ON SS. PROCOPIUS AND QUARTUS, MARTYRS,
AT CÆSAREA IN CAPPADOCIA.
From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.
CommentaryProcopius, Martyr, at Cæsarea in Cappadocia (S.)
Quartus, Martyr, at Cæsarea in Cappadocia (S.)
J. B. S.
Concerning St. Procopius the Lector, a most celebrated martyr, we treated cursorily in our Observations on the Martyrology of Usuard on this day, referring hither the question whether there is one or a twin true Procopius the martyr, the one of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, Besides St. Procopius the Lector, the other of Palestine. Concerning that first Martyr at Cæsarea of Palestine, praised by Eusebius, whom all the classic Martyrologists, after the Little Roman, marked on this day with a eulogy, although the text of Eusebius would have him crowned on the seventh before the Ides of June, for which Castellanus referred him to the seventh of June (other Acts in Valesius noting the seventh of July), concerning this, I say, it has already been treated more fully on this very day: here we inquire only whether at least two Procopii, martyrs, are not to be admitted, who, perhaps pertaining to different days, from some coincidence I know not what, now concur on the same day; with the addition, if we believe the Greeks, of a certain other synonym, a Commander of Egypt, adorned with that long oration, related and discussed above. We therefore investigate only whether a distinction is to be set between Procopius the Cappadocian and Procopius the Palestinian, from the trust and authority of the Martyrologies which we continue to call Hieronymian, for that cause which we long ago set forth in the preface to Usuard.
[2] That the Procopius of the Little Roman was most certainly taken for the Palestinian by all the classic Martyrologists who followed it, another synonym also a Martyr the express position proves, the eulogy fitted to him by Bede or rather Florus proves, the text of Eusebius proves, and finally the somewhat longer Acts, produced by Valesius and already reviewed; which truly cannot at all agree with the Cappadocian, to whom namely the Hieronymian Martyrologies, both the greater and the lesser, add a companion Quartus; the Corbie-Achery codex adds also Felix, the most express position, or place of martyrdom, Cæsarea of Cappadocia, being everywhere prefixed. Among the primary copies the Lucca or Florentinian codex alone lacks the word Cappadociæ; but it is most clearly set in the most ancient Epternach: At Cæsarea of Cappadocia, of Procopius, Quartus: which in the same words are read in the Corbie codex in Florentinius, the Rheinau and Reichenau, most ancient codices of the best stamp. The Blume transcript in position and in the rest plainly agrees; the Corbie-Achery reads: At Cæsarea of Cappadocia, of Procopius, Quartus, Felix.
[3] he with Quartus is ascribed to Cæsarea of Cappadocia. That Felix we excluded from the title, because we think him added by the copyist from elsewhere; but concerning Quartus there can be no doubt at all, since he is constantly joined with Procopius in all. Moreover it is clear, unless I am mistaken, that it follows from what has been said, that by the trust and authority of those most ancient codices it is plainly established that another Procopius must be said, who triumphed at Cæsarea of Cappadocia with Quartus; another the Scythopolitan Lector, who, led to Cæsarea, at the first boldness of his responses, was beheaded by the judge Fabianus: or as Eusebius says, in chapter 1 concerning the Martyrs of Palestine, before he had made trial of the prison, straightway from the first threshold, as they say, being led to the president's tribunal … at once was beheaded. Of no Procopius Commander of Egypt do we find any memory in the more ancient Latin Fasti: of what value his Acts are has long ago been declared by our predecessors, and further explained on this day, on which he is venerated by the Greeks, by whom the aforesaid Acts were adorned, which from the Greek, under the name of Metaphrastes, Aloysius had translated in tome VI, and from this Surius published; but we have given them here illustrated with a new translation, although they seem by no means to deserve it.
ON THE HOLY MARTYRS
ABDAS AND SABAS
Notice from the Greek tables.
Abdas, Martyr, among the Greeks (S.)
Sabas, Martyr, among the Greeks (S.)
J. P.
The holy Martyrs Abdas and Sabas are marked on the seventh of this month in a fragment, comprising some days and months, or the Turin Codex [a]; but in the Menæum of Chifflet Abdas alone is noted, but on this eighth day; on which he is also placed in the Supplement, more than once mentioned, which sings to him these two little verses.
Ἅπαξ ἑμαυτὸν πρὸς τὸ πάσχειν θαρσύνας, Χαρὰν τὸ πάσχειν ἐκ ξίφους Ἀβδὰς ἔχω.
After once I gave myself courage to suffer, suffering by the sword, I Abdas am refreshed with joy.