E05285: Ambrose of Milan, writing in Latin in Milan (northern Italy) in the later 380s, praises the virtues of *Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), the *Maccabean martyrs (pre-Christian Jewish martyrs of Antioch, S00303), the Holy *Innocents (children killed at the order of Herod, S00268) and *Agnes (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097) in his De Officiis, a tract on the virtues expected of the clergy.

Ambrose of Milan, De Officiis 1.41

Summary:

Ambrose discusses the importance of fortitude for members of the clergy. He opens with a description of the glorious death of Judas Maccabaeus, in battle. When facing 20,000 men in battle with an army of only 900, he fought all day and was fatally wounded when pursuing those fleeing from the battle. His brother Jonathan also managed to drive back a much larger force with a small number of troops. The suffering of the Maccabean martyrs is, according to Ambrose, even greater than the fortitude of their leaders in battle. They stood, surrounded by the forces of the king and faced tortures. One had the skin of his head pulled off, and one offered his tongue to be cut out. The mother of the martyrs looked with joy at the corpses of her children. Ambrose then praises the children killed in Bethlehem and Agnes, who remained chaste until death.

A longer account of Laurence’s martyrdom is then provided. Laurence witnesses the martyrdom of *Xystus/Sixtus II (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00201), and laments his death; Sixtus assures him that he will soon follow him in martyrdom. This duly happens: after three days he is placed on a grate and burned. He mocked his executioner as he did so, telling him that: ‘the flesh is cooked, turn it and eat' (Assum est, inquit, uersa et manduca).

Ambrose of Milan, De Officiis 2.28

Ambrose considers how the riches of the church ought to be used. He recounts the acts which led to Laurence’s martyrdom. Laurence was commanded to gather together the riches of the church. He brought the poor together and, when asked why, stated that: ‘these are the treasures of the church' (Hi sunt thesauri Ecclesiae). In this Laurence was right because he spent gold on the poor rather than keeping it for his persecutors. As a result, he received the crown of martyrdom.

Summary: Frances Trzeciak.