ON ST. CYRIL, BISHOP AND MARTYR.
PERHAPS AT GORTYNA IN CRETE.
Under Decius or Maximian.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Cyril, Bishop and Martyr, perhaps at Gortyna in Crete (S.)
By the author J. P.
[1] Before, according to custom, I set down some things for the greater elucidation of the deeds done by St. Cyril, I bid the reader first of all remember those things which were said long ago among the Passed-Over on the 14th of June, on which day he is said to be commemorated with an illustrious elogium in the manuscript Synaxary of Constantinople, Why is St. Cyril here transferred from 14 June? and in others preserved at Milan in the Ambrosian library, at Turin in the library of the Duke of Savoy, at Paris in the Mazarine library, at Dijon in the college of the Society. Wherefore it was little short of his being given on that day; yet it seemed good to transfer him to this day, because almost the same elogium is had in the printed Menaea, and his memory is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology on the present day, on which we give him.
[2] But that the memory of this holy Martyr is by far most celebrated among the Hagiologists is clear both from the Greek sacred tables and from the Latin, His memory among the Greeks which make most frequent mention of his combat on this day, as will be plain from what follows, taking our beginning from the Basilian Menology, edited in Greek at the end of volume I of July, whose text on the 9th day of the same month I thus render into Latin: Cyril the Hieromartyr, having made great increase in the faith of Christ and in divine virtues, was constituted Archbishop of the Cretan church. He, when he had rightly presided over the flock, and had increased the people of the Lord by doctrine and admonitions, a persecution being stirred up, was seized and bound by the idolaters, and delivered to the President. Cast into the fire, when he came forth from it unharmed, the bonds with which he was bound being burnt, and the wood by which the flame was fed being reduced to ashes, he was released by the President; who marveled at what had been done, and reproved the edicts of the Emperor as unjust. And thus indeed then. But at length the President, when he saw many embracing the faith in Christ, fearing the wrath of the Emperor, seized the Saint, and, even unwilling, beheaded him, procuring for him immortal life and the eternal beatitude of the kingdom of heaven. With these nearly agree the printed Menaea, Maximus Bishop of Cythera, and the Menology of Sirletus. In the Synaxary of Sirmondus he is marked on the 5th of September with an elogium, from which we shall cull a few points a little later, worthy of note.
[3] Equally widespread is the notice of St. Cyril among the Latins on this same day. and among the Latins most well known. The most ancient Hieronymian Martyrology thus announces him: Of Cyril the Bishop, delivered to the fire. There precede in the same place the Tomitan Martyrs, with whom in the said Martyrology St. Cyril seems to be joined under the same series, although Florentinius in his notes thinks he should be separated. Florus, as he was edited by us in volume 2 of March, besides the arena of the passion, Egypt, which he marks, moreover expresses the name of the Emperor Decius and of Lucius the president, and, after the fire from which he came out unharmed, the capital sentence. To the same effect speaks Rabanus, the name of the Emperor Decius, however, being omitted. I give his words: On the same day (9 July) in Egypt is the birthday of Cyril the Bishop, who, when he was compelled by Lucius the Duke to sacrifice to idols, and would not consent to this, the Duke ordered him, a fire being kindled, to be placed in the midst; and when all the wood had burned, and it was ash, while religious men were watching, that they might gather his bones, he is found sitting upon the pavement with hands stretched out to heaven. But, seeing the sign which the Lord had shown in him, they marveled, astounded that he was thus untouched by the fire, and on account of this many believed in Christ. But afterward the aforesaid Duke ordered him to be struck with the sword, and he, rejoicing, being struck, rendered up his spirit. Ado differs, thus speaking: The birthday of St. Cyril, Bishop, who, cast into the flames, escaped unharmed, and, dismissed by the judge through astonishment at so great a miracle, when he again eagerly preached the word of God, and more effectually converted many to the faith of Christ, the Judge, led by repentance, ordered him to be beheaded, and he consummated the desired end of martyrdom. Where thou seest the names of the Emperor, the President, and the arena of martyrdom suppressed. The same is done in Usuard. Notker marks Egypt and Lycius the Duke. Something singular here has the Usuardine codex of Hagenau, cited among the Usuardine supplements on this day, which, after the announcement with a brief elogium, adds at the end: But the bystanders saw his soul ascend to the heavenly places in the likeness of a snowy dove. The name of St. Cyril is also exhibited today by the contracted Hieronymians, namely the Augsburg and the Labbean. In the Roman Martyrology it is thus read of our Martyr: At Gortyna in Crete, of St. Cyril the bishop, who, in the persecution of Decius under Lucius the President, being cast into the flames, when he had escaped unharmed, the bonds being burnt, and, through astonishment at so great a miracle, being dismissed by the Judge, again, for his instant and eager preaching made concerning Christ, was beheaded by the same.
[4] And from what has been said various difficulties present themselves: under what Emperor, at what time, in what place St. Cyril suffered, of what city he was bishop; Various difficulties concerning the time of the passion are weighed, which to resolve is not easy, the ancient documents varying among themselves, by whose help those tangles ought to be unraveled. Baronius in his notes to the Roman Martyrology says indeed that he thinks it more true that he suffered under Decius: but on what foundation resting did he think that more true? The Greek Acts vary from the Latin Acts in assigning the Emperor. Which of the two wouldst thou believe? What, that these Acts do not even agree in assigning the President under whom our holy Champion consummated his course? For if we believe the Greeks, it was Agrianus; if the Latins, Lucius. But which is to be preferred to which, I judge undiscovered. This one thing seems able to be admitted as certain, that Cyril, for whom Baronius at the year 822 cites the Annals of the Greeks, Bishop of Gortyna, slain by the Saracens who slipped from Spain into Crete because he would not deny the Christian faith, is wholly different from the Cyril of whom we here treat, whether he suffered under Decius or under Maximian, granting his existence, asserted in the said Annals; especially because our Cyril is had in the Hieronymian Martyrology, older than the ninth century, and because the Acts designate the time of the persecution of the heathen. There is added to this, that Florus, Ado, and Usuard do not say that the Cyril whom they announce suffered in their own time. Therefore, since it is not sufficiently established under what emperor the martyr died, the time of martyrdom is also doubtful. I said, granting his existence; which seems bound to be admitted, resting on the testimonies of three authors, to be brought forward at the end, in number 6.
[5] concerning the place of martyrdom Nor mayest thou hope for anything more certain concerning the place of martyrdom, the Martyrologists disagreeing among themselves about it. For the Hieronymians seem to join the holy Martyr with the Tomitan Martyrs, related in the same place, as we said above, Florentinius noting that Thomus, as it is written in the same, is, according to Antoninus, a city in Egypt near Chenoboscium; and thus, as regards place, it might perhaps be reconciled with those who place the arena of martyrdom in Egypt. Yet these Tomitan Martyrs the same Florentinius says seem to be assigned to Tomi, a famous city of Mysia. The Little Roman, Ado, Usuard, and Notker are silent about the place of martyrdom. To the Roman Martyrology, announcing St. Cyril at Gortyna in Crete, and so as it were tacitly insinuating that this was his arena of martyrdom, there had shone before the Menology of Sirletus, the printed Menaea, Maximus Bishop of Cythera, and the Synaxary of Sirmondus on the 5th of September. Peter de Natalibus reports him to have suffered at Rome; on what faith, on what author, on what witness? The most illustrious Franciscus Maria de Aste, Bishop of Otranto, in his disputations on the Roman Martyrology, saw well enough the tangles of which we here speak, but did not resolve them: for while he was engaged with a good many in inquiring about the place, at length, despairing of its determination, he concludes on page 315: In so great a variety of codices it would be sounder, if the sounder should agree, that the arena be not indicated.
[6] Concerning the city of the episcopate the following occur. Our Latin Acts assert that he was a Bishop, and concerning the city of the episcopate. but of what place they do not express. But the Greek bear this title: Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου Κυρίλλου ἀρχιεπισκοπου Κρήτης μητροπόλεως Γορτύνης. The Martyrdom of St. Cyril, archbishop of Gortyna, the metropolis of Crete. The same title has the elogium in Sirletus. But the Basilian Menology indicates that he was Bishop of Crete. Not without reason does Tillemont, volume 3, page 715, raise the fear lest the character of bishop of Gortyna pertain to some Cyril who lived in the ninth century, and the rest regard another who in the third century, or the beginning of the fourth, attained the palm of martyrdom: who in such a case might have been a Bishop in Egypt. Baronius, by the Annals which he cites in the place quoted above for the Cyril of the ninth century, perhaps understands, if not, the Annals of John Zonaras, who in book 15, number 14, of the royal Parisian impression, assert that in the time of Michael Balbus Cyril, Bishop of Gortyna, received the crown of martyrdom for the defense of Christ. Unless perchance the most eminent Annalist also had regard to Curopalates and to Cedrenus, of whom the former, on page 13 at the end, says: Then (namely in the time of the irruption of the Saracens into Crete, which Labbe fixes at the year 823) also Cyril, President of Gortyna, is given the crown of martyrdom, because he would not deny Christ. But the latter, on page 510 of the royal impression, records that at that time also Cyril, Bishop of Gortyna, attained the crown of martyrdom by execution for the same cause. By the testimonies of which three Authors thou seest established the existence of some younger Cyril, Bishop of Gortyna, flourishing in the ninth century; whom I strongly suspect to be wrongly confused with the elder.
[7] Concerning the Acts of St. Cyril, have this. We shall give a double copy of them, They are examined one Latin, the other Greek, each different from the other. This came forth from the Vatican library; which I turned into Latin, and, collated with two manuscripts, emended. That is taken from the literary store of Saint-Maximin at Trier, and agrees as to substance with those edited by Surius, who, however, in his manner, polished the diction. I compared the Vatican MS. with the Trier one, and found it conformable with it, laboring however under scribal defects. At the end it has the Martyr rendering up his spirit on the 7th of the Kalends of July; which in the Trier MS., as it is with us, I do not read. Baronius at the year 254, number 26, says the Acts of St. Cyril are genuine. Tillemont, notwithstanding the difficulties which he raises, admits them somehow. It does not please him that the saint was preserved in the fire, as a thing very extraordinary or unusual, since the Hieronymian Martyrologies record him cast into the fire, without other adjoined additions pertaining hereto; whence it might seem to be gathered that the martyrdom of St. Cyril was consummated in the fire. But I do not see why this thing ought to hinder the genuineness of the Acts, because it is extraordinary. For to what end is God marvelous in His saints, unless because He works extraordinary, unusual, and marvelous things
through them? Something more presses: the silence of the Hieronymians.
[8] the Acts of the holy Martyr. With some appearance of improbability seems to labor the deed of Lucius the Duke, who, having heard of so marvelous a preservation and escape of the Martyr, is said to have praised the God of the Christians. Of the preservation and escape so prodigious, and of the deed of Lucius, the Greek Acts make no word, in which is only read that the lictors carried out the orders, the manner of death being concealed. Two things in the same Greek Acts; namely the vision exhibited to the Martyr, foretelling the consummation of his martyrdom, in number 3, and the voice heard from heaven, the oxen who bore this holy Old Man being unable to go further—do they not seem to savor somewhat of the Metaphrast? To which may seem able to be added a prologue too long for such brief Acts.
[9] Certain singular points from the Synaxary of Sirmondus; To those things which we have hitherto said of his Acts, I add, by way of a garland, a few little points from the Synaxary of Father Sirmondus, in the Greek tables cited in number 2, not there expressed, in which our holy Prelate and Martyr is said ἑξηκονταετὴς γενόμενος, ἐπίσκοπος κατίσταται ἐν Γορτύνῃ; being sixty years old, to have been constituted bishop of Gortyna, and to have ruled that church ἔτη εἴκοσι πέντε, twenty-five years; for the confession of Christ ἐν κήμῳ τὸ στόμα δεθεὶς, his mouth constrained in a muzzle, and in old age, πέντε καὶ ἐννενήκοντα ἐτῶν, ninety-five years old, τῷ ξίφει τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀπετμήθη, beheaded by the sword, no mention being made of the fire; which the same Greek tables set before the amputation of the head, as thou mayest see above in number 2.
[10] verses from the Menaea. Lastly, my mind bids me to sing to the Martyr's triumph the verses which the printed Greek Menaea have, and which after his announcement they prefix to the elogium: Εἰ καὶ γέρων ἦν ὁ Κύριλλος Γορτύνης, Ἡβῶσαν εἶχε πρὸς ξίφος τὴν καρδίαν. O Cyril of Gortyna, heavy with the weight of years, thou dost undergo the sword's fury with a youthful mind.
GREEK ACTS
By an uncertain author
From the Vatican Library, in the codex marked 1667, or 1669, folio 71, Interpreter J. P.
Collated with two manuscripts.
Cyril, Bishop and Martyr, perhaps at Gortyna in Crete (S.)
FROM A MANUSCRIPT.
[1] Ὡς ἂν μὴ τὸν λόγον ἀνέργαστον πρὸς τὴν διήγησιν ἐσόμενον, τὰ τῆς σοφίας μυστήρια ἀνεξετάστοις ἀκροαταῖς τύχωσιν· ἔσπευσα καὶ αὐτὸς, προελθεῖν εἰς τὸ προκείμενον στάδιον τοῦ γενναίου ἀθλοφόρου καὶ μάρτυρος Κυρίλλου, ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ θεῖον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἅγιον πνεῦμα, τὸ ἐρευνὸν τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας· ὅπως τοῦ ἰσχυρωτάτου ἀθλητοῦ, καὶ γενναίου στρατιώτου τὰ ἆθλα τοῦ ἀγῶνος Κυρίλλου τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος, ἀρχιεπισκόπου ἡμῶν γενομένου, διασαφῆσαι δυνηθῶ τοῖς ἀπείρως ἔχουσι, τὴν ἄθλησιν τῆς νίκης, καὶ τὰ πρόσφορα αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς εὐδοξήματα, ἵνα ἐνεργεστέρας τῆς ἀποδείξεως γενομένης, τὰ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς παρούσης ἡμέρας, καὶ τῆς πανηγύρεως μυστήρια, μὴ ἀνεξέταστα τοῖς εἰς τὴν κοινὴν εὐφροσύνην παροῦσιν τύχωσιν. Ἀλλὰ σπεύσω μετὰ προθυμίας, τὸ σημεῖον τῆς σφραγίδος φορῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἥκειν ἐπὶ τὴν διήγησιν τοῦ ἐπάθλου, καὶ τῆς νίκης τοῦ μάρτυρος Κυρίλλου, καὶ διεξελθεῖν δυνηθῶ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς τὰ πεπραγμένα αὐτῷ εὐδοξίας χάριν.
[2] Ὁ διάβολος σκεῦος ἄξιον ἑαυτοῦ, ἐκλεξάμενος Μαξιμιανὸν, τὸν τηνικαῦτα βασιλεύοντα, ἐποίησεν δόγμα ἐξενεγκεῖν, ὥστε τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς μετατίθεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν θεσπεσίων γραφῶν καὶ ταῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐντολαῖς μὴ ἐμπολιτεύεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπανελέσθαι τὰς ἀσελγείας καὶ ζοφώδεις πράξεις, ἀπατᾶσθαι καὶ μεταφέρεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς νομοθεσίας τῆς θείας εἰς δαιμόνων θρησκείας ἐπὶ βλάβῃ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν λατρείαις συναγελάζεσθαι, μιαροφαγεῖν τε καὶ εἰδώλοις ἐπιθύειν, καὶ μηδένα Χριστιανὸν ὀνομάζεσθαι.
[3] Τοιαύτης δὲ τοῦ δράκοντος ἀναφυήσης πλάνης ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, καὶ κόσμου κινουμένου πρὸς ἀσέβειαν καὶ σύγχυσιν σκοτοφόρον, ἐπὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας Ἀγρειανοῦ, ὁ παμμιαρώτατος διωγμὸς ἐγένετο τῶν Χριστιανῶν, καὶ πάντες ἠναγκάζοντο εἰς τοὺς τῶν εἰδώλων ναοὺς μιαροφαγεῖν, καὶ ἐπιθύειν. Τοσαύτης τοίνυν δυσσεβείας ἐπιπολασάσης τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ γένει, καὶ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἔχοντος χώραν, ταράττειν τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλους, καὶ τῶν μὲν φευγόντων, τῶν δὲ βίᾳ κατεχομένων καὶ ἀγομένων παρὰ πρόθεσιν εἰς τὰ τῶν εἰδώλων τεμένη, ὁ ἅγιος Κύριλλος, ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος ὢν, ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ ἐκτρεπόμενος τὴν τοιαύτην μοχθηρίαν, θεωρεῖ ἐν ὁράματι ὄρνεόν τι, ἀπὸ τῆς τούτου κεφαλῆς μέρος τι λαβὸν, καὶ ἀποθέμενον ἐν ὀρινῷ τόπῳ. Ὡς δὲ τὴν οὕτω φανεράν τε καὶ εὐσεβῆ ὀπτασίαν ἐθεώρησεν ὁ Πρέσβυς, συνεὶς τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ διανοίᾳ, ὅτι περ μαρτυρίῳ δεῖ αὐτὸν τὸ χρέος ἀποπληρῶσαι, καὶ ἐν ὄρει τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἀποτεθῆναι, τὸν σώφρονα λογισμὸν ἀναλαβὼν καὶ τῷ πνεύματι ζέων, καὶ τῇ πολιᾷ νεάζων. Ἀνὴρ γὰρ ἦν κεκοσμημένος πάσῃ ἀρετῇ, ἡλικίᾳ τε προβεβηκὼς, τὴν Ἀβρααμίτιδα πολιὰν κεκτημένος, [τῆς φιλοσοφίας πλήρης, τῶν θείων γραφῶν μύστης, τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μυστηρίων κεκοσμημένος] Ἤγετο ἐπὶ τὸν ἐμπαιγμὸν τῆς σατανικῆς ἀπάτης ὁ Πρέσβυς, γήρᾳ κεκμηκὼς τὸ σῶμα.
[4] Προκαθεζομένου δὲ Ἀγρειανοῦ δημοσίᾳ, τῇ πρὸ ζ᾽ εἰδῶν Ἰουλίων ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κυριακῇ προαχθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν κρατούντων αὐτὸν, δεινοτάταις ἀπειλαῖς ἐσχηματοποιεῖτο ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν, καὶ τοσαῦτα αὐτῷ ἐπηγγείλαντο βασανιστήρια, ὡς ὅτι πᾶν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶν μέρος τμηθήσεται, καὶ πυρὸς ἀπειλὴν ἀποστήσεται, καὶ καυστηριακῶν σιδήρων μεθέξει, εἰ μὴ ὑπακούσοι τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως προστάγματι, μιαροφαγεῖν τε και ἐπιθῦσαι πεισθείη, καὶ μεταβαίνοι τὴν ἐνάρετον σοφίαν, καὶ τὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδαχάς. Ὁ δὲ γενναῖος στρατιώτης καὶ ὅ πλα βαστάζων κατὰ τῆς ἀντιπάλου νίκης, ὁ ἄπτωτος ἀθλητὴς, ὁ τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀγωνοθέτην ὁρῶν, ὁ τὴν ἐν κόσμῳ ἀπάτην μισήσας, ὁ τὸν ἀμαράντινον στέφανον ἀπολαβεῖν σπεύδων, ὁ σοφίας πλήρης, καὶ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἐνστερνισάμενος, ὁ σκυλεύσας τὸν τύραννον, καὶ τὸν διάβολον ἐξουδενώσας, οὐκ ἔπτηξεν ἄρχοντος κοσμικοῦ τὴν απειλὴν, οὐκ ἐθροήθη, οὐκ ἐδειλίασεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἔστηκεν ἄτρωτος, καὶ τεῖχος ἄπτωτον πρὸς τὰ ἐπαγγελλόμενα αὐτῷ, καταγελῶν τοῦ ἀπειλοῦντος.
[5] Ἔσπευδεν γὰρ εἰς τὸ προκείμενον στάδιον τοῦ ἀγῶνος, καὶ ὁ πρέσβυς τὸ σῶμα, ὁ γήρᾳ κεκμηκὼς, ἐνεδυναμοῦτο τῇ προθυμίᾳ καὶ τὸν σώφρονα λογισμὸν ἔνδον κατέχων, ἐνέαζεν πρὸς τὴν παράταξιν, παρεσκευασμένος καθώπλιστο πρὸς τὸ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ ἀντιπαραταξαμένῳ τῷ θώρακι τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τὰ ὅπλα τῆς παντευχίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ τρόπαιον ἰσχυρὸν τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ νίκης ἀνειληφὼς, τοὺς πόνους εἰς οὐδὲν ἐλογίζετο, καὶ τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ ετίτρωσκεν τὸν ἀντίδικον, ὃς σκοτωθεὶς, καὶ πάρεργος γενόμενος τῆς αὐτοῦ δεξιᾶς, ἠνιᾶτο νενικημένος, καὶ ἐν πολλῇ ἀμηχανίᾳ ἐγένετο. Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ ἄρχων τῆς ἀνομίας τινὰς τῶν εἰς τὴν ζοφώδη θέαν συνεταζομένων αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰς συνέδριον δεινῶν συμφορῶν συνεληλυθότων αὐτῷ, παρεκελεύετο γενέσθαι συμβούλους πρὸς ἀτοπίαν τῷ Πρεσβύτῃ, διεξιῶν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ξιφει τελευτήσει, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν κακῶν τῷ γένει αὐτοῦ παραίτιος γενήσεται, εἰ καταφρονήσειν τοῦ δόγματος τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ εὐκλεῶς τὸν βίον παρελθεῖν μὴ βουληθείη, παισίν τε καὶ γένει πολλὰς μοχθηρίας ἐμποιήσει, καὶ κοινωνὸς γενόμενος τῆς τοῦ Μάρτυρος θυσίας, τὰ ὀφελόμενα τῷ Μάρτυρι πρὸς τιμὴν ἐκτελεῖν.
[6] Τοιαύτης δὲ ἐξενεχθείσης ἀποφάσεως, καὶ τῶν δημίων κημωσάντων Κύριλλον τὸν ἁγιώτατον ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπήξεως καὶ θυμοῦ ζέοντος, ἐκ τοῦ αὐδητορίου τοῦτον συλλαμβανομένων, καὶ ἀπαγαγόντων ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, καὶ βράδιον τούτου βαδίζοντος (τὴν γὰρ προθυμίαν ἀνέκοπτεν τὸ γῆρας, ὠκυτέραν τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ποιεῖσθαι μὴ συγχωροῦν πρὸς τὸ ἀποτέλεσμα τῆς θυσίας) ἀμάξῃ τοῦτον ἐπιθέντες οἱ ὑπηρέται τοῦ διαβόλου, καὶ ζεῦγος ἀροτήρων βοῶν ἐπιθέντες, ἀπήγαγον εἰς τόπον ὀρεινὸν, ἔνθα ἐκέκλειτο τελειωθῆναι ὁ Ἅγιος, τὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου λαβεῖν στέφανον καταξιωθείς.
[7] Οἱ δὲ βόες ὑποθέντες τὸν αὐχένα, καὶ τὸν εὔκαρπον καρπὸν τῷ γεωργῷ πρὸς ἀθανασίαν φέροντες, ἀνεμποδίστως τελέσαι τὸν δρόμον, οὐ δὲ εἰς ἀριστερὰ, οὔτε εἰς δεξιὰ ἐκκλίνοντες, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθείας τὰς ὁδοὺς πρὸς τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ποιούμενοι. Ὁ δὲ γενναῖος Ἀθλητὴς, πεπληρωμένος καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης, ὁ ἄπτωτος στρατιώτης, ὁ ὑπὸ χορείας ἀγγέλων φρουρούμενος, ὁ εἰς ἄφθαρτον ἀθανασίαν παραδείσου σπεύδων, ἀπίει ἐπισπέρχων, ὁ ἀνίκητος ἡνίοχος παρεγκελευόμενος τῶν σώματι, καὶ, παρὰ δύναμιν φέρειν, καὶ εἰς οὐδὲν τίθεσθαι τὰ παλαίσματα τοῦ ἀντικειμένου. Ἐθεώρει γὰρ ἡτοιμασμένην τὴν κλίμακα, δι᾽ ἧς ἐπορεύετο εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους χεῖρα αὐτῷ ὀρέγοντας, καὶ οὐρανοὺς σχιζομένους, καὶ τὸν μέγαν ἀγωνοθέτην ἔνδον καθεζόμενον, καὶ βραβεύοντα τὸν ἀθάνατον στέφανον, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦτον κομιζόμενον, καὶ ἐντιθέντα τῇ αὐτοῦ κεφαλῇ. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.
[8] Ἐλθόντες δὲ εἰς τόπον ὀχυρὸν καὶ τραχύτατον, οὕτω καλούμενον Ῥάξον, ἵνα πληρωθῇ ἡ ὀπτασία, προγεγραμμένη τῷ Ἁγίῳ, οἱ μὲν βόες, τὸ πρότερον μετὰ προθυμίας ἕλκοντες, περαιτέρω προβῆναι οὐκ ἠδυνήσαντο. Ἦχος δέ τις καὶ φωνὴ οὐρανόθεν ἐφέρετο, ἕως ᾧδε. Οὓς αἰσθόμενοι οἱ τοῦ διαβόλου ὑπηρέται, ὁμοῦ τε δείσαντες περαιθέρω ἀγαγεῖν τὸν Ἅγιον, ἐτέλουν τὸ προσταχθέν. Ὁ δὲ τελειωθεὶς καθαρᾷ τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ τὸν οὐράνιον διαπτὰς δρόμον· οὐρανίοις δὲ σηκοῖς ἐμβατεύσας, ὑπὸ τοῦ μεγάλου ἀγωνοθέτου τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὸν τῆς ἀφθαρσίας στέφανον ἀνεδήσατο.
[9] Τινὲς δὲ τῶν εὐλαβῶν ἀδελφῶν, οὓς ὁ Κύριος ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ δράκοντος ὁρμῆς σῶσαι κατηξίωσεν, εὐλαβείᾳ φερόμενοι, τὸ λείψανον τοῦ Ἁγίου λαβόντες, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ ἔθηκαν εἰς μνημόσυνον καὶ ταῖς μετέπειτα γενεαῖς. Οὖ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐπιτελοῦντες ἄχρι σήμερον, πάντες πανταχόθεν Χριστοῦ βουλήσει ἐπισυναγόμενοι τελοῦμεν. Θαῦμα μὲν τοῦ Ἁγίου ἔχοντες, ψαλμοῖς τε καὶ εὐαγγελίοις μυσταγαγούμενοι τὰς ψυχὰς, δοξάσωμεν τὸν Πατέρα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾦ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοῦς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
[1] Lest the mysteries of wisdom find inexperienced hearers, if the discourse be less accommodated to the narration; The author's prologue. I for my part have hastened to advance to the proposed stadium of the noble victor and martyr Cyril, having first implored the divine Holy Spirit of our Savior Jesus Christ, who searches the depths of wisdom; that I may be able to explain the prize-crowned combats of the most valiant Athlete and noble warrior Cyril, the holy martyr, our archbishop, to those who are set in ignorance of so great a matter; that, the demonstration being made more effectual, the mysteries both of this our festal light, and of the present day and solemnity, be not unexamined to those who have flocked together to the common gladness: but, the sign of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ being formed, I will eagerly hasten to narrate the combat and victory of Cyril the martyr, that I may be able to recount, through the course of my discourse, the deeds gloriously done by him.
[2] The devil inciting men to crimes, After the devil had chosen Maximian, a worthy instrument of himself, at that time Emperor, he caused an edict to be published, that the Christians should be removed from the divine Scriptures, and to the precepts
of Christ they should not conform their life, but should give themselves to crimes, and, deceived by sordid things, be led over from the observance of the divine law to the superstition of demons, with the loss of their souls; that they should frequent the sacred rites of the nations, feed on unclean foods, sacrifice to idols, and no one be called by the Christian name.
[3] [and the persecution against the Christians blazing, St. Cyril is warned in a vision of martyrdom;] But when such an error had arisen from the dragon for the destruction of human nature, and the world was hurried to impiety and dark confusion, Agrianus holding the prefecture, a by far most wicked persecution was kindled against the Christians, and all were compelled in the temples of the idols to eat polluted foods and to sacrifice. When therefore at that time so great an impiety infested the human race, the adversary had a free field to trouble the servants of God; while some fled, others were held by force and, their will resisting, dragged to the shrines of idols, St. Cyril the archbishop, being at home and turning away from such wickedness, beholds in a vision a certain bird, which was taking away some part from his head and depositing it in a mountainous place. But the old man, when he had beheld this so manifest and pious apparition, and had understood by his divinely inspired mind that the debt of nature was to be paid by him in martyrdom, and that his body was to be laid up in a mountain, weighed the matter with sound consideration, fervent in spirit and joining youthful courage to his failing age. For he was a man adorned with every kind of virtue, advanced in age, bearing the gray hair of Abraham [full of the wisdom of the divine Scriptures, an illustrious interpreter of the mysteries of Christ a.] The old man, therefore, dragging his body wearied with declining age, was led to the mockery of the deceit of Satan.
[4] He is brought before the President Agrianus, and, tried in vain with threats, But when Agrianus presided publicly, on the day before the seventh of the Ides of July, on the Lord's day, being brought forth into the midst by those who had seized him, he was harassed by them with most truculent threats: who denounced to him torments of this kind; namely, that his whole body was to be cut in pieces limb by limb, that he must endure the bitterness of fire, incur the punishment of glowing plates; unless he complied with the edict of the Emperor, and were led to the eating of polluted foods and to the victims, and dismissed the message of wisdom joined with virtue and of the doctrine of Christ. But the noble soldier, bearing arms against the enemy's victory, an athlete who knew not to be tripped up, gazing on the heavenly rewarder, turned away from worldly frauds, and, hastening to carry off the unfading crown, full of wisdom, and breathed on by the Holy Spirit; he, I say, who stripped the tyrant of his spoils, and destroyed the devil, did not dread the threats of the worldly judge, did not tremble, did not fear; but stood undaunted, like a wall in no way ruinous against the things which were announced to him, deriding the threats.
[5] he fights bravely for Christ, For he hastened to the proposed stadium of the combat, and, an old man in body, worn out with old age, was strong in mind and erect, and, revolving prudent thought in his mind, went forth into the battle-line with youthful spirit; and, girded therewith, and armed with the breastplate of faith, that he might resist the adversary, and with armor of every kind, and the mighty trophy of Christ being assumed for carrying off the victory over him, he made nothing of his labors and wounded the enemy with the sword; who, wrapped in darkness, and compelled to yield from the battle-line by the right hand of that man, being conquered, grieved sorely and was reduced to great impotence of acting. But the iniquitous President, having chosen for himself some to the spectacle of darkness, and gathered together with himself into a by far most unfortunate assembly, ordered them to give counsel against the importunity of the Old Man, decreeing that he was not only to be beheaded with the sword, but would be the cause of many evils to his own kindred, if he despised the edict of the Emperor and refused to pass his life gloriously, and would bring many calamities on his children and stock; but if he communicated in the sacrifice of the Martyr, he would omit nothing of those things which pertained to the honor of the Martyr.
[6] And so, this sentence being pronounced, the lictors seize the most holy Cyril the Bishop, and with much haste, and with fervor of mind, and is led to punishment: having snatched him from the tribunal, lead him outside the city. Who, when he walked rather slowly (for old age retarded the alacrity of his mind, not affording a swifter step for the accomplishment of the martyr's sacrifice), the ministers of the devil, setting him on a cart, with a yoke of plowing oxen joined, led him away into a mountainous place, whither the Saint had been called to meet his death, having attained the dignity of the martyr's laurel.
[7] But the oxen, putting their necks beneath, carrying a most fruitful fruit to the husbandman unto immortality, that he might without hindrance consummate the course of martyrdom, and, full of courage, turned neither to the left nor to the right, but accomplished the journey by a straight path. But the noble Champion, full of the fruits of justice, an unconquered soldier; he who was fortified by the guardianship of the angelic choir; he who was hastening to the incorrupt immortality of paradise, departs with alacrity of mind; he, I say, the insuperable charioteer, applied goads to his body, that it might bear more than its strength, and count as nothing the struggle to be had with the enemy. And indeed he beheld a ladder prepared, by which he should ascend the heavens, and the angels reaching out a hand to him, the heavens cloven, and the great rewarder of combats sitting within, and bearing the crown of immortality, and receiving it from the Father, and setting it upon his head. To Him be glory unto the ages. Amen.
[8] When therefore they had come to a fortified and most rugged place, by surname Raxus, he passes to heaven, that the vision foreshown to the Saint might be fulfilled, the oxen indeed, which before had drawn with alacrity, could go no further; but a sound and a certain voice was borne from heaven: Thus far. Which being heard, the ministers of the devil, fearing to lead the Saint further, carried out what was commanded. But he, taken from the living with a pure soul, flew in his course to the heavens. Having entered the heavenly halls, he was crowned by the great rewarder of combats, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the incorruptible crown.
[9] But certain of the pious brethren, whom the Lord had deigned to save from the fury of the dragon, and is honored by the faithful. led by zeal of religion, took the body of the Saint, and laid it in this same place, for the memory of the posterity to come; whose feast-day, all flocking together from every side, Christ being well favorable, we celebrate unto this day. Possessing the Saint, illustrious for prodigies, and our souls being mystically imbued by psalms and the Gospels, let us heap with praises the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power unto the ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
LATIN ACTS
By an uncertain author.
From the MS. of St. Maximin at Trier
Collated with the Vatican MS., marked 1771.
Cyril, Bishop and Martyr, perhaps at Gortyna in Crete (S.)
BHL Number: 2069
FROM A MANUSCRIPT.
[1] St. Cyril the Bishop, not unknown to the Egyptians: whose faith was proved before God and men. St. Cyril, by Lucius the Duke, Being therefore apprehended by Lucius the Duke, he was compelled to sacrifice. For this man, when he was a boy, grew in good deeds, and where he heard the servants of God, leaving his parents, he joined himself to them: that, hearing the word of God, he might be strengthened in the faith. And when he had come to the lawful age, being made Bishop, he grew in word and work, persevering in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in the order of his episcopate for about fifty years. And when he was eighty-two years old and had well taught the people entrusted to him, he converted many from error to the true and religious faith. Being therefore apprehended by the Duke, he was compelled to sacrifice.
[2] But when the most blessed Cyril the Bishop, resisting, said from the dominical precepts, He who sacrifices to gods and not to God shall be rooted out; being compelled to sacrifice to idols, but in vain, the Duke said: Sacrifice, old man; grant this to thy age. Cyril answered: I am not an old man, nor dost thou persuade me to this. The Duke said: I hear that thou art a prudent and learned man. Be converted therefore and sacrifice, that thou mayest be saved. He answered: So am I prudent and learned, that I may not, preaching to others, myself be found a reprobate. The Duke said: Consult thy old age and sacrifice. Cyril answered: Then wilt thou consult for me, if I be spent in the sight of all these. And when they contended much and he pressed the Duke with the divine Scriptures, so that he could not answer him, and, seeing all the people converted to his doctrine, being filled with wrath, he gave sentence against him, saying: Cyril, a doting old man and near to death, I have ordered to be burned alive.
[3] he is condemned to the fire; but is not harmed. And the holy man of God, Cyril, rejoicing and singing psalms, went. But a fire being kindled, he is placed in the midst. And when all the wood had burned and was ash, while religious men prayed that his bones might be gathered, he is found sitting upon the pavement with hands stretched out to heaven. But, seeing the sign which the Lord had shown in him, they marveled, astounded that he was thus untouched by the fire. But all these things the one Lord was working, who knew that again through him many would be converted from error to Him. These things are announced to the Duke, that holy Cyril the bishop had been saved from the fire.
[4] [At length, dismissed at first by the Duke, astonished at the novelty of the thing, and having won more to heaven;] And marveling, he ordered him to come, and, seeing him sound, praising the God of the Christians, bade him return to his own. But after these things the servant of God did not cease preaching the word of the Lord and promising His kingdom. Some he called back from the error of heathenism to the true way; some from a vain life to sobriety of mind. But the crowd, hearing, ran together to him with one accord, believing and saying: We believe through thee, holy one, in thy God, because great is He who freed thee from the fire. And he, rejoicing, received all, making them Christians, and, baptizing them, taught, saying: Be strengthened and act faithfully, my sons, in Him whom you have believed; and He Himself will be your helper in all things, and will bestow on you greater things than you hope.
[5] by his order he is beheaded. While he was doing these things, it is announced to the Duke, and, filled with wrath, he said: Why have I dealt humanely with him, and not killed him? I will not, he said, spare him. And he gave sentence against him: Cyril, whom, freed from the fire, justice does not permit to live, I have ordered to be struck with the sword. And he, rejoicing, being struck, gave up his spirit a. Amen.