CHAP. LIII.

THEONAS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA.

1. His history. II. An epistle ascribed to him. III. His testimony to the books of the New Testament.

I. THEONAS, as Jerom says in his Chronicle, was the fifteenth bishop of Alexandria. He held that see, as we are informed by Eusebius, nineteen years; who in the same place speaks of Pierius and Achillas, as flourishing among the presbyters in that episcopate, and observes the succession of the bishops of Alexandria about that time: after Dionysius was Maximus; then Theonas, about the year of Christ 282, who was succeeded by Peter, of whom we shall write hereafter.

II. There is extant a letter from Theonas to Lucian, chief chamberlain to the emperor, which emperor was not a christian. But learned men are not fully satisfied who this Theonas is the editor makes a scruple of ascribing it to the bishop of Alexandria; though he thinks it ought to be received as a genuine monument of antiquity, composed in the beginning of the fourth century: and indeed, according to the tenor of the epistle itself, christianity was not yet fully established; though it had made great progress in the world, even under persecutions.

Cave allows thats Theonas, author of this letter, was a bishop; but whether of Alexandria, or some other place, he cannot determine: the letter he thinks to have been written

Alexandrinæ ecclesiæ quintusdecimus episcopus præfuit Theonas, ann. xix. Hieron. Chr. p. 177. f. bH. E. 1. 7. c. 32. p. 289. C. D.

Theonas episcopus Luciano Præposito Cubiculariorum invictissimi principis nostri. Theon. ap. Luc. Acher. Spic. T. xii. p. 545. Sed quia, ut sentio, diversis officiis estis adscripti, et omnium tu, Luciane, præpositus diceris. Id. ib. p. 547. Nam quanto magis princeps ipse nondum christianæ religioni adscriptus.—ib. p. 546. Vid. Præf. p. 21, 22. Gratias ago Omnipotenti Deo, et Domino nostro Jesu Christo, qui fidem suam per universum orbem in salutis nostræ unicum remedium manifestare, ac etiam in tyrannorum persecutionibus ampliare, non destitit, &c. Theon, ib. p. 545. Theonas-dignitate episcopus: cujusnam vero loci haud facile est divinare. H. L. T. i. p. 172. h Etatem si quæras, circa annum 305-claruisse arbitror, nempe sub Constantio Chloro, qui Cæsar creatus est anno 292.-Augustus renuntiatus est ann. 305; obiit-an. 306. Cav. ib.

about the year 305; but he delivers this opinion as conjectural only upon a point that cannot be clearly decided.

Tillemont is much disposed to think it a genuine epistle of Theonas, bishop of Alexandria, written about the year 290. Lucian he supposeth to have been chief chamberlain to the emperor Dioclesian, and a faithful servant of Jesus Christ,

I am inclined to assent to Tillemont concerning the author of the epistle and the time of writing it.

The letter was undoubtedly written in Greek; we have only a translation in but indifferent Latin.

III. As the several learned critics above quoted admit the antiquity of this piece, I shall observe the author's testimony to the scriptures.

The author often delivers his christian counsels to Lucian, and by him to other christians in the imperial palace, in words of the New Testament, or in expressions allusive to them but without quoting any particular books, which might not be judged proper in an epistle.

He mentions the gospel and apostles, as the divine oracles of christians.

Hem recommends the daily reading of the sacred scriptures, and meditating upon them, as the best means of improving the mind in every virtue, and as the most useful helps for enabling Lucian, and the other christians with him, to discharge their several offices with reputation, as became the followers of Jesus Christ.

La lettre de l'évêque Théonas à Lucien-est selon toutes les apparences un fruit de la piété de nostre saint. Lucien éstoit le chef des chambellans de l'empereur Dioclétien, et un fidèle serviteur de J. Ch. Tillem. Saint Theonas. M. E. T. iv. P. 3. p. 1218. * Id. ib. p. 1223.

1 Interdum et divinas scripturas laudare conabitur, quas mirâ diligentiâ et largissimo impendio Ptolomæus Philadelphus in linguam nostram traduci curavit laudabitur et interim evangelium apostolusque, pro divinis oraculis. Theon. ib. 548.

Non prætereat dies, quin, opportuno tempore dato, aliquid sacrarum lectionum legatis, aliquid contemplemini, nec sacræ scripturæ literaturam abjiciatis. Nihil adeo animam pascit, et mentem impinguat, sicut sacræ faciunt lectiones. Sed ex illis hunc maxime capite fructum, ut patientiâ vestrâ juste et pie, hoc est, in caritate Christi, vestra officia exsequamini, et transitoria omnia ob ejus promissiones æternas contemnatis. ib. p. 550.

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CHAP. LIV.

PIERIUS, PRESBYTER OF ALEXANDRIA.

'PIERIUS,' says Jerom in his Catalogue of Ecclesiastical writers, presbyter of the church of Alexandria, taught the 'people with great reputation in the time of the emperors Carus and Dioclesian, when Theonas was bishop of that 'church: such was the elegance of his discourses and trea'tises, which are still extant, that he was called the younger 'Origen. It is certain that he was a great ascetic, and an 'admirer of voluntary poverty, and that he was well skilled in logic and rhetoric, and that after the persecution he 'spent the rest of his days at Rome. There is a very prolix 'homily of his upon the prophet Hosea, which was pro'nounced on Easter-eve, as the discourse itself shows.' That is St. Jerom's summary account of this writer.

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Carus reigned in 282 and 283. Dioclesian reigned from 284 to 305. And,' as Eusebius informs us, ' Maximus, 'immediate successor of Dionysius, governed the church ' of Alexandria eighteen years, and was then succeeded by Theonas: under him Achillas, made presbyter at the same 'time with Pierius, was famous. He was intrusted with the 'care of the catechetical school, and was an excellent ex'ample of a truly philosophical and christian conversation. Theonas, having borne the episcopal office nineteen years, was succeeded by Peter, who obtained great honour during his episcopate, which he held twelve years. He governed the church three years before the persecution: the rest of 'his time he passed in a more strict and mortified course of life, but still without neglecting the common good of the 'churches; for which reason, in the ninth year of the per

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* Pierius, Alexandrinæ ecclesiæ presbyter, sub Caro et Diocletiano principibus, eo tempore quo eam ecclesiam Theonas episcopus regebat, florentissime docuit populos; et in tantam sermonis diversorumque tractatuum, qui usque hodie exstant, venit elegantiam, ut Origenes junior vocaretur. Constat hunc miræ aokŋoɛwc, et appetitorem voluntariæ paupertatis, scientissimumque dialectica et rhetoricæ artis, et post persecutionem omne vitæ suæ tempus Romæ fuisse versatum. Hujus est longissimus tractatus de prophetâ Osee, quem in vigiliâ Paschæ habitum, ipse sermo demonstrat. Hieron. De V. I. cap. 76.

b * Και επ' Αλεξανδρειας δε Μαξιμον οκτωκαιδεκα ετεσι μετα την Διονυσιο τελευτην επισκοπευσαντα, Θεωνας διαδέχεται καθ' όν επι της Αλεξανδρειας επι ταυτον τῳ Πιεριῳ πρεσβυτερια ηξιώμενος Αχιλλας εγνωρίζετο, της ἱερας πίσεως To cuασKaλELOV EYREXELPLOμEVOS. Euseb. H. E. 1. vii. c. 32. p. 289, 290.

secution, he was honoured with the crown of Martyrdom, being beheaded.' So writes Eusebius.

Maximus therefore, having succeeded Dionysius in 264 or 265, was himself succeeded by Theouas, in 282; he by Peter in 300, who died a martyr in the year 311 or 312, as is computed. Achillas, just mentioned by Eusebius as catechist, was bishop of Alexandria after Peter; but for a short timed only, as it seems: indeed, since Achillas was ordained presbyter about the same time with Pierius, and had the care of the school under Theonas, it may be argued that he must have been somewhat advanced in years in 311, when he came to be bishop: he was succeeded by Alexander in 312 or 313. I have here put down these several successions at Alexandria; I believe it will not be disagreeable to my readers.

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Farther, Eusebius, speaking of the most eminent men of his own time, or near it, says, One of these was Pierius, 'presbyter of Alexandria, celebrated for his strict course of life and philosophical learning: he was likewise admired for his diligence in the study of the scriptures, and his 'expositions of them, and his public discourses of the peo'ple.'

In Jerom's letter to Magnus, Pierius is placed among other learned christian writers next after Pamphilus.

In another place he mentions Pierius's interpretation of 1 Cor. vii. 7; and reckons him among several others, who, as he says, had largely explained that epistle. Caves understands Jerom to mean some commentary; but I do not think it necessary to take him in that sense: several of the writers there mentioned may have largely explained that text in their homilies, or letters, or treatises, without making a commentary upon the epistle.

In his prologue to his Commentary upon Hosea, Jerom again mentions the long discourse of our author upon that prophet, which he spoke of in his Catalogue: he calls it an extemporary and eloquent discourse.

Socrat. l. i. cap. 5.

• Vid. Euseb. Chron. p. 180. • Αχιλλας μεν ολιγον χρονον μετα δε τετον Αλεξανδρος. κ. λ. e Euseb. ib. p. 289. A. f Origenes, Dionysius, Pierius, Eusebius Cæsariensis, Didymus, Apollinaris, latissime hanc epistolam interpretati sunt; quorum Pierius, quum sensum apostoli ventilaret atque edisseret, et proposuisset illud exponere, Volo autem omnes esse sicut meipsum, adjecit: ravra λεγων Παυλος αντικρυς αγαμιαν κηρυσσει. Hieron. Ep. 31. [al. 52.] p.243. 8 Scripsisse commentarios in primam ad Corinthios epistolam auctor est Hieronymus. Cav. H. L. in Pierio. Pierii quoque legi tractatum longissimum, quem in exordio hujus prophetæ die vigiliarum Dominicæ passionis extemporali et diserto sermone profudit. Hieron. Pr. in Osee, p. 1235.

προυση, και τα της εκκλησίας κατεχε πηδαλια. Theodoret. Η. Ε. 1. i. c. 2.

It has been observed by several learned men of late times that there were copies of the Bible, or however of some parts of it, called Pierius's, which were in great esteem: that observation is founded upon a passage of St. Jerom in his commentary upon Matt. xxiv. 36; "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only." Jerom says, that in some Latin copies of his time was added, "nor the Son;" whereas in the Greek 'copies, particularly the copies of Origen and Pierius, that ' clause was wanting.'

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These things concerning Pierius I have collected from Eusebius and Jerom, authors of the best credit. Philip Sidetes1 says, 'that Pierius was catechist at Alexandria after Dionysius: the next after him,' he says, was Theognostus, then Serapion, then the great Peter, who suffered martyr'dom.' And Photius informs us thatm in his time it was said that Pierius was president of the school of that city: accordingly it is now generally taken for granted, by learned men, that he had some while that charge; but I think without good foundation, since it is no where mentioned by Eusebius or Jerom: and why they should omit this, when they so particularly mention his fame for popular discourses, I cannot tell. Eusebius mentions Pierius and Achillas together: he expressly says of this last that he was catechist; why did he not say the like of Pierius, if true? Philip says that Pierius was catechist after Dionysius. When did he succeed his predecessor in that chair-when he was made bishop, or after his death? Dionysius was chosen bishop in 247 or 248, and died in the year 264 or 265. At which of those seasons did Pierius take upon him the catechetical office? Is either of them consistent with what Jerom says of Pierius, that he flourished under Carus and Dioclesian, and survived the persecution? Tillemont" is much of my mind: and Cave, though at the beginning of his article of Pierius he roundly calls him master of the school at Alexandria,

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Origenis ejusdem, Adamantii a flagrantibus studiis cognominati, ut etiam Pierii, doctoris Alexandrini, exemplaria quoque Novi Testamenti in magno pretio habebantur, tamquam omnium purissima. Eorum mentionem reperio apud Hieronymum ad Matth. xxiv. Hody de Bibl. Text. l. iv. c. 2. p. 622. Conf. Mill. ad Matth. loc. et in Prolegom. n. dccxxvii.

* In quibusdam Latinis codicibus additum est, neque filius: quum in Græcis, et maxime Adamantii et Pierii exemplaribus, hoc non habeatur adscriptum. Sed quia in nonnullis legitur, disserendum videtur.

Matth. p. 118.

. λ. Philip. Sid.

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Hieron. in

Μετα τέτον Πιεριος, μετα Πιεριον Θεόγνωτος m Vid. Phot. Cod. 118, 119.

Mem. Ecc. T. iv. Saint Theonas. p. 583. Ed. de Paris. T. iv. P. 3. p. 1225. à Bruxelles.