Acts of Felix of Tibiuca
The whole work on one page. Select a passage number to open that passage with its notes, Scripture references, and citation.
Chapter 1
1Knopf, 80
Diocletiano octies e& Maximiano septies consulibus Augustis, exiuit edictum Imperatorum et Caesarum super omnem faciem terrae, et propositum est per colonias et ciuitates principibus et magistratibus, suo cuique loco, ut libros deificos peterent de manu episcoporum et presbyterorum. tunc programma positum est in ciuitate Tibiurensi, die Nonarum Juniarum. tunc Magnilianus curator jussit ad se perduci seniores plebis. eadem die Felix episcopus Carthaginem fuerat profectus. Aprum vero presbyterum ad se jussit perduci, et Cyrum et Vitalem lectores. quibus Magnilianus eurator dixit: Libros deificos habetis? Aper dixit: Habemus. Magnilianus curator dixit: Date illos igni aduri. tunc Aper: Episcopus noster apud se illos habet. Magnilianus curator dixit: Ubi est? Aper dixit: Nescio. Magnilianus curator dixit: Eritis ergo sub officio, donec Anulino proconsuli rationem reddatis.
In the consulship of Diocletian for the eighth time and Maximian for the seventh, the Augusti, an edict of the emperors and Caesars went out over the whole face of the earth, and it was posted in the colonies and cities for the chief men and magistrates, each in his own place, that they should demand the holy books from the hands of the bishops and presbyters. Then the notice was posted in the city of Thibiuca on the Nones of June. Then Magnilianus the curator ordered the elders of the people to be brought to him. On that day Felix the bishop had set out for Carthage. So he ordered Aper the presbyter, and Cyrus and Vitalis the readers, to be brought to him. Magnilianus the curator said to them, “Do you have the holy books?” Aper said, “We have.” Magnilianus the curator said, “Give them to be burned in the fire.” Then Aper said, “Our bishop has them with him.” Magnilianus the curator said, “Where is he?” Aper said, “I do not know.” Magnilianus the curator said, “Then you will be held under guard until you give account to Anullinus the proconsul.”
Chapter 2
2Knopf, 80
Postera autem die Felix episcopus uenit Carthagine Tibiuram. tunc Magnilianus curator jussit Felicem episcopum ad se perduci per officialem. cui Magnilianus curator dixii: Felix episcope, da libros vel membranas quascumque habes. Felix episcopus dixit: Habeo, sed non do. Magnilianus curator dixit: Prius est, quod Imperatores jusserunt, quam quod tu loqueris. da libros, ut possint igni aduri. Felix episcopus dixit: Melius est me igne aduri quam scripturas deificas: quia bonum est obedire Deo magis quam hominibus. |Magnilianus curator dixit: Prius est, quod Imperatores jusserunt, quam id, quod tu loqueris. Felix episcopus dixit: Prius est praeceptum Domini quam hominum.| Magnilianus dixit: Recogita tecum.
The next day Felix the bishop came from Carthage to Thibiuca. Then Magnilianus the curator ordered Felix the bishop to be brought to him by an officer. Magnilianus the curator said to him, “Bishop Felix, give up the books or any parchments you have.” Felix the bishop said, “I have them, but I will not give them.” Magnilianus the curator said, “What the emperors have ordered comes before what you say. Give up the books, so that they may be burned in the fire.” Felix the bishop said, “It is better for me to be burned in the fire than the divine Scriptures; for it is good to obey God rather than men.” |Magnilianus the curator said, “What the emperors have ordered comes before what you say.” Felix the bishop said, “The command of the Lord comes before that of men.”| Magnilianus said, “Think it over.”
Chapter 3
3Knopf, 80
Post tertium autem diem jussit curator Felicem episcopum ad se perduci et dixit ei: Recogitasti tecum? Felix episcopus dixit: Quae prius locutus sum, et modo loquor, et ante proconsulem ea sum dicturus. Magnilianus curator dixit: Ibis ergo ad proconsulem, et ibi rationem reddes. tunc assignatus est illi Vicentius Celsinus decurio ciuitatis Tibiurensium.
After the third day the curator ordered Felix the bishop to be brought to him and said to him, “Have you thought it over?” Felix the bishop said, “What I said before I say now as well, and I will say it before the proconsul.” Magnilianus the curator said, “Then you will go to the proconsul, and there you will give account.” Then Vincentius Celsinus, a decurion of the city of Thibiuca, was assigned to him.
Chapter 4
4Knopf, 80
Tune profectus est Felix a Tibira, octauo Kalendas Julias. ligatus deductus est; ligatum uero jussit in carcerem trudi. alia autem die productus est Felix episcopus ante lucem, cui dixit proconsul: Quare scripturas superuacuas non reddis? Felix episcopus dixit: Habeo, sed non dabo. tune jussit eum alligatum in ima earceris mitti. post sexdecim autem dies Felix episcopus productus est de carcere in uinculis, hora noctis quarta, ad Anulinum proconsulem, eui dixit Anulinus: Quare scripturas superuacuas non reddis? Felix episcopus respondit: Non sum eas daturus. tunc jussit illum Anulinus proconsul ad praefectum praetorio mitti, Idibus Julii tunc praefectus jussit eum suo carcere recipi et majoribus uinculis ligari. post dies autem nouem jussit eum praefectus ad Imperatores navigare.
Then Felix set out from Thibiuca on the eighth day before the Kalends of July. He was led away bound, and the proconsul ordered him, bound as he was, to be thrust into prison. The next day Felix the bishop was brought out before dawn, and the proconsul said to him, “Why do you not hand over your useless scriptures?” Felix the bishop said, “I have them, but I will not give them.” Then he ordered him to be put, bound, in the depths of the prison. Sixteen days later Felix the bishop was brought out of prison in chains, at the fourth hour of the night, to Anullinus the proconsul, and Anullinus said to him, “Why do you not hand over your useless scriptures?” Felix the bishop answered, “I will not give them.” Then Anullinus the proconsul ordered him to be sent to the praetorian prefect, on the Ides of July. Then the prefect ordered him to be received into his own prison and bound with heavier chains. Nine days later the prefect ordered him to sail to the emperors.
Chapter 5
5Knopf, 80
Tune Felix episcopus ascendit nauim cum uinculis magnis et fuit in capsa nauis diebus quatuor. uolutatus sub pedibus equorum panem et aquam non gustavit: jejunus in portum peruenit et in ciuitate Agrigento exceptus est a fratribus cum summo honore. inde uenerunt in ciuitatem nomine Catanam: ibi similiter sunt excepti. inde Messanam uenerunt. inde Taurominium: ibi similiter sunt excepti. Postea fretum nauigaverunt in partes Lucaniae, ciuitatem nomine † Rulo. Inde profecti sunt Venusiam, quae est ciuitas regionis Apuliae. tunc praefectus jussit Felicem de uinculis eripi et dixit: Felix, quare scripturas dominicas non das? aut forsitan non habes? cui respondit: Habeo quidem, sed non do. Praefectus dixit: Felicem gladio interficite. Felix episcopus dixit uoce clara: Gratias tibi, Domine, qui me dignatus es liberare.
Then Felix the bishop boarded the ship with heavy chains and was in the hold of the ship four days. Rolled about under the feet of the horses, he tasted neither bread nor water; fasting he reached port, and in the city of Agrigentum he was received by the brothers with the highest honor. From there they came to the city named Catana; there too they were likewise received. From there they came to Messana, and from there to Tauromenium; there too they were likewise received. Afterward they sailed across the strait to the region of Lucania, to a city named † Rulo. From there they set out for Venusia, which is a city of the region of Apulia. Then the prefect ordered Felix to be released from his chains and said, “Felix, why do you not give up the Lord's scriptures? Or perhaps you do not have them?” He answered him, “I have them, but I will not give them.” The prefect said, “Put Felix to the sword.” Felix the bishop said in a clear voice, “Thanks to you, Lord, who have deigned to set me free.”
Chapter 6
6Knopf, 80
Et ductus est ad passionis locum (cum etiam ipsa luna in sanguinem conuersa est) die tertio Kalendas Septembris. Felix episcopus, eleuans oculos in caelum, clara uoce dixit: Deus, gratias tibi. quinquaginta et sex annos habeo in hoc saeculo. uirginitatem custodiui, euangelia seruaui, fidem et ueritatem praedicaui. Domine, Deus caeli et terrae, Iesu Christe, tibi ceruicem meam ad uictimam flecto, qui permanes in aeternum; cui est claritas et magnificentia in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
And he was led to the place of his passion (when the very moon was turned to blood) on the third day before the Kalends of September. Felix the bishop, raising his eyes to heaven, said in a clear voice, “O God, thanks be to you. I have fifty-six years in this world. I have kept my virginity, I have observed the Gospels, I have preached the faith and the truth. Lord God of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ, to you I bend my neck as a victim, you who remain for ever; to whom be brightness and majesty to the ages of ages. Amen.”