THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
tion. The decision depends on the question of its sources.
The names and dates of the lives are drawn
demonstrably from two sources. One is the Cata-
logus Liberianus, a list of popes ending with Li-
berius (352-366). This is a part of
Sources the Chronographus anni 854, the well-
and Date, known Roman state calendar, and is taken, down to 235 (Pontianus), from the Liber generationis of Hippolytus, and later from church calendars.
The second list is handed down in different forms of various length, but these may all be traced back to a single clearly distinguishable archetype (designated by Mommsen as Index). The first compiler adhered in the main to the Catalogus Liberianus, because this is more explicit in relation to the earlier times; and only from Liberius down is the Index the sole source for the dates. At all events, a collation is possible down to Sixtus III. (d. 440), through data from Prosper's Chronicon, which exhibits an agreement in dates. The student of papal chronology will naturally turn, not to the Liber pontificalis but to its sources, as the former is merely a secondary authority. Indeed, even the other historical matter of the older portion is derived from other works. Their number is very great, their value generally very small; so that the historical statements are untrustworthy down to about the time of Anastasius II. (496-498). A single exception may be made in favor of the enumeration of buildings erected and gifts made by the popes, doubtless dating back to the substance of papal archives, and constituting the best feature of the oldest portion. From Anastasius II. the accounts of the political history of the popes become more trustworthy. In this way there is obtained a criterion for deciding the question as to the age of the first compilation. It is safe to conclude with Duchesne, against Mommsen, that the oldest form of the Liber pontificalis dates from the beginning of the sixth century; a deduction favored not only by the fact that the lives of the early sixth century afford superior historical matter, but also by the existence of an extract, ending with the life of Felix IV. (526-530), the so-called Catalogus Felicianus. Possibly this may afford ground for referring the original compilation to the time of Boniface II., successor to Felix IV This first edition then came to serve as pattern for a whole series of others, e.g., an edition closing with the life of Conon (d. 687), the existence of which is attested by an abstract, ending with Conon (Catalogus Cononianus), and by the list of popes, likewise ending with Conon, of the earliest manuscript of the Liber pontificalis, dating from the close of the seventh century. Another recension closed with Constantine I. (d. 715), and still others with Stephen II. (d. 757), Stephen III. (d. 772), and Adrian I. (d. 795). From the sixth century down, the biographies were for the most part begun in the lifetime of their subjects. Specially noteworthy in this respect are the lives of Gregory II. (715-731), Valentine (827), and Sergius II. (844-847). The life of Gregory II. was used by Bede (q.v.) as a source for his chronicle, and thus must certainly
have been begun before the death of this pope. The life of Valentine contains very full particulars of his birth, education, election and virtuesbut as he died only a few days after his election it must have been written immediately upon his elevation. The life of Sergius II. begins with fulsome praise of his virtues, then suddenly breaks off: the virtuous pope becomes the direct opposite and exaggerated praise turns to vehement censure; so that we may suppose that the first portion was composed in his lifetime, the second after his death. Owing to this contemporary composition, the Liber pontificalis is one of the most valuable sources for the history of those centuries. It is true that in consequence of the official character of the compilation — the biographies are all composed by officers of the papal household — a certain fixed terminology is noticeable, especially in the later lives, which notably prevails in the forms of introduction and conclusion, as well as in stereotyped phrases for describing the pope's personality; but still the careful student will know how to appreciate the work, despite its defects, as an excellent witness respecting the conceptions and standpoint of the papal court. In this period, if at all, the work of Anastasius Bibliothecarius (q.v.) must have been done.
The old Liber pontificalis stops at the close of the ninth century. For the tenth and eleventh, there exist only meager lists of popes. The Hildebrandine epoch produced the great biographies of Leo IX. and Gregory VII. Bonizo of Sutri, in his Liber ad amicum, interweaves the history of the popes from Leo IX. to Gregory VII. in the style of the early Liber pontificalis, summarizes, in the fourth book of his Decretals, the papal Continua- history to Stephen V., and gives an tions. outline as far as Urban II. Cardinal Beno writes the history of Gregory VII.; the compilers of Annates Romani give the history of the years 1044-73, 1111, 1116-21. But none of these are continuations of the early Liber pontificalis. It was not till the twelfth century that definite continuations were undertaken. One of these, described by Duchesne as the Liber pontificalis of Pierre Guillaume (though more correctly termed of Pandulph from its author, a cardinal of the party of the Antipope Anacletus II.) is a partizan tract in favor of Anacletus. From Peter to Adrian II. he copies the old Liber pontificalis; from John VIII. to the end of the eleventh century, a papal catalogue. He takes the biographies of Gregory VII. and Urban II. from the records of these popes; and only with Paschal II. does he begin a vivid portraiture of his contemporaries: it is probable that the life of Paschal II. is by another (unknown) author, as it shows a different style from that which follows, and especially lacks the peculiar cadence of the papal documents, the so-called Cursus Leoninus, conspicuous in the subsequent biographies. On the other hand, the lives of Gelasius II., Calixtus II., Honorius II., are certainly Pandulph's. Written as a partizan tract, this work fell into oblivion after the death of Anacletus II.; nor was it employed until the end of the fourteenth century, when a Frenchman, Pierre