HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Tyrannius Rufinus, also called Rufinus of Aquileia (''Rufinus Aquileiensis'') or Rufinus of Concordia (344/345–411), anglicized as Tyrann Rufine, was a
monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
,
historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...
, and
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
. He is best known as a
translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transl ...
of
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
patristic material, especially the work of
Origen Origen of Alexandria, ''Ōrigénēs''; Origen's Greek name ''Ōrigénēs'' () probably means "child of Horus" (from , "Horus", and , "born"). ( 185 – 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theo ...
, into
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
.


Life

Rufinus was born in 344 or 345 in the Roman city of Julia Concordia (now
Concordia Sagittaria Concordia Sagittaria is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Venice, Veneto, Italy. History The town was founded in 42 BC as ''Iulia Concordia'' by the Romans, where the Via Annia and the Via Postumia crossed each other. The establi ...
), near Aquileia (in modern-day
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
) at the head of the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
. It appears that both of his parents were
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
. Around 370, he was living in a
monastic Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...
community in Aquileia when he met
Jerome Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian priest, confessor, theologian, and historian; he is co ...
. In about 372, Rufinus followed Jerome to the eastern
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
, where he studied in
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
under Didymus the Blind for some time, and became friends with Macarius the elder and other ascetics in the desert. In Egypt, if not even before leaving Italy, he had become intimately acquainted with
Melania the Elder Melania the Elder, Latin Melania Maior (born in Spain, ca. 350–died in Jerusalem before 410 or in ca. 417) was a Desert Mother who was an influential figure in the Christian ascetic movement (the Desert Fathers and Mothers) that sprang up in th ...
, a wealthy and devout Roman widow. When she moved to Palestine, taking with her a number of clergy and monks on whom the persecutions of the Arian
Valens Valens ( grc-gre, Ουάλης, Ouálēs; 328 – 9 August 378) was Roman emperor from 364 to 378. Following a largely unremarkable military career, he was named co-emperor by his elder brother Valentinian I, who gave him the eastern half of ...
had borne heavily, Rufinus followed her, moving to Jerusalem in 380. There, while his patroness lived in a convent of her own in
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, Rufinus, at her expense, gathered together a number of monks to form a new monastery on the
Mount of Olives The Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet ( he, הַר הַזֵּיתִים, Har ha-Zeitim; ar, جبل الزيتون, Jabal az-Zaytūn; both lit. 'Mount of Olives'; in Arabic also , , 'the Mountain') is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jeru ...
, devoting himself to the study of Greek theology. This combination of the contemplative life and the life of learning had already developed in the Egyptian monasteries. When Jerome came to
Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...
in 386, the friendship formed at Aquileia was renewed. Jerome, along with his patroness Paula, set up a similar community in Bethlehem a few years later. Another of the intimates of Rufinus was
John II, Bishop of Jerusalem John II (c. 356 – 10 January 417) was bishop of Jerusalem from AD 387 to AD 417. John II succeeded to the episcopal throne of Jerusalem on the death of Cyril in 386 (or 387). He was the author, according to an increasing number of modern ...
, and formerly a monk of the Natrun desert, by whom he was ordained to the priesthood in 390. In 394, as a result of the attacks by
Epiphanius of Salamis Epiphanius of Salamis ( grc-gre, Ἐπιφάνιος; c. 310–320 – 403) was the bishop of Salamis, Cyprus, at the end of the 4th century. He is considered a saint and a Church Father by both the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. He g ...
upon the doctrines of Origen made during a visit to Jerusalem, a fierce quarrel broke out, which found Rufinus and Jerome on different sides. Although both Jerome and Rufinus had previously been great admirers of Origen's work, in the light of Epiphanius' criticism of Origen, Jerome felt that Rufinus was not fierce enough in attacking the works of Origen. Three years afterwards a formal reconciliation was brought about between Jerome and Bishop John, with whom Rufinus sided, but this was to prove only temporary. In the autumn of 397 Rufinus embarked for
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
, where, finding that the theological controversies of the East were exciting much interest and curiosity, he published a Latin translation of the ''Apology of Pamphilus for Origen'', and also (398-99) a somewhat free rendering of the ''Περὶ Αρχῶν'' (or ''De Principiis'') of that author himself. In the preface to the latter work he referred to Jerome as an admirer of Origen, and as having already translated some of his works with modifications of ambiguous doctrinal expressions. This allusion annoyed Jerome, who was exceedingly sensitive as to his reputation for orthodoxy, and the consequence was a bitter pamphlet war, with Rufinus' ''Against Jerome'' and Jerome's ''Against Rufinus''. At the instigation of Theophilus of Alexandria,
Pope Anastasius I The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
(399-401) summoned Rufinus from Aquileia to Rome to vindicate his orthodoxy, but he excused himself from a personal attendance in a written ''Apologia pro fide sua''. The pope in his reply expressly condemned Origen, but left the question of Rufinus' orthodoxy to his own conscience. He was, however, regarded with suspicion in orthodox circles (cf. the '' Decretum Gelasii'', 20). Rufinus spent most of the first decade of the fifth century translating Origen. He translated Origen's homilies for the whole Heptateuch except Deuteronomy, and others on selected Psalms, the Song of Songs, and 1 Samuel. Rufinus' translation of Origen's ''Commentary on Romans'' (c405-6) gave fresh stimulus to discussions of destiny and free will that had been going on in Roman circles since the mid-390s and would shortly become an issue in Augustine's clash with Pelagius. Rufinus also translated other works. These include Eusebius' ''Ecclesiastical History'', translated in 401 at the request of Bishop Chromatius of Aquileia as an antidote to the terror caused by the Gothic incursions into Italy.Mark Vessey, 'Jerome and Rufinus', in Frances Young, Lewis Ayres and Andrew Louth, eds, ''The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature'', (2010), p325 Rufinus omits much of Eusebius' tenth book, and compresses what remains of it into book 9; he also retouches the narrative in several places and adds two books of his own to bring the account down to the death of Theodosius the Great (395). Such translations often appear to have been done as a result of a commission, or with a local readership in mind, and so it seems likely that Rufinus worked with the support of friends and patrons. Between 397 and 408 he lived in Italy, probably mainly in Rome and Aquileia; in 408 Rufinus was at the monastery of Pinetum (in the Campagna?), having been driven there by the arrival of Alaric in northern Italy. He fled to Sicily when Alaric moved south and pillaged Rome in 410. He was in the company of Melania the Younger in his flight. He died in Sicily in 411.


Works


Original works

* ''Commentarius in symbolum apostolorum'': a commentary on the
Apostles' Creed The Apostles' Creed (Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith". The creed most likely originated in 5th-century ...
which gives evidence of its use and interpretation in 4th-century Italy.
Commentary on the Apostles' Creed
at New Advent) * The Church History of Rufinus of Aquileia. Many of his extant works are defences of himself against attacks by Jerome. * ''De Adulteratione Librorum Origenis'' – an appendix to his translation of the ''Apology'' of Pamphilus, and intended to show that many of the features in Origen's teaching which were then held to be objectionable arise from interpolations and falsifications of the genuine text * ''De Benedictionibus XII Patriarcharum Libri II'' – an exposition of Gen. xlix. * ''Apologia s. Invectivarum in Hieronymum Libri II'' * ''Apologia pro Fide Sua ad Anastasium Pontificem''
Apology, Sent to Anastasius, Bishop of the City of Rome
at New Advent) * ''Historia Eremitica'' – consisting of the lives of thirty-three monks of the Nitrian desert The anti- Origenist ''Liber de fide'' was in the past sometimes attributed to Tyrannius Rufinus, but now it is more often assigned to
Rufinus the Syrian Rufinus the Syrian or Rufinus of Syria (fl. c. 400) was a Christian theologian, priest and author, generally identified as a Pelagian.Historia Ecclesiastica'' of Eusebius of Caesarea and continued the work from the reign of
Constantine I Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...
to the death of
Theodosius I Theodosius I ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also called Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. During his reign, he succeeded in a crucial war against the Goths, as well as in two ...
(395). It was published in 402 or 403.
Origen Origen of Alexandria, ''Ōrigénēs''; Origen's Greek name ''Ōrigénēs'' () probably means "child of Horus" (from , "Horus", and , "born"). ( 185 – 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theo ...
's commentary on the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
Epistle to the Romans, along with many of his sermons on the Old Testament, survive only in versions by Rufinus. The full text of Origen's ''De principiis'' (''On first principals'') also survives only in Rufinus' translation. Jerome, earlier a friend of Rufinus, fell out with him and wrote at least three works opposing his opinions and condemning his translations as flawed. For instance, Jerome prepared a (now lost) translation of Origen's ''De principiis'' to replace Rufinus' translation, which Jerome said was too free. The other translations of Rufinus are # the ''Instituta Monachorum'' and some of the ''Homilies'' of Basil of Caesarea # the ''Apology'' of Pamphilus, referred to above # Origen's ''Principia'' # Origen's ''Homilies'' (Gen. Lev. Num. Josh. Kings, also Cant, and Rom.) # '' De recta in Deum fide'' by Pseudo-Origen (Adamantius) # ''Opuscula'' of
Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nazianzus ( el, Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ''Grēgorios ho Nazianzēnos''; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390,), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory N ...
# the ''Sententiae'' of Sixtus, an unknown Greek philosopher # the ''Sententiae'' of Evagrius # the ''Clementine Recognitions'' (the only form in which that work is now extant) # the ''Canon Paschalis'' of Anatolius Alexandrinus. #
Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for '' The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly ...
' ''
Antiquities Antiquities are objects from antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures. Artifacts from earlier periods such as the Meso ...
'' and ''
The Jewish War ''The Jewish War'' or ''Judean War'' (in full ''Flavius Josephus' Books of the History of the Jewish War against the Romans'', el, Φλαυίου Ἰωσήπου ἱστορία Ἰουδαϊκοῦ πολέμου πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ...
'' (Josephus de antiquitatibus ac de bello judaico.)


Quotes from Tyrannius Rufinus

He said; " he Incarnationwas that the divine nature of the Son of God might be like a kind of hook hidden beneath the form of human flesh… to lure on the prince of this world to a contest; that the Son might offer him his human flesh as a bait and that the divinity which lay underneath might catch him and hold him fast with its hook… then, just as a fish when it seizes a baited hook not only fails to drag off the bait but is itself dragged out of the water to serve as food for others; so he that had the power of death sees the body of Jesus in death, unaware of the hook of divinity which lay hidden inside. Having swallowed it, he was immediately caught. The gates of hell were broken, and he was, as it were, drawn up from the pit, to become food for others." — ''Christian Theology, an Introduction'', Chapter 13, The Doctrine of Salvation in Christ.


Influence

One can hardly overestimate the influence which Rufinus exerted on Western theologians by thus putting the great Greek fathers into the Latin tongue. Dominic Vallarsi's uncompleted edition of Rufinus (vol. i. folio. Verona, 1745) contains the ''De Benedictionibus'', the ''Apologies'', the ''Expositio Symboli'', the ''Historia Eremitica'' and the two original books of the ''Historia Ecclesiastica''. Vallarsi intended to collect the translations in vol. ii., but it was never published. See also Migne, ''Patrologia Latina'' (vol. xxi). For the translations, see the various editions of Origen, Eusebius, etc.


Notes


References

* William Fremantle in ''Dictionary of Christian Biography'' iv. 555–560; * Friedrich Adolf Ebert, ''Allg. Gesch. d. Litt. d. Mittelalters im Abendlande'', i.321-327 (Leipzig, 1889); * G. Kruger in Hauck-Herzog's ''Realencyk. für prot. Theol.'', where there is a full bibliography. *


External links


Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina

Rufinus Tyrannius at Original Catholic Encyclopedia
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tyrannius Rufinus Church Fathers 4th-century Romans 5th-century Romans 4th-century Christians 5th-century Christians 340s births 410 deaths Christian writers 4th-century Christian theologians People from the Metropolitan City of Venice 4th-century translators 5th-century translators Greek–Latin translators 4th-century Christian monks 5th-century Christian monks 4th-century Latin writers 5th-century Latin writers 4th-century historians 5th-century historians