Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 10: The Fourth Century: Firmicus, Lucifer, Victorinus, Hilary, Pacian, Didymus, Optatus, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ephrem
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, fourth century. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Julius Maternus Firmicus. 340
Julius Maternus Firmicus flourished in the time of the sons of Constantine the Great, to whom he wrote a notable book On the mysteries and errors of the profane religions. This book is extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 4.
Lucifer of Cagliari. 330
Lucifer, Bishop of Cagliari, a contemporary of Athanasius, burned so with zeal for the Catholic faith that by the holy Fathers, even after the schism made and the Luciferian sect left behind him, he is blamed only timidly and hesitantly. St. Ambrose, in the oration on the death of Satyrus: “Lucifer,” he says, “had at that time cut himself off from our communion, though he went into exile for the faith, and left heirs of his faith.” St. Jerome, in the dialogue against the Luciferians near the end: “We have come,” he says, “to the roughest place, in which against my will and purpose I am forced to judge of blessed Lucifer otherwise than both his merit and my kindness could,” and so on. Sulpicius, Sacred History book 2: “But,” he says, “Lucifer, then at Antioch, was of a far different opinion; for he so condemned those who had been at Rimini that he separated himself even from the communion of those who had received them on satisfaction or penance. Whether he decided this rightly or wrongly I would not dare to say.” St. Augustine however condemns the schism of Lucifer more freely, both in the book On the heresies and in the book On the Christian contest, chapter 30. See on Lucifer's deeds the historians: Rufinus book 1, chapter 30; Sulpicius, Sacred History book 2; Socrates book 3, chapter 7 [9?]; Theodoret book 3, chapter 3 [5?]; Sozomen book 3, chapter 14 [5.12?]; Nicephorus book 10, chapter 17; the Tripartite History book 6, chapter 23.
The books of Lucifer that are extant are these: to the emperor Constantius, 2 books; On the apostate kings, 1; On not meeting with heretics, 1; On not sparing those who offend against God, 1; That one must die for the Son of God, 1; the letter to Florentius, 1. To these are added the Letters of Florentius to Lucifer; likewise two letters of St. Athanasius to the same Lucifer; likewise the letter of Pope Liberius to the emperor Constantius; likewise the letter of Athanasius to the servants of God. Of these books or letters there seems to me to be no doubt that they are of the authors whose names they bear. These books were printed at Paris in the year 1568 [“1368” printed], by the work of Jean du Tillet, Bishop of Meaux.
Victorinus the African. 330
C. Marius Victorinus the African flourished in the time of the emperor Constantius, in the fortieth year after the Council of Nicaea, as he himself testifies. In old age he was converted to the faith, on the witness of St. Augustine, Confessions book 8, chapter 2; and after his conversion, leaving the books of the Gentiles, he wrote, on the witness of St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, against the Arians and on the letters of blessed Paul; of which Commentary on the letters the same Jerome writes, in the preface to the letter to the Galatians, that it is not much to be approved. There are extant now, in volume 4 or 8 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, four books On the Trinity, three Hymns, and a heroic poem on the Machabees; all of which are to be read with caution, since the author gave himself more to the art of rhetoric than to theology and the sacred letters.
St. Hilary. 355
St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, was a contemporary of St. Athanasius; and though he was made a Christian at an already advanced age, yet in a short time he so advanced in the Church's doctrine that he was rightly held a very great Doctor and a pillar of the Catholic Church. His works that are extant are these: On the Trinity, 12 books; Against Constantius Augustus, 1; to the same, 1; to the same, another; Against Auxentius the Arian, 1; On the Synods, against the Arians, 1; the letter to his daughter Abra; the hymn to the same; the commentaries on Matthew; the explanation of some Psalms; On the unity of the Father and the Son, 1; On the essence of the Father and the Son, 1; letters to Augustine, 2; a poem on Genesis.
And of the books On the Trinity, of the two books against Constantius, of the book against Auxentius, of the book On the Synods, of the commentaries on Matthew and on the Psalms, there is no doubt; for St. Jerome mentions these in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, and no one ever contradicted them. Of the letter and hymn to his daughter Abra Erasmus not only doubted but even wrote that they are spurious. But Fortunatus, St. Hilary's successor, in his life wrote in plain words that St. Hilary sent a letter to his daughter Abra, and described the whole argument of the letter; so that there is no doubt that this very letter which is extant is truly St. Hilary's, as also the hymn joined to it. Of the letters to Augustine it is beyond controversy that they are not of Hilary of Poitiers, but of another Hilary much more recent. For both the Pelagians, of whom those letters treat, arose after Hilary's death, and Augustine himself, to whom they are written, was made a Christian after Hilary's departure. For the same reason the poem on Genesis cannot be Hilary's, since it is written to Pope Leo. But even if this poem is not Hilary's, it is certain from the fourth Council of Toledo, canon 12 [13?], that some hymns of St. Hilary are sung in the Church's office. Of the two books On the unity of the Father and the Son and On the essence of the Father and the Son I am not wholly certain whether they are Hilary's or someone else's. For St. Jerome does not mention these books; and in the latter is found a very large fragment from book 8 On the Trinity; which are arguments that these books are not Hilary's, but of another who wished to imitate Hilary. The books certainly are weighty and learned, and not unworthy of Hilary's spirit and eloquence.
One question remains: whether the first book against the emperor Constantius was written while Constantius himself was living, or after his death. St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers says that one book was written while Constantius was living, the other after his death; and unless the one now first was written after Constantius was dead, none will have been written after his death; for the other two were beyond controversy written while Constantius was living. Erasmus, led by this argument, thinks the first book was written after the death of Constantius. Cardinal Baronius, Annals volume 3, pages 714 and 715, contends that all three books were written while the emperor Constantius was still alive, and that the book St. Jerome testifies was written after the death of Constantius is not extant. And he brings the reason that St. Hilary in this book writes that by this most free confession he is making for martyrdom, and encourages others to martyrdom by the same freedom of speech: “Let us lay down our lives for the sheep,” he says, “because the thieves have come in, and the raging lion goes about. Let us go out to martyrdom by these words, because the Angel of Satan has transformed himself into an Angel of light. Let the shepherds cry out, because the hirelings have fled.” But if the persecutor were already dead, Hilary's boasting would seem ridiculous. Then he writes that he speaks with Constantius as John the Baptist spoke with Herod; but John the Baptist said to Herod living, not dead, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Further, Hilary himself describes the time at which he wrote this book, and says that five years before Paulinus, Eusebius, Lucifer and Dionysius were sent into exile; but they were driven into exile in the 19th year of Constantius, at the time of the Council of Milan; so Hilary wrote that book in the 24th year of Constantius, in which year Constantius was living, for he died at the beginning of the 25th. But perhaps these opinions can be reconciled if we say that Hilary wrote that book from Gaul, when he thought Constantius was still living, but he was in fact dead. For it is certain from Sulpicius, in the second book of the Sacred History, and from St. Jerome in the Chronicle, and from Cardinal Baronius himself, that St. Hilary returned into Gaul a little before Constantius died; and because things done in so distant a region cannot be learned at once, the end of Hilary's writing could easily coincide with the end of Constantius's life. So Erasmus, in his marginal notes, undeservedly mocks Hilary as if he threatened Constantius boldly, but after his death.
Gregory of Baetica, and Phoebadius of Agen
Gregory of Baetica in Spain, and Sebadius, or Phegadius, or Phoebadius of Agen in Gaul, at the same time as St. Athanasius and St. Hilary, each published his own book against the Arians. St. Jerome mentions these authors and books in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, and the books themselves are now extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 4. And wonderful praises of Phoebadius are extant in Sulpicius, History book 2.
Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona. 360
Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona, died in the reign of Theodosius, and wrote three letters against the Novatians, which St. Jerome mentions in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. And now in the Library of the Holy Fathers, and separately in the Roman edition of the year of the Lord 1564, there are extant not only those three letters but also the same Pacian's exhortation to penance, and a little book on Baptism. Nor does anything occur from which the authority of those books could be doubted.
Didymus of Alexandria. 361
Didymus of Alexandria, blind from his earliest age, dictated very many and most noble works, on the witness of St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. Now there is extant only the book On the Holy Spirit among the works of St. Jerome, because the same St. Jerome gave that book a Latin dress; and the exposition of the canonical letters, in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 9; there is extant also a book against the Manichees in Henricus Canisius, volume 5 of the Ancient Readings. He was famous under the princes Valentinian and Valens. He is blamed in this by St. Jerome himself, otherwise his admirer, that he followed the errors of Origen. See the apology against Rufinus.
St. Optatus of Milevis. 365
St. Optatus, Bishop of Milevis, flourished at the same time, and published seven excellent books against the Donatists. St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers says that six books were written by Optatus; but now seven are counted, and the seventh does not differ from the rest. It was easy for an error in the numbers to creep into St. Jerome's book.
Titus of Bostra. 365
Titus, Bishop of the people of Bostra, lived when Julian was emperor but died under Valens, as St. Jerome testifies in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. He wrote excellent books against the Manichees, of which three, with the argument of the fourth, were published at Ingolstadt in the year 1604 by Henricus Canisius, in volume 5 of the Ancient Readings. There are extant also commentaries of the same Titus on Matthew and Luke, printed with certain others at Ingolstadt by Sartorius. But it must be observed that the Commentaries on Matthew and Luke cannot be this Titus's; because the author of these commentaries everywhere cites Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria and Pelusiota [Isidore of Pelusium], who were boys when Titus died.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem. 365
St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, was made Bishop under Constantius, and was often thrown out of his see and restored to it; at last he died in the reign of Theodosius. He wrote in his youth the Catecheses, which are now extant in Latin and Greek. There is carried about also his letter to Constantius on the appearing of the Cross; which letter St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers does not mention; but there is no reason why it should be rejected.
Apollinaris. 365
Apollinaris, Bishop of Laodicea, lived from the time of the emperor Constantius to Theodosius the elder. He was a man more skilled in poetry and rhetoric than in theology; and so he fell into most grievous errors, and chiefly into this, that in Christ there was no rational soul. He wrote countless things, on the witness of St. Jerome in the book On Writers, and of St. Basil, letter 72, where he says that Apollinaris was too ready to write, and filled the whole world with his books, but books written with little consideration. Now there are extant only the Psalms of David put by him into heroic verse, printed at Paris in the year 1480 [as printed].
St. Ephrem the Syrian. 365
St. Ephrem, Deacon of Edessa, died under the prince Valens, and wrote very many works, which, on the witness of St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, were wont to be read publicly in the Churches after the reading of the Scriptures. Many works of St. Ephrem, more pious than learned, were published at Cologne in the year 1547; but many more at Rome by Gerard Voss, partly in the year 1589, partly in the year 1593. But I have not had leisure to read any but some sermons on compunction and penance, and on the holy Cross and the passion of the Lord, and on the holy Mother of God, and certain others; so I cannot judge whether other things are mixed in.
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De Julio Materno Firmico. 340. Julius Maternus Firmicus floruit tempore liliorum Constantini Magni ad quos scripsit egregium librum de mysteriis et erroribus profanarum religionum. Exstat hic liber in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum tomo quarto. De Lucifero Calaritano. 330. Lucifer Episcopus Calaritanus Athanasii aequalis, ita zelo fidei Catholicae ardens fuit, ut a sanctis Patribus, etiam post schisma fa¬ ctum, et sectam Luciferianam post se reli¬ ctam, non nisi timide et dubitanter arguatur. Sanctus Ambrosius in oratione de obitu Sa¬ tyri, «Lucifer, inquit, se a nostra tunc tem¬ poris communione sejunxerat, quamquam pro fide exulavit, et fidei suae reliquit haere¬ des.» Sanctus Hieronymus in dialogo contra Luciferianos prope finem, « Ventum est, in¬ quit, ad asperrimum locum, in quo adver¬ sum voluntatem et propositum meum cogor de beato Lucifero secus quicquam, quam et illius meritum, et mea humanitas possit, aestimare, etc. » Sulpitius lib. n. sacrae historice, « Caeterum inquit, Luciferi tum Antiochiae longe diversa sententia fuit : nam in tantum eos qui Ari¬ mini fuerant, condemnavit, ut se etiam ab eorum communione secreverit, qui eos sub satisfactione, vel poenitentia recepissent. »Id recte an perperam constituerit, dicere non ausim. Sanctus tamen Augustinus liberius schisma Luciferi condemnat, tum in libro de haeresibus, tum in libro de agone Christi, cap. 30. Vide de Luciferi rebus gestis historicos, Ruffinum lib. i. c. 30. Sulpitium lib. ii. sa¬ crae hist. Socratem lib. iii. cap. 7. Theodo- retum lib. iii. cap. 3. Sozomeum lib. iii. cap. 14. Nicephorum lib. x. cap. 17. Histo¬ riae trip. lib. vi. cap. 23. Libri Luciferi qui exstant hi sunt : Ad Constantium imperatorem, lib. 2 De regibus apostaticis, 1 De non conveniendo cum haereticis, 1 De non parcendo deliquentibus in Deum, 1 Quod moriendum sit pro Filio Dei, 1 Epistola ad Florentium, 1 His additae sunt Epistolae Florentii ad Luci¬ ferum. Item epistolae duae S. Athanasii ad eumdem Luciferum. Item epistola Liberii Papae ad Constantium imp. Item epistola Athanasii ad servos Dei. De quibus libris, vel epistolis nulla dubi¬ tatio mihi esse videtur, quin sint eorum au¬ ctorum, quorum nomina praeferunt. Impressi sunt hi libri Parisiis anno 1368. opera Jo. Tilii Episcopi Meldensis. De Victorino Afro. 330. C. Marius Victorinus Afer floruit tempore Constantii imperatoris, anno quadragesimo, ut ipse testatur post Concilium Nicaenum. In senectute conversus ad fidem est, teste San¬ cto Augustino lib. vm. confess. cap .2. et post conversionem relictis libris Gentilium scri¬ psit, teste sancto Hieronymo in lib. de scri- ptorib. Eccles. contra Arianos, et in epistolas B. Pauli : de quo Commentario in epistolas idem Hieronymus scribit in prooemio episto¬ lae ad Galatas, non esse admodum proban¬ dum. Exstant nunc in tomo iv. vel vm. Bi- bliotecae Sanctorum Patrum lib. iv. de Tri¬ nitate, Hymni tres, et carmen heroicum de Macchabaeis, quae omnia caute legenda sunt, cum auctor magis arti rhetoricae, quam the¬ ologiae et sacris litteris operam dederit. 378 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS De Sancto Hilario. 355. Sanctus Hilarius Pictavorum Episcopus, S. Athanasii aequalis fuit, et quamvis jam provectae aetatis Christianus factus, tamen brevi in Ecclesiastica doctrina ita profecit, ut Doctor maximus, et Ecclesiae Catholicae columna merito habitus sit. Ejus opera haec exstant.] De Trinitate libri \ 2 Adv. Constantium Augustum, 1 Ad eumdem, / 1 Ad eumdem alter. Adversus Auxentium Arianum 1 De Synodis adversus Arianos, 1 Ad Apram filiam epistola. Ad eamdem hymnus. In Matthaeum commentaria. In Psalmos aliquot explanatio. De Patris et Filii unitate, 1 De essentia Patris, et Filii, 1 Ad Augustinum epistolae, 2 « Carmen in Genesim. Et quidem de libris de Trinitate ; de duobus libris adversus Constantium, de libro contra Auxentium, de libro de Synodis, de commen¬ tariis in Matthaeum, et in Psalmos, nulla du¬ bitatio est : horum enim et meminit Sanctus Hieronymus in lib. de scriptor. Eccles. et nemo illis contradixit unquam. De epistola et hymno ad Apram filiam Erasmus non solum dubitavit, sed etiam scripsit, notha esse. Caeterum Fortunatus S. Hilarii successor in vita ipsius disertis verbis scripsit, dedisse Sanctum Hilarium epistolam ad Apram fifiam, et totum argu¬ mentum epistolae descripsit, ut non sit du¬ bium, hanc ipsam quae exstat epistola, vere S. jHilarii esse , ut etiam hymnum adjun¬ ctum. De epistolis ad Augustinum extra contro¬ versiam est, eas non esse Hilarii Pictavien- sis, sed Hilarii alterius multo recentioris : nam et Pelagiani, de quibus in illis epistolis agitur, post Hilarii obitum exorti sunt, et ipse Augustinus ad quem scribuntur, post Hilarii excessum Christianus factus est. Pari ratione carmen in Genesim Hilarii esse non potest, cum ad Leonem Papam scri¬ ptum sit ; sed etsi hoc carmen non sit Hila¬ rii, tamen constat ex Concilio Toletano 4. can. 12. hymnos aliquot S. Hilarii cani in officio Ecclesiastico. De fibris duobus, de Patris et Filii unitate, et de essentia Patris et Filii, non omnino certus sum, Hilariine an alicujus alterius sint : nam S. Hieronymus horum librorum non meminit; et in posteriore invenitur frag¬ mentum valde magnum ex lib. vm, de Tri¬ nitate : quae sunt argumenta, quod libri isti non sunt Hilarii, sed alterius, qui Hilarium imitari voluerit. Libri certe graves sunt, et docti, et Hilarii spiritu et eloquentia non in¬ digni. Una superest quaestio, an liber primus ad¬ versus Constantium imp. sit scriptus ipso Constantio vivente, an post ejus mortem. Sanctus Hieronymus in lib. de script. Ec- cles. dicit, unum librum scriptum esse Con¬ stantio vivente, alterum p'ost ejus obitum : et nisi is, qui primus nunc exsat, sit scriptus Constantio mortuo, nullas erit illo mortuo scriptus : nam alii duo citra controversiam scripti sunt vivente Constantio. Erasmus hoc argumento ductus, primum librum existimat scriptum esse post obitum Constantii. Cardi¬ nalis Baronius tomo tertio Annalium pag. 714 et 715. contendit omnes tres libros scri¬ ptos esse vivo adhuc imperatore Constantio, et librum, quem sanctus Hieronymus testa¬ tur post obitum Constantii scriptum, non ex¬ stare : et rationem adducit, quia Sanctus Hilarius in hoc libro scribit se per hanc li¬ berrimam confessionem tendere ad marty¬ rium, et animat alios ad martyrium per eamdem libertatem loquendi . « Ponamus, inquit, animas pro ovibus, quia fures introie¬ runt, et leo saeviens circumit. Ad martyrium per has voces exeamus, quia Angelus Sata¬ nae transfiguravit se in Angelum lucis. Cla¬ ment pastores, quia mercenarii fugerunt. » At si jam persecutor erat mortuus, ridicula videtur Hilarii jactantia. Deinde scribit, se ita loqui cum Constantio, ut Jo. Baptista lo¬ quebatur cum Herode : At Joannes Baptista Herodi viventi, non mortuo, dicebat : Non licet tibi habere uxorem fratris tui. Praeterea ipse Hilarius describit tempus, quo hunc li¬ brum scripsit, et dicit, ante annos quinque missos fuisse in exilium, Paulinum, Euse- bium, Luciferum, Dionysium : at illi in exi¬ lium pulsi sunt anno 19. Constantii, tempore Concilii Mediolanensis • ergo scripsit Hilarius librum illum anno Constantii 24, quo anqo Constantius vivebat. Obiit enim ad initium 25. Sed fortasse possunt hae sententiae con¬ ciliari, si dicamus, Hilarium scripsisse li¬ brum illum ex Gallia, cum putaret, Constan¬ tium adhuc vivere, sed vere mortuus esset, constat enim ex Sulpitio, in secundo de sqcra % AB ANNO DOM. 300. AD 400. 379 historia, et ex S. Hieronymo in Chronico, et ex ipso Card. Baronio, sanctum Hilarum re- diisse in Galliam, paulo antequam Constan¬ tius moreretur : et quia res in tam remota regione gestae continuo 'resciri non possunt, facile concurrere potuit finis scriptionis Hila- rii, cum fine vitae Constantii. Itaque, imme¬ rito Erasmus in annotationibus marginalibus irridet Hilarium, quasi Constantio minetur audacter, sed post mortem ejus. De Gregorio Bsetico , et Sebadio Agennensi. Gregorius Baeticus in Hispania, etSebadius, sive Phegadius, sivePhebadiusAgennensis in Gallia, eodem tempore, quo S. Athanasius,et S. Hilarius, adversus Arianos librum quisque suum edidit. Meminit horum auctorum et li¬ brorum S.Hieronymus in libro de script. Ec- cles. et libri ipsi nunc exstant in bibliotheca S. Patrum tomo iv. Phegadii vero mirae laudes exstant apud Sulpitium lib. ii. hist. De Padano Episcopo Barciononensi. 360. Padanus Episcopus Barciononensis obiit Theodosio imperante : et scripsit epistolas tres contra Novatianos, quarum meminit S. Hieronymus in libro de scrip. Eccles. Nunc vero in bibliotheca S. Patrum, et seor- sim in editione Romana anni Dom. 1564, non solum exstant tres illae epistolae, sed etiam paraenesis ejusdem Paciani ad poenitentiam, et libellus de Baptismo. Neque aliquid oc¬ currit, unde de eorum librorum auctoritate dubitari possit. De Didymo Alexandrino. 361. Didymus Alexandrinus caecus a prima ae¬ tate dictavit opera plurima, et nobilissima, teste S. Hieronymo in lib. de script. Eccles. Nunc solum exstat liber de Spiritu sancto inter opera S. Hieronymi, quoniam euro li¬ brum idem S. Hieronymus latinitate dona¬ vit : et expositio in epistolas canonicas in bibliotheca S. Patrum tomo ix. exstat etiam Uber contra Manichaeos apud Heprieum Cani- sjum tomo quinto antiquae lectionis. Claruit sub Valentiniano et Valente Principibus. Ip eo reprehenditur ab ipso etiam S. Hierony¬ mo, ejus alioqui admiratore, quod Origenis errores secutus sit. Vide apologiam adversus Ruffinum. De S. Optato Milevitano. 365. Sanctus Optatus Milevitanus Episcopus eodem tempore floruit : at egregios septem libros adversus Donatistas edidit. S. Hiero¬ nymus in lib. de script. Eccles. sex libros ab Optato scriptos fuisse dicit : sed nunc septem numerantur, neque septimus dissentit a cae- teris. Facile fuit in librum S. Hieronymi ir¬ repsisse errorem in numeris. De Tito Bostreno. 365. Titus Bostrorum Episcopus vixit impera¬ tore Juliano, sed obiit sub Valente, ut S.Hie¬ ronymus testatur in libro de script. Eccles. Scripsit egregios libros contra Manichaeos, e quibus tres cum argumento quarti , editi sunt Ingolstadii anno 1604. ab Henrico Ca- nisio, tomo quinto antiquae lectionis. Exstant etiam ejusdem Titi commentaria in Mat¬ thaeum, et\Lucam, impressa cum aliis qui¬ busdam Ingolstadii apud Sartorium. Obser¬ vandum est autem Commentaria in Mat¬ thaeum, et Lucam non posse esse hujus Titi ; quoniam auctor horum commentariorum passim citat Chrysostomum, Cyrillum Ale¬ xandrinum, et Pelusiotam, qui pueri erant cum Titus moreretur. De S. Cyrillo Hierosolymitano. 365, Sanctus Cyrillus Hierosolypjae Episcopus sub Constantio Episcopus factus, ac saepe de sede ejectus, et sedi restitutus, tandeqi The¬ odosio imperante obiit. Scripsit in adole¬ scentia Catecheses, quae nupp Latine et Grae¬ ce exstant. Fertur etiam ejus epistola ad Constantium de apparitione Crucis : cujus epistolae S. Hieronymus in libro de script. Eccles. non meminit; sed nihil est cur im¬ probetur. De Apollinaria. 365, Apollinarius Laodicenus Episcopus yixit a tempore Constantii imp. usque ad Theodo¬ sium seniorem. Vir fuit magis peritus poeti¬ cae, et rhetoricae, quam theologiae : ideo in errores gravissimos incidit, atque in eum potissimum, quod in Christo non esset anima rationalis . Scripsit innumerabilia , teste S. Hieronymo, in libro de script. et S. Basilio epist. 72. ubi dicit, Apollinarem fuisse nimis promptum ad scribendum, et mundum to- 380 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS tum libris suis replevisse, sed libris parum considerate scriptis. Nunc solum exstant Psalmi Davidis ab ipso carmine heroico de¬ scripti, et Parisiis impressi, ann. 1480. De S. Ephrem Syro. 365. Sanctus Ephrem Diaconus Edessenus obiit sub Valente Principe, scripsitque plurima opera, quse teste S. Hieronymo in libro de script. Eccles. in Ecclesiis post lectionem scripturarum publice legi solebant. Editae sunt Coloniae anno 1547. Multa opera S. Ephrem, magis pia quam docta. Sed multo plura Romae a Gerardo Vassio, partim anno 1589, partim anno j 593. Sed non vacavit mihi legere, nisi sermones aliquos de com¬ punctione, et poenitentia, et de S. Cruce, et passione Domini, et de S. Deipara, et alia quaedam ; ideo judicare nequeo an sint ad¬ mixta.