CONCERNING SAINT DOMETIUS, MARTYR, FROM PHRYGIA.
UNDER JULIAN.
CommentaryDometius, Martyr from Phrygia (S.)
[1] Of this Martyr, whom the printed Menaea call Dometion, we would know only the name from the Menologion printed in Canisius, from which it passed into the Roman Martyrology, and from the manuscripts to be cited below, as well as the manner of martyrdom completed by the sword from the aforesaid Menaea: were it not for the aid of the illustrious Menologion composed by order of the Emperor Basil, otherwise Dometion, copied by us from the codex of the monastery of Grottaferrata, with the following eulogy appended to his contest, indicated by way of title thus: "The contest of the Martyr Dometius." It is as follows.
[2] Dometius, Martyr of Christ, lived under the tyranny of Julian, born in Phrygia, a Phrygian by homeland, who, seeing that many adhered to the tyrant and, daily renouncing Christ, worshiped idols, was deeply grieved and troubled in spirit, unable to bear his sorrow. On a certain day, therefore, when equestrian games were being held and sacrifices were being offered to impure demons, he could no longer contain himself, but inflamed with divine zeal, he went forth into the middle of the circus, anathematizing Julian the apostate, spitting upon the worshipers of idols, and mocking the falsely so-called gods. Wherefore he was seized and thrown into chains, brought before the Emperor, and after enduring many torments, was confined in prison: whence within a few days he was brought out, and ordered to deny Christ. When he refused to obey, he submitted his sacred neck to the sword and was beheaded.
[3] And constant in the faith, he is slain by the sword. These things are somewhat obscurely indicated in a rather obscure distich in the Menaea, with no mention of time or homeland, but with some indication of military rank, under this title which Maximus Cytheraeus transcribed: "The holy Dometion is put to death by the sword." The distich is as follows:
"This man, seeing a terrible sword-bearer, Is seized with desire to conquer by the sword, Dometion."
Where, reading "to conquer" for "is conquered," the distich may be rendered into Latin thus: "Seeing a fierce swordsman, this man desires to conquer Dometion by the sword."