Martyrs

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

PARTHENIUS, ANIMATUS, AND PIVIDIUS, WITH SEVEN OTHERS.

From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.

Parthenius, Martyr (S.)

Pividius, Martyr (S.)

Seven other Martyrs

J. B. S.

The memory of other Martyrs outside Alexandria is divided into two classes, says Florentini. The first varies little, in some difference of the names, in our codices and the Corbie. Nay, it varies much, even in the number of the Martyrs who are set forth by their proper names: for the text of Florentini has: And elsewhere, of Pathemus, Parmus, Ammias, Pidinius. But the Corbie reports only three, and those plainly otherwise formed: And elsewhere, of Parthemus, Animasus, Pyvidius. The Anonymous in both are seven, more rightly, I think, than in the most ancient Epternach, in which their number again ascends to eighteen. For the rest, this codex too agrees with the Corbie in the number of the Saints, although it inflects the names otherwise: And elsewhere, of Parthenus, Animatius, Prundus. The two first are pleasing; the third seems altogether corrupt from the true name of Pividius, as some more contracted Hieronymian codices rightly write. The Ammias of the Lucca codices was probably deduced from Animatus or Animasus: Parmus we think was added amiss. Worse would one judge, to refer either that or the appellation Parthemus to St. Pantaenus, whom we said should plainly be excluded from the Hieronymian in our Observations on Usuard, and again in the Commentary given above, where we treated of him on this day.

ON SS. ALEXANDER AND PARTINIMUS,

MARTYRS.

From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.

Alexander, Martyr (S.)

Partinimus, Martyr (S.)

J. B. S.

The third class, equally with the former, is involved and obscure; of an uncertain place like the preceding. That only two Martyrs are reported is certain; nor is the first name in any way to be doubted, since in all it is set forth as Alexander. It is not so clear by what reckoning the other name should be inflected. The text of Florentini from the Lucca codices reads Parminus, the Corbie Parthimus: I wrote, with the most ancient Epternach, Partinimus, chiefly for this cause, that Parminus looks more toward the first class, Parthimus toward the second, in which we formed the names Parmenius and Parthenius. If to anyone the reading of the others should be more pleasing, we shall not heavily suffer ours to be set behind. It is not so easy to restore dislocated names.