PREFACE: In preparing the present volume the Editor has aimed at providing the English reader with the most complete apparatus for the study of Athanasius, his life, and his theological influence, which could be brought within the compass ofa single volume of the ‘ Nicene and Post-Nicene Library.’ The volume contains all the most important treatises of Athanasius (in as nearly as possible their exact chronological order), with the exception of the ad Sera- pionem, the contra Apollinarium, the ad Marcellinum, and the exegetical remains. On these and other treatises omitted from the present collection the reader is referred to the Pro legomena, ch. iil.:: aate: ae A great part of the volume, including the bulk of the historical and anti-Arian works, and the Festal Letters, consists.of a revision of translations and notes comprised in the Oxford Library of the Fathers. The notes to all, and the translation of most, of the works in question, excepting the Festal Letters, were prepared for that series by Mr. (since Cardinal) Newman. It was at first intended to incorporate his work without any change; but as the volume began to take shape this intention was inevitably to some extent modified; moreover, the limits of space demanded the sacrifice of some of the less important matter.. The prin- ciples upon which the necessary changes have been made will be found stated on pp. 304, 305, 450. What is there said applies also to the de Decretis and Letter of Eusebius, as well as to the notes to the historical pieces; it may be added that the translation of the ‘Fourth Discourse’ has been very carefully revised, in order to secure the utmost closeness to the some- what difficult original. In all the new translations, as well as in the revision of earlier work, the aim has been to secure the strictest fidelity compatible with clearness. The easy assumption that distinctions of tenses, constructions, &c., count for little or nothing in patristic Greek has been steadily resisted. Doubtless there are passages where the distinction, for example, of aorist and perfect, seems to fade away; but generally speaking, Athanasius is fully sensitive to this and other points of grammar.
The incorporation in this volume of so much of the ample patristic learning of Cardinal Newman has inevitably involved some sacrifice of uniformity. To provide the new matter with illustrative notes on anything like the same scale, even had it been within the present ~ editor’s power, would have involved the crowding out of many works which the reader will certainly prefer to have before him. Again, many opinions are expressed by Cardinal Newman which the present editor is unable to accept. It may not be invidious to specify as an example the many cases in which the notes enforce views of Church authority, especially of papal authority, or again of the justifiableness of religious persecution, which appear to be at any rate foreign to the mind of Athanasius; or the tacit assumption that the men of the fourth century can be divided by a broad and fast line into orthodox and heretical, and that while everything may be believed to the discredit of the latter, the former were at once uniform in their convictions and consistently right in practice. Such an assumption operates with special injustice against men like Eusebius, whose position does not fall in with so summary a classification. But it has been thought better to leave the notes in nearly all such cases as they stand, only very rarely inserting a reference or observation to call attention to another aspect of the case. And in no instance has the editor forgotten the respect due to the theological learning and personal greatness of Cardinal Newman, or to his peculiar eminence as a religious thinker.
But this has made it inevitable that many matters are regarded in one way in the notes of Newman, and in quite another where the present editor speaks for himself. What the great Cardinal says of his ‘ Historical Sketches’ (Preface to vol. ii.) holds good to a large extent of his expositions of Athanasius, ‘Though mainly historical, they are in their form and character polemical, as being directed against certain Protestant ideas and opinions.’ The aim of the PREFACE. vil present editor has been throughout exclusively historical. He has regarded any polemical purpose as foreign to the spirit in which this series was undertaken, and moreover as fated in the long run to defeat its own aim. Whatever results may ultimately be reaped from the field of patristic studies, whether practical, dogmatic, or controversial, they must be resolutely postponed or rather ignored, pending the application of strict method to the criticism and interpretation of the texts, and to the reconstruction of the history whether of the life or of the doctrine of the Church. For the latter purpose, ‘lucifera experimenta, non fructifera queerenda.’ To follow this method, without concealing, but without obtruding, his personal convictions, has been the endeavour of the present editor. That he has succeeded, it is not for him to claim: but his work has been in this respect disinterested, and he ventures to hope that readers of all opinions will at least recognise in it ‘un livre de bonne foy.’
The Prolegomena are not intended to be anything approaching to a complete treatise upon the history, writings, or theology of S. Athanasius. They are simply what their title implies, an attempt to furnish in a connected form a preliminary account of the matters comprised in the text of the volume, such as on the one hand to reduce the necessity for a running historical commentary, on the other hand to prepare the reader for the study of the text itself. ___ Fullindices have been added for the same purpose. The general index comprises the lead- ing theological and historical topics, and a complete register of all personal names. This latter seemed requisite in order to escape the arbitrariness of any line which might have been drawn between important and insignificant characters. The nobodies of history may occasionally be important witnesses. The index of Scripture texts has been made with painful attention to detail, and contains no unverified reference. To draw the line in each case between formal citation and mere reminiscence would have involved too great an expenditure of time and space; moreover there are many probable reminiscences of Scripture language which it would have been endless to include. But on the whole the index in question claims to be a complete synopsis of the use made of the Bible in the text of this volume. As such it is hoped that, with whatever occasional errors, it may be of use to the patristic and the biblical student alike.
For the original matter comprised in this volume the editor disclaims any credit of his own. He has aimed simply at consulting and comparing the best authorities, at sifting their conclusions, and at following those which seem best founded. ‘That in doing so the original sources are ready to hand throughout is the peculiar good fortune of those who work at Athanasius. It remains, then, for the editor to express his principal obligations to modern writers. To mention those of earlier date, such as Montfaucon and Tillemont, is merely to say that he has not neglected the indispensable foundations of his task. But Athanasius has also attracted to the study of his works much of the best patristic scholarship of recent times. Among the names mentioned in the first chapter of the Prolegomena, that of Cardinal Newman speaks for itself. No English student will neglect his Avzans, however much some of its views may require modification. Pre-eminent for accurate knowledge of the texts and for vivid presentment of the history is Dr. Bright, whose works have been constantly open before the present editor, and have secured him from many an oversight. His occasional divergence from Dr. Bright’s views, especially on points of chronology, has gone along with grateful appreciation of this scholar’s genuine historical interest, large theological grasp, and perhaps unequalled personal sympathy with Athanasius as a man and as a writer. (On the use made in this volume of his Later Treatises of S. Athanasius, the reader is referred to what is said, zr. p. 482.)
Last, but not least, the editor must acknowledge his obligations to Mr. Gwatkin. To say that that writer’s Studies of Arianism have done more than any one work with which he is acquainted to place the intricate story of the period on a secure historical footing is saying a great deal, but by no means too much. To say that whatever historical accuracy has been attained in this volume has been rendered possible by Mr. Gwatkin’s previous labours is to the present writer a matter of mere honest acknowledgment. Especially this is the case in chronological questions. Here Mr. Gwatkin has in no single instance been blindly followed, or without the attempt to interrogate the sources independently. But in nearly all cases Mr. Gwatkin’s results, which, it should be added, are those accepted by the best continental students also, have held their own. It has been the editor’s misfortune to differ from Mr. Gwatkin now and then, for example with regard to the Life of Antony: but even where he has differed as to conclusions, he has received help and instruction from Mr. Gwatkin’s ample command of material, and genuinely scientific method.
viil PREFACE.
viil PREFACE.
In addition to the above writers, the manifold obligations of the editor are recorded in the introductions and notes: if any have been passed over, it has been due to inadvertence or to the necessity of condensation. For the suggestions and help of personal friends the editor’s gratitude may be here expressed without the mention of names. But he may specially mention the Rev. H. Ellershaw and Miss Payne Smith, to the former of whom he owes the translation of the Life of Antony, while the latter has kindly revised the Oxford translation of the bulk of the Festal Letters. Lastly, the many kindnesses, and uniform consideration, shewn to him by the English editor of this series call for his warmest recog- nition: that they may prove not wholly thrown away is the utmost that their recipient can venture to hope.
Lhe University, Durham, A. R.
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(Chaptermeelcg ETE RA TURE pina ccreasseeonsacuacecsceseece car ar atereanucsss soot vdlisen seve ner eteeete Il. Lire oF ATHANASIUS and ACCOUNT OF ARIANISM ill. WRITINGS and CHARACTER OF ATHANASIUS Vise THEOLOGY, ORLA THANASEUS) cs cccsnnan ss ceswessneneeenorce eens nee cal He aaa ted net tes VeEGHRONOLOCICAL. DISCUSSIONSEAN DA WABRL ES) secacacasticesacneeeeteren nance - APPENDIX. The Prefects and Duces of Egypt...cenesecsenes dese teseae pecan: Pee eee eee nese renee aeeeeeee oe A. SELECT WorKS OF ATHANASIUS*.
1. Adversus Gentes Libri duo ge Against the Heathens Contra) Gentes). sssdcnssdcessccsyssacecennstertencestiteeacee es ates sees jmOn the Incarmation (De! Incarmatione, Verbi; Del) sescas sees aaatatrsee een teeesaeeeeeee ees 2. Deposition of Arius, and circular letter (Oxford translation by Rev. M. Atkinson, with notes omNewman;, revised by RevarA 1 RODErSON) aannrysnenerer cee atadseaeeehce sinecite tise tee dee an eee sae ss 3. Council of Niczea. The ‘ Epistola Eusebii’ from Athanasius de Decretis, translation, notes, and excursus of Newman (revised by Rev. A. Robertson)...6++8 Mea eeaeecenneseteeen pelea Ame oacementiot Haithy(Ecthesis, Ore ExpOsitioO, PIGel) ) inesachecsenasnnenssaruccaseneacesaneeenaessteesee: ReOnmuukercs22 (Lil ud sOmimia Occ.) lerpeseneceaessese sosnce same snare sstiten panne: soiah veonsigaseacaetecs 6. Encyclical Letter (Epistola Encyclica), Oxford translation by Rev. M. Atkinson, with notes OfeNewimai, TevIscd DY ICY. A. wRODEMSOM sosesc ne: aseeronrsatiscleleederererinsasslssisswsseleneiersiaceice en 7. Apology (Apologia contra Arianos), Atkinson’s translation, notes of Newman, revised by Rev ArA c INODET SOMME eeae. enter aurea onecscate tame ste risctrincbinnei ten re tencemeemrnanacn ties tees tee 8. Defence of the Nicene Council (de Decretis), translation and notes of Newman. (Appendix ADONE, NON). mole tly TeVvISed yet, socelsenlese sie senatbelectese nse s+s-snc4esses\es-riasseissansacdieneieneress g. Defence of Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria (de Sententia Diony sti) sastecneswsansass<assovsmensacers 10. Life of Antony (vita Antoni), translation by Rev. H. Ellershaw, M.A., with notes, &c., by evar Aelx ODELLSOLM Mees nearuance etree cercec ane’ traits eosin sie aclisniercleceorriaanaes siecle sises=ssiaceseisieaeincees 11. Circular to Bishops of Egypt and Libya (ad Episcopos Aigypti), Atkinson’s translation, notes of Newman, revised by Rev. A. Robertson...ccsceeercrncseseeeer eee ees te eeesnen sense ese eea sense ern ees 12. Apology to the Emperor (Apologia ad Constantium), Atkinson’s translation, notes of New- man, revised by Rev. A. Robertson...esssnserseseeceesensrseneeessce ser esecesteesescesessssveeees 13. Defence of his flight (Apologia de Fuga), Atkinson’s translation, notes of Newman, revised by Rey. A. Robertson...0..esccssncccsnnsressessecenaeeersroesstcesseeeessseeenersecennscessesseneescesseunes 14. Arian History (Historia Arianorum ad Monachos), Atkinson’s translation, with notes of Newman, revised by Rev. A. Robertson...-..csscecesscneeneeseebecseseeeenece tenses cesses ees seeeneans 15. Against the Arians (Orationes contra Arianos IV.), translation and notes of Newman, revised by Rev. A. Robertson...cccceceeceecee cee see nee enee nese ee rete neeeeeeee tenet neen ee aee nee nen cee eeetes 16. On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia (de Synodis), Newman’s translation, with notes, revised by Rev. A. Robertsom...:sesssesesssrssesseseeceesenersenn ceseeeeeceneesenseeeeeaesceesesenans 17. Synodal letter (Tomus ad Antiochemos)...:::cseceeeeten eee ers seen ees cee cen eee tenn eee cee cece Appendix.—Account by Athanasius of his flight under Julian (Narratio ad Ammonium), translation by Rev. H. Ellershaw...-ssssssscssesssaeonrssseeceeanenanesecescesanees seeeeeaeeuns Synodal letter (ad Afros)...scccescseceecesseeeesrsecesneeseneneceeeseceneaesentaeaenenscescecesensuesces oes ses PAGF.
xi xiii Ixiii Ixvili Ixxx xc 31 68 73 83 86 gI 97 x CONTENTS, B. LETTERS OF ATHANASIUS *, PAGE 1—45. Festal or Easter Letters, the Oxford translation, revised by Miss Payne-Smith, edited, with Introduction (including the Historia Acephala and ‘ Index’) and revised notes by Rey. A. Robertson. Introduction. Historia Acephala and Festal Index...csessccsececcessersovecvese 495 Letters euces.merneacssosotaseabane deme cree nance eee Peco aes daeakteem mencrecees waste srens 506 46—64. Personal letters, translations with notes by Rey. A. Robertson. 462 Ad Eeclesias: MareoticaS!..c..cscccenrsncsares scsi vecservesescceese scemrart stead eseeiemal dees inecmestriasostiastan 2) 554 AvmpeA Cubs cclesiamyA lexand Dicey yemererslae cin sites serisantemie stealer eca shee enrrertseets eee tee tec Meni aaese ats 555 AS MACEATIUI eteeine stecaseess ceases svn esieseieiiececone elas ceaeteatessieeiraeeraecrratesttentelgane se ete een erect os seers 556 49. Ad Dracontiuna. «.gchez mages cat Bes hae te Reon Beh yeas ane eee ae se ate He aa ca secnaccinen une 557 Ose5 Dar Au citer tin tks piStOl ae. Clitccum rane ase eect iene ene heee an eee cei meee eter eerie ach eter netstat yarietter 561 52, 53. Ad monachos Epp. duz (No. 52, Oxford Translation, revised)...secsssccnreeeerees 563 54. Ad Serapionem de morte Ari (Oxford Translation, revised) ©.2..:.-0..c0-222er ers e- os sale sre seesres 564 Gh AG: Rufinianumy cer. o-corscosacacecactosssraceu taste sees svesacrece eeseactcs tose ae coe rat eeeE esaer iiamenses 566 560d) Imperatorem) Jovianum) (with ppendix)ieseusesses ene reres ete ree eee eee eee reece ee ere tae aeetee 567 SF 7s50> AG OFSISIUM a7 sieseesecneseee cos cease meee cemelacee aaceerien beens BONene ns Rea aT CROC eam CUE eee 569 Ufo }gy WG lal} oy Cela 1 ecoonpericacoanoobesuCeC ecu oemenbovantcsphe.asrctencduncd, de ouhond Adhdoanddadaos A645 oog460 0p 068606 570 Go. Ad Adel phitmis: a.cncauteetacevarcs snk teach ee meena er eet atm Res Renee eee nee ete eee 575 61;-Ad Maximum philosophumy, cree vaa seen eitec oi tcte ee aaa cane na Soper 578 627) Adsoannem et cAntiochumimcssaeecassseaetete eee en eee ae nem MEE eens sr eReeeas 579 63. PAG Palladiiim: siachecoseaiasn sate ee haere ce tee Oe ee eee eee neeeee 580 G4 FA: Diod oruin Sycccenca:ReessncoMe caek nee cette em eee eters Stee een eeeee 580 ADDITIONAL NOTES AND EXCURSUS: Excursus A (Newman), on Hypostasis and Ousia in the Nicene formula...s.sesescceecseeeesee 77 INCH GNA NS 151Glaley os jorestente Bho SEH KCECE, — coqsonaasadonsnoneunrudcotogdoetonelaubsbacpandmnansendansoacenecosn: 147 Excursus/Bi(Newman)jonimpivicevynonvanouc ny ee meee meee reece eee 343 Hxcursus| Gon the Hourth) Discourselagainst therArians sess, eee sacmeteees eeeeeneeneteeecemeceentes 431 INoteionWNewmanisHxcursusitomheacnSy770c is mate eeeereer tee eee neeeRee nee taeeere ne ene 480 INotctonslvettersmotmacl idedsinuthisicollectionmesen en acne eretenetee renee nee re eeneeeee ae eee 581 LN DICES:(£) of: Lexts.of- Scripture cigs. Wieser cis Rene ec eee ee ee 585 (2) of SubjectiMattettacc.cissuccs seater eee eee eee ee ee 592 *N.B. The Introductions are in every case by Rev. A. Robertson; the translations and the notes are by him except where otherwise stated. All additions made by him to Dr. Newman’s notes are included in square brackets, PROLEGOMENA.
SAE ha, LITERATURE.
§ 1. EnpiTions, &c. (A) Before 1601 only Latin translations. The first, at VICENZA, 1482, completed by Barnabas Celsanus after the death of the translator OMNIBONUS of Lonigo; dedicated to Paul II. Contained a few works only, viz. the ‘two books c. Gentes, the letter to Serapion de AZorte Artt, the De Incarn. adv. Arian. and adv. Apollin., the ‘ Dispute with Arius at the Council of Niczea.’ (2) PARIS, 1520, pub. by Jean PETIT: two books ¢. Gent. fragment of the ad Marcellin. and some ‘spuria.’ (3) Second edition at STRASS- BURG, 1522. (4) BASEL, 1527, by ERASMUS: Serap. iii. and iv., de Decr., Apol. Fug., Apol. c. Ar. (part of), ‘ad Monach.,’ and some ‘spuria’ (he rejected Sevag. i. as unworthy of Athan.!). (5) Lyons, 1532, same contents as numbers (2) and (4), but with renderings by Politian, Reuchlin, Erasmus, &c. (6) COLOGNE, 1632, similar contents. (7) 1556, BasEL (‘apud Frobenium’), by P. NANNIuS, in 4 volumes; great advance on previous editions. 3 vols. contain the version by Nannius of the ‘genuina,’ the fourth ‘spuria,’ rendered. by others. The Nannian version was ably tested, and found wanting, under the direction of the congregation of the Index (Migne xxv. pp. xviii. sgg.). (8) 1564 (or 1584?) BasEL (substantially the same). (9) 1570, PARIS, Vita Antonzi and ‘five dialogues de Tyin.,’ version of Beza. (10) 1572, PARIS, five volumes, combining Nos. 7 and 9. (i1) 1574, PARIS, Letter ad Amun, Letter 39 (fragment), Letter ad Rujfinianum. (12) 1581, PARIS, incorporating the latter with No. 10. (13) ROME, 1623, the spurious de variis gquestiontbus.
(B) The first Greek Edition (14) 1601 at HEIDELBERG by COMMELINUS, with the Nannian Latin version (2 vols. fo. with a supplement of fragments, letters, &c., communicated by P. Felckmann). This edition was founded upon Felckmann’s collation of numerous MSS., of which the chief were (a) that in the Public Library at Basel (seec. xiv., zof ix.—x. as Felck. states; formerly belonged to the Dominican Friary there). (8) The ‘Codex Christophorsoni,’ now at Trin. Coll., Camb., seec. xvi. izeunt. (y) A ‘Codex Goblerianus’ dated 1319, formerly 77s ovis Tov xup(Fov, and principally used by Nannius. Neither this nor the remaining MSS. of Felckmann are as yet, I believe, identified. (Particulars, Migne, P.G. xxv. p. xliii.) (15) 1608, PARIS, pub. by C. Chappelet, edited by Fronton le Duc, S.J., Latin only. (17) 1612, Paris, No. 15, with Vit. Ant, in Greek and Latin, from an edition (16) of 1611, AUGSBURG, by Hoschel, 4°. (18) 1627, Paris, Greek text of 1601 with version of Nannius from edition No. 17, both injudiciously revised by Jean le Pescheur, from the critical notes of Felckmann himself, which however are omitted in this edition. (19) ‘Cologne,’ or rather LEIPZIG, 1686, poor reprint of No. 18 with the Sy2tagma Doctrine which Arnold had published in the previous year (see below, ch. ii. § 9). (Montf. wrongly dates this 1681.)
(c) All the above were entirely superseded by the great (20) 1698 Paris Benedictine Edition. by Bernard de MontTFAUCON, aided, for part of vol. 1, by Jacques Loppin, 3 volumes fol. (i.e. vol. 1, parts 1 and 2, ‘genuina,’ vol. 2 ‘dubia et spuria’), with a NEW Latin Version and ample prolegomena, &c. Montlaucon took over, apparently without revision, the critical data of Felckmann (including his mistake as to the age of the Basel MS.), but collated very many fresh MSS. (principally Parisian, full particulars in Migne xxvi. pp. 1449, sgg.), and for the first time put the text on a fairly satisfactory footing. The Works of Athanasius were freshly arranged with an attempt at chronological order, and a ‘ Monitum’ or short introduction prefixed to each. Critical, and a few explanatory, notes throughout; also an ‘onomasticon’ or glossary. This splendid edition was far more complete than its predecessors, and beautifully printed. After its completion, Montfaucon discovered fresh material, most of which he published in vol. 2 of his ‘CoLLEcTIo Nova PATRUM,” Paris, 1706, with some further supplementary matter to his Prolegomena, partly in reply to Tillemont upon various critical questions; small additions in his Bzd/ioth. Cotstiniana, 1715. (The letters to Lucifer, included in Mont- faucon’s edition, had already seen the light in vol. iv. of the Bibliotheca Maxima Patrum (Lyons, 1677, Greek fathers in Latin only), and the two notes to Orsisius were taken from the life of Pachomius in the Acta SS. for May.)
cian 1746, Rom, the de Titulis Psalmorum, edited from Barberini and Vatican MSS, by Cardinal Niccolo ANTONELLI. (22) 1769, VENICE, vol. v. of the ‘Bibliotheca Patrum’ of the Oratorian Andrea GALLANDI. Contains the works omitted in No. 20, chiefly from Montf. Cold. Mov., but with a few minor additions, and with the fragments and letters found by Maffei at Verona (see below, pp. 495, 554): (23) 1777, PADUA, by GIUSTINIANI, in four volumes, containing firstly Montfaucon’s ‘genuina’ in two volumes, the ‘dubia’ and ‘spuria’ in the third, and the supplementary matter from (21) and (22) in the fourth, ‘The printing of this standard edition is not equal to that of No. 20. (24) ‘1884’ (1857), PARIS, vols. xxv.—xxvill. of MIGNE’s Patrologia Greeca, a reprint of No. 23, but in a new order (see vol. xxviil. p. 1650), and with the addition of the Festal Letters from Mai (see below, p. 501). The merits and demerits of this series are well known. Of the latter, the most serious are the misprints, with which every page literally teems.
(D) With Migne’s edition the publication of a complete Athanasius (so far as his works are known to be extant) is attained, although there is still everything to be done towards the revision of the text on a critical basis. Among modern editions of large portions of Athanasius from the Benedictine text may be mentioned (25) THILO, Athan. Opp. dogm. Selecta, Leipz, 1853. (26) BRiGHT, Ovations against the Arians (1873 and ed. 1883), and Aistorical Writings of Athanasius, 1881 (Oxf. Univ, Press), with Introductions; both xii PROLEGOMENA, CHAPTER I.
most convenient; his Lessons from the lives of three great Fathers (Longmans, 1890) gives an eee ee study of Athan. Editions of separate books will be noticed in the short Introductions prefixed in this vo ae § 2. TRANSLATIONS. The principal. Latin versions have been referred to in § I. Of those in oe languages it is not easy to procure adequate information. Fialon, in the work mentioned below, aes oye Apol. Const. and Afol. Fug.; in German the ‘Bibliothek der Kirchenvater,’ vols. 13—18, Ausgew. i‘ eh a des h. Ath., contains translations of several works by FISCH, Kempten from | 1872. The principal Englis Translations are those in the ‘ Library of the Fathers.’ Of these, those edited or translated by ee are incorporated in this volume. Some letters included in this volume, as well as the work against ae - linarianism, are also comprised in the volume (Z2b. Fath. 46, 1831) by BRIGHT, with excellent notes,: C., and with a preface by Dr. Pusey (see below, p. 482). Translations of single books will be noticed in the respective Introductions.:.; Gee oe § 3. Brocrapuies. (a.) Ancient, The writings of Athanasius himself, while seldom furnishing precise chronological data, furnish almost, all the primary information as to the facts of his eventful life. The ae ‘Life’ is the panegyric of GreGoRY of Nazianzus (Or. 21), delivered at CP. 379 or 380, rich in praises, | rut less so in historical material. More important in the latter respect is the Historia Acephala (probably earlier than 390) printed in this volume, pp. 496, sgg- (The Edition by SIEVERS in Zéschr. Sir Hist. Theol. fox 1868 is referred to in this volume as ‘Sievers’ simply.) It is a priceless source of chronological information, especially where it coincides with and confirms the data of the Festal Index (pp. 503, sgg.), document probably earlier than 400. A secondary place is occupied by the Church historians, especially Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret, who draw largely from Athanasius himself, and from Rufinus, also in part from the Hist. Aceph. (especially Sozomen), and from Arian sources, which are mainly used by Philostorgius. More scattered notices in later ecclesiastical writers of the fourth century, especially Epiphanius; also Synesius, Jerome, Basil, &c., in the documents of the Councils, &c., and in the Life of Pachomius and other early documents relating to Egyptian Monasticism (see below, Introd. to Vit. Anton. and Appendix, i (b) Wal Under this head we may notice the Lives printed by Montfaucon among his Prolegomena. The first, ‘Incerto Auctore,’ is dependent on the fifth-century historians and of no value. A second, preserved by Photius (c. 840) is in the judgment of that scholar, which Montfaucon endorses, ‘ unparalleled rubbish.’ That by the Metaphrast (} 967) is a patchwork from earlier writers made with little skill, and not of use to the historian. An Arabic Life current in the Coptic Church, communicated to Montf. by Renandot, is given by Montf., as he says, that his readers may appreciate the ‘ stupendous ignorance and triviality’ of that nation. Montf. mentions Latin ‘ Lives’ compiled from Rufinus and from the Hist. Tripartita, ‘ of no value whatever.
Of the Life of Athanasius ‘ by Pachomius,’ mentioned by Archd. Farrar (infra), I can obtain no particulars.; (c) Modern. The first was that by Tortelius prefixed to the edition of 1520 (§ 1 (2)), but compiled in the previous century and dedicated to Pope Eugenius IV. (‘good for its time,’ M.). Montf. mentions a valueless life by Lipomanus, and a worse one of unknown origin prefixed to other early editions. In 1671 HERMANT made the first attempt at a critical biography (Paris); in 1664 an English work, “ History of the Life and Actions of St. Athanasius by N.B. P.C. Catholick,” with the imprimatur of Abp. Sheldon, had been published at London, in 1677 the biography in Cave, Lives of the Fathers, and in 1686—1704 du Pin, Nouvelle Bibliotheque. About the same date appeared the first volume of the Acta SS. for May, which contains a careful life by PAPEBROCH (1685; ded. to Innocent XI.). But all previous (to say nothing of subsequent) labours were cast into the shade by the appearance of the ‘Vita’ of MONTFAUCON (Prolegg. to Tom. 1) in 1698, in which the chronology was reduced to order, and every particle of inform- ation lucidly digested; and by the ‘ Memoires’ of ‘M. Lenain de TILLEMONT’ (vol. viii. in 1702), which go over the ground with quite equal thoroughness, and on many points traverse the conclusions of Montfaucon, whose work came into Tillemont’s hands only when the latter was on his death-bed (1698). The ground was once more traversed with some fulness and with special attention to the literary and doctrinal work of Athan.