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

666 RUFINUS, - RUFINUS.
under Alexander Severus, which appears from his Jerome, eager to escape all suspicion of adherence
consulting Paulus (Dig. 40. tit. 13. s. 4). There to such errors, vehemently supported Epiphanius,
are in the Digest seventeen excerpts from twelve bishop of Salamis, in his attack upon John of Jebooks of Regulae by Rufinus, according to the rusalem, by whom Rufinus had been ordained a
Florentine Index; but one excerpt (Dig. 42. tit. 1. presbyter, and to whom he was warmly attached.
s. 34) is superscribed Lib. XIII., which, however, The seeds of enmity planted by this controversy
proves nothing, as error easily occurs in such a were cherished into vigour by the characteristic
numeral. The name of Licinius Rufinus appears heat of Jerome, whose denunciations of his former
in the Geneva edition of the Collatio Legum Mo- companion became, by quick degrees, more and
saicarum et Romanarzum, as the compiler; but this more fierce and unsparing; but before the quarrel
Rufinus cannot be the contemporary of Paulus, for had ripened into inextinguishable hatred, its prothe Collatio was compiled after the publication of gress was checked by the interposition and explanathe Code of Theodosius; not to mention other tions of honest friends, and a solemn reconciliation
arguments. (Zimmern, Geschlichlte des Rim. Privat- took place at Jerusalem, on Easter day, A. D. 397.
rechts, vol. i.) [G. L.] In the autumn of the same year Rufinus emRUFI'NUS, ME'NNIUS, one of the generals barked for Italy, along with Melania, and having
of Vitellius, A. D. 69. (Tac. Hist. iii. 12.) been hospitably entertained by Paulinus [PAULIRUFI'NUS, TREBO'NIUS, a friend of the NUS], at Nola, betook himself from thence, withyounger Pliny, had been decemvir, or one of out visiting the metropolis, to the monastery of Pithe chief magistrates, of the Roman colony of netum. Hither multitudes flocked for the purpose
Vienna in Gaul. (Plin. Ep. iv. 22.) He is pro- of making inquiries with regard to the ceremonies
bably the same person as the Rufinus to whom one and liturgies of the sister Churches of the East,
of Pliny's letters is addressed. (Ep. viii. 18.) the rules of the most celebrated coenobitical fraterRUFI'NUS, TRIA'RIUS, consul in A. D. 210 nities, the Greek ecclesiastical writers, and various
with M'. Acilius Faustinus. (Fasti.) other points upon which orte who had been so
RUFI'NUS, C. VI'BIUS, consul suffectus in long resident in Asia and Egypt would be capable
A. D. 22. (Fasti.) of imparting information. The intelligence thus
RUFI'NUS, literary. 1. TYRANNIUS or TUR- obtained proved so interesting, that the learned
RANIUS, or TORSNUS, as the name is variously traveller was earnestly solicited to gratify curiosity
written, must have been born about the middle of the still further, by translating into Latin some of
fourth century, but neither the precise date nor the those productions to which he had been in the
place of his nativity can be determined with cer- habit of referring most frequently. With this retainty, although some of his biographers have con- quest, not foreseeing the storm he was about to
fidently fixed upon A. D. 345, for the former, and excite, he willingly complied, and accordingly pubConcordia, near the head of the Adriatic, as the lished translations of the Apology for Origen by
latter. After he had attained to manhood he became Pamphilus, and of the books of Origen IIspl dpXCV,
an inmate of the monastery at Aquileia, where, upon together with an original tract De Adulteratione
acquiring a knowledge of the principles and rites of Librorum Origenis, while in the preface to the De
Christianity, he received the sacrament of baptism, Principiis, either from a wish to avoid any misconin 371 or 372, from the hands of the presbyter ception of his own views, or from some feeling of
Chromatius. At this epoch also he formed that lurking malice, he quoted the panegyric pronounced
close intimacy with Hieronymus which was long by Jerome upon Origen, of which we have made
maintained with great mutual warmth, but event- mention above. The appearance of these works proually most rudely dissolved. Having conceived an duced a violent ferment. Pammachius and Oceanus
eager desire to visit Palestine, Rufinus set out, represented the transaction in the most unfavourable
almost immediately after his admission into the light to Jerome, whose wrath blazed forth more
Church, for Syria, in the train of Melania, a noble, hotly than ever; all attempts to bring about a
wealthy, and devout Roman matron, and remained better understanding served only, from the bad
in the East for about twenty-six years, passing a faith of the negotiators, to feed the flame; a bitter
portion of his time at Alexandria, where he en- correspondence followed, which was crowned by
joyed the instructions of Didymus and other learned the Apologia of the one adversus Hieronymum, and
fathers; and the rest at Jerusalem, where he took the Apologia of the other adversus Rufinum.
up his abode with the monks on the Mount of Soon after the commencement of the dispute
Olives, making frequent excursions, however, in Rufinus retired to Aquileia, and during the life of
different directions, in company with Melania, to Siricius, was steadily supported by the pontifical
whom he seems to have acted as spiritual adviser court. But, upon the elevation of Anastasius, he
and almoner. During the earlier part of the above was summoned by the new pope to repair to Rome,
period he maintained a most affectionate corre- for the purpose of answering the charges preferred
spondence with Jerome, who had retired to the against his orthodoxy: this mandate, however, he
desert between Antiocll and the Euphrates, and evaded, and, instead of appearing in person, transalthough they met once only (in 385), their friend- mitted an Apologia, in which he explains his real
ship continued uninterrupted up to 393, when bitter views, and altogether disavows any participation
strife arose. Both had been warm admirers of in the dangerous doctrines imputed to him by his
Origen, and this admiration had been expressed in enemies. Anastasius replied by an epistle, in
the most emphatic terms by Jerome, in the preface which he condemned, most unequivocally,the tenets
to his translation of the Homilies upon the Song of Origen, and censured indirectly the rashness of
of Solomon. But when the doubtful tendency of his translator, without, however, seeking further to
many of the theories involved in the imaginative disturb him in his retreat. After the death of
orientalisms of Origen began by degrees to be more Anastasius in 402, the flames which had raged fuclearly discerned, and when the cry of heresy, first riously for upwards of three years, gradually became
raised by Theophilus, became loud and strong, more faint, and at length expired altogether, Rutfi