E06568: Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Chrysanthus (martyr of Rome with his chaste wife Daria, S00306), as an exemplary virgin. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/686.

Aldhelm, prose On Virginity, 35

Nec meminisse pigeat incliti militis Christi Chrisanti, quem pater ab Alexandria proficiscens Romae gimnosofistis et rethoribus traditum cunctis liberalibus litterarum studiis erudiri fecit. Erat enim, ut fertur, tam ardentis ingenii et capax memoriae, ut quicquid lectitando et scrutando enixius rimaretur, velut visco glutinatum praepropere in praecordiis puerilibus lentesceret et intra sagacis animi conclave radicatum haeresceret. Igitur consummatis grammaticorum studiis et philosophorum disciplinis [...] cum ad sacratissimos evangeliorum apices venisset, quantocius cuncta Stoicorum argumenta et Aristotelicas i categorias, quae X praedicamentorum generibus distinguuntur, dicto citius despexit, dum solerter animadverteret, quantum caelestis philosophiae dogma mundi disciplinas et mortalium commenta praestaret [...]

[...] Deinde quidam de contribulibus hortantur patrem, ut filius blandis conubii nexibus nodaretur et illecebroso matrimonii lenocinio vinciretur, quatenus Daria, virgo vestalis satis pulchra et eleganti forma, gemmis auroque radians ad Chrisantum procaciter ingrederetur, ut militem Christi tam urbana verborum facundia quam falerata colli crepundia ad thalami copulam inclinarent. Sed secus cessit, quam rati sunt. Oritur namque inter eos satis prolixa sermonum concertatio et reciproca sententiarum disputatio, eo quod Daria dialecticis artibus imbuta et captiosis sillogismi conclusionibus instructa fuisse ferebatur ita dumtaxat, ut disertissimi oratores tam sagax virginis ingenium alterno experire conflictu vererentur. Quid plura? tandem vir vitae venerabilis non fraudis argumento, sed ratiocinationis documento in reciprocis conflictibus victoriae palmam adeptus eandem Dariam iam catholicae fidei sacramenta credentem suscipiens simulato hymenei commercio simul conversantur, donec ipsa salubris lavacri latice lustratur. Mox relictis dialecticorum disciplinis, quibus dudum in gimnasii studio exercebatur, canonicis scripturis et commentis spiritalibus instruitur, nec laterculo dinumerari nec calculo computari ullatenus valet, quanta multitudo promiscui sexus illorum magisterio fanatica delubrorum superstitione ad fidem catholicam catervatim confluxerit. Huius rei gratia beatus Chrisantus iubente Claudio tribuno LXX militibus diverso poenarum cruciatu torquendus traditur [...]

[...] Post haec decreto Numeriani Augusti pariter in una cripta martirizantes occubuerunt in consortio sanctorum simul percepturi praemia meritorum, sicut simul participes extiterunt tormentorum.


'Nor let it be disagreeable to remember the renowned soldier of Christ CHRYSANTHUS, whom his father, leaving Alexandria, handed over to the philosophers and rhetors of Rome and had him instructed in all liberal studies of arts. He was, so they say, of so burning an intellect and so retentive a memory that, whatsoever he investigated by reading and studying diligently very quickly stuck – as if by glue – in his young intelligence, and would cleave, firmly rooted, within the receptacle of his subtle mind. Wherefore the studies of the grammarians and the teaching of the philosophers [...] having been completed, he came to the most holy scripture of the Gospels, without delay and quicker than telling of it he rejected all the arguments of the Stoics and the Aristotelian categories – which are distinguished by ten kinds of predication – as soon as he perceived how much the doctrine of celestial philosophy excelled the teachings of the world and the fictions of mortals [...]

[...] Some of the relatives urge the father that his son be bound with the pleasant chains of marriage and be fastened down by the seductive allurement of matrimony; so that Daria, a very beautiful vestal virgin of elegant appearance, radiant with jewels and gold, should approach Chrysanthus boldly, in order that both the polished eloquence of her speech as well as the ornamented gew-gaws on her bosom should incline the soldier of Christ to the tie of marriage. But (Chrysanthus) gave in in a different way than they anticipated. For there arose between Daria and Chrysanthus a very lengthy verbal debate and exchange of ideas – since Daria was said to have been so well trained in dialectical arts and so well versed in the sophistical procedures of the syllogism that even the most eloquent orators feared to test the sagacious intellect of the young girl in an argument. Why say more? At length the man of venerable life achieved the palm of victory in their reciprocal debates, not by an argument of deception, but through a demonstration of reason; and taking this very Daria, who now believed in the sacraments of the catholic faith, they lived together under the simulated intercourse of marriage, until at length Daria was purified through the water of the redeeming font. Abandoning at once the disciplines of dialectic, with which she had occupied her school studies, she is instructed in canonical writings and exegetical commentaries. Nor could one enumerate in a list or compute in any way by any system of reckoning what a great multitude of either sex would flock in crowds from the fanatical superstition of pagan shrines to the catholic faith as a result of the instruction (of Daria and Chrysanthus). As a result of this, the blessed Chrysanthus is given over at the command of the tribune Claudius to seventy soldiers to be punished by varying excruciation [...]'

Many miracles occur as the couple are tortured and punished, causing many to convert and themselves become martyrs.

'[...] After these (aforementioned trials), by the decree of Numerianus Augustus they died as martyrs, put to rest together in the one crypt in the company of saints, ready to receive together the rewards for their merits, just as they had shared together their torments.'

Ehwald 1919, 276-80. Translation: Lapidge and Herren 1979, 96-9.