Jerome, Preface Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Preface
Preface.
You have urged me, Dexter, [2320] to follow the example of Tranquillus
[2321] in giving a systematic account of ecclesiastical writers, and to
do for our writers what he did for the illustrious men of letters among
the Gentiles, namely, to briefly set before you all those who have
published [2322] any memorable writing on the Holy Scriptures, from the
time of our Lord's passion until the fourteenth year of the Emperor
Theodosius. [2323] A similar work has been done by Hermippus [2324] the
peripatetic, Antigonus Carystius, [2325] the learned Satyrus, [2326]
and most learned of all, Aristoxenus the Musician, [2327] among the
Greeks, and among the Latins by Varro, [2328] Santra, [2329] Nepos,
[2330] Hyginus, [2331] and by him through whose example you seek to
stimulate [2332] us,--Tranquillus.
But their situation and mine is not the same, for they, opening the old
histories and chronicles could as if gathering from some great meadow,
weave some [2333] small crown at least for their work. As for me, what
shall I do, who, having no predecessor, have, as the saying is, the
worst possible master, namely myself, and yet I must acknowledge that
Eusebius Pamphilus in the ten books of his Church History has been of
the utmost assistance, and the works of various among those of whom we
are to write, often testify to the dates of their authors. And so I
pray the Lord Jesus, [2334] that what your Cicero, who stood at the
summit of Roman eloquence, did not scorn to do, compiling in his
Brutus, a catalogue of Latin orators, this I too may accomplish in the
enumeration of ecclesiastical writers, and accomplish in a fashion
worthy of the exhortation which you made. But if, perchance any of
those who are yet writing have been overlooked by me in this volume,
they ought to ascribe it to themselves, rather than to me, for among
those whom I have not read, I could not, in the first place, know those
who concealed their own writings, and, in the second place, what is
perhaps well known to others, would be quite unknown to me in this out
of the way corner of the earth. [2335] But surely when they are
distinguished by their writings, they will not very greatly grieve over
any loss in our non-mention of them. Let Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian
learn, rabid as they are against Christ, let their followers, they who
think the church has had no philosophers or orators or men of learning,
learn how many and what sort of men founded, built and adorned it, and
cease to accuse our faith of such rustic simplicity, and recognize
rather their own ignorance.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, farewell. [2336]
[2320] Dexter. Compare chapters 132 and 106.
[2321] Tranquillus. C. Suetonius Tranquillus (about a.d. 100). De
illustribus grammaticis; De claris rhetoribus.
[2322] Published or handed down "Prodiderunt." Some mss. read
"tradiderunt," and Jerome usually employs "Edo" for publish.
[2323] Fourteenth year of the Emperor Theodosius. a.d. 492.
[2324] Hermippus of Smyrna. (3rd century b.c.) Lives of distinguished
men.
[2325] Antigonus. Antigonus of Carystus (Reign of Ptolemy
Philadelphus?).
[2326] Satyrus. A Peripatetic (Reign of Ptolemy Philopator) "wrote a
collection of biographies."
[2327] Aristoxenus the musician. A Peripatetic, pupil of Aristotle,
wrote lives of various Philosophers.
[2328] Varro. M. Terentius Varro the "most learned of the Romans" (died
b.c. 28) published among other things a series of "portraits of seven
hundred remarkable personages" (Ramsay in Smith's Dictionary).
[2329] Santra. Santra the Grammarian?
[2330] Nepos. Cornelius Nepos friend of Cicero wrote Lives of
Illustrious men.
[2331] Hyginus. Caius Julius Hyginus, freedman of Augustus and friend
of Ovid.
[2332] Seek to stimulate 30 31 a [H e 21] and the mass of mss. also
Fabricius; stimulate. A.T. Migne. Her.
[2333] SomeA H 25 31 e 21. Fabricius; No T a? Migne Her.
[2334] The Lord Jesus A H T 25 31 e; The Lord Jesus Christ a; Our Lord
Jesus Christ Bamb. Bern; My Lord Jesus Christ Norimb.
[2335] Out of the way corner of the earth i.e., Bethlehem.
[2336] In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ farewell T 25 31 a 21; do.
omitting Christ A; omit all H e.
Jerome, List of Writers Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, List of Writers
List of Writers.
1. Simon Peter.
2. James, the brother of our Lord.
3. Matthew, surnamed Levi.
4. Jude, the brother of James.
5. Paul, formerly called Saul.
6. Barnabas, surnamed Joseph.
7. Luke, the evangelist.
8. Mark, the evangelist.
9. John, the apostle and evangelist.
10. Hermas.
11. Philo Judæus.
12. Lucius Annæus Seneca.
13. Josephus, son of Matthias.
14. Justus of Tiberias.
15. Clemens the bishop.
16. Ignatius the bishop.
17. Polycarp the bishop.
18. Papias the bishop.
19. Quadratus the bishop.
20. Aristides the philosopher.
21. Agrippa Castor.
22. Hegesippus the historian.
23. Justin the philosopher.
24. Melito the bishop.
25. Theophilus the bishop.
26. Apollinaris the bishop.
27. Dionysius the bishop.
27. Pinytus the bishop.
29. Tatian the heresiarch.
30. Phillip the bishop.
31. Musanus.
32. Modestus.
33. Bardesanes the heresiarch.
34. Victor the bishop.
35. Iranæus the bishop.
36. Pantænus the philosopher.
37. Rhodo, the disciple of Tatian.
38. Clemens the presbyter.
39. Miltiades.
40. Apollonius.
41. Serapion the bishop.
42. Apollonius the senator.
43. Theophilus another bishop.
44. Baccylus the bishop.
45. Polycrates the bishop.
46. Heraclitus.
47. Maximus.
48. Candidus.
49. Appion.
50. Sextus.
51. Arabianus.
52. Judas.
53. Tertullian the presbyter.
54. Origen, surnamed Adamantius.
55. Ammonius.
56. Ambrose the deacon.
57. Trypho the pupil of Origen.
58. Minucius Felix.
59. Gaius.
60. Berillus the bishop.
61. Hippolytus the bishop.
62. Alexander the bishop.
63. Julius the African.
64. Gemimus the presbyter.
65. Theodorus, surnamed Gregory the bishop.
66. Cornelius the bishop.
67. Cyprian the bishop.
68. Pontius the deacon.
69. Dionysius the bishop.
70. Novatianus the heresiarch.
71. Malchion the presbyter.
72. Archelaus the bishop.
73. Anatolius the bishop.
74. Victorinus the bishop.
75. Pamphilus the presbyter.
76. Pierius the presbyter.
77. Lucianus the presbyter.
78. Phileas the bishop.
79. Arnobius the rhetorician.
80. Firmianus the rhetorician, surnamed Lactantius.
81. Eusebius the bishop.
82. Reticius the bishop.
83. Methodius the bishop.
84. Juvencus the presbyter.
85. Eustathius the bishop.
86. Marcellus the bishop.
87. Athanasius the bishop.
88. Antonius the monk.
89. Basilius the bishop.
90. Theodorus the bishop.
91. Eusebius another bishop.
92. Triphylius the bishop.
93. Donatus the heresiarch.
94. Asterius the philosopher.
95. Lucifer the bishop.
96. Eusebius another bishop.
97. Fortunatianus the bishop.
98. Acacius the bishop.
99. Serapion the bishop.
100. Hilary the bishop.
101. Victorinus the rhetorician.
102. Titus the bishop.
103. Damasus the bishop.
104. Apollinarius the bishop.
105. Gregory the bishop.
106. Pacianus the bishop.
107. Photinus the heresiarch.
108. Phoebadius the bishop.
109. Didymus the Blind.
110. Optatus the bishop.
111. Acilius Severus the senator.
112. Cyril the bishop.
113. Euzoius the bishop.
114. Epiphanius the bishop.
115. Ephrem the deacon.
116. Basil another bishop.
117. Gregory another bishop.
118. Lucius the bishop.
119. Diodorus the bishop.
120. Eunomius the heresiarch.
121. Priscillianus the bishop.
122. Latronianus.
123. Tiberianus.
124. Ambrose the bishop.
125. Evagrius the bishop.
126. Ambrose the disciple of Didymus.
127. Maximus, first philosopher, then bishop.
128. Another Gregory, also a bishop.
129. John the presbyter.
130. Gelasius the bishop.
131. Theotimus the bishop.
132. Dexter, son of Pacianus, now prætorian prefect.
133. Amphilochius the bishop.
134. Sophronius.
135. Jerome the presbyter.
Jerome, Chapter I Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter I
Chapter I.
Simon Peter [2337] the son of John, from the village of Bethsaida in
the province of Galilee, brother of Andrew the apostle, and himself
chief of the apostles, after having been bishop of the church of
Antioch and having preached to the Dispersion [2338] --the believers in
circumcision, [2339] in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and
Bithynia--pushed on to Rome in the second year of Claudius to overthrow
Simon Magus, [2340] and held the sacerdotal chair there for twenty-five
years until the last, that is the fourteenth, year of Nero. At his
hands he received the crown of martyrdom being nailed to the cross with
his head towards the ground and his feet raised on high, asserting that
he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord. He
wrote two epistles which are called Catholic, the second of which, on
account of its difference from the first in style, is considered by
many not to be by him. Then too the Gospel according to Mark, who was
his disciple and interpreter, is ascribed to him. On the other hand,
the books, of which one is entitled his Acts, another his Gospel, a
third his Preaching, a fourth his Revelation, a fifth his "Judgment"
are rejected as apocryphal. [2341]
Buried at Rome in the Vatican near the triumphal way he is venerated by
the whole world. [2342]
[2337] Died 65-6 or 67.
[2338] Dispersion. The technical "Dispersion"--the Jews out of Judea.
Cf. Peter 1. 1. See Westcott in Smith's Dict. of Bible.
[2339] Circumcision a paraphrase for "Hebrews" in Eusebius and Rufinus.
[2340] Simon Magus. That Peter met Simon Magus in Rome is a
post-apostolic legend. Compare the Clementine literature.
[2341] Apocryphal. For literature on apocryphal works see Ante-Nic.
Fath. ed. Coxe (N. Y. Chr. Lit. Co.,) vol. 9 pp. 95 sq. The Acts,
Gospel, Preaching and Revelation are mentioned by Eusebius. The
Judgment was added by Jerome. This last has been much discussed of late
in connection with the recently discovered Teaching of the Twelve. The
identification of the Teaching with the Judgment is credited to Dr. von
Gebhardt (Salmon in Smith and Wace Dict. v. 4 (1887) pp. 810-11). The
recent literature of it is immense. Compare Schaff, Oldest Church
Manual, and literature in Ante-Nic. Fath. vol. 9 pp. 83-86.
[2342] The textual variations on the chapter are numerous enough but
none of them are sustained by the better mss. e.g. "First Simon Peter"
"Simon Peter the Apostle" "Peter the Apostle"..."Called
canonical"..."are considered apocryphal"..."the whole city."
Jerome, Chapter II Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter II
Chapter II.
James, [2343] who is called the brother of the Lord, [2344] surnamed
the Just, the son of Joseph by another wife, as some think, but, as
appears to me, the son of Mary sister of the mother of our Lord of whom
John makes mention in his book, [2345] after our Lord's passion at once
ordained by the apostles bishop of Jerusalem, wrote a single epistle,
which is reckoned among the seven Catholic Epistles and even this is
claimed by some to have been published by some one else under his name,
and gradually, as time went on, to have gained authority. Hegesippus
who lived near the apostolic age, in the fifth book of his
Commentaries, writing of James, says "After the apostles, James the
brother of the Lord surnamed the Just was made head of the Church at
Jerusalem. Many indeed are called James. This one was holy from his
mother's womb. He drank neither wine nor strong drink, ate no flesh,
never shaved or anointed himself with ointment or bathed. He alone had
the privilege of entering the Holy of Holies, since indeed he did not
use woolen vestments but linen and went alone into the temple and
prayed in behalf of the people, insomuch that his knees were reputed to
have acquired the hardness of camels' knees." He says also many other
things, too numerous to mention. Josephus also in the 20th book of his
Antiquities, and Clement in the 7th of his Outlines mention that on the
death of Festus who reigned over Judea, Albinus was sent by Nero as his
successor. Before he had reached his province, Ananias the high priest,
the youthful son of Ananus of the priestly class taking advantage of
the state of anarchy, assembled a council and publicly tried to force
James to deny that Christ is the son of God. When he refused Ananius
ordered him to be stoned. Cast down from a pinnacle of the temple, his
legs broken, but still half alive, raising his hands to heaven he said,
"Lord forgive them for they know not what they do." Then struck on the
head by the club of a fuller such a club as fullers are accustomed to
wring out garments [2346] with--he died. This same Josephus records the
tradition that this James was of so great sanctity and reputation among
the people that the downfall of Jerusalem was believed to be on account
of his death. He it is of whom the apostle Paul writes to the Galatians
that "No one else of the apostles did I see except James the brother of
the Lord," and shortly after the event the Acts of the apostles bear
witness to the matter. The Gospel also which is called the Gospel
according to the Hebrews, [2347] and which I have recently translated
into Greek and Latin and which also Origen [2348] often makes use of,
after the account of the resurrection of the Saviour says, "but the
Lord, after he had given his grave clothes to the servant of the
priest, appeared to James (for James had sworn that he would not eat
bread from that hour in which he drank the cup of the Lord until he
should see him rising again from among those that sleep)" and again, a
little later, it says "Bring a table and bread,' said the Lord." And
immediately it is added, "He brought bread and blessed and brake and
gave to James the Just and said to him, my brother eat thy bread, for
the son of man is risen from among those that sleep.'" And so he ruled
the church of Jerusalem thirty years, that is until the seventh year of
Nero, and was buried near the temple from which he had been cast down.
His tombstone with its inscription was well known until the siege of
Titus and the end of Hadrian's reign. Some of our writers think he was
buried in Mount Olivet, but they are mistaken.
[2343] Died 62 or 63 (according to Josephus and Jerome) or 69
(Hegesippus).
[2344] Brother of the Lord. Gal. i. 19
[2345] in his book John xix. 25
[2346] garments A H 25 30 e 21; wet garments T e 29.
[2347] Gospel according to the Hebrews. Compare Lipsius Gospels apocr,
in Smith and Wace, Dict. v. 2 pp. 709-12.
[2348] Origen. H 31 a e 1021; Adamantius A T 25.
Jerome, Chapter III Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter III
Chapter III.
Matthew, [2349] also called Levi, apostle and aforetimes publican,
composed a gospel of Christ at first published in Judea in Hebrew
[2350] for the sake of those of the circumcision who believed, but this
was afterwards translated into Greek though by what author is
uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been preserved until the present day
in the library at Cæsarea which Pamphilus so diligently gathered. I
have also had the opportunity of having the volume described to me by
the Nazarenes [2351] of Beroea, [2352] a city of Syria, who use it. In
this it is to be noted that wherever the Evangelist, whether on his own
account or in the person of our Lord the Saviour quotes the testimony
of the Old Testament he does not follow the authority of the
translators of the Septuagint but the Hebrew. Wherefore these two forms
exist "Out of Egypt have I called my son," and "for he shall be called
a Nazarene."
[2349] Died after 62.
[2350] Gospel...in Hebrew. Jerome seems to regard the Gospel according
to the Hebrews mentioned by him above as the original Hebrew Text of
Matthew. cf. Lightfoot, Ignatius v. 2. p. 295.
[2351] Nazarenes=Nasaraei. See Smith and Wace s.v.
[2352] Beroea some mss. read Veria and so Herding. The modern Aleppo.
Jerome, Chapter IV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter IV
Chapter IV.
Jude [2353] the brother of James, left a short epistle which is
reckoned among the seven catholic epistles, and because in it [2354] he
quotes from the apocryphal book of Enoch it is rejected by many.
Nevertheless by age and use it has gained authority and is reckoned
among the Holy Scriptures.
[2353] Died after 62.
[2354] in itH 31 a e 10 21; omit A T 25 30.
Jerome, Chapter V Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter V
Chapter V.
Paul, [2355] formerly called Saul, an apostle outside the number of the
twelve apostles, was of the tribe of Benjamin and the town of Giscalis
[2356] in Judea. When this was taken by the Romans he removed with his
parents to Tarsus in Cilicia. Sent by them to Jerusalem to study law he
was educated by Gamaliel a most learned man whom Luke mentions. But
after he had been present at the death of the martyr Stephen and had
received letters from the high priest of the temple for the persecution
of those who believed in Christ, he proceeded to Damascus, where
constrained to faith by a revelation, as it is written in the Acts of
the apostles, he was transformed from a persecutor into an elect
vessel. As Sergius Paulus Proconsul of Cyprus was the first to believe
on his preaching, he took his name from him because he had subdued him
to faith in Christ, and having been joined by Barnabas, after
traversing many cities, he returned to Jerusalem and was ordained
apostle to the Gentiles by Peter, James and John. And because a full
account of his life is given in the Acts of the Apostles, I only say
this, that the twenty-fifth year after our Lord's passion, that is the
second of Nero, at the time when Festus Procurator of Judea succeeded
Felix, he was sent bound to Rome, and remaining for two years in free
custody, disputed daily with the Jews concerning the advent of Christ.
It ought to be said that at the first defence, the power of Nero having
not yet been confirmed, nor his wickedness broken forth to such a
degree as the histories relate concerning him, Paul was dismissed by
Nero, that the gospel of Christ might be preached also in the West. As
he himself writes in the second epistle to Timothy, at the time when he
was about to be put to death dictating his epistle as he did while in
chains; "At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me:
may it not be laid to their account. But the Lord stood by [2357] me
and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully
proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered
out of the mouth of the lion" [2358] --clearly indicating Nero as lion
on account of his cruelty. And directly following he says "The Lord
delivered me from the mouth of the lion" and again shortly "The Lord
delivered me [2359] from every evil work and saved me unto his heavenly
kingdom," [2360] for indeed he felt within himself that his martyrdom
was near at hand, for in the same epistle he announced "for I am
already being offered and the time of my departure is at hand." [2361]
He then, in the fourteenth year of Nero on the same day with Peter, was
beheaded at Rome for Christ's sake and was buried in the Ostian way,
the twenty-seventh year after our Lord's passion. He wrote nine
epistles to seven churches: To the Romans one, To the Corinthians two,
To the Galatians one, To the Ephesians one, To the Philippians one, To
the Colossians one, To the Thessalonians two; and besides these to his
disciples, To Timothy two, To Titus one, To Philemon one. The epistle
which is called the Epistle to the Hebrews is not considered his, on
account of its difference from the others in style and language, but it
is reckoned, either according to Tertullian to be the work of Barnabas,
or according to others, to be by Luke the Evangelist or Clement
afterwards bishop of the church at Rome, who, they say, arranged and
adorned the ideas of Paul in his own language, though to be sure, since
Paul was writing to Hebrews and was in disrepute among them he may have
omitted his name from the salutation on this account. He being a Hebrew
wrote Hebrew, that is his own tongue and most fluently while the things
which were eloquently written in Hebrew were more eloquently turned
into Greek [2362] and this is the reason why it seems to differ from
other epistles of Paul. Some read one also to [2363] the Laodiceans but
it is rejected by everyone.
[2355] Died 67?, probably after 64 at least.
[2356] Giscalis, supposed thus to have originated at Giscalis and to
have gone from there to Tarsus, but this is not generally accepted.
[2357] The Lord stood by all mss. and eds; God. Her.
[2358] lion. 2 Tim. 4. 16-17
[2359] from the mouth of the lion, and again shortly "The Lord
delivered me"(substantially) A H 25 30 31 a e etc.; omit T. Her. There
are slight variations; God H 21 Bamb Bern. Norimb.; I was delivered
Val. Cypr. Tam. Par 1512 etc.
[2360] The Lord...kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 18
[2361] for I...at hand 2 Tim. 4. 6
[2362] intoH 31 a e. and many others; in A T 25 30.
[2363] also to A H T 25 30 a e Norimb, Bamb.; also 3l; omit, Her. who
seems to have omitted on some evidence possibly Bern.
Jerome, Chapter VI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter VI
Chapter VI.
Barnabas [2364] the Cyprian, also called Joseph the Levite, ordained
apostle to the Gentiles with Paul, wrote one Epistle, valuable for the
edification of the church, which is reckoned among the apocryphal
writings. He afterwards separated from Paul on account of John, a
disciple also called Mark, [2365] none the less exercised the work laid
upon him of preaching the Gospel.
[2364] Died in Salamis 53 (Ceillier Papebroch), 56 (Braunsberger), 61
(Breviarum romanum), 76 (Nirschl). The discussion of the date of his
death is a good deal mixed up with the question of the authenticity of
the work.
[2365] Mark Acts 15. 37
Jerome, Chapter VII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter VII
Chapter VII.
Luke [2366] a physician of Antioch, as his writings indicate, was not
unskilled in the Greek language. An adherent of the apostle Paul, and
companion of all his journeying, he wrote a Gospel, concerning which
the same Paul says, "We send with him a brother whose praise in the
gospel is among all the churches" [2367] and to the Colossians "Luke
the beloved physician salutes you," [2368] and to Timothy "Luke only is
with me." [2369] He also wrote another excellent volume to which he
prefixed the title Acts of the Apostles, a history which extends to the
second year of Paul's sojourn at Rome, that is to the fourth [2370]
year of Nero, from which we learn that the book was composed in that
same city. Therefore the Acts of Paul and Thecla [2371] and all the
fable about the lion baptized by him we reckon among the apocryphal
writings, [2372] for how is it possible that the inseparable companion
of the apostle in his other affairs, alone should have been ignorant of
this thing. Moreover Tertullian who lived near those times, mentions a
certain presbyter in Asia, an adherent of the apostle Paul, [2373] who
was convicted by John of having been the author of the book, and who,
confessing that he did this for love of Paul, resigned his office of
presbyter. Some suppose that whenever Paul in his epistle says
"according to my gospel" he means the book of Luke and that Luke not
only was taught the gospel history by the apostle Paul who was not with
the Lord in the flesh, but also by other apostles. This he too at the
beginning of his work declares, saying "Even as they delivered unto us,
which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word."
So he wrote the gospel as he had heard it, but composed the Acts of the
apostles as he himself had seen. He was buried at Constantinople to
which city, in the twentieth year of Constantius, his bones together
with the remains of Andrew the apostle were transferred.
[2366] Died 83-4?
[2367] we send...churches 2 Cor. 8. 18
[2368] Luke...salutes you Col. 4. 14
[2369] Luke...with me 2 Tim. 4. 11
[2370] fourthA T H 25 30 31 Val. etc.; fourteenth. Her. Sigbert. S.
Crucis.
[2371] Acts of Paul and Thecla (Acts = Journeyings) Cf. Acts of Paul
and Thecla, tr. in Ante Nic. Fath. v. 8 pp. 487-92.
[2372] apocryphal writings A H 31 e a Bamb Norimb. Val. etc.; apocrypha
Her. T 25 30.
[2373] apostle Paul A H e a etc. Val; omit Paul T 25 30 31 Her.
Jerome, Chapter VIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter VIII
Chapter VIII.
Mark [2374] the disciple and interpreter of Peter wrote a short gospel
at the request of the brethren at Rome embodying what he had heard
Peter tell. When Peter had heard this, he approved it and published it
to the churches to be read by his authority as Clemens in the sixth
book of his Hypotyposes and Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, record. Peter
also mentions this Mark in his first epistle, figuratively indicating
Rome under the name of Babylon "She who [2375] is in Babylon elect
together with you saluteth you [2376] and so doth Mark my son." So,
taking the gospel which he himself composed, he went to Egypt and first
preaching Christ at Alexandria he formed a church so admirable in
doctrine and continence of living that he constrained all followers of
Christ to his example. Philo most learned of the Jews seeing the first
church at Alexandria still Jewish in a degree, wrote a book [2377] on
their manner of life as something creditable to his nation telling how,
as Luke says, the believers had all things in common [2378] at
Jerusalem, so he recorded that he saw [2379] was done at Alexandria,
under the learned Mark. He died in the eighth year of Nero and was
buried at Alexandria, Annianus succeeding him. [2380]
[2374] Flourished 45 to 55?
[2375] She who A H T 25 30 31 a e Val etc; the church which. Her. and
one mentioned by Vallarsi, also in Munich mss. 14370.
[2376] She who...saluteth you 1 Pet. 5. 13
[2377] a bookA H 31 a e etc; and Her.; omit T 25 30. This work entitled
On a contemplative life is still extant but is generally regarded as
not by Philo.
[2378] had all things in common Acts 2. 44
[2379] so...saw A H a e 31? Val.; so he saw and recorded. T 25 30 Her.
[2380] Annianus succeeding him A H T 25 30 a e Val etc.; omit Her. 31.
Jerome, Chapter IX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter IX
Chapter IX.
John, [2381] the apostle whom Jesus most loved, the son of Zebedee and
brother of James, the apostle whom Herod, after our Lord's passion,
beheaded, most recently of all the evangelists wrote a Gospel, at the
request of the bishops of Asia, against Cerinthus and other heretics
and especially against the then growing dogma of the Ebionites, who
assert that Christ did not exist before Mary. On this account he was
compelled to maintain His divine nativity. But there is said to be yet
another reason for this work, in that when he had read Matthew, Mark,
and Luke, he approved indeed the substance of the history and declared
that the things they said were true, but that they had given the
history of only one year, the one, that is, which follows the
imprisonment of John and in which he was put to death. So passing by
this year the events of which had been set forth by these, he related
the events of the earlier period before John was shut up in prison, so
that it might be manifest to those who should diligently read the
volumes of the four Evangelists. This also takes away the discrepancy
which there seems to be between John and the others. He wrote also one
Epistle which begins as follows "That which was from the beginning,
that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes and our
hands handled concerning the word of life" which is esteemed of by all
men who are interested in the church or in learning. The other two of
which the first is "The elder to the elect lady and her children" and
the other "The elder unto Gaius [2382] the beloved whom I love in
truth," are said to be the work of John the presbyter to the memory of
whom another sepulchre is shown at Ephesus to the present day, though
some think that there are two memorials of this same John the
evangelist. We shall treat of this matter in its turn [2383] when we
come to Papias his disciple. In the fourteenth year then after Nero
[2384] Domitian having raised a second persecution he was banished to
the island of Patmos, and wrote the Apocalypse, on which Justin Martyr
and Irenæus afterwards wrote commentaries. But Domitian having been put
to death and his acts, on account of his excessive cruelty, having been
annulled by the senate, he returned to Ephesus under Pertinax [2385]
and continuing there until the time of the emperor Trajan, founded and
built churches throughout all Asia, and, worn out by old age, died in
the sixty-eighth year after our Lord's passion and was buried near the
same city.
[2381] Exiled to Patmos 94-95.
[2382] GaiusA H 25 30 31 a e; Caius Her. T.
[2383] in its turn A H T 31 a e Val. etc; omit T. 25 30.
[2384] after Nero A H 30 31 a e. Bamb. Norimb. Cypr. Val.; omit T 25.
[2385] Pertinax A H T 25 30 31 a e Norimb. Cypr. etc; Nerva Pertinax
Bamb. Ambros. Her.; Nerva principe. Val.
Jerome, Chapter X Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter X
Chapter X.
Hermas [2386] [2387] whom the apostle Paul mentions in writing to the
Romans "Salute [2388] Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas [2389] and the
brethren that are with them" [2390] is reputed to be the author of the
book which is called Pastor and which is also read publicly in some
churches of Greece. It is in fact a useful book and many of the ancient
writers quote from it as authority, but among the Latins it is almost
unknown.
[2386] The date of Hermas depends on what Hermas is supposed to be the
author. He is supposed to be 1 the Hermas of the New Testament, or 2
the brother of Pius I (139-54) or 3 a still later Hermas. All these
views have distinguished advocates, but this view of Jerome taken from
Origen through Eusebius is not much accepted.
[2387] HermasA T 25 30 e; Herman Her. Val. a 31; Hermam H Cypr.
[2388] Salute(omitting Asyncritus) A H T 25 30 31 a e etc. Cypr.; add
Asyncritus Val. Her. Greek from the New Testament.
[2389] Hermes Patrobas Hermas A H T 25 30 a e Val. Gr. etc.; omit
Hermes. A Her.
[2390] Salute...them Rom. 15. 14
Jerome, Chapter XI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XI
Chapter XI.
Philo [2391] the Jew, an Alexandrian of the priestly class, is placed
by us among the ecclesiastical writers on the ground that, writing a
book concerning the first church of Mark the evangelist at Alexandria,
he writes to our praise, declaring not only that they were there, but
also that they were in many provinces and calling their habitations
monasteries. From this [2392] it appears that the church of those that
believed in Christ at first, was such as now the monks desire to
imitate, [2393] that is, such that nothing is the peculiar property of
any one of them, none of them rich, none poor, that patrimonies are
divided among the needy, that they have leisure for prayer and psalms,
for doctrine also and ascetic practice, that they were in fact as Luke
declares believers were at first at Jerusalem. They say that under
Caius [2394] Caligula he ventured to Rome, whither he had been sent as
legate of his nation, and that when a second time he had come to
Claudius, he spoke in the same city with the apostle Peter and enjoyed
his friendship, and for this reason also adorned the adherents of Mark,
Peter's disciple at Alexandria, with his praises. There are
distinguished and innumerable works by this man: On the five books of
Moses, one book Concerning the confusion of tongues, one book On nature
and invention, one book On the things which our senses desire and we
detest, one book On learning, one book On the heir of divine things,
one book On the division of equals and contraries, one book On the
three virtues, one book On why in Scripture the names of many persons
are changed, two books On covenants, one book On the life of a wise
man, one book Concerning giants, five books That dreams are sent by
God, five books of Questions and answers on Exodus, four books On the
tabernacle and the Decalogue, as well as books On victims and promises
or curses, On Providence, On the Jews, On the manner of one's life, On
Alexander, and That dumb beasts have right reason, and That every fool
should be a slave, and On the lives of the Christians, of which we
spoke above, that is, lives of apostolic men, which also he entitled,
On those who practice the divine life, because in truth they
contemplate divine things and ever pray to God, also under other
categories, two On agriculture, two On drunkenness. There are other
monuments of his genius which have not come to our hands. Concerning
him there is a proverb among the Greeks "Either Plato philonized, or
Philo platonized," that is, either Plato followed Philo, or Philo,
Plato, so great is the similarity of ideas and language.
[2391] Visited Rome a.d. 40, and must have lived (Edersheim) ten or
fifteen years after his return.
[2392] From this etc. Acts 2. 4; Acts 4. 32
[2393] desire to imitate the mss.; strive to be Cypr. Fabr. Val., on
account of the difficult construction with imitate.
[2394] CaiusCypr. Fabr. Val.; Gaius all the mss.; omit Her.
Jerome, Chapter XII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XII
Chapter XII.
Lucius Annæus Seneca [2395] of Cordova, disciple of the Stoic Sotion
[2396] and uncle of Lucan the Poet, was a man of most continent life,
whom I should not place in the category of saints were it not that
those Epistles of Paul to Seneca and Seneca [2397] to Paul, which are
read by many, provoke me. In these, written when he was tutor of Nero
and the most powerful man of that time, he says that he would like to
hold such a place among his countrymen as Paul held among Christians.
He was put to death by Nero two years before Peter and Paul were
crowned with martyrdom.
[2395] Died 65.
[2396] SotionCypr. Val. Her.; Phothion fotion, fotinus Socion or
Sozonis, the mss.
[2397] and Seneca A H e a 21 10 Fabr. Val. etc.; or Seneca T 25 30 31
Her.
Jerome, Chapter XIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XIII
Chapter XIII.
Josephus, [2398] the son of Matthias, priest of Jerusalem, taken
prisoner by Vespasian and his son Titus, was banished. Coming to Rome
he presented to the emperors, father and son, seven books On the
captivity of the Jews, which were deposited in the public library and,
on account of his genius, was found worthy of a statue at Rome. He
wrote also twenty books of Antiquities, from the beginning of the world
until the fourteenth year of Domitian Cæsar, and two of Antiquities
against Appion, the grammarian of Alexandria who, under Caligula, sent
as legate on the part of the Gentiles against Philo, wrote also a book
containing a vituperation of the Jewish nation. Another book of his
entitled, On all ruling wisdom, in which the martyr deaths of the
Maccabeans are related is highly esteemed. In the eighth book of his
Antiquities he most openly acknowledges that Christ was slain by the
Pharisees on account of the greatness of his miracles, that John the
Baptist was truly a prophet, and that Jerusalem was destroyed because
of the murder of James the apostle. He wrote also concerning the Lord
after this fashion: "In this same time was Jesus, a wise man, if indeed
it be lawful to call him man. For he was a worker of wonderful
miracles, and a teacher of those who freely receive the truth. He had
very many adherents also, both of the Jews and of the Gentiles, and was
believed to be Christ, and when through the envy of our chief men
Pilate had crucified him, nevertheless those who had loved him at first
continued to the end, for he appeared to them the third day alive. Many
things, both these and other wonderful things are in the songs of the
prophets who prophesied concerning him and the sect of Christians, so
named from Him, exists to the present day."
[2398] Born a.d. 37, died after 97.
Jerome, Chapter XIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XIV
Chapter XIV.
Justus, [2399] [2400] of Tiberias of the province Galilee, also
attempted to write a History of Jewish affairs and certain brief
Commentaries on the Scriptures but Josephus convicts him of falsehood.
It is known that he wrote at the same time as Josephus himself.
[2399] Flourished 100.
[2400] Justusa 21 10 Fabr. Val.; Justinus others.
Jerome, Chapter XV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XV
Chapter XV.
Clement, [2401] of whom the apostle Paul writing to the Philippians
says "With Clement and others of my fellow-workers whose names are
written in the book of life," [2402] the fourth bishop of Rome after
Peter, if indeed the second was Linus and the third Anacletus, [2403]
although most of the Latins think that Clement was second after the
apostle. [2404] He wrote, on the part of the church of Rome, an
especially valuable Letter to the church of the Corinthians, which in
some places is publicly read, and which seems to me to agree in style
with the epistle to the Hebrews which passes under the name of Paul but
it differs from this same epistle, not only in many of its ideas, but
also in respect of the order of words, and its likeness in either
respect is not very great. There is also a second Epistle under his
name which is rejected by earlier writers, and a Disputation between
Peter and Appion written out at length, which Eusebius in the third
book of his Church history rejects. He died in the third year of Trajan
and a church built at Rome preserves the memory of his name unto this
day.
[2401] Bishop 91 or 2-101. Died 110 (Euseb. Ch. Hist.) It is by no
means certain that Clemens Romanus is the Clemens mentioned in the New
Testament. Compare discussions by Salmon in Smith and Wace, and
M'Giffert in his translation of Eusebius.
[2402] With Clement...life Phil. 4. 3
[2403] Anacletus Val. Fabr. Her.; Anencletus, Anincletus, Anenclitus, H
25 31 e; Cletus (or Elitus). T 30 31; Anicletus, 10; Anecletus, A;
Aneclitus, a.
[2404] apostle A H 25 30 31 a e; apostle Peter T Fabr. Val. Her.
Jerome, Chapter XVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XVI
Chapter XVI.
Ignatius, [2405] third bishop of the church of Antioch after Peter the
apostle, condemned to the wild beasts during the persecution of Trajan,
was sent bound to Rome, and when he had come on his voyage as far as
Smyrna, where Polycarp the pupil of John was bishop, he wrote one
epistle To the Ephesians, another To the Magnesians, a third To the
Trallians, a fourth To the Romans, and going thence, he wrote To the
Philadelphians and To the Smyrneans and especially To Polycarp,
commending to him the church at Antioch. In this last [2406] he bore
witness to the Gospel which I have recently translated, in respect of
the person of Christ saying, "I indeed saw him in the flesh after the
resurrection and I believe that he is," and when he came to Peter and
those who were with Peter, he said to them "Behold! touch me and see me
how that I am not an incorporeal spirit" and straightway they touched
him and believed. Moreover it seems worth while inasmuch as we have
made mention of such a man and of the Epistle which he wrote to the
Romans, to give a few "quotations" [2407] : "From Syria even unto Rome
I fight with wild beasts, by land and by sea, by night and by day,
being bound amidst ten leopards, that is to say soldiers who guard me
and who only become worse when they are well treated. Their wrong
doing, however is my schoolmaster, but I am not thereby justified. May
I have joy of the beasts that are prepared for me; and I pray that I
may find them ready; I will even coax them to devour me quickly that
they may not treat me as they have some whom they have refused to touch
through fear. And if they are unwilling, I will compel them to devour
me. Forgive me my children, I know what is expedient for me. Now do I
begin to be a disciple, and desire none of the things visible that I
may attain unto Jesus Christ. Let fire and cross and attacks of wild
beasts, let wrenching of bones, cutting apart of limbs, crushing of the
whole body, tortures [2408] of the devil,--let all these come upon me
if only I may attain unto the joy which is in Christ."
When he had been condemned to the wild beasts and with zeal for
martyrdom heard the lions roaring, he said "I am the grain of Christ. I
am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts that I may be found the bread
of the world." He was put to death the eleventh year of Trajan and the
remains of his body lie in Antioch outside the Daphnitic gate in the
cemetery.
[2405] Bishop about 70, died about 107.
[2406] In this last etc. Eusebius from whom he quotes says Smyrneans.
Lightfoot maintains that Jerome had never seen the Epistles of
Ignatius.
[2407] quotations etc. This is taken bodily from Eusebius. The
translation is M'Giffert's adapted to the Latin of Jerome.
[2408] tortures A H T 25 30 31 e; all the tortures a. Fabr. Val. Her.
Jerome, Chapter XVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XVII
Chapter XVII.
Polycarp [2409] disciple of the apostle John and by him ordained bishop
of Smyrna was chief of all Asia, where he saw and had as teachers some
of the apostles and of those who had seen the Lord. He, on account of
certain questions concerning the day of the Passover, went to Rome in
the time of the emperor Antoninus Pius while Anicetus ruled the church
in that city. There he led back to the faith many of the believers who
had been deceived through the persuasion of Marcion and Valentinus, and
when Marcion met him by chance and said "Do you know us" he replied, "I
know the firstborn of the devil." Afterwards during the reign of Marcus
Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus in the fourth persecution after
Nero, in the presence of the proconsul holding court at Smyrna and all
the people crying out against him in the Amphitheater, he was burned.
He wrote a very valuable Epistle to the Philippians which is read to
the present day in the meetings in Asia.
[2409] Bishop 106 or 7--157-168 (?); 154 sq (Lipsius) Authorities
differ as to dates of his death from 147-175. Bishop certainly (Salmon)
110.
Jerome, Chapter XVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XVIII
Chapter XVIII.
Papias, [2410] the pupil of John, bishop of Hierapolis in Asia, wrote
only five volumes, which he entitled Exposition of the words of our
Lord, in which, when he had asserted in his preface that he did not
follow various opinions but had the apostles for authority, he said "I
considered what Andrew and Peter said, what Philip, what Thomas, what
James, what John, [2411] what Matthew or any one else among the
disciples of our Lord, what also Aristion and the elder John, disciples
of the Lord had said, not so much that I have their books to read, as
that their living voice is heard until the present day in the authors
themselves." It appears through this catalogue of names that the John
who is placed among the disciples is not the same as the elder John
whom he places after Aristion in his enumeration. This we say moreover
because of the opinion mentioned above, where we record that it is
declared by many that the last two epistles of John are the work not of
the apostle but of the presbyter.
He is said to have published a Second coming of Our Lord or Millennium.
Irenæus and Apollinaris and others who say that after the resurrection
the Lord will reign in the flesh with the saints, follow him.
Tertullian also in his work On the hope of the faithful, Victorinus of
Petau and Lactantius follow this view.
[2410] 130 (Salmon).
[2411] what John A H 25 30 31 a e; omit T Her.
Jerome, Chapter XIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XIX
Chapter XIX.
Quadratus, [2412] disciple of the apostles, after Publius bishop of
Athens had been crowned with martyrdom on account of his faith in
Christ, was substituted in his place, and by his faith and industry
gathered the church scattered by reason of its great fear. And when
Hadrian passed the winter at Athens to witness the Eleusinian mysteries
and was initiated into almost all the sacred mysteries of Greece, those
who hated the Christians took opportunity without instructions from the
Emperor to harass the believers. At this time he presented to Hadrian a
work composed in behalf of our religion, indispensable, full of sound
argument and faith and worthy of the apostolic teaching. In which,
illustrating the antiquity of his period, he says that he has seen many
who, oppressed by various ills, were healed by the Lord in Judea as
well as some who had been raised from the dead.
[2412] Flourished 126 (125)? Not the Athenian bishop (Salmon). Work not
extant.
Jerome, Chapter XX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XX
Chapter XX.
Aristides [2413] a most eloquent Athenian philosopher, and a disciple
of Christ while yet retaining his philosopher's garb, presented a work
to Hadrian at the same time that Quadratus presented his. The work
contained a systematic statement of our doctrine, that is, an Apology
for the Christians, which is still extant and is regarded by
philologians as a monument to his genius.
[2413] Flourished 125, apology presented about 133.
Jerome, Chapter XXI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXI
Chapter XXI.
Agrippa [2414] surnamed Castor, a man of great learning, wrote a strong
refutation of the twenty-four volumes which Basilides the heretic had
written against the Gospel, disclosing all his mysteries and
enumerating the prophets Barcabbas and Barchob [2415] and all the other
barbarous names which terrify the hearers, and his most high God
Abraxas, whose name was supposed to contain the year according to the
reckoning [2416] of the Greeks. Basilides died at Alexandria in the
reign of Hadrian, and from him the Gnostic sects arose. In this
tempestuous time also, Cochebas leader of the Jewish faction put
Christians to death with various tortures.
[2414] Flourished about 130 or 135.
[2415] Various readings are Barcobus, Barcobeth, Barcho et, Bascobus
et.
[2416] reckoning all but T and Her. which have nomenclature.
Jerome, Chapter XXII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXII
Chapter XXII.
Hegesippus [2417] who lived at a period not far from the Apostolic age,
writing a History of all ecclesiastical events from the passion of our
Lord, down to his own period, and gathering many things useful to the
reader, composed five volumes in simple style, trying to represent the
style of speaking of those whose lives he treated. He says that he went
to Rome in the time of Anicetus, the tenth bishop after Peter, and
continued there till the time of Eleutherius, bishop of the same city,
who had been formerly deacon under Anicetus. Moreover, arguing against
idols, he wrote a history, showing from what error they had first
arisen, and this work indicates in what age he flourished. [2418] He
says, "They built monuments and temples to their dead as we see up to
the present day, [2419] such as the one to Antinous, servant to the
Emperor Hadrian, in whose honour also games were celebrated, and a city
founded bearing his name, and a temple with priests established." The
Emperor Hadrian is said to have been enamoured of Antinous.
[2417] Died 180. Wrote his history in part before 167, and published
after 175.
[2418] He flourished T H a e 25 30 Val. Fabr.; They flourished Her.
[2419] up to the present day A H 31 e a; to day T 25 30.
Jerome, Chapter XXIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXIII
Chapter XXIII.
Justin, [2420] a philosopher, and wearing the garb of philosopher, a
citizen of Neapolis, a city of Palestine, and the son of Priscus
Bacchius, laboured strenuously in behalf of the religion of Christ,
insomuch that he delivered to Antoninus Pius and his sons and the
senate, a work written Against the nations, and did not shun the
ignominy of the cross. He addressed another book also to the successors
of this Antoninus, Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus.
Another volume of his Against the nations, is also extant, where he
discusses the nature of demons, and a fourth against the nations which
he entitled, Refutation and yet another On the sovereignty of God, and
another book which he entitled, Psaltes, and another On the Soul, the
Dialogue against the Jews, which he held against Trypho, the leader of
the Jews, and also notable volumes Against Marcion, which Irenæus also
mentions in the fourth book [2421] Against heresies, also another book
Against all heresies which he mentions in the Apology which is
addressed to Antoninus Pius. He, when he had held diatribas in the city
of Rome, and had convicted Crescens the cynic, who said many
blasphemous things against the Christians, of gluttony and fear of
death, and had proved him devoted to luxury and lusts, at last, accused
of being a Christian, through the efforts and wiles of Crescens, he
shed his blood for Christ.
[2420] Born about 104 (100?), Christian 133 (before 132 Holland) wrote
apology about 150, died 167.
[2421] fourth book A T 25 30 Val. Her.; fifth H 31 a e Fabr. and early
editions; The right reference is probably Bk. 4 ch. 10 but he himself
is mentioned in book 5 and it is likely Jerome wrote 5.
Jerome, Chapter XXIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXIV
Chapter XXIV.
Melito [2422] of Asia, bishop of Sardis, addressed a book to the
emperor Marcus Antoninus Verus, a disciple of Fronto the orator, in
behalf of the Christian doctrine. He wrote other things also, among
which are the following: On the passover, two books, one book On the
lives of the prophets, one book On the church, [2423] one book On the
Lord's day, one book On faith, one book On the psalms (?) one On the
senses, one On the soul and body, one On baptism, one On truth, one On
the generation of Christ, On His prophecy [2424] one On hospitality and
another which is called the Key--one On the devil, one On the
Apocalypse of John, one On the corporeality of God, and six books of
Eclogues. Of his fine oratorical genius, Tertullian, in the seven books
which he wrote against the church on behalf of Montanus, satirically
says that he was considered a prophet by many of us.
[2422] Bishop about 150, died between 171 and 180.
[2423] On the church A 25 30 e a; omit T 3l e a [H].
[2424] On truth...prophecy A H 25 30 31 e a Val. etc; omit T Her.
Jerome, Chapter XXV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXV
Chapter XXV.
Theophilus, [2425] sixth bishop of the church of Antioch, in the reign
of the emperor Marcus Antoninus Verus composed a book Against Marcion,
which is still extant, also three volumes To Autolycus and one Against
the heresy of Hermogenes and other short and elegant treatises, well
fitted for the edification of the church. I have read, under his name,
commentaries On the Gospel and On the proverbs of Solomon which do not
appear to me to correspond in style and language with the elegance and
expressiveness of the above works.
[2425] Bishop in 168, died after 181 (some 176-86).
Jerome, Chapter XXVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXVI
Chapter XXVI.
Apollinaris, [2426] bishop of Hierapolis in Asia, flourished in the
reign of Marcus Antoninus Verus, to whom he addressed a notable volume
in behalf of the faith of the Christians. There are extant also five
other books of his Against the Nations, two On truth andAgainst the
Cataphrygians written at the time when Montanus was making a beginning
with Prisca and Maximilla.
[2426] Claudius Apollinaris died before 180.
Jerome, Chapter XXVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXVII
Chapter XXVII.
Dionysius, [2427] bishop of the church of Corinth, was of so great
eloquence and industry that he taught not only the people of his own
city and province but also those of other provinces and cities by his
letters. Of these one is To the Lacedæmonians, another To the
Athenians, a third To the Nicomedians, a fourth To the Cretans, a fifth
To the church at Amastrina and to the other churches of Pontus, a sixth
To the Gnosians and to Pinytus bishop of the same city, a seventh To
the Romans, addressed to Soter their bishop, an eighth To Chrysophora a
holy woman. He flourished in the reign of Marcus Antoninus Verus and
Lucius Aurelius Commodus.
[2427] Bishop about 170, died about 180.
Jerome, Chapter XXVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXVIII
Chapter XXVIII.
Pinytus [2428] of Crete, bishop of the city of Gnosus, wrote to
Dionysius bishop of the Corinthians, an exceedingly elegant letter in
which he teaches that the people are not to be forever fed on milk,
lest by chance they be overtaken by the last day while yet infants, but
that they ought to be fed also on solid food, that they may go on to a
spiritual old age. He flourished under Marcus Antoninus Verus and
Lucius Aurelius Commodus. [2429]
[2428] Died about 180.
[2429] That they may go on...Commodus A 25 30 31 e a Fabr. Val; omit T
H? Her.
Jerome, Chapter XXIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXIX
Chapter XXIX.
Tatian [2430] who, while teaching oratory, won not a little glory in
the rhetorical art, was a follower of Justin Martyr and was
distinguished so long as he did not leave his master's side. But
afterwards, inflated [2431] by a swelling of eloquence, he founded a
new heresy which is called that of the Encratites, the heresy which
Severus afterwards augmented in such wise that heretics of this party
are called Severians to the present day. Tatian wrote besides
innumerable volumes, one of which, a most successful book Against the
nations, is extant, and this is considered the most significant of all
his works. He flourished in the reign of Marcus Antoninus Verus and
Lucius Aurelius Commodus.
[2430] Born about 130, died after 172.
[2431] inflated A H 30 31 a e Val etc.; elated T 25 Her.
Jerome, Chapter XXX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXX
Chapter XXX.
Philip [2432] bishop of Crete, that is of the city of Gortina, whom
Dionysius mentions in the epistle which he wrote to the church of the
same city, published a remarkable book Against Marcion and flourished
in the time of Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus.
[2432] Bishop about 160, died about 180.
Jerome, Chapter XXXI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXI
Chapter XXXI.
Musanus, [2433] not inconsiderable among those who have written on
ecclesiastical doctrine, in the reign of Marcus Antoninus Verus wrote a
book to certain brethren who had turned aside from the church to the
heresy of the Encratites.
[2433] Flourished 204?
Jerome, Chapter XXXII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXII
Chapter XXXII.
Modestus [2434] also in the reign of Marcus Antoninus and Lucius
Aurelius Commodus wrote a book Against Marcion which is still extant.
Some other compositions pass under his name but are regarded by
scholars as spurious.
[2434] Flourished 180-190.
Jerome, Chapter XXXIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXIII
Chapter XXXIII.
Bardesanes [2435] of Mesopotamia is reckoned among the distinguished
men. He was at first a follower of Valentinus and afterwards his
opponent and himself founded a new heresy. He has the reputation among
the Syrians of having been a brilliant genius and vehement in argument.
He wrote a multitude of works against almost all heresies which had
come into existence in his time. Among these a most remarkable and
strong work is the one which he addressed to Marcus Antoninus On fate,
and many other volumes On persecution which his followers translated
from the Syriac language into Greek. If indeed so much force and
brilliancy appears in the translation, how great it must have been in
the original.
[2435] Flourished about 172.
Jerome, Chapter XXXIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXIV
Chapter XXXIV.
Victor, [2436] thirteenth bishop of Rome, wrote, On the Paschal
Controversy and some other small works. He ruled the church for ten
years in the reign of the Emperor Severus.
[2436] Bishop about 190 (or 185 according to others) died 202 or 197.
Jerome, Chapter XXXV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXV
Chapter XXXV.
Irenæus, [2437] a presbyter under Pothinus the bishop who ruled the
church of Lyons in Gaul, being sent to Rome as legate by the martyrs of
this place, on account of certain ecclesiastical questions, presented
to Bishop Eleutherius certain letters under his own name which are
worthy of honour. Afterwards when Pothinus, nearly ninety years of age,
received the crown of martyrdom for Christ, he was put in his place. It
is certain too that he was a disciple of Polycarp, the priest and
martyr, whom we mentioned above. He wrote five books Against heresies
and a short volume, Against the nations and another On discipline, a
letter to Marcianus his brother On apostolical preaching, a book of
Various treatises; also to Blastus, On schism, [2438] to Florinus On
monarchy or That God is not the author of evil, also an excellent
Commentary on the Ogdoad [2439] at the end of which indicating that he
was near the apostolic period he wrote "I adjure thee whosoever shall
transcribe this book, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by his glorious
advent at which He shall judge the quick and the dead, that you
diligently compare, after you have transcribed, and amend it according
to the copy from which you have transcribed it and also that you shall
similarly transcribe this adjuration as you find it in your pattern."
Other works of his are in circulation to wit: to Victor the Roman
bishop On the Paschal controversy in which he warns him not lightly to
break the unity of the fraternity, if indeed Victor believed that the
many bishops of Asia and the East, who with the Jews celebrated the
passover, on the fourteenth day of the new moon, were to be condemned.
But even those who differed from them did not support Victor in his
opinion. He flourished chiefly in the reign of the Emperor Commodus,
who succeeded Marcus Antoninus Verus in power.
[2437] Born between 140 and 145, died 202 or later.
[2438] schismH A 31 a e Val. Eusebius etc: chrism A T 25 30.
[2439] Ogdoad"Octava" is translation for "Ogdoad" used by Eusebius and
explained to refer to the Valentinian Ogdoads. (M'Giffert.)
Jerome, Chapter XXXVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXVI
Chapter XXXVI.
Pantaenus, [2440] a philosopher of the stoic school, according to some
old Alexandrian custom, where, from the time of [2441] Mark the
evangelist the ecclesiastics were always doctors, was of so great
prudence and erudition both in scripture and secular literature that,
on the request of the legates of that nation, he was sent to India by
Demetrius bishop of Alexandria, where he found that Bartholomew, one of
the twelve apostles, had preached the advent of the Lord Jesus
according to the gospel of Matthew, and on his return to Alexandria he
brought this with him written in Hebrew characters. Many of his
commentaries on Holy Scripture are indeed extant, but his living voice
was of still greater benefit to the churches. He taught in the reigns
of the emperor Severus and Antoninus surnamed Caracalla.
[2440] At Alexandria about 179, died about 216.
[2441] T reads following the example of and makes a more manageable
text.
Jerome, Chapter XXXVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXVII
Chapter XXXVII.
Rhodo, [2442] a native of Asia, instructed in the Scriptures at Rome by
Tatian whom we mentioned above, published many things especially a work
Against Marcion in which he tells how the Marcionites differ from one
another as well as from the church and says that the aged Apelles,
another heretic, was once engaged in a discussion with him, and that
he, Rhodo, held Apelles up to ridicule because he declared that he did
not know the God whom he worshipped. He mentioned in the same book,
which he wrote to Callistion, that he had been a pupil of Tatian at
Rome. He also composed elegant treatises On the six days of creation
and a notable work against the Phrygians. [2443] He flourished in the
reigns of Commodus and Severus.
[2442] Flourished 186.
[2443] Phrygians A 31 a e with Eusebius; Cataphrygians T 25 30
"according to the usage of the Latins" (cf. M'Giffert).
Jerome, Chapter XXXVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXVIII
Chapter XXXVIII.
Clemens, [2444] presbyter of the Alexandrian church, and a pupil of the
Pantaenus mentioned above, led the theological school at Alexandria
after the death of his master and was teacher of the Catechetes. He is
the author of notable volumes, full of eloquence and learning, both in
sacred Scripture and in secular literature; among these are the
Stromata, eight books, Hypotyposes eight books, Against the nations one
book, On pedagogy [2445] three books, On the Passover, Disquisition on
fasting and another book entitled, What rich man is saved? one book On
Calumny, On ecclesiastical canons and against those who follow the
error of the Jews, one book which he addressed to Alexander bishop of
Jerusalem. He also mentions in his volumes of Stromata the work of
Tatian Against the nations which we mentioned above and a Chronography
of one Cassianus, a work which I have not been able to find. He also
mentioned certain Jewish writers against the nations, one Aristobulus
and Demetrius and Eupolemus who after the example of Josephus asserted
the primacy of Moses and the Jewish people. There is a letter of
Alexander the bishop of Jerusalem who afterwards ruled the church with
Narcissus, on the ordination of Asclepiades the confessor, addressed to
the Antiochians congratulating them, at the end of which he says "these
writings honoured [2446] brethren I have sent to you by the blessed
presbyter Clement, a man illustrious and approved, whom you also know
and with whom now you will become better acquainted a man who, when he
had come hither by the special providence of God, strengthened and
enlarged the church of God." Origen is known to have been his disciple.
He flourished moreover during the reigns of Severus and his son
Antoninus.
[2444] Born about 160, died about 217.
[2445] On pedagogy = "The Instructor."
[2446] honoured literally "lordly" perhaps like the conventional
formula "Lords and brethren."
Jerome, Chapter XXXIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XXXIX
Chapter XXXIX.
Miltiades [2447] of whom Rhodo gives an account in the work which he
wrote against Montanus, Prisca and Maximilla, wrote a considerable
volume against these same persons, and other books Against the nations
and the Jews and addressed an Apology to the then ruling emperors. He
flourished in the reign of Marcus Antoninus and Commodus.
[2447] Flourished 180-190.
Jerome, Chapter XL Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XL
Chapter XL.
Apollonius, [2448] an exceedingly talented man, wrote against Montanus,
Prisca and Maximilla a notable and lengthy volume, in which he asserts
that Montanus and his mad prophetesses died by hanging, and many other
things, among which are the following concerning Prisca and Maximilla,
"if they denied that they have accepted gifts, let them confess that
those who do accept are not prophets and I will prove by a thousand
witnesses that they have received gifts, for it is by other fruits that
prophets are shown to be prophets indeed. Tell me, does a prophet dye
his hair? Does a prophet stain her eyelids with antimony? Is a prophet
adorned with fine garments and precious stones? Does a prophet play
with dice and tables? Does he accept usury? Let them respond whether
this ought to be permitted or not, it will be my task to prove that
they do these things." He says in the same book, that the time when he
wrote the work was the fortieth year after the beginning of the heresy
of the Cataphrygians. Tertullian added to the six volumes which he
wrote On ecstasy against the church a seventh, directed especially
against Apollonius, in which he attempts to defend all which Apollonius
refuted. Apollonius flourished in the reigns of Commodus and Severus.
[2448] Bishop about 196, flourished 210.
Jerome, Chapter XLI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLI
Chapter XLI.
Serapion, [2449] ordained bishop of Antioch in the eleventh year of the
emperor Commodus, wrote a letter to Caricus and Pontius [2450] on the
heresy of Montanus, in which he said "that you may know moreover that
the madness of this false doctrine, that is the doctrine of a new
prophecy, is reprobated by all the world, I have sent to you the
letters of the most holy Apollinaris bishop of Hierapolis in Asia." He
wrote a volume also to Domnus, who in time of persecution went over to
the Jews, and another work on the gospel which passes under the name of
Peter, a work to the church of the Rhosenses in Cilicia who by the
reading of this book had turned aside to heresy. There are here and
there short letters of his, harmonious in character with the ascetic
life of their author.
[2449] Bishop 199, died 211.
[2450] Caricus and Pontius. So Valesius and others with Eusebius but
mss. except "a" have Carinus and it is interesting to note that the
same ms. reads Ponticus with most mss. of Eusebius.
Jerome, Chapter XLII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLII
Chapter XLII.
Apollonius, [2451] a Roman senator under the emperor Commodus, having
been denounced by a slave as a Christian, gained permission to give a
reason for his faith and wrote a remarkable volume which he read in the
senate, yet none the less, by the will of the senate, he was beheaded
for Christ by virtue of an ancient law among them, that Christians who
had once been brought before their judgment seat should not be
dismissed unless they recanted.
[2451] Died about 185.
Jerome, Chapter XLIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLIII
Chapter XLIII.
Theophilus, [2452] bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine, the city formerly
called Turris Stratonis, in the reign of the emperor Severus wrote, in
conjunction with other bishops, a synodical letter of great utility
against those who celebrated the passover with the Jews on the
fourteenth day of the month.
[2452] Died about 190.
Jerome, Chapter XLIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLIV
Chapter XLIV.
Bacchylus, [2453] bishop of Corinth, was held in renown under the same
emperor Severus, and wrote, as representative of all the bishops who
were in Achaia, an elegant work On the passover.
[2453] Bishop about 190-200.
Jerome, Chapter XLV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLV
Chapter XLV.
Polycrates [2454] bishop of the Ephesians with other bishops of Asia
who in accordance with some ancient custom celebrated the passover with
the Jews on the fourteenth of the month, wrote a synodical letter
against Victor bishop of Rome in which he says that he follows the
authority of the apostle John and of the ancients. From this we make
the following brief quotations, "We therefore celebrate the day
according to usage, inviolably, neither adding anything to nor taking
anything from it, for in Asia lie the remains of the greatest saints of
those who shall rise again on the day of the Lord, when he shall come
in majesty from heaven and shall quicken all the saints, I mean Philip
one of the twelve apostles who sleeps at Hierapolis and his two
daughters who were virgins until their death and another daughter of
his who died at Ephesus full of the Holy Spirit. And John too, who lay
on Our Lord's breast and was his high priest carrying the golden
frontlet on his forehead, both martyr and doctor, fell asleep at
Ephesus and Polycarp bishop and martyr died at Smyrna. Thraseas of
Eumenia also, bishop and martyr, rests in the same Smyrna. What need is
there of mentioning Sagaris, bishop and martyr, who sleeps in Laodicea
and the blessed Papyrus and Melito, eunuch in the Holy Spirit, who,
ever serving the Lord, was laid to rest in Sardis and there awaits his
resurrection at Christ's advent. These all observed the day of the
passover on the fourteenth of the month, in nowise departing from the
evangelical tradition and following the ecclesiastical canon. I also,
Polycrates, the least of all your servants, according to the doctrine
of my relatives which I also have followed (for there were seven of my
relatives bishops indeed and I the eighth) have always celebrated the
passover when the Jewish people celebrated the putting away of the
leaven. And so brethren being sixty-five years old in the Lord and
instructed by many brethren from all parts of the world, and having
searched all the Scriptures, I will not fear those who threaten us, for
my predecessors said "It is fitting to obey God rather than men." I
quote this to show through a small example the genius and authority of
the man. He flourished in the reign of the emperor Severus in the same
period as Narcissus of Jerusalem.
[2454] Bishop about 196.
Jerome, Chapter XLVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLVI
Chapter XLVI.
Heraclitus [2455] in the reign of Commodus and Severus wrote
commentaries on the Acts and Epistles.
[2455] Flourished about 193.
Jerome, Chapter XLVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLVII
Chapter XLVII.
Maximus, [2456] under the same emperors propounded in a remarkable
volume the famous questions, What is the origin of evil? and Whether
matter is made by God.
[2456] Bishop of Jerusalem 185.
Jerome, Chapter XLVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLVIII
Chapter XLVIII.
Candidus [2457] under the above mentioned emperors published most
admirable treatises On the six days of creation.
[2457] Flourished about 196.
Jerome, Chapter XLIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XLIX
Chapter XLIX.
Appion [2458] under the emperor Severus likewise wrote treatises On the
six days of creation.
[2458] Flourished about 196.
Jerome, Chapter L Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter L
Chapter L.
Sextus [2459] in the reign of the emperor Severus wrote a book On the
resurrection.
[2459] Flourished about 196.
Jerome, Chapter LI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LI
Chapter LI.
Arabianus [2460] under the same emperor published certain small works
relating to christian doctrine.
[2460] Flourished about 196.
Jerome, Chapter LII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LII
Chapter LII.
Judas, [2461] discussed at length the seventy weeks mentioned in Daniel
and wrote a Chronography of former times which he brought up to the
tenth year of Severus. He is convicted of error in respect of this work
in that he prophesied that the advent of Anti-Christ would be about his
period, but this was because the greatness of the persecutions seemed
to forebode the end of the world.
[2461] 202.
Jerome, Chapter LIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LIII
Chapter LIII.
Tertullian [2462] the presbyter, now regarded as chief of the Latin
writers after Victor and Apollonius, was from the city of Carthage in
the province of Africa, and was the son of a proconsul or Centurion, a
man of keen and vigorous character, he flourished chiefly in the reign
of the emperor Severus and Antoninus Caracalla and wrote many volumes
which we pass by because they are well known to most. I myself have
seen a certain Paul an old man of Concordia, a town of Italy, who,
while he himself was a very young man had been secretary to the blessed
Cyprian who was already advanced in age. He said that he himself had
seen how Cyprian was accustomed never to pass a day without reading
Tertullian, and that he frequently said to him, "Give me the master,"
meaning by this, Tertullian. He was presbyter of the church until
middle life, afterwards driven by the envy and abuse of the clergy of
the Roman church, he lapsed to the doctrine of Montanus, and mentions
the new prophecy in many of his books.
He composed, moreover, directly against the church, volumes: On
modesty, On persecution, On fasts, On monogamy, six books On ecstasy,
and a seventh which he wrote Against Apollonius. He is said to have
lived to a decrepit old age, and to have composed many small works,
which are not extant.
[2462] Born about 160, christian 195, apology 198, died about 245.
Jerome, Chapter LIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LIV
Chapter LIV.
Origen, [2463] surnamed Adamantius, a persecution having been raised
against the Christians in the tenth year of Severus Pertinax, and his
father Leonidas having received the crown of martyrdom for Christ, was
left at the age of about seventeen, with his six brothers and widowed
mother, in poverty, for their property had been confiscated because of
confessing Christ. When only eighteen years old, he undertook the work
of instructing the Catechetes in the scattered churches of Alexandria.
Afterwards appointed by Demetrius, bishop of this city, successor to
the presbyter Clement, he flourished many years. When he had already
reached middle life, on account of the churches of Achaia, which were
torn with many heresies, he was journeying to Athens, by way of
Palestine, under the authority of an ecclesiastical letter, and having
been ordained presbyter by Theoctistus and Alexander, bishops of
Cæsarea and Jerusalem, he offended Demetrius, who was so wildly enraged
at him that he wrote everywhere to injure his reputation. It is known
that before he went to Cæsarea, he had been at Rome, under bishop
Zephyrinus. Immediately on his return to Alexandria he made Heraclas
the presbyter, who continued to wear his philosopher's garb, his
assistant in the school for catechetes. Heraclas became bishop of the
church of Alexandria, after Demetrius. How great the glory of Origen
was, appears from the fact that Firmilianus, bishop of Cæsarea, with
all the Cappadocian bishops, sought a visit from him, and entertained
him for a long while. Sometime afterwards, going to Palestine to visit
the holy places, he came to Cæsarea [2464] and was instructed at length
by Origen in the Holy Scriptures. It appears also from the fact that he
went to Antioch, on the request of Mammaea, mother of the Emperor
Alexander, and a woman religiously disposed, and was there held in
great honour, and sent letters to the Emperor Philip, who was the first
among the Roman rulers, to become a christian, and to his mother,
letters which are still extant. Who is there, who does not also know
that he was so assiduous in the study of Holy Scriptures, that contrary
to the spirit of his time, and of his people, he learned the Hebrew
language, and taking the Septuagint translation, he gathered the other
translations also in a single work, namely, that of Aquila, of Ponticus
the Proselyte, and Theodotian the Ebonite, and Symmachus an adherent of
the same sect who wrote commentaries also on the gospel according to
Matthew, from which he tried to establish his doctrine. And besides
these, a fifth, sixth, and seventh translation, which we also have from
his library, he sought out with great diligence, and compared with
other editions. And since I have given a list of his works, in the
volumes of letters which I have written to Paula, in a letter which I
wrote against the works of Varro, I pass this by now, not failing
however, to make mention of his immortal genius, how that he understood
dialectics, as well as geometry, arithmetic, music, grammar, and
rhetoric, and taught all the schools of philosophers, in such wise that
he had also diligent students in secular literature, and lectured to
them daily, and the crowds which flocked to him were marvellous. These,
he received in the hope that through the instrumentality of this
secular literature, he might establish them in the faith of Christ.
It is unnecessary to speak of the cruelty of that persecution which was
raised against the Christians and under Decius, who was mad against the
religion of Philip, whom he had slain,--the persecution in which
Fabianus, bishop of the Roman church, perished at Rome, and Alexander
and Babylas, Pontifs of the churches of Jerusalem and Antioch, were
imprisoned for their confession of Christ. If any one wishes to know
what was done in regard to the position of Origen, he can clearly
learn, first indeed from his own epistles, which after the persecution,
were sent to different ones, and secondly, from the sixth book of the
church history of Eusebius of Cæsarea, and from his six volumes in
behalf of the same Origen.
He lived until the time of Gallus and Volusianus, that is, until his
sixty-ninth year, and died at Tyre, in which city he also was buried.
[2463] Born at Alexandria 185, died at Tyre 253.
[2464] Cæsarea. Cæsarea in Palestine.
Jerome, Chapter LV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LV
Chapter LV.
Ammonius, [2465] a talented man of great philosophical learning, was
distinguished at Alexandria, at the same time. Among many and
distinguished monuments of his genius, is the elaborate work which he
composed On the harmony of Moses and Jesus, and the Gospel canons,
which he worked out, and which Eusebius of Cæsarea, afterwards
followed. Porphyry falsely accused him of having become a heathen
again, after being a Christian, but it is certain that he continued a
Christian until the very end of his life.
[2465] Flourished 220.
Jerome, Chapter LVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LVI
Chapter LVI.
Ambrosius, [2466] at first a Marcionite but afterwards set right by
Origen, was deacon in the church, and gloriously distinguished as
confessor of the Lord. To him, together with Protoctetus the presbyter,
the book of Origen, On martyrdom was written. Aided [2467] by his
industry, funds, and perseverance, Origen dictated a great number of
volumes. He himself, as befits a man of noble nature, was of no mean
literary talent, as his letters to Origen indicate. He died moreover,
before the death of Origen, and is condemned by many, in that being a
man of wealth, he did not at death, remember in his will, his old and
needy friend.
[2466] Died about 250.
[2467] aideda T e Val. Her.; "and to him" A H 25 30; "and to this time"
a 31.
Jerome, Chapter LVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LVII
Chapter LVII.
Trypho, [2468] pupil of Origen, to whom some of his extant letters are
addressed, was very learned in the Scriptures, and this many of his
works show here and there, but especially the book which he composed On
the red heifer [2469] in Deuteronomy, and On the halves, which with the
pigeon and the turtledoves were offered by Abraham as recorded in
Genesis. [2470]
[2468] Flourished about 240.
[2469] red heifer Numb. 19. 2. (?) or Deut. Ch. 21.
[2470] Genesis 15. 9-10.
Jerome, Chapter LVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LVIII
Chapter LVIII.
Minucius [2471] Felix, a distinguished advocate of Rome, wrote a
dialogue representing a discussion between a Christian and a Gentile,
which is entitled Octavius, and still another work passes current in
his name, On fate, or Against the mathematicians, but this although it
is the work of a talented man, does not seem to me to correspond in
style with the above mentioned work. Lactantius also mentions this
Minucius in his works.
[2471] Flourished 196?
Jerome, Chapter LIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LIX
Chapter LIX.
Gaius, [2472] bishop of Rome, in the time of Zephyrinus, that is, in
the reign of Antoninus, the son of Severus, delivered a very notable
disputation Against Proculus, the follower of Montanus, convicting him
of temerity in his defence of the new prophecy, and in the same volume
also enumerating only thirteen epistles of Paul, says that the
fourteenth, which is now called, To the Hebrews, is not by him, and is
not considered among the Romans to the present day as being by the
apostle Paul.
[2472] Died about 217.
Jerome, Chapter LX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LX
Chapter LX.
Beryllus, [2473] bishop of Bostra in Arabia, after he had ruled the
church gloriously [2474] for a little while, finally lapsed into the
heresy which denies that Christ existed before the incarnation. Set
right by Origen, he wrote various short works, especially letters, in
which he thanks Origen. The letters of Origen to him, are also extant,
and a dialogue between Origen and Beryllus as well, in which heresies
are discussed. He was distinguished during the reign of Alexander, son
of Mammaea, and Maximinus and Gordianus, who succeeded him in power.
[2473] Flourished about 230.
[2474] gloriously A 31 e a 10 21 Bamb. Norimb. Val.; omit T 25 30 H
Her.
Jerome, Chapter LXI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXI
Chapter LXI.
Hippolytus, [2475] bishop of some church (the name of the city I have
not been able to learn) wrote A reckoning of the Paschal feast and
chronological tables which he worked out up to the first year of the
Emperor Alexander. He also discussed the cycle of sixteen years, which
the Greeks called ekkaidekaeterida and gave the cue to Eusebius, who
composed on the same Paschal feast a cycle of nineteen years, that is
enneakaidekaeterida. He wrote some commentaries on the Scriptures,
among which are the following: On the six days of creation, On Exodus,
On the Song of Songs, On Genesis, On Zechariah, On the Psalms, On
Isaiah, On Daniel, On the Apocalypse, On the Proverbs, On Ecclesiastes,
On Saul, On the Pythonissa, On the Antichrist, On the resurrection,
Against Marcion, On the Passover, Against all heresies, and an
exhortation On the praise of our Lord and Saviour, in which he
indicates that he is speaking in the church in the presence of Origen.
Ambrosius, who we have said was converted by Origen from the heresy of
Marcion, to the true faith, urged Origen to write, in emulation of
Hyppolytus, commentaries on the Scriptures, offering him seven, and
even more secretaries, and their expenses, and an equal number of
copyists, and what is still more, with incredible zeal, daily exacting
work from him, on which account Origen, in one of his epistles, calls
him his "Taskmaster."
[2475] Bishop 217-8, died 229-38.
Jerome, Chapter LXII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXII
Chapter LXII.
Alexander, [2476] bishop of Cappadocia, desiring to visit the Holy
Land, came to Jerusalem, at the time when Narcissus, bishop of this
city, already an old man, ruled the church. It was revealed to
Narcissus and many of his clergy, that on the morning of the next day,
a bishop would enter the city, who should be assistant on the
sacerdotal throne. And so it came to pass, as it was predicted, and all
the bishops of Palestine being gathered together, Narcissus himself
being especially urgent, Alexander took with him the helm of the church
of Jerusalem. At the end of one of his epistles, written to the
Antinoites On the peace of the church, he says "Narcissus, who held the
bishopric here before me, and now with me exercises his office by his
prayers, being about a hundred and sixteen years old, salutes you, and
with me begs you to become of one mind." He wrote another also To the
Antiocheans, by the hand of Clement, the presbyter of Alexandria, of
whom we spoke above, another also To Origen, and In behalf of Origen
against Demetrius, called forth by the fact that, according to the
testimony of Demetrius, he had made Origen presbyter. There are other
epistles of his to different persons. In the seventh persecution under
Decius, at the time when Babylas of Antioch was put to death, brought
to Cæsarea and shut up in prison, he received the crown of martyrdom
for confessing Christ.
[2476] Bishop at Jerusalem 212, died 250.
Jerome, Chapter LXIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXIII
Chapter LXIII.
Julius Africanus, [2477] whose five volumes On Chronology, are yet
extant, in the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who succeeded
Macrinus, received a commission to restore the city of Emmaus, which
afterwards was called Nicopolis. There is an epistle of his to Origen,
On the question of Susanna, where it is contended that this story is
not contained in the Hebrew, and is not consistent with the Hebrew
etymology in respect of the play on "prinos and prisai," "schinos and
schisai." In reply to this, Origen wrote a learned epistle. There is
extant another letter of his, To Aristides, in which he discusses at
length the discrepancies, which appear in the genealogy of our Saviour,
as recorded by Matthew and Luke.
[2477] ...221.
Jerome, Chapter LXIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXIV
Chapter LXIV.
Geminus, [2478] presbyter of the church at Antioch, composed a few
monuments of his genius, flourishing in the time of the Emperor
Alexander and Zebennus, bishop of his city, especially at the time at
which Heraclas was ordained Pontiff of the church at Alexandria.
[2478] Presbyter at Antioch about 232.
Jerome, Chapter LXV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXV
Chapter LXV.
Theodorus, [2479] afterwards called Gregory, bishop of Neocæsarea in
Pontus, while yet a very young man, in company with his brother
Athenodorus, went from Cappadocia to Berytus, and thence to Cæsarea in
Palestine, to study Greek and Latin literature. When Origen had seen
the remarkable natural ability of these men, he urged them to study
philosophy, in the teaching of which he gradually introduced the matter
of faith in Christ, and made them also his followers. So, instructed by
him for five years, they were sent back by him to their mother.
Theodorus, on his departure, wrote a panegyric of thanks to Origen, and
delivered it before a large assembly, Origen himself being present.
This panegyric is extant at the present day.
He wrote also a short, but very valuable, paraphrase On Ecclesiastes,
and current report speaks of other epistles of his, but more especially
of the signs and wonders, which as bishop, he performed to the great
glory of the churches.
[2479] Gregory of Neocesarea, born 210-15, bishop 240, died about 270.
Jerome, Chapter LXVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXVI
Chapter LXVI.
Cornelius, [2480] bishop of Rome, to whom eight letters of Cyprian are
extant, wrote a letter to Fabius, [2481] bishop of the church at
Antioch, On the Roman, Italian, and African councils, and another On
Novatian and those who had fallen from the faith, a third On the acts
of the council, and a fourth very prolix one to the same Fabius,
containing the causes of the Novatian heresy and an anathema of it. He
ruled the church for two years under Gallus and Volusianus. He received
the crown of martyrdom for Christ, and was succeeded by Lucius.
[2480] Bishop 251, died 252.
[2481] Fabius. Some mss. Fabianus.
Jerome, Chapter LXVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXVII
Chapter LXVII.
Cyprian [2482] of Africa, at first was famous as a teacher of rhetoric,
and afterwards on the persuasion of the presbyter Caecilius, from whom
he received his surname, he became a Christian, and gave all his
substance to the poor. Not long after he was inducted into the
presbytery, and was also made bishop of Carthage. It is unnecessary to
make a catalogue of the works of his genius, since they are more
conspicuous than the sun.
He was put to death under the Emperors Valerian and Gallienus, in the
eighth persecution, on the same day that Cornelius was put to death at
Rome, but not in the same year.
[2482] Born about 200, bishop 248, died at Carthage 258.
Jerome, Chapter LXVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXVIII
Chapter LXVIII
Pontius, [2483] deacon of Cyprian, sharing his exile until the day of
his death, left a notable volume On the life and death of Cyprian.
[2483] Died about 260.
Jerome, Chapter LXIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXIX
Chapter LXIX.
Dionysius, [2484] bishop of Alexandria, as presbyter had charge of the
catechetical school under Heraclas, and was the most distinguished
pupil of Origen. Consenting to the doctrine of Cyprian and the African
synod, on the rebaptizing [2485] of heretics, he sent many letters to
different people, which are yet extant; He wrote one to Fabius, bishop
of the church at Antioch, On penitence, another To the Romans, by the
hand of Hippolytus, two letters To Xystus, who had succeeded Stephen,
two also To Philemon and Dionysius, presbyters of the church at Rome,
and another To the same Dionysius, afterwards bishop of Rome; and To
Novatian, treating of their claim that Novatian had been ordained
bishop of Rome, against his will. The beginning of this epistle is as
follows: "Dionysius to Novatian, his brother greeting. If you have been
ordained unwillingly, as you say, you will prove it, when you shall
willingly retire."
There is another epistle of his also To Dionysius and Didymus, and many
Festal epistles on the passover, written in a declamatory style, also
one to the church of Alexandria On exile, one To Hierax, [2486] bishop
in Egypt, and yet others On mortality, On the Sabbath, andOn the
gymnasium, also one To Hermammon and others On the persecution of
Decius, and two books Against Nepos the bishop, who asserted in his
writings a thousand years reign in the body. Among other things he
diligently discussed the Apocalypse of John, and wrote Against
Sabellius and To Ammon, bishop of Bernice, and To Telesphorus, also To
Euphranor, also four books To Dionysius, bishop of Rome, to the
Laodiceans On penitence, to Origen On martyrdom, to the Armenians On
penitence, [2487] also On the order of transgression, to Timothy On
nature, to Euphranor On temptation, many letters also To Basilides, in
one of which he asserts that he also began to write commentaries on
Ecclesiastes. The notable epistle which he wrote against Paul of
Samosata, a few days before his death is also current. He died in the
twelfth year of Gallienus.
[2484] Presbyter 232, exiled 250 and 257, died 265.
[2485] rebaptizing a e Val. Her.; baptizing A? H T 25 30 31.
[2486] Hieraxe Euseb. Val. Her. Heraclas A H T 25 30 31.
[2487] penitence A T 25 30 a Her.; penitence likewise Canon on
penitence H 31 e 10 21 Val.
Jerome, Chapter LXX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXX
Chapter LXX.
Novatianus, [2488] presbyter of Rome, attempted to usurp the sacerdotal
chair occupied by Cornelius, and established the dogma of the
Novatians, or as they are called in Greek, the Cathari, by refusing to
receive penitent apostates. Novatus, author of this doctrine, was a
presbyter of Cyprian. He wrote, On the passover, On the Sabbath, On
circumcision, On the priesthood, On prayer, [2489] On the food of the
Jews, On zeal, On Attalus, and many others, especially, a great volume
On the Trinity, a sort of epitome of the work of Tertullian, which many
mistakenly ascribe to Cyprian.
[2488] Flourished about 250 sq.
[2489] PrayerA H 25 30 31 21; Ordination e T Her.
Jerome, Chapter LXXI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXI
Chapter LXXI.
Malchion, [2490] the highly gifted presbyter of the church at Antioch,
who had most successfully taught rhetoric in the same city, held a
discussion with Paul of Samosata, who as bishop of the church at
Antioch, had introduced the doctrine of Artemon, and this was taken
down by short hand writers. This dialogue is still extant, and yet
another extended epistle written by him, in behalf of the council, is
addressed to Dionysius and Maximus, bishops of Rome and Alexandria. He
flourished under Claudius and Aurelianus.
[2490] Flourished 272.
Jerome, Chapter LXXII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXII
Chapter LXXII.
Archelaus, [2491] bishop of Mesopotamia, composed in the Syriac
language, a book of the discussion which he held with Manichaeus, when
he came from Persia. This book, which is translated into Greek, is
possessed by many.
He flourished under the Emperor Probus, who succeeded Aurelianus and
Tacitus.
[2491] Flourished about 278.
Jerome, Chapter LXXIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXIII
Chapter LXXIII.
Anatolius [2492] of Alexandria, bishop of Laodicea in Syria, who
flourished under the emperors Probus and Carus, was a man of wonderful
learning in arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, grammar, rhetoric, and
dialectic. We can get an idea of the greatness of his genius from the
volume which he wrote On the passover and his ten books On the
institutes of arithmetic.
[2492] Born about 230, bishop 270, died about 283.
Jerome, Chapter LXXIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXIV
Chapter LXXIV.
Victorinus, [2493] bishop of Pettau, was not equally familiar with
Latin and Greek. On this account his works though noble in thought, are
inferior in style. They are the following: Commentaries On Genesis, On
Exodus, On Leviticus, On Isaiah, On Ezekiel, On Habakkuk, On
Ecclesiastes, On the Song of Songs, On the Apocalypse of John, Against
all heresies and many others. At the last he received the crown of
martyrdom.
[2493] Bishop of Pettau 303, died 304.
Jerome, Chapter LXXV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXV
Chapter LXXV.
Pamphilus [2494] the presbyter, patron of Eusebius bishop of Cæsarea,
was so inflamed with love of sacred literature, that he transcribed the
greater part of the works of Origen with his own hand and these are
still preserved in the library at Cæsarea. I have twenty-five volumes
[2495] of Commentaries of Origen, written in his hand, On the twelve
prophets which I hug and guard with such joy, that I deem myself to
have the wealth of Croesus. And if it is such joy to have one epistle
of a martyr how much more to have so many thousand lines which seem to
me to be traced in his blood. He wrote an Apology for Origen before
Eusebius had written his and was put to death at Cæsarea in Palestine
in the persecution of Maximinus.
[2494] Died 309.
[2495] volumes A H 31 a e 10 21 Val.; omit T 25 30 Her.
Jerome, Chapter LXXVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXVI
Chapter LXXVI.
Pierius, [2496] presbyter of the church at Alexandria in the reign of
Carus and Diocletian, at the time when Theonas ruled as bishop in the
same church, taught the people with great success and attained such
elegance of language and published so many treatises on all sorts of
subjects (which are still extant) that he was called Origen Junior. He
was remarkable for his self-discipline, devoted to voluntary poverty,
and thoroughly acquainted with the dialectic art. After the
persecution, he passed the rest of his life at Rome. There is extant a
long treatise of his On the prophet Hosea which from internal evidence
appears to have been delivered on the vigil of Passover.
[2496] Flourished before 299.
Jerome, Chapter LXXVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXVII
Chapter LXXVII.
Lucianus, [2497] a man of great talent, presbyter of the church at
Antioch, was so diligent in the study of the Scriptures, that even now
certain copies of the Scriptures bear the name of Lucian. Works of his,
On faith, and short Epistles to various people are extant. He was put
to death at Nicomedia for his confession of Christ in the persecution
of Maximinus, and was buried at Helenopolis in Bithynia.
[2497] Died 312.
Jerome, Chapter LXXVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXVIII
Chapter LXXVIII.
Phileas [2498] a resident of that Egyptian city which is called Thmuis,
of noble family, and no small wealth, having become bishop, composed a
finely written work in praise of martyrs and arguing against the judge
who tried to compel him to offer sacrifices, was beheaded for Christ
during the same persecution in which Lucianus was put to death at
Nicomedia.
[2498] Died after 306.
Jerome, Chapter LXXIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXIX
Chapter LXXIX.
Arnobius [2499] was a most successful teacher of rhetoric at Sicca in
Africa during the reign of Diocletian, and wrote volumes Against the
nations which may be found everywhere.
[2499] Flourished 295.
Jerome, Chapter LXXX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXX
Chapter LXXX.
Firmianus, [2500] known also as Lactantius, a disciple of Arnobius,
during the reign of Diocletian summoned to Nicomedia with Flavius the
Grammarian whose poem On medicine is still extant, taught rhetoric
there and on account of his lack of pupils (since it was a Greek city)
he betook himself to writing. We have a Banquet of his which he wrote
as a young man in Africa and an Itinerary of a journey from Africa to
Nicomedia written in hexameters, and another book which is called The
Grammarian and a most beautiful one On the wrath of God, and Divine
institutes against the nations, seven books, and an Epitome of the same
work in one volume, without a title, [2501] also two books To
Asclepiades, one book On persecution, four books of Epistles to Probus,
two books of Epistles to Severus, two books of Epistles to his pupil
Demetrius [2502] and one book to the same On the work of God or the
creation of man. In his extreme old age he was tutor to Crispus Cæsar a
son of Constantine in Gaul, the same one who was afterwards put to
death by his father.
[2500] Died 325.
[2501] without a title "that is a compendium of the last three books
only" as Cave explains it. Ffoulkes in Smith and W. But no.
[2502] two books...Severus...Demetrius e a H 10 21 Val.; omit T 25 30
31 Her.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXI
Chapter LXXXI.
Eusebius [2503] bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine was diligent in the
study of Divine Scriptures and with Pamphilus the martyr a most
diligent investigator of the Holy Bible. He published a great number of
volumes among which are the following: Demonstrations of the Gospel
twenty books, Preparations for the Gospel fifteen books, Theophany
[2504] five books, Church history ten books, Chronicle of Universal
history and an Epitome of this last. Also On discrepancies between the
Gospels, On Isaiah, ten books, also Against Porphyry, who was writing
at that same time in Sicily as some think, twenty-five books, also one
book of Topics, six books of Apology for Origen, three books On the
life of Pamphilus, other brief works On the martyrs, exceedingly
learned Commentaries on one hundred and fifty Psalms, and many others.
He flourished chiefly in the reigns of Constantine the Great and
Constantius. His surname Pamphilus arose from his friendship for
Pamphilus the martyr.
[2503] Born 267, bishop about 315, died about 338.
[2504] Theophany T 31 Val. Her.; omit A H 25 30 a? e.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXII
Chapter LXXXII.
Reticius [2505] bishop of Autun, among the Aedui, had a great
reputation in Gaul in the reign of Constantine. I have read his
commentaries On the Song of Songs and another great volume Against
Novatian but besides these, I have found no works of his.
[2505] Bishop 313, died 334.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXIII
Chapter LXXXIII.
Methodius, [2506] bishop of Olympus in Lycia and afterwards of Tyre,
composed books Against Porphyry written in polished and logical style
also a Banquet of the ten virgins, an excellent work On the
resurrection, against Origen and On the Pythonissa and On free will,
also against Origen. He also wrote commentaries On Genesis and On the
Song of Songs and many others which are widely read. At the end of the
recent persecution or, as others affirm, in the reign of Decius and
Valerianus, he was crowned with martyrdom at Chalcis in Greece.
[2506] Died 311 or 312.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXIV
Chapter LXXXIV.
Juvencus, [2507] a Spaniard of noble family and presbyter, translating
the four gospels almost verbally in hexameter verses, composed four
books. He wrote some other things in the same metre relating to the
order of the sacraments. He flourished in the reign of Constantinus.
[2507] Flourished 330.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXV
Chapter LXXXV.
Eustathius, [2508] a Pamphilian from Side, bishop [2509] first of
Beroea in Syria and then of Antioch, ruled the church and, composing
many things against the doctrine of the Arians, was driven into exile
under the emperor Constantius [2510] into Trajanopolis in Thrace where
he is until this day. Works of his are extant On the soul, On
ventriloquism Against Origen and Letters too numerous to mention.
[2508] Died 337, (or according to others 370-82.) Jerome in this
chapter seems, unless the usual modern view is confused, to have mixed
up Eustathius of Antioch with Eusebius of Sebaste.
[2509] BishopA H T 25 30 Her; omit 31 32 a e Val.
[2510] Constantius this is supposed to be an evident slip for
Constantinus (Compare Venables in Smith and Wace Dict. v. 2, p. 383)
but if there is confusion with Eustathius of Sebaste as suggested above
possibly the latter's deposition by Constantius is referred to. But the
difficulty remains almost as great.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXVI
Chapter LXXXVI.
Marcellus, [2511] bishop of Ancyra, flourished in the reign of
Constantinus and Constantius and wrote many volumes of various
Propositions and especially against the Arians. Works of Asterius and
Apollinarius against him are current, which accuse him of Sabellianism.
Hilary too, in the seventh book of his work Against the Arians,
mentions him as a heretic, but he defends himself against the charge
through the fact that Julius and Athanasius bishops of Rome and
Alexandria communed with him.
[2511] Died 372, or 374 (Ffoulkes.)
Jerome, Chapter LXXXVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXVII
Chapter LXXXVII.
Athanasius [2512] bishop of Alexandria, hard pressed by the wiles of
the Arians, fled to Constans emperor of Gaul. Returning thence with
letters and, after the death of the emperor, again taking refuge in
flight, he kept in hiding until the accession of Jovian, when he
returned to the church and died in the reign of Valens. Various works
by him are in circulation; two books Against the nations, one Against
Valens and Ursacius, On virginity, very many On the persecutions of the
Arians, also On the titles of the Psalms and Life of Anthony the monk,
also Festal epistles and other works too numerous to mention.
[2512] Born about 296, died 373.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXVIII
Chapter LXXXVIII.
Anthony [2513] the monk, whose life Athanasius bishop of Alexandria
wrote a long work upon, sent seven letters in Coptic to various
monasteries, letters truly apostolic in idea and language, and which
have been translated into Greek. The chief of these is To the
Arsenoites. He flourished during the reign of Constantinus and his
sons.
[2513] Born 251, died 356.
Jerome, Chapter LXXXIX Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter LXXXIX
Chapter LXXXIX.
Basil [2514] bishop of Ancyra, [a doctor of] [2515] medicine, wrote a
book Against Marcellus and on virginity and some other things--and in
the reign of Constantius was, with Eustathius of Sebaste, primate of
Macedonia.
[2514] Bishop of Ancyra 336-344, 353-60, 361-3.
[2515] A doctor of So T? and some editions. Most mss. omit (gnarus) but
it needs to be supplied in translation.
Jerome, Chapter XC Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XC
Chapter XC.
Theodorus, [2516] bishop of Heraclea in Thrace, published in the reign
of the emperor Constantius commentaries On Matthew and John, On the
Epistles and On the Psalter. These are written in a polished and clear
style and show an excellent historical sense.
[2516] Bishop 335, died 355?
Jerome, Chapter XCI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCI
Chapter XCI.
Eusebius [2517] of Emesa, who had fine rhetorical talent, composed
innumerable works suited to win popular applause and writing
historically he is most diligently read by those who practise public
speaking. Among these the chief are, Against Jews, Gentiles and
Novatians and Homilies on the Gospels, brief but numerous. He
flourished in the reign of the emperor Constantius in whose reign he
died, and was buried at Antioch.
[2517] Died before 359.
Jerome, Chapter XCII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCII
Chapter XCII.
Triphylius, [2518] bishop of Ledra or Leucotheon, [2519] in Cyprus, was
the most eloquent man of his age, and was distinguished during the
reign of Constantius. I have read his Commentary on the Song of Songs.
He is said to have written many other works, none of which have come to
our hand.
[2518] Bishop 344, died about 370.
[2519] Leucotheon = Leuteon.
Jerome, Chapter XCIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCIII
Chapter XCIII.
Donatus, [2520] from whom the Donatians arose in Africa in the reigns
of the emperors Constantinus and Constantius, asserted that the
scriptures were given up to the heathen by the orthodox during the
persecution, and deceived almost all Africa, and especially Numidia by
his persuasiveness. Many of his works, which relate to his heresy, are
extant, including On the Holy Spirit, a work which is Arian in
doctrine.
[2520] Bishop 313, --355.
Jerome, Chapter XCIV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCIV
Chapter XCIV.
Asterius, [2521] a philosopher of the Arian party, wrote, during the
reign of Constantius, commentaries On the Epistle to the Romans, On the
Gospels and On the Psalms, also many other works which are diligently
read by those of his party.
[2521] Asterius of Cappadocia, died about 330.
Jerome, Chapter XCV Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCV
Chapter XCV.
Lucifer, [2522] bishop of Cagliari, was sent by Liberius the bishop,
with Pancratius and Hilary, clergy of the Roman church, to the emperor
Constantius, as legates for the faith. When he would not condemn the
Nicene faith as represented by Athanasius, sent again to Palestine,
with wonderful constancy and willingness to meet martyrdom, he wrote a
book against the emperor Constantius and sent it to be read by him, and
not long after he returned to Cagliari in the reign of the emperor
Julian and died in the reign of Valentinian.
[2522] Bishop 353, died 370.
Jerome, Chapter XCVI Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCVI
Chapter XCVI.
Eusebius, [2523] a native of Sardinia, at first a lector at Rome and
afterwards bishop of Vercelli, sent by the emperor Constantius to
Scythopolis, and afterwards to Cappadocia, on account of his confession
of the faith, returned to the church under the emperor Julian and
published the Commentaries of Eusebius of Cæsarea on the Psalms, which
he had translated from Greek into Latin, and died during the reign of
Valentian and Valens.
[2523] Born about 315, Bishop about 340, exiled 355-62, died 371-5.
Jerome, Chapter XCVII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCVII
Chapter XCVII
Fortunatianus, [2524] an African by birth, bishop of Aquilia during the
reign of Constantius, composed brief Commentaries on the gospels
arranged by chapters, written in a rustic style, and is held in
detestation because, when Liberius bishop of Rome was driven into exile
for the faith, he was induced by the urgency of Fortunatianus to
subscribe to heresy.
[2524] Flourished 343-355.
Jerome, Chapter XCVIII Lives of Illustrious Men — Jerome, Chapter XCVIII
Chapter XCVIII.
Acacius, [2525] who, because he was blind in one eye, they nicknamed
"the one-eyed," bishop of the church of Cæsarea in Palestine, wrote
seventeen volumes On Ecclesiastes and six of Miscellaneous questions,
and many treatises besides on various subjects. He was so influential
in the reign of the emperor Constantius that he made Felix bishop of
Rome in the place of Liberius.
[2525] Bishop about 338, died 365-6.