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Stephen. A. D. 280. H7
as " Vigerus, editor of
to whom I shall refer in the margin ;
Eusebius's Preparation, > Pagi, and ' Tillemont.
And there is more than a little ground for that supposition;
for Arius in his letter to Eusebius of Nicomedia* names
Theodotus amongothers his favourers; Theodoret'' intimates
that the same persons defended the Arian doctrine at the
council of Nice. In another place*" he mentions Theodotus
among those mIio had imbibed the Arian principle, and were
its principal patrons; he likewise says that'^ he came to
Antioch with Eusebius of Nicomedia in 331, to depose
Eustathius. Athanasius*^ affirms that Theodotus, and others
whom he names, had written the like things with Arius
before the council of Nice : not to insist upon the letter of
Constantine^ in Gelasius Cyzicenus, written to him after the
council of Nice.
When Theodotus entered upon the episcopate is not certaiidy
known. Vigerus, in the preface before cited, says he
succeeded Stephen about the third year of Constantine, or
the year of Christ 308 ; which is not altogether improbable,
it being evident from Eusebius that Stephen was bishop
before the persecution, and for some time after it began
but the exact time of Stephen's death or removal, and of
the accession of Theodotus, I think cannot be determined.
However, Pagis well observes that Theodotus died before
the council of Jerusalem in 336, because Sozomen mentions
George, then bishop of Laodicea, as present at it.
Theodotus is wanting' in Cave and Du Pin, not being
generally reckoned an author: but perhaps he might be
justly so esteemed, considering what is said of him by
Athanasius. It is true, Athanasius does not quote Theodotus
as he does some others; but the reason was that'^ the
letters were not at hand, as he says ; which he mentions by
way of excuse for sending no more out of them : for which
cause he omitted to cite several, whom by name he charges
with having written the like things w ith Arius.
This chapter began with Anatolius, whose history was the
" Hunc ego non alium arbitror, quain Laodicenum episcopum, qui
Stephano in episcopatu successit, Arianae impietatis fautorem acerrimum.
Viger. inpraef. ad fin. y Ann. 318. n. xvii. et xviii.
^ See his history of the Arians, art. 4. and note 2. and elsewhere. Mem.
T. vi. » Ap. Thdrt. 1. i. cap. 5. p. 21. A. et Epiph. H. 69. n. vi.
" Thdrt. 1. i. c. 7. p. 26. A.