apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

5o6 EPISTLE OF S. POLYCARP.
greater part of the senators; Hermes has 1250 slaves who with their wives and
families all become Christians ;
and the like, (c) Iren^sus is evidently ignorant that
any early bishop of Rome suffered martyrdom but Telesphorus. The worthlessness of
these Acts is well shown by Tillemont {Memoires 11. p. 590 sq). They are also
assailed by Aube {Persecutions p. 284 sq). Connected herewith is the reported martyrdom
of S. Balbina, the daughter of Quirinus.
The tomb of a martyr Quirinus is mentioned in the 7th century (De Rossi Rom.
Sott. I. p. 180) in the Cemetery of Praetextatus, where the Acts of Alexander represent
our Quirinus to have been buried ;
and this may possibly be the tomb which has been
discovered in recent times {Bull, di Arch. Crist. 1872, p. 78 sq). But this discovery,
which however De Rossi considers very doubtful, would, even if confirmed, be far
from establishing the story of the Acts. Again, certain persons bearing the names of
Alexander and his companions are commemorated in the Old Roman and Hieronymian
Martyrologies under iv Non. Maii (May 3), the same day which the Acts of Alexander
assign to them, and in the former he is designated ' Papa '. But in the latter the very
form of the entry, 'Romae Eventii, Alexandri, Theoduli, Fortunati', seems to show
that the pope was not meant. Here again, as in the case of Symphorosa, there is
probably some foundation for the stoiy but who the ; martyrs were and when they
were martyred,
it would be impossible to say. See on this point Tillemont /. c.
pp. 238, 592. Again the name Hermes occurs as early as the Liberian Catalogue
under v Kal. Sept., but the same remark applies to this notice also. See on the
whole subject Lipsius Zeitsch. f. IViss. Theol. 1871, p. 120 sq.
(e)
Other Martyrs.
Besides the martyrs already mentioned, the following are recorded; (i) Placidus
and his wife Trajana, renamed Eustathius and Theopista, with their sons Agapius and
Theopistus. The story in the main points is a rechauffe of the Clementine Recognitions
with altered names. It is criticized by Tillemont II. p. 226 sq, and Aube p. 280
sq. (2) Getulius, already mentioned as the husband of Symphorosa, and Amantius
his brother, with Cerealis, and Primitivus. Their day is June 10. These Acts are
not so extravagant as many, but they have no claim to be regarded as authentic. They
betray their late date by occasional indications, e.g. when they style Cereahs the
Vicarius of Hadrian. Licinius, who is designated consularis, is introduced into these
Acts, perhaps because his name was found in the rescript of Hadrian to Fundanus
(see above, p. 478 sq). (3) Several martyrs in Italy and Sardinia (see Tillemont 11.
p. 228 sq), Terentianus of Todi, Marcianus of Tortona, Secundus of Asti, Calocerus
of Albenga, Faustinus and Jovita of Brescia, and several others. (4) S. Serapia the
Virgin and S. Sabina her convert. Their Acts are criticized somewhat too leniently
by Tillemont (li. p. 597 sq). They are too full of extravagances and present too
many historical difficulties to deserve credit. They are however comparatively old,
being quoted by the martyrologists of the ninth century, and the names of the saints
appear still earlier in the Old Roman Martyrology (iv Kal. Sept.,
iii. Non. Sept.).
On the resting-place of these martyrs see Bull, di Archeol. Crist. 187 1, p. 90 sq,
1876, p. 71 sq. They may have been historical personages,
but there is no sufficient
ground for placing their death under Hadrian. (5) Publius bishop of Athens. By
an error of Jerome his martyrdom has been assigned to this reign see below, ;
p. 540 sq.
(6) The widow Sophia with her three Virgin daughters, Pistis, Elpis, and Agape, who
suffered in Rome. The oil from their tombs is
among those sent by Gregory the