E07077: The Greek so-called 'Arabian' Martyrdom of *Kosmas and Damianos (brothers, physician martyrs of Syria, S00385), and their brothers and companion martyrs *Anthimos, Leontios and Euprepios (S01544), survives in two recensions, the common original of which was probably composed in the 5th-6th century, perhaps in Rome, or in Cilician Aigai, or elsewhere in the East.

The short recension of the 'Arabian' Martyrdom of Kosmas, Damianos, Anthimos, Leontios and Euprepios (BHG 378)

Summary:

§ 1: In the consulship of Diokletianos and Maximianos, during the governorship of Lysias in the city of Aigai, on 25 November, the governor (ἡγεμών) sits in the temple of Adrianos and orders the Christians to be brought before him. The taxis [τάξις, the governor's staff] replies that they are present. The governor questions two Christians, who reply that they are two brothers from the city of Arabia, called Kosmas and Damianos, of a great family, physicians by profession. They have three other brothers, called Anthimos, Leontios and Euprepios, and they are all Christians by religion. Lysias commands them to forsake their religion and sacrifice to the gods; the five brothers refuse steadfastly.

§ 2: The governor orders the saints to be tortured with hands and feet bound, until they recant. But while being tortured, the saints merely call for more intensive torture. The governor orders them to be bound and thrown into the sea. But their bonds burst miraculously, and the water lifts them up and carries them ashore. Lysias, impressed at what he believes to be magic, agrees to follow the saints, but two demons appear, seize him and whip him on both cheeks. The governor, believing the demons to be gods, fears they are angry with him. The saints deny that the demons are gods.

§ 3: Lysias is determined not to let the saints blaspheme against the gods. After much torture to no effect, he commands brushwood and logs to be brought for a great pyre, and the saints are thrown into the fire. But the ground breaks open and receives the saints within it; and the fire leaps to burn the onlookers. Once the fire has died out, the saints re-emerge unharmed. The governor makes one more attempt to persuade the saints to sacrifice, but is rejected. He orders Kosmas and Damianos to be crucified and pelted with stones, but the stones change direction in mid-air and strike those throwing them. The governor summons four units (νούμερα) of soldiers to come and shoot the saints with bows, but the arrows too change direction and when they have all been spent, the saints remain unharmed but five thousand men and women have been slain by the returning arrows. The governor, recognising defeat, orders the saints to be beheaded. And they consummate their martyrdom in Aigai, in the quarter (τόπος) of Adrianos, on 25 November.

Text: Deubner 1907, 218-220. Summary: N. Kälviäinen.


The long recension of the work (BHG 379, in Deubner 1907, 220-225) contains basically the same story, in a higher stylistic register with plentiful rhetorical embellishment and detailed description of the torture scenes. The following differences may be noted, among others (the numbers in parentheses refer to Deubner's chapter divisions):

a. Lysias is not a governor but a dux (δούξ), who happens to be spending time in the 'southern' city of Aigai on official business when he receives letters from the emperor (§ 1).

b. Kosmas and Damianos and their companions are found by the dux's men hiding in a cave in fear of persecution (§ 1), a detail vaguely reminiscent of the 'Roman' Martyrdom, BHG 376-377 (E07076).

c. After their first torture, the saints spend a night in gaol during which an angel appears and heals their wounds (§ 3).

d. When the saints reappear after being thrown in the sea, Lysias is so furious that he blasphemes against Christ, and is seized by a bout of mental illness; the saints heal him with a prayer, but this does nothing to improve his attitude (§ 5).

e. The saints are executed on 17 October (§ 7).

Text: Deubner 1907, 220-25.
Summary: N. Kälviäinen.