Niceta and Aquilina

ON SS. NICETA AND AQUILINA, MARTYRS,

IN LYCIA.

Under Decius.

HISTORICAL COLLECTION.

Niceta, Martyr in Lycia (St.)

Aquilina, Martyr in Lycia (St.)

BY THE AUTHOR J. P.

§ I. The cult and the narration of their martyrdom among the Greeks; their memory in the Latin Calendars.

Various is the manner of forming the names of these holy Martyrs, as will appear in the course of the discussion, they being inscribed alike in the Greek and the Latin Calendars, though on a different day.

In the manuscript Menaea of Dijon, or the Synaxarion of our Peter Francis Chifflet, they are thus marked: The cult among the Greeks Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμ. μνήμη τῶν ἁγ. μμ. γυναικῶν, τῶν πιστευσασῶν διὰ τοῦ ἁγ. μ. Χριστοφόρου, αἵ τινες σούβλοις ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως τῶν ὤμων διαπαρεῖσαι τελειοῦνται· ὥντινων τὰ ὀνόματα Ἀκυλίνα καὶ Καλλινίκη. That is: "On the same day, the memory of the holy women martyrs, who believed through the holy martyr Christopher, and who, pierced through with spits from the feet up to the shoulders, were made perfect; whose names are Aquilina and Callinice." Which in Latin sound thus: On the same day (May 9), the memory of the holy women Martyrs, who believed through the holy martyr Christopher, and, pierced through with spits from the feet up to the shoulders, consummated their martyrdom: whose names are Aquilina and Callinica. And to their triumph there are sung in the same place the two following little verses: Ἔχει τράπεζαν σατανᾶς πάλιν νέαν· Γυναῖα σουβλίζουσιν οἱ πλάνοι δύο. That is: "Satan again has a new stage-table; the two deceivers pierce the women with spits." In Latin: Anew Satan has a fresh stage: the two impostors pierce the maidens with spits.

[2] Τράπεζαν, properly "a table," we have here rendered "stage": for by this word there seems here to be indicated a somewhat more elevated place, and the Graeco-Muscovites. such as a small platform or theater, in the likeness of a table, raised in height, length, and breadth with some proportion, so that an easier view might lie open to the bystanders. Something similar seems to be hinted in Julius Pollux, in the Greek-Latin Onomasticon reprinted in the year 1706, section 11, book 7, chapter 2: "The circi," he says, "are so called in comedy, where slaves are sold: perhaps also the rest of the things that are for sale. But the part upon which the slaves, mounting, are sold, this Aristophanes calls a table." On the same day, May 9, there is inscribed in the Slavo-Russian Menologium the memory of St. Christopher, martyr, who suffered in the year 355 under Constantius with two sinful women who suffered with him, Hecata and Ancilena. Likewise in the Menologium in Canisius it is related that St. Christopher, for the confession of Christ, was beheaded together with Callinice and Aquilia [*], whom he had converted to the faith.

[3] The great Menaea of the Greeks, published in print, treat of these our Martyrs on this same day, A eulogy is given Maximus of Cythera following, as is his wont, on the occasion of St. Christopher the martyr, into whose eulogy they also insert the deeds performed by them. They are also in the Latin Acts of the same Saint; but in these in a manner so little probable, not to say exotic and utterly fabulous, that the whole affair seems not done but feigned, and dressed out for a scenic display; of no better stamp, at any rate, than are the whole Acts of St. Christopher, into which, as a part, the deeds of these Martyrs are intermingled. Further, from the Latin version which we subjoin, do you pass judgment on that eulogy of the Menaea; which, taken almost from the manuscript translation of our Matthew Rader, runs thus: The emperor, on seeing Christopher, fainting, fell backward, and, his spirit recovered, resolved to circumvent him by guile, and to soften and bend him by flatteries, and gradually to turn him away from Christ; since he dared not, nor judged it advisable, to attack him openly.

[4] from the printed Menaea. Having therefore sent in two most wanton girls of surpassing beauty, given over to every lust, who could most easily excite and inflame the incontinence of young men and their desires, ardent of themselves, to lasciviousness (the name of the one was Callinice, of the other Aquilina), he commanded them to go in to Christopher, that they might assail him with every engine, and provoke him to intercourse, and, once he was captivated with love, estrange him from Christ, and drive him to sacrifice to the idols. But they, taught the Christian faith by Christopher, forsook the idols, and, professing Christ openly before the emperor himself, cruelly torn with scourges, and having overcome other torments, carried off the crown of martyrdom. Such, nearly, is Rader's version, which, because in matter and substance it was faithful enough to the Greek text, we have judged that we ought to forgo a new one, as being by no means necessary. Another eulogy, briefer and accordingly, as it seems, more ancient and better, you have at number 14.

[5] Their memory is inscribed in the ancient Martyrologies, This pair of Martyrs, moreover, most celebrated among the Greeks, obtained also great celebrity of notice in the most ancient Latin Martyrologies: for Usuard on this day, July 24, thus announces them: On the same day, the birthday of Saints Niceta and Aquilina, who, converted to Christ by the preaching of blessed Christopher the martyr, took the palm of martyrdom by the cutting off of the head. Ado had preceded this his follower on the same day; but he attributes to them the title of virgins, and in place of Aquilina writes Aquila. Which last Wandelbert also writes, perhaps for this reason, that the name so written would better fit his meter: however that be, he certainly comprehends both Martyrs together with today's Christina in this single little verse: Soon Christina, Aquila, and Niceta hallowed the ninth day.

[6] and in the Roman Martyrology. The Roman Martyrology agrees almost word for word with Usuard, on this 24th day thus recording them: In Lycia, of the holy martyrs Niceta and Aquilina, who, converted to Christ by the preaching of blessed Christopher the martyr, took the palm of martyrdom by the beheading of the head. It was already long ago indicated by us, in the "Passed Over" at May 9, that we should treat of today's holy Martyrs on the 25th of this month, on which St. Christopher is honored: but although his Acts are so connected with the martyrdom of these women that the memory of all three might seem to be deferred to the same day; yet since they are recorded by the classic Martyrologists, as we have said, on this 24th day, which the Roman Martyrology itself likewise keeps: therefore we have judged that they must now be treated of, here as elsewhere conforming ourselves, after our custom in marking the places or days of the Saints, to that Martyrology. It is of no consequence to bring forward our manuscript Florarium, Maurolyco, Felicius, Galesinius, and finally Arthur du Monstier, who commemorate them likewise on the same day.

* Aquilina

§ II. The Latin Acts, and several other matters pertaining to the holy women, are discussed.

Now account must be taken of the Acts which are read among the Latins. In Bede, who, enlarged from Florus, They are brought forward was also edited by us, these things are noted from the Tournai manuscript on the occasion of St. Christopher on the 25th of this month, who, shut up in prison by order of King Dagnus, so converted Nicea and Aquilina, whom the tyrant himself had sent to seduce him, that, fervent with the faith of Christ, they cast down to the ground the idols of Jupiter and Apollo, which they had before worshipped, binding them with their own girdles. Whereupon, at Dagnus's command, the one was torn apart limb from limb; the other was hung upon a stake, and set to the fire, and then slaughtered with the sword. Peter de Natalibus, book 6, chapter 131, describes their martyrdom at somewhat greater length: Niceta and Aquilina, sister martyrs, suffered in Lycia, in the city of Amon [*]. These comely girls, living by the prostitution of their own body, when blessed Christopher the martyr was being held in prison in the same city by King Dagnus, were, by order of the same king, sent to that holy Martyr, gifts being promised them if they should make him sin with them, and provoke him to the sacrifices of the gods.

[8] Whom blessed Christopher converted to Christ, as will be told in his Passion at the 8th day before the Kalends of August. various matters Hearing which, the king caused the girls to be seized: whom he invited to the sacrifices of the gods. They said that, by the king's order, the streets should be cleansed, and all the peoples gathered to the temple. Which being done, when they had entered the temple, loosing their girdles, they placed them upon the necks of the gods, and, dragging them to the ground, shattered them. Wherefore King Dagnus

being angered, caused them to be hung up with chains, and for a while to be tortured, and thereafter to be cast into a copious fire. And when they had come forth thence unharmed, the king ordered both alike to be smitten with the sword in the confession of Christ: who suffered on the 8th day before the Kalends of August.

[9] Of nearly similar, or at least of no better — if not rather of worse — bran is the Passion in Vincent of Beauvais in the Speculum, book 13, of these Martyrs chapter 25, and in St. Antoninus, part 1 of the histories, title 8, chapter 1, §41, among the Acts of St. Christopher. In the Milanese Missal printed in the year 1522, in the preface to the Mass of St. Christopher, it is related that he recalled Nicea and Aquilina, long serving in the public brothel under harlot's filth, to the estate of chastity, and taught them to receive, amid the torments of martyrdom, the crown of the finished contest: which things are proved to be taken from the Acts of St. Christopher by many others that are drawn from the same source, and of which that preface consists; and therefore they do not merit more credit than the Acts themselves merit. Furthermore, the deeds of our Martyrs are drawn out to such length in the Passion of St. Christopher — to be given tomorrow from our Fulda manuscript, and in that which is intermingled in Mombritius — that they consume a good large part of that same Passion; and since they can be read there, and are decked out theatrically, it would be idle to transcribe them hither again.

[10] and the Acts are discussed; Take, however, some small specimen, that I may pass over the rest, from which you may estimate the value of the whole matter. "Now, having entered in to Christopher, they saw his face as it were a flame of fire: and they fell upon their faces from the third hour until the sixth hour … And he questioned them, saying: What is your craft? And they answered: Pray for us, servant of God, that the Lord may forgive our sins. Now our work is that of husbands [*]: and what we received from our body, we bestowed upon the poor, we clothed the naked, we redeemed captives, we fed the hungry." Which who could read with sufficient patience, let alone with faith, in the said manuscript presently to be given? With which in substance agree, though they differ somewhat in words, those things which the Passion of St. Christopher in Mombritius obtrudes on this subject, not to mention other copies; of which there will be discourse on the occasion of the Acts of the same Saint, to be offered by us tomorrow: and then account will be taken of them, of what character they are concerning that Saint, and therefore also concerning these our holy women. In the meantime, observe that much briefer and more tolerable things are handed down concerning them in the Passion of St. Christopher in Surius, and in the compendium which Francis Haræus drew from the same.

[11] as also various other things, And these indeed are the things which we have been able to gather concerning these Martyrs of today: we shall put an end to them, after we have subjoined a few observations for the fuller understanding of those things which have been set forth throughout the whole preceding course. 1. It is not, first of all, to be wondered at that they are honored among the Greeks on May 9; for among them St. Christopher is then honored. That by the Latin Martyrologists these are recorded on this 24th day of the current month, but he on the 25th of the same, is more to be wondered at, nor is it easy to assign the cause of the diversity. 2. The Dijon manuscripts are singular in the punishment inflicted on the Martyrs, the piercing of spits: elsewhere other things, as we have seen, and not everywhere the same, are recounted. 3. Niceta, whom you would call, as it were from νικάω, "victress," differs indeed in sound from Callinica, which is written elsewhere; but in the meaning of the thing it nearly agrees; which you may rightly interpret as "excellent victress." The first formation of the name is used by the Latins, the second by the Greeks: which is the more ancient and genuine, no one could easily say. Concerning the meaning of Aquilina, below. Meanwhile it is certain that women are here spoken of: and Rosweyd rightly observed, in the notes on the Life of St. Paul the hermit, page 23, column 1, number 23, that the Niceta of whom there is mention there is plainly different from this Niceta. 4. The profession of life is not noted the same by all.

[12] toward the knowledge of these Martyrs For the title of virgins is given them by Ado; which Rosweyd also, in the cited place, attributes to our Niceta, doubtless following Ado. If we believe the Acts together with the Slavo-Russian Menologium and the preface of the Milanese Missal, they were harlots or sinful women: elsewhere both titles are abstained from. 5. Peter de Natalibus calls them sisters; which is also indicated in their Acts, though the Hagiologists whom we gave above, Greek and Latin, are silent about that matter; and therefore it becomes very probable that they did not read that added detail in the more ancient Acts, or, if you prefer, documents, which lighted their way in announcing the memory of these two Martyrs. 6. They did not suffer under Constantius, in the year 355, much less under Dagnus, plainly imaginary to us; but under Decius, at least on the same ground on which he too is noted below, and on which we shall fix the passion of St. Christopher under that emperor.

[13] It will be given to see this at greater length in the preliminary Commentary, pertaining matters which we keep, already prepared for the press, for his Acts, and to which we refer the reader for the fuller knowledge of things pertaining to our holy women. 7. The arena was perhaps in Lycia, which the announcement of the Roman Martyrology designates, but from determining which Ado, Usuard, and Wandelbert perhaps more safely abstain. Yet after the example of the said Martyrology, we too have above designated Lycia as the arena of the martyrdom in the title: for which perhaps some Samos outside Lycia might be adopted, according to those things which we shall dispute, in giving the Commentary, concerning the place of the arena of St. Christopher; who may likewise be consulted on this subject. 8. Castellanus, in a marginal note on his French text of the Roman Martyrology, asserts that these holy women were unknown before Wandelbert; but does he assert it truly, and not too crudely and confusedly? Let us therefore say that they were unknown before the ninth century, at least in this sense, that no Latin Martyrologist before Bede or Florus, Ado, Usuard, and Wandelbert, cited above, is known to have recorded their memory: although we have no doubt that they were known elsewhere, at least in those Calendars or documents from which they themselves drew their announcements, and which, as we most probably think, were derived from Greek sources to the Latin hagiologists. For besides those things which we have premised concerning the arena of the martyrdom;

[14] The Greek etymology of the names favors this our opinion. they are brought forward Concerning Niceta or Nicea, as also concerning Callinica, we have already shown this. The name Aquilina, although at first sight it presents a Latin root, was nevertheless in use among the Greeks also, though by these it is written Ἀκυλίνα with a very slight difference, as is clear from April 7, page 662, and page 663. Most worthy of note is that, on the occasion of the younger Aquilina, of whom there is treatment there, the eulogy of this our Aquilina is set down from a double manuscript codex of the Menaea, at Turin in the library of the Duke of Savoy, where these things are said to have been found and copied out by us, in the same place: "And the contest of the holy martyr Rufinus the deacon, and of the holy martyr Aquilina, and of the two hundred Saints who with her completed their martyrdom. These had been sent by the impious emperor Decius to arrest the holy martyr of Christ, Christopher: but seeing the miracles which this Saint was performing, they believed in Christ, and confessing His divinity before the tyrant, at his command were beheaded." How great here is the brevity and simplicity! so that it is no wonder that these things, or similar ones, or at least their sources, flowed down from the Greeks to the Latins. For the rest, concerning Niceta or Callinica there is here nothing.

[15] and they are examined. Aquilina again (lest anyone should think that name to be an obstacle to our opinion), most celebrated among the Greeks, was given by us on June 13, from page 672. Aquila likewise, a masculine proper name (in Greek Ἀκύλας), is noted on January 21, page 349; March 20, page 84; and July 8, page 534. In Suidas, moreover, under the name Ἀκύλας a twofold Aquila is set down, the one indeed a philosopher, the other a grammarian and musician. But whether that name draws its origin from the word ἄκυλος, which signifies the acorn of the holm-oak; or from ἀκυλέης for ἀετὸς, an eagle; or from elsewhere; there is no reason why that name should stand in the way, but that those two Martyrs, first known and marked by the Greeks, afterward passed over to the Latin hagiologists; and so were inscribed in the sacred Calendars, at least the Greek ones, before they were known by Wandelbert, or by other Martyrologists of the same age.

* Samon

* meretricum (harlots)