Prolog (Round Two)1

Appendix 2: Prolog (round two)1 Note on the genre: A famous writer once said that all happy families are alike, whereas the miseries of unhappy ones are diverse. This observation also holds true for saints’ lives. (I have tried to present a diverse selection, but you must have noticed patterns.) Another comparison may be made to iconography: proper icons do not contain superfluous information. Even unnecessary details in the background distract from the main subject - the serene faces; whereas the disproportionate anatomy, so shocking to the unaccustomed eye, is of no consequence. Likewise, if a person displayed his faith in martyrdom, the details of his previous life are immaterial. The focus of the narrative is entirely on what is pertinent and the seeming exaggerations do not deter from this, they underline it. If the words spoken during a passionate trial seem scripted and unbelievable, remember: the ancients had no knowledge of quotation marks and the text simply conveys the essence of what transpired. These people were subjected to experiences that we cannot imagine - this we readily believe; so to give us some idea of that experience, the writer uses imagery that we cannot easily imagine. Moreover, if a thousand people are tortured is it not evident that the bodies of a few will display marvelous tenacity? And is it not “marvelous” to see a man or woman fearless of death, when you, the ancient writer, have countless times watched criminals running away from soldiers and beasts at the local arena? Prolog contains about a thousand short martyrological vitas that closely follow the same pattern; these form the core of the book. Most contain ten or twenty standard elements and little else. Clearly these were intended to inform, not entertain. A person is born, he chooses how to live his life, goes about the task with varied felicity, and then, when it hits the fan, is made to answer for his choices. At a few critical points of his life he sets his positions, places his bets and has to live with the consequences; his actual words at the crossroads may not always be eloquent, but his actions are. Also, the information in the book is meant to be practical: the day of his death, the place of his passion and that of his burial, the city of his birth, and, to a lesser extent, the age when he lived - these are all practical concerns for people who may wish to honor his memory. Why are these texts neglected today? We do not have the patience, nor do we have the skill to read between the lines. Also, most people see historical events as non-existent, just as they imagine events happening far away to be less real than those they can see. Month September, the 2nd day. Memory of holy martyr Mamant.2 At the time of Aurilian the Tsar, Christians were impelled to sacrifice to idols. And 1 more varied and fragmentary selections 2 RM: “Mamas,” in Cappadocia; d. A. D. 275 (O. V. Loseva, p. 143) there was in the city of Gargon3 a man of the royal council, named, Theodot; and he had a spouse4 named, Rufina. Because they did not sacrifice to images, they were both sent into Cæsarea, to Faust the Duke. And by him5 they were thrown into prison. And both prayed to God to die before the torture; and there Theodot received death. As Rufina was pregnant, she gave birth, and then died. Learning of this, the councilmen6 went into the dungeon, and buried the bodies of the saints. And they received the babe in place of a son, and he was loved by them. The babe did not speak for five years, and then said “Mama” in the Syrian language. Thus he was called, Mamant. Coming of age, after the death of his mother [see footnote], he was pressured to sacrifice to idols. Not submitting, he was tortured because of that. And he was led by an angel to a mountain, where by the will of God he milked wild animals, and made cheeses, and gave them to the poor. Then he was taken and tormented. And he was thrown to beasts, yet remained unhurt. Finally he was wounded by a spear. He carried his bowels in his hands, exiting the city. And thus he commended his soul into the hands of God, and was buried; Month September, the 4th day. Passion of holy sanctified-martyr Vavila, and the three babes who were with him.7 Sanctified-Martyr Vavila, who is among the saints, was the Patriarch of Great Antiochia, at the time of Numerian, the Roman Tsar. As he was going to enter a church, the saint met him in the doors, and did not let him enter the Church of God, because he was an idol-worshiper.8 Consequently, the following day the tsar summoned9 him to appear before himself, and pressured him to renounce Christ. And he did not submit, but exposed the tsar as to the idolatrous faith. And, infuriated, the tsar ordered to lay iron chains on the neck and legs of the saint and to lead him in the midst of the city. And he said, insulting him: “Thus to me [I swear] by the gods, Vavila - you aught to suffer atrociously10 anon.” So he said: “Thus to me, tsar - this crown of mine is unlike yours.” And hearing this, he sentenced him to death, and the babes 3 FM: possibly, Garsauritis (or Gargara, in Asia) 4 podruzhie 5 or, “therefore” 6 Here and below, ‘sin’klitikii,’ or another version of this common term. The so- called “Swedish fragments” of a 13th or early-14th century Prolog state that he spoke ‘Roman.’ (Prokopenko, p. 16) ВЧМ states that his father had hereditary ‘kodikelli’ (evidently, codices) of a ‘kyestor.’ The ‘matrona’ who adopted Mamant was also of very high birth; See Verse Prolog, below, for a touching verse. 7 RM: Babylas, Urbanus, Philidian, Epolonius; ~A. D. 251; See his Passion in ВЧМ, and a verse, below. 8 idolosluzhitelyu; The implication is that he made sacrifices himself, which was natural for an emperor. 9 v.vede: “led in” 10 zle taught by him. And taking him, the soldiers felled him with the babes. And thus he was buried, wearing the chains; On the same day. Memory of holy sanctified-martyr Vavila, the Bishop of Antioch.11 When Maksimian was reigning in Nicomedia, due to the persecution of Christians, Christians were pursued and hid themselves. And someone came to the tsar, saying: “There sits in a hidden room an elder named, Vavila, and teaches mindless children not to honor idols, but rather the crucified Christ.” And straightaway warriors were sent, and they brought Vavila with his students before the tsar. And the tsar said to him: “Why are you, Ω elder, possessed by such falsehood? For the behoof of a man who was murdered by force, killed by the Jews, you do not submit to the gods, and beguile the unreasoning children - for them not to bow to the gods?” So the saint answered: “The heathen gods, tsar, are demons, whereas our God created heaven and earth. You and those with you are blind, and do not see the truth.” (Such words he spoke to the tsar and to those with him!) Consequently he ordered four warriors to beat him with a stone against the face, and the ribs and the shins. As he was beaten, his entire body becoming scarlet12 with blood, the saint yelled out: “I thank you Lord, as you made me, old and feeble, preferable to the mortal tsar who is young and strong.” Then he commanded his shoulders and shins13 to be crushed by the same stone. And when all of his members were crushed, a heavy yoke was placed on his neck; and hammering his feet into stocks, he did him into a dungeon. Then the babes14 were led in, numbering eighty and four, male and female. And the tsar began to hoodwink15 them, yet nowise did they answer, and frequently glanced at each other. And the tsar saw that they do not answer him anyhow, so he separated from them ten of the more grown-up16 ones, and said to them: “Look - you are wiser! Listen to me - sacrifice to the gods and you will be with me in the hall receiving bliss.”17 Then Ammoniy and Danat said to the tsar: “We are faithful: we do not sacrifice to dumb and deaf demons.” 11 “of Nicomedia;” ~ A. D. 303 - 305; S. also mentions Nicomedia, but not Antioch; He may be the same as the above. XIV - XVth c. Prologs contain only one memory. (O. V. Tvorogov2, p. 273) 12 obagrivshusya 13 glezne: or, “heels” 14 technically, 0 - 7 y. o. 15 laskati did not always mean, “to caress” 16 bol’shaya vozrastom 17 blagaya So the tsar ordered to beat them. And as they were beaten they said: “We are Christians and do not sacrifice to gods.” Then the tsar, turning to other babes, said: “In that case yóu sacrifice, so as not to undertake worse than these.” And they too yelled out, saying: “We too are Christians, and do not sacrifice to gods. But you are anathema, and so are your gods!” Then he ordered to beat them and to throw them into prison. Then he said to hang their teacher, and to beat him with severe tendons. And he questioned every child - whether he renounces Christ and his teacher. And they did not renounce. So he ordered all of them with their teacher to me murdered by the sword.

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