ABSTRACT

ST CVPR,IAN called Tertullian his master. He used to like to say" Da magistru,m " when he wished to have in his hand some work of his vigorous predecessor for his daily reading. l He was profoundly under the impress of that dominating genius. What a difference however between the intemperate ascetic, the crafty sophist Tertullian, and this essentially loyal and true, though very experienced soul! Cyprian had those qualities of heart which attract, which draw sympathy; I mean charity, prudence, and love of order, of harmony and of peace. Quite from the beginning these gifts clearly belonged to his cast of mind: he was made like that. But they proceeded also from the exercise of his function. At a very early age he had the charge of souls, having been appointed scarcely two or three years after his conversion to direct the group of Christians at Carthage.