The Library at Aelia

At this time many learned churchmen flourished, and the letters they wrote to one another are still preserved and easy to find. They have been kept down to our own time in the library at Aelia, furnished by Alexander, who then governed the church there. From it we ourselves have been able to gather the materials for the present work. [a] Among these men, Beryllus left, along with letters, various fine writings; he was bishop of the Arabians at Bostra. So likewise did Hippolytus, who also presided over some other church. [c] There has also come down to us a dialogue of Gaius, a very learned man, held at Rome in the time of Zephyrinus against Proclus, who was championing the Phrygian heresy. In it he curbs the rashness and daring of his opponents in composing new scriptures, and he mentions only thirteen letters of the holy apostle, not counting the Letter to the Hebrews with the rest; for even to this day some of the Romans do not consider it to be the apostle’s. [d]