Esicus and Companions

ON ST. ESICUS AND COMPANIONS.

From the Martyrology of St. Jerome.

Esicus, Roman Martyr (S.) Processus, Roman Martyr (S.) Marina, Roman Martyr (S.) Antonius or Antoninus, Roman Martyr (S.) Serenus, Roman Martyr (S.) Victor, Roman Martyr (S.)

J. B. S.

After Zoilus of Nicomedia, of whom we have just treated, there is in the Hieronymian codices—I dare say all—some commemoration of Gagus or Gaius the Pope, whose deeds our Predecessors illustrated fully and accurately from the Hieronymian codices themselves and other Martyrologies, This list here from the Hieronymian on his proper day of deposition, unless I am mistaken, XXII April. There follows in the praised apographs, by the same or not much differing formula: And the birthday of the holy Lucia the virgin and Accia the king with eight or nine others: on which Florentinius observes many things, which would have to be recalled to a more exact balance, had not Papebroch already long since occupied that province, when he wove a sufficiently long commentary on those Martyrs on XXV June, to which it is not pleasant, in a most obscure matter, to superadd new conjectures. It will be better, with Caius and Luceia and their companions placed, after the custom, in the little index of those deferred to other days, to arrange the remaining classes of the Hieronymian lists, with what diligence can be, into their series.

[2] Among these the first, or at least immediately following those already mentioned, is that which in Florentinius's table is thus expressed: rightly placed here, In the same city (Rome) of Esinus, Processus, Martinianus, Marina, Antonius, Serenus, Victor. Here Martinianus is redundant, whom the other codices, Epternach, Corbie, and Blume, altogether lack; whence Florentinius rightly judges with us that he was drawn here from the list of the following day, as a companion of Processus (who was badly confused with the next day). The most ancient apograph also labors with some blemish, when it wrongly connects two announcements, thus forming its own: Likewise at Rome, of Isicus, Processus, Marina, Antoninus, Serenus, Victor, Zelus with eight others. Remove the last part concerning Zelus and his companions, and you will have the genuine text, as in the Corbie and Blume codices it is sincerely rendered: In the same city, of Esicus, Processus, Marina, Antonius, Serenus, Victor: which is the very order adopted by us, the doubtful name of Isicius or Esicius, of Antonius or Antoninus being left. Concerning the lesser Hieronymian codices there is no reason for me to institute a long discourse; to one consulting the numbers of the Usuardine preface, from 27 cited above, it will be plain that the Tables are so abbreviated that nothing of light can be drawn from them. Thus the supplement of Bede of Tournai numbers only: Esicus, Serenus, and Victor. In the Adonian and Usuardine codices there is deep silence concerning all.

[3] The present announcement of Notker: At Rome, the birthday of St. Gaius the Pope and of not a few other Martyrs, the conjectures of others being rejected. suggests a doubt to Florentinius, whether these Roman athletes, thus collectively marked, should not be placed among the thirty-five soldiers who, softened by the prodigy of milk flowing from the neck of the Apostle Paul, with their own necks also cut off by the sword, confessed Christ the Lord. He acts wisely in abstaining from affirmation: for the authority of Notker, in my judgment, is here none; since the very text of the Hieronymian codices does not seem, even by a shadow, to look to those soldiers, of whom Chrysostom alone makes mention, nor adds any note of time or other, whence even a slight conjecture concerning the quality of our Martyrs might be drawn. Still less will you understand what Florentinius means by these words: Only three of them does the Roman Martyrology commemorate on this same day, but the names of Longinus, Acestus, and Megistus, which from old manuscripts Baronius adds in his Notes, do not agree with ours: for all those pertain to the following day, nor have any affinity with the Hieronymian Martyrs. The series placed by us is right and good, would only that something might now be found which could safely be both reported and illustrated concerning them, pertaining to their life, deeds, or martyrdom.