De sanctis Cornelio et Cypriano
The Meaning of the Names
The chapter begins with an etymological exploration of the names Cornelius and Cyprian, highlighting their spiritual significance.
The name Cornelius is interpreted as 'understanding circumcision.' For he himself understood it, and by understanding it, he preserved circumcision from things that were superfluous, lawful, and even necessary. Alternatively, Cornelius comes from 'cornu' (horn) and 'leos' (which means people), so it refers to 'horn'—that is, the strength of the people. Cyprian is said to be derived from 'cypro' (which means mixture) and 'ana' (which means upward). Or it may be derived from 'cypro', which means sadness or inheritance. For he possessed a heavenly mixture of grace and virtues, the sadness of sins, and the inheritance of heavenly joys. .
A Gap in the Record
A brief acknowledgment of a missing section in the source text.
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The Martyrdom of Cornelius and Cyprian
The narrative recounts the trials, miracles, and ultimate martyrdom of Pope Cornelius and Bishop Cyprian.
Pope Cornelius, successor to Saint Fabian, was exiled by Emperor Decius along with his clergy, where he received a letter of encouragement from Saint Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage. Eventually, he was brought back from exile and brought before Decius; when he remained unyielding, Decius ordered him beaten with lead-weighted whips and commanded that he be taken to the temple of Mars, where he was to either offer sacrifice or face the death penalty. As he was being led there, a soldier asked him to stop by his house and pray for his wife, Sallustia, who had been paralyzed for five years. After she was healed through his prayer, twenty soldiers, along with her and her husband, the master of the house, came to believe. All of them were led to the temple of Mars by Decius's order, and after spitting on it, they were martyred alongside Saint Cornelius. He suffered around the year of our Lord 253. Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage, was brought before the proconsul Paternus in that same city. Because he couldn't be swayed from the faith in any way, he was sent into exile, and upon being recalled by the proconsul Galerius, who had succeeded Paternus, he was sentenced to death. When this sentence was passed, Cyprian said, "Thanks be to God." When he arrived at the place with the executioner, he instructed his own people to give the executioner fifteen gold pieces as a reward; then, taking a cloth in his own hand, he covered his eyes and thus received his crown around the year of our Lord 256.
Read the original Latin
Cornelius interpretatur intelligens circumcisionem. Ipse enim intellexit et intelligendo servavit circumcisionem a superfluis licitis et etiam necessariis. Vel Cornelius a cornu et leos, quod est populus, quasi cornu, id est fortitudo populi. Cyprianus dicitur a cypro, quod est mixtura, et ana, quod est sursum. Vel dicitur a cypro,. quod est moestitia vel hereditas. Ipse enim habnit supernam mixturam gratiae et virtutum, moestitiam peccatorum et hereditatem coelestium gaudiorum. .
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Cornelius papa successor sancti Fabiani a Decio Caesare cum suis clericis insexsilium relegatur ibique a sancto Cypriano Carthaginiensi episcopo litteras confortationis accepit, Tandem de exsilio reduetus Decio praesentatur, et dum immobilis permaneret, jussit eum Decius plumbatis caedi praecepitque, ut ad templum Martis duceretar, et ibi ant sacrificaret ant sententiam capitalem subiret. Cum ergo illuc duceretur, miles quidam rogavit enm, ut ad domum suam deverteret et pro uxore sua Sallustia, quae per quinque annos paralitica jacebat, oraret. Quae dum ad orationem ejus sanata esset, XX milites cnm ipsa et viro suo domino credi38 derunt, qui omnes jubente Decio ad templum Martis deducti et in illud exspuentes cum sancto Cornelio martirizati sunt. Passus est antem circa annos domini CCLIII. Cyprianus autem Carthaginiensis episcopus in eadem civitate Patrono proconsuli praesentatur. Qui cum a fide nullatenus mutari posset, in exsilium mittitur indeque revocatus ab Anglirico proconsule, qui Patrono successerat, sententiam capitalem accepit. Qua sententia lata dixit Cyprianus Deo gratias. Cum autem ad locum cum spiculatore venisset, praecepit suis, ut eidem spiculatori pro mercede XV aureos darent, accipiensque linteum manu sua oculos texit et' sic coronam suscepit circa annos domini CCLVI
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