E01987: The Martyrdom of *Nabor and Felix (soldiers and martyrs, buried in Milan, S00609) is written in Latin, presumably originally in Milan, probably in the 5th or 6th c., in a number of divergent versions. It narrates how these soldier brothers are arrested in Milan, questioned, tortured and brought to Lodi, where they are executed. Their bodies are brought back to Milan and buried there (the return of the bodies to Milan is omitted in one version of the text).
Creators: name: Mpignot
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2016
Subjects: History

description: Martyrdom of Nabor and Felix (BHL 6029)<br><br>Summary:<br><br>§§ 1-3: There is a persecution of Christians in Milan under Maximian. Denounced as Christians, the soldier brothers Nabor and Felix are presented to the emperor. Maximian questions Nabor who states his belief in Christ and is put in jail. Then Felix is similarly interrogated and ignores the threats of Maximian, who wants him to sacrifice to the gods. He is put in jail with Nabor, close to the circus near the Porta Ticinensis. They stay in jail for twelve days without bread or water, then are brought to Maximian in the circus. After failing to convince them to sacrifice, Maximian orders his advisor Anolinus to torture them the next day if they still refuse to sacrifice. Anolinus questions them but they still refuse to sacrifice. <br><br>§§ 4-5: They are again sent to jail, close to the Porta Romana, for five days. Again refusing to sacrifice, they are tortured. Nabor keeps professing the Christian faith and is put on a rack. He stays firm and states that Anolinus may harm his body but not his soul. Anolinus then asks Felix to explain why Nabor does not yield to torture. <br><br>§§ 6-8: Felix tells Anolinus about Christ’s incarnation and life as narrated in the Gospels, particularly referring to the miracles performed, and ending with the passion and resurrection. He summarises it as the Christian faith, which does not suffer any harm from torture.<br><br>§ 9: Anolinus claims that his god Jupiter is the true god while Felix’s god was crucified. Felix replies that Jupiter is an adulterer, rapist, parricide; believing in him leads to eternal fire. Anolinus tears his tunic and orders that they should be thrown into fire; however, they are unharmed and are again put in jail. <br><br>§ 10: Some days later, the emperor comes to Lodi; he asks that the saints should be brought to him. After the third day, outside the city, they are asked to sacrifice and abandon magic. When they resist, they are beaten and beheaded at the gates of the city close to the river Exelera (or Scilera/Silara). <br><br>Et illi, licet terræ se dederunt, nostra tamen sinu suo suscipere et condere meruit terra reliquias: et sicut olim maternus eos in hac luce edidit uterus, ita et nostræ terræ venter resurrecturos perpetuam perducet ad palmam.<br><br>'And although they gave themselves in that land, our land was worthy of receiving and burying their relics in its bosom, and as once the womb of their mother gave them birth, so the belly of our land will bring them to the eternal crown at their resurrection'<br>[Passage not found in BHL 6028].<br><br>A matrona from Lodi, Sabina, steals their bodies and brings them back to Milan where they are buried. <br><br>§ 11: The merits of the saints shine in the whole world. Their feast day should be celebrated and lead us to imitate their example. Nabor and Felix were martyred on 12 July under Maximian.<br><br>Text: Mombritius (1910) II, 289-291; Acta Sanctorum, Iul. III, 292-294 (adds paragraph numbers) and Paredi (1960), 88-96. Summary and translation: M. Pignot.