Preface to Book 3

The first two books formed a complete whole, but Jerome hinted that more might follow once he had received Rufinus’s work in full. Those two books were carried to Rufinus by the captain of a merchant ship trading with Aquileia, together with a copy of Jerome’s friendly letter, which Pammachius had held back. According to Rufinus, the bearer had only two days to wait, though Jerome mocks this as impossible. Chromatius, the bishop of Aquileia, urged that the quarrel should now stop, and he prevailed so far that Rufinus made no public reply. Rufinus did, however, write a private letter to Jerome. It has not come down to us, and to judge from the extracts given in chapters 4 and 6 and elsewhere, it was not peaceable in tone. Its details can be gathered from Jerome’s reply. Jerome says that the letter tried to entangle him in heresy; that it repeated the earlier accusations and made them worse, speaking of him in language fit only for the lowest characters on the stage; and that it declared that its writer, had he chosen, could have brought out facts that would have destroyed his opponent. Jerome was told that Chromatius wished him not to reply, and perhaps he also received Augustine’s sorrowful protest, which is found in Jerome’s Letter 110, section 6, and Augustine’s Letter 73. Even so, he declared that he could not give way. He could not keep from defending himself against a charge that carried the death penalty, nor could he spare the heretics. Peace could come only through unity in the faith. Chapter 1. Your letter is full of falsehood and violence. I will try not to take the same tone. Chapter 2. Why can we not differ as friends? Why do you force me to answer by threatening me with death? Chapters 3 and 4. Your shameful taunt that I tried to get copies of your Apology by bribing your secretary charges me with practices that are your own. Chapter 5. Eusebius should not have accused you; but your charges against him will not stand. Chapter 6. You taunt me with boasting of my eloquence. Will you boast of your own lack of learning? Chapters 7 and 8. You want first to praise me and then to correct me, but both with your fists; and you make it impossible for me to keep silent. Chapter 9. Why can you not join me in condemning Origen, and so put an end to our quarrel? Chapter 10. Your claim that you had only two days to write your answer is a fiction. Chapter 11. Your translation, unlike my commentaries, vouches for Origen’s soundness. Chapter 12. You try to shield Origen by falsely attributing the Apology for him to Pamphilus. Chapter 13. In my commentaries, the fact that I quote opposite opinions shows that neither of them is mine. Chapter 14. If you had translated honestly, Origen’s heresies would not have been laid at your door. Chapter 15. You say that the bishops of Italy accept your views on the resurrection. I doubt it. Chapter 16. You say rashly that you will agree to whatever Theophilus lays down. You have to reckon with your friendship for Isidore, who is now his enemy. Chapters 17 and 18. You speak of Paul, the Egyptian bishop. We received him as a stranger, though he was an Origenist, and he has joined himself to the orthodox faith. Not only Theophilus but the emperors condemn Origen. [a]

Chapter 19. What I wrote against Vigilantius was only what was right. I knew who had stirred him up against me. [d] Chapter 20. As for the letter of Pope Anastasius condemning you, you will find that it is genuine. Chapter 21. Siricius, who is dead, may have written in your favor; Anastasius, who is living, writes to the East against you. [e] Chapter 22. There was nothing blameworthy in my leaving Rome for the East, as you hint there was. Chapter 23. It is true that Epiphanius gave you the kiss of peace; but he showed afterward that he had come to distrust you. [f] Chapter 24. When we parted as friends, I believed you were a true believer; no one was sent to Rome to harm you. Chapter 25. You swear that you did not write the retraction falsely put out in my name. Your style gives you away. And I have already given a full answer about my translations. [g] Chapter 26. You tell me to beware of forgery and treachery. You are warning me against yourself. Chapter 27. There is nothing inconsistent in praising a man for some things and blaming him for others. You have done it in my case. Chapters 28 to 31. My ignorance of many things in nature is no excuse for your ignorance about the origin of souls. According to your boastful dream, you ought to know everything. The most important thing of all was forgotten in your cargo of Eastern goods. Chapter 32. Your dream was a boast; mine, which you hold against me, humbled me. Chapter 33. It was not I who first exposed your heresies, but Epiphanius long ago, and Aterbius before him. Chapters 34 to 36. As for our translations of On First Principles, yours was doing harm, and mine was necessary in self-defense. You ought to be glad that heresy is exposed. Chapter 37. Your Apology for Origen did not save him, but it entangled you in heresy. Chapter 38. My friendly letter was meant to prevent discord; the other was meant to crush false opinions. Chapters 39 and 40. I was right to quote Pythagoras. I set out some of his sayings. Chapters 41 and 42. You threaten me with destruction. I will not answer in the same way. Personal attacks should be kept out of disputes about the faith. Chapters 43 and 44. The way of peace lies through the wisdom taught in the Book of Proverbs, and through unity in the faith.