Chapter XXXIV.
Victor, [2436] thirteenth bishop of Rome, wrote, On the Paschal Controversy and some other small works. He ruled the church for ten years in the reign of the Emperor Severus.
[2436] Bishop about 190 (or 185 according to others) died 202 or 197.
Chapter XXXV.
Irenæus, [2437] a presbyter under Pothinus the bishop who ruled the church of Lyons in Gaul, being sent to Rome as legate by the martyrs of this place, on account of certain ecclesiastical questions, presented to Bishop Eleutherius certain letters under his own name which are worthy of honour. Afterwards when Pothinus, nearly ninety years of age, received the crown of martyrdom for Christ, he was put in his place. It is certain too that he was a disciple of Polycarp, the priest and martyr, whom we mentioned above. He wrote five books Against heresies and a short volume, Against the nations and another On discipline, a letter to Marcianus his brother On apostolical preaching, a book of Various treatises; also to Blastus, On schism, [2438] to Florinus On monarchy or That God is not the author of evil, also an excellent Commentary on the Ogdoad [2439] at the end of which indicating that he was near the apostolic period he wrote "I adjure thee whosoever shall transcribe this book, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by his glorious advent at which He shall judge the quick and the dead, that you diligently compare, after you have transcribed, and amend it according to the copy from which you have transcribed it and also that you shall similarly transcribe this adjuration as you find it in your pattern." Other works of his are in circulation to wit: to Victor the Roman bishop On the Paschal controversy in which he warns him not lightly to break the unity of the fraternity, if indeed Victor believed that the many bishops of Asia and the East, who with the Jews celebrated the passover, on the fourteenth day of the new moon, were to be condemned. But even those who differed from them did not support Victor in his opinion. He flourished chiefly in the reign of the Emperor Commodus, who succeeded Marcus Antoninus Verus in power.
[2437] Born between 140 and 145, died 202 or later.
[2438] schismH A 31 a e Val. Eusebius etc: chrism A T 25 30.
[2439] Ogdoad"Octava" is translation for "Ogdoad" used by Eusebius and explained to refer to the Valentinian Ogdoads. (M'Giffert.)
Chapter XXXVI.
Pantaenus, [2440] a philosopher of the stoic school, according to some old Alexandrian custom, where, from the time of [2441] Mark the evangelist the ecclesiastics were always doctors, was of so great prudence and erudition both in scripture and secular literature that, on the request of the legates of that nation, he was sent to India by Demetrius bishop of Alexandria, where he found that Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles, had preached the advent of the Lord Jesus according to the gospel of Matthew, and on his return to Alexandria he brought this with him written in Hebrew characters. Many of his commentaries on Holy Scripture are indeed extant, but his living voice was of still greater benefit to the churches. He taught in the reigns of the emperor Severus and Antoninus surnamed Caracalla.
[2440] At Alexandria about 179, died about 216.
[2441] T reads following the example of and makes a more manageable text.
Chapter XXXVII.
Rhodo, [2442] a native of Asia, instructed in the Scriptures at Rome by Tatian whom we mentioned above, published many things especially a work Against Marcion in which he tells how the Marcionites differ from one another as well as from the church and says that the aged Apelles, another heretic, was once engaged in a discussion with him, and that he, Rhodo, held Apelles up to ridicule because he declared that he did not know the God whom he worshipped. He mentioned in the same book, which he wrote to Callistion, that he had been a pupil of Tatian at Rome. He also composed elegant treatises On the six days of creation and a notable work against the Phrygians. [2443] He flourished in the reigns of Commodus and Severus.
[2442] Flourished 186.
[2443] Phrygians A 31 a e with Eusebius; Cataphrygians T 25 30 "according to the usage of the Latins" (cf. M'Giffert).