ON ST. GUDDENE, MARTYR
AT CARTHAGE IN AFRICA.
From the Martyrologies.
In the year 203.
CommentaryGuddene, Martyr at Carthage (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
That some Acts of this illustrious Martyr, who is also called Gundene, Gudene, and Gugdene, once existed, from which Ado plucked his elogium, we plainly thought probable in our Observations on the Martyrology of Usuard on this day; Most certainly she suffered in Africa, where almost all things are set forth which can be related of her and of her cult, so that it is in vain to review here the series of the Martyrologies. That she is altogether absent from the Hieronymian codices is admitted; nor do we now think that Gaudentius in St. Augustine's sermon 294 is to be replaced by Guddens or Gudens; and we believe that the Bishop of Hippo was there treating of our St. Guddene. The names of the consuls, wrongly formed in Ado as "Plutianus and Zeta," Rosweyde long ago noted; aptly correcting, "Plautianus and Geta," whose consulate fell in the year of Christ, not 205, as it seemed to Baronius, but 203, as it is in the Chronologists, Severus persecuting the Church. The brief fragment of the Acts which survives in Ado adds the title of Virgin, concerning which, since I have nothing to determine, the Martyrologist of Vienne reads thus: "At Carthage, the birthday of St. Guddene the virgin, who, under the consuls Plutianus and Zeta, by order of the proconsul Rufinus, four times at different times was tortured by the stretching of the little rack, and tormented by the horrid laceration of the claws, afflicted also very long by the squalor of prison, at last was slain by the sword."
[2] And these things are so sincere, right, and true, that one cannot find a single sensible writer who doubted concerning the arena of this Saint's martyrdom, she is dragged into Spain by the fabulists, before the pseudo-Dexter Chronicle was born to the world, from which and its commentator Bivarius Tamayo chiefly drew his dreams, being wont to drag the Carthaginians of Africa to his Spanish Spartaria, with the neck twisted however much, as had to be said so often. Behold his announcement on this day: "At Carthago Spartaria, of St. Gudens virgin and martyr, who, for the faith of Christ her spouse, being seized by the governor Ruffinus, and four times mangled and stretched on the engine of the little rack, lacerated with iron claws, and afterward afflicted very long by prison custody, withdrew so long, until, her throat cut with the sword-point, she reached the glory of the promise as an unconquered Martyr." What Tamayo means by "withdrew," I will not ask further: for the rest, he heaps up various witnesses here, much besprinkled with Dexterine soot, whom in his manner the most illustrious Nicolas Antonio derides in manuscripts cited elsewhere, whence our associate Cuperus copied at Madrid the things pertaining here, worthy indeed to be set before the eyes of the learned. Having first praised the Martyrologies treating of St. Guddene, he thus assails his too-credulous countrymen.
[3] "The Spanish alone," he says, "were persuaded, certain of them, whom he excellently refutes believing Dexter, to usurp another's merchandise. But since Dexter is nothing, let us see whether they rest on some other foundation. The Acts of this holy Martyr, once extant, related that she was slain in the year in which Geta and Plautianus were consuls … under the proconsul Rufinus; whence the Martyrologists profited. But (Bivarius says) that Q. Rufinus Galerius in these days presided over Hither Spain, of which Carthago Nova is a city, Ambrosio Morales, though intent on another matter, writes in book 9 of the history, chapter 35. This mention of Rufinus the governor in these times in Hither or Tarraconian Spain would indeed in a certain way have helped the desperate cause: but Bivarius's imputation differs by a whole heaven from what appears in that chapter of Morales for all to read; so that even from this you may learn to acquiesce in no one, however learned and honest, since you can with your own eyes believe the matter. Morales, in relating the affairs of the emperor Hadrian in that chapter 35, presented certain inscriptions which exist in Spain. Among these is a certain one of Q. Caecilius Rufinus, sprung from Saguntum, to whom, because he had discharged a free legation before Hadrian, the Hither Spanish province perhaps dedicated this title beneath a statue; behold it:
'To Q. Caecilius Galeria Rufinus, son of Q. Caecilius Valerianus, of Saguntum, on account of the legation which he discharged freely before the greatest prince Adrian Augustus at Rome, the Provincial Council of Hither Spain (P. H. C.).'
[4] Nicolas Antonio. That learned man went no further than to render the inscription in the vulgar tongue. But what has this to do with the governor of Hither Spain? Unless Bivarius did not know (which I scarcely believe) what office a legation discharged at Rome in the name of a province was. What besides has the age of Hadrian to do with the time of Severus? Between which princes fifty and more years intervened. Then, that, Bivarius now dismissed, we may discuss the matter itself, I have nowhere read of the province of Hither Spain being administered by a proconsul. Mention of the proconsul of Baetica is not infrequent in ancient stones, as also of the governor of Tarraconian, or Hither Spain, which we now seek. The Notitia of both governments is at hand, and what Guido Panciroli noted on that public book of the empire, which I do not transcribe. On the contrary, who is ignorant of the proconsular government of Carthage, or more truly of Africa proper, of which Carthage was the chief city? The Rufinus indeed under whom Gudens suffered could be the same as Rufinianus, or C. Caesonius Macer Rufinianus, whom from a certain stone we know to have been proconsul of the province of Africa, and the same a companion of the emperor Alexander Severus, who succeeded Septimius (under whom Gudens suffered) after twelve years. He was also consul with Acilius Faustinus in the year 212, when Septimius Severus was still surviving, so that it is no wonder that he held the proconsulate of Africa seven years before. But these things only from conjecture, lest it be not permitted to us sometimes to be subtle, who everywhere endure the so frivolous, and more than once contrary, conjectures of our adversaries." These things Antonio, that he may teach his countrymen to be wise.