ON SS. MELTAGASUS AND COMPANIONS: VICTOR, FELIX, CRESCENS, FELIX, SATTUS, PERSEVERANTUS, OCTAVIA, CESSIA, MAXIMA, RISTHA, SATURNINA, DONATA, SIMPLICIA, AND PRIMA, MARTYRS AT TERRACINA,
AT THE END OF THE FIRST CENTURY.
CommentaryMeltagasus, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Victor, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Felix, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Crescens, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Felix, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Sattus, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Perseverantus, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Octavia, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Cessia, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Maxima, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Ristha, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Saturnina, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Donata, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Simplicia, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
Prima, martyr at Terracina. (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. V. H.
In the ancient martyrology usually called Hieronymian, a cohort of many saints occurs on this day, Of SS. Meltagasus and companions in the Hieronymian martyrologies who we have no doubt were martyrs, it being the customary practice of this martyrology to mark the holy martyrs for the most part with no other title than that of holiness; and we judge that all suffered at Terracina. For thus we read in the aforesaid calendar: At Tarracina the natal day of the saints Meltagasus, Julian, Victor, Felix, Criscens, likewise Felix, Sattus, Perseverantus, Octavia, Cessia, Maximus, Ristha, Saturninus, Donata, Simplicia, Prima, Caesarius. These seventeen names of saints are presented by the exemplar of the Bern codex, whose manner of writing we follow. The edition of Fiorentini enumerates the following sixteen: At Terracina the natal day of the saints Meldagasus, Julian, Victor, Felix, Criscens. Likewise Felix, Sattus, Perseverantus, Octavia, Cassia, Maxima, Rista, Saturnina, Donata, Simplicius, Caesarius. Fiorentini in his notes cites the manuscript codex of Antwerp, which he had received from Bolland, through the work of Henschenius and Papebroch. This codex, preserved in the National Library of Paris under no. 10837, I have inspected with my own eyes and I copied out the following names of saints: At Terraci, of Meldecasus, Julian, Victor, Felix, Crescens. Likewise Felix, Sattus, Perseverantus, Octavia, Cassia, Maxima, Fausta, Saturnina, Donata, Simplicia, Prima. There are thus sixteen names of saints.
[2] varied mention is made. Then Fiorentini from the Corbie codex and his own codices adduces the following series of saints: At Terracina the natal day of the saints Meldegasus, Julian, Victor, Felix, Satus, Perseverantus, Octavia, Cessia, Eristeus, Saturninus, Simplicius, Primus, Caesarius, Magnus, Justus. Names fifteen in all. In a parchment codex, folio, of the thirteenth century, which I saw at Florence among the accessions of the Laurentian library, I found this series of the martyrs of Terracina: At Terracina the natal day of the saints Meldagasus, Julian, Victor, Felix, Crescens. Likewise Felix, Sattus, Perseverantus, Octavia, Cassia, Maxima, Rista, Saturnina, Donata, Simplicius, Caesarius. Seventeen names of saints. From which it is plain that the codices vary not only in the number but also in the names and sex of the saints. Wherefore we shall copy out the useful discussion of Fiorentini, which he appended in the notes at this place.
[3] From their number Magnus seems to be eliminated; Sixteen martyrs, he says, partly men, partly women, are indicated by the Antwerp manuscript, and as many by our books: with this difference, however, that although in both Moldocasius or Maldagasius leads the line, the last in the former is not Caesarius, but among the holy women she closes the band who in our books has the name Prima and is substituted for Caesarius; after him the Corbie manuscript adds Magnus and Justus. About Magnus, frequently added in this codex in d'Achery, I have wavered whether it was rather the title of a most celebrated martyr, after the manner of the Greeks in the Menologies, or a proper name. Twice in today's calendar Magnus is added in the Antwerp martyrology, being passed over in our books, namely at the martyrs of Melitene and at these of Terracina. Whether Saturninus, because he was most celebrated in that region, was therefore called great, as Caesarius, most celebrated at Terracina, could be so called, I do not know; let it suffice to have raised the doubt, let others decide. Justus is by no means recorded in our books or in the Antwerp manuscript, and perhaps belongs to the following day. In the same Corbie manuscript, although these two martyrs are added, the number of the sacred band does not exceed XV. For Crescentius, the second Felix, Maxima and Donata are wanting. In our books, however, in place of the name of Fausta one reads Rista, who is Eristeus in the Corbie one.
[4] but some others the same as those who in the Acts of SS. Caesarius and Julian From the very rich choir of holy martyrs, however, who are unanimously brought forward from the city of Terracina in Latium in the manuscripts adduced, Julian only
the presbyter and Caesarius the deacon are recorded in the Roman and other martyrologies of the Latins. But although in the Acts in Surius, after Julian and Caesarius had been sunk in the sea, only the martyrdom of Felix and Eusebius is noted, together with the most happy death of Leontius (Leontius) the consular in the confession of Christ; yet from the words of Caesarius to Luxurius before he was sunk, it is established that under the same chief knight of Terracina, without the permission of the consular, many martyrs and holy virgins were crowned by fire; for thus Caesarius threatened Luxurius with approaching death: “But you, Luxurius, a serpent will eat today, that all this region may know that the Lord avenges the blood of his servants and of the virgins whom you have burned with fires.” Whence the holy women who are numbered on this day would have a double crown of virginity and martyrdom. That Eusebius the monk and Felix the presbyter, who are not listed in this class, suffered martyrdom some days after the slaying of SS. Caesarius and Julian, and perhaps on the 12th of November, as we shall note there, is plain from the same Acts.
[5] and in the Acts of SS. Nereus, Achilleus and Domitilla Thus far Fiorentini. Although these things do not enjoy complete certainty, I judge that they have been said with probable conjecture. This especially pleases me, that the servants of God and virgins, whose blood Caesarius threatened that God would require of Luxurius, are the same as the ancient martyrology lists. That the reader may duly understand this matter, there must be recalled in this place the Acts of SS. Nereus, Achilleus and Domitilla with their companions Euphrosyna and Theodora, which Henschenius treated in vol. III of May at the 12th day. In chapter 6 of those Acts one reads that Aurelian, who sought marriage with the virgin Domitilla but could not soften the virgin of Christ, said to Sulpicius and Servilian, illustrious youths: I know that you have as betrothed the foster-sisters of Domitilla, that is, the most wise virgins Euphrosyna and Theodora. When therefore I have had Domitilla brought down from the island to Campania, let these go to her for the sake of visiting, and by their persuasion call back her spirit to my favour. When therefore Domitilla had been brought down from the island of Pontia to Terracina, and Euphrosyna and Theodora had come to her, they had great joy with one another. A banquet having been prepared, while Domitilla was fasting, Euphrosyna and Theodora began to approach the virgin with words; but Domitilla, both by effectual prayer and by miracles wrought, brought each to Christ. Then both threw themselves at her feet and, believing, were consecrated to the mysteries of Christ. All the men and women who had come as pagans from the City, whether slaves or free, seeing these things believed in Christ and were baptized. And the house in which she (Domitilla) stayed became as it were a church.
[6] are praised, Afterwards Aurelian came with Sulpicius and Servilian, that the marriages of the three virgins might take place as it were on one day. But Sulpicius and Servilian, seeing the miracles that had been wrought, believed and exhorted Aurelian to desist from what he had begun. Aurelian, however, not caring for what they said, had Domitilla shut up in a chamber by his power, that he might securely do violence. But divine vengeance was at hand and Aurelian, leaping, fell and expired. All, seeing what had happened, believed. But the brother of Aurelian, named Luxurius, requested of the emperor Trajan that he might compel all these to sacrifice; and if they did not consent, he might slay them with whatever punishments he wished. Whence Luxurius handed Sulpicius and Servilian over to Anianus, prefect of the City, who beheaded them. After this Luxurius himself went to the virgins of Christ at the city of Terracina, and as they utterly refused to sacrifice to idols, having taken away all that they had, he shut them in the same chamber in which they were staying together and set fire to it. On the next day a holy deacon named Caesarius, coming, found the bodies of the virgins immaculate; for prostrate on their faces, praying to the Lord, they had departed. Their bodies Caesarius laid up together in a new sarcophagus and buried, digging it into the depth of the earth.
[7] seem to be called. Hence, then, it is plain that many martyrs, men and virgins, obtained the laurel of martyrdom at the same time at which Caesarius was staying at Terracina. It may be, then, that besides Sulpicius, Servilian and the three virgins, Luxurius, either by himself or through other magistrates, devoted others also to death and killed those so devoted. For those whom he is read to have obtained from Trajan permission to kill were all those who, seeing, had believed, besides Sulpicius and Servilian with the three virgins. Although the aforesaid Acts do not record the martyrdom of them all, it can nevertheless scarcely be doubted that it followed. Moreover it may be believed that all the men and women too who had come as pagans from the City, whether slaves or free, and seeing the miracles, believing in Christ, had been baptized, were comprehended in the same condemnation; for they were in the same house. Whence we judge that Fiorentini was led by probable reason to believe that these holy men and women, whose glorious cohort the Hieronymian martyrology celebrates today, belong to those saints for whose death Caesarius reproached Luxurius. The opinion of Fiorentini certainly pleases, although we cannot establish it by invincible arguments. For it may be that the words of Caesarius look only to Sulpicius and Servilian together with Domitilla and her companions Theodora and Euphrosyna. Be that as it may, the saints of whom mention is made in the old martyrology, men, women, enjoy their immortal laurel in the heavens, and possess their honours on earth. Of Caesarius the deacon and Julian, whose Acts survive, we shall treat with special care.