ON SS. FLAVIUS BISHOP, AUGUSTINUS BISHOP, AUGUSTUS OR AUGUSTINUS,
LIKEWISE MARCELLINUS, MACROBIUS, EUTHEUS OR EUTYCHIUS,
MARTYRS AT NICOMEDIA.
CommentaryFlavius, Bishop, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
Augustinus, Bishop, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
Augustus or Augustinus, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
Marcellinus, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
Macrobius, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
Eutheus or Eutychius, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G.H.
[1] This is the first class of Martyrs in the ancient apographs of the Hieronymian Martyrology: Sacred cultus in the Hieronymian Martyrology. which in the Epternach codex is divided in this manner: At Nicomedia the birthday of Flavius the Bishop, of Augustinus, likewise of Augustinus. And elsewhere of Marcellinus, Macrobius, Eutheus and of three brothers. The MS. of Corbie printed at Paris has it thus: On the Nones of May. At Nicomedia the birthday of SS. Flavius the Bishop, Augustinus the Bishop, likewise Augustinus. Of three brothers Marcellinus, Macrobius, Euthicius. The MS. of Lucca edited by Florentinius reports them with this variety: At Nicomedia the birthday of SS. Flavius the Bishop, Augustinus the Bishop, likewise Augustinus. Of three brothers Marcellinus, Macrobius, Heutherus. Thus, a disjunctive point being interposed, the three brothers are separated from the three first, and joined to the three latter in the Paris and Lucca edition. The Blume MS. differs from the Lucca one, in that the third Augustinus is by error intruded, and the last is called Euthecius. Of Rabanus, In the Martyrology of Rabanus these things are had: At Nicomedia the birthday of Flavius the Bishop and of Frodisius: of Macrobius, Of Usuard, of Augustinus the Bishop. In Usuard these things are read: At Nicomedia the passion of the holy Martyrs Flavius, Augustus, and Augustinus, brothers. The same things are read in Ado, and the later writers Bellinus, Maurolycus, Galesinius and others follow with the present Roman Martyrology, Of Ado,. Notker hands down these things: Of Notker, At Nicomedia the passion of the holy Martyrs Flavius and Augustinus, and of three brothers Marcellinus, Macrobius and Euthycius. The memory of S. Flavius the Bishop and of Augustinus the Bishop at Nicomedia is celebrated in the MSS. of Corbie and of Liège of S. Lambert, and of Trier of S. Maximinus, a double one, in one of which is written Agustinus, in the other is added "and of three brothers." and others, In the MSS. of Reichenau and of Rheinau these things are had: At Nicomedia of Flavius the Bishop, of Augustinus, of Macrobius. But in place of the last in the MSS. of the Vatican of S. Peter, of Monte Cassino, and of Altemps, are added the names of Marcellinus, or Marcellus and Maximus, but this latter pertains to the following class. In the MS. of Aachen these things are handed down: At Nicomedia the birthday of Franius, in others of Flavius the Bishop, of Afrodisius, of Macrobius, of Augustus, of Augustianus and of three brothers: and then among others is found the name Marcellinus, who pertains here. But he who is mixed in as Afrodius, and in Rabanus Frodisius, seems in the following class to be called Epaphroditus. In the MS. of Prague, besides those reported by Usuard, mention is made of SS. Marcellinus, Macrobius and Euticius, as of the first two in Greven in his Auctary to Usuard. The MSS. of Augsburg of S. Udalric, and of Paris of Labbe celebrate Flavius, Augustinus, Marcellinus, Macrobius and Eutychius. The MS. of Tallaght, Flavius, Macrobius, Augustinus, Marcellinus, likewise Augustinus and three brothers.
[2] These things we have deduced more at length, that we might first establish whether all can be attributed to Nicomedia. Were all martyred at Nicomedia? So we find it done in eleven Martyrologies, where at least some of the three latter are joined together: who three are indicated as having suffered elsewhere in the most ancient MS. of Epternach. Secondly it is doubted who are to be called the brothers. By Usuard, who are the 'three brothers'? by Ado and several the three first are reckoned brothers. In the Paris and Lucca edition of the Hieronymian Martyrology and in Notker the three latter are reckoned brothers. Meanwhile in the most ancient MSS. of Epternach, of Tallaght and of Trier of S. Maximinus they are separated from the rest, as if besides the six Martyrs named, there were still to be added three anonymous brothers, whose number therefore seems to be expressed. The matter being so uncertain we prefer to define nothing, and therefore neither in their title have we made mention of them. The third and that the question of greater moment seems, that it be established of what Sees these Martyr Bishops were, Flavius and Augustinus. In the MSS. of Arras and of Tournai it is said, The birthday of S. Augustinus, Bishop of Nicomedia. But in the silence of the rest of the ancients it may be said, that Bishops were wont to be led away from various Sees to the chief cities, that there they might undergo martyrdom, for example, to Rome, Nicomedia, Carthage, Alexandria, Antioch, as appears to have been done often throughout this whole work of ours.
[3] Whether among these is Flavius, Bishop of Elvira in Spain? Not content with this resolution, lately some Spaniards, have drawn similar Bishops to their own dominions, and so they assert S. Flavius surnamed Antiochenus, a man of Consular rank, and Bishop of Elvira, in Baetica of Spain to have been: who while with his brothers from Spain into Asia, for the cause of weighty affairs, he was crossing the sea, at Nicomedia for confession of the faith was denounced, and cast into prison, through the agonies of torments, Diocletian commanding, together with the crown of his brothers' martyrdom received the crown of martyrdom, the undaunted contender. So with a bold pen at this day Tamayus Salazar in his Spanish Martyrology: and lest anyone should dare to doubt, he adduces in testimony the Adversaria of Luitprand, lately of course devised, in which these things from the Plantin impression of the year MDCXL n. 17 are read: At Nicomedia suffered in the persecution of Diocletian S. Flavius Antiochenus, a man of Consular rank and Bishop of Elvira: who was present at the Council of Elvira in the year CCXCIX or thereabouts: who for the cause of weighty affairs being brought to Nicomedia, with his brothers Augustus and Augustinus, on VII of May suffered martyrdom. Thus there: and there is alleged in Tamayus of S. Caecilius, in which he is said to be a Spaniard by origin, noble by stock, to have held the Consulate in the year CCLXXI, and in the year CCXC was created Bishop of Elvira: moreover the same Tamayus adds, that Augustus and Augustinus were Presbyters, Marcellinus, Macrobius and Eutychius his Deacons. These things there, which do not deserve to be further refuted; because we have sufficiently rejected similar figments elsewhere. Flavius was Bishop of Elvira, in the Council of Elvira: but (as Garsias Loaisa accurately teaches) held in the Era CCCLXII, that is in the year of Christ CCCXXIV. How then could he have suffered under Diocletian? We do not wish to object more.