quaternion of soldiers, cast into prison, he is delivered by an angel. On the occasion of the treachery of Simon Magus, he runs through Syria, and still further Pontus, Asia, and Galatia, and everywhere sowing the word of life, he arrived at Rome. At Sidon, Berytus, Byblos, he ordained bishops from among those who accompanied him, two: at Tripoli of Phoenicia, Marcus his host, at Antioch of Syria, Antaradus, Aradus, Balneis and Pelte, Gazara and Laodicea: Martian in Syracuse of Sicily, Brancatius at Tauromenium: at Thiana of Cappadocia, Ancyra of Galatia, where he also raised the dead, in Pontus, at Sinope, Mysticus of the Hellespont, Conira of Paphlagonia, Claudiopolis, Honoriades, Nicomedia, Bithynia, Nicaea: and from his first journey into Caesarea through Cappadocia and Syria (the third year of his calling having now elapsed) he returned to Jerusalem. Then again through Antioch and Nicomedia where he appointed Prochorus as bishop: then finally he arrived at Rome, and there with the apostle Paul, he suffered in the thirtieth year of Nero. See Tertullian in the book where he says that the mention of the death of Peter and Paul is had in the Annals.
YEAR OF THE SIXTH CENTURY UNCERTAIN.
ALEXANDER MONACHUS.
MONITUM.
At what time this Alexander lived is unknown to me. He is cited by Glycas, p. 4 of the Annals, where he treats of the baptism of Constantine the Great. We have had two copies: one from the Bavarian Library, the other from Andreas Schottus, a priest of our society, most studious of illuminating antiquity, compared with a very ancient codex of Crypta Ferrata not far from Tusculum, to which we attribute many of the corrections received; although sometimes, but sparingly and prudently, we have also indulged a little in conjecture. There exists in the Bavarian library a book with this title: *Julii Pollucis Chronicon*. The author begins from the creation of the world, and continued the Chronicle until the reign of Valens. Certainly the copy ends at Valens, although it is probable that the scribe, rather than the author, made an end here. This Julius, therefore, whom P. Ferdinandus Crendelius, the most faithful companion and helper of my studies, translated into the Latin tongue, but did not publish (I will take care, however, that the translation does not die with the deceased interpreter), either spoiled Alexander; or Alexander spoiled Julius; or each did the third, so much so that they agree not only in meaning, but also in words throughout. The version of Alexander is not mine, but that of our Schottus, although I have accommodated it in some places to the Bavarian and Crypta Ferrata copies.
In Schottus’s copy the title is conceived thus: *Sanctissimi Alexandri et monachi in inventionem venerandæ et vivificæ crucis.* In the Bavarian it is added: *Benedic, Pater.* Which we have observed to be for the most part prefixed in manuscript codices to the homilies of the Fathers, and the histories of the saints; and this was done either by the scribes for the sake of obtaining a blessing and divine aid for the work begun; or, which I judge more likely, from common custom, because one who was about to read homilies or the acts of the saints in church would first request a blessing from a priest or bishop. Wherefore we see these words prefixed to most of the sermons of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, because it was received by custom to pronounce the sermons of Saint Ephrem publicly in church. Witness Saint Jerome, *De viris illustribus*.
In the copy of Crypta Ferrata, consumed almost by age, the title is thus: *Alexandri monachi oratio historica de inventione veneranda crucis, ad quosdam sanctos Patres, quorum cohortatione ad scribendum accesserat; in qua est theologia vera, et de divina dispensatione sincera confessio, et encomium in venerandam crucem.*