Prophets, and St. Paul's epistles: which last is in manuscript in the public library at Cambridge, as we are assured by Cave. I place below Fabricius's account of it.

5. In the epistles of Photius, in number 248, published at London in 1651, by R. Montague, bishop of Norwich, many texts of scripture are explained.

6. There is extant in manuscript, in several libraries, a work entitled Amphilochia, consisting of 308 questions, and answers to them, addressed by Photius to Amphilochius, bishop or metropolitan of Cyzicum, to whom several of Photius's letters, published by Montague, are directed. Both Cave and Fabricius have spoken somewhat largely of this work, and deserve to be consulted. The learned Montfaucon observes, that' those questions relate chiefly to divers texts of scripture, with some other matters of literature and in his Bibliotheca Coisliniana he has exhibited the title and first words of each chapter; or the question, and the first words of the answer. Many of those questionsm are treated in the epistles of Photius before mentioned; which, nevertheless, Montfaucon takes no notice of: whereas, it seems to me, it would have well become the diligence of an exact editor, as he put down the titles of the chapters of that work, to have added a reference to the epistles already published, in which the answer might be seen at length. Moreover, after having put down the 308 questions, in the manner above mentioned, he transcribes at length four of them, as specimens of the whole, and as of

In prophetas. MS. in Bib. Vaticanâ, ut ex Possevino Colomesius et Caveus, Fabric ib. p. 566.

In epistolas Pauli.' MS. in Bib. Cantabrigiensi. Ex hoc commentario idem Caveus notat, plura desumsisse Ecumenium, (a quo etiam nomine tenus non raro Photius laudatur) codicem vero istum esse mutilum initio et fine, et totum in epistolam ad Romanos commentarium desiderari. Fabr. ibid. p. h Vid. Fabr. ib. p. 519.

566.

Quæstiones ac Dubia ad Amphilochium Cyzici Metropolitam, de variis S. Scripturæ locis. Extant MSS. grandi volumine, sed absque Photii nomine, in Cl. Segurii Galliæ Cancelarii Bibliothecâ : item in Bibliothesis Vaticanâ, Barberinå, Bavaricâ, et forsan alibi. Cav. T. ii. p. 49. * T. ix. p. 561.

1 Sunt porro quæstiones et plurimum circa loca varia Scripturæ Sacræ tam Veteris quam Novi Testamenti. Intermixtæ quoque sunt aliæ philosophicæ, physicæ, grammaticæ, et aliæ id genus. Ipsæque omnes sunt numero 308. Montf. Bib. Coisl. p. 326.

m Mr. Wolfius computes that about a sixth part of the Amphilochian questions are in the epistles published by Bishop Montague. Quod ad Amphilochia ipsa spectat, sexta circiter illorum pars in epistolis Photii, quas eruditæ Montacutii industriæ debemus, extat. Vid. reliqua. Wolf. Præf. ad Curar. vol. iv. n Ex hisce porro quæstionibus paucas, quæ majoris esse videntur momenti, hic edendas duximus. Bib. Coisl. p. 345. fin.

some special moment: two of which, nevertheless, had been before published in Montague's collection of our author's epistles. One of those two questions Montfaucon recommends to the observation of the learned, as a curiosity. All this Montfauçon perceived, when he came to write his preface: nevertheless, he still calls this last-mentioned question, with the answer, an anecdote; and the better to justify himself, he says, there are some faults in Montague's edition. Well, then, let it be republished from the CoisJinian manuscript, as a better copy, though the errors in Montague are not numerous: but let it not appear as a new thing, or be recommended to the attention of the public as somewhat extraordinary.

The late learned J. Č. Wolfius, of Hamburg, published a large part of the Amphilochian questions, and the answers at length, at the end of the fourth and last volume of his Curæ upon the New Testament.

7. This great critic was a great admirer of the apostle Paul, and celebrates his manly and unaffected eloquence: indeed, in one of his letters, Photius takes notice of a large number of hyperbata, or elliptical expressions, in St. Paul's epistles, where some words are transposed, and do not stand in their natural order; but then, near the conclusion of that letter, he says: There are many like elliptical expressions in Homer, Antimachus, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato, and Demosthenes, and in almost all other poets and orators. We may here recollect what Irenæus said long ago, that the apostle frequently useth hyperbata, because of the rapidity of his words, and because of the mighty 'force of the Spirit in him.'

6

W

8. I shall select a few explications of texts of scripture. The first is in an epistle of Photius, which is also an Amphilochian question. The text is Luke xxii. 44. He says, that to sweat blood," was a proverbial expression, Ep. 144. p. 201. Ep. 209. p. 306. P Quæstio clxvi.

0

Digna sane quæ historiæ ecclesiasticæ peritis offeratur. Cujus hæresis erat Eusebius Pamphili. Bib. Coislin. p. 348.

Vigesimum nonum (anecdoton) ejusdem Photii quæstio, cujus hæresis esset Eusebius Pamphili. In eà vero, quæ de Eusebio agit, mendæ sunt quædam, interque alias, Tola pro Too, quæ lectio sensum alio transfert. Id. in Præf. ad Bib. Coisl.

* Και οίδα ότι εκ αν σοι δοξη παράδοξον, είναι το τοικτον της ελλείψεως ειδος ̇ Πολλά γαρ τοιαυτα και παρ' Ομήρφ, και Αντιμαχῳ, κ. λ. Ep. 166. γ. 240. See vol. ii. p. 176.

V

Ep. 138. p. 193.

W

Qu. 164. ap. Bib. Coisl. p. 338.

* Παροιμια λεγεται, επι των σφοδρα λυπεμένων και αγωνιώντων αἱματι ίδρυσεν. Ώσπερ και επι των πικρώς οδυρομένων· αἱματι κλαιειότι, ώσει

concerning such as were in a great agony of mind. So likewise it is said of such as are in great grief, that they weep tears of blood: nor does St. Luke say that Christ did sweat drops of blood; but that "his sweat was as it were drops of blood;" to signify, that it was not a slight sweat, and that our Lord's whole body was covered over with large and thick drops of sweat, issuing from it, and falling down to the ground.' In this letter it is likewise, that he observes the omission of this paragraph of St. Luke's gospel in some copies, of which notice was taken by us formerly.

6

9. In another epistle, considering Rom. ix. 3, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ," he observes, the apostle does not say, "I wish," but," I could wish," if it were possible:' and afterwards, I could wish, if it were fit, if it were lawful, and if my fall and misery might be beneficial to others.' This I take to be right; and, so far as I can see, this explication removes all the difficulties of that text.

10. There are many excellent counsels and observations to be found in Photius's epistles.

(1.) In the first epistle, which is addressed to Michael, king of Bulgaria: It is one of the commands of Christ, our common Lord, that we should bring forth fruits of righteousness, and not disgrace our faith by our works: so likewise directs Paul, the great master of the church; so Peter, the chief of the apostles, who was entrusted with the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and so the whole choir of the apostles taught the world.'

(2.) In the same epistle: Some say, it is the main office of a prince to make a small city, or commonwealth, great but he says, he should esteem it a greater thing to make it good.'

(3.) To the same prince: If you receive a benefit, be sure to remember it; if you confer a benefit, you will do well soon to forget it. This is an indication of a great mind, and raiseth the value of the benefit conferred.'

(4.) I refer to two other places concerning friendship and ingratitude.

f

Θρόμβοι αίματος, ειπων, ο θρόμβες ίδρωσαι απεφήματα αίματος, κ. λ. Eph. 138. p. 193. y See vol. ii. ch. xxxvi. num. iii. 9.

* Ουδε γαρ ειπεν, Ευχομαι χορισθηναι, αλλ' ηυχομην αν' τετ' εςιν ει δυνατον ŋv, κ. λ. Ep. 216. p. 319. Ηυχομην αν, ει ενεδέχετο, ει

ενεχώρει, ει τις ην αποτασις σωτηριος, κ. λ. Ib. p. 320.

b

Ep. i. p. 21.

e P. 27.

с

Ep. i. p. 30.

P. 37.

d Ib. p. 34.

CHAP. CLXII.

CECUMENIUS.

1. CAVE speaks of Ecumenius as writing about the year 990, but without being certain of his time: and that he has not placed this author too soon, may be argued from Montfauçon's Bibliotheca Coisliniana, who there informs us of a manuscript chain or comment on St. Paul's epistles of the tenth century, in which the name of Ecumenius is mentioned, among other writers out of whom that comment was collected: I therefore place him a little higher, but still in the same century.

2. Montfaucon assures us, from a passage found in a manuscript of the tenth or eleventh century, that Ecumenius was bishop of Tricca in Thessaly; which was not known before.

3. We have Commentaries of this writer upon the Acts, St. Paul's fourteen epistles, and the seven catholic epistles. The Commentaries upon the epistles, if not also upon the Acts, are a chain, consisting of notes and observations of several, beside his own; as John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory Nazianzen, Isidore of Pelusium, Theodoret, Photius, and others. At the end of the second volume of Ecumenius is placed the Commentary of Arethas upon the Revelation.

4. In this work, in the edition at Paris, in 1631, which I make use of, the books of the New Testament are placed in the order now generally used; first the Acts of the Apostles, next St. Paul's fourteen epistles, and then the catholic epistles: but there is prefixed to those Commentaries a short copy of verses, representing the contents of

a Ecumenius, scriptor admodum incertæ ætatis, de quo altum apud veteres silentium. Id modo constat, post annum 800 claruisse. Adeoque hoc loco ipsum reponimus ad annum 990, donec veram ejus ætatem expiscari liceat. H. L. T. ii. p. 112. b Bib. Cois. p. 82. M.

c Vid. Bib. Coisl, in Præf. et p. 277.

In Acta apostolorum catenæ vicem exhibit Ecumenii, incertæ ætatis scriptoris, sed judicio ac perspicuitate commendabilis, Commentarius, qui cum ejusdem Commentariis similibus in epistolas septem catholicas, epistolas sancti Pauli apostoli, et cum Arethâ in Apocalypsin, prodiit Græce Veronæ typis luculentis 1532. fol. Hæc editio mihi ad manus est. Fabr. Bib. Gr. T. vii. p. 788. Vid. eund. T. xiii. p. 845.

e

the whole work, in this manner: The book of the Acts, written by Luke; the epistle of James, written to believing Hebrews; the first epistle of Peter, written to believers; the second epistle of Peter, also written to christians; three epistles of John, one of Jude, to all christians in general; then St. Paul's fourteen epistles, all enumerated in our present order lastly, John's mysterious Revelation.' This, I suppose, was the order of the books, particularly of the Acts and the epistles, in the manuscript; it is also the order observed in the first printed edition of these Commentaries, in Greek only, at Verona in 1532, described by 'Fabricius, which I likewise have. As for the Commentary upon the Revelation by Arethas, in all probability it was added to make a full volume: moreover, Árethas might be reckoned to be very little distant in time from Ecumenius.

5. James Le Long says, that Ecumenius wrote a Commentary also upon the four gospels; and that he himself says so; but I do not find it in the place to which Le Long refers.

6. Whether Ecumenius received or wrote Commentaries upon the Revelation, will be considered by and by.

7. Upon St. Luke's introduction to the Acts," The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus," Ecumenius observes, He calls it a treatise, and not a gospel, avoiding ostentation; as indeed do the rest likewise. Matthew says, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ;" Mark indeed says, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ;" but he does not, by "gospel," intend his own writing, but Christ's preaching. The faithful afterwards called them gospels, as truly containing the gospel, that is, the doctrine of Christ.'

8. Upon Acts xiii. 13, he says, 'This John, who is also called Mark, nephew to Barnabas, wrote the gospel entitled

• Των Πράξεων ἡ βιβλος, ὡς Δεκας γραφει

Πισοις Εβραιων ἑξ Ιακωβε λογοι.

Πιτοις ὁ Πετρος πρωτα συνταττει ταδε.
Χρισωνυμοισι δευτεροι Πετρα λογοι.

f See before, note d.

See before, p. 103.

h 1. Annotationum Commentarii in quatuor Evangelia, ex dictis veterum patrum Græcorum; quos commentarios in epistolam ad Hebræos, 6. se scripsisse testatur. J. Le Long. B. T. ii. p. 883.

сар.

Λογον είπε πρωτον, εκ ευαγγελιον, κ. λ. In Act. Ap. Τ. 1. p. 1, 2. * Ibid. p. 111. C.