PL 3 · cols. 731–734

S. Cornelius papa et martyr, Epistolae, et quae ad eum scriptae sunt

Letters III–IV

hypodiaconum a me missum et Nicephorum acolythum transmisi. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.

the subdeacon sent by me, and Nicephorus the acolyte, I have sent on to you. I wish you, dearest brother, always good health.

ANNO CHRISTI CCLI.

In the year of Christ 251.

EPISTOLA III.

Letter III.

EJUSDEM AD EUMDEM.

Of the same to the same.

(Erasm. II. 9; Pamel. Rigalt. Baluz. XLIII Paris. XLII, Lips. Coustant. p. 130, Galland. III, 335.)

(Erasmus II, 9; Pamelius, Rigaltius, Baluze 43, Paris 42, Leipzig; Coustant p. 130, Gallandi 3, 335.)

ARGUMENTUM. – De l⟨itt⟩eris quas ad confessores a Novatiano ac Novato seductos fecit.

Argument. Concerning the letter which he wrote to the confessors led astray by Novatian and Novatus.

CYPRIANUS CORNELIO FRATRI SALUTEM.

Cyprian to Cornelius his brother, greeting.

Et religiosum vobis et nceessarium existimavi, frater charissime, ad confessores qui illic sunt, et Novatiani ac Novati obstinatione et pravitate seducti de Ecclesia recesserunt, litteras breves facere, quibus eos pro affectione mutua convenirem, ut ad Matrem suam, id est Ecclesiam catholicam, revertantur. Quas litteras tibi a Mettio hypodiacono legi prius mandavi, ne quis aliud me scripsisse fingeret, quam quod meis litteris continetur. Mandavi tamen eidem Mettio a me ad vos misso, ut de tuo arbitrio rem gerat, et si easdem litteras confe⟨s⟩soribus putaveris esse reddendas, tunc eas tradat. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.

I have thought it both dutiful towards you and necessary, dearest brother, to write a short letter to the confessors who are there and who, led astray by the obstinacy and depravity of Novatian and Novatus, have withdrawn from the Church, in which I might appeal to them out of our mutual affection, that they may return to their Mother, that is, the Catholic Church. This letter I instructed Mettius the subdeacon to read to you first, so that no one might pretend that I had written anything other than what is contained in my letter. Yet I have instructed the same Mettius, sent by me to you, to act according to your judgement, and, if you think that this letter should be delivered to the confessors, then to hand it over. I wish you, dearest brother, always good health.

Editors' notes and page, col. 731

Footnotes

[Variæ lectiones / Variant readings] (printed under page 417) (³⁷) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 731 (call above the visible text) Ab Ethippo diacono. Mich., Foss., Ar. NC. 1., Lam., Bod. 2. 3; ita et eidem Ethippo, Corb.

"Ab Ethippo diacono" Mich., Foss., Ar., NC. 1, Lam., Bod. 2, 3; likewise "eidem Ethippo", Corb.

(printed under page 417) (³⁸) ‹anchor: putaveris esse reddendas› · call in col 731 Credendas Foss. Mich. Vict.

"Credendas" Foss., Mich., Vict.

[Variorum notæ / Notes of various editors] (printed under page 417)

(32) (continued) ‹anchor: Mettium› · call on the previous page

ribus vocari Mettium, Messium, Messionem, Missium et Mersium. Concordes enim non sunt in ejus nomine libri veteres. BALUZ.

he is called Mettius, Messius, Messio, Missius and Mersius; for the old books do not agree on his name. BALUZ.

(printed under page 417)

(33) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 731 (by position)

— Simul cum superiore missa, ac nominatim Mettio subdiacono, qui cum Nicephoro acolytho in Urbem destinatus erat, tradita. COUSTANT. — Angli monuerunt hanc epistolam non esse in editione Erasmi. Quod non est verum. Monuerunt præterea illam haberi lib. V, Epist. 9 editionis Manutianæ. Sed errorem illum imputandum esse typographo valde puto, cum illa edita sit, lib. II, Epist. 9 illius editionis, quæ secuta est Erasmicam. BALUZ.

Sent together with the preceding letter, and handed specifically to Mettius the subdeacon, who had been dispatched to the City with Nicephorus the acolyte. COUSTANT. — The English editors noted that this letter is not in Erasmus's edition. That is not true. They noted besides that it is found as book V, Letter 9 of Manutius's edition. But I am quite sure that error must be laid on the printer, since it was published as book II, Letter 9 of that edition which followed Erasmus's. BALUZ.

(printed under page 417)

(34) ‹anchor: Vobis, nobis› · call in col 731 (by position)

Vobis, nobis. Reposui hanc lectionem, quia mihi visa est melius convenire sententiæ sancti Cypriani. Alioqui enim alia, quæ habet vobis, bona est. Utraque multos habet bonos assertores. Prior nititur auctoritate XV veterum exemplarium, et exstat in editione Spirensi, in veteri Veneta, in Erasmica, et in Manutiana. Altera reperitur in octo codicibus antiquis et in editionibus Rembolti, Morellii, et Pamelii. BAL.

"To you, to us." I have restored this reading because it seemed to me to suit Saint Cyprian's meaning better. Otherwise the other reading, which has "vobis", is good too. Each has many good supporters. The former rests on the authority of fifteen old copies and stands in the Speyer edition, the old Venetian, Erasmus's and Manutius's. The other is found in eight ancient codices and in the editions of Rembolt, Morel and Pamelius. BAL.

(printed under page 417)

(35) ‹anchor: Confessores› · call in col 731 (by position)

Confessores. Moysem et Maximum. Vide quæ supra dicta sunt ad epistolam XLI.

"Confessors." Moyses and Maximus. See what was said above on Letter XLI.

(printed under page 417)

(36) ‹anchor: Mettio› · call in col 731 (by position)

Mettio. Varie admodum etiam hic scriptum est, nomen istius hypodiaconi. Retinuimus vulgatam lectionem, ut in re parvi momenti. Alia frequenter in antiquis exemplaribus habet Ethippo vel Ettio. Vide quæ istic annotat Pamelius. De Mettia gente vide Joannem Tristanum a sancto Amantio in tomo II Commentariorum pag. 465, 501. BALUZ.

"To Mettius." Here too the name of this subdeacon is written in very different ways. We have kept the common reading, as the matter is of little importance. Another reading, frequent in the old copies, has "Ethippo" or "Ettio". See what Pamelius notes there. On the Mettian family see Jean Tristan de Saint-Amant, Commentaries, vol. II, pp. 465, 501. BALUZ.

(printed under page 417)

(37) ‹anchor: litteras› · call in col 731

Litteras breves. Hoc est edit. Pam. epistolam XLIV, et Oxon. XLVI, quæ Maximo Nicostrato et cæteris confessoribus inscripta est. COUSTANT.

"A short letter." That is, Letter XLIV in Pamelius's edition and XLVI in Oxford's, which is addressed to Maximus, Nicostratus and the other confessors. COUSTANT.

(printed under page 417)

Page

running head: 731 S. CORNELII PA[...] (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A hypodiaconum a me missum et Nicephorum aco-; B et pravitate seducti de Ecclesia recesserunt; C ribus vocari Mettium, Messium (in the notes); D codicibus antiquis et in editionibus Rembolti (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: 709 after existimavi,

PL 3:732

ANN. CHR. CCLI.

In the year of Christ 251.

EPISTOLA IV.

Letter 4.

EJUSDEM AD EUMDEM.

From the same to the same.

(Erasm. IV, 8; Pam. Rigalt. Baluz. Paris. LXIV; Lips Cou⟨s⟩tant. p. 131; Galland. III, p. 335.)

(Erasmus 4, 8; Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, Paris 64; Leipzig, Coustant p. 131; Gallandi 3, p. 335.)

ARGUMENTUM. — Dum certum exspectabatur de C⟨or⟩nelii ordinatione testimonium, Adrumetinis cleri auctores fuerant Cyprianus et Liberalis, ut litte⟨ras⟩ suas presbyteris et diaconis Romanis, non Corne⟨lio⟩ inscriberent. Qua de re cum expostulasset Cor⟨n⟩elius, expostulationi illius nunc Cypriauus sa⟨tis⟩facit; additque episcopatus ejus veritatem apertissima luce fundatam et collegarum rescriptis comprobatam agnosci.

Argument. While certain testimony about the ordination of Cornelius was being awaited, Cyprian and Liberalis had advised the clergy of Hadrumetum to address their letters to the presbyters and deacons of Rome, not to Cornelius. Since Cornelius had complained of this, Cyprian now gives satisfaction to his complaint, and adds that the truth of his episcopate is acknowledged as established by the clearest light and confirmed by the replies of his colleagues.

CYPRIANUS CORNELIO FRATRI SALUTEM.

Cyprian to Cornelius his brother, greeting.

I. Legi litteras tuas, frater charissime, quas per Primitivum compresbyterum nostrum misisti, in quibus te comperi motum, quod cum de Adrumetina colonia Polycarpi nomine ad te litterae dirigerentur, postea quam nos, ego et Liberalis, in eumdem locum venissemus, coepissent, illuc ad presbyteros et ad diaconos litterae dirigi.

1. I have read your letter, dearest brother, which you sent by Primitivus our fellow presbyter, in which I learned that you were disturbed because, whereas letters had been directed to you from the colony of Hadrumetum in the name of Polycarp, after we, I and Liberalis, had come to that same place, letters began to be directed there to the presbyters and to the deacons.

II. Quod scire te volumus et pro certo credere, nulla id levitate aut contumelia factum. Sed cum statuissemus collegae complures, qui in unum conveneramus, ut, legatis ad vos coepiscopis nostris Caldonio et Fortunato missis, omnia interim integra

2. We wish you to know and to believe for certain that this was done out of no fickleness or insult. But since we, a number of colleagues who had come together in one place, had decided that, our fellow bishops Caldonius and Fortunatus having been sent to you as envoys, everything should in the meantime

Editors' notes and page, col. 732

Footnotes

(38) [printed "(28)"] ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 732 (by position)

Primitivo Carthaginiensi presbytero, qui superiorem Cypriani epistolam I detulerat, tradidit Cornelius litteras, ad quas nunc Cyprianus rescribit. Hinc inter prædictam epistolam et hanc haud multo majus intervallum cogitandum est, quam quo opus fuit, ut Primitivus Romam iret, ac modicum refecto corpore Carthaginem rediret. COUSTANT. — Rarissima sunt epistolæ istius vetera exemplaria. Pamelius nullum habuit. Nihilo ditiores fuerunt Angli. Ego septem habui, Thuanum videlicet, Fossatense, Metense sancti Arnulphi, Beccense, Victorinum, Remense sancti Dionysii, et Fuxense. BALUZ.

To Primitivus, presbyter of Carthage, who had carried Cyprian's earlier Letter I, Cornelius handed the letter to which Cyprian now replies. Hence the interval between that letter and this one must be thought not much longer than was needed for Primitivus to go to Rome and, after resting a little, return to Carthage. COUSTANT. — Old copies of this letter are very rare. Pamelius had none; the English editors were no richer. I had seven: the de Thou, the Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, the Metz codex of Saint Arnulf, the Bec, the Saint-Victor, the Reims codex of Saint-Denis, and the Foix. BALUZ.

(printed under page 417)

(39) ‹anchor: Polycarpi nomine› · call in col 732 (by position)

Polycarpi nomine. Notat Oxoniensis editor olim in usu fuisse, ut quoties litteræ ab ecclesia aliqua mitterentur episcopi illius nomine, etiamsi absens is fuisset, mitterentur. Hunc morem Adrumetini presbyteri ac diaconi, episcopo suo absente, sunt secuti. COUSTANT. — Episcopi Hadrumetini cujus multa mentio apud Cyprianum. Interfuit concilio Carthaginiensi de causa baptismi hæreticorum. BALUZ.

"In the name of Polycarp." The Oxford editor notes that it was once customary, whenever a letter was sent from some church, for it to be sent in the name of its bishop, even if he was absent. The presbyters and deacons of Hadrumetum followed this custom while their bishop was absent. COUSTANT. — The bishop of Hadrumetum, often mentioned in Cyprian. He took part in the council of Carthage on the question of the baptism of heretics. BALUZ.

(printed under page 417)

(40) ‹anchor: Ad presbyteros› · call in col 732 (by position)

Ad presbyteros. Id etiam moris obtinebat ut litteræ ad ecclesiam aliquam missæ, hujus episcopo inscriberentur, nisi sedes vacaret. Quem morem cum primum observassent Adrumetini presbyteri et diaconi ad Cornelium scribentes, postmodum Cypriano et Liberali auctoribus, litteras suas presbyteris et diaconis Romanis inscripserunt. Inde merito motus est Cornelius, quod Cyprianus et Liberalis episcopatum ejus in dubium vocare viderentur. COUSTANT.

"To the presbyters." It was also the custom that a letter sent to a church should be addressed to its bishop, unless the see was vacant. The presbyters and deacons of Hadrumetum first observed this custom in writing to Cornelius, but afterwards, at the prompting of Cyprian and Liberalis, addressed their letter to the presbyters and deacons of Rome. Cornelius was rightly disturbed at this, since Cyprian and Liberalis seemed to be calling his episcopate into question. COUSTANT.

(printed under page 417)

Page

running head: [...] CORNELII PAPAE. 73[?] (column number partly obliterated)
marginal letters: A ‹ANN. CHR. CCLI.›; B ‹I. Legi litteras tuas›; C ‹(28) Primitivo Carthaginiensi› (in notes); D ‹cujus multa mentio› (in notes)
old-edition numerals: 710 before ‹CYPRIANUS CORNELIO FRATRI SALUTEM›
other: the word integra was split at the column break and stands whole here (joined on receipt); check that the English reads whole across the break into col 733

PL 3:733

suspenderentur, donec ad nos eidem collegae nostri rebus illic aut ad pacem redactis, aut pro veritate compertis redirent; presbyteri et diaconi in Adrumetino consistentes, Polycarpo coepiscopo nostro absente, ignorabant quid nobis in commune placuisset. At ubi nos in praesentiam venimus, comperto consilio nostro, ipsi quoque id, quod et caeteri, observare coeperunt, ut in nullo ecclesiarum istic consistentiam consensio discreparet.

be held in suspense, untouched, until those same colleagues of ours should return to us, matters there having either been brought to peace or ascertained in accordance with the truth; the presbyters and deacons residing in Adrumetum, our fellow bishop Polycarp being absent, did not know what we had resolved in common. But when we came there in person, having learned our decision, they too began to observe the same thing as the rest, so that the agreement of the churches residing there might differ in no respect.

III. Quidam tamen mentes nonnunquam et animos sermonibus suis turbant, dum aliter quaedam, quam se habet veritas, nuntiant. Nos enim singulis navigantibus, ne cum scandalo ullo navigarent rationem reddentes, scimus nos hortatos eos esse, ut Ecclesiae catholicae radicem et matricem agnoscerent ac tenerent. Sed quoniam latius fusa est nostra provincia, habet etiam Numidiam et Mauritianam sibi cohaerentes; ne in Urbe schisma factum absentium animos incerta opinione confunderet, placuit per episcopos, retenta a nobis rei veritate, et ad comprobandam ordinationem tuam facta auctoritate majore, tum demum scrupulo omni de singulorum pectoribus excusso,

III. Some, however, at times disturb minds and spirits with their talk, while they report certain things otherwise than the truth stands. For we, giving an account to each of those setting sail, so that they should not sail with any cause of offence, know that we exhorted them to acknowledge and hold to the root and womb of the Catholic Church. But since our province is spread rather widely, for it also has Numidia and Mauritania joined to it, so that a schism made in the City should not confuse the minds of the absent with uncertain opinion, it was decided, through bishops, the truth of the matter being retained by us, and greater authority being procured for approving your ordination, that then at last, every scruple being shaken out of the hearts of each individual,

Editors' notes and page, col. 733

Footnotes

[Variæ lectiones / Variant readings] (printed under page 418) (³⁹) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) In præsenti venimus, Spir.

"In præsenti venimus" Speyer edition.

(printed under page 418) (⁴⁰) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Rationem reddidisse nos scimus et hortatos esse, Spir. Innom.

"Rationem reddidisse nos scimus et hortatos esse" Speyer edition, the unnamed codex.

(printed under page 418) (⁴¹) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Placuit per, Ver.

"Placuit per" Ver.

(printed under page 418) (⁴²) ‹anchor: nem tuam› · call in col 733 Tua facta, Spir.

"Tua facta" Speyer edition.

(printed under page 418) (⁴³) ‹anchor: de singulorum pectoribus› · call in col 733 Pectoribus excluso, Ver.

"Pectoribus excluso" Ver.

(printed under page 418) (⁴⁴) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Sic vetustiores mss. At alii libri, profecisse.

So the older manuscripts. But other books have "profecisse".

(printed under page 418) (⁴⁵) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Sic Vel. Innom. Spir. Noscetur Rig.

So Vel. (probably for Vet.), the unnamed codex, and the Speyer edition. "Noscetur" Rigault.

(printed under page 418) (⁴⁶) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Cum cæteris collegis Oxon.

"Cum cæteris collegis" Oxford.

(printed under page 418) (⁴⁷) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Ecclesiæ concorditer unanimitatem teneamus. Priscæ edit. cum duobus mss. Morel Manut. Pamel. et Oxon. Ecclesiæ pacem concordiæ unanimitate teneamus. Recens ms. Colb. Ecclesiæ pacem concordi unanimitate teneamus. Vetustior, qui omisso verbo pacem, lectionem eamdem exhibet, cæteris visus est sincerior. Mox eodem codice. perficiat divina protectio.

"Ecclesiæ concorditer unanimitatem teneamus" the early editions with two manuscripts. Morel, Manutius, Pamelius and Oxford: "Ecclesiæ pacem concordiæ unanimitate teneamus". The recent Colbert manuscript: "Ecclesiæ pacem concordi unanimitate teneamus". The older one, which gives the same reading but leaves out the word "pacem", seemed sounder than the rest. Shortly after, from the same codex: "perficiat divina protectio".

(printed under page 418) (⁴⁸) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 733 or 734 (not visible) Vetus codex Colb. gubernanter: forsitan verius. Alioquin gubernantibus orationis series videtur postulare.

The old Colbert codex has "gubernanter", perhaps more correctly. Otherwise the run of the sentence seems to call for "gubernantibus".

[Variorum notæ / Notes of various editors] (printed under page 418)

(41) ‹anchor: Istic› · call in col 733 (by position)

Istic. Id est in Africa. COUSTANT.

"There." That is, in Africa. COUSTANT.

(printed under page 418)

(42) ‹anchor: Latius fusa provincia› · call in col 733 (by position)

Latius fusa provincia. Epiphanius, episcopus Salaminæ in Cypro, scribens ad Joannem Hierosolymitanum, loquens de sua provincia, ait: Eo quod grandis esset et late patet provincia. Ea epistola exstat inter Hieronymianas. Balluz.

"A province spread more widely." Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis in Cyprus, writing to John of Jerusalem and speaking of his own province, says: "Because the province was large and stretches widely." That letter is found among Jerome's. Baluz.

(printed under page 418)

(43) ‹anchor: Habet etiam› · call in col 733 (by position)

Habet etiam. Recens codex Colb. habet enim. Non displiceret, habet enim etiam. Deinde idem ms. cum pluribus aliis et edit. Numidiam et duas Mauritanias sibi cohærentes. Lectionem vetustioris Colb. quæ etiam est duorum Angl. probæ notæ, revocamus. Alterum e margine in textum irrepsisse Oxoniensis editor opinatur. Quanquam idem observat Mauritaniam, teste Plinio, l. V, c. 1. in duas partes, Cæsariensem et Tingitanam, per C. Cæsaris sævitiam fuisse divisam, iisque demum tertiam partem, Sitifensem nimirum, accessisse. COUST. — Habet enim Numidiam. Hæc est lectio veterum librorum, nisi quod aliqui habent etiam pro enim, vulgato veterum more in permutandis hisce conjunctionibus. Rigaltius ad epistolam XLII existimavit quæcunque istic dicuntur de Numidia et Mauritania esse insititia et ex margine in textum irrepsisse. Et tamen exstant in omnibus editionibus et in septem codicibus antiquis, id est in omnibus antiquis codicibus a me visis. Non video autem cur ista censeri debeant insititia. Certum quippe est Carthaginem, quæ erat æmula urbis Romæ, omnium intra Africam provinciarum obtinuisse principatum, uti scriptum est in l. XXII, De tironibus in codice Theodosiano, et episcopum Carthaginensem habuisse sollicitudinem omnium ecclesiarum Africæ, ut ait Aurelius, episcopus Carthaginensis, in codice canonum Ecclesiæ Africanæ, et omnes episcopos Afros, adeoque Numidas et Mauros, ad concilia episcopi Carthaginensis convenire solitos, ut patet etiam ex concilio sancti Cypriani. Ideo autem sanctus Cyprianus istic nominat Numidiam et Mauritaniam ut ostendat provinciam suam esse late diffusam, cum ea præter Africam proprie dictam haberet etiam Numidiam et Mauritaniam sibi cohærentes, quæ et ipsæ latæ et diffusæ provinciæ erant; Numidiam tamen esse augustiorem Mauritania scribit Mela. BALUZ.

"It has also." The recent Colbert codex has "habet enim" (for it has). "Habet enim etiam" would not be amiss. Then the same manuscript, with several others and the editions: "Numidia and the two Mauretanias joined to it." We restore the reading of the older Colbert, which is also that of two English manuscripts of good quality. The Oxford editor thinks the other crept into the text from the margin. Yet he also observes that Mauretania, on Pliny's testimony (book V, ch. 1), was divided into two parts, Caesariensis and Tingitana, through the cruelty of Gaius Caesar, and that a third part, namely Sitifensis, was finally added to them. COUST. — "For it has Numidia." This is the reading of the old books, except that some have "etiam" for "enim", by the common habit of the ancients of interchanging these conjunctions. Rigault, on Letter XLII, thought that whatever is said here about Numidia and Mauretania was inserted and had crept into the text from the margin. And yet it stands in all the editions and in seven ancient codices, that is, in all the ancient codices I have seen. Nor do I see why it should be judged an insertion. For it is certain that Carthage, the rival of the city of Rome, held the primacy of all the provinces within Africa, as is written in law XXII, De tironibus, in the Theodosian Code; that the bishop of Carthage had the care of all the churches of Africa, as Aurelius, bishop of Carthage, says in the code of canons of the African Church; and that all the African bishops, and so the Numidians and Moors too, were accustomed to gather at the councils of the bishop of Carthage, as is clear also from the council of Saint Cyprian. Saint Cyprian names Numidia and Mauretania here to show that his province was widely spread, since besides Africa properly so called it also had Numidia and Mauretania joined to it, which were themselves wide and extensive provinces; yet Mela writes that Numidia was narrower ("augustiorem", printed for angustiorem) than Mauretania. BALUZ.

(printed under page 418)

Page

running head: 733 EPISTOLÆ.
marginal letters: A ‹gra suspenderentur› (between the columns); B ‹ut Ecclesiae catholicae radicem / cerent ac tenerent›; C ‹(41) Istic› (in the notes, below the text block); D ‹terum more in permutandis› (in the notes, below the text block)
old-edition numerals: 711 after ‹habet›

PL 3:734

per omnes omnino istic positos litterae fierent. sicut fiunt, ut te universi collegae nostri et communicationem tuam, id est catholicae Ecclesiae unitatem pariter et charitatem, probarent firmiter ac tenerent. Quod divinitus evenisse, et consilium nostrum providenter processisse gaudemus.

letters might be sent to absolutely all those placed there. As they are being sent, so that all our colleagues might firmly approve and hold both you and your communion, that is, the unity and charity of the catholic Church alike. We rejoice that this has come about by divine agency, and that our plan has gone forward with foresight.

IV. Sic enim nunc episcopatus tui et veritas pariter et dignitas apertissima luce et manifestissima et firmissima comprobatione fundata est, ut ex rescriptis collegarum nostrorum, qui ad nos litteras inde fecerunt, et ex relatione ac testimoniis ceopiscoporum Pompei et Stephani et C⟨a⟩ldonii ac Fortunati, ordinationis tuae et origo necessaria, et ratio justa, et gloriosa quoque innocentia ab omnibus nosceretur quod ut simul cum caeteris quoque collegis nostris stabiliter ac firmiter administremus, atque in catholicae Ecclesiae concordi unanimitate teneamus, perficiet divina dignatio; ut dominus, qui sacerdotes sibi in Ecclesia sua eligere et constituere dignatur, electos quoque et constitutos sua voluntate atque opitulatione tueatur gubernantes inspirans, ac subministrans et ad improborum contumaciam frenandam vigorem, et ad lapsorum fovendam poenitentiam lenitatem.

IV. For thus both the truth and the dignity of your episcopate have now been established in the clearest light and by the most manifest and firmest proof, so that from the replies of our colleagues who have written letters to us from there, and from the report and testimonies of our fellow bishops Pompeius, Stephen, Caldonius and Fortunatus, both the necessary origin and the just ground of your ordination, and also your glorious innocence, were known by all. And that we, together with the rest of our colleagues as well, may steadfastly and firmly administer this and hold it in the harmonious unanimity of the catholic Church, the divine graciousness will accomplish, so that the Lord, who deigns to choose and appoint priests for Himself in His Church, may also protect them, once chosen and appointed, by His will and help, inspiring them as they govern and supplying both vigour for curbing the obstinacy of the wicked and, for fostering the penitence of the lapsed, gentleness.

Editors' notes and page, col. 734

Footnotes

(44) ‹anchor: Mauritaniam› · call in col 734 (by position)

Mauritaniam. Ita libri veteres et veteres editiones. Primus Manutius posuit Mauritanias duas. Hinc orta vulgaris editio. At in concilio sancti Cypriani mentio est episcoporum Africæ, Numidiæ, et Mauritaniæ, non vero Mauritaniarum. Manutianam tamen lectionem adjuvat Plinius, qui lib. I, cap 2, et lib. XIII, cap. 15, nominat duas Mauritanias, itemque Tacitus libro I Historiarum, ubi mentio est duarum Mauritaniarum et Martianus Capella lib. VI, descriptione Africæ. Recte. Nam Dio Cassius lib. VI, tradit. Claudium Imperatorem Mauritaniam subjectam Romanis in duas partes divisisse. Tingitanam et Cæsariensem. Herodianus, lib. XII, nominat Numidiam et Mauritaniam Romanis subjectam Vide Marcam, cap. 87 libri de Primatibus, BALUZ.

"Mauretania." So the old books and the old editions. Manutius was the first to put "two Mauretanias"; from him the common edition arose. But in the council of Saint Cyprian bishops of Africa, Numidia and Mauretania are mentioned, not of the Mauretanias. Yet Manutius's reading is supported by Pliny, who in book I, ch. 2, and book XIII, ch. 15, names two Mauretanias; likewise by Tacitus in Histories book I, where two Mauretanias are mentioned, and by Martianus Capella, book VI, in his description of Africa. Rightly so, for Dio Cassius, book VI, relates that the emperor Claudius divided Mauretania, once subject to the Romans, into two parts, Tingitana and Caesariensis. Herodian, book XII, names Numidia and Mauretania as subject to the Romans. See de Marca, De primatibus, ch. 87. BALUZ.

(printed under page 418)

(45) ‹anchor: Coepiscoporum Caldonii› · call in col 734 (by position)

Coepiscoporum Caldonii. Festivi sunt qui illum ab Africa in Lucitaniam transiisse tradunt et illic episcopum Bracareusem fuisse. BALUZ.

"Of our fellow bishops Caldonius." Those who report that he crossed from Africa to Lusitania and was bishop of Braga there are amusing. BALUZ.

(printed under page 418)