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DiONYSios of Rome. A. D. 259. 127
The case seems to me to be this ; Cyprian wouhl have it
that his presbyter Novatus was the principal author of the
disturbances at Rome, [See before, p. 94.] And therefore
he called the presbyter of Rome Novatian, as if he had been
only a follower of Novatus of Carthage : and, having- once
given him that name, he used it ever after. Moreover,
having- occasion, or being of himself mightily disposed,
frequently to mention these two presbyters together, no
shorter way of distinguishing them could bethought of, than
to call one Novatus, the other Novatianus: and St. Cyprian
having often called him of Rome Novatian, I suppose he was
without scruple followed by many Latin writers ; though,
I think, not universally ; far from it : for we have seen above
sufiicient evidence that, notwithstanding- Cyprian's way of
writing, there were not a few ancient Latin authors, who
always, or generally, called the presbyter of Rome, and
Cornelius's rival, Novatus.
It will be thought by some that T have dwelt too longupon
so trifling a thing as a man's name : but, having longago
had doubts about it, I have chosen to put down here the
collections I had made upon the point. Let others make
what use of them they think fit.
CHAP. XLVIIL
DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ROME
I. His history and icorks. il. His character. IIL His
testimony to the scriptures.
I. DIONYSIUS of Rome has been already mentioned by
us in the history of his contemporary and namesake of Alexandria.
He^ M as first presbyter, afterwards bishop of Rome.
His predecessor Xystus, or Sixtus the second, suffered martyrdom*^
under the emperors Valerian and Gallienus, on the
sixth day of August, in the year of Christ 258. It is now
* Vid. Euseb. 1. vii. cap. 7. p. 254. A. '' Xystum autem in
coemeterio animadversum sciatis octavo iduum Augustarum die. Cypr. Ep.
80. [al. 82.] p. 238. Jam de Xysto, bono et pacifico sacerdote, ac propterea
beatissirao martyie, ab urbe nuntius venerat. Pont, de Vit. Cyprian, p. 8. m.
Sixti martyris, et Romanae ecclesiae episcopi. Hieron. ad Ctesipli. Ep. 43. p-
476. fin. Bened.