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

10SIUS.:HOSIDIIS. 529
IHO'SIUS ('Ooos, i. e. Holy), sometimes written Nicatc 7rT:TrLPv ~Sevfo), an expression' which TilleO'SIUS, an eminent Spanish ecclesiastic of the mont interprets of his composing the creed. We
fourth century. As he was above a century old at hear little of Hosius until the council of Sardica,
the time of his death, his birth cannot be fixed A. D. 347, where he certainly took a leading part,
later than A. D. 257, and is commonly fixed in 256. and at which probably he was again president. In
That he was a Spaniard is generally admitted, A. D. 355 Constantius endeavoured to persuade
though if he be (as Tillemont not unreasonably Hosius to write in condemnation of Athanasius,
suspects), the person mentioned by Zosimus (ii. 29), and the attempt, which was not successful, drew
he was an Egyptian by birth. That he was a from the aged bishop a letter, the only literary renative of Corduba (Cordova) is a mere conjecture main which we have of him, which is given by
of Nicolaus Antonio. As he held the bishopric Athanasius (Hist. Arian. qd Moaach. c. 44). Conof Corduba above sixty years, his elevation to that stantius sent for Hosius to Milan A. D. 355, in hopes
see was not later than A. D. 296. He assisted at the of subduing his firmness, but not succeeding, alcouncil of Iliberi or Eliberi, near Granada, and his lowed him to return. In 356-7 the emperor made
name appears in the Acta of the council as given by a third trial, and with more success. He compelled
Labbe. (Concil. vol. i. col. 967, &c.) The date of this Hosius to attend the council of Sirmium; kept him
council is variously computed. Labbe fixes it in A.D. there for a year in a sort of exile (Athanas. ut sup.
305, and Cave follows him; but Tillemont contends c. 45), and, according to the dying declaration of
for A. D. 300. Hosius suffered, as his own letter the old man, confirmed by Socrates, had him subto the emperor Constantius shows, in the persecu- jected to personal violence. Hosius so far subtion under Diocletian and Maximian, but to what mitted as to communicate with the Arian prelates
extent, and in what manner, is not to be gathered Valens and Ursacius,but could not be brought to confrom the general term " confessus sum," which he demn Athanasius, and with this partial submission
uses. The reverence which his unsullied integrity his persecutors were obliged to be content. (Athaexcited was increased by his endurance of per- nas. 1. c.) This was in 357, and he was dead when
secution; and he acquired the especial favour of Anathasius wrote the account of his sufferings a
the emperor Constantine the Great. In A. D. 324 year after. The manner of his death is disputed.
Constantine sent him to Alexandria with a sooth- An ancient account states that while pronouncing
ing letter, in which he attempted to stop the dis- sentence of deposition on Gregory of Iliberi, who
putes which had arisen between Alexander, the had refused, on account of his prevarication at Sirbishop of Alexandria, and the presbyter Arius. mium, to communicate with him, he died sud[AILEXANDER, ST. p. 1 11; ARIUS.] He was also denly. His memory was regarded differently by
instructed to quiet, if possible, the disputes which different persons; Athanasius eulogises him highly,
had arisen as to the observance of Easter. The and extenuates his tergiversation; Augustin also
choice of Hosius for this conciliatory mission, defends him. (Athanas. Augustin. Euseb. 11. cc.;
which, however, produced no effect, shows the Euseb. De Vit. Constantin. ii. 63, iii. 7; Socrat.
opinion entertained by the emperor of his moder- H. E. i. 7, 8, ii. 20, 29, 31; Soz. i. 10, 16,
ation and judgment. 17, iii. 11; Tillemont, Mgnoires, vol. vii. p. 300,
In A. D. 313 he seems to have been concerned &c.; Ceillier, Auteurs Sacrtes, vol. iv. p. 521, &c.;
in the distribution of money made by Constantine Nicolaus Antonio, Biblioth. Vet. Hisp. lib. ii. c. i.;
to the churches in Africa (Euseb. H. E. x. 6.): Baronius, Annales Eccles.; Galland. Bibi. Patrum,
perhaps it was owing to something which occurred vol. v. Proleq. c. viii.) [J. C. M.]
on this occasion, that he was accused by the Dona- HOSI'DIUS GETA. 1. Was proscribed by the
tists of having assisted Caecilianus in persecuting triumvirs in B. C. 43, and rescued by the ingenious
them, and of having instigated the emperor to severe piety of his son, who, pretending that his father
measures against them. They also affirmed that he had laid violent hands on himself, performed the
had been condemned on some charge not stated by funeral rites for him, and concealed him meanwhile
a synod of Spanish bishops, and absolved by the on one of his farms. To disguise himsIelf more
prelates of Gaul. Augustin (Contra Epistolam effectually, the elder Hosidius wore a bandage over
Parneniani, i. 7) virtually admits the truth of this one eye. He was finally pardoned, but his sinrnstatement; and, from the nature of the Donatist lated blindness was carried on so long as to cause
controversy, it is not improbable that the charge real privation of sight. (Appian, B. C. iv. 41;
was of some unworthy submission during the per- Dion. Cass. xlvii. 10.)
secution of Diocletian-a charge not inconsistent 2. CN. HoSIDIUS GETA, was propraetor of Nuwith the closing incident in the career of Hosius. midia under the emperor Claudius in A. D. 42. He
Hosius certainly'took part in the council of defeated and chased into the desert a Moorish chief
Nicaea (Nice) A.-D.-325; and, although the earlier named Sabalus: but his army was in extreme diswriters, Eusebius, Sozomen, and Socrates give no'tress for water, and Hosidius was doubtful whether
ground for the assertions of Baronius (Annal. Ec- to retreat or continue the pursuit, when a Numidian
cles. ad ann. 325, xx.) that Hosius presided, and recommended him to try magical arts to procure
that in the character of legate of the pope, who was rain. Hosidius made the experiment with such
absent, and even Tillemont admits that the proofs success, that his soldiers were immediately relieved;
of these assertions are feeble, yet it is remarkable and Sabalus deeming him a man of preternatural
that the subscription of Hosius in the Latin copies powers, surrendered. (Dion Cass. lx. 9.) Hosiof the Acta of the council stands first; and Atha- dius was afterwards legatus of A. Plautius in
nasius says that he usually presided in councils, Britain, when he obtained so signal a victory over
and that his letters were always obeyed. Perhaps the' British, that, although a subordinate officer, he
also his presidency may be intimated in what obtained the triumphal ornaments. (Id. lx. 20.)
Athanasius (Histor. Arian. ad Monach. c. 42) According to an inscription (Reines. p. 475; commakes the Arian prelates say to Constantius, that pare Reirnarts, ad Dion. Cass. lx. 9), Hosidius
Hosins had published the Nicene creed ()riv. - was one of the supplementaryconsuls in A, D. 49.
VOL. II. M MA