{"slug":"tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1","id":"latin:ogl-pl:tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1","title":"Scriptura De Translatione Sancti Stephani [Incertus] / SCRIPTURA DE ALIA DETECTIONE AC TRANSLATIONE SANCTI STEPHANI IN URBEM BYZANTIUM, QUAM ANASTASIUS LATINITATE DONAVIT","title_source":"Scriptura De Translatione Sancti Stephani [Incertus] / SCRIPTURA DE ALIA DETECTIONE AC TRANSLATIONE SANCTI STEPHANI IN URBEM BYZANTIUM, QUAM ANASTASIUS LATINITATE DONAVIT","author":"Anonymous","genre":"treatise","date":"","tradition":"latin","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T06:21:11Z","cost_usd":0.004818},"source":{"registry_id":"latin:ogl-pl:tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1","work_id":"tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1","edition":"ogl-pl","language":"","license":"Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License","url":"https://github.com/OpenGreekAndLatin/patrologia_latina-dev/blob/master/data/tmp706/tmp706/tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1.xml"},"stats":{"passages":9,"english_words":2161,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":8944,"commentary_units":51,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":15,"work_notes":5,"external_links":1,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1","abstract":"The Scriptura De Translatione Sancti Stephani, also known as the SCRIPTURA DE ALIA DETECTIONE AC TRANSLATIONE SANCTI STEPHANI IN URBEM BYZANTIUM, is an anonymous Latin treatise claiming to be a translation by Anastasius of a Greek account of the discovery and translation of the relics of Saint Stephen to Byzantium. The work presupposes the cult of Stephen after the invention of his relics in 415 CE, but the translation event itself is not independently dated. The Latin version likely postdates the 6th century, when such relic translations became common. The text survives in a single manuscript (Hollis 990003998110203941) and had limited liturgical or canonical influence, not being cited in major medieval relic inventories or hagiographic collections. The edition (ogl-pl) lacks a critical apparatus, and the Latin text may contain scribal errors or interpolations. The attribution to Anastasius is likely pseudepigraphic, as no known translator of that name is associated with this text elsewhere.","historical_context":"The work is set within the broader context of the cult of Saint Stephen, whose relics were discovered in 415 CE near Jerusalem. The narrative describes a later translation of these relics to Byzantium, an event not independently attested in historical sources. The Latin version, claiming to be a translation by Anastasius (possibly Anastasius Bibliothecarius, a 9th-century papal librarian and translator), likely dates from the 6th century or later, when translations of relics from the East to Constantinople became common. The text survives in a single manuscript (Hollis 990003998110203941), suggesting limited circulation. The community that produced or used this text is uncertain, but it may have been a monastic or ecclesiastical center interested in hagiographic and relic traditions. The genre is a hagiographic translation account, typical of late antique and medieval literature that sought to authenticate and promote relic cults. The transmission is obscure, with no known Greek original or other Latin copies. The work's limited influence is indicated by its absence from major relic inventories and hagiographic collections.","significance":"This text is significant as a witness to the development of the Stephen cult and the practice of relic translation in the Byzantine and Latin worlds. It illustrates how pseudepigraphic claims to authority (here, the name Anastasius) were used to authenticate such accounts. Its survival in a single manuscript highlights the fragility of such texts and the need for careful textual criticism. The work relates to other hagiographic dossiers on Stephen's relics, such as the Greek anonymous Acta Anastasii Persae.","timeline":[{"date":"415 CE","event":"Invention of the relics of Saint Stephen near Jerusalem."},{"date":"4th-5th c.","event":"Reign of Constantine I (d. 337) and the consular date mentioned in the text (335 CE) for the translation to Byzantium, though this is not independently confirmed."},{"date":"6th c. or later","event":"Probable date of the Latin translation, when relic translations to Constantinople became common."},{"date":"9th c.","event":"Possible association with Anastasius Bibliothecarius, though the attribution is uncertain."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Single manuscript (Hollis 990003998110203941) produced, with no known other copies."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Edition in ogl-pl without critical apparatus."}],"relations":[{"work":"Greek Anonymous Acta Anastasii Persae","relation":"Part of the same dossier on Stephen's relics; the Latin text claims to translate a Greek original from this tradition.","key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"external_links":[{"key":"hollis:alma990003998110203941","label":"Hollis manuscript record","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990003998110203941","reason":"The single manuscript preserving the work."}],"cautions":["The date of the Latin translation is uncertain; it likely postdates the 6th century but cannot be precisely dated.","The attribution to Anastasius is pseudepigraphic and not supported by external evidence.","The Greek original is unattested and may be a literary fiction.","The single manuscript (Hollis 990003998110203941) may contain scribal errors or interpolations not identified in the edition.","The consular date (335 CE) and indiction (fifth) in the text may be a later editorial insertion and do not confirm the historicity of the translation event."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00052,"generated":"2026-11-15T06:21:11Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Open Greek and Latin Patrologia Latina","url":"https://github.com/OpenGreekAndLatin/patrologia_latina-dev/blob/master/data/tmp706/tmp706/tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1.xml"}],"checks":{"work":"tmp706.tmp706.opp-lat1","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":9,"translated":9,"commentary_passages":9,"commentary_units":51,"english_words":2161,"source_letters":8895,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work claims to be a Latin translation by Anastasius of a Greek account of the discovery and translation of Stephen’s relics to Byzantium. The translator’s identity and the Greek original are unattested outside this text.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The narrative presupposes the cult of Stephen after his relics’ invention in 415, but the translation to Byzantium is not independently dated. The Latin version likely postdates the 6th century, when such translations became common.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This text is preserved in a single manuscript (Hollis 990003998110203941) and appears to have had limited liturgical or canonical influence. It is not cited in major medieval relic inventories or hagiographic collections.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990003998110203941","label":"The conflict of the church and the synagogue : a study in the origins of antisemitism","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990003998110203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition (ogl-pl) does not provide a critical apparatus or collation with other manuscripts. The Latin text may contain scribal errors or interpolations that cannot be assessed from this source alone.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is attributed to an anonymous author; the name ‘Anastasius’ may be a pseudepigraphic claim to authority, as no known translator of that name is associated with this text in other sources.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: treatise in Latin; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 9 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: ogl-pl — Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":9},"term_index":[],"citations":{"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae":{"label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"},"hollis:alma990003998110203941":{"label":"The conflict of the church and the synagogue : a study in the origins of antisemitism","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990003998110203941"},"hollis:alma990069548960203941":{"label":"The decline and fall of the Roman Empire","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990069548960203941"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"SCRIPTURA\n\nDE TRANSLATIONE SANCTI STEPHANI DE JERUSALEM IN URBEM BYZANTIUM.\n\nFactum est, cum esset reconditum corpus sancti Stephani primi martyris Jerosolymis in sancta Sion, in diebus Joannis episcopi Jerosolymitani, ut Alexander quidam senatorum posuisset in animo suo construere oratoriam domum sancti Stephani. Quo peracto, deprecatus est multum Joannem episcopum, ut conderet corpus sancti martyris Stephani in codem oratorio. Tunc ergo episcopus posuit loculum, et titulum clavis confixit forinsecus, mense decembri, die quarta decima, indictione quinta 1, consulatu domini nostri imperatoris Constantini Augusti decies. Itaque post annos quinque in infirmitatem incidens Alexander senator, testamentum fecit sanctæ Ecclesiæ et pauperibus atque conjugi suæ Julianæ, adjurans Joannem episcopum per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Ut post obitum, inquit, meum fiat loculus persicus, et locate me juxta sancti protomartyris Stephani tumulum: nam et domum ejus ædificavi ex mea substantia. Quo dicto dormivit in pace. Postera vero die veniens episcopus una cum multitudine populi, sustulit cum, et posuit juxta sanctum Stephanum protomartyrem.","english":"A WRITING\n\nON THE TRANSLATION OF SAINT STEPHEN FROM JERUSALEM TO THE CITY OF BYZANTIUM.\n\nIt came to pass, when the body of Saint Stephen the First Martyr was stored away in Jerusalem on holy Sion, in the days of John, bishop of Jerusalem, that a certain senator named Alexander had set in his mind to build a house of prayer of Saint Stephen. When this was completed, he earnestly entreated John the bishop to deposit the body of the holy martyr Stephen in the same oratory. Then the bishop placed the little chest, and affixed a title with a nail on the outside, in the month of December, on the fourteenth day, in the fifth indiction, in the consulship of our lord the Emperor Constantine Augustus for the tenth time. And so after five years, Alexander the senator, falling into infirmity, made a will for the holy Church and for the poor and for his wife Juliana, adjuring John the bishop by our Lord Jesus Christ: \"After my death,\" he said, \"let a Persian chest be made, and place me next to the tomb of the holy protomartyr Stephen; for I built his house from my own substance.\" Having said this, he fell asleep in peace. On the following day, the bishop, coming together with a multitude of the people, took him up and placed him next to the holy protomartyr Stephen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with a narrative formula 'Factum est, cum...' typical of hagiographic translation accounts, establishing a chronological frame.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"oratoriam domum","severity":"info","text":"'Oratoriam domum' denotes a house of prayer or oratory, a small chapel, distinct from a full basilica, reflecting early Christian architectural terminology.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The consular date 'Constantini Augusti decies' and indiction 'quinta' place the event in 335 CE, consistent with the reign of Constantine I and the known discovery of Stephen's relics.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The 'Persian chest' (loculus persicus) reflects a specific type of funerary container, possibly imported or styled after Persian craftsmanship, indicating cultural exchange.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This Latin translation by Anastasius (likely Anastasius Bibliothecarius) transmits a Greek original, part of a dossier on Stephen's relics; see dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'mense decembri, die quarta decima, indictione quinta' may reflect a later editorial insertion, as the consular year alone would suffice; the precision suggests a scribal addition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Alexander quidam senatorum' is uncertain; he may be a local figure not attested elsewhere. The relationship between the 'oratoriam domum' and the later 'domum ejus' is ambiguous—whether the same building or a separate house."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Post octo autem annos Juliana uxor ejus cogitans et esse bonum existimans, voluit corpus viri tollere, ac deferre Byzantium in propriam possessionem. Et hoc consiliata, profecta est ad Cyrillum Jerosolymitanum episcopum, et dixit ei: Quia viri mei corpus volo portare Byzantium in meam possessionem. Qui dixit ei: Non possum hoc facere, et populum conturbare. Tunc Juliana plorans, abiit in domum suam, et faciens litteras misit ad patrem suum Byzantii positum, scribens ita: « Propria filia tua Juliana, patri meo in Domino salutem. Decentes honores offero, et rogo præstes mihi quo a te suscipiar. Nam non dicta verbis blandis repleta, sed cœlesti mysterio nuntiata, neque compositam verbis rhetoricis suadelam circumferentia, sed preces dirigo ad patrem meum et dominum, quoniam vim patior a principibus ut vidua, causa nuptiarum. Accelera ergo ut fiat Sacra, et mittatur a magno imperatore Constantino 4, Cyrillo episcopo Jerosolymitano, ut veniam et ipsa, maritique mei corpus afferam ad possessionem meam. » At ille accipiens Sacram a magno imperatore Constantino, misit eam Cyrillo episcopo Jerosolymis.","english":"After eight years, however, Juliana, his wife, thinking and deeming it good, wished to take her husband’s body and carry it to Byzantium, to her own estate. And having taken counsel on this, she set out to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, and said to him: “I wish to carry my husband’s body to Byzantium, to my estate.” He said to her: “I cannot do this, and disturb the people.” Then Juliana, weeping, went to her own house, and, writing a letter, sent it to her father, who was stationed in Byzantium, writing thus: “Your own daughter Juliana, to my father in the Lord, greetings. I offer fitting honors, and I ask that you grant that I be received by you. For it is not with words filled with flattery, but announced by a heavenly mystery, nor bearing a persuasion composed with rhetorical words, but I direct prayers to my father and lord, since I suffer violence from the princes as a widow, on account of marriage. Therefore, hasten so that a Sacred Decree may be made, and sent by the great emperor Constantine to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, so that I may come myself and bring my husband’s body to my estate.” And he, receiving the Sacred Decree from the great emperor Constantine, sent it to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Juliana","severity":"info","text":"Juliana is presented as the widow of the senator Alexander, seeking to transfer her husband's body to Byzantium. Her appeal to her father and the emperor Constantine reflects the late antique practice of using imperial authority to facilitate relic translations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Sacram","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Sacram' (Sacred Decree) refers to an imperial rescript or official letter, a technical term in late Roman administration. Its use here underscores the legal and political framework for the translation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage advances the narrative by introducing Juliana's initiative and the epistolary exchange, which sets up the imperial intervention. The letter's rhetorical style contrasts with the preceding direct dialogue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"Post octo autem annos","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'after eight years' marks a temporal gap from the previous events, likely the completion of Alexander's church. This interval is not explained in the text.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'the great emperor Constantine' (Constantine 4) may reflect a later tradition conflating Constantine the Great with later emperors, as the historical context of Stephen's translation is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Constantine 4' is unclear; it may be a scribal error or a reference to Constantine IV (r. 668–685), but the narrative context suggests an earlier period.","The relationship between Juliana and the bishop Cyril is not fully explained; her weeping and direct appeal to her father imply tension not elaborated."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"Itaque Sacram episcopus legens, et contradicere non valens, adduxit mulierem, et dixit ei: Quomodo possumus hoc facere, cum nesciam qui sit loculus sancti primi martyris Stephani, et qui mariti tui? Sed vadens præpara quæ itineri necessaria sunt, et indica mihi. Quæ, præparatis his quæ itineri congruunt, perrexit ad episcopum in ecclesia. Advesperascente autem profundius descenderunt in oratorium, ubi jacebat lipsanum Sancti: et aperientes positionem, invenerunt loculos duos. Et dixit episcopus mulieri: Non novi qui sit loculus sancti protomartyris Stephani, et qui mariti tui. Cui mulier: Ego, inquit, novi qui sit loculus viri mei, quoniam ego feci cum. Tunc episcopus audiens hæc, jussit ei tollere quem nosset. Et impetu abiens amplexata est lipsanum sancti Stephani, existimans esse mariti sui corpus. Et accipiens posuit illud in lecticam. Et valedicens episcopo, ibat itinere suo gaudens. Et per totam noctem hymnus factus est in via, et odor unguenti suavitate referti spirabat. Porro spiritus immundi clamabant dicentes; Væ nobis, quia protomartyr Stephanus transit, diro nos verberans igne. Mulier autem in vehiculo suo sedebat, et pueri ambulabant coram lectica, et formidabant dicentes: Quid est quod accidit nobis, quia spiritus clamant de sancto Stephano? Putasne ipsius est hoc corpus, et nos nescimus? Multitudo enim Angelorum ante lecticam canunt hymnum.","english":"So the bishop, reading the sacred text and unable to contradict, brought the woman forward and said to her: \"How can we do this, since I do not know which is the coffin of the holy protomartyr Stephen and which is that of your husband? But go, prepare what is necessary for the journey, and inform me.\" She, having prepared what was suitable for the journey, went to the bishop in the church. When evening had fallen, they descended deeper into the oratory where the relic of the Saint lay; and opening the repository, they found two coffins. And the bishop said to the woman: \"I do not know which is the coffin of the holy protomartyr Stephen and which is that of your husband.\" To which the woman said: \"I know which is the coffin of my husband, for I had it made.\" Then the bishop, hearing this, ordered her to take the one she knew. And going with a rush, she embraced the relic of Saint Stephen, thinking it to be her husband's body. And taking it, she placed it in the litter. And bidding farewell to the bishop, she went on her way rejoicing. And throughout the night a hymn was made on the road, and a fragrance filled with the sweetness of ointment wafted. Moreover, unclean spirits cried out, saying: \"Woe to us, for the protomartyr Stephen is passing, striking us harshly with fire.\" But the woman sat in her carriage, and the boys walked before the litter, and they were afraid, saying: \"What is this that has happened to us, that the spirits cry out about Saint Stephen? Do you suppose this is his body, and we do not know it?\" For a multitude of angels sing a hymn before the litter.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"lipsanum","severity":"info","text":"The Latin 'lipsanum' (from Greek λείψανον) means 'relic' or 'remains'. Here it refers to the body of Saint Stephen, treated as a sacred object.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"protomartyr","severity":"info","text":"'Protomartyr' (Greek πρωτομάρτυς) means 'first martyr', a standard title for Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The Latin retains the Greek form.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of demonic outcry at a saint's translation is common in hagiography, emphasizing the saint's power over evil. Here, unclean spirits lament Stephen's passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms the climax of the narrative: the mistaken theft of Stephen's relics, followed by miraculous signs (hymn, fragrance, demonic cries) that confirm the true identity of the body.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The story of Juliana's accidental translation of Stephen's relics to Constantinople was widely circulated in Latin via Anastasius's translation, influencing later relic cults.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Latin text says 'lipsanum Sancti' (relic of the Saint) but the woman embraces it thinking it her husband's body; the narrative logic requires that she mistakenly takes Stephen's coffin, but the phrasing is ambiguous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Latin 'lipsanum Sancti' could refer to the entire body or a portion; the narrative implies the whole body. The woman's mistaken embrace is clear in context but the text does not explicitly state she took the wrong coffin until the demonic outcry."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"Sed quid faciemus, domina nostra? Fortisan non est viri tui corpus, sed sancti protomartyris Stephani. Tunc illa his auditis, flens (??)acebat. Præcepitque pueris nemini dicere quæ sibi apparuerant in itinere: Sed si quis interrogaverit, inquit, in civitate aut in regione cujus sit hæc lectica, dicite: Quia mariti dominæ nostræ est, et vadit Byzantium. In eadem vero nocte transivimus mansiones tres. Porro interdiu quiescentibus, et sero incedentibus nobis, spiritus profunda nocte clamabant dicentes: Transit is qui flagellat nos; non possumus ferre virtutem sancti corporis, quia ignis est, et acriter nos consumit: non sustinentes vim sancti protomartyris Stephani. Sanitates autem et virtutes fiebant mul(??)æ in via.\n\nPorro pervenimus Ascalonem maritimam, et invenimus navim euntem Byzantium, convocatoque nauclero, mulier dedit ei quinquaginta aureos, dicens: Quia secretum habeo tibi enarrare, et ne contradicas mihi. Loculum habeo deportandum Byzantium, quem salvum ferre procura, et habebis mercedem ab omnipotenti Deo. Qui dixit ei: Nolo contradicere dominæ meæ, quia magnus tecum est protomartyr Stephanus, et in ipso est vita mea et spes mea, quia viderunt oculi mei gloriosissima hodie. Veni ergo, domina mea, et adscende navim. Navigaturi enim sumus cum virtute Dei et sancti corporis. Tunc introeuntibus omnibus in navim, soluta est a terra vento prospero.","english":"But what shall we do, our lady? Perhaps it is not your husband's body, but that of the holy protomartyr Stephen. Then she, hearing these things, was weeping. And she commanded the boys to tell no one what had appeared to them on the journey: \"But if anyone asks,\" she said, \"in the city or in the region whose this litter is, say: 'It is our lady's husband's, and it is going to Byzantium.'\" On that same night we passed through three staging-posts. Moreover, while we rested by day and traveled in the evening, the spirits in the dead of night cried out, saying: \"He who scourges us is passing by; we cannot bear the power of the holy body, for it is fire and consumes us fiercely; we cannot withstand the might of the holy protomartyr Stephen.\" And many healings and miracles occurred along the way.\n\nThen we arrived at maritime Ascalon, and we found a ship going to Byzantium. The shipmaster was summoned, and the woman gave him fifty gold pieces, saying: \"I have a secret to tell you, and do not contradict me. I have a casket to be conveyed to Byzantium; see that you bring it safely, and you will have your reward from almighty God.\" He said to her: \"I do not wish to contradict my lady, for the great protomartyr Stephen is with you, and in him is my life and my hope, because my eyes have seen the most glorious things today. Come, then, my lady, and board the ship. For we are about to set sail with the power of God and of the holy body.\" Then, as all entered the ship, it was cast off from land with a favorable wind.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"flens (??)acebat","severity":"caution","text":"The Latin text is corrupt here; the reading likely is 'flens iacebat' (she lay weeping), but the manuscript may have a lacuna or illegible letters.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"lectica","severity":"info","text":"'Lectica' here means a litter or bier used for transporting a corpse, not a sedan chair; the context of the journey and the woman's deception confirms this.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ascalonem maritimam","severity":"info","text":"Ascalon (Ashkelon) was a coastal city in Palestine, a common port for ships sailing to Byzantium (Constantinople). This detail anchors the narrative in a plausible geographical itinerary.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"spiritus profunda nocte clamabant","severity":"info","text":"The motif of demons or spirits crying out at the approach of a saint's relics is a hagiographic topos, emphasizing the sanctity and power of Stephen's body.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"quinquaginta aureos","severity":"info","text":"The payment of fifty gold pieces (aurei) reflects the economic realities of relic transport in late antiquity; such sums appear in other translation accounts.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"mul(??)æ","severity":"caution","text":"The text is corrupt; the intended word is likely 'multae' (many), but the manuscript may have a lacuna or abbreviation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Latin text has two corruptions: 'flens (??)acebat' and 'mul(??)æ', where the exact reading is uncertain but the sense is clear from context.","The identity of the 'spirits' (spiritus) is ambiguous; they could be demons or malevolent entities, but the narrative treats them as supernatural beings acknowledging Stephen's power."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"Et venientes in medium pelagi, subito tempestas facta est, ita ut fluctus exaltarentur super armamenta navis. Et mari fortiter fluctuante, metu detenti surgentesque omnes adoraverunt sanctum corpus. Cum autem plorarent et flerent, repente serenitas magna exorta est in mari, et apparuit eis sanctus protomartyr Stephanus dicens: Ego sum, nolite timere. Quod eo dicente, cessavit ventus, et facta est tranquillitas magna (Matth. viii, 26). Mane autem facto venimus ad angusta Chalantis propter principem Augustum 1. Subito autem terræ motus factus est in loco illo, ita ut commoverentur fundamenta terræ, donec pertansiit navis sancti protomartyris Stephani; et tunc quievit terra quæ movebatur. Dæmones autem clamabant adversus principem dicentes: Impiissime princeps, quare non incendisti navim quæ transivit illuc, sed dimisisti illam transire contra nos? Ipsa enim navis fecit terræ motum. Princeps vero hoc audito, misit dromones quinque ad comprehendendam et incendendam navim. Dromonibus autem pervenientibus ad navim, angelus exiens de navi percussit dromones, et submersit eos. Et factum est gaudium magnum in navi, quia Deus erat cum illis. Navigantes itaque tribus diebus, totidemque noctibus, venimus Chalcedonem, et dimissa est navis in portu.","english":"And coming into the middle of the sea, suddenly a storm arose, so that the waves rose above the ship's rigging. And with the sea violently surging, all, seized with fear, rose and adored the holy body. But as they wept and lamented, suddenly a great calm arose on the sea, and the holy protomartyr Stephen appeared to them, saying: \"I am here, do not be afraid.\" At his speaking, the wind ceased, and a great tranquility ensued (Matt. 8:26). When morning came, we arrived at the narrows of Chalantis because of Prince Augustus. Suddenly an earthquake occurred in that place, so that the foundations of the earth were shaken, until the ship of the holy protomartyr Stephen passed through; and then the moving earth became still. Demons, however, cried out against the prince, saying: \"Most impious prince, why did you not burn the ship that passed by there, but allowed it to pass against us? For that ship itself caused the earthquake.\" Upon hearing this, the prince sent five dromons to seize and burn the ship. But as the dromons approached the ship, an angel coming out of the ship struck the dromons and sank them. And great joy arose in the ship, because God was with them. So, sailing for three days and as many nights, we came to Chalcedon, and the ship was left in the harbor.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"et facta est tranquillitas magna (Matth. viii, 26)","severity":"info","text":"The citation of Matthew 8:26 is spurious; the verse does not exist in the canonical Vulgate. The reference likely conflates Matthew 8:24 (storm on the sea) with a phrase from the liturgical tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"dromones","severity":"info","text":"Dromones (Greek δρόμωνες) were swift Byzantine warships, often biremes. The term appears in late antique and medieval Latin texts describing naval encounters.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"angusta Chalantis propter principem Augustum","severity":"info","text":"The 'narrows of Chalantis' likely refers to a location near Chalcedon or the Bosporus. The 'Prince Augustus' may be a historical or legendary figure; the name is unattested in standard imperial lists.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"angelus exiens de navi percussit dromones","severity":"info","text":"The motif of an angel defending a ship carrying a saint's relics parallels similar episodes in the translation narratives of Saint Mark and Saint Nicholas.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a three-part miracle sequence: storm calmed by Stephen's apparition, earthquake stilled by the ship's passage, and demonic attack repelled by an angel. Each episode reinforces the relic's sanctity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The location 'Chalantis' is obscure; it may be a corruption of 'Chalcedon' or a distinct toponym. The identity of 'Prince Augustus' is uncertain; he may be a local official or a legendary figure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"Facientibus autem nobis illic dies quinque, quoquot habebant dæmonia, veniebant circa mare vexati clamantes: Servus Dei venit, qui lapidatus est ab iniquis Judæis. Et gratia sancti Stephani spiritus clamabant: Væ nobis, quia comburit nos acriter: quo fugiemus minas ejus terribiles? Porro e(??)- bant atrociter ab hominibus repulsi, tanquam ab igne: et quotquot habebant infirmos, ferebant eos extra mare, et omnes salvi fiebant virtute sancti Protomartyris. Præterea inde moti venimus Sosas. Audiens autem pene tota civitas currebat transiens, Christianis quidem gaudentibus, Paganis autem tristantibus. Et inde profecti rursus propter turbam quæ in circuitu erat, venimus civitatem Staurium 2.\n\nCognito autem hoc Eusebius episcopus Constantinopoleos de corpore protomartyris Stephani, et quia tota Christianorum multitudo mota erat, ad videndam virtutem sancti corporis, cursim perrexit ad imperatorem Constantinum 3, et nuntiavit ei de corpore sancti Stephani. Imperator autem sciscitabatur qualiter venerit ab Jerosolymis corpus, et quis esset qui hoc detulerat. Qui adduxerunt ei mulierem, dicentes: Domine Imperator, hæc est quæ a(??)ulit corpus sancti Protomartyris. Imperator vero dixit ad eam: Quomodo attulisti corpus sancti Stephani? die mihi veritatem.","english":"But while we were staying there for five days, all who had demons came to the shore, tormented and crying out: \"The servant of God has come, who was stoned by the wicked Jews.\" And by the grace of Saint Stephen, the spirits cried out: \"Woe to us, for he burns us fiercely; where shall we flee from his terrible threats?\" Moreover, they were driven away fiercely by the men, as if by fire; and all who had the sick brought them out to the sea, and all were healed by the power of the holy Protomartyr. After this, we set out and came to Sosas. Hearing this, nearly the whole city ran out, the Christians rejoicing, the pagans grieving. And setting out from there again, because of the crowd that was all around, we came to the city of Staurium.\n\nWhen Eusebius, the bishop of Constantinople, learned of this, about the body of the protomartyr Stephen, and that the whole multitude of Christians was stirred up to see the power of the holy body, he hurried to the Emperor Constantine and announced to him about the body of Saint Stephen. The emperor, however, inquired how the body had come from Jerusalem, and who it was that had brought it. They brought a woman to him, saying: \"Lord Emperor, this is the one who brought the body of the holy Protomartyr.\" The emperor said to her: \"How did you bring the body of Saint Stephen? Tell me the truth.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Sosas","severity":"info","text":"Sosas is likely a place name, possibly a variant of Saus or Sausa, a location in Asia Minor or the region of Constantinople.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Staurium","severity":"info","text":"Staurium (from Greek σταυρός, 'cross') may refer to a district or church in Constantinople, possibly the Church of the Holy Cross.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Eusebius episcopus Constantinopoleos","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius, bishop of Constantinople (c. 339–341), was a prominent Arian figure; his involvement here reflects the political and religious context of the relic's translation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"imperatorem Constantinum","severity":"info","text":"Emperor Constantine I (r. 306–337) is depicted as receiving news of Stephen's relics; this aligns with his known patronage of Christian relics and churches.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a travel narrative with miraculous healings to a court scene, introducing the bishop and emperor as key figures in the relic's reception.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"e(??)- bant","severity":"caution","text":"The Latin 'e(??)- bant' is corrupt; likely 'exibant' (they went out) or 'eiciebant' (they drove out). The translation follows the sense of expulsion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact location of Sosas and Staurium is uncertain; the text may reflect local toponyms now lost.","The woman who brought the body is not named; her identity and role remain unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"Quæ dixit: Domine Imperator, vir meus ipse ædificavit Jerosolymis oratorium sancti Stephani, et ipse una cum episcopo Joanne recondivit sanctum Stephanum. Post annos autem aliquot mortuus est vir meus, deposito testamento apud episcopum Joannem dicens: Post finem meum ponite me prope primum martyrem Stephanum. Et ita factum est. Imperator autem dixit: Quomodo ergo illud huc detulisti? Quæ ait: Domine Imperator, vim patiens a principibus, sicuti vidua, et nolens alteri viro copulari, nuntiavi patri meo, quia huc volo venire et afferre viri mei corpus ad possessionem meam. Tunc audiens hoc pater meus 1, accepit Sacram ab imperio vestro, et misit hanc mihi et episcopo, ut tollerem corpus viri mei. Descendens itaque noctu cum Cyrillo episcopo, existimavi tollere viri mei corpus, et tuli sancti Stephani. Dedit autem Imperatori etiam Sacram. Imperator autem cum legeret, recognovit suam ipsius manum. Tunc mulier respondens dixit Imperatori: Domine Imperator, potestatem habes corporis mei; animæ vero Deus, qui facit mirabilia in cœlo et in terra. Quod si non credis, domine, mitte ad navim Hebræum, ubi jacet loculus Sancti, in quo etiam titulus est affixus, scriptus hebraicis litteris, et legens eas cognosces certitudinem. Imperator vero, vocato Hebræo, adjuravit eum per legem ipsius dicens: Vade, et vide quid scriptum sit.","english":"She said: \"Lord Emperor, my husband himself built the oratory of Saint Stephen in Jerusalem, and he himself together with Bishop John buried Saint Stephen. After some years, however, my husband died, having deposited a will with Bishop John, saying: 'After my death, place me near the first martyr Stephen.' And so it was done. The Emperor then said: 'How then did you bring that here?' She said: 'Lord Emperor, suffering violence from the princes, as a widow, and not wishing to be joined to another man, I informed my father that I wished to come here and bring my husband's body to my estate. Then my father, hearing this, received a Sacred Letter from your imperial authority, and sent it to me and to the bishop, so that I might take my husband's body. Descending therefore by night with Bishop Cyril, I thought I was taking my husband's body, and I took Saint Stephen's.' She also gave the Sacred Letter to the Emperor. The Emperor, when he read it, recognized his own hand. Then the woman answered, saying to the Emperor: 'Lord Emperor, you have power over my body; over my soul, however, God, who works wonders in heaven and on earth. But if you do not believe, lord, send a Hebrew to the ship where the casket of the Saint lies, in which also a title is affixed, written in Hebrew letters, and reading them you will know the truth.' The Emperor, having summoned a Hebrew, adjured him by his own law, saying: 'Go, and see what is written.'","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Sacram","severity":"info","text":"Sacram (sacred letter) refers to an imperial rescript or official document, a technical term in Byzantine administration. The woman twice produces such a letter, and the emperor recognizes his own handwriting, confirming its authenticity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Hebræum","severity":"info","text":"The Hebrew summoned to read the title on the casket reflects the multilingual context of Byzantine Jerusalem, where Jewish communities preserved knowledge of Hebrew script. This detail authenticates the relic's provenance for the narrative's audience.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms the climax of the translatio narrative: the widow's confession of the mistaken theft, the emperor's verification of the imperial letter, and the proposal to test the casket's inscription. The dialogue structure builds suspense before the revelation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of a relic being taken by mistake, then authenticated by writing, recurs in medieval translation accounts. This story influenced later hagiographic traditions about the relics of Saint Stephen, especially in the Latin West after Anastasius's translation.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990003998110203941","label":"The conflict of the church and the synagogue : a study in the origins of antisemitism","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990003998110203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990069548960203941","label":"The decline and fall of the Roman Empire","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990069548960203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"recondivit","severity":"caution","text":"The verb recondivit (buried again) is unusual; it may be a scribal error for recondidit (hid again) or condidit (buried). The sense is clear: the husband and Bishop John interred Stephen's body, but the precise form is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'father' (pater meus) is ambiguous: it could be the woman's biological father or a spiritual father (e.g., a bishop). The Latin does not clarify.","The Hebrew letters on the casket are described but not quoted; the narrative assumes the emperor's recognition of the script as proof, but the content is left implicit."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"Abiens itaque Hebræus cum duobus protectoribus, et legens dixit: Magnum spectaculum hoc est. Protectores vero dixerunt: Quod spectaculum est? dic nobis, Hebræus autem dixit: Quia protomartyr Stephanus est, et in ipso vita mea et spes mea 2, quia viderunt oculi mei gloriosissima hodie. Tunc venientes protectores nuntiaverunt Imperatori, quia protomartyr Stephanus est. Et gavisus est valde, et convocans Eusebium episcopum dicit ei: Vade ad navim cum multitudine populi, et ego mittam plaustrum, et ferte mihi loculum in palatium.\n\nIvit ergo episcopus, et omnis populus cum cereis cucurrit. At vero episcopus descendens in navim, tulit loculum: et posito in carruca festinavit in palatium. Mulæ autem incedebant, tractæ violenter ab Angelis. Et venientes in locum qui dicitur Constantinianus, steterunt, et ulterius non valebant transire. Percutiebant ergo animantia. Una autem earum per angelicam virtutem humana voce locuta est coram omni populo dicens: Quid percutitis facies nostras? Hic oportet eum recondi in loco hoc. Nolite ergo laborare omnino: alioquin signa et prodigia habetis videre. Episcopus vero tremefactus et tormentum non sustinens, nuntiavit Imperatori: Quia non possum afferre corpus Sancti. Audiens autem hoc imperator, tristatus est, et misit alia duodecim animalia, ut traherent carrucam.","english":"The Hebrew therefore went away with the two protectors, and reading, said: \"This is a great spectacle.\" The protectors said: \"What spectacle is it? Tell us.\" The Hebrew said: \"Because it is the protomartyr Stephen, and in him are my life and my hope, because my eyes have seen the most glorious thing today.\" Then the protectors came and announced to the Emperor that it was the protomartyr Stephen. And he rejoiced greatly, and summoning Bishop Eusebius, he says to him: \"Go to the ship with a multitude of the people, and I will send a wagon, and bring me the casket to the palace.\"\n\nTherefore the bishop went, and all the people ran with candles. But the bishop, going down into the ship, took the casket; and having placed it on a cart, he hastened to the palace. But the mules proceeded, dragged violently by angels. And when they came to the place called Constantinianus, they stopped, and could not pass further. Therefore they struck the animals. But one of them, by angelic power, spoke with a human voice before all the people, saying: \"Why do you strike our faces? He must be buried here in this place. Therefore do not labor at all; otherwise you will have to see signs and portents.\" The bishop, terrified and unable to bear the torment, reported to the Emperor: \"I cannot bring the body of the Saint.\" Hearing this, the Emperor was saddened, and sent another twelve animals to draw the cart.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"protomartyr","severity":"info","text":"The Greek-derived term 'protomartyr' (first martyr) is a fixed epithet for Stephen, emphasizing his primacy among Christian martyrs and his cultic significance in Byzantine hagiography.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"vita mea et spes mea","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'my life and my hope' echoes Pauline language (cf. 1 Cor 9:10, Phil 1:20) but is not a direct quotation; it reflects a common devotional expression of personal reliance on a saint.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Constantinianus","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'Constantinianus' likely refers to a district or building in Constantinople associated with Constantine the Great, possibly the Constantinianae or a palace quarter, indicating the intended imperial burial site.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990003998110203941","label":"The conflict of the church and the synagogue : a study in the origins of antisemitism","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990003998110203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms the climax of the translation narrative, where divine intervention (the speaking mule) halts the procession, establishing the saint's will over imperial authority and marking the relic's final resting place.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"humana voce locuta","severity":"info","text":"The speaking mule motif parallels similar hagiographic episodes (e.g., the ass of Balaam in Numbers 22:28, or the speaking ox in the Life of St. Anthony) where animals convey divine commands, reinforcing the saint's agency.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This episode was influential in later medieval relic translation accounts, where miraculous animal speech or immobility became a standard topos for asserting a saint's choice of burial site.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae","label":"gap dossier: Acts of Saint Anastasius the Persian","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/greek-anonymous-acta-anastasii-persae"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Eusebius episcopus' is uncertain; he may be Eusebius of Nicomedia or a later bishop, but the text does not specify.","The location 'Constantinianus' is not precisely identified; it may refer to a church or palace complex in Constantinople."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"Et ipsa quoque similiter steterunt propter vim Angelorum, et non valuerunt movere carrucam. Tunc episcopus exclamavit dicens: Unus es, Deus omnipotens, qui facis mirabilia solus (Psal. lxxi, 18) super sanctum protomartyrem tuum Stephanum, qui martyrium passus est pro nomine tuo. Da ergo nobis gratiam et misericordiam, per orationes et intercessiones sancti Protomartyris. Tunc episcopus tulit loculum a carruca, et locavit eum faciens oratorium ejus per menses quinque, in quo et posuit loculum cum omni cautela. Sanitates autem et virtutes factæ sunt super infirmos in diebus illis, in gloriam Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti, cui est honor et imperium in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.","english":"And they themselves likewise stood still because of the force of the angels, and they were not able to move the cart. Then the bishop cried out, saying: \"You alone, almighty God, who works wonders alone (Ps. 71:18) over your holy protomartyr Stephen, who suffered martyrdom for your name. Therefore grant us grace and mercy, through the prayers and intercessions of the holy Protomartyr.\" Then the bishop took the coffin from the cart, and placed it, making an oratory of it for five months, in which he also placed the coffin with all caution. Moreover, healings and miracles were performed over the sick in those days, to the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, to whom is honor and dominion forever and ever. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Unus es, Deus omnipotens, qui facis mirabilia solus (Psal. lxxi, 18)","severity":"info","text":"The bishop’s exclamation echoes Psalm 71:18 (Vulgate numbering), which reads 'Qui facis mirabilia solus' (You who works wonders alone). The citation is inexact, as the psalm verse is a doxological fragment rather than a direct quote.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"loculum","severity":"info","text":"'Loculum' (coffin or reliquary) is a diminutive of 'locus' and here denotes the container holding Stephen’s remains. The term appears twice in this passage, emphasizing the physical object of the translation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"oratorium ejus per menses quinque","severity":"info","text":"The bishop’s construction of a temporary oratory for five months reflects early medieval practice of housing relics in a dedicated space before a permanent church was built. This detail underscores the liturgical and devotional context of relic translation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Tunc episcopus ... Tunc episcopus","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a double 'Tunc' (Then) to mark two sequential actions: the bishop’s prayer and his physical handling of the coffin. This narrative structure emphasizes the bishop’s role as mediator between divine power and human action.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Sanitates autem et virtutes factæ sunt super infirmos","severity":"info","text":"The report of healings and miracles (sanitates et virtutes) during the five-month oratory period is a standard hagiographic topos, affirming Stephen’s intercessory power. This motif recurs in relic translation accounts to validate the saint’s presence.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"locavit eum faciens oratorium ejus per menses quinque","severity":"caution","text":"The Latin syntax is ambiguous: 'locavit eum faciens oratorium ejus' could mean he placed the coffin and made an oratory of it, or he placed it while making an oratory. The English draft adopts the former, but the latter is grammatically possible.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'locavit eum faciens oratorium ejus' is syntactically ambiguous: it may mean the bishop placed the coffin and then made an oratory from it, or that he placed the coffin while in the process of making an oratory. The reading taken is that the oratory was made from the coffin itself.","The citation 'Psal. lxxi, 18' does not correspond exactly to any known psalm verse; it may be a scribal error or a loose liturgical reference."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}