Victor of Vita, in his History of the Vandal Persecution (Book 3.69), invokes the intercession of the Patriarchs, the Prophets and the Apostles, and specifically that of *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), on behalf of Africa under Vandal Arian persecution. Written in Latin, probably in Carthage (central North Africa), 484/489.
E08298
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)
Victor of Vita
Victor of Vita, History of the Vandal Persecution, 3.69:
At the very end of his work, Victor invokes the intercession of patriarchs and saints to achieve the liberation of Africa from Arian Vandal rule:
Deprecamini patriarchae de quorum stirpe generis nata est quae nunc laborat in terris; orate sancti prophetae, cognoscentes adflictam quam antea uaticinante praeconio cecinistis; estote apostoli suffragatores eius quam ut congregaretis uniuersum orbem, ascendente in uobis domino, ut equi uelocissimi cursitatis. Praecipue tu, Petre beate, quare siles pro ouibus et agnis a communi domino magna tibi cautela et sollicitudine commendatis? Tu, sancte Paule, gentium magister, qui ab Hierusalem usque ad Illyricum praedicasti euangelium dei, cognosce quid Wandali faciunt Arriani et filii gemunt lugendo captiui; uniuersique ingemescite sancti simul pro nobis apostoli.
'Intercede, you patriarchs, from whose lineage she who now labours on the earth was born; pray, you holy prophets, who see afflicted the one of whom you formerly sang in prophetic utterance; be her supporters, you apostles, you who ran to and fro across the whole world like swift horses so that you might bring her together as the Lord ascended over you. Especially you, Peter, why do you not speak on behalf of the sheep and lambs entrusted to you by the Lord of all, in his great care and concern? You, holy Paul, teacher of the gentiles, who preached the gospel of God 'from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum' [Rom 15:19], recognise what the Arian Vandals are doing, and your captive sons in lamentation; and all you holy apostles, groan for us in unison!
Text: Lancel 2002, 211.
Translation: Moorhead 1992, 92.
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Source
Victor was probably a presbyter at Carthage when he wrote the History of the Vandal Persecution, in 484 or shortly thereafter; he was certainly a churchman and he was very well informed of events and documents in the provincial capital.His work gives an account of the Vandal invasion of Africa (429-39) under king Geiseric, but focuses primarily on the sufferings of the Nicene church in Africa during the reign of Huneric (477-84). Victor was an eyewitness of some of the events which he describes (e.g. E01981).
The work is dedicated to an unnamed churchman, probably Bishop Eugenius of Carthage, who features prominently (and very favourably) in the work, even effecting, with due humility, the cure of a man's blindness (E08294, 2.47-51).
Victor names many martyrs and confessors who died or suffered under Vandal persecution. For a few of these, there is evidence from other sources that some cult developed around them, and these we have treated as individual 'saints': Eugenius of Carthage (S00034); Laetus, bishop and martyr of Nepte (S02837); Seven monastic brothers martyred at Carthage (S02936); and some confessors who had their tongues cut out but were still able to speak (S01481). The other martyrs and confessors we have grouped together on three evidence cards, covering: the reign of Geiseric (E08293; S03007); the reign of Huneric before 484 (E08294; S03008): and the persecution of 484 (E08295; S03009).
Bibliography
Editions:Lancel, S. (ed.), Histoire de la persécution vandale en Afrique suivie de la passion des sept martyrs et du Registre des provinces et des cités d'Afrique (Paris: Belle Lettres, 2002).
Petschenig, M. (ed.), Victoris episcopi Vitensis Historia persecutionis Africanae provinciae (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 7; Wien 1881).
Halm, K. (ed.), Victor Vitensis. Historia persecutionis Africanae Provinciae (Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Auctores antiquissimi 3,1; Hanover 1879), 1-58.
Translation:
Moorhead, J. (trans.), Victor of Vita: History of Vandal Persecution (Translated Texts for Historians 10; Liverpool: Liverpool Univeristy Press, 1992).
Bryan Ward-Perkins
29/6/2022
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00008 | Paul, the Apostle | Paulus | Certain | S00036 | Peter, the Apostle | Petrus | Certain | S00084 | Apostles, unnamed or name lost | Certain | S00138 | Patriarchs (biblical), unnamed or name lost | Certain | S00139 | Prophets, unnamed or name lost | Certain |
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