Zenobius and Zenobia of Aegae

ON SS. ZENOBIUS AND ZENOBIA OF AEGAE, MARTYRS IN CILICIA,

ABOUT THE YEAR 290 OR 304.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

Zenobius, bishop of Aegae, martyr. (S.)

Zenobia his sister, martyr. (S.)

BY R. D. B.

§ I. The origins of Cilicia and of Aegae. The cult of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia.

Cilicia, a region of Asia Minor, touches the Mediterranean sea at the gulf of Issus. It was distinguished into two parts, Trachea or Rough and Cilicia Proper or Campestris [Strabo, Res Geographicae, book XIV, page 954 and following, Oxford edition, 1807.]. Scholars judge that a colony was led here by the Phoenicians in a remote time. St. Paul established churches in Cilicia, It was held, one after another, by the Assyrians, the Chaldeans of Babylonia, the Persians, Alexander the Great, Antigonus, the family of the Seleucids, the Armenians, and again the Seleucids. It was reduced to a Roman province (if you except some part) by Pompey. These fortunes have been explained by Victor Langlois Voyage dans la Cilicie, page 16, 50 and following., when, by order and at the expense of Napoleon III, emperor of the French, he had traversed Cilicia. The inhabitants of that tract took up the Christian religion very early. For St. Paul, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, four (indeed, as some prefer, five or six) years after the ascension of Christ, set before his fellow countrymen the gospel which he had been taught by Christ himself [Acts of the Apostles, chapter IX, 30; Patrizi, in Actus Apostolorum Commentarium, page 209 and following; compare Beelen, Het nieuwe testament, part II, page 74 and following.]. Not a few natives gave their names to the new religion, so that they formed a considerable assembly, just like the Christians of Syria and Antioch. This is gathered from the fact that the apostles assembled in the Synod of Jerusalem, 16 years after the conversion of St. Paul Patrizi, page 214., wrote a letter to those who are the brothers from the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, communicating to them the decrees of that council Acts of the Apostles, chapter XV, 23 and following.. The bearer of this letter was the same St. Paul, who walked through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches which he himself had already established before. Which these were we do not read in the sacred writings: but this is certain, that the churches of Tarsus, Anazarbus, Mopsuestia, Flaviopolis, Epiphania, Castabala, and Alexandria on the Issus are to be numbered among the most ancient of Asia, and flourished before the peace given to the Christians by Constantine the Great. There is room for doubt about Pompeiopolis, Sebaste, Corycus, Adana, Mallus, Zephyrium, Irenopolis, Rhosus; but it seems that it should be affirmed that bishops sat in them Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, volume II, column 869 and following. at least immediately after the Roman triumph of Constantine.

[2] most fruitful of martyrs. Cilicia was also most fruitful of martyrs. For at Tarsus there shed their blood for Christ SS. Zenais and Philonilla, sisters, kinswomen of Blessed Paul Acta Sanctorum, volume V of October, page 502.; likewise under the emperor Valerian St. Athanasius, bishop, together with St. Anthusa, a noble woman, and her servants Charisius and Neophytus Ibid., volume IV of August, page 499.. To these are to be added, besides St. Pelagia, virgin, who bore martyrdom under Diocletian, St. Boniface of Rome Ibid., volume III of May, page 279. and twenty others Ibid., volume I of June, page 633. in the year 290, as also St. Quiricus with his mother St. Julitta Ibid., volume III of June, page 17., and SS. Tharachus, Probus and Andronicus Ibid., volume V of October, page 560; Auctarium, page 43.. Also martyrs of Tarsus are SS. Cyrenia and Juliana, St. Eustochium, virgin [Ecclesiastical Annals at the year 305, number 15. Peter de Natalibus, Catalogue of Saints, book X, chapter 10.], SS. Castor, Menelampus and Dorotheus Acta Sanctorum, volume III of March, page 712., as well as another St. Castor with his companion St. Stephen Ibid., volume III of April, page 482. and SS. Aphrodisius, Jocundus and Firmus Ibid., volume II of May, pages 363, 557.. Anazarbus too had its martyrs in the time of Diocletian, SS. Theodula, Boethus, Evagrius, Macarius and others Ibid., volume I of February, page 656., St. Marinus the old man Ibid., volume II of August, page 346. and St. Domnina Ibid., volume VI of October, page 19.. At about the same time there were slain for confession of the true religion at Pompeiopolis St. Calliopius Ibid., volume I of April, page 659. and St. Sozon Ibid., volume III of September, page 15.; likewise at Alexandria on the Issus, at an uncertain time, St. Aristio, bishop Ibid., volume I of September, page 611; again at the beginning of the fourth century, at Zephyrium, St. Tatian Dulas Ibid., volume II of June, page 1042.; in Cilicia too St. Andrew the tribune and almost innumerable companions Ibid., volume III of August, page 720 and following.. There are also commemorated at the 3rd day of January the Cilician martyrs Zosimus, Athanasius, Theopemptus and Theonas Ibid., volume I of January, page 128., the place of whose struggle is unknown. Finally at Aegae too several gained the crown of martyrdom: of whom the chief are St. Julian Ibid., volume II of March, page 421., SS. Claudius, Asterius, Neon, Domnina and Theonilla Ibid., volume IV of August, page 567., SS. Cosmas, Damian, Anthimus, Leontius and Eutropius Ibid., volume VII of September, page 428., and also SS. Zenobius and Zenobia. But since the deeds of these two are to be treated at present, we shall briefly set forth the fortunes of Aegae, the place of their combat.

[3] at Aegae Aegaea is generally called by the most ancient writers Aegae, in the plural number. This name took on several varied forms in the Middle Ages: for in the Latin documents of that time it has the appellation Aiacium, Laiacium, Glacia: in French Leyas and Layas: in Italian Lajazzo, Ajazzo, Lagiazza, in Armenian Laias and Aaias Langlois, Voyage dans la Cilicie, page 429.. The city of Aegae is situated on the gulf of Issus, and not on the Ionian gulf, from which it lies far distant, although this is read in many codices of the Passion of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia. It is to be judged that some copyist, whom others imitated, wrote by mistake Ionian for Issic, that is, ἐπὶ κόλπῳ μὲν τῷ Ἰονίω for κόλπῳ μὲν τῷ Ἰσσικῷ. This is the more likely because in the Coislin manuscript codex is read Πόλις διάκειται ἐν κόλπῳ τῆς Κιλίκων χώρας. Besides that Cilician Aegae, Stephanus De Urbibus, page 32 and following, Amsterdam edition, 1725. indicates seven other Greek cities of the same name, much inferior to it. For Aegaea, when it had passed into the power of the Romans, was, as Pliny attests Natural History, book V, chapter XXVII, page 269, Hardouin edition, 1743., a free town, that is, having the right of living by its own laws. And so it continued to strike coins in its own name, as is plain from numismatic pieces preserved to this day Eckhel, Doctrina numorum veterum, volume III, page 36 and following.. Add that Aegaea of the Cilicians was under the Roman emperors the emporium of many nations having their seat on the Mediterranean sea: but this enormous commerce, when it was subject to the Byzantine empire, almost wholly perished [Compare Lucan, De bello civili, book III, verse 227, page 119, Schrevelius edition; Sanutus, Secreta fidelium crucis, book II, part IV, chapter 26, page 88, edition

of Hanau, 1611.]. Yet under the rule of the Armenians it again took on incredible increase Langlois, page 32 and following.. Of this very celebrated city there survive only mounds of ruins, by which it is manifest that in the Middle Ages its circuit was very great Ibid., page 429 and following..

[4] the cult paid to SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, as in other Churches. Now in this most illustrious town, under the emperor Diocletian and the governor Lysias, in order to give testimony to Christian truth, SS. Zenobius and Zenobia fearlessly laid down their lives. That the cult of saints was paid to each immediately after their glorious martyrdom is not in doubt. Certainly, as we read in their Acts, after the martyrdom was completed, their sacred bodies were thrown outside the city. But Hermogenes and Caius, priests, bringing with them the whole clergy, with not a few religious men, having come to this place in the darkest of nights, carried off the relics of the holy martyrs and laid them in coffins: which they also placed in a cave, in which they were hidden, with festive joy, spices being employed. This veneration was afterwards spread through nearly the whole Eastern Church. And I am of opinion that this happened before the rise of the Eastern heresies and schisms: for, as will be plain from what follows, their cult was taken up also by heretics and schismatics. We read at the 30th day of October in the Calendar of the church of Constantinople of about the year 740 Kalendarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae, volume I, page 29., which our Morcelli first published: The contest of St. Zenobius, bishop. The same Morcelli judges that St. Zenobius was entered in this Calendar because at Constantinople, as he gathered from the council of that city of the year 536, there existed a church sacred to the holy bishop Ibid., page 209.. In the same way two Melkite Calendars at London Catalogue of Syriac mss. in the British Museum, page 200 and following. and a third, Jacobite, at the Vatican, written in Syriac, celebrated St. Zenobius alone: of which the first was composed about the year 1023, the second in the year 1046, the third in the year 1547. They differ however in this, that the feast of St. Zenobius is marked in the Jacobite one at the 30th day of October, and in the Melkite ones at the 31st day of the same month. On the other hand in the Jerusalem Calendar and the Synaxary of Gallipoli of the tenth century, published by Scholz, there occurs the memorial of St. Zenobius and St. Zenobia. To these add the Nani manuscript Calendar, the Capuan Menology of the year 991, the Menaea of Grottaferrata and the Eclogadion of the eleventh century [Toscani, ad Typica Graecorum, praesertim Cryptoferratense, Animadversiones, page 81, page 80.], the Typicon of St. Bartholomew of the year 1300 Ibid., page 81., the Menology of Cardinal Sirleto, the manuscript Calendar of the church of Constantinople of the twelfth century in the Imperial library of Vienna, the manuscript Menaea of Sirmond or of Clermont, the Greek manuscript Menaea of the Mazarine, the manuscript Menaea of the Ambrosian library of Milan [Catalogue of manuscripts of the Royal Library of Brussels, number 11322 and following.], the Greek Menaea printed at Venice in the years 1585 and 1834, the Greek Synaxary which the schismatic bishop of Cythera, Maximus Margunius, published in the vernacular language at Venice in the year 1629, the metrical Martyrology of Siber. Likewise the Syriac Calendars of the Jacobites, that of London Wright, Catalogue of Syriac mss. in the British Museum, page 373. written in the year 1210, and that of the Vatican composed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries [Assemani, Bibliothecae Apostolicae Vaticanae codicum manuscriptorum, volume II, page 250 and following.]. To these are added Slavic liturgical monuments, the Capponi Tables in Assemani, and also the Ephemerides of Papebroch, both the metrical Greek and the pictorial ones of the Muscovites Acta Sanctorum, volume I of May, pages XLVII and XLIX.; the Calendar of Assemani or the Vatican one of the eleventh century, the Calendar of the church of Tarnovo of the year 1272. Their name also occurs in other Slavic Calendars, namely the Ostromir and the Assemani Glagolitic of the eleventh century, in the Calendar of the Mstislav evangeliary written before the year 1117, in the Calendars of Zographou of the twelfth or thirteenth century, of Rumyantsev of the thirteenth century, of Ostrog of the year 1581, of Moscow published in the year 1818 in the Prologue, that is, the Compendious Menology, published at Moscow in the year 1850; in the common Menaea, at the end of which is added a Calendar for every day of the year, published at Moscow in 1848 [Compare Acta Sanctorum, volume XI of October, Annus Ecclesiasticus Graeco-Slavicus, page 1 and following, 265, 328 and following.]; and finally in the Calendar of the year 1870 published at Athens by the schismatic Greeks. This number of Calendars is an indication that SS. Zenobius and Zenobia had a very widespread cult both among the Greeks and among the Slavs.

[5] Their contest is described in the Menology of Basil. Moreover we read in the Greek Menology of Basil, composed between the years 976 and 1025, at the 31st day of October, the praise of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia. This encomium seems worth reciting.

The contest of the most holy martyr Zenobius and of Zenobia his sister. Zenobius the martyr, under the emperor Diocletian, born of Christian parents Zenodotus and Thecla, had a sister Zenobia. And as he advanced in age together with the knowledge of God and piety, he was ordained bishop of the city of Aegaea, where he had been born. He performed many cures in the name of Christ, so as to cure even diseases that were incurable by physicians. Being therefore seized, he was brought before the prefect Lysias. When his sister Zenobia learned this, she offered herself of her own accord. So first they were beaten, and placed on a red-hot iron bed; then cast into a boiling cauldron full of pitch, and being delivered by divine grace from all these torments, they were compelled again, in the madness of the prefect, to sacrifice to impure demons. But since they persisted in their purpose, they received their end by the sword, and so completed their martyrdom.

[6] They are also venerated in the Latin Church. Whether before the year 1573 SS. Zenobius and Zenobia were entered in Western Martyrologies or Calendars, there is room for doubt. In this year indeed, in the second edition of the Usuard Martyrology, at the 30th day of October, Molanus, who in the earlier edition, namely that of the year 1568, had been wholly silent about SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, made mention of the holy martyrs Zenobius and Zenobia, indicating that he had taken the knowledge of their glorious contest from Metaphrastes. A good many writings of Metaphrastes, indeed, turned into Latin, had a few years before been spread through all Europe by both Lipomanus and Surius. At the 31st day of October, following the Greek source, Galesini inserted the glorious martyrdom of St. Zenobius in the Martyrology of the holy Roman Church, which he made public in the year 1578, saying nothing of St. Zenobia. But in the Roman Martyrology of the year 1583, which Baronius thought, as being full of errors, not worthy of being given to the press a second time, the holy martyr and his sister are celebrated in these words: At Aegae in Cilicia the passion of Saints Zenobius, bishop, and Zenobia his sister, who under the emperor Diocletian and the governor Lysias suffered most savage things, and were slain by the sword. This memorial passed in nearly the same words into the Roman Martyrology of the year 1584, and has been most religiously kept to the present; in which way the names of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia have become celebrated through the whole Latin world. For this let there be perpetual praises to God: for if this had not been done, they would hardly be venerated with any honour among Catholics. For most of the Eastern churches, in whose calendars and therefore liturgies their name was inscribed, afterwards defiled themselves with heresy. Then Cilicia itself, made illustrious by the outstanding virtues and glorious martyrdom of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, cast off the cult of its saintly fellow countrymen, since from the seventh century onward it has held the religion of Christ only at intervals. For about the year 627 Cilicia began to be occupied by the Muslims: in whose servitude it was until about the year 935, when it was occupied by the Byzantine Greeks. These were succeeded in the year 1087 by the Seljuk Turks Langlois, Voyage dans la Cilicie, page 56.; in the year 1097 again by the Byzantines and shortly after by the Armenians, who in the year 1342 chose for themselves a king of the Lusignan family [Henry of Huntingdon, History of the English, book VII, column 937, Migne Patrology, volume CXCV; Anna Comnena, Alexiad, book II, page 349, Paris edition. Victor Langlois, Documents pour servir à l'histoire des Lusignans de la Petite-Arménie, §1, page 2.]. In the year 1375 the Egyptians conquered them, and they in turn were overcome, so that in the year 1482 all Cilicia was subject to the Ottoman Turks, whose yoke Cilicia still bears. This land today is inhabited by about 150,000 people, among whom only 116 are Europeans. By far the greater part of the Cilicians profess the impious doctrines of Muhammad. The Christians, about 12,000 in number, are for the most part infected with heresy or schism [Langlois, Voyage dans la Cilicie, Prolégomènes, page 16 and following, page 26 and following.]. Hence it is manifest that the former cult of St. Zenobius and his sister in Cilicia has perished.

§ II. The bishops of Aegae. On the medicine practised by St. Zenobius the bishop. The time of the martyrdom. The Acts.

St. Zenobius was bishop of Aegae, We have already pointed out that the holy martyr Zenobius was bishop of Aegae. This is reported, besides the biographer, by both the Greek Menaea and certain martyrologies which we have reviewed above. Likewise the Capponi Tables Assemani, Kalendaria Ecclesiae Universae, volume V, pages 216 and 326. show St. Zenobius in episcopal dress beside St. Zenobia his sister in virginal dress, with bare head. On the other hand in the Muscovite Tables of Papebroch St. Zenobius is shown clad in monastic garb and St. Zenobia wearing a virginal mitre placed on her head Acta Sanctorum, volume I of May, page XLVII.. Whether St. Zenobius had a predecessor in the episcopal see of Aegae, it seems, cannot be gathered from any ancient historical monument. Indeed Michel Le Quien Oriens Christianus, volume II, column 894., weaving a catalogue of the bishops of Aegae, finds no others but St. Zenobius, martyr under Diocletian, whose Acts we are at present treating; Tarcodimantus the Arian, who attended the Synod of Antioch in the year 335 or 340; Patrophilus, a contemporary of St. Basil, a man of suspect doctrine; Eustathius, who lived at the time of the council of Chalcedon; Julius, who by order of Justin I, because he refused to abandon the heresy of the Monophysites, was driven into exile; Thomas, who attended the Synod of Mopsuestia of the year 550; Paschalius, who subscribed the Acts of the fifth general Synod. There was also another bishop of Aegae, whose name is unknown, of whose hostility towards him St. John Chrysostom complains.

[8] and a physician, That Blessed Zenobius was not only bishop of Aegae, but also a physician, is reported both by Metaphrastes and by several others following his words [Compare Fabricius, Bibliotheca Graeca, volume XIII, Elenchus medicorum veterum, page 454, Hamburg edition, 1746; Cancellieri, Memorie di S Medico, page 50.]. Yet there is reason for doubt about the matter. For this condition of the blessed prelate is passed over in silence in the Menology of Basil and in the Armenian Acts, of which below; so that someone might suspect that he was called a physician only because the grace of cures was proclaimed of him. But I would not wish to attach great authority to conjectures of that kind. For Metaphrastes was not one to mix up so inconsiderately in this place the grace of miracles with the science

of medicine, since elsewhere he fully distinguishes them. Moreover the Acts of the Coislin library agree with him; in which it is also intimated that Blessed Zenobius learned medicine: for this seems to be the force of παιδεία ἰατρείας. Nor finally does the silence of the Menology of Basil or of others detract from the credit of the acts. For besides the fact that in them it is by no means denied that the holy bishop cured the sick, the matter is of a kind that could easily be omitted in a compendious praise. Let St. Zenobius himself, priest of Sidon, be the proof, who, although he is called by Eusebius a most excellent physician, was nevertheless for a long time adorned with this praise in no martyrology Acta Sanctorum, volume XII of October, page 797 and following.. Indeed he seems known to the Latins alone, and never entered in the Greek calendars. And from this is drawn a conjecture, which, as being of small account, it suffices to have touched on: namely, that this Zenobius of Sidon and Zenobius of Aegae, of whom the one is venerated on the 29th day of October, the other on the day after, were fused into one, and that for this reason the science of healing was wrongly attached to the bishop of Aegae. But, dismissing that suspicion, I would believe rather that we should stand by the testimony of the Acts. Moreover, by cultivating medicine the blessed prelate brought upon himself no disgrace at all. For in this age it was not only an honourable office among the Greeks (especially from the time of Hippocrates), but was by now held in no small account by the Romans too. At Rome indeed it had long been neglected and nearly relegated to slaves and freedmen, as Seneca De beneficiis, book III, chapter 24, page 440, Lemaire edition. and Suetonius [De Caesaribus, book IV, Caligula, page 427, Schild edition, 1667; compare Cicero, Complete Works, Panckoucke edition, volume XII, Speech for Deiotarus, number 6, page 116. Pliny, Natural History, book XXIX, chapter I, number 6, page 667, Paris edition, 1685; Cicero, Complete Works, volume XV, Speech against Piso, number 34, page 102; volume IV, De Oratore, book III, number 32, page 108.] indicate. On this matter a great controversy has arisen among more recent authors; many contending that medicine in antiquity was not at all an illiberal pursuit, but a gentleman's; others contradicting them. Francesco Cancellieri has reviewed both parties in his commentary on St. Medicus, martyr [Memorie di S. Medico martire di Otricoli, con le notizie de' medici illustri per santità, Rome, 1812, page 33 and following.]. But whatever that may be, the Jews by no means held physicians to be abject, who were commanded to treat them with great reverence. Honour the physician because of need, says Holy Scripture Ecclesiasticus, XXXVIII, 1., adding an excellent praise of the art of healing. And the Romans themselves began to think no otherwise than the Jews, especially from the time when Julius Caesar [Suetonius, book I, Julius Caesar, page 66; Seneca, De beneficiis, book VI, chapter XVI, page 602, Lemaire edition. Compare Tacitus, Annals, book IV, number 3.] gave citizenship to all who professed medicine at Rome; and so it came about that that art, which in the times of the republic had been thought of less account, was greatly approved under the emperors. Among the Greeks, moreover, it had such praise that even rich men cultivated it; indeed that physicians were at times coopted as priests or bishops. Let this be said so that the reader may understand that the condition of Blessed Zenobius was by no means humble.

[9] without injuring ecclesiastical discipline; But perhaps someone, judging the past from the present, will wonder that the servant of God, who devoted all his strength to multiplying his flock and binding it more closely to Christ from day to day, bestowed no moderate care and study on healing bodies. The knot is untied by our predecessor Henri Matagne Acta Sanctorum, volume XII of October, page 797., in treating the deeds of another martyr, St. Zenobius the physician, not a bishop but only a priest in Syria. After enumerating a number of priests of the first age who were physicians, he declared that he had found no monument older than the twelfth century by which, either in the East or in the West, monks or clerics were kept from medical studies. Luke, patriarch of Constantinople, as Balsamon attests, seems to have been the first in the East in the year 1158 to forbid medicine to deacons and priests Beveridge, Pandectae, volume I, pages 535 and 536.. The council of Reims of the year 1131 enacted similar things concerning monks and canons regular, by a decree which was the beginning of the discipline still in force today. Further, on all these things you may, if you like, consult Thomassin [Discipline ecclésiastique, part II, book I, chapter 91, numbers 15 and 16; part III, book III, chapter 19, numbers 8, 10; chapter 21, number 3; chapter 22, number 2.] and Benedict XIV De Synodo, book XIII, chapter 10, number V., who learnedly unfold the changes of ecclesiastical discipline regarding the practice of the art of healing by clerics. We have mentioned this varying discipline so that the reader may see that St. Zenobius deserves no ill will for having, even as a bishop, devoted effort to the medical art.

[10] there were also several other saintly physicians. Nor will it displease physicians to have a list of some men distinguished in the medical art, who so shone with Christian virtues that they have been proposed to them, before other saints, as models. Of this kind are: St. Cyrus, martyr at Alexandria, at the 31st day of January; St. Julian, martyr and bishop of Emesa, at the 6th day of February; St. Caesarius, brother of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, at the 25th day of February; St. Codratus, martyr at Corinth, at the 10th day of March; St. Alexander, a Phrygian and martyr of Lyons, at the 2nd day of June; St. Ursicinus, protomartyr of Ravenna, at the 19th day of June; St. Sampson, a Roman physician, afterwards a priest, at the 27th day of June; St. Antiochus, martyr of Sebaste, at the 15th day of July; SS. Ravennus and Rasiphus, martyrs at Bayeux in Normandy in Gaul, at the 23rd day of July; St. Pantaleon, martyr of Nicomedia, at the 27th day of July; St. Diomedes, martyr at Nicaea in Bithynia, at the 16th day of August; SS. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs of Aegae in Cilicia, at the 27th day of September; St. Zenobius, priest and martyr at Antioch in Syria, at the 29th day of October. All these holy martyrs are commemorated by Molanus, doctor of Louvain, in the little work with the title: The Ecclesiastical Diary of Physicians. To these he also adds several others who did not excel in the medical art, but who, on account of the grace of cures granted them by God, are also venerated as patrons of physicians.

[11] The Acts of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia were written by Metaphrastes, That the Acts of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia were written by Metaphrastes himself is judged, besides Leo Allatius De Scriptis Simeonis Metaphrastae, column 124., by Tillemont [Mémoires pour servir à l'Histoire ecclésiastique, volume V, page 174, Paris edition, 1702.], Martin Hanckius De Byzantinarum rerum scriptoribus Graecis, part I, chapter 24, page 441., Daniel de Nessel Breviarium et Supplementum Lambecii, part V, page 20. and others. The venerable J.-P. Migne first published them Simeonis Logothetae cognomento Metaphrastae Opera Omnia. in Greek from a Paris manuscript codex. But already in the sixteenth century they had been made public, turned into Latin by Lipomanus Vitae Sanctorum, volume VI, page 399, Rome, 1558. and Surius De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis, October, page 399, Cologne, 1618.: the same, cut down to brief form, were published by Zacharias Lippeloo Vitae Sanctorum, volume IV, page 345, Cologne, 1616., René Gaultier Les fleurs des saints, page 1229., Viel, doctor of Paris Histoire de la Vie, etc. des Saints, column 1815., Enrico Castreca Brunetti Il perfetto Leggendario ovvero Vite de' Santi, volume X, page 207, Rome, 1841., Arthur du Moustier Gynecaeum, at the 30th day of October, page 430. and others. From the same source, I am inclined to believe, Giovanni Battista Masculus drew what he proclaimed of Blessed Zenobius and Zenobia Encomia Coelitum, part X, month of October, page 561, Vienna edition, 1763.. One thing is in dispute, namely the lineage of the blessed bishop, which he suggests was royal. To an image showing the holy physician he indeed appended this: This Zenobius practised the art of medicine, although he was of a most noble stock, as some think, that is, of Queen Zenobia. He especially cured cancers and treated breasts. He steadfastly endured fire with his sister Zenobia. Of this kinship with the queen of Palmyra I have found nothing in the menologies of the Greeks, nothing in the Acts.

[12] and more accurately It is manifest that there are some blunders in these Acts of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia. For what the writer of the martyrdom reports at the beginning about the parents and boyhood of the holy martyr and his sister seems too intricate; indeed Tillemont rightly and deservedly judged it to have been taken from some menology and added on to the Acts. Then he wrongly suggests, as our predecessor Cuper has already observed Acta Sanctorum, volume IV of August, page 567., that the place of the martyrdom of SS. Claudius, Asterius and companions, which we learn from their genuine Acts was Aegae, was Laranda in Lycaonia. Moreover he indicates clearly enough that the emperor Numerian was no less hostile to the Christians than his successor Diocletian, although he is reckoned among the persecutors of the Christians neither by Eusebius nor by Lactantius Compare Acta Sanctorum, volume II of October, page 344.. And if some saints suffered martyrdom under Numerian, this seems to be attributed less to this emperor than to the governors of the provinces, who, relying on the old laws, punished Christians with death. These blunders being removed, the reader will judge that the Life of the holy siblings is not to be despised.

[13] by others. There is also another Greek Passion of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, composed by an anonymous author. Two copies of it, written in the eleventh or twelfth century, are preserved at Paris in the library of the French Republic. The former, full of errors, is inscribed number 1468 of the formerly royal library: this we shall mark with the letter B. The latter holds place 110 among the Coislin manuscript books: this we call A. This composition, although free of manifest errors, no one will number among the genuine Acts of the martyrs. It smells of the iron age of Greek letters, and is less commendable for elegance of language than the Metaphrastic writing: than which it does indeed seem older. Nor would he fall into an absurd opinion who supposed that the author of the Coislin Passion and Metaphrastes used the same archetype. But since this Passion has not yet been printed, we shall bring forward the Coislin codex, collated with the other codex indicated: to which we shall subjoin the Metaphrastic writing and the Armenian Acts of the same martyrs. These last, very brief, collected by Giovanni Battista Aucher, a member of the Mechitarists of Venice, were turned for us from Armenian into French by the distinguished writer Félix Nève, professor of Oriental languages in the Catholic university of Louvain, by far the most skilled of all Belgians in the Armenian language, by everyone's vote. Of the summary published by Giovanni Battista Aucher it suffices to record that, if you except only the smallest part of the narrative, it has been excerpted from the Coislin Acts or similar ones.

[14] St. Zenobius fell in the year 285, or 290, From those Acts, however, it is not so easily understood when the holy martyrs of Aegae met death, since both about the year 304 and the years 285 or 290 can be probably proposed. The one opinion draws its argument from the fact that the martyrdom happened on a Friday, on the 30th or 31st day of October, under the emperor Diocletian, Lysias being governor of Cilicia. Now since Diocletian began to reign on the 17th day of September of the year 284, while Lysias governed Cilicia in the year 285, as appears from the Passion of SS. Claudius and companions [Ibid., volume IV of August, page 567. Compare Tillemont, Mém. ecclés., volume IV, page 414, edition of 1702.]; but already in the year 290 Acta Sanctorum, volume III of March, page 279. Simplicius succeeded him (if only you believe the Acts of St. Boniface); it follows that the contest of St. Zenobius is to be placed between the years 284 and 290. Moreover, from the year 284, in which Diocletian obtained power, to 305, in which he abdicated the empire, the 31st day of October fell on a Friday in the year 290; and the 30th day in the years 285, 291, 296, 302. And since there is no controversy about these last, the year 285 or 290 must be chosen. The latter is urged by the excellent manuscript codex A, since it refers the martyrdom to the 31st day of October. You will say: in the year 290 Simplicius was governor of Cilicia; indeed, as it seems should be gathered from the Roman martyrology, he killed St. Boniface on the 14th day of May. But it can be answered that Simplicius perhaps entered on the magistracy and condemned the holy martyr to death in the month of November or December: which is credible, since the Greeks in the menaea celebrate the feast of St. Boniface on the 19th day of December; at the same day he is mentioned in the Synaxary of the church of Constantinople; and on the day after in the Menology of Basil and others. But on the opposite side the other Paris codex, B, indicates the year 285, placing the birthday of St. Zenobius at the 30th day of October. On this day too the holy bishop and his sister are commemorated in all the sacred calendars (except the Menology of Basil with a few others). But whatever that may be, the supporters of the former opinion gather from both codices that the holy martyrs certainly died before the beginning of the fourth century.

[15] or about 304, Yet I would not consider this so established that no reasons are available on the other side. In the Acts St. Zenobius is reported to have been put to death after the promulgation of Diocletian's edicts against the Church of Christ; that is, in the year 303 or following. Even though the raging against Christians had begun twenty years earlier, even though judges at times applied the laws of the old emperors Ruinart, Acta Martyrum sincera, preface, number 55., the words of our writer still cannot be twisted to this sense. For, observing the times, he distinguishes what happened at the beginning of Diocletian's reign from what happened at the end; he brings forward the martyrs of the year 285 in one way, St. Zenobius in another; he interposes an interval between them, and at last: After, he says, that most impious Diocletian took up arms to make war against the Church of Christ, and belched forth a decree fighting against God, against the faith of Christ; by his order, sitting in the middle of the city, he commanded that the herald of truth be brought. No less precisely does Metaphrastes, having related the martyrdom of St. Claudius and then the very life of St. Zenobius: What follows upon these things, he says, is the persecution of Diocletian against piety, and the edict hostile to God which went forth from him, and Lysias, the sharpest minister of his savagery and inhumanity Works of Metaphrastes, volume II, column 1314, Migne edition.. These testimonies are of such a kind that about the year 304 could please some, although the 30th or 31st day of October does not then coincide with a Friday; namely because they would more willingly believe that the author erred where he referred the death of St. Zenobius to the ninth hour of the parasceve, than where he mentioned the edicts of Diocletian: all the more because the latter occur in all the Acts of the holy bishop, but not the former.

[16] Lysias being governor of Cilicia. But was Lysias governor of Cilicia at this time? (Of Cilicia, I say, not of Lycia: which is written in the Acts of St. Claudius, an error so manifest that it is strange that learned men have been taken in by it). Indeed, from the year 290 the Passion of St. Boniface shows as governor of this tract not Lysias, but Simplicius. But, besides the fact that neither is the year of the martyrdom quite certain, nor is the very credit of the Acts clear to all, why could not some Lysias be imagined, harassing the Christians in those parts about the year 303 [Tillemont, Mém. Ecclés., volume V, pages 173 and 650; Ceillier, Hist. des aut. sacrés et ecclésiastiques, volume III, page 364. O. Hunziker: Christenverfolgung von Diocletianus, in Untersuchungen zur Röm. Kaisergesch., volume III, page 272 and following.]? We read indeed in the Passion of St. Hieron, who was killed after the year 303 and whose Acts some hold of small account, others approve: When Diocletian and Maximian were administering the empire of the Romans, .. and it had been reported to them that the whole region of the Armenians and of the Cappadocians was resisting their commands, … they chose two men and sent them to each nation. Of these they ordered one to govern Armenia, he was Agricolaus; the other to administer the region of the Cappadocians, and his name was Lysias Works of Metaphrastes, volume III, column 110, Migne edition.. Nor is this testimony unique: we meet the same commander Lysias, sent by Diocletian to root out the Christian religion and retained in office by Licinius, in several Acts of saints (not all of which, however, are genuine); namely in the Passions of SS. Eustratius and companions Ibid., column 470., SS. Leontius and companions Acta Sanctorum, volume III of July, page 38., St. Severian Ibid., volume III of September, page 360., the forty martyrs of Sebaste Acta Sanctorum, volume II of March, pages 19, 20, 23., St. Blaise Ibid., volume I of February, pages 339 and 349, volume II of March, page 12., SS. Cosmas and Damian Ibid., volume VII of September, page 438.. In the former it is said that Diocletian sent into Cappadocia and Armenia two men, of whom he ordered the one, Lysias, to have charge of all the frontier troops; the other, Agricolaus, he ordered to administer the command of the whole prefecture. Elsewhere there is mentioned the commander Lysias, who at that time held the command of the district of Caesarea (in Cappadocia) [Ibid., volume II of March, page 23. Compare Tillemont, Mém. Ecclés., volume V, pages 5, 171, 512, 511, 789, 170, 174 and following.]. Cilicia is certainly not the same as Cappadocia: but to one weighing the circumstances it will not seem absurd that Lysias with Agricolaus killed many Christians not only in Armenia and Cappadocia, but also in the neighbouring parts of the Cilicians, among them St. Zenobius, and indeed after the year 303; or rather (as far as may be conjectured from the circumstances of the martyrdom), after the fourth edict of Diocletian, of the year 304.

[17] Being now about to give several Acts of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, we would have the reader advised that we concede first place to codex A; which, keeping the copyist's manner of writing and noting the variant readings of codex B, we have decided to publish before the others. And since the Armenian eulogy is akin to these Acts rather than to the rest, The series of the Acts it was to be subjoined. It exists in the Lives published by the Mechitarists in the year 1815, namely in volume XII, in which are presented Analecta of the Lives of Saints mentioned outside our Calendar by legendaries or by Armenian authors, as well as Greek and Latin ones. This epitome of the Acts of St. Zenobius will be continued by the Life composed by Metaphrastes. But so that the Latin translation, which Lipomanus, Surius, the venerable priest Migne and others have so often published, should not be presented here again, we have had another, even if not better, copied from a codex of the Royal Library of London, marked 13 B X. This Life of St. Zenobius John Morren turned from Greek into the Latin tongue and dedicated to Mary, queen of England David Casley, Catalogue of the manuscripts of the King's library, p. 221.. Finally, in an Ethiopic codex of the British Museum of London there exists a Passion of a certain St. Zenobius and his mother St. Zenobia. Whether they are the same as our martyrs of Aegae will have to be examined; and so that the matter may be weighed with sure judgement, we shall communicate the Acts to the reader in a Latin version. Finally the work will be crowned by reciting the words with which the holy martyrs are extolled in the Ethiopic Synaxary.

LIFE AND MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY MARTYR ZENOBIUS AND OF ZENOBIA HIS SISTER

From the Coislin codex 110, collated with codex 1468 of the Paris library.

Zenobius, bishop of Aegae, martyr. (S.)

Zenobia his sister, martyr. (S.)

FROM MANUSCRIPTS.

CHAPTER ONE.

The birth and upbringing of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia. The miracles of the former.

Πόλις διάκειται ἐν τῷ [om.] κόλπῳ τῆς Κιλίκων χώρας, Αἰγὰς ταύτην ὀνομάζουσιν ὀνομαζομένην. · ἐν ταύτῃ αὐτῇ. δὲ ἦν ἀνὴρ εὐσεβὴς καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν Θεόν, ᾧ [om.] ὄνομα ὀνόματι Ζηνόδοτος. Τῶν δὲ τούτου γεννητόρων μετελθόντων τὸν τοῦ. ἐνταῦθα βίον βίου. καὶ τὴν ἐς [ἐν.] Χριστὸν Χριστῷ. πορίαν ποιησαμένων, ἑωρακὼς ὁ τούτου πατράδελφος τὸ πρᾶον καὶ φιλάγαθον τοῦ νεανίου, ζεύγνυσιν αὐτῷ πρὸς γάμον ὃ [οὗ.] ἦν αὐτῷ μονογενὲς θυγάτριον ᾗ ὄνομα Θέκλα ὀνόματι Θέκλαν. · τοῖς ἴχνεσι δὲ τῶν γεννητόρων ἐπακολουθοῦντες, διῆγον ἐν πάσῃ εὐλαβείᾳ εὐσεβείᾳ. καὶ σεμνότητι, πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς τοῦ Κυρίου· τούτοις κατὰ Θεοῦ βούλησιν ἐτέχθη παιδίον ἄῤῥεν ἀῤῥενικόν. , ὃ [ὃν.] καὶ ὀνόμασαν Ζηνόβιον· θεοσεβεῖς δὲ ὑπάρχοντες ἀνέτρεψαν αὐτὸ αὐτὸν. σεμνοπρεπῶς, ἐκπαιδεύσαντες παιδεύσαντες. τῇ τὴν. ἐν Κυρίῳ παιδείᾳ. παιδίαν καὶ [om.] νουθεσίᾳ [om.] καὶ δόγμασι θείοις. Ὀλίγου δὲ χρόνου διαδραμόντος, ἐτέχθη αὐτοῖς καὶ [om.] ἕτερον παιδίον θῆλυ [om.] ἣν καὶ ὠνόμασαν Ζηνοβίαν.

[2] Ἀνδριθέντος δὲ τοῦ παιδίου καὶ εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας ἐλάσαντος ἐλθόντος. , προέκοπτεν ἐν τῇ add. σοφίᾳ καὶ ἐν add. χάριτι [om.] , τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Ἰεσοῦ. Χριστοῦ πίστει πίστιν ἐντρεφόμενος ἐν τοῖς δόγμασιν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐν — εὐσεβείας om. · πολλὰ οὖν θαυματα ἐποίει ἐποίησεν. ὁ Θεὸς δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ παιδείᾳ τῆς ἰατρείας· τοῖς γὰρ ἀνιάτοις νόσοις περιπίπτοντας οὓς οὐκ ἡδύναντο θεραπεύειν οἱ τὴν τῇ. τέχνην τἑχνῃ. ὑπέρογκοι, τούτους ἐθεράπευεν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, διδοὺς καὶ τοῖς χρείαν ἔχουσι τὰ πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν τροφὴν χορηγούμενα. Τούτων δὲ οὕτως προβάντων, νόσῳ χαλεπωτάτῃ βληθεὶς ὁ τὸ [om.] τηνικαῦτα τότε τῆς τὴν κατὰ. τῶν Ῥωμαίων βασιλείασ βασιλείαν. κρατῶν τῇ πατρῳᾳ δυσσεβείᾳ τὸ ζῆν ἐναπέθετο· διαδέχεται δὲ τὴν τούτου τυραννίδα Διοκλητιανὸς ὁ τρισκατάρατος· ἐν τῷ ζόφῳ ζοφῶδες. δὲ [om.] τῆς προγονικῆς εἰδωλικὴς. ἀθεΐας κυλινδούμενος, καὶ add. προχειρίζεται ἐν τῇ Κιλίκων ἐπαρχίᾳ Λυσίαν τινά, μιαρώτατον ἄνδρα [om.] καὶ ἐχθρὸν διάπυρον τῶν Χριστιανῶν· ὃς καὶ

παραγεγονὼς παραγενόμενος. ἐν τῇ Μομψουεστῶν πόλει, διωγμὸν ἤγειρεν κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν· ἐν οἷς καὶ κρατήσας τρεῖς τινὰς. νεανίσκους Κλαύδιον, Ἀστέριον, Νέωνα, Ἰσαύρους Ἠσαύρους. τῷ γένει ἐκ πόλεως Λαρανδῶν. τούτους πολλὰ αἰκισάμενος, καὶ τέλος πάντων [om.] ξύλῳ προσηλώσας ἔξω τειχῶν τῆς Μομψουεστῶν πόλεως, τὰ τούτων σώματα θηρίοις καὶ πετεινοῖς βοῤῥὰ ῥιφῆναι προσέταξεν.

[3] Ὁ δὲ μακάριος [om.] Ζηνόβιος θείᾳ χάριτι ἐκλαμπόμενος καὶ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνιον ἐκ θείας ἀποκαλύψεως παραλαβών loco θείᾳ — παραλαβὼν, B habet tantum χάριτος θείας πεπληρωμένος. , ἐπιμελῶς ἅπαντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις ἐθεράπευεν, ἐπικαλόυμενος τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, παρ᾽ οὐδενὸς μισθὸν λαμβάνων, μεμνημένος τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος [om.] · Δωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε. δῶτε. Ὅθεν καὶ τὸ τὸ δὲ for Ὅθεν καὶ τὸ. νῦν ἔχον ἐπὶ τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ χάριν τῶν [om.] ἰάσεων [om.] ἐλευσόμεθα. Ἐγένετο γὰρ [om.] Ἰνδοῦ τινος φυλάρχου τὴν σύνευνον πάθει νοσήματι. χαλεπῷ περιπεσεῖν τῷ λεγομένῳ καρκίνῳ, ὁ ἦν πεφυκὸς ἐν τῷ ἐνδοτάτῳ μέρει τοῦ θώρακος· πάντων οὖν τῶν τοῦ ἔθνους ἰατρῶν, λέγω δὴ καὶ ἐπαοιδῶν πᾶσαν [om.] μηχανὴν τελεσάντων καὶ μηδ᾽ ὅλως εὐεργετησάντων, τέλος ἀπέγνω ἐπεγνώσθη. τῆς γυναικὸς σωτηρίας σωτηρία. . Ὁ δὲ φιλάνθρωπος Θεός, ὁ θέλων πάντας ἀνθρώπους [om.] σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν, γνώριμον καθίστησιν τᾦ Ἰνδῷ διά τινος πραγματείαν πραγματείας. ποιουμένου ἐν τῷ ἔθνει τὴν τῷ Ζηνοβίῳ δεδωρημένην πρὸς ἰατρείαν παθῶν θείαν ἐνεργείαν.

[4] Ὃς [om.] παραυτίκα παραλαβὼν λαβὼν. τὴν συνήιον σύνινον. μετὰ δύο τέκνων ἐπιβὰς τοῖς κτήνεσιν τῆς ὁδοπορίας εἴχετο καὶ δὴ [om.] τῆς ὁδοῦ τὸ μῆκος διανύσαντες, τὴν Αἰγῶν πόλιν κατέλαβον. Ἐπυνθάνοντο δὲ ποῦ Ζηνόβιος αὐλίζεται ὁ πάμφημος ἰατρός· οὐ γὰρ ἠπίσταντο ἠπίστουν. τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀξίαν καθότι ἀλλόφυλοι ὑπῆρχον. Ἡ δὲ θεία χάρις οὐ παρεῖδεν τὸν Αἰθίωπα· ἀλλὰ τοῦτῳ φαίνεται ἐν ὁράματι ὁ Κύριος λέγων αὐτῷ· Ἐγερθεὶς ταχέως ἐπιζήτησον τὴν τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐκκλησίαν, κἀκεῖ εὑρήσεις δι᾽ ὃν παραγέγονας παράγαγον. . Διεγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰνδὸς καὶ παραλαβὼν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὁμόζυγον, πολυπραγμονήσας εὕρεν τὸ κυριακὸν τὸν κιριακὸν. πεπληρωμένον τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνης· τὸν δὲ φιλόθεον ἄνδρα Ζηνόβιον ἑστηκότα μεταξὺ τοῦ λαοῦ, τὴν μελίῥῤυτον ἐφαπλοῦντα διδασκαλίαν· καὶ ἀθρῶον ῥίψας ἑαυτὸν ὁ Ἰνδὸς ἅμα τῇ ὁμοζύγῳ αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ἁγίου ἀνδρός, ἱκέτευεν μετὰ θρήνου τοῦ ἀνιάτου ἀνιαροῦ. πάθους ἰάσεως ἀξιωθῆναι τυχεῖν. . Ὁ δὲ Ζινόβιος add. πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔφη· Πιστεύετε πιστεύσατε. τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Ὑπισχνουμένων δὲ αὐτῶν τῇ τῆς Τριάδος προσηγορίᾳ τὴν … προσηγορίαν. ὑποκύπτειν, τήν τε [δὲ.] πατρῴαν δυσσεβείαν ἀπαρνεῖσθαι ἀπαρνήσασθαι. , ἔφη πρὸς τὸ γύναιον· Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἰασαμένου τὴν αἱμοῤῥοοῦσαν, ἴσθι ὑγιὴς ἀπὸ τῆς βασάνου σου ταύτης. Παραχρῆμα δὲ ἡ τοῦ καρκίνου φυὴ φύσις. διαῤῥαγεῖσα, καὶ διὰ add. τοῦ σώματος στόματος. διαῤῥεθεῖσα ἀναβλύσασα. χαμαιριφὴς γέγονεν· τὸ δὲ γύναιον ἰάθη ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Παραυτίκα δὲ εἰςαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ φωτιστηρίῳ ὁ ἁγιώτατος ἐπίσκοπος ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸ λουτρὸν τῷ λουτρῷ. τῆς ἀθανασίας· μεταλαβόντες δὲ τῶν ἁγίων μυστηρίων, καὶ τὸν θησαυρὸν τῆς ζωοδότου πίστεως καθοπλισάμενοι, ἐπανῆλθον εἰς τὰ ἴδια δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν οἷς εἶδον καὶ ἔτυχον.

[5] Θαύματα οὖν θαύμασιν ἀνεμίγνυντο συντρεχούσης τῆς τριαδικῆς ἐνεργίας. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ πόλει Ἀντιοχείας τῆς πρὸς Δάφνην ἦν τις γυνὴ εὐσεβὴς καὶ φοβουμένη τὸν Θεόν· ἥτις καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις παρεῖχεν τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τοῦ σώματος· ταύτῃ προσήρπυσεν φῦμα θῦμα. μέγιστον μεταξὺ τῶν δύο μασθῶν ὃ [ᾧ.] ἔφησαν φαγέδαιναν φυγάδενα. ὑπάρχειν. Τῶν οὖν ἰατρῶν βουληθέντων τῇ διὰ τοῦ ξίφους τομῇ τοῦ πάθους περιγενέσθαι, φόβῳ συσχεθεῖσα ἡ γυνὴ μήποτε τὰς ἀλγηδόνας οὐχ ὑπενέγκῃ, ὑπενέγκειεν. λαθοῦσα νυκτὸς βαθυτάτης ἀπέδρα τῆς πόλεως· ρυζέῳ δὲ δρόμῳ καταλαβοῦσα Σελευκίαν τῆς Ἰπείρου· εἰσπηδήσασα εἰς σκαφιδίῳ μέλλοντι πλεῖν πλοίειν. ἐν Αἰγαῖς, καταλαμβάνει καταλαμβάνειν. τὴν ἐκεῖσε ἁγιωτάτην ἐκκλησίαν· κἀκεῖσε εὑραμένη τὸν τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς διδασκαλίας ἄοκνον κήρυκα, τὸ στῆθος γυμνώσασα σπουδαίως, τοῦτο τὸ πάθος ὑπεδείκνυεν· ἱκέτευεν δὲ ἢ θανεῖν ἢ τοῦ ἀνιάτου πάθους ἀπαλλαγῆναι. Καμφθεὶς δὲ τῇ τοῦ γυναίου ἱκεσίᾳ ὁ ἁγιότατος ἐπίσκοπος Ζηνόβιος, ἐγχαράττων τῇ χειρὶ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ, τὴν ἁγίαν ἐκείνην ἐφθέγξατο φωνήν· Ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου τοῦ ἰασαμένου πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν, ἴσθι ὑγιὴς ἀπὸ τῆς μάστιγός σου. Παραυτίκα δὲ ῥαγὲν τὸ ἕλκος δυσώδους ἰχῶρος ἐπλήρωσε τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἠλευθερώθη τὸ γύναιον ἀπαρηγορήτων ἀλγηδόνων. Ἐπιμείνασα δὲ ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς καὶ τῆς τελειωτέρας ἀξιωθεῖσα ἰάσεως, μετὰ χαρᾶς μεγάλης καταλαμβάνει καταλιμπάνει. τὴν Ἀντιοχέων μητρόπολιν, ἀνακηρύττουσα τὸν ὅσιον ἄνδρα.

St. Zenobius, born of pious parents, There lies a city on the gulf of the region of the Cilicians, which they call Aegae. There was in it a pious man and one fearing God, whose name was Zenodotus ^b. When his parents had passed to everlasting life, and had made their journey to Christ, his paternal uncle, seeing the young man's gentleness and love of good, joined to him in marriage a girl who was his only daughter ^c, and whose name was Thecla. Following in the footsteps of their parents, they spent their life in the greatest religion and seemliness, walking in the commandments of the Lord. To them according to the will of God was born a little son, whom they also named Zenobius. Being religious, they brought him up most honourably, instructing him in the discipline of the Lord, and in admonitions and divine doctrines. A short time having passed, another infant, a girl, was born to them, whom they also called Zenobia.

[2] he practises medicine without charge, When the boy was taking on manly strength and advancing to full age, he made progress in wisdom and grace, nourished in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ on the doctrines of piety. So God performed many miracles through him, while he applied himself to medicine. For those who fell into incurable diseases and whom men excelling in the art could not heal, he healed in the name of Jesus Christ; providing also to the needy the things necessary for living. As these things were so proceeding, he who then held the empire of the Romans was afflicted with a very grave disease, and persevering in his father's impiety gave up his life ^d. His empire was taken over by Diocletian, a man wholly execrable. Wallowing in the darkness of ancestral impiety, he set over Cilicia a certain Lysias, a most wicked man and bitter enemy of the Christians ^e. He also, when he had arrived in the city of Mopsuestia, stirred up persecution against the Christians. Among whom he also seized three young men, Claudius, Asterius, Neon, Isaurians by nation, from the city of Laranda. After he had tortured them greatly, and at last had fastened them with nails to a stake outside the walls of the city of Mopsuestia, he ordered their bodies to be thrown out to be devoured by beasts and birds.

[3] and a woman seized with cancer But Blessed Zenobius, enlightened by divine grace, having undertaken by divine revelation to feed the flock of Christ, diligently treated all who were in a bad way with various diseases; calling upon our Lord Jesus Christ, accepting payment from no one, mindful of the Lord who says: "Freely you have received, freely give." Wherefore we shall now also come to the grace of healings given to him. For it happened that the wife of a certain Indian ^f, a prefect, fell into a grave disease called cancer; which clung to the innermost part of the chest. So when all the physicians of that nation, I mean also the enchanters, had applied all their arts and had in no way made progress, the Indian at last despaired of his wife's recovery. But God, the lover of men, who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, made known to the Indian, through a man carrying on business in that nation, the divine power which had been given to Zenobius for healing diseases.

[4] he heals and joins to Christ. At once he, taking his wife and two children, mounted the beasts of burden and undertook the journey; and having measured out the long road, they arrived at the city of Aegae. They inquired where that very celebrated physician Zenobius was staying: for they did not know the man's rank, because they were foreigners. But divine grace did not despise the Ethiopian; to him the Lord appears in a vision, saying to him: "When you awake, seek in haste the church of the Christians, and there you will find him for whose sake you have come." The Indian, having awoken and taking his wife with him, diligently inquired and found the church full of the flock of Christ, and the man who loved God, Zenobius, standing in the middle of the people and unfolding honey-sweet teaching. And at once the Indian, casting himself together with his wife at the feet of the holy man, besought him with lamentation that he might be held worthy of the healing of the incurable disease. But he said to them: "Believe in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." When they promised that they would venerate the name of the Trinity and renounce their ancestral impiety, he said to the woman: "In the name of Jesus Christ, who healed the woman suffering from a flow of blood, be freed from this your torment." And at once the cancer burst, and the matter, flowing from her body, was cast upon the ground. And the woman was healed from that hour. Straightway the most holy bishop, leading them into the baptistery, gave them the bath of immortality. Having been made partakers of the sacred mysteries, and furnished with the treasure of the life-giving faith, they returned home, glorifying God for all the things which they had seen and had obtained.

[5] He frees another woman from a phagedaena. Miracles grew upon miracles, with the working of the Trinity assisting. For in the city of Antioch by Daphne ^g there was a certain pious woman, fearing God: who also supplied the needy with what was necessary for the body. There rose up on her between the two breasts a very large tumour, which they said was a phagedaena. So when the physicians wished to cut the flesh with iron in order to overcome the disease, gripped with fear that she could never endure the pains, she secretly, at dead of night, ran out of the city: and having arrived at a quick pace at Seleucia of the mainland ^h, and having boarded a little boat which was going to sail to Aegae, she came to the most holy church of this place; and there, finding the tireless herald of gospel teaching, she hastily bared her breast and showed him this her evil: and she entreated in supplication that she might either die, or be freed from the incurable disease. Moved by the woman's entreaty, the most holy bishop Zenobius, making the sign of the cross on her with his hand, uttered this holy word: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who healed every disease and every infirmity, be healed of your plague." And at once the ulcer burst and filled the ground with fetid discharge, and the woman was freed from her comfortless pains. And having remained for a good many days, and having been counted worthy of a more complete healing, she came with great joy to the metropolis of the Antiochenes, proclaiming the holy man.

ANNOTATIONS.

in the Coislin codex 110, which we mark with the letter A, the Passion of the holy Martyrs is found from folio 218 to 221; and in codex 1468, from folio 168 v. to 171 v. The former is inscribed Βίος καὶ μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου ἱερομάρτυρος Ζηνοβίου και Ζηνοβίας, τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ; the latter: Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου ἱερομάρτυρος Ζινοβίου καὶ Ζινοβίας: and thus the martyrs are constantly called in codex A Ζηνόβιος, Ζηνοβία; in codex B Ζινόβιος, Ζηνοβία; at times however Σινόβιος, Σινοβία.

CHAPTER TWO.

St. Zenobius and his sister are questioned by the governor. Various punishments and a death made illustrious by miracles. Burial.

Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ δυσσεβέστατος μιαρώτατος. Διοκλητιανὸς ἐξωπλίσατο πρὸς [om.] πόλεμον κατὰ [om.] τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκκλησίας καὶ δόγμα θεομάχον κατὰ τῆς Χριστοῦ πίστεως ἐξηρεύξατο· προστάξει [om.] τούτου [om.] προκαθίσας ὁ μιαρώτατος Λυσίας μέσον τῆς πόλεως, προσέταξεν παραστῆναι κρατιθῆναι. τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκα Ζηνόβιον [καὶ παραστῆναι αὐτοῦ τῷ βήματι· παραστάντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀγαλλιωμένου ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Λυσία add.] καί [om.] φησιν ἔφη. πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐγὼ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας φροντίζων καὶ add. κηδόμενος προοίμια δύο τρόπων προκειμένων σωτηρίας τε καὶ ἀπολείας λέγειν οὐκ ἁναβάλλομαι. Ἓν μὲν ὅτι πειθόμενος πισθέντος σου. τῷ θείῳ θεσπίσματι, ζωὴν ἀνώδυνον βιώσεις καὶ τιμὰς παρὰ τῶν αὐτοκρατόρων λείψῃ· μὴ βουληθέντί βουληθέντα. δὲ εἴξειν τοῖς ἡμετέροις προστάγμασιν βάσανοι διάφοροι καὶ θάνατος ἀνελεὴς πρόκειταί σοι. Ἰδοὺ βωμὸς καὶ λίβανος· προσελθὼν θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς. Ὁ ἄγιος Ζηνόβιος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ Λυσία Θεὸν ἕτερον οὐκ οἶδα εὶ μὴ Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν· τὸ λοιπὸν τοῦ λοιποῦ. μὴ άναβαλοῦ οἰόμενός με δελεάζειν. Ξαινέςθω ξεέσθω. μου τὸ σῶμα, στρεβλούσθω καὶ μου. τὰ μέλη, ζημιωθῶ καὶ τὴν πρόσκαιρον ζωήν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀντάξιον τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν. Τούτοις τοῖς λόγοις ἐκπλαγεὶς ὁ τύραννος τὸν θυμὸν ὥσπερ πῦρ πυρὰν. ἀναφλέξας καὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας δρακοντιαῖον συντρίψας, πρὸς τοὺς ὑπασπιστὰς ἔφη· Ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου στρεβλούσθω καὶ πληκτῆρσιν καταξαινέσθω καταξεέσθω. , ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Χριστὸς βοηθήσων καὶ βοηθήσῃ. αὐτῷ.

[7] Ἀκούσασα δὲ ταῦτα ἡ μακαρία ἀμνὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Θεοῦ. Ζηνοβία ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῆς προθύμως ἐπέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ μαρτυρῆσαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπερ τοῦ Χρίστοῦ εἰς τὸ μαρτύριον. ἀναλαβοῦσα ἀνδρεῖον φρόνημα τὸν θυραιὸν τῆς πίστεως pro ἀνδρεῖον φρόνημα καὶ ὑποδησαμένη τοὺς πόδας ἐν ἐτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, περιζωσαμένη δὲ καὶ [om.] θώρακα πίστεως, καὶ σφραγίσασα ἑαυτὴν καθ᾽ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος, ἐξῆλθεν σπουδαίως ἐκ τῆς μονῆς καὶ δραμοῦσα ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα, πρὸς τὸν ἡγεμόνα ἔφη· Λυσία τύραννε καὶ ἀλαζόν, τί κακὸν πράξαντα τὸν ἐμὸν ἀδελφὸν οὕτως ἀνηλεῶς βασανίζεις; Ὁ δὲ ἡγεμῶν θαμβηθεὶς ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ γυναίου τόλμῃ, πρὸς αὐτὴν ἔφη· Θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς Ζηνοβία, ὅπως ἀξιωθήσῃ δωρεῶν πολυτελῶν καὶ τῶν [τὸ] τῆς ἡγεμονείας μου σου. ἀφηγίσῃ πραγμάτων· εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς πυρὸς πυρῶν. καὶ αἰκισμοῖς αἰκισμῶν. καὶ βασανιστηρίων στρέβλαις τὸ ζῆν ἀπορρήξῃς. Ἡ [om.] ἁγία [om.] Ζηνοβία εἶπεν· Ἔχω Θεὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὅς δυνήσεταί δύναται. με ρύσασθαι ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν σου δυσσεβέστατε. Ὡς δὲ ἐπέπαυτο ἐπαύσατο. τῆς συμβουλείας ὁ ἡγεμῶν, οἱ ἅγιοι μάρτυρες ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος διὰ μιᾶς φωνῆς εἶπον· Οὐ πείθῃς ἡμᾶς, ὦ Λυσία, καταλῆψαι Θεὸν ζῶντα καὶ προσκυνῆσαι κιβδήλοις· ὅσα οὖν ἔχεις βασανιστήρια πρόσφερε· ἕτοιμοι γάρ ἐσμεν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ἀποθνήσκειν ἀποθανεῖν. .

[8] Ταῦτα αὐτῶν εἰπόντων ἀναζέσας τῷ θυμῷ ὁ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐχθρὸς ἐμβληθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ κραββάτοις κραββάτου. σιδηροῖς σιδηροῦ. προσέταξεν· ὡς δὲ ἐνέβαλον αὐτοὺς οἱ ὑπασπισταί, πῦρ ὑπέστρωσαν καὶ διηρέθιζον τὴν άνθρακιὰν πρὸς φλόγα· ἐμολύνοντο δὲ τοῖς ἰχῶρσιν αἱ τῶν κραββάτων ἐσχᾶραι, καὶ ἡ σωρὸς τῆς ἀνθρακιᾶς τοῖς ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν σταλαγμοῖς ἐσβέννυτο. Ὁ δὲ ἡγεμῶν ἔφη· Ἴδοιμι ἴδωμεν. εἰ ἔλθῃ ὁ [om.] Χριστὸς βοηθήσων ὑμῖν. Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος Ζηνόβιος εἶπεν· Λυσία μιαρώτατε καὶ ἐχθρὲ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας, ἀνάξιος ὢν τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὀπτασίας ἀνάξιος-ὀπτασίας om. οὐχ ὁρᾷς αὐτόν· ἰδοὺ γὰρ πάρεστιν ἐπικουφίζων ἡμᾶς τῶν αλγιδόνων· οὔτε γὰρ [om.] τῆς πικράς σου τιμωρίας ᾐσθόμεθα αἰσθανόμεθα. , οὔτε τι ἀνιαρὸν πεπόνθαμεν. Ἔκθαμβος δὲ γεγονὼς γενόμενος. ὁ Λυσίας ὁρῶν τὸ καρτερικὸν τῆς ἀδελφικὴς ζυγάδος, κατενεχθῆναι αὐτοὺς τῶν κλίνων προσέταξεν. Καί φησιν ἔφη. πρὸς αὐτοὺς· Κατελεήσατε ἑαυτοὺς ὢ τάλανες καὶ θύσατε τοῖς θεοῖς. Ὁ ἅγιος Ζηνόβιος εἶπεν· Πάλιν αἱροῦμεν· οὐ θύσωμεν λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις κωφοῖς καὶ ἀψύχοις· συμβουλεύω δέ σοι Λυσία, ἐκτὸς γενοῦ τῆς ἐν σοὶ μανίας καὶ πρόσελθε τῷ Χριστῷ· φιλάνθρωπος γάρ ἐστιν καὶ δέχεταί σε μετανοοῦντα· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀκούσῃς ἡμῶν παραδοθήσῃ τῷ ἀσβέστῳ πυρί. Ἐπὶ ταύταις ταῖς ἀποκρίσεσιν θυμωθεὶς ὁ Λυσίας πίσσαν ἐν τοῖς λέβησιν ἑμβληθῆναι προσέταξεν καὶ εὐτόνως ὑποκαίεσθαι· οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι ἑστῶτες πρὸ τῶν λεβήτων, ἀνατείναντες τὸ ὄμμα εἰς τὸν οὐράνιον οὐρανὸν. βασιλέα [om.] εἶπον· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, τὸ φῶς τὸ άκατάληπτον, υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ· ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν Λυσία τοῦ ἡγεμῶνος καὶ παράλαβε ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν· καὶ πληρώσαντες τὴν εὐχήν, ἠκόντισαν ἑαυτοὺς κατὰ τῶν λεβήτων· παραχρῆμα δὲ κρυωθέντων ἑκατέρων τοῦτε πυρὸς καὶ τῆς πίσσης καὶ εἰς ὕδατος φύσιν τραπέντων, τῇ τῇ-χάριτι om. τοῦ Κυρίου χάριτι ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἅγιοι ἀβλαβεῖς [Τότε ὁ Λυσίας ἰδὼν τὸ ἀμετάσθετον τῶν ἁγίων ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς ἀποκεφαλισθῆναι add.] .

[9] Τότε [om.] λαβόντες δὲ add. τὴν ἀπόφασιν οἱ ἅγιοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυρες ἐξῆλθον χαίροντες καὶ ψάλλοντες ἔλεγον [om.] · Ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς, Χριστέ, ἐκ τῶν θλιβόντων ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς μισοῦντας ἡμᾶς κατῄσχυνας. Ἐληλυθότων ἐξελθόντων. δὲ αὐτῶν ἔξω τῶν ad. τειχέων τῆς Αἰγέων [om.] πόλεως καὶ ἀνατείναντες τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τὸ ὄμμα. εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ηὐλόγησαν τὸν Θεὸν λέγοντες· Εὐχαριστοῦμέν σοι Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν add. , ὅτι κατηξίωσας ἡμᾶς πληρῶσαι τελέσαι. τὸν δρόμον τῆς ἀθλήσεως καὶ νικῆσαι τὰς στρεβλώσεις τῶν τυράννων add. · ἀξίους ἡμᾶς ποίησον τοῦ βραβείου τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως καὶ συγκαταρίθμησον ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῶν εὐαρεστησάντων σοι καὶ ὁμολογησάντων τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ [om.] ἅγιον [om.] ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὅτι εὐλογητὸς ὑπάρχεις εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν [om.] αἰώνων [om.] · ἀμήν. Καὶ τελεσάντων αὐτῶν add. τὸ ἀμὴν ἐγένετο ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἄφνω ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν φωνὴ λέγουσα· Δεῦρο θεοφόρε ἰατρέ· δέχου τὴν τοῦ. ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ σοι δεδωρημένην δεδομένου. τῶν ἰαμάτων πηγήν· τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκας, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκας, λοιπὸν ἀπόκειταί σοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος. Γενομένης δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης [om.] φόβος ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ὥστε γονυπετοῦντας μετὰ δακρύων ἱκετεύειν τοὺς ἁγίους μάρυρας τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεώσασθαι ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς προημαρτημένοις. Ἐκτείναντες δὲ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἑαυτοῦ. αὐχένας οἱ ἅγιοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυρες Ζηνόβιος καὶ Ζηνοβία τὰς κεαλὰς κάρας. ἀπετμήθησαν τὸν δρόμον τελέσαντες τὸν-τελέσαντες om. · τὰ δὲ τούτων ἅγια [om.] σώματα ἔῤῥιπτο ἔῤῥιψαν. ἔξω τῆς πόλεως. Ἑρμογένης δὲ καὶ Γάἳος οἱ πρεσβύτεροι παραλαβόντες ἅπαντα τὸν κλῆρον μετὰ εὐλαβῶν οὐκ ὀλίγων, νυκτὸς νύκτωρ. βαθυτάτης ἐπιστάντες τῷ τόπῳ, ἀνελόμενοι ἀναλαβόμενοι. τὰ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων λείψανα ἐνέβαλον ἔβαλον. ἐν γλωσσοκόμοις, ἃ καὶ κατέθεντο ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ· ἔνθα ἐκρύπτοντο μετὰ πολλῆς εὐωχίας καὶ ἀρωμάτων. Ἐτελειώθησαν δὲ [om.] οἱ ἅγιοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ μάρτυρες Ζηνόβιος καὶ Ζηνοβία τὸν ὑπερ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀγῶνα τελειώσαντες τὸν-τελειώσαντες om. , μηνὶ ὀκτωβρίῳ τριακάδι πρώτῃ [om.] ἡμέρᾳ παρασκευῇ ὥρᾳ ἐννάτῃ, ἐν τῇ σωτηριώδει ὁμολογίᾳ ὥρᾳ-ὁμολογίᾳ om. , βασιλεύοντος τοῦ ἀσεβεστάτου καὶ τρισκαταράτου παρανόμου. Διοκλητιανοῦ, ἡγημονεύοντος δὲ τοῦ μιαρωτάτου Λυσία τῆς Κιλίκων ἐπαρχίας ἡγημονεύοντος-ἐπαρχίας om. · κατὰ δὲ ἡμᾶς τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς βασιλεύοντος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ add. εἰς τους αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

When for the faith of Christ St. Zenobius But after that most impious Diocletian took up arms to make war against the Church of Christ, and belched forth a decree fighting against God, against the faith of Christ; by his order, sitting in the middle of the city, the most wicked Lysias commanded that the herald of truth be brought; and he says to him: "I, being solicitous for your salvation, will declare straightway from the beginning the twofold condition that is set before you, both salvation and destruction; first, if you obey

divine edict, you will live a life free of pain and obtain honours from the emperors. But if you are unwilling to comply with our orders, various tortures and a merciless death await you. Behold the altar and the incense: come forward and sacrifice to the gods." St. Zenobius said: "I, Lysias, know no other God than the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not delay any longer, supposing that I can be deceived by you. Let my body be cut, let my limbs be tortured, let me suffer the loss even of temporal life: for nothing is to be put on a level with the kingdom of heaven." Astounded by these words the tyrant, blazing up in spirit as if with kindled fire, and gnashing his teeth in the manner of dragons, said to his attendants: "Let him be racked on the wood ^a and torn with scourges, until Christ comes to help him."

[7] and his sister When Zenobia, the blessed lamb of Christ, heard that her brother had eagerly given himself up to bear witness to Christ, taking on a manly spirit, and having her feet shod in the preparation of the gospel, clad in the breastplate of faith, and marking herself with the cross over her whole body, she went out quickly from the house; and having run to the tribunal, she said to the governor: "Lysias, tyrant and braggart, what evil has my brother done, that you torture him so cruelly?" The governor, astounded at the woman's boldness, said to her: "Sacrifice to the gods, Zenobia, so that you may be judged worthy of magnificent gifts, and may gain possession of things that are in my power; but if you do not obey, you will lose your life by the punishment of fire and the torments of the rack." St. Zenobia said: "I have a God in heaven who will be able to rescue me from your hands, most irreligious man." And when the governor had ceased from his counsel, the holy martyrs, as with one mouth, with one voice, said: "You will not persuade us, Lysias, to desert the living God and adore false deities. Whatever torments therefore you have, bring them forth: for we are ready to die for Christ."

[8] afflicted with various tortures, but unharmed, As they said these things, that enemy of religion, seething in spirit, ordered them to be placed on iron beds ^b. When the attendants had laid them there, they put fire beneath and stirred up flames from a heap of coals. With flowing discharge the gridirons of the beds were fouled, and the live coals were being put out by the dripping flesh. The governor said: "Let me see whether Christ is going to come to bring you help." St. Zenobius said: "Lysias, most shameful man and enemy of God's love, because you are unworthy of the vision of Christ, you do not see him. For behold he is present, relieving us of pain: for neither have we felt your bitter punishments, nor have we suffered anything troublesome." Lysias, thunderstruck at seeing the endurance of the fraternal pair, ordered them to be taken down from the beds, and said to them: "Have pity on yourselves, unhappy ones, and sacrifice to the gods." St. Zenobius answered: "Again we choose: we will not sacrifice to stones and woods, deaf and lifeless; but this I urge on you, Lysias: withdraw from this madness that is in you, and come to Christ: for he is kind, and he will receive you if you repent; but if you do not listen to us, you will be cast into the unquenchable fire." Angry at these answers, Lysias ordered pitch to be thrown into cauldrons ^c and vigorously heated. The saints, standing before the cauldrons, their eyes raised to the heavenly king, said: "Lord Jesus Christ, incomprehensible light, Son of the true God, rescue us from the hands of Lysias the governor, and receive our souls in peace." And having finished these prayers, they cast themselves into the cauldrons. But at once, both the fire and the pitch being cooled, and turned into the nature of water, the saints came out unharmed, by the grace of the Lord.

[9] they were punished with the loss of the head, and buried by Christians. Sentence being then received, the holy martyrs of Christ went out rejoicing, and singing they said: "You have delivered us, Christ, from those who afflicted us, and those who hated us you have confounded." Having gone out beyond the walls of the city of Aegae, with their eyes lifted to heaven, they praised God saying: "We give you thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, that you have judged us worthy to complete the course of the contest and to conquer the torments. Make us worthy of the prize of the heavenly calling, and number us with those who have pleased you and have confessed your holy name before men; for you are blessed for ages of ages, amen." And when they had uttered that amen, suddenly a voice was heard from heaven, saying: "Come now, God-bearing physician; receive the fountain of healings given to you by me. You have finished the course, you have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for you the crown of justice." When this voice had been sent forth, fear came on all who heard it, and so, falling on their knees, they entreated the holy martyrs with tears to make God propitious, for the forgiving of all the sins of their former life. And the holy martyrs of Christ, Zenobius and Zenobia, themselves offering their necks, were beheaded, completing their course. Their sacred bodies were thrown outside the city. But Hermogenes and Caius, priests, bringing with them the whole clergy, with not a few religious men, coming in the darkest of nights to this place, carried off the relics of the holy martyrs and laid them in coffins: which they also placed in a cave, in which they were hidden, with festive joy, spices being employed. The holy martyrs of Christ Zenobius and Zenobia were finished, completing the contest for the truth, on the thirty-first day of the month of October, on the parasceve, at the ninth hour, in saving confession; in the reign of Diocletian, most impious and wholly execrable; the most wicked Lysias governing the province of the Cilicians; but our Lord Jesus Christ reigning over us, to whom be glory and might for ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATIONS.

PRAISE OF SS. ZENOBIUS AND ZENOBIA

From the Armenian Acts of the saints.

Zenobius, bishop of Aegae, martyr. (S.)

Zenobia his sister, martyr. (S.)

FROM THE PRINTED TEXT.

Zenobius and Zenobia were brother and sister, born of pious parents Zenodotus and Thecla, in the city of Aegae (Ekeas) in Cilicia, in the time of Diocletian. Zenobius, made bishop of that city, drove away all diseases by his prayers, and joined many people to Christ. Angry at this, certain physicians ^a reported his name to the judge Lysias. He ordered the holy bishop to be hung up and savagely torn with scourges. At that same moment his sister Zenobia ran to the judge saying: "I too am a Christian." When this had been said, both martyrs were first scourged, then placed on a red-hot iron bed. And as they were still alive, they were plunged into cauldrons full of boiling pitch. But by their prayers the cauldrons were cooled: then, being led outside the city, they were beheaded. By night Hermogenes and Caius, priests, carried off their bodies, and having placed them in a wooden chest, buried them on a mountain ^b.

ANNOTATIONS.

MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY MARTYR ZENOBIUS AND OF ZENOBIA HIS SISTER

by Simeon Metaphrastes.

Zenobius, bishop of Aegae, martyr. (S.)

Zenobia his sister, martyr. (S.)

FROM THE PRINTED TEXT AND MANUSCRIPTS.

CHAPTER ONE.

The birth and upbringing of SS. Zenobius and Zenobia his sister. He practises medicine.

Αίγαὶ πόλις ἐστὶν ἐπὶ κόλπῳ μὲν τῷ Ἰονίῳ κειμένη, ὑπὸ Κιλίκων δὲ οἰκουμένη· ἧς τὸ μὲν πρὸς ἤπειρον οὐ πολύ, πλατεῖαν δὲ καὶ ἱκανῶς εἰς μῆκος διήκουσαν ὁ τῆς γείτονος θαλάσσης ὅρμος ἐκδέχεται. Αὕτη τὸν μακάριον Ζηνόβιον ἤνεγκε, πατέρων θεοφιλῶν γεγονότα, ῥίζης ἀγαθῆς ὄντως ἀγαθὸν βλάστημα. Ὅστις τετελευτηκότων αὐτῷ τῶν γονέων, παρὰ τῷ πρὸς πατρὸς καταλέλειπτο θείῳ. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ἀληθῶς ὢν καὶ φιλάρετος ἄνθρωπος, τῆς πατρῴας ὁρῶν τὸν παῖδα θεοσεβείας ἐχόμενον, καὶ ὥσπερ τῆς κτήσεως αὐτὸν ἁπάσης, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς πάσης κληρονόμον, τῇ οἰκείᾳ θυγατρὶ Θέκλῃ τοῦτον ἡρμόσατο, ζεῦγος Θεῷ φίλον ἐπ᾽ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς ἔργοις ἐπίσημον. Γεννᾶται τοιγαροῦν ἐκ τούτων Ζηνόβιος, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἡ τούτου ἀδελφὴ Ζηνοβία (τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῇ παρὰ τῶν γονέων τίθεται ὄνομα), ξυνωρὶς ἁγία, κλάδοι πνευματικοῖς ἔργοις κατάκαρποι.

[2] Ἤδη δὲ τοῦ καλοῦ Ζηνοβίου τὴν ἔφηβον ἀπολαμβάνοντος ἡλικίαν, τελευτῶσι μὲν αὐτοῖς οἱ τεκόντες, ἀναλοῦται δὲ καὶ τά τῆς οὐσίας τὰ μὲν εἰς τὰς τῶν πενήτων γαστέρας, τὰ δὲ καὶ περὶ τὴν τῶν ἀσθενῶν ἐπιμέλειαν· πεπαίδευτο γἀρ τὴν ἰατρικὴν ὁ Ζηνόβιος οὕτω καλῶς καὶ τοιαύτην περὶ τοὺς νοσοῦντας ἐπεδείκνυτο τὴν θαυματουργίαν, ὡς μηδὲ τῆς μὲν αὐτοῦ χειρὸσ ἐπαφὴν ὑπομένειν τὰς νόσους, ἀλλὰ καὶ μόνῃ φυγαδεύεσθαι τῇ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς παρουσίᾳ. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ τέχνης ἔργον, ἀλλὰ χάριτος Θεοῦ δῶρον καὶ ἀρετῆς ἀνδρὸς πεποίητο. Οὐχ ὑγείας δὲ μόνον αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ βίου χορηγὸς ἦν ὁ Ζηνόβιος, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς αὐτῷ προσιοῦσι τά τε πρὸς θεραπείαν τῆς νόσου, καὶ τὰ πρὸς διατροφὴν ἐπήρκει τοῦ σώματος, ὑπ᾽ ἧς ἂν ἕκαστος ἐτύγχανε δηλονότι κατειλημμένος, καὶ ὁποίων ἂν ἦν τῶν σιτίων δεόμενος· ὥστε οὐ δωρεὰν ἐδίδου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν πολλῷ τῷ μέσῳ τὴν ἐντολὴν ὑπερέβαινεν· Τὴν μὲν γὰρ δωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, φησί, δωρεὰν δότε. Ὁ δὲ προσθήκην τῆς ἰατρείας καὶ τῶν νοσούντων παρεῖχε διατροφάς, οὐκ ἀμίσθους μόνον τὰς θεραπείας ποιῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μισθοὺς μᾶλλον σὺν αὐτοῖς παρεχόμενος.

[3] Τοιοῦτον δή τινα τὸν ἱερὸν Ζηνόβιον ἡ τῶν Κιλίκων κεκλήρωτο καθ᾽ ὃ καιροῦ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς αὐτοκράτωρ εἰδώλοις προσανέχων, καὶ τῇ δυσσεβεῖ θρησκείᾳ προστετηκὼς τοῖς ὀλεθρίοις συναπέθανε δόγμασιν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνου μὲν κληρονόμους τῶν τε σκήπτρων καὶ τῆς κατὰ Χριστιανῶν λύσσης Διοκλητιανὸς καταλείπεται, Λυσίαν δὲ παραχρῆμα τιμωρήσασθαί τε βιαιότατον καὶ θωπείαις ὑπαγαγέσθαι δεινότατον τῆς Κιλίκων ἔπαρχον προχειρίζεται. Ὁ δὲ τὴν Μόψου καταλαβὼν διωγμὸν ἐγείρει κατὰ Χριστιανῶν, καὶ διωγμῶν τὸν φρικωδέστατον καὶ βαρύτατον, ἔργον ἐκείνου τοῦ διωγμοῦ καὶ τρεῖς τὸν ἀριθμὸν νεανίσκοι· Κλαύδιος, Ἀστέριος, Νέων, οὓς Ἰσαυρία μὲν ἤνεγκε, Λαρανδὸς δὲ ἤσκησεν. Οὗτοι πολλαῖς ὑπὸ Λυσίου καὶ σφοδραῖς ὅτι ταῖς τιμωρίαις

ὑποβληθέντες, σταυρῷ προσηλωθέντες ἔξω τειχῶν τὸν τῶν κακούργων ὑπέστησαν θάνατον· τὰ δὲ τούτων σώματα θηρίοις καὶ πετεινοῖς εἰς πυρὰν * προετέθη. Καὶ Λυσίας μὲν δὴ τοιαύτην κατὰ Χριστιανῶν ἐπεδείκνυτο τὴν μανίαν.

[4] Ζηνόβιος δὲ ὁ καλὸς ἐν ἀρετῇ τοσαύτῃ πολιτευσάμενος καὶ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνιον ἀποκαλύψει θείᾳ παρειληφώς, ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Κιλίκων ἀναδειχθείς, διπλῆν εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς ἐπεδείκνυτο τὴν θεραπείαν· οὐ σώματα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχὰς ἰατρεύων, καὶ τὰ μὲν νοσημάτων, τὰς δὲ ἀσεβείας ἐλευθερῶν. Ἐντεῦθεν Ἰνδοῦ τινος φυλάρχου σύζυγον κακῷ τινι λέγεται βληθῆναι τῶν ἀνηκέστων. Τὸ δὲ ἄρα καρκῖνος ἦν ἐνδοτάτω τοῦ θώρακος κατασκήψας. Ἐφ᾽ ᾧ πᾶσαι καὶ χεῖρες ἰατρῶν ἀθροισθεῖσαι, καὶ τέχναι καὶ φάρμακα, δεύτερα πάντα τοῦ πάθους ἠλέγχοντο. Ἀχθόμενος οὖν περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ὁ Ἰνδὸς καὶ ὅθεν ἂν ἔλθοι τηλικούτου κακοῦ λύσις φιλοπόνως ἀνερευνῶν, μανθάνει παρά τινος τῶν ἐμπόρων τὰ περὶ Ζηνοβίου, καὶ ὅτι πολλοὺς τῶν νοσούντων ἰᾶται ῥήματι μόνῳ καὶ χειρῶν ἐπιθέσει. Καὶ ὃς αὐτίκα μελήσας * οὐδὲν οὐδ᾽ ἀναβαλόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς εἶχεν εύθὺς ἅμα συζύγῳ καὶ τέκνοις, πορείας ἁψάμενος, ἐν Αἰγαῖς γίνεται. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ πιεζομένη ψυχὴ καὶ οὕτως ἀνύσαι τὸ ἀκουσθὲν ὀξυτάτη δι᾽ ἐλπίδα χρηστοτέραν ἐλευθερίας.

[5] Ἐκεῖσε τοίνυν γενόμενος, ἐπυνθάνετο περὶ Ζηνοβίου, ποῦ ἄρα καὶ ἐν τίνος εἴη διάγων, καὶ σπουδὴν ἐποιεῖτο πᾶσαν ὥστε τὸν ἄνδρα θεάσασθαι. Τοῦτον δὲ τὸν τρόπον ἔχοντι τῷ Ἰνδῷ, καὶ οὕτω τὴν ἐκείνου θέαν περὶ πολλοῦ ποιουμένῳ ἐφίσταται ὄψις αὐτῷ σαφῶς ὕπαρ οὐκ ὄναρ, καταλαβεῖν ἐπισκήπτουσα τὴν τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐκκλησίαν· Ἐν αὐτῇ γάρ, φησί, καὶ περιτύχῃς τῷ ζητουμένῳ. Διαναστὰς τοίνυν οὗτος, ἄπεισιν εὐθὺς μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς παρὰ τὸν ναόν. Καὶ τὸν ἅγιον εὑρόντες ἐν αὐτῷ πλήθους ἑστῶτα μέσον, καὶ πηγὰς ἡδίστης διδασκαλίας τοῦ στόματος ἀφιέντα, διωσάμενοι τοὺς περιεστῶτας, τῶν ὡραίων ἐκείνου ποδῶν, καὶ ἀγαθὰ ὡς ἀληθῶς εὐαγγελιζομένων μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπιλαμβάνονται τῆς θερμότητος καὶ τῆς ἱκετείας, καὶ δέονται τῆς συμπαθοῦς ψυχῆς ἐκείνης καὶ φιλανθρώπου, καὶ λιπάρουσιν αὐτὸν ὥστε τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγῆναι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῷ τῆς γυναικὸς θώρακι τὸ πάθος ἐνῆν, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ πλέον τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ψυχῆς ἥπτετο. Ὁ δὲ μισθὸν αὐτοὺς τῆς ἰατρείας ἐπιζητεῖ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὸ τῆς πατρίου πλάνης ἀποστάντας, αὐτομολῆσαι πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπίγνωσιν. Ὅπερ οὖν προθύμως αὐτῶν ποιεῖν ἐπαγγελλομένων, ὁ ἅγιος ὑπολαβών· Ἐν ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ τὴν αἱμόῤῥουν ἰασαμένου, ὑγιὴς ἴσθι, γύναι, φησί, καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἐλευθεροῦ· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἥ τε χαλεπὴ νόσος ἐκείνη καθάπερ τινὶ μάστιγι τῷ ῥήματι ἀπελήλατο· καὶ τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος αὐτός τε καὶ σύζυγος καὶ οἱ παῖδες ἀξιωθέντες, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν κοινωνήσαντες μυστηρίων, οἴκαδε χαίροντες ἐπανῄεσαν, τῷ τῆς γυναικὸς περὶ τὸν θώρακα πάθει κοινῇ τὸ τῆς ἀπάτης νόσημα συναποβαλόντες, καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἕκαστος ὑγείαν πλουτήσαντες.

[6] Εἶτα καὶ γυνή τις ἑτέρα πάλιν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Δάφνην Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν ἀρετῇ ζῶσα, καὶ πολλοῖς ἐπαρκοῦσα τῶν πενομένων, πάθει περιπίπτει χαλεπωτάτῳ· φαγέδαιναν τοῦτο παῖδες ἰατρῶν ὀνομάζουσι. Μεταξὺ δὲ ἄρα τῶν μαστῶν ἐκφυὲν κύκλῳ τὰ περὶ αὐτοὺς ἐλυμαίνετο. Πάσης οὖν ἄλλης ἀπογνοῦσα καὶ αὐτὴ θεραπείας, ὑπέζεισι νύκτωρ τῆς πόλεως· ἐλθοῦσά τε διὰ Σελευκείας, καὶ τοῖς αἰγιαλοῖς ἐπιστᾶσα, πλοίου τέ τινος ἐπιβᾶσα, εἰς Αἰγὰς καταίρει. Καὶ προσελθοῦσα θερμῶς τῷ ἁγίῳ, τὸ δεινὸν ἐκεῖνο πάθος ὑποδεικνύει, καὶ δεῖται τούτου καὶ ἱκετεύει ὥστε ἢ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀποθανεῖν τοῖς ἐκείνου, καὶ σὺν τάχει τὸ ὀφειλόμενον ἀποτίσαι, ἢ τοῦ πιέζοντος ἀπαλλαγῆναι κακοῦ· τοσοῦτον γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους ἠνέγκατο , καὶ τηλικαύταις ὀδύναις συνείχετο, ὡς καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἐν εὐεργεσίας αἰτεῖσθαι μέρει, καὶ τοῦτον εἶναι δοκεῖν τῶν λυπούντων ἐλευθερίαν. Ταῦτα τοῦ ἁγίου δεδυσωπημένος, καὶ τῇ χειρὶ τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημεῖον ὑποτυπώσαντος, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θεῖον ὄνομα ἐπιθεγξαμένου, (ὢ Θεοῦ κριμάτων! ὢ ἀνεικάστου χρηστότητος!) ῥήγνυται μὲν εὐθέως τὸ πάθος, ἰχῶρος πληρῶσαν τὸ ἔδαφος, λύεται δὲ τῶν ὀδύνων ἡ γυνὴ καὶ πρὸς τὴν Ἀντιόχου ὑγιὴς ἐπανήκει.

SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, born of pious parents, Aegae is a city situated on a gulf of the Ionian sea, which is inhabited by the Cilicians: the part of it that looks towards the mainland does not extend much in breadth; but the part that reaches out in width and a sufficiently vast size is embraced by the harbour of the neighbouring sea. This city brought into the light Blessed Zaenobius, from parents who loved God, truly a most honourable shoot of a fair root; who, when his parents had yielded to fate, remained, being left in the care of his paternal uncle. He, being a worshipper of the true religion and devoted to virtue, seeing that the boy was desirous of his father's religion, and declaring that he would be his heir, as of his means, so of every virtue *, bound the yoke dear to God to his own daughter Thecla by the bond of matrimony. He was nobly known for religion and for deeds zealously and uprightly done. From these Zaenobius and his sister Zaenobia, so called by their parents, are begotten as a sacred pair; who certainly flourished as branches fertile in spiritual works.

[2] they are bereft of them. He practises medicine and does kindness to the needy. When Zaenobius had now passed the years of puberty, both parents were cut off by death: part of their means was spent on the bellies of the poor, and part on the care of the sick and infirm; for Zaenobius had learned medicine, and very beautifully showed a wondrous efficacy of this kind among the sick; so that diseases could not bear even the light touch of his hand; but they were put to flight by the mere presence of the man: and that was the effect not of art, but of a gift of divine grace and a reward of virtue. Nor did Zaenobius procure only health, but for all who came to him the diet that pertained to the cure of the disease, and whatever would suffice for the nourishment of the body, whatever the weakness of disease by which one was held oppressed, or whatever kind of food he lacked; and not only did he give without charge, but he went beyond the commandment itself by more than half; for this says: "Freely you have received, freely give": he, besides the addition of medicine, supplied the sick with the further gift of food also; nor did he send away unrewarded those whom he treated, but rather bestowed a reward on them.

[3] Lysias harasses the Christians. Such a man, St. Zaenobius, the city of the Cilicians happened to obtain: at which time the Roman emperor was devoting himself entirely to the worship of idols, and clinging to impious superstition, and dying in his pestilent doctrines; and heir of that reign, and of the madness against the Christians, was established Diocletian: who at once raised to the prefecture of the Cilicians a certain Lysias, both most cruel and violent in punishing, and most cunning and unrelenting in deceiving by blandishments. He, taking possession of the city of Mopsus, stirred up against the Christians a persecution which proved both most horrible and most grievous: three young men, Claudius, Asterius and Neon, attest by deed the bitterness of that disturbance and harassment; whom Isauria bore, and Laranda instructed in learning and formed by exercises. These, when they had been handed over by Lysias to most grievous and atrocious torments, were fastened to crosses outside the walls of the city and sustained the death of criminals; their bodies were thrown out to be devoured by the beasts of the field and the birds. And so Lysias brought forth his madness against the Christians in this way.

[4] St. Zenobius the bishop heals by a miracle But Zaenobius, being continually engaged most beautifully in the practice of virtue, and having received by a kind of divine showing the sheepfold of the Christian flock into the keeping of his faith, and having been declared bishop of the Cilicians ^b, thereafter displayed a twofold cure, and restored to health not only bodies but also souls, and freed them partly from languor and sickly health, partly from impiety and contempt of religion. Afterwards report brought word that the wife of a certain Indian prince had been struck with some incurable disease: and this was the disease of cancer, which had covered itself over in the inmost parts of the chest. When for its remedy every band and force of physicians, all art and collected drugs were applied, they were beaten back, overcome by the very gravity of the disease. So when the Indian was painfully bearing his torment of mind for love of his wife, and was searching with the utmost assiduity to find a release from so great an evil, he was informed by a certain merchant about Zaenobius, and that he heals those afflicted with diseases by word alone and the laying on of the hand. And he, interposing no delay, did not hesitate at all, but so far as he was able, at once with his wife and children took up the hardship of the journey, and came to the city of Aegae. So that soul, weighed down by sorrow and entangled in grief, hoped that if it brought speed to carrying out what it had heard, it could gain a better hope of deliverance.

[5] the wife of a certain Indian So having arrived there, he inquired about Zaenobius, where he was and in whose house he was staying, and he strove with the greatest diligence of zeal to come into the man's sight. When the Indian was so ardently moved, and most eagerly sought the sight of him, a very clear and true vision was brought to him, which could in no way be a dream; which instructed him to go to the church of the Christians: "In it, it said, you may meet him whom you desire." So, having awoken from sleep, he went at once with his wife to the church, and they found the saint standing in the midst of a crowded multitude, and sending forth from his mouth the fountains of most sweet teaching. When however they had removed the bystanders, they took hold, with vehement fervour of spirit and reverence, of his beautiful feet, truly bringing good tidings, and adjured his kindly soul, so pliant to mercy. Yet they strove with him by prayers that he would drive out the calamity of the disease; for though the force of the disease pressed on the wife's breast, yet it touched the husband's soul much more: he demanded piety from them as the reward of health, and required that they should abandon the error received from their parents which they were keeping and should take refuge in the knowledge of the truth ^c: when they had promised this with most ready will, the saint, taking up the word: "In the name of Jesus Christ, who cured the woman suffering a flow of blood, be healed, woman, and be made free of the calamity"; and on the spot that most grave disease was driven off by the word as if struck by a kind of whip: and he himself and his wife and his children received divine baptism: and then in the sacred communion they obtained participation in the mysteries, and they returned home joyful, the wife released from the disease of the chest, and both from the common sickness of error, departing and rejoicing in perfect health.

[6] and another woman. Besides this, another woman too, who was spending her life in virtue at Antioch by Daphne, and from her own fortunes supplied help to many who were pinched by poverty and want, fell into a most difficult and grave calamity of disease; which disease physicians call a phagedaena, and growing out in the middle of the jaws, it was feeding on them and devouring them all round as if in a circle. So when

she expected a remedy from no one else, and despaired of being able to be cured, she stole secretly out of the city by night, and going by way of Seleucia, she came to the shore, and boarding a certain ship, crossed over to Aegae, and with burning love offered herself to the saint, and showed the gravity of her misery: so she asked him and strove with prayers that she might either fall dead there at once before his eyes and quickly pay her debt to death, or be freed from the trouble of the evil which was vexing him *. So grievously did she bear the bitterness of the sickness, and with such vehement pain was she tormented, that she counted death in the place of a benefit, and thought this the only freedom from the evils that afflicted her. So when the saint had been softened in this way by so fervent a prayer, and with his hand made the sign of the cross, and then also pronounced the divine name of Christ (O judgements of God, O unsearchable kindness!), the disease at once burst and filled the ground with discharge: the woman, wholly free of torment and anguish, was released, and returned to the city of Antiochus in sound health.

ANNOTATIONS.

ψιλὴν om. ἆθλον ἡ βορὰν μελλήσας αὐτὴν ἠνάγκατο

* read declarantem

* read ipsam

CHAPTER TWO.

SS. Zenobius and Zenobia tortured by the governor. Miracles. Burial.

Τὰ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα διωγμὸς κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας Διοκλητιανοῦ, καὶ δόγμα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ θεομάχου, καὶ Λυσίας τῆς ὠμότητος ἐκείνου καὶ τῆς ἀπανθρωπίας ὑπηρέτης θερμότατος. Ὅστις τὰ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον μαθὼν Ζηνόβιον, καὶ ὅπως ἕνα μόνον κηρύττει Θεὸν καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐντολῶν τε καὶ θελημάτων ἐπιμελῶς περιέχεται, ὅπως τε τῇ αὐτοῦ ἐπικλήσει νόσους εὐχείρως λύει πασας, καὶ χεῖρα τοῖς δεομένοις προτείνει δαψιλῶς ῥέουσαν, εὐθὺς αὐτὸν συλλαμβάνει, κὰὶ προκαθίσας ἐπὶ μέσης τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τὸν ἄνρδα κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀγαγών· Πολλά μοι, φησί, περὶ σοῦ, Ζηνόβιε, ἤκουσται· ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ μόνῃ πιστεύειν ἀκοῇ ῥᾳδίως οὐκ ἔχων , ὥστε καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς μάρτυρας ποιῆσαι τῶν ἀκουσθέντων, καὶ ἵνα τὸ πολὺ συνέλω τοῦ λόγου, δύο σοι ταῦτα προτίθεμαι, ἢ πεισθῆναι τῷ τῶν κρατούντων εὐσεβεῖ διατάγματι, καὶ θῦσαι σὺν ἡμῖν τοῖς θεοῖς, ὅπερ τιμῆς σε τῆς μεγίστης ἀπολαῦσαι παρασκευάσει, καὶ πλούτου δαψίλειαν εὖ ἴσθι καὶ βίου λαμπρότητα, καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἄλλων ἀμοιβὰς προξενήσει σοι, ἢ πληγὰς καὶ στρέβλας, καὶ βασάνους ἑτέρας κατακριθῆναι, ὧν τί τὸ τέλος ἢ χαλεπὸς πάντως καὶ ὀδυνηρότατος θάνατος; Πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ γενναῖος Ζηνόβιος· Ἐμοὶ Θεὸς εἷς ἀληθινὸς ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός ἐστιν, ἔφη, ἐφ᾽ ὃν ἐγὼ πέποιθα, παρ᾽ οὗ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ εἶναί μοι καὶ τὸ ζῆν, καὶ δι᾽ ὃν ἐμοὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔστι τι τῶν τῇδε τερπνῶν τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἀντιδόσεως ἄξιον. Ἐφ᾽ οἷς ὁ ἀπηνὴς ἐκεῖνος ἀγανακτήσας, μετεωρίζει τὸν ἀθλητὴν ἐπὶ ξύλου, καὶ στρέβλας αὐτοῦ καὶ ξυστῆρας ἐπάγει τῷ σώματι· Ἴδωμεν * εἰ Χριστὸς ἔλθοι, βοηθήσων αὐτῷ.

[8] Ἔπειτα ἥκει δρομαίως ποθὲν ἡ ἀδελφὴ Ζηνοβία, καὶ τοῦτον ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου θεασαμένη, θάρσους τε καὶ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς τῆς θέας ὑποπλησθεῖσα, καὶ πᾶν εἴ τι μαλακὸν ἢ ἀσθενὲς ἢ γυναικεῖον ἀποβαλοῦσα, καὶ ἀληθῶς ὅτι τοιούτου ἦν ἀνδρὸς ἀδελφὴ δείξασα· Ἀλαζών, ἔφη, τύραννε, τίνα τοιαύτην ἐργασάμενον ἀτυπίαν αἰκίζεις τὸν ἀδελφόν; Ὁ δέ, (ὢ σκαιᾶς ψυχῆς καὶ δολερᾶς καὶ ἀνελευθέρου!) πρὸς τηλικαύτην γυναικὸς παῤῥησίαν μεθ᾽ ὅσης ὁμαλότητος ἀποκρίνεται, ἵνα καὶ ὡς θῆλυ κλέψῃ καὶ ὡς ἀσθενέστερον μαλακοῖς ῥήμασιν ἐπαγάγηται! Θῦσον γάρ, φησί, Ζηνοβία, κἂν αὐτὴ τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ μὴ σώματος οἰκείου εὐγένειαν, καὶ ἀκμὴν ὥρας, καὶ ἄνθος νεότητος ἰδεῖν ἐλεεινῶς ἀνάσχῃ πολυτρόποις αἰκισμοῖς ἐκδιδόμενα, ὧν πολύ, γύναι, τῆς ὀδύνης ἡ αἰσχύνη βαρύτερον. Ἡ δὲ τοῦ λόγου σὺν τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἐπιλαβομένη, καθάπερ ὑφ᾽ ἑνὶ ψυχῆς κινήματι καὶ παραστήματι· Οὐ πείσεις, εἶπον, ἡμᾶς, ὦ τύραννε, Θεοῦ ζῶντος ἀληθινοῦ εἴδωλα θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλλάξασθαι οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἰ καὶ μυρίους σοι δυνατὸν ἦν ἡμῖν θανάτους ἐπαγαγεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ τὸν ἕνα τοῦτον ὅστις καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς ἡμῖν φύσεως ἀναγκαίως ὀφείλεται. Ταῦτα τοιγαροῦν εἰρηκότας κλῖναι τοὺς μάρτυρας εὐθὺς ὑποδέχονται σιδηραῖ, καὶ πῦρ ὑπὸ ταῖς κλίναις ἀνάπτεται. Παρῆν δὲ καὶ Δυσίας ἐπιφωνῶν· Ἐλθέτω Χριστός, βοηθησάτω τοῖς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάσχουσι. Καὶ ὁ Ζηνόβιος εὐκόσμῳ τῷ ἤθει· Πάρεστιν, ἔλεγεν, ἰδού, τὴν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ δρόσον ἴαμα παρέχων ἡμῖν, εἰ καὶ σὺ τοῦτον οὐκ ἔχεις ὁρᾶν, τοσαύτην ἀσεβείας ἀχλὺν περικείμενος.

[9] Ὁ γοῦν τύραννος, οὕτως αὐτοὺς ὁρῶν εὐψύχως καὶ καρτερικῶς ἔχοντας, ἵστησι ταύτην τὸ παρὸν τοῖς γενναίοις τὴν τιμωρίαν, ὁμοῦ μὲν οὐχ ἱκανὴν αὐτὴν εἰς ὀδύνης αἴσθησιν δριμυτέρας ὑπολαβών, ὁμοῦ δὲ καί τισιν ἐλπίσιν ἑαυτὸν ὑποσαίνων ὡς ἄρα πεισθήσονται καὶ μεταβαλοῦσι, καὶ οὐχ οὕτω διὰ τέλους ἑαυτῶν ἀφειδήσουσι. Ἀμέλει καὶ τῶν σιδηρῶν ἐκείνων κλίνων αὐτοὺς ἀναστήσας· Οἰκτείρατε κἂν ἄρτι ἑαυτούς, φησί, λάβετέ τινα σφῶν αὐτῶν ἔλεον, μηδὲ ὄψις ἀλλήλοις οἰκτρὰ γένησθε, ἀδελφὸς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀδελφοῦ χαλεπῶς ἀναιρούμενος. Οἱ δὲ τὸν τρόπον ἐκεῖνοι μᾶλλον ἀδελφοὶ καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἢ τὰ σώματα· Σοὶ μᾶλλον, ὧ δικαστά, συμβουλεύομεν, εἶπον, θέσθαι τινὰ καὶ τῆς σαυτοῦ ψυχῆς πρόνοιαν, καὶ φείσασθαι μὲν τῆς ἠπειλημένης γεέννης καὶ τῶν ἀθανάτων ἐκείνων κολάσεων, ἀποστῆναι δὲ τῆς φανερᾶς ταύτης ἀπάτης, Θεῷ τε προσελθεῖν ἀληθινῷ καὶ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ. Καὶ οἵδε ἡμεῖς ἐγγυηταί σοι ἅμα καὶ πρεσβευταὶ τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ βεβαιωταὶ ὅτι καὶ ἀποδέξεται τῆς μεταβολῆς, καὶ προσηνῶς ὑποδέξεται, καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἀξιώσει τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων. Ἐφ᾽ οἷς θερμότερος ὥσπερ τὴν λύσσαν ἐκείνην καὶ τὴν μανίαν γεγονὼς ὁ Λυσίας λέβησι μὲν ἐμβληθῆναι τὴν ἀγαθὴν ὄντως δυάδα προστάττει. Καὶ οἱ λέβητες πῦρ κάτωθεν εἶχον σφοδρῶς ἀναπτόμενον. Στάντες δὲ πρὸ τῶν λεβήτων ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς μετὰ καὶ * τῆς ψυχῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνατείναντες· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ὁ τῆς εἰρήνης Θεός, ἐν εἰρήνῃ δέξαι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν, εἶπον. Καὶ μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν οἱ λέβητες αὐτοὺς εὐθέως ἐλάμβανον, καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὕδωρ καὶ αὐτοῦ πυρὸς ἔζει σφοδρότερον· τὸ δὲ τῶν μαρτύρων ζεῦγος, θείας τινὸς ἄνωθεν αἰσθόμενοι δρόσου, ᾄδοντες ἠρέμα ἐξῄεσαν· ἡ ᾡδὴ δὲ ἦν· “Ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, ἐκ τῶν θλιβόντων ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοὺς μισοῦντας ἡμᾶς κατῄσχυνας.”

[10] Ἐντεῦθεν ὁ Λυσίας, τὴν μεταβολὴν παντάπασιν ἀπελπίσας, τὴν τελευταίαν κατ᾽ αὐτῶν διὰ ξίφους δίδωσι ψῆφον. Καὶ τειχῶν ἔξω τῆς Αἰγαίων κατὰ τὸ τοῦ Λυσίου πρόσταγμα οἱ ἅγιοι γενόμενοι, καὶ προσευχῇ πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς δεδωκότες· Εὐχαριστοῦμέν σοι, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, εἶπον, ὅτι τὸν δρόμον ἡμᾶς τελέσαι ἠξίωσας, τὴν πίστιν τηρῆσαι, τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἀγωνίσασθαι. Αὐτὸς οὖν, Κύριε, καὶ τοῦ βραβείου μετασχεῖν ἡμᾶς τῆς κλήσεως τῆς ἄνω εὐδόκησον, καὶ μετὰ τῶν εὐαρεστησάντων τῷ ἁγίῳ σου καὶ θαυμαστῷ ὀνόματι συναρίθμησον· ὅτι εὐλογητὸς εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔργον ἦν ἡ εὐχή. Καί τις ἄνωθεν ἀπηχουμένη φωνὴ τοὺς στεφάνους αὐτοῖς ἐπηγγέλλετο, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνα μετεκαλεῖτο τοὺς ἀθλητάς, ὧν καὶ διὰ τοῦ μαρτυρίου παντὸς ἐπιτυχεῖν ηὔχοντο. Τῆς δὲ φωνῆς ταύτης καὶ οἱ παρόντες ἀκούσαντες, πίπτουσιν ἐπὶ γῆς πρηνεῖς καὶ δεδακρυμένοι τῷ παραδόξῳ τῆς ἀκροάσεως. Τριακοστῇ μὲν οὖν ὀκτωβρίου τὰς κεφαλὰς οἱ μάρτυρες ἀποτέμνονται.

[11] Τὰ δὲ τούτων ἱερὰ σώματα πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἐῤῥιμένα Ἑρμογένης καὶ Γάἳος οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, βαθείας νυκτὸς ἅμα * ἀνελόμενοι, σοροῖς τε ἄγαν εὐλαβῶς καὶ ὁσίως ἐνθέμενοι, ἐν τῷ ἐκεῖσε κρύπτουσι σπηλαίῳ. Ἐδεδίεσαν γὰρ τῶν ἀσεβῶν τὴν ἐπήρειαν, μὴ καὶ αὐτῶν ἐκείνοις τῶν λειψάνων φθονήσωσιν. Οὕτω διὰ πάντων αὐτοῖς τὰ τῆς ἀδελφότητος ἐτηρήθη, καὶ κοινὴν τὴν ὁμολογίαν, κοινὴν καὶ τὴν ἄθλησιν ἐποιήσαντο· καὶ ὥσπερ μιᾶς προῆλθον γαστρός, οὕτω καὶ τόπος εἷς ἀμφοτέρων τὰ σώματα δέχεται, καὶ μία σκηνὴ πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑποδέχεται, εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ πρέπει πᾶσα μεγαλωσύνη τε καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

He is seized and tortured by Lysias. After this the persecution of religion rises up through Diocletian; and the decree, which was opposed to God and plainly at war with him, is promulgated: Lysias moreover, to satisfy his cruelty and inhuman ferocity, showed the most burning readiness of his service. When he had learned the things being done by the divine Zaenobius, and that he proclaimed one only God with public voice, and most zealously held to his commandments and will ; and moreover that by calling upon him he very easily drove out any diseases, and that he stretched out to the poor a right hand flowing most liberally; without delay he has him seized , and mounting the tribunal, which was set in the middle of the city, brought the man into his presence: "I have heard very many things about you, Zaenobius, he said, with these ears of mine; but I could hardly put faith in these things which I had taken in by hearing alone; for this reason I have brought you into my presence, that I may have my eyes as witnesses of the things that have been heard. And to say much in few words: these two things are set before you: either that you obey the religious edict of the emperors, and sacrifice to the gods with us, whereby you may persuade yourself that to the height of the greatest honour you

will be brought to enjoy, and it will moreover procure for you a rich abundance of wealth, and splendour of living, and a most generous reward of other goods; or you will be condemned and consigned to blows, chains, cords, thongs, tortures and other torments; whose end is what else than the bitterest and most wretched death of all?" To this the noble man replied: "To me there is one God, he said, the true Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I trust, and from whom I have had what I am and that I live; for whose cause too to meet death is the very greatest gain to me: for there is nothing of the things that are here that can equally compensate for his reward flowing from there, or that is worthy of his bounty." On account of which that fierce and harsh man, stirred with anger, hung the athlete up on high on the wood, and applied torments and razors to his body. "Let us see, he said, whether your Christ is going to come to your aid.".

[8] Together with his sister he is tortured and preserved by God. Then Zaenobia his sister, hastening, came up at the swiftest run, and catching sight of him hanging on the wood, conceiving boldness from the very spectacle, and full of spirit, casting away all softness and weakness, if there were any, and womanly timidity, and truly declaring herself to be the sister of such a man: "O most insolent and most proud tyrant, she said, for what absurdity of sin that he has committed do you treat my brother in such unworthy ways, insultingly and ignominiously?" But he, O rude and crafty and ignoble soul! at the woman's great freedom in speaking replied with the greatest gentleness of speech, so as to deceive her by tricks, as being a woman, and by a soft diction of words to draw her over to his opinion: "Sacrifice, he said, and make offering to the gods you too, Zaenobia, and do not allow the nobility of your own body, the ripeness of your beauty, the grace of your age, and the flower of your youth to be seen shamefully and foully afflicted by various and diverse punishments and utterly destroyed; the shame of which ought to seem to a woman heavier than the violence of the pain." She together with her brother, cutting off his speech, and as if roused by one motion and constitution of soul: "You will not persuade us, tyrant, they said, to exchange for the living and true God the idols of mortal men, not even if it were permitted you to inflict death on us a thousand times, much less this one death, which is also necessarily owed by us to nature." When they had said this, at once iron beds received the martyrs and fire was lit under them: Lysias himself moreover was present, calling out: "Let Christ come now and bring help to those who are suffering for him." But Zaenobius in seemly fashion: "He is at hand, he said; behold from him the dew that gives us healing; though you, who have so great a darkness of impiety poured round your eyes, cannot see."

[9] Thrown into cauldrons But the tyrant, when he perceived that they were enduring these things so bravely, and with a noble and constant spirit, decreed for the present a cessation of penalty and punishment for those great-souled ones: partly because he thought that these torments were by no means sufficient for a sharper sense of pain, partly because he was flattering himself with an empty hope that, persuaded, they would obey, and not persevering so to the end would spare themselves and change their opinion. Wherefore, lifting them from those iron beds: "Now at length, he said, take pity on yourselves, and do not be a sad spectacle to one another, so that the brother should perish in the eyes of the sister with no light grief." But they, siblings in character and spirit more than in body: "We advise you, judge, they said, that you at length take account of your own soul, and spare yourself, lest you feel the flame of Gehenna foretold with threats; and that, this error abandoned, you may escape everlasting punishments, and come to the true God and the worship of religion: for we will pledge ourselves for you, and for your sake perform the office of an embassy, and establish this as certain and firm, that if you change the opinion of your mind, he will mercifully receive you and think you worthy of innumerable goods." By these words Lysias, roused more hotly as by a kind of canine rage and madness, ordered these twins, truly good, to be thrown into cauldrons, and the cauldrons had fire vehemently kindled beneath them. So when they stood before the cauldrons, and raised their eyes to heaven from the inmost affections of the soul: "Lord Jesus Christ, God of peace, in peace, they said, receive our souls"; and when the prayer was finished they were at once thrown into the cauldrons, and the water ^a in them boiled the more vehemently from the abundance of fire; but this yoke of martyrs, feeling a sort of divine dew fallen from heaven, praising God in song, came out quietly and calmly. The ode was of this kind: You have saved us, Lord, from those who vexed us, and those who pursued us with hatred you have confounded with shame.

[10] and condemned to death they give thanks to God. Then Lysias, despairing of their changing their mind, pronounced the extreme sentence against them, that they be struck with the sword; and so the saints, led out beyond the walls of the people of Aegae, as the orders of Lysias required, and turned again to prayers: "We give you thanks, Christ God, they said, that you have been pleased that we should worthily complete our course and keep the faith, so that we have contended in the good contest: may it please you, therefore, O Lord, that we may possess by sharing it the prize of the heavenly calling, and number us with those who have been pleasing to your holy and wondrous name , since you are blessed for ages." So the prayer was accomplished without delay , and a voice sounding from heaven announced crowns to them, and summoned the contestants to the things they desired to gain through the martyrdom of blood. Those who were present at that time heard the voice, and fell with their faces prone to the ground, and prostrate, on account of the unexpected outcome of the things which they had perceived with their ears, poured forth tears. So on the thirtieth day of October the martyrs lost their heads, cut off by the sword.

[11] They are buried by priests. But their sacred bodies, thrown down before the walls of the city, were taken up by Hermogenes and Gaius, priests, with those who obeyed them, in the deep and dead of night, and, laying them carefully and reverently in tombs, they hid them in a cave that had been dug there: for they greatly feared the profane calumny of the pagans, lest they should begrudge them obtaining those relics. Thus in every respect the things that pertained to the bond of fraternal love were observed by them, and they judged the public confession to be for the common contest; and as one womb, so too one place received the bodies of both: and one tabernacle in heaven moreover receives both of them again, to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs magnificence and comeliness, now and always and for ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATIONS.

διὰ τουτό σε καὶ ὑπ᾽ ὄψιν ἐμὴν ἤγαγον add. καὶ δεσμὰ add. λέγων add. om. * τοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοὺς add.

* read voluntatem

* supply jussit

* read nomini

* read mora

Notes

b. Not Zenodotus but Zenobius is the name given to the father of St. Zenobius in Metaphrastes: in whom this whole passage on the origin of the saints of Aegae seems obscure.

c. Only-begotten: μονογενής is also explained by some as a kinswoman; and indeed Metaphrastes expressly reports that Thecla was a girl related to the paternal uncle of Zenodotus, and not his only-begotten daughter. Thus indeed are these words of Metaphrastes rendered into Latin in the edition of Surius: οἰκείᾳ θυγατρί.

d. Since Numerian, who held the empire immediately before Diocletian, was killed by Aper, his father-in-law, someone might suspect that these words are to be interpreted in this way: τῇ πατρῴᾳ δυσσεβείᾳ τὸ ζῆν ἐναπέθετο, he lost his life by his father's impiety; yet both the Greek sentence itself and the writing of Metaphrastes suggest otherwise.

e. Lysias raged with such cruelty against the Christians that to Baronius he seemed a man of notable cruelty who from the butchery of Christians gained for himself great glory among his own, and was thought worthy to hold the same magistracy for a longer time [Annals at the year 285, number XIV.].

f. Indian in this place is nothing other than an inhabitant of India; which name once belonged to a very vast region of Asia.

g. Antioch by Daphne: among the several cities which had the name of Antioch, here is meant the capital of Syria or Antioch the Great, which was sometimes called Antioch Epidaphnes, Antioch on the Orontes, Antioch the tetrapolis. — Daphne was a very celebrated suburb on the eastern side of the metropolis of Antioch [Stephanus, De Urbibus, page 226, Amsterdam edition, 1725. Compare Thesaurus Graecae linguae, volume III, column 920, Didot edition.].

h. That Seleucia Pieria is treated in this place will be doubted by no one who, having read through the narrative, has looked at the chorography of the region. It is called by Strabo [Rerum geographicarum libri XVII, book XIV, page 965, Oxford edition, 1807. Compare Baudrand, Novum lexicon geographicum, volume II, page 180.] Σελεύκεια ἡ ἐν Πιερίᾳ. It was a city of Syria, on the Mediterranean sea, 40 stadia from the mouth of the Orontes, 120 stadia distant from Antioch the Great.

a. St. Zenobius, when he was raised on the wood, seems to have been racked on the equuleus [Compare Antonio Gallonio, De SS. Martyrum Cruciatibus liber, chapter III, page 98 and following, Antwerp, 1668; Mamachi, Origines et Antiquitates Christianae, volume III, page 186 and following.].

b. The iron bed was in the likeness of a true bed, and raised a little from the ground, for supplying the fire, with some pieces of iron drawn across it, in place of boards, as it were, a little distant from one another [Gallonio, chapter VII, page 312].

c. The cauldron was a bronze vessel filled with boiling oil and pitch, liquefied lead and wax, or the like, into which martyrs were thrown so as to be boiled. Besides SS. Zenobius and Zenobia, several other saints underwent martyrdom in a cauldron, whom Gallonio [Mamachi, volume III, page 213.] and Mamachi [Gallonio, chapter VII, page 324; Mamachi, volume III, page 215.] commemorate.

a. Of this envy of certain physicians there is no mention in the other Acts.

b. The feast of the holy Martyrs is kept among the Armenians on the 29th or 30th day of October.

a. These Acts have been published by the venerable priest J. P. Migne: their title in Greek is: Μαρτύριον τοῦ αγίου μάρτυρος Ζηνοβίου καὶ Ζηνοβίας τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ. Another copy of the same Life, copied from the Medicean Codex of the king of France, exists in the Royal Library of Brussels at place 8926. Its variant readings, where it has seemed necessary, we have written in the margin. As translator we have used John Morren: although in some places, easily noted by the reader, the translation limps. It is inscribed: Martyrdom of the most holy martyr Zaenobius and of Zaenobia his sister. Lord, bless. In the same month. 30.

b. St. Zenobius is less correctly called bishop of the Cilicians, unless at that time (which is hardly probable) the episcopal cities of Cilicia, Tarsus, Anazarbus, Flavias and others, were deprived of a bishop and were cared for by the holy prelate of Aegae by reason of proximity [Compare Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, volume II, column 870 and following.].

c. Some expound the matter in another way [Z. Lippeloo, Vitae Sanctorum, volume IV, page 330, Cologne, 1596.]: The divine man received the prefect and his wife kindly, promising the desired health, provided however that they were willing to pay the due reward of the cure. They offer him an enormous weight of gold and silver, and promise more, if she should gain the desired health. Then Zenobius: "This reward … I ask, that you may more speedily depart from your ancestral error and pass over to the knowledge of the truth…" Whence these things were received, I for my part do not know.

a. Metaphrastes reports that the holy martyrs were thrown not into pitch, but into water: but there differ from him both the Menology composed by order of Basil Porphyrogenitus and the Armenian eulogy: which accordingly stand with Acts A and B. In these it is also signified more openly than elsewhere that SS. Zenobius and Zenobia were by no means harmed by the red-hot pitch.

Zenobius and Zenobia of Aegae

ON SS. ZENOBIUS AND ZENOBIA OF AEGAE, MARTYRS IN CILICIA,

ABOUT THE YEAR 290 OR 304.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

BY R. D. B.

LIFE AND MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY MARTYR ZENOBIUS AND OF ZENOBIA HIS SISTER

FROM MANUSCRIPTS.

CHAPTER ONE.

ANNOTATIONS.

CHAPTER TWO.

ANNOTATIONS.

PRAISE OF SS. ZENOBIUS AND ZENOBIA

FROM THE PRINTED TEXT.

ANNOTATIONS.

MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY MARTYR ZENOBIUS AND OF ZENOBIA HIS SISTER

FROM THE PRINTED TEXT AND MANUSCRIPTS.

CHAPTER ONE.

ANNOTATIONS.

CHAPTER TWO.

ANNOTATIONS.

Notes

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