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A. Gallandius, Notitia de Theognosto Alexandrino

Editors' preface

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CIRCA ANNUM DOMINI CCLX

ABOUT THE YEAR OF THE LORD 260

THEOGNOSTUS ALEXANDRINUS

THEOGNOSTUS OF ALEXANDRIA

NOTITIA

NOTICE

(Galland., Bibliotheca veterum Patrum, III, Proleg. pag. XLIX.)

(Galland, Library of the Ancient Fathers, vol. III, Prolegomena, p. xlix.)

I. Cur Theognosti haud meminerint Eusebius et Hieronymus. Ejus tamen meminit cum laude Athanasius.

I. Why Eusebius and Jerome make no mention of Theognostus. Athanasius, however, mentions him with praise.

II. Scholae Alexandrinae praefuit post Pierium. De tempore quo claruit, disseritur. Sacrorum librorum interpretem egit. Scripsit Hypotyposeon libros VII, jam dudum deperditos. Horum summaria capita ex Photio proposita.

II. He presided over the school of Alexandria after Pierius. The time at which he flourished is discussed. He served as an interpreter of the sacred books. He wrote seven books of Hypotyposes, long since lost. Their chief headings are set out from Photius.

III. Iniqua de Theognosto Photii censura diluitur. Gregorii Nysseni de eodem scriptore locus expensus. Integra Theognosti fides praedicatur. Ejus Hypotyposeon fragmenta ex magno Athanasio descripta et exhibita.

III. Photius's unjust censure of Theognostus is refuted. A passage of Gregory of Nyssa on the same writer is weighed. The soundness of Theognostus's faith is proclaimed. Fragments of his Hypotyposes, copied from the great Athanasius, are set out.

I. De Theognosto Alexandrino nihil Eusebius, nihil item Hieronymus. Et Hieronymum quidem

I. Concerning Theognostus of Alexandria Eusebius says nothing, and Jerome likewise nothing. And that Jerome indeed

Editors' notes and page, col. 235

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tacentem haud mirari subit : qui videlicet decem ecclesiasticae Historiae libros ab Eusebio Pamphili conscriptos

is silent, one is hardly surprised: inasmuch as the ten books of the Ecclesiastical History composed by Eusebius Pamphili

Editors' notes and page, col. 236

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maximo sibi adjumento fuisse profitetur in iis viris illustribus recensendis, qui ante sua tempora in Ecclesia floruere; ut propterea silente Eusebio siluerit et doctor maximus. At episcopi Caesariensis suspectum videtur esse silentium; quippe, qui Arianorum fautor ac patronus, praeterire consueverit quae illius sectae dogmata utcunque infringere potuissent, ut superius ex Photio demonstravimus; adeoque immerito Caveo et Fabricio visum est iniquum Baronii judicium, quo Eusebium Theognosti, theologorum celeberrimi, nomen et scripta dolo malo praetermisisse pronuntiavit; quod nimirum τοῦ ὁμοουσίου strenuus fuisset assertor. Ejus tamen cum honoris praefatione semel iterumque meminit magnus Athanasius; cui dicitur ἀνὴρ λόγιος, vir disertus, et Θεόγνωστος ὁ θαυμάσιος καὶ σπουδαῖος, admirandus ille ac studiosus Theognostus.

he professes were of the greatest assistance to him in reviewing those illustrious men who flourished in the Church before his own times; so that on that account, since Eusebius was silent, the greatest doctor was silent as well. Yet the silence of the bishop of Caesarea seems to be suspicious; inasmuch as he, being a partisan and patron of the Arians, was accustomed to pass over whatever might in any way have weakened the dogmas of that sect, as we demonstrated above from Photius; and therefore without reason did the judgement of Baronius seem unjust to Cave and Fabricius, whereby he pronounced that Eusebius maliciously passed over the name and writings of Theognostus, the most celebrated of theologians, namely because he had been a strenuous defender of the ὁμοούσιον. Yet the great Athanasius mentions him once and again with a preface of honour; by whom he is called ἀνὴρ λόγιος, an eloquent man, and Θεόγνωστος ὁ θαυμάσιος καὶ σπουδαῖος, that admirable and zealous Theognostus.

II. Scholae catecheticae Alexandrinae praefectum fuisse Theognostum post Pierium, ex Philippo Sidete comperimus; adeoque pro Dodwelli rationibus Caro imperante claruisse circa annum CCLXXXII. Origenis vero ipsum fuisse discipulum, vel saltem ejus operum studiosissimum, satis innuere Photius videtur. Proxime certe post Origenem exstitisse Theognostum ex eo colligimus, quod sanctus Athanasius utrumque conjungens, παλαιοὺς ἄνδρας, priscos viros, appellat.

II. That Theognostus was prefect of the catechetical school of Alexandria after Pierius, we learn from Philip of Side; and therefore, according to the reckonings of Dodwell, flourished when Carus was emperor, about the year 282. That he was indeed a disciple of Origen, or at least most studious of his works, Photius seems sufficiently to hint. Certainly that Theognostus lived very shortly after Origen we gather from the fact that Saint Athanasius, joining both together, calls them παλαιοὺς ἄνδρας, ancient men.

Scripsit autem auctor noster plena dictione ac stylo perspicuo libros VII Institutionum theologicarum, jam diu deperditos; quorum inscriptionem ita refert idem Photius : Τοῦ μακαρίου Θεογνώστου Ἀλεξανδρέως καὶ ἐξηγητοῦ, Ὑποτυπώσεις. Beati Theognosti Alexandrini, sacrorum librorum interpretis, Hypotyposes. Et illam quidem vocem ἐξηγητοῦ scholae catecheticae praefecturam docendique munus publicum denotare, ipsumque operis titulum Ὑποτυπώσεις a Clemente decessore sumpsisse Theognostum, cum Dodwello existimamus. Singulorum vero librorum argumenta, eodem Photio recensente, sunt ejusmodi. Primo libro de Deo Patre egit, eumque esse rerum opificem, neque materiam illi coaeternam esse demonstravit. Secundo necessitatem existentiae Filii ostendit. Tertio Spiritum sanctum esse, argumentis evicit. Quarto de angelis et daemonibus pertractavit. Quinto et sexto

Now our author wrote in a full diction and perspicuous style seven books of Theological Outlines, long since lost, the title of which the same Photius reports thus: Τοῦ μακαρίου Θεογνώστου Ἀλεξανδρέως καὶ ἐξηγητοῦ, Ὑποτυπώσεις. The Hypotyposes of the blessed Theognostus of Alexandria, interpreter of the sacred books. And with Dodwell we consider that that word ἐξηγητοῦ denotes the prefecture of the catechetical school and the public office of teaching, and that Theognostus took the very title of the work, Ὑποτυπώσεις, from his predecessor Clement. The subjects of the individual books, as reviewed by the same Photius, are as follows. In the first book he treated of God the Father, and demonstrated that He is the Maker of things, and that matter is not coeternal with Him. In the second he showed the necessity of the existence of the Son. In the third he proved by arguments that the Holy Spirit exists. In the fourth he treated thoroughly of angels and demons. In the fifth and sixth

Editors' notes and page, col. 237

Footnotes

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Hieron., praef. ad lib. De viris illustr.

Jerome, preface to the book On Illustrious Men.

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Phot., Bibl. cod. 127.

Photius, Bibliotheca, codex 127.

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Cav. Hist. litt. ad an. 283, tom I, pag. 147.

Cave, Historia litteraria, at the year 283, vol. I, p. 147.

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Fabric., Bibl. Gr. tom. IX, pag. 408.

Fabricius, Bibliotheca Graeca, vol. IX, p. 408.

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Baron. ad ann. 109, § 59.

Baronius, at the year 109, § 59.

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Athan., De Decret. Nic. syn. num. 25, Opp. tom. I, part. I, pag. 230.

Athanasius, On the Decrees of the Synod of Nicaea, no. 25, Works vol. I, part I, p. 230.

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Id. epist. 4, ad Serapion., num. 9, tom. I, part. II, pag. 702.

The same, Letter 4, to Serapion, no. 9, vol. I, part II, p. 702.

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Phil. Sid., Hist. Serm. 24 apud Dodw. ad Dissert. Iren. pag. 488.

Philip of Side, History, Discourse 24, in Dodwell, on the Dissertations on Irenaeus, p. 488.

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Dodw., l. c. in not. ad fragm. Phil. Sid., pag. 511.

Dodwell, in the place cited, in the note on the fragment of Philip of Side, p. 511.

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Phot. Bibl. cod. 106.

Photius, Bibliotheca, codex 106.

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Athan., l. c. pag. 702.

Athanasius, in the place cited, p. 702.

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Phot. l. c.

Photius, in the place cited.

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Bull., Defens. fid. Nic. sect. II, cap. 10 §§ 7-9, pag. 135, seq.

Bull, Defence of the Nicene Faith, section II, chapter 10, §§ 7–9, p. 135 and following.

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Maran., Divin. J. C. lib. IV, cap. 24 §§ 1 et 2, pag. 551, seq.

Maran, On the Divinity of Jesus Christ, book IV, chapter 24, §§ 1 and 2, p. 551 and following.

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Greg. Nyss., lib. III contr. Eunom.

Gregory of Nyssa, book III against Eunomius.

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de Incarnatione Dei, eamque possibilem esse arguit. Ultimum denique de Dei creatione inscripsit.

he argued concerning the Incarnation of God, and that it is possible. The last, finally, he entitled On the Creation of God.

III. Porro haec referens Photius, complura in Theognosto reprehendit; quod Origenem assectatus, haud pauca ex ejus libris Περὶ ἀρχῶν hauserit, erronea plane atque a veritate aliena. Verum ab hac Photiana censura scriptorem nostrum vindicarunt viri docti, Georgius Bullus et Prudentius Maranus : quorum prior et illud advertit, Photium prae acerrimo adversus Origenem odio, et in Theognostum ejus asseclam et defensorem fuisse iniquum; proptereaque scripta ejus in malam partem accepisse, seu potius ab aliis accipi voluisse.

III. Furthermore, in reporting these things Photius censures several points in Theognostus, because, following Origen, he drew not a few things from his books Περὶ ἀρχῶν that were plainly erroneous and foreign to the truth. Yet learned men, George Bull and Prudentius Maranus, have vindicated our writer from this Photian censure; of whom the former also noticed this, that Photius, out of his most bitter hatred against Origen, was also unjust towards Theognostus his follower and defender, and on that account took his writings in a bad sense, or rather wished them to be so taken by others.

Non solum vero in Photii reprehensionem incidit Theognostus, sed in eo nonnulla quoque displicuisse Gregorio Nysseno compertum habemus. Sic enim ille contra Eunomium scribens : Καὶ οὐ μόνος ἐν τούτῳ πεπλάνηται κατὰ τὴν ἀτοπίαν τοῦ δόγματος Εὐνόμιος, ἀλλ' ἔστι καὶ ἐν τοῖς Θεογνώστῳ πεπονημένοις τὸ ἴσον εὑρεῖν, ὅς φησι τὸν Θεὸν τόδε τὸ πᾶν κατασκευάσαι, πρῶτον τὸν Υἱὸν οἷόν τινα κανόνα προϋποστήσασθαι. Id est : « Neque in hoc solus aberravit ad absurdam sententiam Eunomius; sed idem etiam reperire est in libris Theognosti, qui Filium a Deo, cum hoc universum constituere vellet, primum, veluti quamdam opificii normam, praesuppositum fuisse dicit. » Et haec quidem Nysseni censura potior Photiana existimanda videtur. At illam diluit alter nostri catechetae Alexandrini patronus : tum quia Theognostus ab Athanasio ut Consubstantialis defensor et testis, citatus est; tum quia ipsum illud testimonium quod refert Gregorius, Verbum describit, ut ideam illam et regulam, cujus ad exemplar omnia creavit.

Not only, however, did Theognostus fall under the censure of Photius, but we also know for certain that some things in him displeased Gregory of Nyssa as well. For thus he writes against Eunomius: Καὶ οὐ μόνος ἐν τούτῳ πεπλάνηται κατὰ τὴν ἀτοπίαν τοῦ δόγματος Εὐνόμιος, ἀλλ' ἔστι καὶ ἐν τοῖς Θεογνώστῳ πεπονημένοις τὸ ἴσον εὑρεῖν, ὅς φησι τὸν Θεὸν τόδε τὸ πᾶν κατασκευάσαι, πρῶτον τὸν Υἱὸν οἷόν τινα κανόνα προϋποστήσασθαι. That is: "Nor in this did Eunomius alone stray into an absurd opinion; rather, the same thing may also be found in the works of Theognostus, who says that when God wished to frame this universe, the Son was first presupposed by Him as a kind of rule of the workmanship." And this censure of Nyssa indeed seems to be deemed weightier than that of Photius. Yet the other defender of our Alexandrian catechist refutes it: both because Theognostus was cited by Athanasius as a defender and witness of the Consubstantial, and because that very testimony which Gregory reports describes the Word as that idea and rule after the pattern of which He created all things.

Sed, ut dicta demum concludamus, quae nonnulli veterum in Theognosto reprehensione digna putarunt, nihil de praeclaro magni Athanasii judicio detrahere valent; qui hunc scholae Alexandrinae praefectum virum admirandum appellat, adeoque apprime orthodoxum fuisse perhibet. Ea enimvero quae ex ejus libris deprompsit sanctus ille praesul Alexandrinus, quaeque ex eo descripta suo loco protulimus, evincunt ejus testimonio premi Arianos, ipsumque palam praedicantem Filium ὁμοούσιον demonstrant.

But, to conclude at length what has been said, the things which some of the ancients thought worthy of censure in Theognostus have no power to detract anything from the noble judgement of the great Athanasius, who calls this prefect of the Alexandrian school an admirable man, and accordingly testifies that he was pre-eminently orthodox. For indeed the passages which that holy Alexandrian prelate drew from his books, and which we have copied from him and brought forward in their proper place, prove that the Arians are pressed hard by his testimony, and show him openly proclaiming the Son to be ὁμοούσιον.

Editors' notes and page, col. 238

Footnotes

(13) ‹anchor: Georgius Bullus› · call in col 238

Bull., Defens. fid. Nic. sect. II, cap. 10 §§ 7-9, pag. 135, seq.

Bull, Defence of the Nicene Faith, section II, chapter 10, §§ 7–9, p. 135 and following.

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(14) ‹anchor: Prudentius Maranus› · call in col 238

Maran., Divin. J. C. lib. IV, cap. 24 §§ 1 et 2, pag. 551, seq.

Maran, The Divinity of Jesus Christ, book IV, chapter 24, §§ 1 and 2, p. 551 and following.

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(15) ‹anchor: contra Eunomium scribens› · call in col 238

Greg. Nyss., lib. III contr. Eunom.

Gregory of Nyssa, Against Eunomius, book III.

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Maran. l. c. cap. 25 § 1, pag. 557.

Maran, in the place cited, chapter 25, § 1, p. 557.

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