PL 4 · cols. 345–348

Cyprianus, Epistolae LII-LXII

Letters LII–LV

EPISTOLA LII.

Letter 52.

(Erasm., IV, 2. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LII. Paris., LI. Coustant., Epist. Rom. Pont., I, p. 159: Galland., Bibl. vett. PP. III, p. 347.)

(Erasmus, 4, 2. Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, 52. Paris, 51. Coustant, Letters of the Roman Pontiffs, 1, p. 159: Gallandi, Library of the Ancient Fathers 3, p. 347.)

AD ANTONIANUM, DE CORNELIO ET NOVATIANO.

To Antonianus, on Cornelius and Novatian.

Argumentum. — Cum Antonianus, acceptis litteris a Novatiano, in partes illius animo propendere coepisset, confirmat illum Cgprianus in priori sententia, ut nempe cum Cornelio, hoc est cum Ecclesia catholica communicare pergat. Quod ut persuadeat, totius tragediae inter Cornelium et Novatianum historiam texit,

Argument. — Since Antonianus, having received a letter from Novatian, had begun to incline in mind towards his party, Cyprian confirms him in his former opinion, namely that he should continue to communicate with Cornelius, that is, with the catholic Church. To persuade him of this, he weaves the history of the whole tragedy between Cornelius and Novatian,

Editors' notes and page, col. 345

Footnotes

LECTIONES VARIANTES (printed under page 166)

(a) ‹anchor: catholicae ... Ecclesiae unitatem (in the lines above EPISTOLA LII., previous unit, not set)› · call in col 345

Ecclesiae charitatis ac pacis unitatem Ar. Ebor.

"the unity of the Church's charity and peace": the Arundel and York manuscripts.

(printed under page 166)

Page

running head: 345 EPISTOLA LIII.
marginal letters: A ‹munt, de Ecclesia pereunt›; B ‹siquidem quod nos verbis conscripsimus›; C ‹gediae inter Cornelium et Novatianum historiam texit›; D ‹Epist. LIII. — I. Superius› (in the editors' notes at the page foot, not set)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the column opens with the end of the previous work (another unit); not set here: the unit begins at EPISTOLA LII.; editors' matter set: the edition concordance ‹(Erasm., IV, 2...›, the caption ‹AD ANTONIANUM, DE CORNELIO ET NOVATIANO›, and the Argumentum ‹Cum Antonianus, acceptis litteris› (continues in col 346); misprint set as printed: Cgprianus (for Cyprianus)

PL 4:346

et Cornelium virum optimum et legitime electum, Novatianum vero multis sceleribus obnoxium illegitimam electionem usurpasse docet : obiter etiam sub initium epistolae se excusans de mutata quod ad lapsorum rationem attinet sententia, et sub finem in quo Novatiana haeresis consistat explicans.

and shows that Cornelius, a most excellent man, was lawfully elected, but that Novatian, liable for many crimes, usurped an unlawful election; incidentally also, near the beginning of the letter, excusing himself for having changed his opinion as regards the treatment of the lapsed, and near the end explaining in what the Novatian heresy consists.

(Huic epistolae opportuniorem locum dari visum est in tom. III, ubi tota Novatiani schismatis historia cum omnibus instrumentis describitur.)

(It has seemed right to give this letter a more suitable place in vol. III, where the whole history of Novatian's schism is set out with all the documents.)

EPISTOLA LIII.

Letter 53.

(Erasm., III, 23. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LIII. Paris., LII. Oxon., Lips., LVI.)

(Erasmus, III, 23. Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, LIII. Paris, LII. Oxford, Leipzig, LVI.)

AD FORTUNATUM ET ALIOS COLLEGAS, DE IIS QUI PER TORMENTA SUPERANTUR.

To Fortunatus and other colleagues, on those who are overcome by tortures.

Argumentum. — Consultus Cyprianus a collegis num admittendi essent ad communionem lapsi quidam per tormenta superati, respondet, quia triennio jam poenitentiam egissent, sibi quidem videri admittendos esse, sed cum post Paschae solemnia concilium episcoporum apud se futurum esset, se cum illis rem tractaturum.

Argument. — Cyprian, consulted by his colleagues whether certain lapsed who had been overcome by tortures should be admitted to communion, replies that, since they had already done penance for three years, it seems to him indeed that they should be admitted, but that, since a council of bishops was to be held with him after the solemnities of Easter, he would deal with the matter together with them.

I. Cyprianus Fortunato, Ahymmo, Optato, Privatiano, Donatulo et Felici fratribus salutem. Scripsistis mihi, fratres charissimi, quod, cum in Capsensi civitate propter ordinationem episcopi essetis, pertulerit ad vos Superius frater et collega noster Ninum, Clementianum, Florum fratres nostros, qui in persecutione apprehensi prius fuerant, et nomen Domini confessi violentiam magistratus et populi frementis impetum vicerant, postmodum cum apud proconsulem poenis gravibus excruciarentur, vi tormentorum

1. Cyprian to Fortunatus, Ahymmus, Optatus, Privatianus, Donatulus and Felix, his brothers, greeting. You have written to me, dearest brothers, that, when you were in the city of Capsa for the ordination of a bishop, Superius, our brother and colleague, brought before you [the case of] Ninus, Clementianus and Florus, our brothers, who had earlier been seized in the persecution and, having confessed the name of the Lord, had overcome the violence of the magistrate and the onslaught of the raging people, [but] afterwards, when they were being tortured with severe punishments before the proconsul, by the force of torments

Editors' notes and page, col. 346

Footnotes

(b) ‹anchor: violentiam ... populi fre-mentis› · call in col 346

Frequentis Bod. 1.

"Frequentis" (crowding) for "frementis" (raging): Bodleian 1.

STEPH. BALUZII NOTAE. [Baluze] IV. Catholicae Ecclesiae unitatem · col 345 IV.—Catholicae Ecclesiae unitatem. Respicit Cyprianus ad librum suum de Unitate Ecclesiae, quem hinc constat scriptum esse eo tempore quo Novatianus schisma fecit.

IV. "The unity of the Catholic Church." Cyprian has in view his own book On the Unity of the Church, which, it is clear from this, was written at the time when Novatian made his schism.

[Baluze] Sic legitis · col 345 Sic legitis. Imitatum ex carmine de operibus Virgilii quod Augusto tribuitur: Laudetur, vigeat, placeat, relegatur, ametur. Item in carmine sacrorum Bibliorum quae Karolo calvo regi oblata sunt a Viviano abbate sancti Martini Turonensis edito in tomo II Capitularium, p. 1572: Cujus honore rogant placeat, laudetur, ametur.

"So read it." Imitated from the poem on the works of Virgil that is attributed to Augustus: "Let it be praised, flourish, please, be read again, be loved." Likewise in the poem on the sacred Bible that was presented to King Charles the Bald by Vivian, abbot of Saint Martin of Tours, published in volume II of the Capitularies, p. 1572: "In whose honour they ask that it please, be praised, be loved."

[Baluze] [450] Epist. LIII. — I. Superius · col 345 [450] Epist. LIII. —I. Superius. Ita scriptum fuisse in vetustissimo codice Veronensi mihi constat, et monet etiam Rigaltius. Sic etiam edidit Manutius. Testatur autem Pamelius codicem Anglicanum quo ille utebatur habere sicut Manutius habet. Et tamen nupera editio Anglicana nullum illius lectionis vetus exemplar allegat quam Veronense. Adjuvant nihilominus illam codices Eligianus et Beccensis, in quibus scriptum est superus, et decem alii veteres, qui habent super. In exemplari editionis Basileensis anni 1540, quod fuit Jacobi Cujacii, et nunc penes me est, vir ille doctissimus scripsit in margine ex quodam [451] veteri libro superus ut in codice sancti Eligii et in Beccensi. Veteres editiones, etiam Morelliana et tria vetera exemplaria praeferunt nuper. Alius Superius presbyter in libro secundo miscellaneorum nostrorum, pag. 101, et Superius stationarius apud Optatum Milevitanum in calce libri primi.

[450] Letter LIII. — I. "Superius." I am certain that it was so written in the very old Verona manuscript, and Rigault also notes it. Manutius too printed it so. Pamelius, moreover, attests that the English manuscript he used reads as Manutius has it. And yet the recent English edition cites no old copy of that reading other than the Verona one. The reading is nevertheless supported by the manuscripts of Saint-Eloi and of Bec, in which "superus" is written, and by ten other old ones, which have "super". In a copy of the Basel edition of 1540 which belonged to Jacques Cujas and is now in my possession, that most learned man wrote in the margin, from a certain [451] old book, "superus", as in the manuscript of Saint-Eloi and in that of Bec. The old editions, including Morel's, and three old copies show "nuper". Another Superius, a presbyter, appears in the second book of our Miscellanea, p. 101, and a Superius, a stationarius, in Optatus of Milevis at the end of the first book.

[Baluze] Ninum · col 346 Ninum. In duobus antiquis codicibus scriptum est Saturninum. Saturnini mentio extat in variis epistolis apud Cyprianum. Nini nulla alibi, quod sciam, mentio habetur. Quod fortassis approbare posset lectionem horum duorum veterum librorum. Verum nulla uspiam memoria de lapsu Saturnini. Itaque aut alius fuit Saturninus, si vera est lectio, aut certe retinendum est istic nomen Nini. Episcopum fuisse hinc colligi posset quod Cyprianus eum vocat fratrem, nisi constaret persbyteros quoque ab eo vocatos fuisse fratres. Poenituisse Ninum quod fidem fregisset testatur abunde Cyprianus; adeoque puto illum postea gloriam suam reparasse. Nam in vetustissimo martyrologio ad XVI kal. decembris notatur: In Mauritania Nini, et XVIII kal. januarii: In Africa Nini. Non dicitur fuisse martyr. Itaque existimari posset eum non esse diversum a Nino confessore, cujus mentio habetur in narratione de quodam qui vidit filium Dei. Ea narratio exstat in codice Fossatensi. Sic autem incipit: Quidam presbyter fuit religiosus valde Airgils nomine, frequenter Missarum solemnia celebrans ad corpus sancti Nini episcopi et confessoris.

"Ninus." In two ancient manuscripts "Saturninum" is written. Saturninus is mentioned in various letters in Cyprian. Of Ninus there is no mention anywhere else, so far as I know, which might perhaps commend the reading of these two old books. But there is no record anywhere of a lapse by Saturninus. So either this was a different Saturninus, if the reading is true, or the name Ninus must certainly be kept here. That he was a bishop might be inferred from Cyprian's calling him "brother", were it not clear that presbyters too were called brothers by him. Cyprian abundantly attests that Ninus repented of having broken faith, and so I think he afterwards recovered his glory. For in a very old martyrology there is noted on the 16th day before the Kalends of December: "In Mauretania, of Ninus", and on the 18th before the Kalends of January: "In Africa, of Ninus". He is not said to have been a martyr. So he might be thought to be no different from Ninus the confessor, who is mentioned in the story of a certain man who saw the Son of God. That story survives in the manuscript of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, and it begins thus: "There was a certain very devout presbyter named Airgils, who often celebrated solemn Masses at the body of Saint Ninus, bishop and confessor."

[Baluze] Proconsulem · col 346 Proconsulem, Africae nimirum. Magnae illum dignationis et auctoritatis fuisse liquet ex testimonio Salviani, qui, lib. VII, cap. 16, ait illum, quantum ad nomen quidem proconsulem, sed quantum ad potentiam consulem fuisse. Proconsulum Africae multa mentio est apud veteres historiarum scriptores. Mul- (continues)

"The proconsul", that is, of Africa. That he was of great rank and authority is clear from the testimony of Salvian, who says (book VII, ch. 16) that he was a proconsul in name, but a consul in power. The proconsuls of Africa are often mentioned by the old writers of history. Many- (continues)

(printed under page 166)

Page

running head: EPISTOLA LIII. 346
marginal letters: A ‹et Cornelium virum optimum›; B ‹admittendi essent ad communionem›; C ‹proconsulem poenis gravibus›; D ‹catos fuisse fratres› (in Baluze's notes at the page foot)
old-edition numerals: 76 before ‹EPISTOLA LIII.›
other: column begins mid-sentence in the Argumentum of the preceding letter (editors' matter: ‹et Cornelium virum optimum›), set; editors' matter also set: ‹Huic epistolae opportuniorem›, the edition concordance ‹Erasm., III, 23›, and ‹Argumentum. — Consultus Cyprianus›; superior figure 76 before EPISTOLA LIII. taken as an old-edition page numeral, not set; call b after frementis omitted; Ahymmo set as printed, UNSURE whether it is an error for Ahymno; last word vi tor- is split at the column break (tormentorum); full-width headings LECTIONES VARIANTES and STEPH. BALUZII NOTAE at the page foot, cut off at the left edge, not set; variant (Frequentis Bod. 1) and Baluze's notes (Ninum..., Proconsulem...) left for the later pass

PL 4:347

subactos esse, et de gradu gloriae, ad quam plena fidei virtute tendebant, diutinis cruciatibus excidisse, nec tamen post hunc gravem lapsum non voluntate sed necessitate susceptum a poenitentia agenda per hoc triennium destitisse. De quibus consulendum putastis an eos ad communicationem jam fas esset admittere.

had been overcome, and had fallen away through prolonged tortures from the degree of glory towards which they were striving with the full strength of faith, and yet that after this grave lapse, incurred not by will but by necessity, they did not cease from doing penance throughout these three years. Concerning them you thought it right to consult whether it were now lawful to admit them to communion.

II. Et quidem quod ad mei animi sententiam pertinet, puto his indulgentiam Domini non defuturam quos constat stetisse in acie, nomen Domini confessos esse, violentiam magistratuum et populi furentis incursum immobilis fidei obstinatione vicisse, passos esse carcerem, diu inter minas proconsulis et fremitum populi circumstantis tormentis laniantibus ac longa iteratione cruciantibus repugnasse; ut quod in novissimo infirmitate carnis subactum videtur, meritorum praecedentium defensione relevetur, et sit satis talibus gloriam perdidisse, non tamen debere nos eis et veniae locum claudere atque eos a paterna pietate et a nostra communicatione privare; quibus existimamus ad deprecandam clementiam Domini posse sufficere quod triennio jugiter ac dolenter, ut scribitis, cum summa poenitentiae lamentatione planxerunt. Certe non puto incaute et temere his pacem committi quos videmus militiae suae fortitudine nec prius pugnae defuisse, et si acies etiam denuo venerit, gloriam suam posse reparare. Nam, cum in concilio placuerit poenitentiam agentibus in infirmitatis periculo subveniri et pacem dari, debent utique in accipienda pace praecedere quos videmus non animi infirmitate cecidisse, sed in praelio congressos et vulneratos per imbecillitatem carnis confessionis suae coronam non potuisse perferre; maxime cum cupientibus mori non permitterentur occidi, sed tamdiu fessos tormenta laniarent quamdiu non fidem, quae invicta est, vincerent, sed carnem, quae infirma est, fatigarent.

II. And indeed, as far as the judgement of my own mind is concerned, I think that the Lord's indulgence will not be lacking to those who, it is established, stood in the battle line, confessed the name of the Lord, overcame the violence of the magistrates and the onslaught of the raging people by the steadfastness of an immovable faith, suffered prison, and for a long time, amid the threats of the proconsul and the clamour of the people standing round, resisted torments that tore them and racked them with long repetition; so that what appears to have been overcome at the last through the weakness of the flesh may be relieved by the defence of their preceding merits, and it may be enough for such men to have lost their glory, yet we ought not to close to them the place of pardon as well, nor deprive them of fatherly kindness and of our communion; for them we judge that it can suffice for entreating the clemency of the Lord that for three years, continually and sorrowfully, as you write, they have mourned with the utmost lamentation of penitence. Certainly I do not think that peace is granted incautiously and rashly to those whom we see neither to have been wanting before to the battle in the fortitude of their warfare, and, if the battle line should come again, to be able to restore their glory. For since it was decided in council that those doing penance should be assisted in the danger of sickness and be given peace, those surely ought to take precedence in receiving peace whom we see to have fallen not through weakness of mind, but who, having engaged in battle and been wounded, were unable through the frailty of the flesh to carry through the crown of their confession; especially since, though they desired to die, they were not permitted to be slain, but the torments tore them, wearied as they were, for just so long as they could not conquer their faith, which is unconquered, but could wear out their flesh, which is weak.

III. Quoniam tamen scripsi⟨st⟩is ut cum pluribus collegis de hoc ipso plenissime tractem et res

III. Since, however, you have written that I should deal most fully with this very matter together with several colleagues, and the matter

Editors' notes and page, col. 347

Footnotes

LECTIONES VARIANTES (printed under page 167)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 347

Pervenerant Ver.

"Pervenerant" (they had come): Verona manuscript.

(printed under page 167)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 347

Susceptos ad poenitentiam agendam Thu. Mich.

"received to do penance": the Thuanus and Michael manuscripts.

(printed under page 167)

Domini deest in Oxon.

"of the Lord" is missing in the Oxford edition.

(printed under page 167)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 347

Cruciatus Mich.

"Cruciatus" (tortured): Michael manuscript.

(printed under page 167)

(e) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 347

Novissima Oxon. Rigalt.

"Novissima" (at last): Oxford edition, Rigault.

(printed under page 167)

(f) ‹anchor: quae infirma est› · call in col 347

Quae victa est Lam. Ebor NC. 1.

"which is overcome": Lambeth, York, New College 1.

(printed under page 167)

(g) ‹anchor: cum pluribus collegis› · call in col 347

Cum plurimi collegae Ver. Celebrata Lam. Ebor. Bod. 2,

"when very many colleagues": Verona. "Celebrata" (held): Lambeth, York, Bodleian 2.

(printed under page 167)

(h) ‹anchor: plenissime tractem› · call in col 347

Plenius tractarem Ebor. Lin. NC. 1.

"that I should treat it more fully": York, Lincoln, New College 1.

STEPH. BALUZII NOTAE. [Baluze] Proconsulem (continued) · col 347

(continued) tae praeterea exstant in Codice Theodosiano constitutiones Imperatorum directae ad proconsules Africae.

[Baluze] II. Nomen Domini · col 347 II. — Nomen Domini. Addidi vocem Domini, quamvis sciam illam non esse necessariam in hoc loco, quia ita reperi scriptum in omnibus fere vetustis exemplaribus quibus usus sum et in antiquis editionibus. Pamelius expunxit.

II. "The name of the Lord." I have added the word "of the Lord", though I know it is not necessary in this place, because I found it so written in almost all the old copies I used and in the old editions. Pamelius struck it out.

[Baluze] Novissimo · col 347 Novissimo. Id est postea. Sic restitui debere visum est pro eo quod Rigaltius et Angli posuerunt novissime. Quippe omnes libri veteres et editiones ante Rigaltianam habent eam lectionem quam ego revocavi. Quapropter miror Anglos, qui sciebant illam exstare in libris nostris veteribus, praetulisse eam quae nuspiam habetur quam in editione Rigaltii. Quid si mendum illius editionis imputemus typographo?

"Novissimo," that is, afterwards. It seemed right to restore this in place of "novissime", which Rigault and the English editors set. For all the old books and the editions before Rigault's have the reading I have brought back. I am therefore surprised that the English editors, who knew it stood in our old books, preferred one found nowhere but in Rigault's edition. What if we blame that edition's error on the printer?

[Baluze] Clementiam · col 347 Clementiam. Codex Fuxensis, misericordiam.

"Clemency." The Foix manuscript: "mercy".

[Baluze] Permitterentur · col 347 Permitterentur. Citat hunc locum Hieronymus in Vita Pauli monachi: Verum hostis callidus tarda ad mortem supplicia conquirens animas cupiebat jugulare, et ut ipse qui ab eo passus est Cyprianus ait, volentibus mori non permittebatur occidi. Codex Fuxensis istic apud Cyprianum habet paterentur. Sed Hieronymus habebat in suo exemplari permitterentur. Lucanus, lib. VI: Ah miser, extremum cui mortis munus iniquae Eripitur non posse mori. Seneca Thebaide: Occidere est vetare cupientem mori.

"They were permitted." Jerome cites this place in the Life of Paul the monk: "But the cunning enemy, seeking out tortures slow to bring death, wanted to slaughter souls; and, as Cyprian himself, who suffered at his hands, says, those who wished to die were not permitted to be killed." The Foix manuscript here in Cyprian has "paterentur". But Jerome had "permitterentur" in his copy. Lucan, book VI: "Ah, wretch, from whom the last gift of an unjust death is snatched away, the power to die." Seneca in the Thebais: "To forbid one who longs to die is to kill."

[Baluze] Venire coeperint · col 348 Venire coeperint. Hinc colligi posse videtur consuevisse eo tempore episcopos Africanos convenire Carthaginem apud episcopum magnae illius ecclesiae, sicut episcopi Italiae et Siciliae apud Romanum, sed tamen necesse fuisse ut in praecipuis festivitatibus essent in suis civitatibus. Editio Anglicana male hunc locum interpretata est de synodis habendis bis in anno. Ea regula nondum inventa erat.

"Have begun to come." From this it seems one may gather that at that time the African bishops used to gather at Carthage with the bishop of that great church, as the bishops of Italy and Sicily did with the Roman bishop, but that they nevertheless had to be in their own cities at the chief festivals. The English edition wrongly took this place to refer to synods held twice a year. That rule had not yet been devised.

(printed under page 167)

Page

running head: 347 DIVI CYPRIANI (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹mentorum subactos esse›; B ‹quod in novissimo infirmitate›; C ‹videmus non animi infirmitate›; D ‹tae praeterea exstant› (in the editors' notes at the page foot)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins with the word fragment "mentorum" (rest of a word from the previous column; most likely "tormentorum"). "scripsi⟨st⟩is": letters obscured by a blot, restored as scripsistis. The full-width lines "LECTIONES VARIANTES" and "STEPH. BALUZII NOTAE", both cut off at the right edge, stand above the page-foot apparatus and are not set. Variae lectiones and Baluze's notes not set (later pass). Editors' matter: none in this column's text block.

PL 4:348

tanta exigit majus et impensius de multorum collatione consilium, et nunc omnes fere inter Paschae prima solemnia apud se cum fratribus demorantur, quando solemnitati celebrandae apud suos satisfecerint et ad me venire coeperint, tractabo cum singulis plenius, ut de eo quod consuluistis figatur apud nos et rescribatur vobis firma sententia multorum sacerdotum consilio ponderata. Opto vos, fratres charissimi, semper bene valere.

so great demands a greater and more earnest counsel drawn from the conferring of many, and now almost all are staying at home with the brethren during the first solemnities of Easter, when they have fulfilled the celebration of the solemnity among their own people and have begun to come to me, I shall treat more fully with each of them, so that on the matter about which you have consulted a firm decision, weighed by the counsel of many priests, may be fixed among us and written back to you. I wish you, dearest brethren, always to fare well.

EPISTOLA LIV.

Letter 54.

(Erasm., I, 2. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LIV. Paris., LIII. Oxon., Lips., LVII. Coustant., Epist. Rom. Pont., I, p. 167. Galland., Bibl. vett. PP. III, p. 350. Routh., Rel. sacr. III, p. 69.)

(Erasmus, 1, 2. Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, 54. Paris, 53. Oxford, Leipzig, 57. Coustant, Letters of the Roman Pontiffs, 1, p. 167. Galland, Library of the Ancient Fathers, 3, p. 350. Routh, Sacred Remains, 3, p. 69.)

AD CORNELIUM, DE PACE LAPSIS DANDA.

To Cornelius, on granting peace to the lapsed.

ARGUMENTUM. — Cum prius statuissent Africani episcopi in concilio quodam, ut lapsi non, nisi diu poenitentia, acta admitterentur ad pacem, nisi forte periculum infirmitatis urgeret; jam instante nova persecutione statuerunt, omnibus qui poenitentiam egissent pacem dandam, ut fortiores essent ad passionis praelium. Id episcoporum statutum, totius synodi nomine, nuntiat Cornelio papae Cyprianus, atque adeo non tam ipsius Cypriani quam synodi Africanae est haec epistola.

Argument. — Whereas the African bishops had earlier decreed in a certain council that the lapsed should not be admitted to peace except after long penance performed, unless perhaps the danger of sickness pressed, now, with a new persecution impending, they decreed that peace should be given to all who had done penance, so that they might be stronger for the battle of suffering. This decree of the bishops Cyprian announces to Pope Cornelius in the name of the whole synod, and so this letter belongs not so much to Cyprian himself as to the African synod.

(Hanc epistolam, ut et alias omissas, inter pontificias tom. praecedentis epistolas suo loco reperies.)

(This letter, like the other omitted ones, you will find in its place among the papal letters of the preceding volume.)

EPISTOLA LV.

Letter 55.

(Erasm., I, 3. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LV. Paris., LIV. Oxon., Lips., LIX. Coustant., Epist. Rom. Pont., I, p. 172. Galland., Bibl. vett. PP. III, p. 352.)

(Erasmus, 1, 3. Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, 55. Paris, 54. Oxford, Leipzig, 59. Coustant, Letters of the Roman Pontiffs, 1, p. 172. Galland, Library of the Ancient Fathers, 3, p. 352.)

AD CORNELIUM, DE FORTUNATO ET FELICISSIMO, SIVE CONTRA HAERETICOS.

To Cornelius, on Fortunatus and Felicissimus, or against the heretics.

ARGUMENTUM. — In primis monet Cornelium Cyprianus hac epistola, ut Felicissimi et Fortunati contra se calumnias non audiat, nec minis eorum terreatur, sed forti sit animo, sicuti Dei sacerdotem contra haereticos decet; utpote qui pro more haereticis usitato, haeresin suam et schismata incoeperint ex contemptu

Argument. — First of all Cyprian warns Cornelius in this letter not to listen to the calumnies of Felicissimus and Fortunatus against himself, nor to be terrified by their threats, but to be of strong mind, as befits a priest of God against heretics; seeing that, after the manner customary with heretics, they began their heresy and schisms out of contempt

Editors' notes and page, col. 348