DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49369#0069
THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA
51
Acia Pauli. There are strong resemblances, too, between the
fragment of the Acts of Paul preserved by Nicephorus, and our
book. The occurrence of noble female converts has been men-
tioned: a nocturnal visit to Paid for the purpose of baptism is
another common feature. The conversion of the ruler is a third,
and the introduction of a sagacious lion is a fourth. Here again
the Thecla-legend has been imitated by the author of the Acts of
Paul. Yet the supposition that our author has been influenced
by the Thecla-legend will not account for all the resemblances
between his work and the Acta Pardi.
3. The Actus Petri cum Simone (= Vercellenses). There is a
plain quotation from these in the Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena,
c. xxiv., where it is said that while Polyxena was on her forced
voyage to Greece ‘ the great Apostle of the Lord, Peter, was
passing in a ship, hastening to get to Rome in consequence of a
vision, because, when Paul had gone forth to Spain, a certain
impostor and magician named Simon had entered the city, and
destroyed the Church which Paul had gathered together.’ Com-
pare the Actus Petri v. (p. 49) where, after Paul’s departure, it
is said that God was informing Peter of the state of affairs, he being
at Jerusalem, and that Christ showed him a vision, saying that
Simon, whom he had cast out of Judaea, was now at Rome, and
bidding him set out at once for that place.
Again in cc. i. ii. of our Acts, Paul is spoken of as a "physician’:
similarly in Act. Pet. i. Christ says to Paul: ‘Go to Spain and be a
physician {medicus) to those who are there.’
These proofs of borrowing from the Acts of Peter may suffice
for the present.
4. The Acfe of Andrew. The introduction of S. Andrew into
the story (cc. xxviii.—xxxi.), and that in the proper traditional
sphere of his preaching, namely, Greece, is the chief hint that the
compiler- of our story knew of a romance dealing with the adven-
tures of this Apostle. One or two other probable traces of a use of
these Acts do appear: in c. xxvi. an army is routed by the sign
of the cross. In the Miracula B. Andreae by Gregory of Tours
(an undoubted abstract of the περίοδοι,) Andrew routs an army
in Thrace by similar means. Again, in c. xxxii. the drover tells
how a beggar inspired by Satan refused to receive alms from
4—2
51
Acia Pauli. There are strong resemblances, too, between the
fragment of the Acts of Paul preserved by Nicephorus, and our
book. The occurrence of noble female converts has been men-
tioned: a nocturnal visit to Paid for the purpose of baptism is
another common feature. The conversion of the ruler is a third,
and the introduction of a sagacious lion is a fourth. Here again
the Thecla-legend has been imitated by the author of the Acts of
Paul. Yet the supposition that our author has been influenced
by the Thecla-legend will not account for all the resemblances
between his work and the Acta Pardi.
3. The Actus Petri cum Simone (= Vercellenses). There is a
plain quotation from these in the Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena,
c. xxiv., where it is said that while Polyxena was on her forced
voyage to Greece ‘ the great Apostle of the Lord, Peter, was
passing in a ship, hastening to get to Rome in consequence of a
vision, because, when Paul had gone forth to Spain, a certain
impostor and magician named Simon had entered the city, and
destroyed the Church which Paul had gathered together.’ Com-
pare the Actus Petri v. (p. 49) where, after Paul’s departure, it
is said that God was informing Peter of the state of affairs, he being
at Jerusalem, and that Christ showed him a vision, saying that
Simon, whom he had cast out of Judaea, was now at Rome, and
bidding him set out at once for that place.
Again in cc. i. ii. of our Acts, Paul is spoken of as a "physician’:
similarly in Act. Pet. i. Christ says to Paul: ‘Go to Spain and be a
physician {medicus) to those who are there.’
These proofs of borrowing from the Acts of Peter may suffice
for the present.
4. The Acfe of Andrew. The introduction of S. Andrew into
the story (cc. xxviii.—xxxi.), and that in the proper traditional
sphere of his preaching, namely, Greece, is the chief hint that the
compiler- of our story knew of a romance dealing with the adven-
tures of this Apostle. One or two other probable traces of a use of
these Acts do appear: in c. xxvi. an army is routed by the sign
of the cross. In the Miracula B. Andreae by Gregory of Tours
(an undoubted abstract of the περίοδοι,) Andrew routs an army
in Thrace by similar means. Again, in c. xxxii. the drover tells
how a beggar inspired by Satan refused to receive alms from
4—2