E00959: Optatus, bishop of Milevis (North Africa), writing in Latin in Africa c. 364/384, states that the Donatists venerate *Marculus (Donatist bishop and martyr, ob. 347, S00618) and *Donatus, probably Donatist bishop of Carthage (ob. c. 355, S00619) as martyrs, and swear by them. From Optatus' polemical treatise Against Parmenianus.

Optatus of Milevis, Against Parmenianus 3.6.1

Inuitus cogor hoc loco etiam illorum quorum nolo hominum facere mentionem, quos uos inter martyres ponitis, per quos tamquam per unicam religionem uestrae communionis homines iurant! Quos quidem uellem silentio praeterire, sed ratio ueritatis se sileri non patitur, et ex ipsis nominibus contra unitatem inconsiderate rabida latrat inuidia et aspernantes aliqui accusandam aut fugiendam aestimant unitatem, quod Marculus et Donatus dicantur occisi et mortui.

'Against my will, I am forced at this point to mention those whom I would not, those whom you set among the martyrs, through whom the people of your communion swear, as if this were the one true religion. These indeed I would willingly pass over in silence, but the cause of truth does not tolerate our silence, and the very names provoke rabid spleen to bark mindlessly against unity, and some in their contempt for unity hold that it should be accused and shunned, because Marculus and Donatus are said to be slain and dead.'

Text: Labrousse 1996. Translation: Edwards 1997, 72.