Martyrs Divus

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

DIVUS OR DIUS, CORNIUS OR CORNINSIUS, AND LAVENTIUS

AT CÆSAREA IN CAPPADOCIA.

From the Martyrologies.

Divus or Dius, Martyr, at Cæsarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Cornius or Corninsius, Martyr, at Cæsarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Laventius, Martyr, at Cæsarea in Cappadocia (S.)

J. B. S.

The names of these three Martyrs, variously formed in the Hieronymian codices and other Martyrologies, and expressed in a different number, it has seemed good to relate thus, that none should be omitted, although not all are found in the several codices. Sufficiently unusual are the announcements of the Lucca and Corbie ones, when they write; At Cæsarea, of St. Divus, so that you would almost doubt whether "Sanctus" (holy) be not a proper name as well as "Divus," since the appellation "sanctus" in the Hieronymian codices is rarer. In the formation of the second Martyr they differ, for in the Lucca one it is Cornilisi, in the Corbie one Corninsi, in which way also the Blume one writes, from which the contracted Hieronymian ones do not much differ, the Augsburg one by Cornenci and the Labbe one by Corninse; so that I have kept Corninsii, with a separation from Cornii, which the Epternach one retains; At Cæsarea of Cappadocia, of Divus, Cornus, Lavensus: but Cornelius being rejected, from the codex of the Queen of Sweden, in which nevertheless the location is rightly marked, as in the Epternach one, Cæsarea of Cappadocia. Furthermore in this codex alone is found the one who is placed in the third place, Laventius. Thus far those older copies, in which I constantly read the name Divus, nowhere Dius, so that you would not easily divine what guide Ado had (for Bede, Florus, and the Little Roman keep deep silence about Dius) that first among the Martyrologists of the 9th century, the companion or companions being omitted, he simply wrote: At Cæsarea, of St. Dius, whom I marvel to have been neglected by Notker: Usuard certainly expressly wrote; At Cæsarea, of St. Dius. Why in the Roman it has no place, I said in the Observations on Usuard. Greven snatched the palm of martyrdom from St. Divus or Dius, when he thus announced: At Cæsarea, of blessed Dius the confessor. Nor is it a wonder or a novelty, that by the carelessness of the copyists variations are introduced into the Martyrologies.