E02033: The Latin Martyrdom of *Nereus, Achilleus and Companions (martyrs of Rome and central Italy, S00403) is written, presumably in Rome, in Late Antiquity. It narrates the decision of the niece of the emperor Domitian, Domitilla to embrace virginity, her exile to the insula Pontiana with her eunuch slaves Nereus and Achilleus; the struggle of the Apostles *Peter (S00036) and *Paul (S00008) with Simon Magus; the martyrdom and burial of a number of saints: Felicula, Nicomedes, and Nereus and Achilleus in Rome; Eutyches, Victorinus and Maro on the via Numentana and via Salaria north-east of Rome; Sulpitius and Servilianus in Rome; Domitilla, with her companions, Euphrosyna and Theodora, in Terracina.

Martyrdom of Nereus and Achilleus (BHL 6058-6066)

Summary:

Prologue (§ 1): Following the vigilance of those who were orthodox (orthodoxi) before us, we have collected and translated martyrdom accounts (martyria) from our province, from Greek to Latin, in order to protect the Catholic flock from the impiety of the heretics (haeresei). This shall serve as an example to bring others in other provinces to write such accounts, so that the people might honour and venerate the martyrs.

§ 2: We start with Domitilla: she is the niece of the emperor Domitian. Nereus and Achilleus are Domitilla’s eunuch bedchamber attendants (cubicularii), who were made Christian by the apostle Peter. They question Domitilla as she prepares to marry the son of the consul Aurelianus, telling her that if she took more care of the beauty of her soul, she would gain the Son of God as husband and earn eternal life. Domitilla replies, wondering how there could be anything better than having a husband and bearing children, noting how harsh it would be not to enjoy the pleasures of this life.

§§ 3-5: Nereus and Achilleus describe the disadvantages of being married (§3), of bearing children (§4) and of losing the status of a virgin (§5).

§§ 6-8: Nereus and Achilleus praise the virtue of virginity, second only to martyrdom. They also discuss the holy union between Christ and virgins.

§ 9: Domitilla accepts their teaching. Nereus and Achilleus visit the bishop [of Rome] Clemens: his father was a relative of the consul Clemens, whose sister Plautilla [mother of Domitilla] had formerly had Nereus and Achilleus as servants. She was converted and baptised by the apostle Peter, together with Nereus and Achilleus and her daughter Domitilla, whom they have now convinced to embrace virginity. Bishop Clemens remarks that their martyrdom is nearing, and agrees to consecrate her.

§ 10: It would be too long to tell of Aurelianus’ reaction. It suffices to say that the emperor Domitian orders Domitilla to be sent into exile together with Nereus and Achilleus to the island of Pontiana, as she refuses to sacrifice. There, two magicians (malefici) named Furius and Priscus, disciples of Simon Magus, are also in exile. They claim Simon’s innocence in his dispute with Peter, gathering a huge crowd around them. Nereus and Achilleus convince the crowd that a letter should be sent to Marcellus, the son of the prefect Marcus, to ascertain the truth about Peter and Simon and settle the dispute.

§ 11: [The text of the letter is given] Nereus and Achilleus tell Marcus about Furius and Priscus’ claim and ask him to write back to let all know about Simon, since he had been one of his disciples.

§ 12: [The text of Marcellus’ reply is given] Marcellus writes that he was at first a disciple of Simon but then realised he was evil and followed Peter. He tells of Simon’s false powers, and how Peter was proved to be the true preacher of the word of Christ by bringing a widow’s son back to life. The crowd seized Simon, but Peter allowed him to go.

§ 13: Marcellus continues, telling that Simon then came to him and tied up a huge dog with iron chains across the entrance of his house to see how Peter, who used to come to visit Marcellus, would be able to enter. However Peter dissolved the chains with a sign of the cross. Marcellus received Peter in his home and threw Simon out. The dog chased Simon and tore his clothes, but, at Peter’s command, did not bite him. Both Simon and the dog were thrown outside the walls of the city.

§ 14: Then, a year later, Nero and Simon plotted together, but Peter was warned of this by the Lord in a vision telling him that Paul would arrive the next day in Rome. Peter was also promised eventual victory in a contest together with Paul against Simon, to take place seven months later. Things happened exactly as foretold: Paul arrived the next day and seven months later the contest took place. This, however, Nereus and Achilleus know already because they witnessed the contest with their own eyes. Linus wrote in Greek the text about Peter and Paul’s martyrdom (passio) to the churches of the East (ecclesiae orientales).

§ 15: [The narrative continues, as if Marcellus’ letter went on to tell Nereus and Achilleus about other saints and martyrs] You also asked about Petronilla. She was paralysed following the will of Peter. I remember that you were there when disciples of Peter were gathered and Titus asked, if all can be healed, why Petronilla was paralysed. Peter only temporarily healed Petronilla, bringing her to fear God and be eventually healed through her own prayers. Then the Count (comes) Flaccus came with soldiers to force Petronilla to marry him, as she was most beautiful. Petronilla promised to come to his house in three days’ time. Fasting and praying together with a virgin named Felicula, her foster sister, on the third day the priest (presbyter) Nicomedes came to her and celebrated the mysteries of Christ. After receiving the sacrament of Christ, she died.

§ 16: [Still from Marcellus' letter] Flaccus demanded that Felicula either become his wife or sacrifice to the Gods. Felicula refused, was handed to his deputy (vicarius), shut up in a dark prison without food for seven days. Then she was kept for another seven days by the Vestal Virgins, refusing to take any food from them. Then she was tortured on a rack, refusing to abandon Christianity. Then she was thrown into a drain (cloaca).

§ 17. [Still from Marcellus' letter] Nicomedes, who was hiding, took Felicula’s body, carried it at night in a two-wheeled vehicle (birotum) to his small dwelling (cassella) at the seventh mile of the via Ardeatina and buried it there. In that place, prayers are fulfilled up to this day. Nicomedes was arrested by Flaccus and ordered to sacrifice; he refused and was martyred and his body thrown in the river Tiber. A priest (presbyter) named Iustus took Nicomedes’ body, placed it in his two-wheeled vehicle and brought it to his small garden (horticellum) next to the walls on the via Numentana and buried it there. Those who pray to the Lord have their prayers fulfilled through the intervention (interventus) of the martyr who died for our Lord Jesus Christ. This is how the letter of Marcellus sent to Nereus and Achilleus ends. Now start the replies concerning their martyrdom (passio).

§ 18: Eutyches, Victorinus and Maro reply to Marcellus, recounting the following: your letter arrived thirty days after Nereus and Achilleus’ death. Flavia Domitilla, a Christian virgin was exiled to the island with them after refusing to marry Aurelianus. He came trying to convince Nereus and Achilleus [to help him marry Domitilla], but they refused. They were severely beaten and sent to Terracina, to the proconsul Memmius Rufus. They were tortured on a rack with flames to bring them to sacrifice, but refused. Then they were beheaded. Their bodies were stolen by Auspicius, one of their disciples, who had brought up Domitilla, who put them on a small boat and brought them to the estate of Domitilla, where he buried them in a sandstone crypt (crypta arenaria) on the via Ardeatina, a mile and a half from the walls of the city [of Rome], next to the tomb (sepulcrum) of Petronilla. Auspicius told us about this. Their feast day is the fourth of the Ides of May [= 12 May].

§ 19: Marcellus, having received the above letter, sent his brother to the island. He who spent a year there with the confessors of Christ (confessores Christi) and then came back to tell him what happened: as Aurelianus tried to convince Domitilla to marry him, he learned that she was fond of Eutyches, Victorinus and Maro and had obtained from the emperor Nerva permission to receive them as slaves if they refused to sacrifice. As they resisted [all pressure to sacrifice], Aurelianus took them from the island and distributed them across his estates (praedia), Eutyches at the sixteenth milestone from Rome on the via Numentana, Victorinus at the sixtieth and Maro at the one-hundred and thirtieth on the via Salaria. He made them dig (fodere) all day and eat bran (cantabrum) in the evening. God gave them grace in these foreign places. Eutyches freed the daughter of a farmer (loci conductor) from the Devil; Victorinus healed a paralytic steward (vicedominus) with a prayer; Maro healed the procurator of the city of Septempeda from dropsy.

§ 20: They also preached to the people, bringing many to believe. Aurelianus, angry, gave orders for them to be killed. Eutyches was beaten to death in the middle of the via, his body is stolen by the Christian people, who, after having buried the body with great honours, built a basilica over it. Victorinus was brought to the place called cotilias where stinking sulphurous waters are found, and forced him to stay over the water; after three days he died. Aurelianus ordered his body not to be buried. As it was lying in Cotylas, Christians from Amiternum stole it and buried it in their territory (territorium). A huge stone that only seventy men could lift with the help of a pulley (trochlea) was cast at Maro, who however easily lifted it and carried it for two miles, before depositing it in the place where he used to pray. All the people of the province were amazed, believed, and were baptised. Aurelianus then killed him. The people carved the stone that he had lifted and buried him in it, and built a church (ecclesia) in his name, where many favours are bestowed by the Lord up to this day.

§ 21: Aurelianus sends Domitilla from the island to Terracina in Campania, to stay with Euphrosyna and Theodora, foster sisters of Domitilla and fiancees of Sulpitius and Servilianus, hoping that they will convince her to marry. Her arrival is met with great joy by Euphrosyna and Theodora. While they eat, she fasts and prays. Domitilla explains to them the rewards of dedicating one’s li