ON THE HOLY VIRGINS AND MARTYRS OF ROME
FLORIANA AND FAUSTINA.
From the Hieronymians.
CommentaryFloriana, Virgin and Martyr, at Rome (S.)
Faustina, Virgin and Martyr, at Rome (S.)
J. B. S.
We are altogether compelled to confess that the tablets of the Hieronymians on this day are corrupted and transposed, since they evidently obtrude on us Saints who pertain to the following day, and are there also repeated. It will suffice to report only their texts, that both the confusion of names and the characters wrongly added may manifestly appear. Receive the words of each. The most ancient Epternach thus announces: At Rome, the nativity of the Virgins Floriana, Faustina, Anatholia, Felicitas, with seven presbyters, Felix, Philip, Martial, Alexander, and three others. Either I am greatly mistaken, or for presbyters is to be read Sons, as the expressed names show, Felix, Philip, Martial, Alexander, and three others unnamed, who plainly constitute the number of the sons of St. Felicitas, who here, from mere confusion, is associated with the virgins. But since we have treated of St. Anatholia separately, there remain from that whole announcement only the two Virgins, placed in the title, whom before me Castellanus, cited above, alone acknowledged as surviving.
[2] No less entangled is the tablet of Florentinius's Lucca codex, which, besides the solecism observed elsewhere, so mixes matters that five sons in all of St. Felicitas are reported, six companions being added for two sons. Behold the words: At Rome, the nativity of the virgins Florianus, Faustina, Anatholia, Felicitas, with six presbyters, Felix, Philip, Martial, Vitalis, Alexander, with six others; and of Fraternus the Bishop; which, as we say elsewhere, is a mere addition of the Gallic antiquary. Nothing conduces to a clearer explanation the mutilated text of the Corbie: At Rome, the nativity of the Virgins Floriana, Faustina, Anatholia, and Fraternus the bishop; unless we are willing in good faith to suppose that the writer of this codex observed the confusion and cut it away. Certainly from this, as also from the Blume and the Epternach, it is proved that not Florianae and Faustini, as the Lucca wrongly, but Floriana and Faustina is by all means to be read. Another exemplar, equally or more truncated, Notker consulted, from which he drew Florianus and Faustus. Nor are the things which are handed down in the manuscript Florarium much more accurate, in the manuscript additions of the Charterhouse of Brussels, and in codices of this kind of no great moment, concerning the holy Floriana, Faustina, Felicitas, and seven presbyters. I think that the things which we here give are preferable, for removing, or at least diminishing, the confusion of the codices.