apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

POLYCARP THE ELDER. 447
this persecution likewise addressed various letters to these same parts
V.
3). Plainly therefore proconsular Asia was considered to be
(//;.
hardly less interested than Gaul itself in these glories of the arena at
Vienne and Lyons.
With Pothinus we have reached the outer verge of authentic history.
But beyond these limits romance is
busy with the fame and influence of
Polycarp in the West. Benignus, afterwards the — patron saint of Dijon,
was despatched by the aged bishop of Smyrna so says legend—
the
together with his companions Andochius the presbyter and Thyrsus the
deacon to evangelize Gaul. So far at least there is no improbability in
the story. These names might possibly have occurred in the documents
relating to the persecutions in Gaul under M. Aurelius (a.d. 177)
of which Eusebius has preserved large portions {H. E. v. i—
4).
But
when we are told further that the converts of this Benignus — the three
'
twin brothers, sancti tergemini', Speusippus, Elasippus, and Mele-
— sippus suffered martyrdom at one time together with their grandmother
Leonilla and her comrade lonilla, when we read that Benignus himself
was tried and condemned by the emperor Aurehan in person, and that
a succession of the most horrible tortures— enough to destroy ten
human lives— was inflicted upon him in the imperial presence,
till the
we feel that
emperor howled and raved like a maniac at their futility,
we have left the region of history and are
pure
fable'.
breathing the atmosphere of
Polycarp
Full information the ^
of S. Benignus
be found in
38 sq, 603
343. For the
Jan. 17, see
Jan. II. p. 73
variously written,
to extract from
bable forms
In the earliest
Cappadocian
in the Greek
with Benignus
ritual fathers
The later Acts,
Ceraunius Bishop
in which they
from Cappadocia
nexion with
respecting
his companions
Mhnoircs
comp. II. pp.
'Tergemini', whose
Bollandist Act.
The three
have endeavoured
confusion original legend they still
and their
Polycarp, as
is a later
by Warnaharius (c.
already
Gaul and
through
doings
pp.
320 sq,
day
is
Sanct.
names are
the pro-
story.
they are
appear
connexion
spi-
accretion.
to
a.d. 615),
this con-
Benignus
is
illustrating
carp,
tract
named
doms
nus
would
in
relianus
The
Polycarp,
Tergemini,
ologies
Ado,
Notker.
{Tpidvfj.01)
Greek
established, have a certain legendary fame
given
in the next chapter. The
in connexion with the
of these saints, as also
himself, is Aurelian. This
not have been a serious
itself, as the names Aurelius
are frequently confused.
The day of S. Benignus
story of this saint's connexion legend of recognized in
9th century, Florus-Bede,
Rabanus Maurus, Usuard,
The day of the 'Tergemini'
day earlier (Jan.
Calendar than in the Latin.
interest Poly-
an
emperor
martyr-
of Benig-
however
difficulty
and Au-
is Nov.
with
the Gallic
Martyr-
and
16) in
as
ex-
i.
the
and
Tillemont
sq;
the
sq.
but I
the as given in
form of
martyrs,
Menaja; and
of Gaul, sent
of
are
to