E02484: The Martyrdom of *Basilides and Companions (martyrs of the via Aurelia near Rome, S01227) is written in Latin in two early related versions, composed by the 9th c. at the latest. The first version narrates that Basilides, with his brothers Tripodes and Mandalis, reach the eighth milestone from Rome to Aurelia with the help of Jesus Christ himself and angels, then die, and are buried by clerics and other Christians where a basilica is built. The second version narrates that Basilides alone travels to Aurelia in Italy where he is tortured and killed, then buried by Christians.
Creators: name: Mpignot
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Martyrdom of Basilides and Companions<br><br>We provide here summaries of the two earliest attested and most widespread versions, BHL 1019 and 1018.<br><br><br>BHL 1019<br>§ 2: In an Eastern city, Basilides, a member of the office of the prefect Plato, is exhorted to abandon the service of the prefect and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ instead. To be stoned for the Lord is to receive His crown. Basilides seeks and obtains permission from the prefect to stay away for a year and visit his parents in the province of Italy, in the city of Aurelia, although he is warned by the prefect that there a certain Aurelian persecutes Christians.<br><br>§ 3: Basilides asks Christ the Lord to send one of His disciples to guide his way to Italy. The Lord however tells him to go with his brothers Tripodes and Mandalis. The Lord promises them eternal life and tells them to give away all their possessions to the poor. After this is done, the Lord tells them that they are ready to go to Italy, where they should do good works.<br><br>§ 4: The Lord tells them to go by sea on a boat that He will provide; they do not need to carry anything superfluous, as He will assist them on their journey. At the seashore they find the boat and Jesus Christ as its pilot. They fall at His feet and kiss Him. They tell Jesus Christ that they are going to Rome, to the city called Aurelia at the eighth milestone. Christ warns them that there Christians are persecuted, but they still want to go, He welcomes them on His boat although they have nothing to give him, but only after asking them to confirm that they are His servants. Basilides, sitting next to Jesus Christ, is interrogated by Him and tells about the miracles of Christ and what the Jews say about Him. <br><br>§ 5: Basilides is amazed that the boat sails so well and asks Christ to show him how He does that. Christ calls an angel who brings bread and water for them. He blesses them, they eat and thank the Lord Jesus Christ. He then orders them to disembark and take some rest. They do so, and as they are asleep, Christ tells his angels to bring them to the seashore at the eighth mile from the city of Rome to Aurelia. After this is done, they wake up in the morning, see where they are, thank Jesus Christ, and give away their spirit, on the fourth day before the Ides of June [= 10 June]. Priests, deacons, clerics and Christians come, collect the bodies and bury them in the same place. A basilica is built where miracles happen up to the present day.<br><br>Text: Acta Sanctorum, Iun. II, 510; paragraph numbers (starting at §2) are taken from this edition. Summary: M. Pignot.<br><br><br>BHL 1018 <br>§ 1: At a time of persecution, Basilides is in an Eastern city governed by the prefect Plato. Following an exhortation to be ready to suffer, made by the Lord Himself, Basilides seeks and obtains permission from the prefect to visit his parents in the province of Aurelia in Italy, although he is warned by the prefect that there a certain Aurelian persecutes Christians.<br><br>§§ 2-4: He reaches his parents after praying to God for help. Aurelian hears about him and has him arrested and interrogated. Aurelian threatens him and summons him to offer sacrifice to the gods, but Basilides refuses, stating that he is ready to suffer, recalling the deeds of a number of pagan gods and rejecting them as wicked. Aurelian orders him to be sent into prison and his mouth to be crushed. Then Basilides prays to God and is ready to fight as an athlete of Christ. Three days later, interrogated by Aurelian about his faith, Basilides recalls and rejects pagan religious practices as being ridiculous.<br><br>§§ 5-6: Aurelian tells him to stop blaspheming the gods and threatens him with tortures, but Basilides further mocks pagan worship. It is ordered that he be tortured and beaten with lead-weighted scourges. Basilides stays fast and proclaims his faith. Aurelian sentences him to death; he is taken outside the city and, after praying and signing himself with the cross, he is beheaded. Christians praise God, take the body and bury it in a fitting place where miracles abound. Basilides was martyred on the day before the Ides of June [= 12 June]. <br><br>Text: Acta Sanctorum, Iun. II, 508-509 (paragraph numbers taken from this edition). Summary: M. Pignot.