Passio minor Kiliani — Reading Text with Translation

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BHL 4660 · MGH SS RER. MEROV. 5 · ACADEMIC READING TEXT

Passio minor Kiliani— Reading Text with Translation (revised)

Sep 24, 2026 · @Nathan

BHL 4660 — NOT A CRITICAL EDITION

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Status. This is an abridged reading text of the anonymous Passio minor Kiliani (BHL 4660) with a facing English translation. It is not a critical edition. For citation, use Levison's edition in MGH SS rer. Merov. 5 (1910).

The Latin follows the earlier plate, which has not yet been collated against Levison. Where the earlier plate's Latin is defective, this version marks the problem and does not supply wording from memory.

CONVENTIONS

• ⟨ ⟩enclose editorial supplements

• […]marks a lacuna in the plate

• Italicsin English mark words with no Latin equivalent

• n.Numbers in English refer to textual notes

Abridged reading text

CHANGES FROM EARLIER PLATE

• •Title and heading: removed “Critical” and date “ca. 752”; dating now in own section

• •Scottica tellus → “the land of the Scots (Ireland)” not “Scottish land”

• •In Australium partem → “into Austrasia (the eastern Frankish realm)” not “southern region”

• •Lacuna marked before Rome journey

• •Two defective sentences marked and minimally emended

• •Companion names normalized

• •Edition citations corrected; unverified manuscript claims flagged

• •Closing “Citable Edition” footer removed

KEY PHILOLOGICAL CORRECTIONS

Scottica tellus

Ireland

early medieval Scotia = Ireland, not Scotland

In Australium partem

Austrasia

not australis “southern” — eastern Frankish realm

Gallone / Arnuvale

Gallo / Arnual

ablatives → nominatives; Gallonus/Arnualdus corrected

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TEXT AND TRANSLATION — 7 SECTIONS

I

INCIPIT

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

Fuit vir vitae venerabilis Killena nomine, quem Scottica tellus de magno edidit genere. Qui etiam a puerili aetate magnum habuit studium sacras discere litteras et in eis tam perfecte proficiens, ut exinde pontificale didicit regere culmen. Et tunc iam alio vocabatur nomine Chilianus, habens gratiam ad clerum et ad omnem populum. Qui etiam in tantum amore christianae religionis impletus, ut quicquid ad animarum lucrum, quicquid ad propagationem fidei pertinere cognoscebat, devota mente et pio operari studio non cessabat.

ENGLISH

There was a man of venerable life named Killena, whom the land of the Scots (Ireland) brought forth from a great family (n. 1). From boyhood he had a great zeal to learn the sacred writings, and he advanced in them so thoroughly that he came in time to govern as a bishop. By then he was called by another name, Chilianus, and was held in favor by the clergy and all the people. He was so filled with love of the Christian religion that whatever he knew to serve the winning of souls or the spread of the faith, he never ceased to pursue with a devoted mind and pious effort.

II

CALLING AND DEPARTURE

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

Contigit autem, ut quadam die evangelica simul et voce dominica ammonitus esset, ubi dicitur (Luc. IX, 23): "Qui vult venire post me, abneget semet ipsum et tollat crucem suam et sequatur me." Haec secum beatissimus vir toto cordis ac mentis affectu pertractans, congregatis in unum suis consociis atque discipulis, id est Colonato ac Gallone et Arnuvale presbyteris et Totnano diacono, aliis septem illis adiunctis, coepit eos persuadere: propria contemni patriamque et parentes secundum Domini evangelium relinquere et nudos sequi Christum. Illi namque statim sacrae admonitioni beati viri obtemperantes firmiter coadunati, relictis omnibus, de propria perrexerunt patria et venerunt in Australium partem ad castellum, quod nominatur Wirziburg.

ENGLISH

One day he was admonished by the voice of the Gospel and of the Lord, where it says (Luke 9:23): "Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Turning this over with all the affection of his heart and mind, the most blessed man gathered his companions and disciples, namely the priests Colonatus, Gallo and Arnual and the deacon Totnan, with seven others joined to them (n. 2). He began to urge them to despise their possessions, to leave homeland and parents according to the Lord's Gospel, and to follow Christ naked. At once they obeyed the holy man's admonition and, firmly united, left everything, set out from their homeland, and came into Austrasia, to the fortress called Würzburg (n. 3).

III

JOURNEY TO ROME

defect / lacuna marked

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

[...] Sed illic venientes et apostolicum virum Johannem non invenientes, quoniam iam defunctus est, a sancto papa Conone praedictus Dei pontifex Killena amabiliter et honorifice susceptus est et, quod ad praedicandum verbum Dei petierat, cum omni benignitate consecutus est.

ENGLISH

[...] (n. 4) But when they arrived there (in Rome) and did not find the apostolic man John, since he had already died, the aforesaid bishop of God, Killena, was received kindly and with honor by the holy Pope Conon, and with all goodwill obtained what he had asked, permission to preach the word of God (n. 5).

IV

MISSION AND CONVERSION

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

Revertens igitur cum suis sociis ad praedictum castellum Wirziburg, coepit ibi verbum Dei fiducialiter praedicare. Audiens autem dux Gozbertus verbum praedicationis eius, cum omni populo suo credidit et baptizatus est.

ENGLISH

Returning with his companions to the fortress of Würzburg, he began to preach the word of God there with confidence. Duke Gozbert, hearing his preaching, believed together with all his people and was baptized.

V

THE MARRIAGE DISPUTE

defect / lacuna marked

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

Non multo post tempore persuadebat illum devotus Domini pontifex Kilianus ut dimitteret uxorem suam Geilanam, quae fuerat uxor fratris eius, quia hoc christianae religioni contrarium esse cognoscebat. Cui dux promittens se facturum ⟨...⟩ quod ei praeciperet.

ENGLISH

Not long afterward Kilian, the Lord's devoted bishop, urged the duke to put away his wife Geilana, who had been his brother's wife, because he knew this to be contrary to the Christian religion. The duke promised him that he would do whatever he commanded (n. 6).

VI

MARTYRDOM

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

Geilana autem, corrupta suis illecebris, cum audisset haec, irata est valde et, ⟨dum⟩ dux in venatione abesset, misit servos suos qui beatum Kilianum cum sociis suis Colonato presbytero et Totnano diacono in stabulo equorum occiderent et corpora eorum ibi sepelirent cum vasis sacris et vestimentis et scripturis sanctis.

ENGLISH

But Geilana, corrupted by her own enticements, was greatly angered when she heard this. While the duke was away hunting (n. 7), she sent her servants to kill blessed Kilian and his companions, the priest Colonatus and the deacon Totnan, in the horse stable, and to bury their bodies there with the sacred vessels, the vestments, and the holy books.

VII

TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS

LATIN ‖ ENGLISH

LATIN

Postea vero, cum Burchardus episcopus Wirziburgensis, praecepto et consilio Zachariae papae et Pippini regis, corpora sanctorum martyrum cum honore transtulisset et in ecclesia beatae Mariae in monte collocasset, miraculis et sanitatibus claruerunt.

ENGLISH

Afterward, when Burchard, bishop of Würzburg, by the command and counsel of Pope Zacharias and King Pippin (n. 8), had translated the bodies of the holy martyrs with honor and placed them in the church of blessed Mary on the hill, they became renowned for miracles and healings.

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TEXTUAL NOTES

1

Scottica tellus. In early medieval Latin, Scotia and Scotti refer to Ireland and the Irish. “Scottish” misleads a modern reader. The later Passio maior opens the same way (Scotorum genere).

2

Companions. The plate's Gallone and Arnuvale are ablatives; the nominatives are Gallo and Arnual. The earlier English (“Gallonus”, “Arnualdus”) is corrected. Colonatus also appears as Colmanus in the tradition.

3

In Australium partem. Austria/Australia in Frankish sources means Austrasia, the eastern Frankish kingdom. It is not the Latin adjective australis (“southern”). Würzburg lies in eastern Francia.

4

Lacuna. The plate moves straight from arrival at Würzburg to “arriving there and not finding John”. The sentence in which Kilian resolves to seek papal authorization in Rome is missing. As printed, the text implies they sought the pope at Würzburg. Supply the missing sentence from Levison; it is not reconstructed here.

5

John and Conon. John is Pope John V (d. 686); Conon reigned 686–687.

6

Cui dux promittens. The clause has no finite verb. Either a verb (e.g. respondit) has dropped out or the participle stands loosely for a finite verb. The gap is marked, not filled. Check Levison.

7

⟨dum⟩ dux. The plate reads et, dux in venatione abesset, which lacks a conjunction. Dum (or cum) is supplied. Check Levison.

8

Pippini regis. Levison's dating rests on the text calling Pippin the first king of the East Franks, a title that is anachronistic for 752. If the plate's bare Pippini regis abridges a fuller title, the abridgment removes the key dating evidence. Restore the full wording from Levison.

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DATE AND TRANSMISSION

POSITION

DATE

BASIS

Levison (1910)

ca. 840

The text names Pippin first king of the East Franks. That kingdom dates from Louis the German (833), which gives terminus post quem.

Bigelmair

ca. 752

Written around the elevation and translation of the relics under Burchard, probably 752.

The translation of the relics (752) is the earliest possible date, since the text narrates it. The text was probably written by a cleric of the Main region, and it served as a source for the longer Passio maior (10th century).

Oldest MS: St. Gallen, Stiftsbibl., Cod. Sang. 566, c. 870. The earlier plate lists Vienna, ÖNB, Cod. 552 as “s. IX med.”, which would make it older than St. Gallen 566. That date and the Munich Clm 4585 entry are unverified and are left out until checked. Source: Passio Kiliani, German Wikipedia

EDITIONS AND REFERENCES

For citation, use Levison MGH 5 — this reading text is not a critical edition

01

Standard edition: Passio Kiliani martyris Wirziburgensis, ed. Wilhelm Levison, MGH Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 5 (Hannover, 1910), 711–728.

02

Earlier printings: Acta Sanctorum, Iulius, vol. 2 (Antwerp, 1721), 612–614; Mabillon, Acta sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti 2 (Paris, 1669), 991–993; Canisius, Antiquae lectiones 4/2 (Ingolstadt, 1603), 642–647.

03

Emmerich: Franz Emmerich, Der heilige Kilian, Regionarbischof und Martyrer (Würzburg, 1896). The Passio maior is printed at pp. 11–25. The earlier plate's pp. 3–10 for the minor is unconfirmed.

04

Facsimile: Cynthia J. Hahn, Passio Kiliani (Codices selecti 83), Graz 1988, with commentary volume.

For citation, use Levison MGH 5. This reading text is not a critical edition. Lacunae and defective passages marked; do not supply from memory. Conventions: ⟨ ⟩ editorial, […] lacuna, italics no Latin equivalent.

PASSIO MINOR · BHL 4660 · REVISED READING TEXT