Theodosia

ON ST. THEODOSIA, MOTHER OF PROCOPIUS, AND THE TWELVE WOMEN MARTYRS. LIKEWISE ON SS. ANTIOCHUS AND NICOSTRATUS, MARTYRS.

Theodosia, mother of Procopius, at Cæsarea in Palestine (S.)

Twelve women Martyrs, in the same place. Antiochus, Martyr, in the same place (S.)

Nicostratus, Martyr, in the same place (S.)

Other companion Martyrs, in the same place.

J. P.

Concerning these Martyrs, dug out from the suspect Acts of St. Procopius the Commander, what I think, I have not obscurely indicated in the Commentary preceding those same Acts, from number 20. Nor is it necessary to add more, besides the following little verses, which I judge to pertain here. Twelve holy Women are read in the Menæum of Chifflet. On the 12 Women; In the Supplement to the printed Greek Menæa, from the Synaxary of Sirmond and the manuscript of Chifflet, they are said, αἱ συνκλητικαὶ ξίφει τελ., endowed with senatorial nobility, to have consummated their martyrdom by the sword, with the following distich: which I thus interpret in the Latin tongue:

Δὶς ἓξ ἀνεῖλε εὐκλεεῖς κόρας ξίφος, Ἡγουμένας σκύβαλα τῆς γῆς τὰ κλέα.

The sword took away twice six noble maidens, who counted earthly honor to be dung.

[2] The said Supplement also has SS. Antiochus and Nicostratus, likewise slain by the sword, and SS. Antiochus and Nicostratus. honoring their sacred triumph with this distich:

Ὁ Νικόστρατος τὴν τομὴν οἴσω, λέγει, Ὡς Ἀντίοχος, μὴ γὰρ οὐ κᾀμοὶ κάρα.

I will bear the stroke, said Nicostratus, like a second Antiochus: for neither have I a head.

Their memory also recurs in the Menæum of Chifflet; which expressed elsewhere I have nowhere chanced to find.