ILLUSTRIOUS MEN:
An Appendix to St. Jerome's De Viris
Illustribus
List of the Authors Whom Gennadius Added, After the Death of the Blessed Jerome 1. James, surnamed the Wise. 2. Julius, bishop of Rome. 3. Paulonas the presbyter. 4. Vitellius the African. 5. Macrobius the presbyter. 6. Heliodorus the presbyter. 7. Pachomius the presbyter-monk. 8. Theodorus, his successor. 9. Oresiesis the monk. 10. Macarius the monk. 11. Evagrius the monk. 12. Theodorus the presbyter. 13. Prudentius. 14. Audentius the bishop. 15. Commodianus. 16. Faustinus the presbyter. 17. Rufinus the presbyter. 18. Tichonius the African. 19. Severus the presbyter. 20. Antiochus the bishop. 21. Severianus the bishop. 22. Nicaeas the bishop. 23. Olympius the bishop. 24. Bachiarius. 25. Sabbatius the bishop. 26. Isaac. 27. Ursinus. 28. Another Macarius. 29. Heliodorus the presbyter. 30. John, bishop of Constantinople. 31. John, another bishop. 32. Paulus the bishop. 33. Helvidius. 34. Theophilus the bishop. 35. Eusebius the bishop. 36. Vigilantius the presbyter. 37. Simplicianus the bishop. 38. Vigilius the bishop. 39. Augustine the bishop. 40. Orosius the presbyter. 41. Maximus the bishop. 42. Petronius the bishop. 43. Pelagius the heresiarch. 44. Innocentius the bishop. 45. Caelestius, follower of Pelagius. 46. Julianus the bishop. 47. Lucianus the presbyter. 48. Avitus the presbyter. 49. Paulinus the bishop. 50. Eutropius the presbyter. 51. Another Evagrius. 52. Atticus the holy bishop. 53. Vigilius the deacon. 54. Nestorius the heresiarch. 55. Caelestinus the bishop. 56. Theodorus the bishop. 57. Fastidius the bishop. 58. Cyrillus the bishop. 59. Timotheus the bishop. 60. Leporius the presbyter. 61. Victorinus the rhetorician. 62. Cassianus the deacon. 63. Philippus the presbyter. 64. Eucherius the bishop. 65. Vincentius the Gaul. 66. Syagrius. 67. Isaac the presbyter. 68. Salvianus the presbyter. 69. Paulinus the bishop. 70. Hilarius the bishop. 71. Leo the bishop. 72. Mochimus the presbyter. 73. Timotheus the bishop. 74. Asclepius the bishop. 75. Peter the presbyter, 76. Paul the presbyter. 77. Pastor the bishop. 78. Victor the bishop. 79. Voconius the bishop. 80. Musaeus the presbyter. 81. Vincentius the presbyter. 82. Cyrus the monk. 83. Samuel the presbyter. 84. Claudianus the presbyter. 85. Prosper. 86. Faustus the bishop. 87. Servus Dei the bishop. 88. Victorius. 89. Theodoritus the bishop. 90. Gennadius the bishop. 91. Theodulus the presbyter. 92. John the presbyter. 93. Sidonius the bishop. 94. Gelasius the bishop. 95. Honoratus the bishop. 96. Cerealis the bishop. 97. Eugenius the bishop. 98. Pomerius the bishop. 99. Gennadius.
Chapter I.
James, surnamed the Wise, was bishop of Nisibis the famous city of the
Persians and one
of the
confessors under Maximinus the persecutor. He was also one of those who,
in the Nicean
council,
by their opposition overthrew the Arian perversity of the Homoousia. That
the blessed
Jerome
mentions this man in his Chronicle as a man of great virtues and yet does
not place him in
his
catalogue of writers, will be easily explained if we note that of the
three or four Syrians
whom he
mentions he says that he read them translated into the Greek. From this it
is evident that,
at that
period, be did not know the Syriac language or literature and therefore he
did not know a
writer
who had not yet been translated into another language. All his writings
are contained in
twenty-six
books namely On faith, Against all heresies, On charity towards all, On
fasting, On prayer,
On
particular affection towards our neighbor, On the resurrection, On the
life after death, On
humility, On penitence, On satisfaction, On virginity, On the worth of the
soul, On
circumcision, On the blessed grapes, On the saying in Isaiah, "the grape
cluster shall not be
destroyed," That Christ is the son of God and consubstantial with the
Father On chastity,
Against the Nations, On the construction of the tabernacle, On the
conversation of the
nations, On the Persian kingdom, On the persecution of the Christians. He
composed also
a
Chronicle of little interest indeed to the Greeks, but of great
reliability in that it is
constructed only on
the authority of the Divine Scriptures. It shuts the mouths of those who,
on some daring
guess, idly
philosophize concerning the advent of Antichrist, or of our Lord. This man
died in the
time of
Constantius and according to the direction of his father Constantine was
buried within the
walls of
Nisibis, for the protection evidently of the city, and it turned out as
Constantine had
expected. For
many years after, Julian having entered Nisibis and grudging either the
glory of him who
was buried
there or the faith of Constantine, whose family he persecuted on account
of this envy,
ordered the
remains of the saint to be carried out of the city, and a few months
later, as a matter
succeeded
Julian, gave over to the barbarians the city which, with the adjoining
territory, is subject
unto the
Persian rule until this day.
Chapter II.
Julius, bishop of Rome, wrote to one Dionysius a single epistle On the
incarnation of Our
Lord,
which at that time was regarded as useful against those who asserted that,
as by
incarnation there
were two persons in Christ, so also there were two natures, but now this
too is regarded
as injurious
for it nourishes the Eutychian and Timothean heresies.
Chapter III.
Paulonas, the Presbyter, disciple of the blessed deacon Ephraim a man of
very energetic
character
and learned in the holy scriptures was distinguished among the doctors of
the church while
his master
was still living and especially as an extempora-neous orator. After the
death of his master,
overcome
by love of reputation, separating himself from the church, he wrote many
things opposed
to the faith.
The blessed Ephraim when on the point of death is reported to have said to
him as he
stood by his
side-See to it, Paulonas that you do not yield yourself to your own ideas,
but when you
shall think
that you understand God wholly, believe that you have not known,-for he
felt beforehand
from the
studies or the words of Paulonus, that he was investigating new things,
and was stretching
out his
mind to the illimitable, whence also he frequently called him the new
Bardesanes.
Chapter IV.
Vitellius the African, defending the Donatist schism wrote Why the
servants of God are
hated by
the world, in which, except in speaking of us as persecutors, he published
excellent
doctrine. He
wrote also Against the nations and against us as traditors of the Holy
Scriptures in times
of
persecution, and wrote much On ecclesiastical procedure. He was
distinguished during the
reign of
Constans son of the emperor Constantinus.
Chapter V.
Macrobius the Presbyter was likewise as I learned from the writings of
Optatus,
afterwards secretly
bishop of the Donatians in Rome. He wrote, having been up to this time a
presbyter in the
church of
God, a work To confessors and virgins, a work of ethics indeed, but of
Very necessary
doctrine
as well and fortified with sentiments well fitted for the preservation of
chastity. He was
distinguished
first in our party in Africa and afterwards in his own, that is among the
Donatians or
Montanists at
Rome.
Chapter VI.
Heliodorus the Presbyter wrote a book entitled An introductory treatise on
the nature of
things,
in which he showed that the beginning of things was one, that nothing was
coaeval with
God, that
God was not the creator of evil, but in such wise the creator of all good,
that matter,
which is used
for evil, was created by God after evil was discovered, and that nothing
material whatever
can be
regarded as established in any other way than by God, and that there was
no other creator
than
God, who, when by His foreknowledge He knew that nature was to be changed,
warned of
punishment.
Chapter VII.
Pachomius the monk, a man endowed with apostolic grace both in teaching
and in
performing
miracles, and founder of the Egyptian monasteries, wrote an Order of
discipline suited to
both
classes of monks, which he received by angelic dictation. He wrote letters
also to the
associated
bishops of his district, in an alphabet concealed by mystic sacraments so
as to surpass
customary
human knowledge and only manifest to those of special grace or desert,
that is To the
Abbot
Cornelius one, To the Abbot Syrus one, and one To the heads of all
monasteries exhorting
that,
gathered together to one very ancient monastery which is called in the
Egyptian language
Bau, they
should celebrate the day of the Passover together as by everlasting law.
He urged likewise
in another
letter that on the day of remission, which is celebrated in the month of
August, the chief
bishops
should be gathered together to one place, and wrote one other letter to
the brethren who
had been
sent to work outside the monasteries.
Chapter VIII.
Theodorus, successor to the grace and the headship of the above mentioned
Abbot
Pachomius,
addressed to other monasteries letters written in the language of Holy
Scripture, in which
nevertheless he frequently mentions his master and teacher Pachomius and
sets forth his
doctrine and
life as examples. This he had been taught he said by an Angel that he
himself might teach
again. He
likewise exhorts them to remain by the purpose of their heart and desire,
and to restore to
harmony
and unity those who, a dissension having arisen after the death of the
Abbot, had broken
the unity by
separating themselves from the community.Three hortatory epistles of his
are extant.
Chapter IX.
Oresiesis the monk, the colleague of both Pachomius and Theodorus, a man
learned to
perfection
in Scripture, composed a book seasoned with divine salt and formed of the
essentials of all
monastic discipline and to speak moderately, in which almost the whole Old
and New
Testament is
found set forth in compact dissertations-all, at least, which relates to
the special needs of
monks.
This he gave to his brethren almost on the very day of his death leaving,
as it were, a
legacy.
Chapter X.
Macarius, the Egyptian monk, distinguished for his miracles and virtues,
wrote one letter
which
was addressed to the younger men of his profession. In this he taught them
that he could
serve God
perfectly who, knowing the condition of his creation, should devote
himself to all labours,
and by
wrestling against every thing which is agreeable in this life, and at the
same time imploring
the aid of
God would attain also to natural purity and obtain continence, as a well
merited gift of
nature.
Chapter XI.
Evagrius the monk, the intimate disciple of the above mentioned Macarius,
educated in18
sacred
and profane literature and distinguished, whom the book which is called
the Lives of the
fathers
mentions as a most continent and erudite man, wrote many things of use to
monks among
which are
these: Suggestions against the eight principal sins. He was first to
mention oramong the
first at
least to teach these setting against them eight books taken from the
testimony of the Holy
Scriptures
only, after the example of our Lord, who always met his tempter with
quotations from
Scripture, so
that every suggestion, whether of the devil or of depraved nature had a
testimony against
it. This
work I have, under instructions, translated into Latin translating with
the same simplicity
which I
found in the Greek. He composed also a book of One hundred sentiments for
those living
simply
as anchorites, arranged by chapters, and one of Fifty sentiments for the
erudite and
studious, which
I first translated into Latin. The former one, translated before, I
restored, partly by
retranslating and
partly by emendation, so as to represent the true meaning of the author,
because I saw that
the
translation was vitiated and confused time. He composed also a doctrine of
the
common-life suited
to Cenobites and Synodites, and to the virgin consecrated to God, a little
book suitable to
her
religion and sex. He published also a few collections of opinions very
obscure and, as he
himself says
of them, only to be understood by the hearts of monks, and these likewise
I published in
Latin. He
lived to old age, mighty in signs and miracles.
Chapter XII.
Theodorus, presbyter of the church at Antioch, a cautious investigator and
clever of
tongue, wrote
against the Apollinarians and Anomians On the incarnation of the Lord,
fifteen books
containing as
many as fifteen thousand verses, in which he showed by the clearest
reasoning and by the
testimony
of Scripture that just as the Lord Jesus had a plenitude of deity, so he
had a plenitude of
humanity.
He taught also that man consists only of two substances, soul and body and
that sense and
spirit are
not different substances, but inherent inborn faculties of the soul
through which it is
inspired and has
rationality and through which it makes the body capable of feeling.
Moreover the
fourteenth book of
this work treats wholly of the uncreated and alone incorporeal and ruling
nature of the
holy Trinity
and of the rationality of animals which he explains in a devotional
spirit, on the authority
of Holy
Scriptures. In the fifteenth volume he confirms and fortifies the whole
body of his work by
citing the
traditions of the fathers.
Chapter XIII.
Prudentius, a man well versed in secular literature, composed a Trocheum
of selected
persons
from the whole Old and New Testament. He wrote a commentary also, after
the fashion of
the
Greeks, On the six days of creation from creation of the world until the
creation of the
first man
and his fall. He wrote also short books which are entitled in the Greek,
Apotheosis,
chomachia and
Hamartigenia, that is On divinity, On spiritual conflict, On the origin of
sin. He wrote also
In
praise of martyrs, an invitation to martyrdom in one book citing several
as examples and
another of
Hymns, but specially directed Against Symmachus who defended idolatry,
from which we
learn
that Palatinus was a soldier.
Chapter XIV.
Audentius, bishop of Spain, wrote a book against the Manicheans,
Sabellians and Arians
and very
particularly against the Photinians who are now called Bonosiacians. This
book he entitled
On faith
against heretics, and in it he showed the Son to have been coeternal with
the Father and
that He
did not receive the beginning of his deity from God the Father, at the
time when conceived
by the act
of God, he was born of the Virgin Mary his mother in true humanity.
Chapter XV.
Commodianus, while he was engaged in secular literature read also our
writings and,
finding
opportunity, accepted the faith. Having become a Christian thus and
wishing to offer the
fruit of his
studies to Christ the author of his salvation, he wrote, in barely
tolerable semi-versified
language,
Against the pagans, and because he was very little acquainted with our
literature he was
better able
to overthrow their [doctrine] than to establish ours. Whence also,
contending against them
concerning the divine counterpromises, he discoursed in a sufficiently
wretched and so to
speak,
gross fashion, to their stupefaction and our despair. Following
Tertullian, Lactantius and
Papias as
authorities he adopted and inculcated in his students good ethical
principles and especially
a
voluntary love of poverty.
Chapter XVI.
Faustinus the presbyter wrote to Queen Flaccilla seven books Against the
Arians and
Macedonians, arguing anti convicting them by the testimonies of the very
Scriptures which
they
used, in perverted meaning, for blasphemy. He wrote also a book which,
together with a
certain
presbyter named Marcellinus, he addressed to the emperors Valentinianus;
Theodosius
anti
Arcadius, in defence of their fellow Christians. From this it appears that
he acquiesced in
the
Luciferian schism, in that in this same book he blames Hilary of Poitiers
and Damasus,
bishop of
Rome, for giving ill-advised counsel to the church, advising that the
apostate bishops
should be
received into communion for the sake of restoring the peace. For it was as
displeasing to
the
Luciferians to receive the bishops who in the Ariminian council had
communed with Arius,
as it was
to the Novatians to receive the penitent apostates.
Chapter XVII.
Rufinus, presbyter of the church at Aquileia, was not the least among the
doctots of the
church and
bad a fine talent for elegant translation from Greek into Latin. In this
way he opened to the
Latin
speaking church the greater part of the Greek literature; translating the
works of Basil of
Caesarea in
Cappadocia, Gregory Nazianzan, that most eloquent man, the Recognitions of
Clement of
Rome,
the Church history of Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine, the Sentences of
Xystus, the
Sentences
of Evagrius and the work of Pamphilus Martyr Against the mathematicians.
Whatever
among all
these which are read by the Latins have prefatory matter, have been
translated by Rufinus,
but those
which are without Prologue have been translated by some one else who did
not choose to
write a
prologue. Not all of Origen, however, is his work, for Jerome translated
some which are
identified
by his prologue. On his own account, the same Rufinus, ever through the
grace of God
published an
Exposition of the Apostles' Creed so excellent that other expositions are
regarded as of no
account
in comparison. He also wrote in a threefold sense. that is, the
historical, moral and
mystical sense, on
Jacob's blessing on the patriarchs. He wrote also many epistles exhorting
to fear of God,
among
which those which he addressed to Proba are preeminent. He added also a
tenth and
eleventh book
to I the ecclesiastical history which we have said was written by Eusebius
and translated
by him.
Moreover be responded to a detractor of his works, in two volumes, arguing
and proving
that he
exercised his talent with the aid of the Lord and in the sight of God, for
the good of the
church, while
he, on the other hand, incited by jealousy had taken to polemics.
Chapter XVIII.
Tichonius, an African by nationality was, it is said, sufficiently learned
in sacred literature,
not
wholly unacquainted with secular literature and zealous in ecclesiastical
affairs. He wrote
books On
internal war and Expositions of various causes in which for the defence of
his friends, he
cites the
ancient councils and from all of which he is recognized to have been a
Donatist. He
composed also
eight Rules for investigating and ascertaining the meaning of the
Scriptures, compressing
them
into one volume. He also expounded the Apocalypse of John entire,
regarding nothing in it
in a carnal
sense, but all in a spiritual sense. In this exposition he maintained the
angelical nature
to be
corporeal, moreover he doubts that there will be a reign of the righteous
on earth for a
thousand
years after the resurrection, or that there will be two resurrections of
the dead in the flesh,
one of the
righteous and the other of the unrighteous, but maintains that there will
be one
simultaneous
resurrection of all, at which shall arise even the aborted and the
deformed lest any living
human
being, however deformed, should be lost. He makes such distinction to be
sure, between
the two
resurrections as to make the first, which he calls the apocalypse of the
righteous, only to
take place
in the growth of the church where, justified by faith, they are raised
from the dead bodies
of their sins
through baptism to the service of eternal life. but the second, the
general resurrection of all
men in the
flesh. This man flourished at the same period with the above mentioned
Rufinus during the
reign of
Theodosius and his sons.
Chapter XIX.
Severus the presbyter, surnamed Sulpitius, of the province of Aquitania, a
man
distinguished by his
birth, by his excellent literary work, by his devotion to poverty and by
his humility,
beloved also of
the sainted men Martin bishop of Tours and Paulinus Nolanus, wrote small
books which
are far from
despicable. He wrote to his sister many Letters exhorting to love of God
and contempt of
the world.
These are well known. He wrote two to the above mentioned Paulinus Nolanus
and others
to others,
but because, in some, faintly matters are included, they have not been
collected for
publication. He
composed also a Chronicle, and wrote also to the profit of many, a Life of
the holy
Martin, monk
and bishop, a man famous for signs and wonders and virtues.34 He also
wrote a
Conference
between Postumianus and Gallus, in which he himself acted as mediator and
judge of the
debate.
The subject matter was the manner of life of the oriental monks and of St.
Martin-a sort of
dialogue
in two divisions. In the first of these he mentions a decree of the
bishops at the synod of
Alexandria
in his own time to the effect that Origen is to be read, though
cautiously, by those who are
wise, for
the good that is in him, and is to be rejected by the less able on account
of the evil. In his
old age, he
was led astray by the Pelagians, and recognizing the guilt of much
speaking, kept silent
until his
death, in order that by penitent silence he might atone for the sin which
he had contracted
by
speaking.
Chapter XX.
Antiochus the bishop, wrote one long a volume Against avarice and he
composed a
homily, full
of godly penitence and humility On the healing of the blind man whose
sight was restored
by the
Saviour. He died during the reign of the emperor Arcadius.
Chapter XXI.
Severianus, bishop of the church of Gab-ala, was learned in the Holy
Scriptures and a
wonderful
preacher of homilies. On this account he was frequently summoned by the
bishop John and
the
emperor Arcadius to preach a sermon at Constantinople. I have read his
Exposition of the
epistle
to the Galatians and a most attractive little work On baptism and the
feast of Epiphany. He
died
in the reign of Theodosius, his son by baptism.
Chapter XXII.
Niceas, bishop of the city of Romatia, composed, in simple and clear
language, six books
of
Instruction for neophites. The first of these contains, How candidates who
seek to obtain
grace of
baptism ought to act, the second, On the errors of relationship, in which
he relates that not
far from
his own time a certain Melodius, father of a family, on account of his
liberality and
Garadius a
peasant, on account of his bravery, were placed, by the heathen, among the
gods. A third
book On
faith in one sovereign, a fourth Against genealogy, a fifth On the creed,
a sixth On the
sacrifice of the paschal lamb. He addressed a work also To the fallen
virgin, an incentive
to
amendment for all who have fallen.
Chapter XXIII.
Olympius the bishop, a Spaniard by nationality, wrote a book of faith
against those who
blame
nature and not the will, showing that evil was introduced into nature not
by creation but
by
disobedience.
Chapter XXIV.
Bachiarius, a Christian philosopher, prompt and ready and minded to devote
his time to
God,
chose travel as a means of preserving the integrity of his purpose. He is
said to have
published
acceptable small works but I have only read one of them, a work On faith,
in which be
justified
himself to the chief priest of the city, defending himself against those
who complained and
misrepresented his travel, and asserting that he undertook his travel not
through fear of
men but for
the sake of God, that going forth from his land and kindred he might
become a co-heir
with
Abraham the patriarch.
Chapter XXV.
Sabbatius, bishop of the Gallican province, at the request of a certain
virgin, chaste and
devoted to
Christ, Secunda by name, composed a book On faith against Marcion and
Valentinus his
teacher,
also against Eunomius and his Master Aketius, showing, both by reason and
by testimony
of the
Scriptures, that the origin of the deity is one, that the Author of his
eternity and the
Creator of the
earth out of nothing, are one and the same, and likewise concerning
Christ, that he did not
appear as
man in a phantasm but had real flesh through which eating, drinking, weary
and weeping,
suffering,
dying, rising again he was demonstrated to be man indeed. For Marcion and
Valentinus
had been
opposed to these opinions asserting that the origin of Deity is twofold
and that Christ
came in a
phantasm. To Aetius indeed and Eunomius his disciple, he showed that the
Father and Son
are not
of two natures and equal in divinity but of one essence and the one from
the other, that is
the Son
from the Father, the one coeternal with the other, which belief Aktius and
Eunomius
opposed.
Chapter XXVI.
Isaac wrote On the Holy Trinity and a book On the incarnation of the Lord,
writing in a
very
obscure style of argument and involved language, maintaining that three
persons exist in
one Deity, in
such wise that any thing may be peculiar to each which another does not
have, that is to
say, that the
Father has this peculiarity that He, himself without source, is the source
of others, that the
Son has
this peculiarity. that, begotten, He is not posterior to the begetter,
that the Holy Spirit has
this
peculiarity, that He is neither made nor begotten but nevertheless is from
another. Of the
incarnation
of the Lord indeed, he writes that the person of the Son of God is
believed to be one,
while yet there
are two natures existing in him.
Chapter XXVII.
Ursinus the monk wrote against those who say that heretics should be
rebaptized, teaching
that it
is not legitimate nor honouring God, that those should be rebaptized who
have been
baptized either
in the name of Christ alone or in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy
Spirit, though
the formula has been used in a vitiated sense. He considers that after the
simple confession
of the
Holy Trinity and of Christ, the imposition of the hands of the catholic
priest is sufficient
for salvation.
Chapter XXVIII.
Macarius another monk, wrote at Rome books Against the mathematicians, in
which
labour he
sought the comfort of oriental writings.
Chapter XXIX.
Heliodorus, presbyter of Antioch, published an excellent volume gathered
from Holy
Scriptures
On Virginity.
Chapter XXX.
[John bishop of Constantinople, a man of marvelous knowledge and in
sanctity of life, in
every
respect worthy of imitation, wrote many and very useful works for all who
are hastening
to divine
things. Among them are the following On compunction of soul one book, That
no one is
injured
except by himself, an excellent volume In praise of the blessed Paul the
apostle, On the
excesses
and ill reputation of Eutropius a praetorian prefect and many others, as I
have said, which
may be
found by the industrious.]
Chapter XXXI.
Another John, bishop of Jerusalem, wrote a book against those who
disparaged his
studies, in
which he shows that he follows the genius of Origen not his creed.
Chapter XXXII.
Paul the bishop wrote a short work On penitence in which he lays down this
law for
penitents; that
they ought to repent for their sins in such manner that they be not beyond
measure
overwhelmed with
despairing sadness.
Chapter XXXIII.
Helvidius, a disciple of Auxentius and imitator of Symmachus, wrote,
indeed, with zeal for
religion
but not according to knowledge, a book, polished neither in language nor
in reasoning, a
work in
which he so attempted to twist the meaning of the Holy Scriptures to his
own perversity,
as to
venture to assert on their testimony that Joseph and Mary, after the
nativity of our Lord,
had children
who were called brothers of the Lord. In reply to his perverseness Jerome,
published a
book against
him, well filled with scripture proofs.
Chapter XXXIV.
Theophilus, bishop of the church of Alexandria, wrote one great volume
Against Origen in
which he condemns pretty nearly all his sayings and himself likewise, at
the same time
saying that he
was not original in his views but derived them from the ancient fathers
especially from
Heraclas, that
he was deposed from the office of presbyter driven from the church and
compelled to fly
from the
city. He also wrote Against the Anthropomorphites, heretics who say that
God has the
human
form and members, confuting in a long discussion and arguing by
testimonies of Divine
Scripture and
convincing. He shows that, according to the belief of the Fathers, God is
to be thought of
as
incorporal, not formed with any suggestion of members at all, and
therefore there is
nothing like Him
among created things in substance, nor has the incorruptibility nor
unchangeableness nor
incorporeality of his nature been given to any one but that all
intellectual natures are
corporeal, all
corruptible, all mutable, that He alone should not be subject to
corruptibility or
changeableness, who
alone has immortality and life. Likewise the return of the paschal feast
which the great
council at
Nicea had found would take place after ninety years at the same time, the
same month and
day
adding some observations on the festival and explanations he gave to the
emperor
Theodosius. I
have read also three books On faith, which bear his name but, as their
language is not like
his, I do
not very much think they are by him.
Chapter XXXV.
Eusebius wrote On the mystery of our Lord's cross and the faithfulness of
the apostles,
and
especially of Peter, gained by virtue of the cross.
Chapter XXXVI.
Vigilantius, a citizen of Gaul, had the church of Barcelona. He wrote also
with some zeal
for
religion but, overcome by the desire for human praise and presuming above
his strength,
being a man
of polished language but not practised in the meaning of Scriptures, he
expounded the
vision of
Daniel in a perverted sense and said other frivolous things which are
necessarily mentioned
in a
catalogue of heretics. [To him also the blessed Jerome the presbyter
responded.]
Chapter XXXVII.
Simplicianus, the bishop, exhorted Augustine then presbyter, in many
letters, that he
should
exercise his genius and take time for exposition of the Scriptures that,
as it were, a new
Ambrosius,
the task master of Origen might appear. Wherefore also he sent to him many
examinations
of
scriptures. There is also an epistle of his of Questions in which he
teaches by asking
questions as if
wishing to learn.
Chapter XXXVIII.
Vigilius the bishop wrote to one Simplicianus a small book In praise of
martyrs and an
epistle
containing the acts of the martyrs in his time among the barbarians.
Chapter XXXIX.
Agustine, of Africa, bishop of Hipporegensis, a man renowned throughout
the world for
learning
both sacred and secular, unblemished in the faith, pure in life, wrote
works so many that
they cannot
all be gathered. For who is there that can boast himself of having all his
works, or who
reads with
such diligence as to read all he has written? As an old man even, he
published fifteen
books On
the Trinity which he had begun as a young man. In which, as scripture
says, brought into
the
chamber of the king and adorned with the manifold garment of the wisdom of
God, he
exhibited a
church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. In his work On the
incarnation of the
Lord
also he manifested a peculiar piety. On the resurrection of the dead he
wrote with equal
sincerity,
and left it to the less able to raise doubts respecting abortions [
i.e. about the fate of
unborn children].
Chapter XL.
Orosius, a Spanish presbyter, a man most eloquent and learned in history,
wrote eight
books
against those enemies of the Christians who say that the decay of the
Roman State was
caused by
the Christian religion. In these rehearsing the calamities and miseries
and disturbances of
wars, of
pretty much the whole world from the creation he shows that the Roman
Empire owed to
the
Christian religion its undeserved continuance and the state of peace which
it enjoyed for
the worship
of God.
In the first book he described the world situated within the ever flowing
stream of
Oceanus and
intersected by the Tanais, giving the situations of places, the names,
number and customs
of nations,
the characteristics of various regions, the wars begun and the formation
of empires sealed
with the
blood of kinsmen.
This is the Orosius who, sent by Augustine to Hieronymus to teach the
nature of the soul,
returning,
was the first to bring to the West relics of the blessed Stephen the first
martyr then
recently found.
He flourished almost at the end of the reign of the emperor Honorius.
Chapter XLI.
Maximus, bishop of the church at Turin, a man fairly industrious in the
study of the Holy
Scripture,
and good at teaching the people extemporaneously, composed treatises In
praise of the
apostles
and John the Baptist, and a Homily on all the martyrs. Moreover he wrote
many acute
comments on passages from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. He
wrote also two
treatises,
On the life of Saint Eusebius, bishop ofVercelli, and confessor, and On
Saint Cyprian, and
published a monograph On the grace of baptism. I have read his On avarice,
On
hospitality, On
the eclipse of the moon, On almsgiving, On the saying. in Isaiah, Your
winedealers mix
wine
with water, On Our Lord's Passion, A general treatise On fasting by the
servants of God,
On
the quadragesimal fast in particular, and That there should be no jesting
on fast day, On
Judas,
the betrayer, On Our Lord's cross, On His sepulchre, On His resurrection,
On the
accusation
and trial of Our Lord before Pontius Pilate, On the Kalends of January, a
homily On the
day
of Our Lord's Nativity, also homilies On Epiphany, On the Passover, On
Pentecost, many
also,
On having no fear of carnal Foes, On giving thanks after meat, On the
repentance of the
Ninivites, and other homilies of his, published on various occasions,
whose names I do not
remember. He died in the reign of Honorius and Theodosius the younger.
Chapter XLII.
Petronius, bishop of Bologna in Italy, a man of holy life and from his
youth practised in
monastic
studies, is reputed to have written the Lives of the Fathers, to wit of
the Egyptian monks,
a work
which the monks accept as the mirror and pattern of their profession. I
have read a treatise
which
bears his name On the ordination of bishops, a work full of good reasoning
and notable for
its
humility, but whose polished style shows it not to have been his, but
perhaps, as some say,
the work
of his father Petronius, a man of great eloquence and learned in secular
literature. This I
think is to
be accepted, for the author of the work describes himself as a praetorian
prefect. He died
in the
reign of Theodosius and Valentinianus.
Chapter XLIII.
Pelagius the heresiarch, before he was proclaimed a heretic wrote works of
practical value
for
students: three books On belief in the Trinity, and one book of Selections
from Holy
Scriptures
bearing on the Christian life. This latter was preceded by tables of
contents, after the
model of
Saint Cyprian the martyr. After he was proclaimed heretic, however, he
wrote works
bearing on his
heresy.
Chapter XLIV.
Innocentius, bishop of Rome, wrote the decree which the Western churches
passed against
the
Pelagians and which his successor, Pope Zosimus, afterwards widely
promulgated.
Chapter XLV.
Caelestius, before he joined Pelagius, while yet a very young man, wrote
to his parents
three
epistles On monastic life, written as short books, and containing moral
maxims suited to
every one
who is seeking God, containing no trace of the fault which afterwards
appeared but wholly
devoted
to the encouragement of virtue.
Chapter XLVI.
Julianus the bishop, a man of vigorous character, learned in the Divine
Scriptures, and
proficient
both in Greek and Latin, was, before he disclosed his participation in the
ungodliness of
Pelagius,
distinguished among the doctors of the church. But afterwards, trying to
defend the
Pelagian heresy,
he wrote four books, Against Augustine, the opponent of Pelagius, and then
again, eight
books
more. There is also a book containing a discussion, where each defends his
side.
This Julianus, in time of famine and want, attracting many through the
alms which he gave,
and the
glamour of virtue, which they cast around him, associated them with him in
his heresy. He
died during
the reign of Valentinianus, the son of Constantius.
Chapter XLVII.
Lucianus the presbyter, a holy man to whom, at the time when Honorius and
Theodosius
were
Emperors, God revealed the place of the sepulchre and the remains of Saint
Stephen the
Protomartyr, wrote out that revelation in Greek, addressing it to all the
churches.
Chapter XLVIII.
Avitus the presbyter, a Spaniard by race, translated the above mentioned
work of the
presbyter
Lucianus into Latin, and sent it with his letter annexed, by the hand of
Orosius the
presbyter, to the
Western churches.
Chapter XLIX.
Paulinus, bishop of Nola in Campania, composed many brief works in verse,
also a
consolatory
work to Celsus On the death of a christian and baptized child, a sort of
epitaph, well
fortified
with christian hope, also many Letters to Severus, and A panegric in prose
written before
he
became bishop, On victory over tyrants which was addressed to Theadosius
and
maintained that
victory lay rather in faith and prayer, than in arms. He wrote also a
Sacramentary and
Hymnal.
He also addressed many letters to his sister, On contempt of the world,
and published
treatises of
different sorts, on various occasions.
The most notable of all his minor works.. are the works On repentance, and
A general
panegyric
of all the martyrs. He lived in the reign of Honorius and Valentinianus,
and was
distinguished, not
only for erudition and holiness of life, but also for his ability to cast
out demons.
Chapter L.
Eutropius, the presbyter, wrote to two sisters, handmaids of Christ, who
had been
disinherited by
their parents on account of their devotion to chastity and their love for
religion, two
Consolatory
letters in the form of small books, written in polished and clear language
and fortified not
only by
argument, but also by testimonies from the Scriptures.
Chapter LI.
Another Evagrius wrote a Discussion between Simon the Jew and Theophilus
the
Christian, a
work which is very well known.
Chapter LII.
Vigilius the deacon composed out of the traditions of the fathers a Rule
for monks, which
is
accustomed to be read in the monastery for the profit of the assembled
monks. It is written
in
condensed and clear language and covers the whole range of monastic
duties.
Chapter LIII.
Atticus bishop of Constantinople, wrote to the princess daughters of the
Emperor
Arcadius, On
faith and virginity, a most excellent work, in which he attacks by
anticipation the
Nestorian
doctrine.
Chapter LIV.
Nestorius the heresiarch, was regarded, while presbyter of the church at
Antioch, as a
remarkable extemporaneous teacher, and composed a great many treatises on
various
Questions,
into which already at that time he infused that subtle evil, which
afterwards became the
poison of
acknowledged impiety, veiled meanwhile by moral exhortation. But
afterwards, when
commended
by his eloquence and abstemiousness he had been made pontiff of the church
at
Constantinople,
showing openly what he had for a long while concealed, he became a
declared enemy of
the church,
and wrote a book On the incarnation of the Lord, formed of sixty-two
passages from
Divine
Scripture, used in a perverted meaning. What he maintained in this book
may be found in
the
catalogue of heretics.
Chapter LV.
Caelestinus, bishop of Rome, addressed a volume to the churches of the
East and West,
giving an
account of the decree of the synod against the above mentioned Nestorius
and maintaining
that while
there are two complete natures in Christ, the person of the Son of God is
to be regarded
as single.
The above mentioned Nestorius was shown to be opposed to this view. Xystus
likewise,
the
successor of Caelestinus, wrote on the same subject and to the same
Nestorius and the
Eastern
bishops, giving the views of the Western bishops against his error.
Chapter LVI.
Theodotus, bishop of Ancyra in Galatia, while at Ephesus, wrote against
Nestorius a work
of
defence and refutation, written, to be sure, in dialectic style, but
interwoven with passages
from
the Holy Scriptures. His method was to make statements and then quote
proof texts from
the
Scriptures.
Chapter LVII.
Fastidius, bishop in Britain, wrote to one Fatalis, a book On the
Christian life, and another
On
preserving the estate of virginity, a work full of sound doctrine, and
doing honour to God.
Chapter LVIII.
Cyril, bishop of the church at Alexandria, published various treatises on
various Questions,
and
also composed many homilies, which are recommended for preaching by the
Greek
bishops. Other
books of his are; On the downfall of the synagogue, On faith against the
heretics, and a
work
directed especially against Nestorius and entitled, A Refutation, in which
all the the secrets
of
Nestorius are exposed and his published opinions are refuted.
Chapter LIX.
Timotheus, the bishop composed a book On the nativity of Our Lord
according to the
flesh,
which is supposed to have been written at Epiphany.
Chapter LX.
Leporius, formerly monk afterwards presbyter, relying on purity,106
through his own free
will and
unaided effort, instead of depending on the help of God, began to follow
the Pelagian
doctrine. But
having been admonished by the Gallican doctors, and corrected by Augustine
in Africa, he
wrote a
book containing his retraction, in which he both acknowledges his error
and returns thanks
for his
correction. At the same time in correction of his false view of the
incarnation of Christ, he
presented
the Catholic view, acknowledging the single person of the Son of God, and
the two
natures existing
in Christ in his substance.
Chapter LXI.
Victorus, a rhetorician of Marseilles, wrote to his son Etherius, a
commentary On Genesis,
commenting, that is, from the beginning of the book to the death of the
patriarch
Abraham, and
published four books in verse, words which have a savour of piety indeed,
but, in that he
was a
man busied with secular literature and quite untrained in the Divine
Scriptures, they are of
slight
weight, so far as ideas are concerned.
He died in the reign of Theodosius and Valentinianus.
Chapter LXII.
Cassianus, Scythian by race, ordained deacon by bishop John the Great, at
Constantinople,
and a
presbyter at Marseilles, rounded two monasteries, that is to say one for
men and one for
women,
which are still standing. He wrote from experience, and in forcible
language, or to speak
more
clearly, with meaning back of his words, and action back of his talk. He
covered the whole
field of
practical directions, for monks of all sorts, in the following works: On
dress, also On the
canon of
prayers, and the Usage in the saying of Psalms, (for these in the Egyptian
monasteries, are
said
day and night), three books. One of Institutes, eight books On the origin,
nature and
remedies
for the eight principal sins, a book on each sin. He also compiled
Conferences with the
Egyptian
fathers, as follows: On the aim of a monk and his creed, On di scretion,
On three vocations
to
the service of God, On the warfare of the flesh against the spirit and the
spirit against the
flesh, On the nature of all sins, On the slaughter of the saints, On
fickleness of mind, On
principalities, On the nature of prayer, On the duration of prayer, On
perfection, On
chastity,
On the protection of God, On the knowledge of spiritual things, On the
Divine graces, On
friendship, On whether to define or not to define, On three ancient kinds
of monks and a
fourth recently arisen, On the object of cenobites and hermits, On true
satisfaction in
repentance, On the remission of the Quinquagesimal fast, On nocturnal
illusions, On the
saying of the apostles, "For the good which I would do. I do not, but the
evil which l
would
not, that l do," On mortification, and finally at the request of Leo the
archdeacon,
afterwards
bishop of Rome, he wrote seven books against Nestorius, On the incarnation
of the Lord,
and
writing this, made an end, both of writing and living, at Marseilles, in
the reign of
Theodosius and
Valentinianus.
Chapter LXIII.
Philip, the presbyter Jerome's best pupil, published a Commentary on Job,
written in an
unaffected style, I have read his Familiar letters, exceedingly witty,
exhorting the
endurance of
poverty and sufferings. He died in the reign of Martianus and Avitus.
Chapter LXIV.
Eucherius, bishop of the church at Lyons, wrote to his relative
Valerianus, On contempt
for the
world and worldly philosophy, a single letter, written in a style which
shows sound
learning and
reasoning. He wrote also to his sons, Salonius and Veranius, afterward
bishops, a
discussion On
certain obscure passages of Holy Scriptures, and besides, revising and
condensing certain
works
of Saint Cassianus, he compressed them into one volume, and wrote other
works suited to
ecclesiastical or monastic pursuits. He died in the reign of Valentinianus
and Martianus.
Chapter LXV.
Vincentius, the Gaul, presbyter in the Monastery on the Island of Lerins,
a man learned in
the
Holy Scriptures and very well informed in matters of ecclesiastical
doctrine, composed a
powerful
disputation, written in tolerably finished and clear language, which,
suppressing his name,
he entitled
Peregrinus against heretics. The greater part of the second book of this
work having been
stolen,
he composed a brief reproduction of the substance of the original work,
and published in
one
[book]. He died in the reign of Theodosius and Valentinianus.
Chapter LXVI.
Syagrius wrote On faith, against the presumptuous words, which heretics
assume for the
purpose
of destroying or superseding the names of the Holy Trinity, for they say
that the Father
ought not to
be called Father, lest the name, Son should harmonize with that of Father,
but that he
should be
called the Unbegotten or the Imperishable and the Absolute, in order that
whatever may be
distinct
from Him in person, may also be separate in nature, showing that the
Father, who is
unchangeable in
nature may be called the Unbegotten, though the Scripture may not call Him
so, that the
person of
the Son is begotten from Him, not made, and that the person of the Holy
Spirit proceeds
from Him
not begotten, and not made. Under the name of this Syagrius I found seven
books, entitled
On Faith
and the rules of Faith, but as they did not agree in style, I did not
believe they were written
by him.
Chapter LXVII.
Isaac, presbyter of the church at Antioch, whose many works cover a long
period, wrote
in
Syriac especially against the Nestorians and Eutychians. He lamented the
downfall of
Antioch in an
elegiac poem, taking up the same strain that Ephraim, the deacon, sounded
on the
downfall of
Nicomedia. He died during the reign of Leo and Majorianus.
Chapter LXVIII.
Salvianus, presbyter of Marseilles, well informed both in secular and in
sacred literature,
and to
speak without invidiousness, a master among bishops, wrote many things in
a scholastic
and clear
style, of which I have read the following: four books On the Excellence of
virginity, to
Marcellus
the presbyter, three books Against avarice, five books On the present
judgment, and one
book On punishment according to desert, addressed to Salonius the bishop,
also one book
of
Commentary on the latter part of the book of Ecclesiastes, addressed to
Claudius bishop
of
Vienne, one book of Epistles.
He also composed one book in verse after the Greek fashion, a
sort of Hexaemeron, covering the period from the beginning of Genesis to
the creation of
man, also
many Homilies delivered to the bishops, and I am sure I do not know how
many On the
sacraments. He is still living at a good old age.
Chapter LXIX.
Paulinus composed treatises On the beginning of the Quadragesimal, of
which I have read
two, On the Passover Sabbath, On obedience, On penitence, On neophytes.
Chapter LXX.
Hilary, bishop of the church at Arles, a man learned in Holy Scriptures,
was devoted to
poverty,
and earnestly anxious to live in narrow circumstances, not only in
religiousness of mind,
but also in
labour of body. To secure this estate of poverty, this man of noble race
and very
differently brought
up, engaged in farming, though it was beyond his strength, and yet did not
neglect spiritual
matters.
He was an acceptable teacher also, and without regard to persons
administered correction
to all.
He published some few things, brief, but showing immortal genius, and
indicating an
erudite mind, as
well as capacity for vigorous speech; among these that work which is of so
great practical
value to
many, his Life Saint Honoratus, his predecessor. He died during the reign
of Valentinianus
and
Martianus.
Chapter LXXI.
Leo, bishop of Rome, wrote a letter to Flavianus, bishop of the church at
Constantinople,
against Eutyches the presbyter, who at that time, on account of his
ambition for the
episcopate was
trying to introduce novelties into the church. In this he advises
Flavianus, if Eutyches
confesses his
error and promises amendment, to receive him, but if he should persist in
the course he
had entered
on, that he should be condemned together with his heresy. He likewise
teaches in this
epistle and
confirms by divine testimony that as the Lord Jesus Christ is to be
considered the true son
of the
Divine Father, so likewise he is to be considered true man with human
nature, that is, that
he derived
a body of flesh from the flesh of the virgin and not as Eutyches asserted,
that he showed a
body from
heaven. He died in the reign of Leo and Majorianus.
Chapter LXXII.
Mochimus, the Mesopotamian, a presbyter at Antioch, wrote an excellent
book Against
Eutyches, and is said to be writing others, which I have not yet read.
Chapter LXXIII.
Timotheus, when Proterius had been put to death by the Alexandrians, in
response to
popular clamour, willingly or unwillingly allowed himself to be made
bishop by a single
bishop in the
place of him who bad been put to death. And lest he, having been illegally
appointed,
should be
deservedly deposed at the will of the people who had hated Proterius, he
pronounced all
the bishops
of his vicinity to be Nestorians, and boldly presuming to wash out the
stain on his
conscience by
hardihood, wrote a very persuasive book to the Emperor Leo, which he
attempted to
fortify by
testimonies of the Fathers, used in a perverted sense, so far as to show,
for the sake of
deceiving the
emperor and establishing his heresy, that Leo of Rome, pontiff of the
city, and the synod
of
Chalcedon, and all the Western bishops were fundamentally Nestorians. But
by the grace
of God,
the enemy of the church was refuted and overthrown at the Council of
Chalcedon. He is
said to be
living in exile, still an heresiarch, and it is most likely so. This book
of his for learning's
sake, I
translated by request of the brethren into Latin and prefixed a caveat.
Chapter LXXIV.
Asclepius, the African, bishop of a large see within the borders of
Bagais, wrote against
the
Arians, and is said to be now writing against the Donatists. He is famous
for his
extemporaneous
teaching.
Chapter LXXV.
Peter, presbyter of the church at Edessa, a famous preacher, wrote
Treatises on various
subjects, and Hymns after the manner of Saint Ephrem, the deacon.
Chapter LXXVI.
Paul the presbyter, a Pannonian by nationality, as I learned from his own
mouth, wrote On
preserving virginity, and contempt for the world, and the Ordering of life
or the correction
of
morals, written in a mediocre style, but flavoured with divine salt. The
two books were
addressed to
a certain noble virgin devoted to Christ, Constantia by name, and in them
he mentions
Jovinian the
heretic and preacher of voluptuousness and lusts, who was so far removed
from leading a
continent
and chaste life, that he belched forth his life in the midst of luxurious
banquets.
Chapter LXXVII.
Pastor the bishop composed a short work, written in the form of a creed,
and containing
pretty
much the whole round of Ecclesiastical doctrine in sentences. In this,
among other heresies
which he
anathematizes without giving the names of their authors, he condemns the
Priscillians and
their author.
Chapter LXXVIII.
Victor, bishop of Cartenna in Mauritania, wrote one long book against the
Arians, which
he sent
to king Genseric by his followers, as I learned from the preface to the
work, and a work
On the
repentance of the publican, in which he drew up a rule of life for the
penitent, according to
the
authority of Scriptures. He also wrote a consolatory work to one Basilius,
On the death of
a son,
filled with resurrection hope and good counsel. He also composed many
Homilies, which
have been
arranged as continuous works and are as I know, made use of by brethren
anxious for
their own
salvation.
Chapter LXXIX.
Voconius, bishop of Castellanum in Mauritania, wrote Against the enemies
of the church,
Jews, Arians, and other heretics. He composed also an excellent work On
the Sacraments.
Chapter LXXX.
Musaeus, presbyter of the church at Marseilles, a man learned in Divine
Scriptures and
most
accurate in their interpretation, as well as master of an excellent
scholastic style, on the
request of
Saint Venerius the bishop, selected from Holy Scriptures passages suited
to the various
feast days of
the year, also passages from the Psalms for responses suited to the
season, and the
passages for
reading. The readers in the church found this work of the greatest value,
in that it saved
them trouble
and anxiety in the selection of passages, and was useful for the
instruction of the people as
well as for
the dignity of the service. He also addressed to Saint Eustathius the
bishop, successor to
the
above mentioned man of God, an excellent and sizable volume, a
Sacramentary,
divided into
various sections, according to the various offices and seasons, Readings
and Psalms, both
for
reading and chanting, but also filled throughout with petitions to the
Lord, and
thanksgiving for his
benefits. By this work we know him to have been a man of strong
intelligence and chaste
eloquence.
He is said to have also delivered homilies, which are, as I know, valued
by pious men, but
which I
have not read. He died in the reign of Leo and Majorianus.
Chapter LXXXI.
Vincentius the presbyter, a native of Gaul, practised in Divine Scripture
and possessed of a
style
polished by speaking and by wide reading, wrote a Commentary On the
Psalms. A part of
this
work, he read in my hearing, to a man of God, at Cannatae, promising at
the same time,
that if the
Lord should spare his life and strength, he would treat the whole Psalter
in the same way.
Chapter LXXXII.
Cyrus, an Alexandrian by race, and a physician by profession, at first a
philosopher then a
monk,
an expert speaker, at first wrote elegantly and powerfully against
Nestorius, but
afterwards, since he
began to inveigh against him too intemperately and dealt in syllogism
rather than
Scripture, he
began to foster the Timothean doctrine. Finally he declined to accept the
decree of the
council of
Chalcedon, and did not think the doctrine that after the incarnation the
Son of God
comprehended
two natures, was to be acquiesced in.
Chapter LXXXIII.
Samuel, presbyter of the church at Edessa, is said to have written many
things in Syriac
against
the enemies of the church, especially against the Nestorians, the
Eutychians and the
Timotheans, new
heresies all, but differing from one another. On this account he
frequently speaks of the
triple beast,
while he briefly refutes by the opinion of the church, and the authority
of Holy Scriptures,
showing to
the Nestorians, that the Son was God in man, not simply man born of a
Virgin, to the
Eutychians,
that he had true human flesh, taken on by God, and not merely a body made
of thick air,
or shown
from Heaven; to the Timotheans, that the Word was made flesh in such wise,
that the
Word remains
Word in substance, and, human nature remaining human nature, one person of
the Son of
God is
produced by union, not by mingling. He is said to be still living at
Constantinople, for at
the beginning
of the reign of Anthemius, I knew his writings, and knew that he was in
the land of the
living.
Chapter LXXXIV.
Claudianus, presbyter of the church at Vienne, a master speaker, and
shrewd in argument,
composed three books, On the condition and substance of the soul, in which
he discusses
how
far anything is incorporeal excepting God.
[He wrote also some other things, among which are, A Hymn on Our Lord's
Passion,
which begins
"Pange lingua gloriosi." He was moreover brother of Mamertus, bishop of
Vienne.]
Chapter LXXXV.
Prosper of Aquitania, a man scholastic in style and vigorous in statement,
is said to have
composed many works, of which I have read a Chronicle, which bears his
name, and
which
extends from the creation of the first man, according to Divine Scripture,
until the death of
the
Emperor Valentinianus and the taking of Rome by Genseric king of the
Vandals. I regard
as his also
an anonymous book against certain works of Cassianus, which the church of
God finds
salutary, but
which he brands as injurious, and in fact, some of the opinions of Cassian
and Prosper on
the grace
of God and on free will are at variance with one another. Epistles of Pope
Leo against
Eutyches, On
the true incarnation of Christ, sent to various persons, are also thought
to have been
dictated
by him.
Chapter LXXXVI.
Faustus, first abbot of the monastery at Lerins, and then
made bishop of Riez in Gaul, a man
studious of the Divine Scriptures, taking his text from the historic creed
of the church,
composed a
book On the Holy Spirit, in which he shows from the belief of the fathers,
that the Holy
Spirit is
consubstantial and coeternal with the Father and the Son, the fulness of
the Trinity and
therefore
God. He published also an excellent work, On the grace of God, through
which we are
saved, in which he teaches that the grace of God always invites, precedes
and helps our
will, and
whatever gain that freedom of will may attain for its pious effect, is not
its own desert, but
the gift of
grace, I have read also a little book of his Against the Arians and
Macedonians, in which
he posits
a co-essential Trinity, and another against those who say that there is
anything incorporeal
in created
things, in which he maintains from the testimony of Scriptures, and by
quotations from the
fathers,
that nothing is to be regarded as incorporeal but God. There is also a
letter of his, written
in the form
of a little book, and addressed to a certain deacon, named Graecus, who,
leaving the
Catholic faith,
had gone over to the Nestorian impiety.
In this epistle he admonishes him to believe that the holy Virgin Mary did
not bring forth a
mere
human being, who afterwards should receive divinity, but true God in true
man. There are
still other
works by him, but as I have not read, I do not care to mention them. This
excellent doctor
is
enthusiastically believed in and admired. He wrote afterwards also to
Felix, the Praetonian
prefect,
and a man of Patrician rank, son of Magnus the consul, a very pious
letter, exhorting to
the fear of
God, a work well fitted to induce one to repent with his whole heart.
Chapter LXXXVII.
Servus Dei, the bishop, wrote against those who say that Christ while
living in this world
did not
see the Father with his eyes of flesh-But after his resurrection from the
dead and his
ascension into
heaven when he had been translated into the glory of God the Father as in
reward so to
speak to him
for his abnegation and a compensation for his martyrdom. In this work he
showed both
from his own
argument and from the testimony of Sacred Scriptures that the Lord Jesus
from his
conception by
the Holy Spirit and his birth of the Virgin through which true God in true
man himself also
man made
God was born, always beheld with his eyes of flesh both the Father and the
Holy Spirit
through the
special and complete union of God and man.
Chapter LXXXVIII.
Victorius the Aquitanian, a careful reckoner, on invitation of St. Hilary
bishop of Rome,
composed a Paschal cycle with the most careful investigation following his
four
predecessors, that is
Hippolytus, Eusebius, Theophilus and Prosper, and extended the series of
years to the year
five
hundred and thirty-two, reckoning in such wise that in the year 533 the
paschal festival
should take
place again on the same month and day and the same moon as on that first
year when the
Passion
and resurrection of our Lord took place.
Chapter LXXXIX.
Theodoretus bishop of Cyrus (for the city founded by Cyrus king of the
Persians preserves
until the present day in Syria the name of its founder) is said to have
written many works.
Such as
have come to my knowledge are the following: On the incarnation of the
Lord, Against
Eutyches
the presbyter and Dioscorus bishop of Alexandria who deny that Christ had
human flesh;
strong
works by which he confirmed through reason and the testimony of Scripture
that He had
real flesh
from the maternal substance which he derived from His Virgin mother just
as he had true
deity which
he received at birth by eternal generation from God the Father. There are
ten books of the
ecclesiastical history which he wrote in imitation of Eusebius of Caesarea
beginning where
Eusebius
ends and extending to his own time, that is from the Vicennalia of
Constantine until the
accession of
the elder Leo in whose reign he died.
Chapter XC.
Gennadius a Patriarch of the church of Constantinople, a man brilliant in
speech and of
strong
genius, was so richly equipped by his reading of the ancients that he was
able to expound
the
prophet Daniel entire commenting on every word.
He composed also many Homilies. He died while the eider Leo was Emperor.
Chapter XCI.
Theodulus, a presbyter in Coelesyria is said to have written many works,
but the only one
which has come to my hand, is the one which he composed On the harmony of
divine
Scripture,
that is, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, against the ancient
heretics who on
account
of discrepancies in the injunctions of the ritual, say that the God of the
Old Testament is
different
from the God of the New. In this work he shows it to have been by the
dispensation of
one and the
same God, the author of both Scriptures, that one law should be given by
Moses to those
of old in a
ritual of sacrifices and in judicial laws, and another to us through the
presence of Christ in
the holy
mysteries and future promises, that they should not be considered
different, but as dictated
by one
spirit and one author, since these things which if observed only according
to the letter,
would slay, if
observed according to the spirit, would give life to the mind. This writer
died three years
since in
the reign of Zeno.
Chapter XCII.
Sidonius bishop of the Arverni wrote several acceptable works and being a
man sound in
doctrine as well as thoroughly imbued with divine and human learning and a
man of
commanding
genius wrote a considerable volume of letters to different persons written
in various
metres or in
prose and this showed his ability in literature. Strong in Christian
vigour even in the midst
of that
barbaric ferocity which at that time oppressed the Gauls he was regarded
as a catholic
father and a
distinguished doctor. He flourished during the tempest which marked the
rule of Leo and
Zenos.]
Chapter XCIII.
John of Antioch first grammarian, and then Presbyter, wrote against those
who assert that
Christ
is to be adored in one substance only and do not admit that two natures
are to be
recognized in
Christ. He taught according to the Scriptural account that in Him God and
man exist in
one person,
and not the flesh and the Word in one nature.
He likewise attacked certain sentiments of Cyril, bishop of Alexandria,
unwisely delivered
by
Cyril against Nestorius, which now are an encouragement and give strength
to the
Timotheans.
He is said to be still living and preaching.
Chapter XCIV.
[Gelasius, bishop of Rome wrote Against Eutyches end Nestorius a great and
notable
volume, also Treatises on various parts of the scripture and the
sacraments written in a
polished
style. He also wrote Epistles against Peter and Acacius which are still
preserved in the
catholic
church. He wrote also Hymns after the fashion of bishop Ambrosius. He died
during the
reign of the
emperor Anastasius.
Chapter XCV.
Honoratus, bishop of Constantina in Africa wrote a letter to one Arcadius
who on account
of his
confession of the catholic faith had been exiled to Africa by King
Genseric.
This letter was an
exhortation to endure hardness for Christ and fortified by modern examples
and scripture
illustrations
showing that perseverance in the confession of the faith not only purges
past sins but also
procures
the blessing of martyrdom.
Chapter XCVI.
Cerealis the bishop, an African by birth, was asked by Maximus bishop of
the Arians
whether he
could establish the catholic faith by a few testimonies of Divine
Scripture and without any
controversial assertions. This he did in the name of the Lord, truth
itself helping him, not
with a few
testimonies as Maximus had derisively asked, but proving bv copious proof
texts from
both Old and
New Testaments and published in a little book.
Chapter XCVII.
Eugenius, bishop of Carthage in Africa and public confessor, commanded by
Huneric King
of
the Vandals to write an exposition of the catholic faith and especially to
discuss the
meaning of the
word Homoousian, with the consent of all the bishops and confessors of
Mauritania in
Africa and
Sardinia and Corsica, who had remained in the catholic faith, composed a
book of faith,
fortified not
only by quotations from the Holy Scriptures but by testimonies of the
Fathers, and sent it
by his
companions in confession. But now, exiled as a reward for his faithful
tongue, like an
anxious
shepherd herd over his sheep he has left behind works urging them to
remember the faith
and the
one sacred baptism to be preserved at all hazards. He also wrote out the
Discussions
which he held
through messengers with the leaders of the Arians and sent them to be
given to Huneric by
his major
domo. Likewise also he presented to the same, petitions for the peace of
the Christians
which were
of the nature of an Apology, and he is said to be still living for the
strengthening of the
church.
Chapter XCVIII.
Pomerius the Mauritanian was ordained presbyter in Gaul. He composed a
dialectical
treatise in
eight books On the nature of the soul and its properties, also one On the
reszerrection and
its
particular bearing for the faithful in this life and in general for all
men, written in clear
language and
style, in the form of a dialogue between Julian the bishop, and Verus the
presbyter. The
first book
contains discourses on what the soul is and in what sense it is thought to
be created in the
image of
God, the second, whether the soul should be thought of as corporeal or
incorporeal, the
third, how
the soul of the first man was made, fourth, whether the soul which is put
in the body at
birth is
newly created and without sin, or produced from the substance of the first
man like a
shoot from a
root it brings also with it the original sin of the first man, fifth, a
review of thc fourth book
of the
discussion, and an inquiry as to what is the capability of the soul, that
is its possibilities,
and that it
gains its capability from a single and pure will, the sixth, whence arises
the conflict
between flesh and
the spirit, spoken of by the apostle, seventh, on the difference between
the flesh and the
spirit in
respect of life, of death and of resurrection, the eighth, answers to
questions concerning
the things
which it is predicted will happen at the end of the world, to such
questions, that is, as are
usually
propounded concerning the resurrection. I remember to have once read a
hortatory work
of his,
addressed to some one named Principius, On contempt of the world, and of
transitory
things,
and another entitled, On vices and virtues. He is said to have written yet
other works,
which have
not come to my knowledge, and to be still writing. He is still living, and
his life is worthy
of Christian
profession, and his rank in the church.
Chapter XCIX.
I Gennadius, a presbyter of Marseilles, have written eight books Against
all heresies, five
books Against Nestorius,
ten books Against Eutyches, three books Against Pelagius, also
treatises On the Millennium and On the Apocalypse of Saint John, also an
epistle On my
creed,
sent to the blessed Gelasius, bishop of Rome.]
Have mercy, O Lord, upon Thy servant the
translator and on the newly departed Pierino and Douglas!