Cottidus and His Companions

ON ST. COTTIDUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, DEACON, AND MARTYRS, AMONG WHOM PERHAPS EUGENIUS,

IN CAPPADOCIA.

From the Martyrologies.

Cottidus or Quottidius, deacon, M. in Cappadocia (S.)

Companions, among whom perhaps Eugenius, in Cappadocia

J. S.

Cottidus announced in the Hieronymian Martyrologies with Companions, The Hieronymian Martyrologies in Florentinius have today thus: In the territory of Cappadocia, in the city of Reaten, the birthday of saint Quottidus with his Companions. The Corbie codex agrees almost exactly in the annotations there: In the territory of Cappadocia, in the city of Readden, the birthday of S. Cottidus with his Companions. The Antwerp codex changes the place of martyrdom more, and omits the Companions in this manner: In the city of Cappadocia, Teriaten, the birthday of Cuttidus. Usuard seems to have followed the earlier codices: for in the genuine text, the Companions being omitted, as often elsewhere, he has thus: Likewise in the city of Reaten in Cappadocia, of saint Cottidus the deacon. Rabanus seems to name one of the Companions, since these things are read in him: In the territory of Cappadocia, in the city of Ructa, the birthday of S. Cuttidus, of Eugenius the bishop, and of his Companions. Certainly Galesinius, and Baronius following him, so understood this passage, when he inserted the following into the Roman Martyrology: In Cappadocia, of the holy martyrs Cottidus the deacon, Eugenius, and their Companions, although they did not attribute the title of bishop to Eugenius, perhaps because it seemed to them less probable that a bishop should be commemorated after a deacon. Nevertheless I think it uncertain whether Rabanus meant to announce Eugenius as a companion of Cottidus, or rather as a separate martyr with his own Companions; especially since after Eugenius he says, And of HIS Companions, where in Latin he ought to have said, and of THEIR Companions, if he had wished to join the anonymous Companions to Eugenius and Cottidus together.

[2] This reason would press more strongly if the Martyrology of Rabanus had been more accurately printed. among whom St. Eugenius seems now and then to be reckoned: It favors Baronius, on the contrary, that the place is not varied, and that therefore Eugenius seems to be ascribed to the same place in Cappadocia. But neither is that a certain argument for Baronius, since now and then the place of martyrdom is omitted in Rabanus. Other ancient Martyrologies partly support Baronius, which announce Eugenius in Cappadocia, and partly oppose him, by announcing him elsewhere, or omitting him. The Augsburg codex in our possession, after volume VII of June, has thus: Cappadocia, of Eugenius the bishop. Gutti []. But the Labbean: Capad. Custi. [] of Eugenius the bishop. There is added the Most Ancient, as it is called, in Martène, volume 3 of the Anecdota, column 1559, which has: Cappadocia, of Eugenius the bishop, Cottidus being omitted. These three not a little favor the opinion of Baronius, chiefly because the earlier Martyrologies also attribute Companions to Cottidus. But the Reichenau codex in our possession opposes it, in which these things are read: In Cappadocia, in the city Teriatina, the birthday of saint Guttidus. Elsewhere, of saint Eugenius. The Rheinau codex with others omits Eugenius, and mentions Cottidus thus: In Cappadocia, in the city Teriatin, the birthday of saint Guttidus.

[3] [but it is doubted whether he is to be numbered among the Companions of Cottidus, and suffered in Cappadocia.] Thou seest, I think, studious reader, that it is not altogether certain what is to be determined about Eugenius. Another reason too can be added, by which the difficulty of determining anything certain is increased. Indeed the people of Albi in Gaul today venerate St. Eugenius bishop of Carthage, as having died on that day at Viance in the territory of Albi, so that one might think that this man is announced in Rabanus. That indeed does not appear very probable on account of the celebrity of St. Eugenius of Carthage, about whom Rabanus seems as though he would have said more, if he had announced him. Nevertheless, on account of the reasons for doubting cited, I should not dare to declare with certainty that some Eugenius was among the Companions of Cottidus: although otherwise it appears more probable that the Eugenius announced on the same day is distinct from Eugenius of Carthage. For this cause I have inserted Eugenius doubtfully in the title, and have so omitted the title of bishop that yet I would not assert that he was not a bishop. The place of martyrdom is equally obscure: for nowhere in Cappadocia is there found among the geographers a Reaten, or Readden, or Teriaten, as it is called in the various copies. Hence Baronius prudently placed the site of the martyrdom in the Martyrology simply in Cappadocia. Finally the time of the martyrdom is altogether uncertain, and not even the martyrdom itself is asserted in the ancient calendars; but it is sufficiently gathered from the word birthday, and from the Companions joined with him.

* Cottidus

* Cottidus