ISIDORE
188
ISIDORE
the reign of Swintila, his successor. "De viris iUus-
tribus " is a work of Christian biography, and con-
stitutes a most interesting chapter in the hterature
of patrology. To the number of iUustrious writers
mentioned therein Brauho added the name of Isidore
himself. A short appendix containing a hst of
Spanish theologians was added by Braulio's disciple,
Ildephonsus of Toledo. It is the continuation of the
work of Gennadius, a Semipelagian priest of Mar-
seilles, who wrote between 4G7 and 480. This work
of Gennadius was, in turn, but the continuation of the
work of St. Jerome.
Among the Scriptural and theological works of St. Isidore the following are especiallj; worthy of note: — "De ortu et obitu patrum qui in Scriptura laudibus efferuntur " is a work that treats of the more notable Scriptural characters. It contains more than one passage that, in the light of modern scholar.ship, is naive or fantastic. The question of authenticity has been raised, though quite unreasonably, concern- ing it. "Allegoria; quaedam Sacra> Scripturae" treats of the allegorical significance that attaches to the more conspicuous characters of Scripture. In all some two hundred and fifty personalities of the Old and New Testament are thus treated. "Liber nu- merorum qui in Sa'nctis Scripturis occurrunt" is a curious dissertation on the mystical significance of Scriptural numbers. " In libros Veteris et Novi Tes- tamenti procemia ", as its name implies, is a general introduction to the Scriptures, with special intro- ductions for particular books in the Old and New Testament. "De Veteri et Novo Testamento quaes- tiones" consists of a series of questions concerning the Scriptures. "Secretorum expositiones sacraraen- torum seu qusestiones in Vetus Testamentum " is a mystical rendering of the Old Testament books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Josue, Judges, Kings, Esdras, and Machabees. It is based on (lie writings of the early Fathers of the Church. " De fide catholica ex Veteri et Novo Testa- mento contra Juda'os" is one of the best known and most meritorious of Isidore's works. It is of an apologctico-polemical character and is dedicated to Florentina, his sister, at whose request it is said to have been written. Its popularity was unbounded in the Middle Ages, and it was translated into many of the vernaculars of the period. It treats of the Messianic prophecies, the pa.ssing of the Old Law, and of the Christian Dispensation. The first part deals with the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and His return for the final judgment. The second part is taken up with the unbelief of the Jews, the calling of the Gentiles, and the passing of the Sabbath. In all, it is an appeal to the Jews to accept Christianity. "Scntentiarum libri tres" is a compendium of moral and dogmatic theology. Gregory the Great and St. Augustine are the most generous contributors to its contents. The Divine attributes, creation, evil, and miscellanea are the subjects treated in the first book. The second is of a miscellaneous character; whilst the third deals with ecclesiastical orders, the judg- ment and the chastisement of God. It is believed that this work greatly influenced Peter Lombard in writing his famous "Book of Sentences". "De ecclesiasticis ofiiciis" is divided into two books, "De originc officiorum " and "De origine ministrorum". In the first Isidore treats of Divine worship and par- ticularly the old Spanish Liturgy. It also contains a lucid explanation of the Holy Euchiu'ist. The second treats of the hierarchy of the Church and the various states of life. In it much interesting information is to be foun<l concerning the development of music in general and its adaptation to the needs of the Ritual. "Regula monachorum " is a manner of life prescribed for monks, and also deals in a general way with the monastic state The writer furnishes abundant proof o£ the true Christian democracy of the religious life
by providing for the admission of men of every rank
and station of life. Not even slaves were debarred.
"God", he said, "has made no difference between the
soul of the slave and that of the freedman." He
insists that in the monastery all are equal in the sight
of God and of the Church.
The first edition of the works of Isidore was pub- lished in folio by Michael Somnius (Paris, 15S0). Another edition that is quite complete is based upon the MSS. of Gomez, with notes by Perez and Grial (Madrid, 1599). Based largely upon the Madrid edition is that published by Du Breul (Paris, 1601 ; Cologne, 1617). The last edition of all the works of Isidore, which is also regarded as the best, is that of Arevalo (7 vols., Rome, 1797-1803). It is found in P. L., LXXXI-LXXXIV. The "De natura rerum" was edited by G. Becker (Berlin, 1857). Th. Mommsen edited the historical writings of St. Isidore ("Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auct. antiquiss.", Berlin, 1S94). Coste produced a German translation of the "Historia de regibus Gothorum, Wandalorum et Suevorum" (Leipzig, 1887).
Teuffel-Schwabe, Gesc-h. der rnm. Lit. (Sth ed.), 1295 sqq.; Dressel, De Isidori Originum /ontibus (Turin, 1874); Schwarz, Ohservatione^ criticw in Isidori Hispaliensis Origines (Hirsch- berg, 1895): Hertzberg, Ueber die Chroniken des Isidorus von Sevitla in Forschungen zut deutschen Geschichte, XV (1875), 289- 360; Weinhold, Die altdeutschen Bruchstucke des Traktats des Bischo/s Isidorus von Sevilta (Paderbom, 1874); Hench, Der althochdeutsche Isidore (Strasbure, 1893); Gams, Die Kirchen- geschichte von Spanien, II (Ratisbon, 1874). ii, 102-13; BouR- BET, L'ecole chrelienne de Seville (Paris, 1855), 59-193; Bol- LANDiSTS, VUa Sancti Isidori (Paris, 1863).
John B. O'Connor.
Isidore of Thessalonica, cardinal and sometime Metropolitan of Kiev or Moscow, b. at Thessalonica (Saloniki) towards the end of the fourteenth century; d. at Rome, 27 April, 1463. He was one of the chief Eastern defenders of reunion at the time of the Coun- cil of Florence. The date of his birth is unknown, nor is his nationality certain. He has been variously de- scribed as a Bulgar and a Greek. In any case all his education was Greek. He arrived at Constantinople, became a monk, and was there made hegumerws of the monastery of St. Demetrius. He had evidently re- ceived an unusually complete education: he knew Latin well, and had considerable fame as a theologian. He was also an accomplished orator; he seems from the beginning to have been eager for reunion with the West. It was the time when the Court of Constanti- nople, on the eve of its final destruction by the Turks, was considering the chance of rescue from the Western princes as a result of reuniting with Rome. In 1434 Isidore was sent to Basle by Emperor John VIII (1425—48) as part of an embassy to open negotiations with the Council of Basle. Here he made a melliflu- ous speech about the splendour of the Roman Empire at Constantinople. On his return he continued to take part in all the preparations for reunion among his own people. In 1437 he was sent by the Byzantine patriarch (Joseph II, 1416-39, a conspicuous friend of reunion, who died a Catholic at Florence) to be Metro- politan of Moscow (or was his title Kiev? He is con- stantly called Bishop of Kiev, though he certainly went to Moscow and stayed there. They were two separate sees. Kiev was the old metropolis of Russia. Moscow was made so about this time). As soon as he arrived he began to arrange a Russian legation for the council about to be held at Ferrara. The Russian tsar, Vasili II (1425-62), made difficulties about this, and let him go eventually only after he had promised to come back with "the rights of Divine law and the constitution of the holy Church " vminjured. Syropu- lus and other Greek writers charge Isiilore with per- jury bocau.se in spite of this he accepted the union. Isidore set out with a great following on 8 Sept., 1437, travelled by Riga and Liibeck, and arrived at Fer- rara on 15 August, 1438. On the way he offended
