Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 21: The Sixth Century: Fulgentius, Boethius, Dionysius Exiguus, Cassiodorus, Climacus, Venantius Fortunatus, Gregory of Tours
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, sixth 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).
The sixth century, from the year 500 to 600
St. Fulgentius
St. Fulgentius of Carthage, Bishop of Ruspe, a most holy and most learned man, flourished in the time of King Thrasamund, to whom he wrote books. He died in the year of the Lord 529, in the 65th year of his life and the 25th of his episcopate, as Cardinal Baronius notes, Annals volume 6. He wrote many things, on the witness of Isidore in the book On Illustrious Men, of which many have perished. There are extant now, in the Antwerp edition of the year 1574: to King Thrasamund, 3 books; On the incarnation and grace of Christ, 1; to Monimus, 3; Against the objections of the Arians, 1; to Donatus, 1; to Euthymius, 2; To the questions of Ferrandus, 2; On faith, to Peter, which is found among the books of Augustine, of which we spoke above, 1; seven quite long Letters, like books, 7; lastly ten sermons on various subjects, which alone survive of the many he is said to have written and given.
Ennodius. 503
Ennodius, Deacon and afterwards Bishop of Pavia, was famous in the time of the Roman Pontiffs Symmachus and Hormisdas. He wrote in the year 503 an Apologetic book for the fourth Synod under Symmachus, which was received and approved by the fifth Synod under Symmachus. He wrote also letters and other things, which are extant printed at Paris in octavo.
Peter the Deacon. 503
Peter the Deacon was a contemporary of St. Fulgentius, as is known from the books written to each other. For this Peter wrote a book On the incarnation and grace of Christ to St. Fulgentius and other African Bishops; which book is extant among the works of St. Fulgentius, next before St. Fulgentius's book on the same subject.
Ferrandus the Deacon. 504
Ferrandus, Deacon of Carthage, at the same time wrote an exhortation to Count Reginus, which is extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 5, second edition. He wrote also letters, which are extant printed at Rome. He wrote lastly a short compendium of the sacred canons.
Eugippius the Abbot. 510
Eugippius, an African Abbot, lived in the time of St. Fulgentius, and composed with great labour two volumes of the treasures of St. Augustine: in the first of which he put whatever St. Augustine had written on the most obscure matters, as on the soul, on charity, on the resurrection, on the judgement, on eternal life and death; in the second he placed what St. Augustine disputes against the Arians, Donatists, Manichees and Pelagians. This work was published at Basel in the year of the Lord 1542 and at Venice in the year 1543. But the snares of the heretics who brought this work to light are to be guarded against.
Marcellinus Comes. 520
Marcellinus Comes lived in the time of Justinian; for in the ninth year of Justinian, and the 535th of salvation, he put an end to his chronicle, which is much praised by Cassiodorus in the book On divine readings, chapter 17. This chronicle is extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 7, second edition. The same Marcellinus wrote, on the witness of Cassiodorus, four books on the City of Constantinople and of Jerusalem; which books (as I think) are not extant.
John Maxentius. 520
John Maxentius, a Monk, and, as is believed, a presbyter of Antioch, lived in the time of Pope Hormisdas, against whose letter he wrote. His works are extant in volume 4 of the Library of the Holy Fathers. He wrote a profession of the Catholic faith; likewise a little book against the Acephali; likewise two books of dialogues against the Nestorians; likewise an answer to the letter of Pope Hormisdas; in which he disputes against the Nestorians and against Faustus of Riez the Semipelagian. And indeed he refutes Faustus and the Pelagians excellently from the books of St. Augustine; but he so refutes the Nestorians, writing against Possessor, an African Bishop, that he seems to lean toward the Eutychians. Certainly Pope St. Hormisdas defended Possessor, and sharply pursued John with his Monks. See the letter of Possessor to Hormisdas, and Hormisdas's answer, in the work of John Maxentius itself. And Maxentius wrote against the letter of Hormisdas denying that it was Hormisdas's, so as not to seem to write against the supreme Pontiff; but in truth it cannot be denied that that letter is truly Hormisdas's.
St. Avitus Alcimus. 520
Avitus Alcimus, Bishop of Vienne, a most noble, most holy and most learned man, flourished in the times of Pope Hormisdas, by whom he was made Vicar in Gaul, as is clear from the letter of Hormisdas to him. He wrote much, both in verse and in prose, as Gregory of Tours teaches, book 2, chapter 34, and Ado of Vienne in the Chronicle. I have read only the five books written in metre on Genesis and Exodus, and the book on chastity to his sister, plainly most weighty and most graceful, which are extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition, volume 8.
Boethius Severinus. 520
Boethius Severinus, a most famous man, Senator and Consular, flourished in the time of Theodoric King of Italy; for there is extant a letter of King Theodoric to Boethius himself, which is the forty-fifth of the first book in Cassiodorus. He wrote much on philosophy and theology; and, to leave the philosophical aside, he wrote one book On the Trinity to Symmachus his father-in-law; likewise a book On the unity of the Trinity; likewise one book On the two natures of Christ, against Eutyches; likewise one book On faith, to John the Deacon; likewise five most learned books On the consolation of philosophy, partly in verse, partly in prose. He died beheaded by order of King Theodoric in the year of the Lord 521 [as printed], at Pavia.
Dionysius Exiguus. 525
Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian by nation but Roman in manners, as Exiguus, “the little”, by surname, but greatest in learning and holiness, lived in the time of Theodoric King of Italy and his successors. For in the year 527 he wrote the Easter cycle, and, leaving out the profane numbering of the years from the empire of Diocletian, the wicked persecutor, he began to number from the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wrote besides a collection of the sacred canons from the Councils of the Catholic Church; whom Martin of Braga and Cresconius afterwards imitated.
Victor, an African Bishop. 530
Victor, a Bishop, wrote On the reason of the Catholic faith to Huneric King of the Vandals, about the year of the Lord 536 [as printed]. His book is extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 4, second edition.
Aurelius Cassiodorus. 530
Aurelius Cassiodorus was a senator and secretary to King Theodoric. At that time he wrote twelve books of various letters, and a short Chronicle from the beginning of the world to the times of Theodoric King of Italy, which are extant printed together. He wrote also twelve books on the deeds of the Goths, of which work Jordanes, Bishop of Ravenna, made a compendium, which compendium is found printed with the books of letters. Then, bidding farewell to the world and made a monk, he gave himself to divine things, and then wrote: On the institutions of divine readings, two books; Commentaries on all the Psalms and on the Canticle of Canticles. He made the Tripartite History from the books of Socrates, Theodoret and Sozomen, turned into the Latin tongue by Epiphanius the scholastic. And all these are extant. Cassiodorus is said besides by Trithemius to have written commentaries on the Acts of the Apostles, on the canonical letters and on the Apocalypse; besides, a summary of divine Scripture, which he called the memorial of the Scriptures; whether these are extant I do not know.
Leontius of Byzantium. 540
Leontius of Byzantium, a Monk, seems to have flourished a little before the fifth Synod. He wrote three books against the Nestorians and Eutychians; and also against the frauds of the Apollinarists; and against Severus; all of which are extant in Henricus Canisius, volume 4 of the Ancient Readings.
St. Victor of Capua. 540
St. Victor, Bishop of Capua, a holy and learned man, in the time of the emperor Justinian, about the year of the Lord 545, wrote on the Easter cycle, on the witness of Bede, On the six ages and On the reckoning of times, chapter 48. He wrote also a preface to the Harmony of Tatian, by which he made one out of the four Gospels. But Cardinal Baronius rightly warns, Annals volume 2, at the year of Christ 174, that Victor of Capua erred in the name; for that Harmony is Ammonius's, not Tatian's. See the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 4, second edition.
St. Justus of Urgel
St. Justus, Bishop of Urgel, lived in the time of the emperor Justinian. He wrote on the Canticle of Canticles. This work is extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 1, second edition. See on this author Isidore, On ecclesiastical writers, chapter 14, and On illustrious men, chapter 34.
Anastasius of Sinai. 544
Anastasius of Sinai, Bishop of Antioch, lived in the time of the emperor Justinian, as Evagrius wrote, History book 4, chapter 39 [40?]. He wrote much, but there is extant only the Hodegos, that is, the Guide of the way, against the Acephali, printed at Ingolstadt in the year 1606; and besides there are extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 1, second edition, eleven books of Anagogical contemplations on the Hexameron, and five books on the dogmas of faith.
Arator. 545
Arator, Subdeacon of the Holy Roman Church, wrote two books of verse in which he took in the Acts of the Apostles. He offered those books to Pope Vigilius, and recited them publicly with the same Pope's leave. They are extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 8.
Junilius. 545
Junilius, an African Bishop, wrote to Primasius, likewise an African Bishop, two books On the parts of the divine law, which are extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition, volume 1. There is attributed to Junilius also a little commentary on the first chapters of Genesis; but that is not Junilius's but Bede's, for it cites St. Gregory and is found among the works of Bede.
Primasius. 545
Primasius, an African Bishop, was at Constantinople in the time of Pope Vigilius, when the fifth general Synod was held, as is clear from the second conference of the same Synod. He wrote commentaries not to be despised on the letters of St. Paul and on the Apocalypse.
Martin of Dumio, otherwise of Braga
Martin, Abbot of the monastery of Dumio, and then Bishop of the Church of Braga, lived about the year of the Lord 572; for he presided over the second Council of Braga, which was held in the Era 610, that is, the year of the Lord 572; but he seems to have died the following year, as Cardinal Baronius notes. He wrote a collection of Canons from the Greek Synods, which are extant in the volumes of the Councils after the second Synod of Braga. He wrote also On the difference of the four cardinal virtues, and other things, which are extant in volume 5 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition. St. Isidore mentions this Martin in the catalogue of ecclesiastical writers, chapter 22, and in the book On illustrious men, chapter 35.
Procopius of Gaza. 560
Procopius of Gaza, the sophist, whom Photius mentions in his library, wrote commentaries on the Octateuch, more from the books of others than from his own wit. He wrote also on Isaias, which are extant printed at Paris in Greek and Latin; he is said also to have written on the books of Kings and Paralipomenon, whether these works are extant I do not know. When he lived is not certain; but we have placed him after the year five hundred, because neither St. Jerome nor Gennadius nor others who wrote before the year five hundred named this author.
John Climacus. 560
John Climacus, a most religious Monk, wrote the book of thirty steps by which one climbs to perfection, whence he himself got the name Climacus. Some more recent writers think he flourished in the year of the Lord 340; but we do not think this true, both because none of the ancients says it, nor can it be gathered from his book; and because in that book mention is made of the holy Abbot Sabbas, who died in the time of the emperor Justinian in the year of the Lord 532, as Cardinal Baronius relates, Annals volume 6.
St. Dacius of Milan. 560
St. Dacius, Bishop of Milan, lived in the time of the emperor Justin [Justinian?], on the witness of St. Gregory, Dialogues book 3, chapter 4, and wrote a chronicle, in book 1, chapter 10 of which he relates that the Canticle “Te Deum laudamus” was composed by Saints Ambrose and Augustine.
Liberatus. 560
Liberatus, Archdeacon of Carthage, lived a little after the fifth Synod, as can be understood from his breviary; for he wrote a breviary of the cause of Nestorius and Eutyches; which breviary is extant in volume 2 of the Councils, and is to be read with caution; for, whether it was corrupted by someone, or the author himself did not well reach the truth of the history, not a few things in it seem wrongly written.
Venantius Fortunatus. 570
Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, flourished in learning and holiness in the time of Justin the younger. He wrote the life of St. Hilary, which is extant in Surius on the 14th of January; he wrote very many sacred poems, which are extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 8, second edition; but in the Church those on the Holy Cross are most sung, “Vexilla Regis prodeunt” and “Pange lingua gloriosi”.
Evagrius. 596
Evagrius Scholasticus wrote a Church history in six books, from the time at which Sozomen left off to the twelfth year of the emperor Maurice, that is, to the year of the Lord 597 [594?].
St. Gregory of Tours. 596
Gregory, Bishop of Tours, flourished in the reign of Maurice, and was somewhat older than Pope St. Gregory; since at the beginning of the seventeenth year of the episcopate of Gregory of Tours Pope Gregory was created, and at the completion of his twenty-first year in his episcopate Gregory of Tours died, whom Pope Gregory survived by eight years. So Gregory of Tours died in the year of the Lord 596 [594], and Pope Gregory in the year of the Lord 604. These things are taken from the Breviary of the life of St. Gregory of Tours and from the life of Pope St. Gregory. St. Gregory of Tours wrote: On the history of the Franks, 10 books; On the glory of the Martyrs, 1; On the glory of the Confessors, 2 [1?]; On the miracles of St. Julian, 1; On the miracles of St. Martin, 4; an Epitome of the history of the Franks, 1. He is said to have written other things besides, which either are not extant or at least have not come to my knowledge.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
SiECULUM SEXTUM AB ANNO 500. AD 600. De S. Fulgentia. Sanctus Fulgentius Carthaginiensis, Epi¬ scopus Ruspensis, vir sanctissimus et do¬ ctissimus, floruit tempore Thrasymundi Re¬ gis, ad quem scripsit libros. Obiit anno Dom. 529. vitee suee anno 65. Episcopatus autem 25. ut Card. Baronius annotat tom. vi. An¬ nalium. Scripsit plura teste Isidoro in lib. de viris illustr. quorum multa perierunt. Exstant nunc in editione Antucrpiana anni 1574. Ad Thrasymundum regem, lib. 3 De incarnatione et gratia Christi, 1 Ad Monimum, 3 Contra objectiones Arianorum, 1 Ad Donatum, 1 Ad Euthymium, 2 Ad Ferrandi queestiones, 2 De fide ad Petrum, qui inter libros Augustini habetur, de quo diximus su¬ pra, 1 Epistolee septem satis prolixae instar librorum, 7 Denique sermones decem variorum argu¬ mentorum, qui soli supersunt, ex multis, quos scripsisse et habuisse dicitur. De Ennodio. 503. Ennodius Diaconus, et postea Episcopus Ticinensis , claruit tempore Symmachi et Iiormisdee Pontificum Romanorum, scripsit anno 503. Apologeticum librum pro quarta Synodo sub Symmacho, qui receptus fuit, et probatus a quinta Synodo sub Symmacho : scripsit etiam epistolas, efc alia, quae exstant excusa Parisiis in 8. De Petro Diacono. 503. Petrus Diaconus aequalis S. Fulgentii fuit, ut notum est ex libris invicem scriptis. Scri¬ psit enim Petrus hic librum de incarnatione et gratia Christi, ad S. Fulgentium, et alios Episcopos Africanos : qui liber exstat inter opera S. Fulgentii proxime ante librum S. Fulgentii de eodem argumento. De Ferrando Diacono. 504. Ferrandus Diaconus Carthaginiensis eo¬ dem tempore scripsit paraeneticum ad Regi¬ num Comitem, qui exstat in bibliotheca san¬ ctorum Patrum, tomo quinto edit, secundae. Scripsit etiam epistolas, quae exstant Romae impressae. Scripsit denique breve compen¬ dium sacrorum canonum. De Eugippio Abbate. 510. Eugippius Abbas Africanus vixit tempore Sancti Fulgentii, et composuit magno labore tomos duos thesaurorum sancti Augustini : in quorum priore posuit quaecumque Sanctus Augustinus scripserat de rebus obscurissimis ut de anima, de charitate, de resurrectione, de judicio, de vita ac morte aeterna. In po¬ steriore collocavit, quae Sanctus Augustinus disputat contra Arianos, Donatistas, Mani¬ chaeos, et Pelagianos. Editum est hoc opus Basileae anno Dom. 1542. et Venetiis anno 1543. Sed cavendae sunt insidiae haeretico¬ rum, qui hoc opus in lucem miserunt. De Marcellino Comite. 520. Marcellinus Comes vixit tempore Justini¬ ani : nam anno Justiniani nono, et salutis 535. finem imposuit chronico suo, quod a Cassiodoro valde laudatur libro de divinis lectionibus cap. 17. exstat hoc chronicum in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum tomo vii. edit. 2. Scripsit idem Marcellinus, teste Cassio¬ doro, quatuor libros de Urbe Constantinopo- litana et Hierosolymitana : qui libri (ut opi¬ nor) non exstant. De Joanne Maxentio. 520. Joannes Maxentius Monachus, et, ut cre¬ ditur, presbyter Antiochenus, vixit tempore Hormisdae Papae ; contra cujus epistolam scripsit. Ejus opera exstant in quarto tomo bibliothecae sanctorum Patrum. Scripsit au¬ tem Catholicae fidei professionem, item libel¬ lum contra Acephalos, item dialogorum contra Nestorianos libros duos, item respon¬ sionem ad epistolam Papae Hormisdae, in quibus disputat adversus Nestorianos, et ad¬ versus Faustum Regiensem Semipelagianum. Et quidem Faustum, et Pelagianos egregie refellit, ex libris S. Augustini : ad Nestoria¬ nos ita refellit scribens contra Possessorem AB ANNO DOM. 500. AD. 600. Episcopum Africanum, ut ad Eutychiauos declinare videatur. Certe S.Hormisdas Papa Possessorem defendit, et Joannem cum suis Monachis acriter insectatus est. Yide episto¬ lam Possessoris ad Ilormisdam, et respon¬ sionem Hormisdee in ipso opere Joannis Ma¬ xentii. Scripsit autem Maxentius contra epi¬ stolam Hormisdee, negans illam esse Hormi¬ sdee, ne videretur contra summum Pontifi¬ cem scribere ; sed revera negari non potest, epistolam illam vere esse Hormisdee. De S. Avito Alcimo. 520. Avitus Alcimus Episcopus Viennensis vir nobilissimus, sanctissimus, et doctissimus, floruit temporibus Papse Hormisdee, a quo Vicarius in Galliis constitutus est, ut constat ex epistola Hormisdee ad ipsum. Multa scri¬ psit et versu et soluta oratione, ut docent Gregorius Turronicus lib. ii. cap. 34. et Ado Viennensis in Chronico. Ego solum legi li¬ bros quinque metrice scriptos iu Genesim, et Exodum, et librum de castitate, ad sororem plane gravissimos, et venustissimos, qui ex¬ stant in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum edit. 2. tomo viii. De Boetio Severino. 520. Boetio Severinus, vir clarissimus, Senator et Consularis, floruit tempore Theodorici Regis Italiae, nam ad ipsum Boetium exstat epistola Regis Theodorici, quae est quadra¬ gesima quinta libri primi apud Cassiodorum. Scripsit multa de re philosophica, et theolo¬ gica ; ac ut philosophica omittam, scripsit librum unum de Trinitate ad Symmachum socerum suum. Item librum de unitate Trinitatis. Item librum unum de duabus naturis Chri¬ sti adversus Eutychetem. Item librum unum de fide, ad Joannem Diaconum. Item de consolatione philosophiae libros quinque, partim carmine, partim prosa, eru¬ ditissimos. Obiit capite obtruncato jussu Theodorici Regis anno Dom. 521. Papiae. De Dionysio Exiguo. 525. Dionysius Exiguus natione Scytha, sed moribus Romanus, quemadmodum cogno¬ mento Exiguus, sed doctrina et sanctitate maximus, vixit tempore Theodorici regis 413 Italiae et successorum ejus : nam anno 527. scripsit cyclum Paschalem, et omissa pro¬ fana numeratione annorum ab imperio Dio¬ cletiani impii persecutoris, numerare coepit ab incarnatione Domini Jesu Christi. Scripsit praeterea collectionem sacrorum canonum ex Conciliis Ecclesiae Catholicae : quem postea imitati sunt Martinus Bracarensis et Cresco- nius. De Victore Episcopo Africano. 530. Victor Episcopus scripsit de ratione fidei Catholicae ad Hunericum regem Vandalorum circa annum Dom. 53G. Exstat ejus liber bi¬ bliotheca sanctorum Patrum tomo quarto editionis secundae. De Aurelio Cassiodoro. 530. Aurelius Cassiodorus senator , et regi Theodorico ab epistolis fuit. Scripsit eo tem¬ pore libros xii. epistolarum variarum, et Chronicum breve ab initio mundi usque ad tempora Theodorici regis Italiae, quae simul excusa exstant. Scripsit etiam libros xn. de rebus gestis Gothorum, cujus operis compen¬ dium fecit Jordanus Episcopus Ravennae, quod compendium cum libris epistolarum excusum invenitur. Deinde mundo valedi¬ cens, et monachus effectus, se rebus divinis addixit, et tum scripsit : De institutionibus divinarum lectionum lib. duos. In omnes Psalmos, et in Cantica cantico¬ rum Commentaria. Historiam tripartitam ex libris Socratis, Theodoreti, et Sozomemi, per Epiphanium scholasticum in Latinam linguam conversis, confecit. Atque haec omnia exstant. Dicitur praete¬ rea a Trithemio Cassiodorus scripsisse in Acta Apostolorum, in epistolas canonicas, et in Apocalypsim commentaria : praeterea, summam divinae Scripturae, quam memo¬ riale Scripturarum appellavit, quae an ex¬ stent ignoro. De Leontio Byzantino. 540. Leontius Bysantinus Monachus paulo ante quintam Synodum floruisse videtur. Scripsit libros tres contra Nestorianos, et Eutychia- nos : nec non contra fraudes Apollinarista- rum ; et contra Severum : quae omnia ex- 4!4 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS stant apud Henricum Canisium tomo iv. an¬ tiquae lectionis. De S. Victore Capuano. 540. Sanctus Victor Capuanus Episcopus vir sanctus, et doctus, tempore Justiani imp. circa annum Dom. 545. scripsit de cyclo Paschali, teste Beda, de sex &'tatibus, et de ratione temporum cap. 48. Scripsit etiam praefationem in Harmoniam Tatiani, qua ex quatuor Evangeliis unum fecit. Sed recte Cardin. Baronius monet, tomo secundo An¬ nalium ad annum Christi 174. a Victore Ca¬ puano erratum esse in nomine : Ammonii enim, non Tatiani ea Harmonia est. Vide bi¬ bliothecam sanctorum Patrum tomo quarto edit. 2. De S. Justo Orgelitano. Sanctus Justus Orgelitanus Episcopus vi¬ xit tempore Justiniani imperatoris : scripsit in Cantica canticorum. Exstat hoc opus in biblio¬ theca sanctorum Patrum tomo I. edit, se¬ cundae. Vide de hoc auctore Isidorum de scriptor. Ecclesiast. cap. 14. et de viris illu¬ stribus, cap. 34. De Anastasio Sinaita. 544. I Anastasius Sinaita Episcopus Antiochenus vixit tempore Justiniani Imp. ut scripsit Eva- grius lib. 4. hist. c. 39. scripsit multa, sed solum exstat id est, dux viae, contra Acephalos, impresssus Ingolstadii anno 1606. et praeterea exstant in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum tomo I. edit. 2. Anagogicarum con¬ templationum in exameron libri undecim : et de fidei dogmatibus libri quinque. De Aratore. 545. Arator Subdiaconus. S. R. E. scripsit duos libros carminum, quibus Acta Apostolorum complexus est : eos libros Vigilio Papae ob¬ tulit , et publice eodem Papa annuente reci¬ tavit : exstant in Bibliotheca sanctorum Pa¬ trum tomo octavo. De Junilio. 545. Junilius Episcopus Africanus, scripsit ad Primasium item Episcopum Africanum libros duos de partibus divinae legis, qui exstant in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum editionis 2. tomo 1. Tribuitur etiam Junilio commenta- riolus in prima capita Geneseos : sed ille non est Junilii, sed Bedae, citat enim sanctum Gregorium, et habetur inter opera Bedae. De Primasio. 545. Primasius Episcopus Africanus (tempore Vigilii Papae Constantinopoli fuit, cum quinta Synodus generalis celebraretur, ut constat ex collatione secunda ejusdem Synodi : scri¬ psit in epistolas Sancti Pauli, et in Apoca- lypsim non contemnenda commentaria. De Martino Dumiensi, alias Bracarensi. Martinus Dumiensis monasterii Abbas, ac deinde Ecclesiae Bracarensis Episcopus : vi¬ xit circa annum Domini 572., nam praefuit Concilio secundo Bracarensi, quod habitum est Era 610. id est, anno Domini 572. sed vi¬ detur anno sequente obiisse, ut notat Card. Baronius : scripsit collectionem Canonum ex Graecis Synodis, qui exstant in tomis Conci¬ liorum post secundam Synodum Bracaren- sem. Scripsit etiam de quatuor virtutum Cardinalium differentia, et alia, qnae exstant in tomo quinto bibliothecae sanctorum Pa¬ trum edit. ii. Meminit hujus Martini S. Isido- rus in catalogo script. Eccles. cap. 22, et in lib. de viris illustribus cap. 35. De Procopio Gazaeo. 560. Procopius Gazaeus sophista, cujus memi¬ nit Photiusin sua bibliotheca, scripsit in oc- tateuchum commentaria magis ex aliorum libris, quam ex proprio ingenio : scripsit etiam in Isaiam, quae exstant excusa Parisiis Graece et Latine, dicitur etiam scripsisse in libros Regum et Paralipomenon ; quae opera utrum exstent, ignoro : quando vixerit, non certum est : sed posuimus eum post annum quingentesimum, quia nec Sanctus Hierony¬ mus, nec Gennadius, neque alii qui scripse¬ runt ante annum quingentesimum, hunc au¬ ctorem nominaverunt. De Joanne Climaco. 560. Joannes Climacus Monachus religiosissi¬ mus, scripsit librum tringinta graduum, qui¬ bus ascenditur ad perfectionem, unde ipse nomen Climaci invenit. Existimant aliqui re- AB ANNO DOM. 600. AD 700. 415 centiores illum floruisse anno Domini 340. sed non putamus id esse verum, tum quia nemo veterum hoc dicit, neque ex ipsius libro colligi potes.t ; tum quia in eo li¬ bro fit mentio sancti Abbatis Sabbae qui tempore Justiniani imp. obiit anno Do¬ mini 532., ut refert Card. Baroniustom. vi. Annalium. De Sancto Dacio Mediolanensi. 560. Sanctus Dacius Episcopus Mediolanensis vixit tempore Justini imp., teste sancto Gre- gorio lib. iii. dialog. cap. 4. et scripsit chro¬ nicum, in cujus Chronici lib. i. cap. iO. tra¬ dit, Canticum, «Te Deam laudamus, «compo¬ situm fuisse a Sanctis Ambrosio et Augu¬ stino. De Liberto. 560. Libertus Archidiaconus Carthaginiensis vixit paulo post quintam Synodum ut ex ejus breviario intelligi potest, scripsit enim bre¬ viarium de causa Nestorii et Eutychetis : quod breviarium exstat in n. tomo Concilio¬ rum, et caute legendum est : sive enim ad aliquo depravatum fuerit, sive ipse auctor non bene assecutus sit historiae veritatem, non pauca in eo videntur esse perperam scripta. De Venantio Fortunato. 570. Venantius Fortunatus Episcopus Picta- viensis, floruit doctrina et sanctitate tempore Justini junioris; scripsit vitam Sancti Hilarii, quae exstat apud Surium die 14. Januarii : scripsit plurima carmina sacra, quae exstant in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum tomo vm. edit. 2., sed in Ecclesia celebrantur maxime illa de Sancta Cruce, « Vexilla Regis pro¬ deunt » : et, « Pange lingua gloriosi. » De Evagrio. 596. Evagrius Scholasticus scripsit historiam Ecclesiasticam libris sex, ab eo tempore in quo desiit Sozomenus usque ad annum duo¬ decimum Mauritii imperatoris, id est, ad an¬ num Domini 597. De Sancto Gregorio Turonico. 596. Gregorius Turonensis Episcopus floruit imperante Mauritio,et Sancto Gregorio Papa aliquanto senior fuit : siquidem anno septi¬ mo decimo inchoante Episcopatus Gregorii Turonici, Gregorius Papa creatus est : et anno vicesimo primo completo in episcopatu suo Gregorius Turonicus obiit : cui supervi¬ xit Gregorius Papa annis octo. Itaque Gre¬ gorius Turonicus obiit anno Dom. 596. Gre¬ gorius autem Papa anno Dom. 604. Haec est Breviario vitae S. Gregorii Turonici, et ex vita S. Gregorii Papae decerpta sunt. Scri- sit Sanctus Gregorius Turonicus : De historia Francorum, lib. 10 De gloria Martyrum, 1 De gloria Confessorum, 2 De miraculis sancti Juliani, 1 De miraculis sancti Martini, 4 Epitomen historiae Francorum, 1 Alia praeterea scripsisse dicitur, quae vel non exstant, vel certe ad notitiam meam non pervenerunt.