Gaianus

ON SS. GAIANUS, LUCIANUS, RUFINUS, VINCENTIUS, SILVANUS, VITALICA, ANTIQUORA, EMELINUS, FLORENTINUS, JUSTA, JULIA, ANTINEUS, MAXIMUS; LIKEWISE VITALICA, MARTYRS,

AT ANCYRA IN GALATIA,

From the Hieronymian transcripts.

Gaianus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Lucianus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Rufinus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Vincentius, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Silvanus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Vitalica, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Antiquora, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Emelinus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Florentinus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Justa, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Julia, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Antineus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Maximus, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

Vitalica, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

J. P.

Florentinius reports on this day, in his annotations, this band of fourteen Martyrs from the Corbie Martyrology, Sacred calendars, in which their birthday is placed at Ancyra of Galatia, and there is added in their same announcement: And the deposition of St. Helladius the bishop, of Syrgius, of Florentinus with their holy companions. And presently there follows: At Auxerre, the deposition of St. Optatus, bishop and confessor; the text of the Hieronymian transcript adding before the notes, in another hand, with his companions. Here, as elsewhere they are wont to be, the Hieronymian transcripts are confused: for the text or codex of Florentinius places the fourteen Martyrs designated in the title above at Ancyra of Gaul, and gives very many names in the masculine gender which are feminine in the aforesaid Corbie Martyrology. Let us hear Florentinius in his notes, who observes various things about his codex, some of which I shall gather up. Ancyra of Gaul. In our codex, he says, the Gallic copyist, partial to his own nation, often wrote Gallia for Galatia, as we have often noted. The scribe of a most ancient Martyrology also wrongly put Galitia for Galatia (whose announcement, where it is written Ancyra of Galytia, the same Florentinius cites). But the recorder of the Corbie Manuscript, and the Manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, wrote most correctly* Ancyra of Galatia.

[2] But if the name Vitalicus or Vitalica (in place of which Italica is written in the said most ancient Martyrology in Florentinius), which our books constantly retain along with the Corbie, from which these Martyrs are given, were changed into Italica, it would have led us into perplexity, whether Italica should be taken as the name of a martyr or of a place or city, since Italica is a town of Baetic Spain in Ptolemy and others. For if it were taken as a town, not all the Martyrs enumerated would be of Ancyra, but only the first five under Gaianus their leader. Yet I have thought it safer to embrace several codices of good repute than to rest upon one only, especially because the Manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, although it does not express them singly, assigns all the Martyrs here enumerated collectively to Ancyra thus: "At Ancyra of Galatia, the birthday of SS. Gaianus, Julianus, Rufinus with eleven others." The number of these, down to Helladius the bishop, completes all the Martyrs of Ancyra expressly named in our books, just as also all those who are reckoned in the Corbie Martyrology and in the same most ancient one. In this last, however, Antiquirius or Antiquira, and Maximus, are wanting. Nor is it to be denied here that some names (as also frequently elsewhere) which in some codices are those of holy men, martyrs, in others are proper to holy women; and that this has come about by the carelessness of the scribes, who have badly written the last syllables of the names.

[3] very much confused. That I may add something further about this variation: in the text which the same author published there is written Vitalicus, Antiquirius, Emilianus, Florentius, Justus, Julius; likewise Vitalicus. There follows the deposition of Helladius the bishop, which seems suspect of interpolation, because it is written in different characters. After this occur the names of Syrgius, Florentinus with their companions. And finally, again in other letters: In the city of Auxerre, of St. Optatus, bishop and confessor, with his companions. Maurolycus: Of SS. Helladius and Aulanus, bishops and confessors. In volume 4 of D'Achery's Spicilegium, in the Martyrology which is called most ancient and is marked with the name of St. Jerome the priest, page 669, the names of the fourteen Martyrs are formed in the same way as they are in the Corbie Martyrology, and with the same is subjoined: And the deposition of St. Helladius the bishop, of Syrgius, of Florentinus with their holy companions. I am mistaken if confusion has not crept into these three names: for deposition seems rather to indicate a confessor than a martyr; but by these who are added with their holy companions, what are you to understand but martyrs? Are they martyrs of Ancyra in Galatia? That is not ascertained by me. Perhaps they were torn away from those of Ancyra by the interposition of St. Helladius. It is no wonder that we grope in the dark where the night is obscure. Helladius and Aulanus, with the title of bishops and confessors, I have already noted above: of whom there is more in today's Praetermissi. St. Optatus, bishop of Auxerre, we give on this day. Whether the Vitalica placed in the second position, and distinguished from the former by the word τὸ likewise, belongs to Ancyra in Galatia, although it is not certainly ascertained by me, I have nevertheless referred to the same place of the arena, following Florentinius, especially since I know of nothing elsewhere to hinder her from belonging to the band of the other preceding Martyrs. And in this sense I have set her among those of Ancyra above in the catalogue of Saints before this day.

\ In our codex*