A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

SALONIUS and VERANUS.

SALONIUS and VERANUS, the Sons of S. Eucherius, were brought up in the Monastry of Lerins, under the Government of Honoratus, and Hilary, and instructed after∣ward * 1.1 by Vincentius, and Salvian. They were Bishops in France, but it is not well known of what City a 1.2, but it is very probable, that they were Bishops in the Province of the Alps, bordering upon the Mediterranean Sea, of which Ambrun was the Metropolis. They wrote with Ceretius a Letter to S. Leo, to thank him for sending them a Copy of his Letter written to Flavian. Their Letter is found among S. Leo's Letters. Veranus wrote also to this Pope in defence of the Rights of Ingenuus Arch-Bishop of * 1.3 Ambrun, and received an An∣swer from Hilary, S. Leo's Successor. Salonius was present at the Council of Orange held in 441, and Veranus was Commissioned by Pope Hilary to put S. Leo's Orders in execution, touching the Uniting the Castle of Nyssa to the Church of Cemele. We have under the Name of Salonius an Explication of the Proverbs of Solomon in the form of a Dialogue be∣tween himself and his Brother Veranus, which clears by Question and Answer the Text of this Book of Solomon. He hath also a Mystical Exposition [of the Book of Ecclesiastes] composed in the same way. The Stile of these Dialogues is plain, and neat, the greatest part of his Explications are inclining to Morality. [They are extant in Biblioth. Patr. Tom. 8.]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Salonius & Veranus.
• a 1.2

  It is not well known, &c.] There is no doubt but that they were Bishops, Salvian says, That after they had been his Scholars they became Masters of the Church. Gennadius also says, That they were Bishops, and the Letter written to S. Leo, as well as the Answer of Pope Hilarius are Authentick Testimonies of their Dignity, but none of the Ancients have taken notice of what City they were Bishops. Sidonius Apollinaris in Letter 15. Lib. 7. directed to Salonius, tells us, That they Inha∣bited a Country near Vienna, which makes some think, that Salonius was Bishop of Vienna, but he was not then Bishop when Sidonius wrote that Let∣ter to him. Ado, who hath made a Catalogue of the Bishops of Vienna, doth not put Salonius among them. Others have believed Salonius and Veranus Bishops of Lyons successively, after their Father S. Eucherius. This Opinion is grounded upon the Catalogues of the Bishops of Lyons, which are ma∣nifestly faulty, for after Eucherius, his Sons Salonius and Veranus are placed, and after them Desiderius who was Bishop of Vienna, and not of Lyons. Be∣sides, Salonius subscribed the Council of Orange in 441, as a Bishop, where S. Eucherius was present. Wherefore he was Bishop of some other City in his Fathers life-time. The 4th Letter of Pope Hilary informs us, That Veranus had written in favour of Ingenuus Arch-Bishop of Ambrun, in the Province of the Sea-Alps, and that he was in Commission for the affairs that concerned the Bishopricks of that Province, which gives reason to conjecture that he was a Bishop of that Province. This a∣grees also with an Ancient MS. of the Monastry of Lerins, where Veranus, who is entitled Bishop of Vincium, is reckoned among the Saints of that Mo∣nastery. This is the Judgment of Baralis in his Chronology of Lerins, where he attributes the same Bishoprick to Veranus. It is probable, that Salonius was Bishop of the same Province, as well as Ceretius, since they have all three written to S. Leo together, and they seem to have done it distinct∣ly from the other French Bishops, for fear only least they should prejudice the Rights of their Me∣tropolitan, and their Province, by joining with other Bishops, who would have them depend on them. It is likewise very probable, that Salonius was Bishop of Geneva, and 'tis of him that it is observed in Usuardus's Martyrology, on Septemb. the 28th. Civitate Januis Sancti Salonii Episcopi & Con∣fessoris; And in other Martyrologies, Geneva Civi∣tate depositio Sancti Salonii. This Name hath been altered in Bede's Martyrology, and hath been made Salomon. Of Salonius is made Salomus, as we find in some Manuscripts, and Salomus hath been changed into Salomon, as it is in the Roman Martyrology. Genua, or Januis, is taken for Gennes, and that is Geneva. In the Subscriptions of the Council of Lyons, held in 570, under King Guntheram, we find Episcopus Ecclesiae Genevensis. If that Subscription be true, there must have been Two Bishops of Ge∣neva of the same Name. There was also at that time another Salonius Bishop of Ambrun famous for his Crimes.
• * 1.3

  Ebredu∣num.