E06799: The Greek Martyrdom of *Speusippos, Elasippos and Melasippus/Melesippos (martyrs of Cappadocia, S02046) recounts their trial, torture and execution by burning. Their mother Neonilla, a female member of the audience named Ioulia, as well as two notaries, Neon and Ourbanos, also suffer martyrdom at the time. Probably written in Cappadocia (central Asia Minor) in the 5th century or later.

Martyrdom of Speusippos, Elasippos, Melesippos and their mother Neonilla of Cappadocia (BHG 1646)

Summary:

Speusippos, Elasippos, Melesippos were the triplet sons of a pious woman named Neonilla who lived in Cappadocia during pagan times. The three young men, all skilled horsemen in the service of the wealthiest magnates of Cappadocia, were leading a pagan way of life.

Once, when a pagan feast was being organised to offer sacrifices to the gods, the three magnates of Cappadocia, Palmatos, Hermogenes, and Kodratos, sent the brothers to 'a place called Pasmasos, where an abomination of Nemesis had been established in a lowland and woody area' (ἐν τόπῳ καλου <μένῳ> Πασμασῷ, ἔνθα τῆς Νεμέσεως ἐστήρικτο βδέλυγμα, ἐν τόπῳ πεδινῷ καὶ ὑλώδει, p. 10.19-20 [p.462.19-20]).

On the next day, they cordially invited their mother to join the festival and the sumptuous meal. After sitting down at the table, she began to express her disapproval of the pagan customs, as well as of the fake and demonic idols, namely the pagan gods. She also declared her Christian faith while asking them to abandon Paganism and become Christians. Her words came as a surprise to them, and they broke into tears.

The three men began then to recall the visions they had experienced during the previous night, where a young male figure [an angel?], Christ and God appeared to Speusippos, Elasippos and Melesippos, respectively, predicting their conversion to Christianity and, thereby, their salvation. Whereupon they destroyed the pagan statues and threw away the sacrificial meat, as they only wished to praise God through fasting and prayer. When the three magnates arrived and heard about the destruction of the statues of Nemesis (in the text it is rendered as 'Emesa'/Ἔμεσα, p.16.11-12 [p.468.11-12], obviously in error; cf. Grégoire 1905, 63) and the twelve Olympians, they ordered that the guilty be brought before them.

During a long discussion, the three protagonists were commanded to abandon their Christian faith. However, they unwaveringly refused to obey, even when their persecutors threatened to burn them to death. At this point, Neonilla was also asked to come before the pagan men. Despite her advanced age, she rushed like a young woman to arrive at the place. She kissed her sons and encouraged them to suffer their martyrdom bravely.

The Roman magnates hung the triplets from a tree and ordered that they be scratched with spiny branches. They endured this bodily torment patiently, and then they were thrown into the fire. Before dying in flames, they asked their mother to commemorate them before God [in prayer] (Μέμνησο ἡμῶν πρὸς Κύριον, p.20.12 [p.472.12]) and gave instructions for Christian conduct to their audience.

A woman named Ioulia, who was a member of the audience during the martyrdom of Speusippos, Elasippos and Melesippos, abandoned her baby on the ground and publicly confessed her Christian identity. Thereupon, the servants of the magnates tied her hands behind her back and hung her up by the hair to taste the sacrificial meat and reject Christianity. Her husband also tried to change her mind by reminding her of their infant, but she was adamant. Finally, she was brought close to a village, the Orbadon kome (πλησίον Ὀρβάδων τῆς κώμης, p.22.13 [p.474.13]), where she was beheaded along with Neonilla, the mother of the three male martyrs.

Neon, who was drawing up the minutes of the discussion with the martyrs, closed his books, gave them to his colleague Ourbanos, and then headed towards the temple of 'Nemesis' (εἰς τὸ Νεμέσιον [sic], for commentary, see Grégoire 1905, 63), where he demolished everything. In this way, he declared that he was Christian and thus died a martyr’s death. The martyrdom of all these Christians took place on 17 January (Μαρτυροῦσι δὲ τῇ πρὸ δεκαὲξ καλανδῶν φεβρουαρίων, p.22.18-19 [p.474.18-19]). Not long after, Ourbanos, the colleague of Neon, followed his example and died for the Christian faith.

Text: H. Grégoire 1905: 10-22 [1904: 462-474].
Summary: C. Papavarnavas