Dies Lucii Marii Vitalis

Just as last year at about this time, yesterday Sannion’s link roundup post mentioned Flavius Eugenius, an Ekklesía Antínoou Sanctus who is eulogized at Apollodorosh’s Nómos Arkhaios blog. Today certainly should be reckoned as one of Eugenius’ dies sancti, and so let it be so from henceforth! It was a noble and not unappreciated thing he did in attempting to allow the ancient polytheist religions to continue in at least a tolerated form under the Christian empire of the late fourth century CE, but it did not come to pass, alas. Nonetheless, we remember him and his compatriots, including another Sanctus, Arbogast, for having fought valiantly on behalf of such a cause. Ignis Corporis Infirmat, Ignis sed Animae Perstat!

However, the primary Ekklesía Antínoou-specific occasion of note today is the commemoration of Lucius Marius Vitalis, the young aspiring scholar that was at Hadrian’s court, who died, possibly in c. 128 CE. His memorial inscription (and the only source we have on him) was in Rome (and you can read it in my post on this occasion last year), but in my own non-historical framing of the situation, I imagine he may have been traveling with Hadrian’s party toward the east, and may have met his premature end while they were in Greece, not long before the initiation of Antinous and Hadrian into the Eleusinian Mysteries (Hadrian doing so for the second time).

As we have no idea what Vitalis looked like, any classical statue of a Greek or Roman youth will do in a pinch…however, some people have become more creative on this matter, like Shawn Postoff, and one of his renderings of Vitalis and Antinous together is at the following link (and I am giving it as such because it is not work-safe).

In terms of the ongoing work of the Serpent Path, and some of the inherent structures in it, the Treískouroi (of which Vitalis is one) are extremely important. In particular, Vitalis has a relationship with Set (as mentioned recently) and with Thoth, since in his capacity as an aspiring clerk, he was learning the “arts of Thoth” that are mentioned in the Obelisk of Antinous, for example. In both of these capacities, Vitalis has been at the corner of my perception for the last day, and lead me into some very intriguing sets of realizations and prompts, which I hope to gain clarification on via various means in the near future. But meanwhile, my own dedication to the “arts of Thoth” must continue as I attempt to finish Devotio Antinoo in the coming weeks.

I offer, as I did last year, the hymn to Vitalis to finish off this portion of my devotions to him; I shall make my offerings to him and my prayers to Antinous and the other Treískouroi later today.

Lucius Marius Vitalis

Lucius filius Lucii
Princepts ecclesiae sancti
Sanctissimus mortui beati
Consummatus litterati

Primus initiati
Mysteriae Antinoi
Coviator Hadriani
Peritus arteficii

Cereris fortunatus
Liberaque amplexus
Matris eius defletissimus
Mariae Malchis filius

Musae Nonae flerete
Atrox Fata tremeque
Antinoe eum protege
et custodi Hadriane

Data Lucie Sancte nobis
sapientiam subtilitatis
sub consilio Thothis
et tutela Sethis

Gaudete pro filio Mariae
et triumpho Memoriae
Ave Lucie Marie Vitalis

Ave Lucie Marie Vitalis
Ave Lucie Marie Vitalis
Ave Lucie Marie Vitalis

Vitae Tripuerorum nunquam e memoria excideatur.

Lucius, son of Lucius,
Foremost of the Ekklesía’s Sancti,
Most blessed of the holy dead,
Most learned in letters;

First of the initiates
of the Mysteries of Antinous,
Fellow traveler of Hadrian,
Skilled one of art;

Favored one of Ceres
and embraced by Libera;
most mourned of his mother
the son of Maria Malchis.

Weep, O Nine Muses
and shudder, cruel Fate!
Protect him, Antinous,
and look after him, Hadrian!

Give us, O Sanctus Lucius
the wisdom of subtlety
under the guidance of Thoth
and the protection of Set.

Rejoice for Maria’s son
and the triumph of Memory!
Hail Lucius Marius Vitalis!

Hail Lucius Marius Vitalis!
Hail Lucius Marius Vitalis!
Hail Lucius Marius Vitalis!

May the lives of the Treískouroi never be forgotten!