Quaestiones in Actus Apostolorum; De nominibus locorum vel civitatum quae leguntur in libro Actuum Apostolorum

ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

FIVE QUESTIONS.

QUESTION I.

QUESTION. What is indicated by that which we read: Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount which is called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey, that is, a thousand paces?

ANSWER. For on the Sabbath it was lawful for the Jews to go as far as the Mount of Olives, or at any rate, wherever they had been, they took it upon themselves to walk about over so great a distance.

QUESTION II.

QUESTION. How is the Holy Spirit breathed upon the apostles by the Saviour before the Ascension according to the evangelist John, when according to the Acts of the Apostles He was sent upon the apostles after the tenth day from the ascension?

ANSWER. Many are the bestowals of the graces of the Holy Spirit, according to that which the Apostle says:

To one indeed is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another the grace of healings in the one Spirit, etc. (1 Cor. 12). Therefore before the Ascension they received the grace of the Holy Spirit by which they could forgive sins and baptize, and pour the spirit of adoption into believers, according to what had also been said then, when the Spirit was breathed upon them by the Saviour: Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose you shall retain, they are retained. But after the Ascension they received a much greater grace of the Holy Spirit in the working of mighty works, and in the grace of healings, and in the reception of diverse tongues, in accordance with that which had been promised to the same men on the same day, that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and clothed with power, by which they might preach the Gospel of Christ to all nations. In this reception of the Holy Spirit, then, according to the distribution of the Lord's grace, it is the progress of the apostles that is shown, not a disagreement of conflicting Scriptures; and in another way a certain teacher has excellently explained why the Holy Spirit was given twice, saying: « Concerning Him whom the Saviour first gave here by Himself, and afterwards sent from heaven: so that there might be signified the love of neighbour and the love of God, which is poured forth in the hearts of the saints through the Holy Spirit, who was given to them for preaching the word of God. » Through Him the apostles carried themselves into the regions of the world, as far as history relates: Bartholomew to the Indians, Thomas made his way to the Parthians; Matthew softened the Ethiopians by preaching, Andrew the Scythians; John set Asia right by the divine word; Peter, while he preached to the Jews, went round Cappadocia and Galatia, Bithynia likewise and Pontus, and the neighbouring provinces, and last of all came to Rome to bring it light. Paul, when he had filled the lands from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum with the Gospel, subdued as victor nations so countless and so unlike one another with precepts as with arms.

QUESTION III.

QUESTION. Since in the Acts of the Apostles it is first

EXPOSITION

ON THE NAMES OF PLACES, OR OF CITIES,

WHICH ARE READ IN THE BOOK OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

A

Acheldemach, that is, the field of blood, which is pointed out even today in Helia, at the southern side of Mount Sion; and to this day, in accordance with the counsel of the Jews, it covers some of the dead of no standing with earth, and leaves others to rot under the open sky.

Egypt has on the north the Great Sea and the Arabian Gulf, on the east the Red Sea, on the south the Ocean, on the west Libya. Its lower part the Nile, divided to right and left, marks off with its embrace, by the Conopic mouth from Africa, by the Pelusiac from Asia, at an interval of a hundred and sixty thousand paces. For this reason, among the islands indeed, Egypt

read: But the men who were travelling with him, that is, with the Apostle, stood amazed, hearing indeed the voice but seeing no one, how does the Apostle afterwards say: And those who were with me saw the light indeed, but did not hear the voice of Him who was speaking with me?

ANSWER. Earlier, where they are reported to have heard the voice, they received from God not a voice but an inarticulate sound of a voice, so that he afterwards says that they did not hear the voice, that is, the distinct meaning of words by which they could understand what was sounding; and so for this reason they are reported in different ways both to have heard and not to have heard, because as far as the sound is concerned they heard, as far as the words are concerned they did not hear.

QUESTION IV

QUESTION. Why was food that was thought unclean formerly called common?

ANSWER. Because, against God's prohibition at that time, it lay open in common to the rest of men, who did not keep the observance of the law in the distinction of foods, by which the Jews boasted that they were God's portion. But it was also made pure, when the Lord said to Peter: What God has made pure, do not you call common (Acts 10)

QUESTION V.

QUESTION. What is the meaning of the fact that in the Acts of the Apostles those twelve who had been baptized with John's baptism are baptized by Paul?

ANSWER. This was for the reason that they had not been baptized in the name of the Trinity. For the baptism of John, although it baptized into Him who was to come, was nevertheless properly called John's baptism. Hence also those who come from the heretics are not rebaptized by us, if it is established that they were baptized in the name of the Trinity; only the laying on of the hand is applied to those converted to the right faith, so that through it the infusion of the Holy Spirit may be received.

they have reckoned Egypt, since the Nile so divides itself that it forms the figure of the letter Δ. And therefore many have called Egypt Delta, by the name of the Greek letter. The measure from the single bed of the river, where it first divides into its sides, to the Canopic mouth is a hundred and sixty thousand paces, to the Pelusiac two hundred and fifty-six.

The region of the Ethiopians, rising from the river Indus, lies beside Egypt, between the Nile and the Ocean, in the south, under the very nearness of the sun. Of them there are three peoples: the Hesperians of the west, the Garamantes of Tripolis, the Indians of the east.

Alexandria, a city of Egypt, which was once

called No, set between Egypt, Africa and the sea as if a barrier, in which the tomb of the blessed evangelist Mark is venerated in the church even today.

Amphipolis, a city of Macedonia. There is also another of the same name in Syria.

Antioch, a city of Coele-Syria, in which Barnabas and Paul were ordained apostles. There is also another in Pisidia, a province of Asia, in which the same men, preaching, said to the Jews: It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you, but since you have thrust it away, etc. (Acts 13).

Antipatris, a city of Palestine, now destroyed, which Herod, king of Judaea, had named after his father's name.

Appii forum, the name of a market-place at Rome, taken from Appius, once consul, after whom the Appian Way was also named.

Apollonia is a city of Macedonia. There is also another in the province of Africa which is called Pentapolis.

Ariopagus, the court of the Athenians, which is interpreted the estate of Mars, because he himself was once judged there by the twelve gods.

Arabia, a region between the gulf of the Red Sea which is called Persian and the one which is called Arabian. It has many peoples: Moabites, Ammonites, Idumaeans, Saracens, and very many others. Arabia is said to be interpreted sacred, because it is a frankincense-bearing region, producing fragrances. Hence the Greeks have called it Eudaemon, our writers the Blessed.

The region of Asia which is surnamed the Lesser is surrounded on all sides by the sea, except for the eastern part, by which it extends towards Cappadocia and Syria. Its provinces are Phrygia, Pamphylia, Cilicia, Chaonia, Galatia, and many others. But in the special sense, where the city of Ephesus is, it is called Asia.

Asos, a coastal city of Asia, also called Apollonia.

Athens, a city in Achaia, dedicated to the studies of philosophy. Though it is one, it is always called by a plural number; its port, the Pireus, is described as having once been fortified with a sevenfold wall.

Attalia, a coastal city of Pamphylia.

Azotus, a notable town of Palestine, which in Hebrew is called Esdod, and is one of the five former cities of the Allophyli.

B

Babylon, the metropolis of the kingdom of the Chaldaeans, where the tongues of those who were building the tower were divided; from it the surrounding region too is called Babylonia. That it was most mighty, and set four-square on level plains, and that from corner to corner of the wall it extended twelve thousand paces, that is, sixty-four thousand together around its circuit, is related by Herodotus and many others who wrote Greek histories. The citadel of that city, that is, its Capitol, is the tower which, built after the flood, is said to extend four thousand paces. After its ruin only the earthen walls are said to have remained, and to have been restored for the catching of the beasts which abound there.

Beroea, a city in Macedonia, which received the word of the Lord nobly.

Bithynia, a province of Asia Minor, which was once called Bebrycia, and afterwards Mygdonia. It is also the Greater Phrygia, marked off from Galatia by the river Hiera. It has a city of the same name.

C

There are two cities called Caesarea in the land of promise. One is Caesarea of Palestine, set on the shore of the Great Sea, which was once called Pyrgos, that is, the tower, of Strato; but, rebuilt by Herod, king of Judaea, more nobly and more beautifully, and much more serviceably against the force of the sea, it was named Caesarea in honour of Caesar Augustus. To him he also built a temple in it of white marble. In it his grandson Herod was struck by an angel, Cornelius the centurion was baptized, and Agabus the prophet was bound with Paul's girdle. The other is Caesarea Philippi, which the Scripture of the Gospel mentions, at the foot of Mount Lebanon, where the springs of the Jordan are; it was built by Philip, tetrarch of that region, and named in honour of Tiberius Caesar. But there is also a third Caesarea, the metropolis of Cappadocia, which Luke mentions thus: Setting out from Ephesus and going down to Caesarea, he went up and greeted the Church.

Cappadocia, a region at the head of Syria, that is, towards the north.

Carrha, a city of Mesopotamia, famous among the Romans for the disaster of Crassus, but among us for the sojourn of Abraham the patriarch, and for the death of his father.

Cenchre, the port of the most famous city of the Corinthians.

The region of the Chaldaeans, between Babylonia and Arabia, the Tigris and the Euphrates.

Chanaan, the son of Cham, held the land from Sidon as far as Gaza, which the Jews afterwards possessed when the Chananaeans had been driven out.

Chius, an island off Bithynia, whose name in the Syrian tongue signifies mastic, because mastic is produced there. Some have called it Chia, from the nymph Chione.

Cilicia, a province of Asia, which the river Cygnus cuts through, and which Mount Amanus, which Solomon mentions, separates from Coele-Syria.

Cyprus, an island in the Pamphylian Sea, once distinguished for fifteen towns, and famous for its riches, and above all for copper. For there was the first discovery and use of this metal. Next to it, on the borders of Cilicia, there is a promontory and the town of Venus.

Cyrene, a city in Libya, whose region is also called the Pentapolitan, because it shines above all with five cities: Beronice, Arsinoe, Ptolemais, Apollonia, and Cyrene itself.

Cnidus, an island facing Asia.

Coos, a most noble island facing Asia, lying next to the province of Attica; and there is a town of the same name on the island, Calamna.

Corinth, a coastal city of Achaia.

Crete, an island of Greece, once famous for its hundred cities, whence it was called Hecatopolis.

D

Damascus, a noble city of Phoenice, which also once

held the primacy in all Syria, and now is said to be the metropolis of the Saracens. Hence also their king Maumas dedicated in it a famous basilica for himself and his people, while the Christian citizens round about frequent the church of the blessed Baptist John.

Derbe, a city of the province of Lycaonia.

E

The Elamites, princes of Persis, named after Elam the son of Sem.

Ephesus, the work of the Amazons, a city in Asia, where the blessed evangelist John rests.

F

There are none beginning with F, but these two with Φ.

Phrygia, a province of Asia lying above the Troad, bordering Galatia on its northern side, Lycaonia and Pisidia and Mygdonia on the southern, and touching Cappadocia on the east. There are two Phrygias, of which the greater has Smyrna, the lesser Ilion.

Phoenicia, a province of Syria, whose parts are Samaria, Galilee, and very many other regions.

G

There are two Galilees. One is Galilee of the nations, neighbouring the borders of the Tyrians, in the tribe of Nephthalim. The other is around Tiberias and the lake of Genezareth, in the tribe of Zabulon.

Galatia, a province of Asia, taking its name from the Gauls, who, called in by the king of Bithynia as auxiliaries, divided the kingdom with him when victory had been won. And so, afterwards mingled with the Greeks, they were called first Gallograeci, later Galatians.

Gaza, a notable city of Palestine, which among the ancients was the boundary of the Chananaeans towards the south. But the traces of its foundations scarcely show the site of the ancient Gaza. The one now seen was built in another place, in place of the one that fell.

Graecia, a certain province of Achaia, which by Greek writers was called Hellas. In it is the city of the Athenians, once called Attica.

H

Hadrumetus, a city in Bizantium, a region of Africa.

Hadria, or Adria, the name of the sea facing Ravenna, which is entered through the mouths of the river Padus, the name being taken ⟨…⟩ city, which ⟨…⟩ to the same sea ⟨…⟩ Jerusalem, once the metropolis of the whole ⟨…⟩ by Aelius Hadrian Caesar ⟨…⟩ built ⟨…⟩ site ⟨…⟩ Whose ⟨…⟩ is ⟨…⟩ passion and resurrection ⟨…⟩ once outside the city ⟨…⟩ by the northern wall ⟨…⟩

I

Iconium, a city ⟨…⟩ another in Cilicia.

Joppe, a town of Palestine ⟨…⟩ Dan, where even today rocks ⟨…⟩ to which Andromeda, bound, is said to have been freed by the protection of Perseus

Italy, a region in the homeland of the Romans ⟨…⟩

taking its name; on the south-west and on the north it is girt by the Great Sea, and the remainder is shut in by the barriers of the Alps.

Judaea: sometimes the whole land of the twelve tribes is so called, sometimes only the two tribes which were once called Juda, to distinguish them from Galilee and Samaria and the other regions in the land of promise. And it is to be noted that among the historians Judaea belongs to Palestine, but Galilee and Samaria to Phoenice.

L

Lasea, a coastal city of the island of Crete, near the place which is called Fair Havens, as Luke himself sets out. In its place some read, corruptly, Thalassa.

There are two provinces of Libya. One is Libya Cyrenaica, of which it is said: And the part of Libya which is about Cyrene (Acts 2). This is the first after Egypt in the region of Africa, and gave its name to the Libyan Sea. After it is the Libya of the Ethiopians, reaching as far as the southern Ocean.

Lycaonia, a province of Asia. There is also a city of the same name in Lesser Phrygia

Lycia, a province of Asia.

Lydda, a city of Palestine set on the shore of the great sea, which is now called Diospolis.

Lystra, a city of Lycaonia.

M

Macedonia, a most noble province of the Greeks, and made more noble by the valour of Alexander the Great.

Madian, a city near the Arnon and Areopolis, of which only the ruins are pointed out, where Moses lived in exile with Jetro his father-in-law.

The Medes, named after Madai the son of Japhet. Between the river Indus and the river Tigris there are these regions, reaching from Mount Caucasus as far as the Red Sea: Aracusia, Parthia, Assyria, Persida and Media, all of which sacred Scripture often calls by the name of Media.

Mesopotamia, a region between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, which by its very name in Greek is shown to be set in the midst of rivers. To the south of it there follows Babylonia, then Chaldaea, last of all Arabia Eudaemon.

Miletus, a coastal city in Asia, set apart ten stadia from the mouth of the river Maeander, where Paul addresses the elders of the Ephesians. There is also an obscure island of the same name, in the Aegean or Ionian Sea.

Mysia, a province of Asia, now called Aeolis. There is also another of the same name beside the river Danube. And there are authorities who say that the Mosi, the Bryges and the Thyni crossed over from Europe, from whom in Asia are named the ⟨…⟩i, the Phrygians and the Bithynians.

⟨…⟩lene, an island facing Asia, which is seven thousand five hundred paces distant from the nearest ⟨…⟩.

N

Nazareth, a little village in Galilee near Mount Tha⟨…⟩r, whence also our Lord Jesus Christ was called Na⟨…⟩us. And it has a church in the place where the angel entered to bring the good news to blessed Mary, and also another where the Lord was brought up.

Neapolis, a city of Caria, which is a province of Asia.

O

The Mount of Olives, to the east of Jerusalem, with the brook Cedron flowing between. There the last footprints of the Lord, pressed into the ground, are shown even today. And although the earth is daily carried away from that same spot by the faithful, nevertheless the same holy footprints at once regain their former state. Indeed, when the church in whose midst they are was being built, round in plan and of most beautiful workmanship, its highest summit alone, as they relate, could in no way be roofed over and vaulted, because of the passage of the Lord's body; but the path of His going stands open all the way to heaven.

P

Pamphylia is a province of Asia.

Paphus, a coastal city on the island of Cyprus, once famous for the rites of Venus and the songs of the poets, which, having fallen through frequent earthquakes, now shows only by the traces of its ruins what it once was.

The Parthians are situated between the river Indus, which is on the east, and the river Tigris, which is on the west, as was said above.

Patara, a city of the province of Lycia in Asia.

Perge, a city of the province of Pamphylia.

Philippi, a city in the first part of Macedonia.

Pisidia, a province of Asia.

Pontus, a region of many peoples beside the Pontic Sea, which divides Asia and Europe, and which is known to be sweeter than the others because of the very great inflow from the mouths of the Danube.

Ptolemais, a coastal city of Judaea near Mount Carmel, which was once called Acho. There is another Ptolemais in the Pentapolis, a province of Africa, which I mentioned above.

Puteoli, a city, a colony of Campania, also called Dicaearchea.

R

Rhegium, a coastal city of Sicily, set apart twenty thousand paces from the promontory of Pelorus, whose name in Greek is interpreted breaking-away, because this part of Sicily, once joined to the Bruttian land of Italy, was afterwards torn away when the sea poured in between, the strait being fifteen thousand paces in length, and in breadth one thousand five hundred near the Royal Column. In this strait is the rock Scylla, and likewise Charybdis, a sea full of whirlpools, both famous for their savagery.

Rhodes, the most noble of the Cyclades islands, and the first from the east, once called Ophiusa. On it there was a city of the same name, famous for its bronze colossus seventy cubits in height. It is twenty thousand paces distant from the harbour of Asia.

Rome, a city in Italy, once mistress of the whole world, so called from the name of its founder Romulus. Because of its surpassing excellence most writers preferred to call it the City, as if it were the only one.

S

Salamis, a city on the island of Cyprus, now called Constantia, which in the time of the emperor Trajan the Jews destroyed, after killing all its inhabitants.

Salomon, a coastal city of the island of Crete.

Samaria, a royal city in Israel, set on the summit of Mount Somer. And the whole region that lay around it had once taken its name from the city, lying midway between Judaea and Galilee. This city was called by Herod, the son of Antipater, in honour of Augustus Caesar, by the Greek name Sebaste, that is, Augusta.

Samos, an island in the Aegean Sea, on which earthenware vessels are related to have first been found. Hence also vessels have been called Samian.

Samothracia, an island in the Carpathian Gulf.

Sarona, which is interpreted level country, is a region reaching from Caesarea of Palestine as far as the town of Joppe. And to this day it is a place fit for pasturing flocks; and, in keeping with the quality of its soil, when Peter preached it at once brought forth the fruits of faith. But the region between Mount Thabor and the lake of Tiberias is also called Saron.

Seleucia, a noble city of Syria, set on the promontory of Syria of Antioch.

Sichem, the city of Jacob, now called Neapolis, near the tomb of Joseph, which took its name from the son of Emor its king; near it the Lord speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well, where a church has now been built on the side of Mount Garizim.

Sicily is marked out by three promontories, whence it was once called Trinacria from its triangular shape, and later was called Sicily from King Siculus. The first promontory is called Pelorum, and it looks towards the north; next to it is the city of Messana, Italia (sic) the promontory of Caenys, at an interval of twelve stadia. The second is called Pachynum, which faces the south-east wind. The third is called Lilybaeum, having a city of the same name, and it is directed towards the west.

Sidon, a notable city of Phoenice, once the boundary of the Chananaeans, set towards the north near the rise of Mount Lebanon, and itself a maker of glass.

Sina, a mountain in the region of Madian beyond Arabia, in the desert, which by another name is called Horeb. Hence it is said: And they made a calf in Horeb (Ps. 105), although Moses wrote that this was done at Sina.

Syracuse, the metropolis of Sicily, under the promontory of Pachynum.

Syria, which in Hebrew is called Aram, is a region between the river Euphrates and the Great Sea, reaching as far as Egypt. It has as its greatest provinces Comagena, Phoenicia and Palestine, besides the Saracens and the Nabathaeans, whose peoples are twelve.

The Syrtes, sandy places in the Great Sea, greatly terrible and to be feared, because they are wont to snatch everything to themselves, and stick fast where the shallow sea approaches. They are near the Egyptian Sea, and are mingled with it alike.

Smyrna, a city of the province of Lycia in Asia, which Luke mentions thus: And sailing over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Smyrna of Lycia (Acts 27); for which some manuscripts have we came to Lystra, which is of Cilicia. Jerome, moreover, in the book of Hebrew Names, puts Myrrha, and interprets it bitter.

T

Tarsus, the metropolitan city of the province of Cilicia, made glorious by Paul the Apostle.

Theatre, a place borrowing its name from spectacle, because in it the people, from above and looking on, would watch the stage plays.

Thessalonica, a city of Macedonia.

Thyathira, a city of Lydia, which is a province of Asia, once famous for a temple of Aesculapius. Of it was a citizen that Lydia, the porphyropolis, that is, seller of purple, who received the faith of Christ at Philippi.

Tyre, the metropolis of Phoenice, in the tribe of Nephthalim, near the twentieth milestone from Caesarea Philippi. It was once an island, divided by a very deep sea for seven hundred paces, but it was made joined to the land by Alexander, for the sake of its capture, with many mounds in the narrow strait ⟨…⟩ Its renown is chiefly in the purple shellfish and ⟨…⟩

Troas, a ⟨…⟩ city of Asia ⟨…⟩