ABSTRACT
SINCE the XVIth century, under the name of Ambrosiaster (pseudo-Ambrosc), pcople have designated the anonymous author of a conlmentary on thc Epistles of St Paul (excluding the Epistlc to the IIebrews), which was incorrectly ascribed to S t Ambrosc in thc Middle Ages and possibly even in the time of Cassiodorus.' This paraphrase is really remarkable and is one of the rriost interesting bequeathed to us by Christian antiquity. Of an original mind, well versed in the methocls of the Law, and possessing very positive views combined with pointed satirical humour in regard to prominent men in the Church, the author carefully avoids losing himself in the mists of allegory. This disregard of the allegorical method is almost a unique case a t that period. Before everything else he aims a t a clear comprehension of his text, and sets himself to draw practical lessons therefrom for the use of Catholics. Let me add, he had his eyes open as to the times in which he was living. His commentary is a precious source for understanding the pagan mysteries-those of Anubis, Mithra and especially Cybelewhose vitality remained still so powerful in the second half of the IVth century, and we can gather from it the persistence of the belief in astrology by the Christians them~elves .~
The problem of the identity of Ambrosiaster is particularly irritating. We even know that he wrote in Rome soon after Julian the A p ~ s t a t e , ~ in the time of Pope Damasus (366384). Now this period is fairly well known t o us, and i t is strange that so vigorous a personality as this " Ambrosiaster," should not be able to be clearly established All the more
Conjectures are not wanting. Dom Blorin has shown a special fecundity in this respect. He first thought of the Jew I ~ a a c , ~ and the combination offered sufficient attraction for certain critics still to adhere to it, even after he had relinquished it. This Jew Isaac, after having been converted to Catholicism, took an active part in the competition of Ursinus with Damasus for the Episcopal See of Rome ; he even brought a serious accusation in law against Damasus, the matter of which we are ignorant ; his suit went against him and caused him to be exiled to Spain by Gratian. Isaac ended by returning to the synagogues4 A Paris manuscript (VIIIth-IXth centuries) has preserved a Liber Fidei de Sancta Trinitate et de Incarnutione Domin i by him.5 Dom Morin thought he noted certain analogies of language between it and the Quaestiones and Commentary on S t Paul. Also the caustic turn of mind of Ambrosiaster, and the special importance he appears to attach to a host of particulars more or less connected with Judaism were features which seemed to him remarkably applicable to the accuser of Damasus. The identification, however, entails
290 THEOLOGlANS OF SECOND ORDER serious difficulties.' Four years later," Dom Morin brought forward another person, Decimus Hilarianus H i l a r i u ~ , ~ a man connected with the State, concerning whom, moreover, there is no evidence enabling us to say that he made any practice of writing, even occasionally. Finally, in 1914, after comparing the biography written by Evagrius with the personal information escaping from the writings of Ambrosiaster, and the Latin of the translation of the Life of St Antony, b y Evagrius, with the Latin of Ambrosiaster, he decided to identify the latter with Evagrius of A n t i ~ c h . ~ It may be that this fresh conjecture in spite of its being presented as " undeniable and certain," may not enjoy a longer fortune than its predecessor^.^ The worst thing that minds curious about Christian literature will have to fear is to read the works of Ambrosiaster, resigning themselves to remaining ignorant of the real name of this penetrating and caustic exegetist.
