\ 166. JONAS OF ORLEANS. 711
scholars, probably between 800 and 805. It is still imprinted, except a small portion.1 There yet remain in MS. a Commen tary on the Prophets, and a History of the Monastery of St. Michael.2 Smaragdus also wrote poetry. Besides a hymn to Christ,3 there have been preserved his metrical introductions to his Collections and Commentary on the rule of St. Benedict, of which the first has twenty-nine lines in hexameter, and the second thirty-seven distichs.
§ 166. Jonas of Orleans.
I. JONAS, Aurelianensis episcopus: Opera om?iia, in Migne, Tom. CVI.
col. 117-394.
II. Du PIN, VII. 3, 4. CEILLIER, XII. 389-394. Hist. lit. de la France, V. 20-31. BAHR, 394-398. EBERT, II. 225-230.
JOXAS was a native of Aquitania, and in 821 succeeded Theodulph as archbishop of Orleans. In the first year of his episco pate he reformed the convent at Mici, near Orleans, and there by greatly extended its usefulness. His learning in classical and theological literature joined to his administrative ability made him a leader in important councils, and also led to his frequent employment by Louis the Pious on delicate and diffi cult commissions. Thus the emperor sent him to examine the administration of the law in certain districts of his empire, and in 835 to the monasteries of Fleury and St. Calez in Le Mans. His most conspicuous service was, however, in connection with the gathering of bishops and theologians held at Paris in Nov. 825 to consider the question of image-worship. The emperor sent him and Jeremiah, archbishop of Sens, to Rome to lay be fore the pope that part of the collection of patristic quotations on the subject made by Halitgar and Amalarius, which was most appropriate.4 The issue of this transaction is unknown. He was the leading spirit in the reform council of Paris (829), and probably drew up its acts;5 and again at Diedenhofen,
1 Mabillon, Vetcra analecta, Nov. ed. (Paris, 1723) pp. 357, 358.
2 Of. Mabillon, 1. c 3 Ebert, I. c. p. 112. * Hefele, IV. 46. * Ebert, I. c. p. 226. Hefele does not mention him in this connection.
712 FOUKTH PEKIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
where, on March 4, 835, he dictated the protocol of Ebo's depo sition.1 He died at Orleans in 843 or 844.
His WHITINGS are interesting and important, although few.
1. The layman's rule of life,2 in three books, composed in 828 for Mathfred, count of Orleans, who had requested instruction how to lead a godly life while in the bonds of matrimony. The first and last books are general in their contents, but the second is for the most part specially addressed to married people. As might be expected Jonas takes strong ground against vice in all its forms and so his work has great value in the history of ethics. It is very likely that the second book was composed first.3
2. The King's rule of life? written about 829 and dedicated to Pepin. Both the above-mentioned works are little more than compilations from the Bible and the fathers, especially from Augustin, but the author's own remarks throw a flood of light upon the sins and follies of his time.5
3. The Worship of Images? This is his chief work, and a very important one. It is in three books, and was written against Claudius of Turin. It was nearly finished at the time of the latter 's death (839), and then laid aside since Jonas fancied that the bold position of Claudius would scarcely be assumed by any one else. But when he found that the pupils and followers of Claudius were propagating the same opinions he took up his book again and finished it about 842. It had been begun at the request of Louis the Pious; but he having died in 840, Jonas dedicated the work to his son, Charles the Bald, in a let ter in which the above-mentioned facts about its origin are
1 Hefele, IV. 87.
2 De institutione laicali. Migne, CVL col. 121-278.
3 Ebert, 1. c. p. 229.
4 De institutione regia. Migne, CVL col. 279-306.
5 The fact that portions of these two books not only agree word for word but also with the Acts of the Paris reform-council of 829 is proof, as Ebert main tains (pp. 227-29), of the prior existence of the Acts.
6 De cuLtu imaginum, Migne, CVI. col. 305-388.