Quartus and Quintus
Acta Sanctorum, May 10
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-10/quartus-and-quintus.html
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ON SS. QUARTUS AND QUINTUS
ROMAN MARTYRS DEPOSITED AT CAPUA.

[Commentary]

Quartus, Roman Martyr, deposited at Capua (St.)

Quintus, Roman Martyr, deposited at Capua (St.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

That ancient among the Romans existed the memory
of SS. Quartus & Quintus the Martyrs,
we gather from their cemetery, in the century
of Christ eighth renovated, about which Anastasius
the Librarian in the Life of Hadrian the Pope
first these things writes: [The cemetery.] In like manner also the Basilica of SS. Gordianus
& Epimachus, or the cemetery of the same Church
of Simplicius & Servilianus, & of Quartus & Quintus
the Martyrs, & of B. Sophia, together with the cemetery of S.
Tertullinus, outside the Latin gate anew he renovated.
These things there. The Acts of SS. Gordianus & Epimachus, suffering under
Julian the Apostate, already this X of May we have given: but of SS. Simplicius,
others Sulpitius, & Servilianus, who under Trajan crowned
were, the Passion we illustrated on the day XX of April. About S.
Tertullinus, who under Valerian a Martyr died, must be treated
on the day IV of August. Blessed Sophia judges Aringhus
of Rome subterranean book 4 chapter 4, not to be of the holy three daughters
Virgins & Martyrs the mother most celebrated, whose
body with the daughters' bodies is said to be buried together, & whose memory
is recalled on the XXX of September; but of the same name a Virgin
& Martyr, whose afterward the body into the title of Equitius
by Sergius II to transfer it happened. In the most ancient of the Martyrology
Hieronymian apograph the Epternac, at this
day, when it had been treated of SS. Gordianus & Epimachus,
soon is subjoined: The Latin way to the Hundred-halls of Quartus & 
Quintus. [the cult ancient.] The said Martyrology described Usuard
& Ado, both with these words: Likewise at Rome the Latin way to
the Hundred-halls, the birthday of SS. Quartus & Quintus. These followed
the rest of the Martyrologists: from whom we gather these in the said place
for the Christian faith's confession to have been with martyrdom crowned,
& their venerable bodies there a place of burial to have obtained:
which once an estate had been of SS. Simplicius & Servilianus,
but afterward a name had received from some noble or imperial
edifice, that the Hundred-halls it was called: but then
SS. Quartus & Quintus & B. Sophia's bodies had received,
as a common to all cemetery, above which, after Julian's
slaying, a noble of SS. Gordianus & Epimachus arose church,
& from all a common received appellation.
But at what time or by what kind of martyrdom they ended their life plainly
to lie hidden we judge.

[2] [Whether Bishops of Capua, or Confessors] Another is the sense of the Church of Capua, in whose Breviary,
which we have in the year 1489 printed, on the day
IX of March, is prescribed in the Calendar, in red character,
a solemn feast, under the double rite, of Quartus & Quintus, Bishops
of Capua: & this is prescribed a Prayer.
Be propitious, we beseech Lord, to us thy servants,
through these holy Confessors & Pontiffs
Quartus & Quintus, who in the present rest
church, the glorious merits, that by their pious intercession
from all things always we may be protected adverse. The Gospel
for the Lessons at Matins is recited according to
Luke, Let your loins be girt, with the ordinary
homily of S. Gregory the Pope. Meanwhile the rest are prescribed, as
in the feast of SS. Tiburtius, Valerian & Maximus the Martyrs: & 
namely the Chapter The just shall stand in great constancy. [or Martyrs?]
The Hymn at first Vespers & at Matins, Of the Saints the merits illustrious joys: at Lauds & second
Vespers, King glorious of the Martyrs: & so consequently
from the Office of Martyrs in the Paschal time. Michael the Monk
in the Sanctuary of Capua published four Calendars, & in
the third & fourth of these these things are read, Of the holy Confessors
Quartus & Quintus. The same Michael the Monk recounts
from page 213 the Bishops of Capua, among whom the sixth
& seventh by him are placed S. Quartus Bishop & 
Martyr, & S. Quintus Bishop & Martyr: & he adds:
We follow the Cardinal de S. Severina, who on account of
the authority of the Breviary these did not omit. These
indeed others are to be reckoned from those, about whom in the month of May
the Roman Martyrology: in which at this day X
these things are read: Likewise at Rome the Latin way to the Hundred-halls,
the birthday of the holy Martyrs Quartus & Quintus:
whose bodies to Capua were translated. Ferdinand
Ughellus volume 6 of Italy sacred, when about S. Aristæus, the fifth
Capuan Bishop, he had treated, these things subjoins: After this the same
Monk SS. Quartus & Quintus the Martyrs, [or rather Martyrs not Pontiffs]
whose festal day in the Roman Martyrology X of May
is celebrated, Capuan Bishops to have been relates from an old
Breviary. But since Baronius to Capua the bodies
of SS. Quartus & Quintus translated asserts, & nothing
about the Episcopal dignity has, it seems to be asserted,
not Bishops but Martyrs to have been, since also the Cardinal
Bellarmine them from his Catalogue has expunged. These things
Ughellus. The same refers as Martyrs Ferrarius in the Catalogue
of the Saints of Italy, & adds them in the new of that Church
Tables not to be named Bishops. Nay in the cited above
Breviary, just as they are called Confessors, & yet
are venerated with the Office of Martyrs; so could be added the name
of Bishops.

[3] The same Michael the Monk page 35, But indeed, he says,
Quartus & Quintus, to the Roman ascribed Martyrology,
were Clerics of Capua, Martyrs suffering at Rome 
on the Latin way: nor that gratuitously we assert. In a chapel,
which now is called of S. Francis, [Their altar & under it the bodies:] was an ancient
altar, which was called of SS. Quartus & Quintus.
Wished the chapel's Patron, permitting the Archbishop
Cæsar Costa, that with marbles, & with marble
of SS. Francis, Quartus & Quintus statues to adorn it:
therefore the ancient altar demolished was, & was found
under it a loculus two containing bodies, with an inscription,
which on account of antiquity's mold whole was not read:
but what could be read so has: [where they are called Clerics:] the bodies
of the holy Clerics of Capua here placed are.

Which words the Archbishop Costa, in the lower base
of the new altar there erected, to be sculptured only wished.
Come now let us join with the firm tradition
the inscription, & about the Clericate of SS. Quartus & Quintus
we shall not doubt. There is added that in the church of S.
Priscus their images, among other many most ancient,
in mosaic are beheld. They are images joined
with countenance very youthful, with head shorn, as
now to mendicants to be shorn the custom is: they have in
hand a crown: certainly with a crown to have been Martyrs it argues.
The Archbishop Cæsar Costa, when to the church of S.
Priscus for recreation's sake he had turned aside, the most holy
Sacrament adored, those images visited; & reading the inscribed
names, [& this proves the Mosaic old] with hand raised to me turned, See,
he said, Martyrs with crowns. The tonsure what,
unless to have been Clerics it shows? And the faces those as if
boyish, among other of the holy Ecclesiastics images,
either of old men, or of men, or of youths, that not
in a lesser order constituted they were to doubt will it allow?
But if Capuan Clerics, for what cause suffering at Rome?
Hence I myself gather, SS. Quartus & Quintus to have been
men in the city Capua chief, & sprung from a noble lineage.
Were wont the Prefects of provinces, the more noble
by lineage Christians apprehended to Rome to dispatch.
Baronius year 104. So to be judged it is to have happened
to SS. Quartus & Quintus: namely apprehended
they on account of the Christian faith's confession, dispatched
to Rome, & there by the Emperor (whoever he was)
with the head struck, & their bodies at last to Capua, their
fatherland, restored.

[4] These things for his singular toward Capua his fatherland affection
Michael the Monk. Who in the second part of his Sanctuary,
about to treat of the Saints who have images in the church
of S. Priscus after page 132, exhibits the dome or cupola of that
church, where Saints sixteen are represented in Mosaic or tessellated
work, in the act of offering crowns, which they hold
with either hand; so that in the middle, [in the church of S. Priscus.] with countenances to one another
turned & eyes to heaven raised, are beheld on this side
S. Peter the Apostle, on that side S. Priscus the Bishop, of stature
virile, of countenance senile & bearded; but between them under
the outstretched of the same arms, stand boys two, by half
smaller than they, with above written names, on this side
S. Quartus, on that side S. Quintus, plainly such, as
above are described by the words of Costa the Bishop; yet so that
S. Quintus in body & age somewhat greater seems,
than S. Quartus.

[5] An excellent altogether of venerable antiquity monument
that is, & which engraved in copper here I wished to give to be beheld.
But when for that end doubts certain I had proposed
in the year 1677 to R. P. Antonius Auria, of the Capuan then College
the Rector; sent he to the village of S. Priscus a Priest industrious,
who the very images accurately should inspect, & Michael
the Monk's facsimile, how aptly it was expressed, should consider.
But from his answer it was understood, little
accurately formed to be that facsimile: wherefore the work
that to be deferred I judged, until a more accurate other be obtained
delineation, according to the form by me submitted, which of use can be
for the natal day of S. Priscus himself the I of September.

[6] Moreover that SS. Quartus & Quintus were
from Capua sprung, with difficulty you would beat out from those three letters
Cap. For what if Capite plexos (beheaded) they signify? But let us grant
Capuans to indicate: whether therefore will it follow, that they
from Capua to martyrdom to Rome were sent? I do not judge.
They could also such have been to the Roman Clergy ascribed
already before by some of the Roman Pontiffs, & in his
ministry familiar to have lived; that even thereby more illustrious their martyrdom
was; but they are referred after Gordianus & Epimachus
in the Martyrology of SS. Jerome, either because
with them they suffered under Julian; or rather because, they themselves making the Title
of the church, & therefore first to be named, of burial
a place lent, long before suffering on the same day,
but in the reckoning of popular cult later. The bodies of SS.
Sulpitius & Servilianus on the Latin way once laid to have been above
we said: & them by Hadrian the Pontiff's grace & help
translated to have been into Germany, to the monastery Ellwangen, [the cult at Ellwangen.]
now a Church Collegiate, from the old of the said
place tradition was said at their natal day XX
of April. In the same Ellwangen church, under the rite double
of the second class, this X of May, are venerated also as Patrons
SS. Quartus & Quintus: about whom besides a Prayer
proper all things are taken from the Common of Martyrs;
& this to be done on account of their notable Relics there
deposited to conjecture, once to us wrote Christopher
Striborius of our Society a Priest.
