Sermons 193

Before Muratorius and the Benedictine monks of the congregation of St. Maur, in the judgment of this sermon there went the most illustrious Cardinal Baronius, who, in his notes on the Roman Martyrology, where on the fifth day before the Nones of April he treats of the memory of the holy Ravennate martyrs, teaches that holy Maximus is to be recognized as its author. And since the votes of both codices of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, 90 and 99, and of the codex of St. Gall, add to the opinion of such eminent men, the more safely is it ascribed by us to this same holy bishop of Turin — against the Laurentian codex X, Plut. XIV, and the Parisian edition of Gillot, sermon no. 75, which assign it to Ambrose. The title in the codex of Holy Cross 99, sermon 79, is: 'On the Birthday of the holy Cantiani'; but in 90, sermon 13:

'On the birthday of the martyrs Cantus, Cantianus, and Cantianilla' — which same title also stands in the St. Gall codex, sermon 13. 'Today is the birthday of the most blessed Cantus, Cantianus, and Cantianilla. How well and pleasantly are the three martyrs named by almost one name. Nor is it wonderful if they are alike in name who are alike in passion, if there is one appellation for them among men for whom there is one calling with God. For they were called together by the Lord, not suffering at one time in one way and at another in another way, but all alike endured martyrdom by the same blow. This indeed was granted to them by a certain fatherly affection on Christ's part, that those who agreed in their names might correspond in their merits; and that they who were brothers by kinship might become true brethren also in holiness;

and that those whose members the substance of one body quickened, their souls the confession of the same faith might crown. Now the history relates concerning the above-mentioned blessed ones that, at the time of the persecution, when the persecutor was seeking them, they wished to withdraw, having mounted a vehicle with mules yoked to it; and when they were making their journey not far from the city walls, one of the harnessed beasts suddenly collapsed, and thus they were seized and held for punishment by the persecutors. How glorious this deed was, and disposed by the Godhead, we ought to observe. For, just as Elijah, with a chariot drawn up, as it were ascended to heaven, so these too, with a vehicle brought up, arrived at martyrdom; and as the four-horse chariot carried him to rest, so it carried these to glory.

And although that was a fiery chariot, yet this one is not to be held inferior, because that carried one prophet, this bore up three martyrs. But someone will say: it is more glorious to be carried by a fiery chariot than by an earthly one. This plainly was not lacking to the holy men; for just as the fiery chariot bore Elijah, so also the fiery faith already carried the martyrs. It carried them, I say — Christ, who is light, who is fire, of whom it is written: 'Our Lord is a consuming fire' (Deut. 4). Therefore, when the persecutor pressed upon the blessed ones of whom we speak, they mounted the vehicle. For what reason? That they might flee? Far from it. Not that they might flee, but that they might arrive at martyrdom more quickly;

not that they might lie hidden, but that they might more manifestly prove themselves Christians to all who passed by. Otherwise they could more secretly have lain hidden among the many within the city, and more safely, singly and through various ways, have entrusted themselves to the safeguard of flight. But truly, when a man, having gathered a company, with the vehicles harnessed and the equipage arranged, goes out along the public highway, that is not to be called a flight, but a setting-forth. For the holy men, by this deed, as though set in a triumphal chariot, bore witness, saying: 'Behold, persecutor, behold, we set forth, behold, we go before; why do you tarry? why do you delay? follow our footsteps; for we who profess to go before to glory do not wish to seem led unwillingly to punishment.'