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304 Credibility of the Gospel History.
Ionian; that is, of the province of Babylon, or else of Chaldsea,
which ' is often confounded with that of Babylon : this seems
to be confirmed by The Acts of Archelaus, wheres that
bishop reproaches Mani with understanding- no language
but his Chaldee ; which implies that he was a Chaldean.
It is not a little disagreeable to observe the poor thoughts
of divers ancient Greek writers, occasioned by the name
of this man. The thing is taken notice of by several
moderns :
Toll ins.
I quote two of them in the margin,'' Cave and'
They speak as if his name had been derived from the
Greek noun mania, signifying madnes's, or from the verb
mainomai ; and as if his name were the same as maneis, that
is, mad or furious ; whereas the name is certainly Persic or
Chaldaic. Eusebins, formerly quoted, is pleased to allude
to this imaginary signification of the word. Cyril of Jerusalem
says, ' he"^ changed his name from Cubricus to Manes,
' thinking thereby to gain honour among- the Persians ; but
' divine Providence so ordered that he thereby aftixed to
' himself among the Greeks the character of madness.'
Epiphanius' has somewhat to the like purpose. Titus of
Bostra, M'ho writes the name Maneis, instead of Manes, has
also condescended'" to adopt this slight thing; for so I
must call it, though it is also found in so fine a writer as"
Photius.
The poor people were so often tcazed with this silly fancy,
that, as Augustine says, for that reason they" prolonged the
f Vid. Cellar. Orb. T. 2. p. 755.
s Persa barbare, non Graecorum linguse,—non iillius alterius linguee scien-
tiam habere potuisti, sed Chaldaeorum solum, &c. Arch. n. 36. p. 63.
^ Gra;ci vero, quo aptiorem irridendi occasionem arriperent, illud a fiavia
deducere sclent. Cav. H. L T. i. p. 140. f. Oxon.
' Quia vero, Grsecis, aut Graeca intelligentibus adversariis, vox ilia Mar^jc
uberiorem irridendi ansam praebebat, quasi a Graeco fiavia, insania, seu
/laivofiot, insnnio, derivata esjiet, et sic nonien et omen insaniae Maneti obti-
gisset ; turn quod et eadem vox Mavjjc stupidum significaret, ut apud Arisfo-
]jhanem, lYUyaivtroc & o ^avrjc. Manichaei Manichatos se vocari volebant,
quasi derivato nomine a nuuialuith requies. Nee apud Judaeos iidem contumelia
caruerunt, qui omnes impios Manetes appellarunt, &c. Toll. not. ap.
insign. Ital. p. 126. "^ H ^s r« 06h oiKovoju/a K-ai a/covra avrov
iavTH (carr/yo()ov fTroift ytvioBai' \va tv Uipaih vo^uaaQ tavro7> Tifiav, Trap'
EXX»;(Ti fiaviag nroivvfiov iavTov KarayyfWy. Cyr. Cat. 6. n. 24.
• Hffir. 66. n. i. p. 617. CD.
*" O ^£ MavHQ IK ^apPapwv, km rtji; fiavinQ avrtjc nrwvvfioc. k. \. 1 itus
contr. Manich. 1. i. in. p. 60.
>• Vid. Phot, contr. Man. 1. i. c. 12. p. 45—47.
° Manichaei a quodam Persa exstiterunt, qui vocabatur Manes : quamvis et
ipsum, cum ejus insana doctrina coepisset in Graecia pra'dicari, Manichaeum
discipuli ejus appellare maluerunt, devitantes nomen insaniac. Unde quidam