2 Novatus the Carthaginian was the chief ally of Novatian, who, about the middle of the third century, founded the sect of the Cathari, or pure. The allusion is to the severity with which they treated the lapsed.
3 Maximilla and Priscilla, who forsook their husbands and followed him, professing to be inspired prophetesses. Circ. a.d. 150. Montanus, like Novatian, refused to re-admit the lapsed.
6 In Jerome's text, "limped in both its feet." It seemed better to give the accepted meaning.
10 That is, Epiphanius. See Jerome, Letter LI. c. 6. Epiphanius prays that God would free John anti Rufinus and all their flock from all heresies.
11 The doctrine that the Son is of "one substance with the Father." More correctly of one essence, etc.
12 The meaning is that, where error is widespread, the Church authorities are forced to wink at speciously expressed error in the pastors.
14 John complained of the ordination of Paulinianus, Jerome's brother, to the priesthood by Epiphanius, for the monastery of Bethlehem.
16 Origen's great speculative work "On First Principles."
21 Vettius Agorius Pr`textatus, one of the most virtuous of the heathen. Jerome writes of him to Marcella (Letter XXIII. 2): "I wish you to know that the consul designate is now in Tartarus."
23 Ps. cxxxix. 21, Ps. cxxxix. 22.
28 Eunomius held that the Son "resembles the Father in nothing but his working," and similar doctrines.
29 Of Sebaste, in the Lesser Armenia. Epiphanius described him as an Arian. He asserted that Bishops and Presbyters were equal.
30 This probably relates to Rufinus, whose name was mentioned by Epiphanius in his letter to John.
35 Acts xxiii. 5; Ex. xxii. 28.
36 A celebrated orator of Athens, many of whose orations are extant. B. 458, d. 378 b.c.
37 This story is from the 4th Declamation of Seneca.
38 Literally "devours his wrongs."
44 The names of the officers of the Roman Legion (some of them of doubtful meaning), viz., tribunes, primicerius, senator, duce-narius, centenarius, biarchus, circitor, eques, have been rendered approximately by these English equivalents.
45 That is, apparently, with a play upon the word, Men of Mud.
52 Jussione. Another reading, "Eâdem ratione et visione," might be rendered, "In the same condition and the same appearance."
57 That is, the reason of the seed.
58 1 Cor. xv. 35, 1 Cor. xv. 37.
59 1 Cor. xv. 42, 1 Cor. xv. 44.