6

afterwards proposes divers difficulties affecting Philip's

account.

Photius says that Pierius was a martyr; and that a brother of his, named Isidore, suffered at the same time: but the silence of Eusebius must needs render this doubtful: and Jerom is positive that Pierius outlived the persecution under Dioclesian, as before seen: nor does Tillemont receive this

account.

But though we have no good reason to think that Pierius was a martyr, he appears to have been in great esteein. Epiphanius speaks of a church at Alexandria called by his name and Photius intimates that there were temples and churches built by the faithful in honour of him and his brother.

There is still somewhat farther to be taken from Photius, who read a work of Pierius in twelve books, or discourses: Photius does not mention any other title. His character of it is this: His style is clear and perspicuous, easy and 'familiar, like that of extemporary discourse. He expresseth 'himself after the manner of the ancients, very differently 'from what now obtains in the church. Of the Father and the Son he speaks rightly enough, except that he 'makes two substances and two natures: nevertheless, as appears from what precedes and follows the place I refer to, by substance and nature he may mean only subsistence, and not in the sense of the Arians. But of the Spirit he 'speaks dangerously and impiously, for he makes him inferior in glory to the. Father and the Son.-And, with 'Origen, he seems to hold the pre-existence of souls.'

Photius here also mentions Pierius's writing upon Hosea and Easter, and therein treating of the Cherubim and Jacob's stone pillar; and something written by him' upon St. Luke; which words of Photius are not very clear: but it seems as if the title of one of the twelve books above mentioned was to this purpose: Upon Luke, or Observations upon Luke's gospel.

This is what we know of Pierius: from which it is easy to conclude, that in his time he adorned the christian profession by his piety, learning, and public labours. As we have none of his works, we cannot particularly judge of his sentiments; but from the testimonies which we have col

• Hær. 69. c. 2. p. 728. C.

• Οις ὡς φασι, και νεως και οικοι

ύπο των ευσεβεντων ιδρυνθησαν. Cod. 118. p. 300. A.

4 Λόγος δε το βιβλίον περιείχε δωδεκα. Cod. 119. p. 300.

r

Εχει δε χρησιν εις τον λόγον, ἢ ἡ επιγραφή, Εις τον κατα Λεκαν. κ. λ. ib. p. 300. m.

lected it appears that a great part of his time and labour was employed in studying and interpreting the scriptures; and it may be supposed that his canon was the same as that of Origen, or very little different.

Pierius is placed by Cave at the year 283: some may be apt to think he should have been put lower; but it is likely that learned writer supposed Pierius was made presbyter in the beginning of the episcopate of Theonas. Moreover, Jerom spoke of Pierius as flourishing in the reign of Carus.

CHAP. LV.

1. Dorotheus, presbyter of Antioch. II. Dorotheus, author of the Synopsis of the life of the prophets, and of the apostles and disciples of Christ.

I. SAYS Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History,' About 'this time Timæus succeeded Domnus in the episcopate of 'the church of Antioch, whom Cyril succeeded within our 'memory. In his time was Dorotheus, presbyter of the 'church of Antioch, a learned man whom he knew. He 'was very studious in the sacred scriptures, and acquainted 'himself so far with Hebrew, as to be able to read the ancient 'scriptures in their own language with understanding: he 'was a man of a liberal mind, [or was extremely well edu'cated, or perhaps was a man of high birth,] and was not ' unskilled in Greek literature: but he was an eunuch from 'his birth: this being an extraordinary thing, the emperor 'took notice of him, and made him overseer of the purple 'dye-house at Tyre. We have heard this person expound 'the scriptures indifferently well. Cyril was succeeded in 'the episcopate of Antioch by Tyrannus.'

I have transcribed this passage after this manner with the connexion, that we might the better perceive the time of

* Καθ ̓ ὁν Δωροθεον πρεσβεις το κατα Αντιοχειαν ηξιωμενον τηνικαδε λογιον ανδρα εγνωμεν φιλοκαλος δ' αυτος περι τα θεια γεγονως, και της Εβραίων επεμεληθη γλωττης ώς και αυταις ταις ̔Εβραϊκαις γραφαις επιτημόνως εντυγχάνειν ην δ' έτος των μαλιςα ελευθερων, προπαιδειας τε της καθ' Ελληνας εκ άμοιρος" K. X. Eus. I. vii. cap. 32. in. p. 284. B. C.

b Τότε μετρίως τας γραφας επι της εκκλησίας διηγέμενε κατηκέσαμεν

Dorotheus. Cyril is supposed to have been bishop of Antioch from about the year 280, to the year 300, or longer. We may therefore reckon that Dorotheus flourished about 290, and afterwards. Who is the emperor meant by Eusebius is not certainly known; but it seems to me not improbable to be Dioclesian, in the early part of his reign.

It ought to be supposed that Dorotheus first served in civil offices, and after that became presbyter in the church of Antioch.

This Dorotheus ought to be distinguished from one of the same name, elsewhere mentioned by Eusebius, who was one of the eunuchs of Dioclesian's palace, and suffered martyrdom; and from another Dorotheus, author of the Synopsis, or short history of Christ's apostles and seventy disciples. Fabricius indeed supposeth, that this presbyter of Antioch, and the martyr of the same name, were one and the same person, and that there is not sufficient reason to distinguish them. but I think he is almost singular in that opinion.

Dorotheus, presbyter of Antioch, not being a writer, is not in Jerom's Catalogue: and for the same reason there is no distinct article allotted him in Cave, or other modern authors of ecclesiastical libraries, or such like works: nevertheless I have thought it proper to insert his history here distinctly, though it be short, as a proof that there were men of learning and quality among christians in those early ages; and that christianity did not discourage any branch of useful knowledge: though, as we have here and often elsewhere occasion to observe, the scriptures were their principal study.

II. I take this opportunity to give an account of the supposed author of The Synopsis of the life and death of the prophets, and also of the apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ.'

It has been thought by some thats he was bishop or presbyter of Tyre at the beginning of the fourth century, in the year 303, about which time he underwent many sufferings in the persecution begun by Dioclesian, and afterwards died

• See Tillem. in St. Lucien d'Antioche. Mem. T. v. P. iii. p. 149, et note (4) p. 406, et Pagi Ann. 283. n. viii. Basnag. Ann. 283. n. ix.

d Vid. Cav. in Dorotheo Tyr. Hist. Lit. T. i. p. 163. et Pagi Ann. 283. n. viii. Basa. Ann. 283. n. ix. Tillem. Mem. Ec. T. v. P. ii. p. 9, et note (8) p. 342. e H. E. 1. viii. c. 1. p. 292. A. et cap. vi.

Bib. Gr. T. vi. p. 145. in notis. 8 Dorotheus, Tyriorum urbis, ut volunt, episcopus. Presbyterum quidem cum martyrologio Romano faciunt recentiores. Quod non aliunde profluxisse videtur, quam quod hunc cum Dorotheo Antiocheno male confuderunt. Cav. H. L. [ad ann. 303.] T. i. p.

a martyr under Julian in the year 363, when he was 107 years of age.

Caveh has divers just observations upon this piece and its author: he thinks the Synopsis to be the work of an anonymous author in the sixth century. Frederick Spanheim computed the author to have lived in the same age. Cave was of opinion, that they who called this Dorotheus presbyter, instead of bishop of Tyre, confounded him with Dorotheus presbyter of Antioch. And may I not rather say, (if I too may propose a conjecture,) that possibly this Dorotheus is a mere fictitious person called bishop of the church of Tyre for no other reason but because Dorotheus, of whom we spoke before, is said by Eusebius to have been overseer of the purple dye-house at Tyre?

Tillemont argues, that there could be no bishop of Tyre at the beginning of the fourth century named Dorotheus; if there had he would have been mentioned by Eusebius or Jerom.

Fabricius may be consulted for the editions of this work. As for the work itself, though it has been too often quoted, it is now generally allowed by learned men to be fabulous, and of little or no value. For preventing such quotations of it for time to come, and that my readers may be the better satisfied about its real character, I shall place divers censures upon it in the margin. One is that of the author of the Collection of the Bibliotheca Patrum Maxima, which I make use of; another is taken out of Bellarmine's book of

1. Ex hoc fragmento perspicere licet, hunc Dorothei, ut præ se fert, exscriptorem, scripsisse Probo et Philoxeno Coss. hoc est, anno Christi 525.2. Admodum probabile est, hunc anonymum fuisse ipsius Synopsis Dorotheanæ conditorem. Cav. ib. p. 170. Quod vero habet Epiphanius, Hær. li. quæ est Alogorum, et ex eo Pseudo-Dorotheus in Synopsi de lxx. discipulis, seculi minimum vi. scriptor, hinc Nicephorus, et alii, fuisse Marcum unum ex iis qui a Christo adlecti fuerunt, magis dubium, imo falsum. Spanh. De Hist. Evang. Scriptor. cap. 12. Opp. T. ii. p. 275.

k – και τιμησαι γε επιτροπη της κατα Τύρον άλεγε βαφης. Eus. Η. Ε. p. 284. C. Mais il est encore plus difficile de s'imaginer, que s'il y avoit été en ce temps là un Dorothée tel que le depeint Théophane, Eusèbe n'en eût rien écrit, ni S. Jérome mêsme, qui le doit révérer comme un père de l'église, et comme un martyr, &c. Tillem. Not. 8. sur S. Dorothée. ib. p. 342. Bib. Gr. T. vi. p. 145, 146.

Dorotheus-Extat hic sub ejus nomine Synopsis,-sed plane fabulosa, nulliusque apud eruditos auctoritatis. Vid. Ind. Alphabet. in Bib. P. P. Max.

At hujus Dorothei nullam mentionem inveni apud Eusebium, S. Hieron. vel Gennadium, aut etiam Joan. Trithemium, qui scripserunt de viris illustribus. Ipsa vero Synopsis plena est fabulis. Consulat lector quæ iste auctor scripsit in vità Isaïe, Hieremiæ, Elisæi.-Præterea consulat quæ scribit in vitâ Jacobi Alphæi, et Clementis, et in summâ sciat, ab isto numerari inter 72, discipulos Christi omnes, qui ab apostolo Paulo numerantur, etiamsi ethnici fuerint vel VOL. III.

M

Ecclesiastical Writers; and the third from the Annals of Baronius.

r

This Synopsis might be compared with some like books ascribed to Hippolytus, of which I spoke formerly, and with some articles in Epiphanius, and with the last chapter of the second book of the Apostolical constitutions, and Cotelerius's notes upon it.

I shall take notice of but very few things in this Synopsis. Among Christ's seventy disciples the first here named is James, the brother of the Lord of whom he says, that he was stoned by the Jews, and was buried in the temple at Jerusalem, near the altar.

Here likewise are absurdly numbered among Christ's seventy disciples the seven deacons, and others, mentioned in the Acts, and Clement, and Timothy, and Titus, and almost all others, mentioned by name in St. Paul's epistles.

CHAP. LVI.

VICTORINUS, BISHOP OF PETTAW.

I. His history. II. Others of the same name. III. His works, and extracts out of a poem against the Marcionites, ascribed to him. IV. Testimonies to him. V. His opinions. Vl. His testimony to the scriptures of the Old and New Testament.

I. VICTORINUS, bishop of Pettaw, or Petaw upon the Drave in Germany, flourished according to Cave about

feminæ; et illos omnes non solum discipulos Domini, sed etiam episcopos facere. Non meminissem libri tam fabulosi, nisi vidissem a multis citari, et non minimum fieri. Ex Bellarmino, de Scrip. Ecc. ap. Bib. P. P. Max. T. iii. p. 421. H. P Nomina autem discipulorum, qui a Domino fuerunt electi, dum singula exprimere conati sunt, omnes fere, quorum invenerunt in epistolis Pauli fieri mentionem,—inter discipulos Domini adnumerârunt.-Primus post Hippolytum, (quod invenerimus,) ejus rei auctor fuit Dorotheus, qui falso cognomine Tyri episcopus inscribitur,-Hic inquam Dorotheus Cæsarem quemdam unum fuisse dicit ex discipulis Domini, &c. Baron. Ann. 33. n. 40. 4 Vol. ii. ch. xxxv.

Vid. Epiph. H. 20. n. iv. et H. 51. n. vi. p. 428. Jacobus, frater Domini secundum carnem, qui et Justus vocatur, et primus Hierosolymorum episcopus constitutus est. Lapidibus ibi a Judæis, adobrutus occubuit, atque in templo prope altare sepultus est. ap. B. P. P. ib. p. 427. G.

a Cav. H. L. T. i.