A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

HIERONYMU1S. HIERONYMUS.: 467,
nounced authentic, differ materially from each other remiah. (See Cassiodor. Tnstit. c. 3.) 4. Alexandri
in sense as well as in words. Aphlrodisei Commentarii Latine conversi. (See Ep,
The Old Testament, or. the Canon Hebraicae 50, ad Domnionem.) 5. Liber ad Abundantium
Veritatis, was anciently divided into three orders, (or, Antium). No allusion is to be found to this
Primus Ordo, Legis, comprehending the Penta- piece in any ancient author except Cassiodorus
teuch; Secundus Ordo, Prophetarum, Joshua, (Instit. c. 2). 6. De Similitudine Carnei Peccuti
Judges, Samuel, I. and II., Kings, I. and II., Isaiah, contra Manichaeos. Designated as a short and
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Pro- very elegant work of Hieronymus by Agobardus
phets; Tertius Ordo, Hagiograpkorum; Job, Psalms, (adv. Fel. c. 39.) For full information with regard
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Solomon's' Song, Daniel, to these consult the dissertations of Vallarsi.
Verba Dierum, or Chronicles I. and II., Ezra, and Having given a full list of the genuine and lost
Esther; to which are sometimes added a fourth works of Jerome, it is unnecessary to add a catardo, including the books of the Apocrypha. In logue of those which have from time to time been
like manner the New Testament was divided into erroneously ascribed to his pen, and which found
the Ordo Evangeliceus,containing Matthew, Mark, their way into the earlier editions. Many of these
Luke, and John; and Ordo Apostolicus, contain- are collected in the fifth volume of the Benedictine
ing the remainder, from the Acts to the Apoca- edition, while Vallarsi has placed some as appen.
lypse. dices among the. genuine works, and thrown the
rest together into the second and third parts of his
eleventh volume.
The lost works of Jerome are divided by Val- Jerome was pronounced by the voice of antiquity
larsi into two classes: I. Those which unques- the most learned and eloquent among the Latin
tionably existed at one period; II. Those of which fathers, and this judgment has been confirmed by
the existence at any time is very doubtful. To the the most eminent scholars of modern times. His
first class belong,- profound knowledge of the Latin, Greek, and
1. Interpretatio vetus SS. V. T. ex Graeco rcv Hebrew languages; his familiarity with ancient
LXX. emendata, of which we have already spoken history and philosophy, his personal acquaintance
in our account of- the history of the Vulgate. 2. with the manners and scenery of the East, enabled
Evangelium juxta Hebraeos, written in the Chal- him to illustrate with great force and truth many
daean dialect, but in Hebrew characters. Jerome of the darkest passages in Scripture. But notobtained a copy of this from some Nazareans living withstanding all these advantages, his commentariea
at Beroea in Syria, probably at the time when he must be employed with the greatest caution. The
himself was in the wastes of Chalcis, and trans- impetuosity of his temperament induced, him
lated it into Greek and Latin. Some suppose that eagerly to seize upon any striking idea suggested
this was the Gospel' according to St. Matthew in by his own fancy or by the works -or conversation
its original form, but this does not seem to have of his contemporaries, and to pour forth with inbeen the opinion of Jerome himself (Comment. in cautious haste a mass of imposing but crude conMatthl. xii. 13, de Viris Ill. 2, 3). 3. Specinen ceptions. Hence we can detect many glaring
Commentarii in Abdiam, composed in early youth inconsistencies, many palpable contradictions, many
while dwelling in solitude in the Syrian desert, grievous errors. The dreamy reveries of Origen
and revised after a lapse of thirty years. 4. Coin- are mixed up with the fantastic fables of Jewish
menatarii in Psalmos, not to be confounded with the tradition, and the plainest texts obscured by a
confessedly spurious Breviarium in Psalmos. The cloudy veil of allegory and mysticism. Nor, while
extent of this work, whether it comprehended the we admire his uncompromising boldness and energy
whole of the Psalms, or was confined to a few in advocating a good cause, can we cease to regret
only, is absolutely unknown. Tillemont has conjec- the' total absence of gentleness, meekness, and
tured that it consisted of extracts from homilies of Christian charity, which characterises all his conOrigen on the entire Psalter. 5. Commentarioli in troversial encounters. However resolute lie may
Psalnos, frequently referred to under this title in have been in'struggling against the lusts of the
the first book against Rufinus. 6. Versio Latina flesh, he never seems to have considered it a duty
Libri Origeniani lkpl Apx^Cv. A few fragments are to curb the fiery promptings of a violent temper.
to be found in Ep. 124, ad A vitum. (See Ed. Bened. He appears to have regarded his opponents with
vol. v. p. 255.) 7. Versio Libri Th7eoplili Episcopi all the acrimony of envenomed personal hostility,
Alexand'rini in S. Joannzem Chrysostomum. A very and gives vent to his fuiry in the bitterest invective.
few fragments remain. 8. Epistolae. We find Nor were these denunciations by any means'in
allusions to many letters which have altogether proportion to the real importance of the question
disappeared. A catalogue of them, with all the in debate; it was chiefly when any of his own
information attainable, will be found in Vallarsi. favourite tenets were impugned, or when his own
To the second class belong, — individual influence was threatened, that his wrath
1. Quaestiones Hebraicae in Vetus Testamentum, became ungovernable. Perhaps the most intemdifferent from those upon Genesis. Jerome certainly perate of all his polemical discourses is the attack
intended to compose' such a work, and even refers upon Vigilantius, who had not attempted to assail
to it several times, especially in'his geographical any of' the vital principles of" the faith, or to advowork on PaleStine; but there seems good reason to cate any dangerous heresy, but who had sought to
believe that it was never finished. 2. Commen- check the rapid progress of corruption;!
tarii breviores ia XII. Propohetas 0l7ropv rnara dicti. The phraseology of Jerome is exceedingly pure,
Different from those now existing. The belief bearing ample testimony to -the diligence' with
that such a work'existed isfounded upon a passage which he must- have studied the choicest models.
in Epist. 49, addressed to Pammachius. 3. Libri No one can read the Vulgate without being struck
XIV. in Jeremiam, in which he is supposed to by the contrast which it presents in the classic
have completed his unfinished commentary upon Je- simplicity of its language to the degenerate: affecta.
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