ON SS. THEOPEMPTUS AND IV COMPANIONS,
MARTYRS AMONG THE GREEKS.
A collection from the Divion Ms. Synaxarium.
Theopemptus, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)
Four Companions, Martyrs among the Greeks.
D. P.
What we have found at Divion in the College of the Society in Peter Francis Chiffletius, a Greek Ms. Synaxarium, on this XI day of June, after SS. Bartholomew and Barnabas the Apostles, sets forth SS. Theopemptus and four companions Martyrs, killed by the sword, and add these verses, with some allusion to the number five πέμπτον included in his name, of which otherwise the true etymology could be taken from πέμπω "I send", so that it is the same as Theopompus, "divinely sent":
Ὁ Θεόπεμπτος τεσάρας διὰ ξίφους Εὑρὼν συνάθλους πεμπτὸς αὐτὸς εὑρέθη.
"Theopemptus, having found four contest-mates through the sword, was himself found a fifth."
Theopemptus found, and is found a fifth.
On 7 February among the Greeks the memory of Theopemptus is recalled, καὶ τῆς συνοδίας αὐτοῦ, "with his company": who could seem to be one and the same, of whom the company there defined by no number, here is concluded by four. Under this doubt, as we here give them, so perhaps in the Supplement of February, they will be said to be there expunged: when no suitable cause of distinction is at hand: unless perhaps it should please, more witnesses being found for February, to detain there those expunged here.