75 A man of some note, as he was one of the commissioners appointed by Constantine in 313 a.d. to settle the points of issue between the Catholics and the Donatists. Jerome criticises his commentary on the Song of Songs in Letter XXXVII.
77 See the introd. to Letter X.
83 See the introd. to Letter XIV.
84 Aristotle is the author of this remark.
86 Mentioned again in Letter VII.,
87 The person meant is uncertain. Probably it was Lupicinus, bishop of Stridon, for whom see the next letter.
90 Jovinus was archdeacon of Aquileia. All three became bishops-Chromatius of Aquileia, the others of unknown sees.
91 Chromatius and Eusebius were brothers.
94 The Greek word IXQUS represented to the early Christians the sentence 'Ihsouj Xristoj Qeou Uwj Swthr. Hence the fish became a favorite emblem of Christ. Tertullian connects the symbol with the water of baptism, saying: "We little fishes are born by our Fish, Jesus Christ, in water and can thrive only by continuing in the water." The allusion in the text is to the baptism of Bonosus. See Schaff, "Ante-Nicene Christianity," p. 279.
102 Jer. xiii. 4, Jer. xiii. 5.
103 Job xl. 16 (said of Behemoth); cf. Letter XXII.
105 Ps. cxvi. 14, Ps. cxvi. 15, P.B.V.
107 Pss. cxxxvii. 3: Pss. cxlvi. 7, Pss. cxlvi. 8.
110 Jerome again refers to his own frailty in Letters XIV. XVIII. and XLVIII.
112 Papa. The word "pope" was at this time used as a name of respect ("father in God") for bishops generally. Only by degrees did it come to be restricted to the bishop of Rome. Similarly the word "imperator," originally applied to any Roman general, came to be used of the Emperor alone.
115 Sacerdos. In the letters this word generally denotes a bishop. Lupicinus held the see of Stridon.
118 Luke ii. 36: Acts xxi. 9: 1 Sam. ii. 18.
120 Turpilius, who appears to have been a dramatist of some note, died in 101 b.c. He is mentioned by Jerome in his edition of the Eusebian Chronicle.
121 Tabellarii, from tabella, a small tablet.
122 Librarii, from liber, bark.
124 See introd. to Letter XIV.