. Meanwhile Anthusa, having obtained a convenient time for flight, withdraws herself; and retires for the present to a certain hidden place; but afterwards, when she had been sought and not found, she quickly finds Athanasius, and is granted the dignity of the monastic habit; and she looks upon the desert, and hides herself in a certain cave; and in it she enters upon great contests, the divine hand from on high upholding and preserving her.
[5] Having heard of the martyrdom of St. Athanasius and of Charisius and Neophytus, The persecution therefore growing strong and breathing great blasts, Athanasius is seized by the persecutors and brought to the tribunal of the emperor, who was staying at Tarsus: and when he could not be induced to offer sacrifices to the idols, he is stretched upon the ground, and his limbs are broken with solid cudgels, his body is torn, and he is bitterly tortured with scrapers: the earth is filled with blood, the bystanders with astonishment. Then this excellent martyr is beheaded, and given over to an honorable burial. Before the tyrant also are accused Charisius and Neophytus, the chief of Anthusa's servants, who together with her had obtained the dignity of divine baptism; and these too are challenged to deny Christ. And when this could not be urged upon them, they are consigned to a dark prison and to the evils that follow from it. But seven days afterwards they are again brought to examination, and again are forced to sacrifice to the idols: they do not comply; they are hung upon the wood, and their sides are scraped with iron claws: then their heads are cut off with the sword, and thus, the course of martyrdom being accomplished, they are rightly consummated in Christ.
[6] she overcomes the devices of the devil. But these things being thus done, the great and famous Anthusa gladly inhabited the places of the mountains, and performed the labors of ascetic exercises for twenty-three years, as is reported, turning the herbs that grew into her food, and adding to it that other food which was brought to her by her guardian angel. But afterwards, when divine grace made known to her the end of Athanasius, of Charisius, and of Neophytus, she gave glory to God, who disposes all things unto that which is profitable. The malignant spirit therefore stirred up many devices against her, and in all of them was overcome and mocked. For when at one time he came to her in the guise of a monk: "Rise, girl," he said, "let us apply ourselves to prayer." But she, knowing the fraud of the demon, dissolved him like smoke, and scattered him like dust. And so far concerning these things.
[7] Her death, and her body shown in a wonderful manner: But while she was praying one night in that same cave, a great earthquake occurred; and as she fell with trembling to the ground, the angel of God, standing by her, said: "Do not fear, Anthusa; you have finely accomplished the course of your exercises. Come, receive now the reward of your labors prepared for you, and the incorruptible crown." Having heard these things, the virgin rises to prayers; but then, laying herself down upon the rock on which she used to take sleep, as often as the nature of her body compelled her, she gave up her spirit to the Lord. Some years afterwards, therefore, divine providence guarding her most pure body, the great Polychronia, who was also carrying on in those same mountains the course of solitary exercise, is divinely informed of her falling asleep. Rising up at once, therefore, she comes to the cave; and behold, a leopard coming out and seizing her cloak with its teeth, leads her thither, and, bringing her to the body, stands still. And Polychronia finds it as though fresh and but newly dead, and kisses it, and, washing it with her tears, goes to the reverend monk Abramius, and imparts to him knowledge of what had happened.
[8] And he, taking with him three brethren, goes with Polychronia, and, all things which are fitting having been performed about her, gives over that flowering body of holy Anthusa to the earth, her burial and public veneration. and so returned. And when no long time had elapsed, the angel of God bids him build a sacred edifice beside the cave, and found a monastery. This the old man without delay carries out for the common good, and shows to the neighboring people a miraculous sepulchre, which even to this time affords fountains of prodigies to those who ask, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the one consubstantial and undivided Trinity: to whom belongs all glory, honor, and adoration now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.