E02011: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (1.25), mentions several 1st, 2nd, and 3rd century martyrs, namely *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Paul (the Apostle, S00008), *James ('the brother of the Lord', S00058), *Mark (the Evangelist, S00293), *Stephen (the first martyr, S00030), *Clemens (bishop of Rome, martyr of the Crimea, S00111), *Symeon (bishop and martyr of Jerusalem, S01139), *Ignatios, (bishop of Antioch and martyr of Rome, S00649), *Iustinus (philosopher and martyr of Rome, S01140), *Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004), *Cornelius (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00172), and *Cyprian (bishop and martyr of Carthage, S00411). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 1.25

Nam Nero ille luxoriosus, vanus atque superbus virorum succuba et rursum virorum appetitor, matris, sororum ac proximarum quaeque mulierum spurcissimus violator, ad complendam malitiae suae molem primus contra Christi cultum persecutione excitat in credentes. Habebat enim secum Simonem magum, virum totius malitiae et omnes magicae artis argumento magistrum. Hunc elisum per apostolus Domini Petrum atque Paulum, commotus contra eos, cur Christum, filium Dei, praedicarent et idola adorare contempnerent, Petrum crucem, Paulum gladio iubet interfice.

'For Nero, this vain and arrogant debauchee, who submitted himself to the blandishments of other men and then lusted after them in his turn, this filthy seducer of his own mother, his sisters and any other women who were closely related to him, was the first to persecute the true believers and to satisfy his boundless hatred for the cult of Christ. To help him in this he had Simon Magus, a man of immense malice and a master of every form of necromancy, who had been rejected by Peter and Paul, the Apostles of our Lord. The Emperor was furious with them for preaching Christ the Son of God and for the scorn with which they refused to worship idols. He ordered Peter to be killed on the cross and Paul by the sword.'

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 1.26

Tunc Iacobus, frater Domini, et Marcus euangelista pro Christi nomine glorioso martyrio coronati sunt. Primus tamen omnium hanc viam levita Stefanus [et] martyr intravit. Magna post Iacobi apostoli necem Iudaeos calamitas adsecuta est. Nam adveniente Vispasiano et templum incensum est, et sexcenta milia Iudaeorum eo bello gladio et fame adfectae sunt.

'At this time James, the brother of our Lord, and Mark the Evangelist received in Christ’s name the glorious crown of martyrdom; but the first man to walk the martyr’s path was Stephen the Levite. After the death of the Apostle James, a great disaster happened to the Jews: for with the coming to power of Vespasian the Temple was burned down and six hundred thousand of them died in battle, from famine and the sword.'

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 1.27

Tertius post Neronem persecutionem in christianos Traianus movet. Sub quo beatus Clemens - tertius Romanae eclesiae fuit episcopus - passus et sanctus Simion Hierusolimitanus episcopus, Cleuphe filius, pro Christi nomine crucefixus adseritur, et Ignatius Anthyocinsis episcopus Romae ductus, bisteis deputatur.

'Trajan was the third Emperor after Nero to persecute the Christians. Saint Clement, who was the third Bishop of the church in Rome, suffered death during his reign. Saint Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem and son of Cleophas, is said to have been crucified in Christ’s name; and Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, was taken to Rome and handed over to the wild beasts.'

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 1.28

Nam sub Antonini imperio Marcionitana et Valentiniana hereses insana surrexit; et Iustinus philosophus post scriptos catholicae ecclesiae libros martyrio pro Christi nomine coronatur. In Asia autem, orta persecutione, beatissimus Policarpus, Iohannis apostoli et euangelistae discipulus, octoginsimo aetatis suae anno velut holocaustum purissimum per ignem Domino consecratur.

'When Antoninus was Emperor there began the absurd heresy of Marcion and Valentinus; and the philosopher Justin, who wrote a number of works on the Catholic Church, was crowned as a martyr in the name of Christ. Persecution started in Asia, and Saint Polycarp, who had been the disciple of John the Apostle and Evangelist, was consecrated by fire to our Lord, becoming a pure holocaust in his eightieth year.'

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 1.32

Vicinsimo septimo loco Valerianus et Gallienus Romanum imperium sunt adepti, qui gravem contra christianus persecutionem suo tempore conmoverunt. Tunc Romae Cornilius, Cyprianus Cartaginem felici sanguinem inlustrarunt.

'Valerianus and Gallienus were the twenty-seventh in succession to rule the Roman Empire and in their days they began a bitter persecution of the Christians. It was then that Cornelius made Rome famous by shedding his blood in glory there, and Cyprian did the same for Carthage.'

Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 20, 21, 24. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 84-86, 88 (lightly adapted).