Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume I/Church History of Eusebius/Book IV/Chapter 25

by Philip Schaff et al.

Chapter XXV.—Philip and Modestus.

Philip who, as we learn from the words of Dionysius,^[1] was bishop of the parish of Gortyna, likewise wrote a most elaborate work against Marcion,^[2] as did also Irenæus^[3] and Modestus.^[4] The last named has exposed the error of the man more clearly than the rest to the view of all. There are a number of others also whose works are still presented by a great many of the brethren.

Footnotes

1. See above, chap. 23, §5.
2. Philip’s work against Marcion which Eusebius mentions here is no longer extant, and, so far as the writer knows, is mentioned by no other Father except Jerome (de vir. ill. 30), who tells us only what Eusebius records here, using, however, the adjective præclarum for Eusebius’ σπουδαιότατον
3. On Irenæus, see above, chap. 21, note 9.
4. Modestus, also, is a writer known to us only from Eusebius (here, and in chap. 21) and from Jerome (de vir. ill. 32). According to the latter, the work against Marcion was still extant in his day, but he gives us no description of it. He adds, however, that a number of spurious works ascribed to Modestus were in circulation at that time (Feruntur sub nomine ejus et alia syntagmata, sed ab eruditis quasi ψευδόγραφα repudiantur). Neither these nor the genuine works are now extant, so far as we know.