ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOPOLIS IN ARMENIA: MILION, DECOMEDES, ANTONIUS, THEOLUS, CESSUS, CAGIANUS, CLIRICUS; LIKEWISE SUSANNA, NECIO, THEOTUS OR THEODOTUS, AND CYRIL. From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.
CommentaryMilion, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Decomedes, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Antonius, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Theolus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Cessus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Cagianus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Cliricus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Susanna, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Necdonus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Theotus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
Cyrillus, Martyr at Nicopolis in Armenia (S.)
J. B. S.
In all the codices the placement is clear, or the expression of the place of martyrdom; in the city Nicopolis in Armenia, where the most ancient more expressly puts, in Lesser Armenia, on which Florentinius thus comments in this place: Since there are several cities called Nicopolis, it is rightly added, in Lesser Armenia; for there is there an episcopal city under the archbishopric of Sebaste, founded by Pompey, as Dio relates. Eleven Martyrs are venerated there in one of our codices, while the other indicates only seven, by the carelessness of the copyist. The Most Ancient codex agrees in the number eleven, somewhat varying in the names. But the Corbie adds Aniticius, to complete the number twelve, which martyr is also lacking in that Most Ancient codex, which more accurately divides the sacred athletes into two choirs, of which Milion leads the first, but Susanna the second. The Menology of the Greeks teaches that to Nicopolis of Armenia belong, under King Licinius, Lysias being governor, Leontius, Mauricius, Daniel, and Antonius, whom rather our codices, with others adduced, attribute to Alexandria with others. Whether they are the same, I do not determine.
[2] Nor does it please me to enter that arena: of the forty-five Nicopolitan Martyrs there is treatment on this day; the classes do not agree, whether perchance some confusion was once made, who might now define prudently enough; since the announcements of the Hieronymian Martyrologies are mostly bare. Is it not better, therefore, that the matter be left undecided, and that we not uselessly inquire much about the variety of names? The text is copied almost from the most ancient Epternach, in which Decomedes is put, for what the Lucca has, Infomodis; better perhaps the Corbie Diomedes. The Autoronus of the Lucca is better rendered by the others as Antonius: whether Florentinius rightly divined that Sisanna is read for Susanna, matters little. The band remains entire, nor does it seem that one should doubt the number of the Martyrs, as it is expressed in the codices, which is enough for us.
ON THE TWELVE SOLDIER MARTYRS. From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.
CommentaryThe XII Soldier Martyrs (SS.)
I. B. S.
Bollandus, who formerly knew only the Epternach among the Hieronymian codices, then lent to us, thought that he had found there twelve thousand Martyrs; inasmuch as in it is read corruptly, via Penistri millia XII (on the Penistran Way, twelve thousand). The corrupt construction is plain enough; for which other codices read & militum duodecim (and of twelve soldiers), as the Lucca, which joins them to the four Africans of whom we have already treated; but the more distinct announcement of the Corbie pleases me more: And elsewhere of twelve soldiers, who perhaps on the Prænestine Way, not far
from the City may have suffered, which the most ancient Epternach exemplar seems to insinuate, by via Penistri; changing "soldiers" into "thousands"; unless the distance be indicated by so many thousands of paces, which make no sense.