3. Latin Sources: Archelaus (Bishop of Cascar in Mesopotamia, d. about 278): Acta
Disputationis cum Manete Hæresiarcha; first written in Syriac, and so far belonging to the
Oriental Christian Sources (Comp. Jerome, de Vir. Ill. 72), but extant only in a Latin trans-
lation, which seems to have been made from the Greek, edited by Zacagni (Rome, 1698),
and Routh (in Reliquiæ Sacræ, vol. V. 3–206); Eng. transl. in Clark’s Ante-Nicene Library
(vol. XX. 272–419). [Am. ed. vol. VI. p. 173 sq.]. These Acts purport to contain the report
of a disputation between Archelaus and Mani before a large assembly, which was in full
sympathy with the orthodox bishop, but (as Beausobre first proved), they are in form a fiction
from the first quarter of the fourth century (about 320), by a Syrian ecclesiastic (probably
of Edessa), yet based upon Manichæan documents, and containing much information about
Manichæan doctrines. They consist of various pieces, and were the chief source of inform-
ation to the West. Mani is represented (ch. 12), as appearing in a many-colored cloak and
trousers, with a sturdy staff of ebony, a Babylonian book under his left arm, and with a mien
of an old Persian master. In his defense he quotes freely from the N.T. At the end, he makes
his escape to Persia (ch. 55). Comp. H. V. Zittwitz: Die Acta Archelai et Manetis untersucht,
in Kahnis’ Zeitschrift für d. Hist. Theol. 1873, No. IV. Oblasinski: Acta Disput. Arch., etc.
Lips. 1874 (inaugural dissert.). Ad. Harnack: Die Acta Archelai und das Diatessaron Tatians,
in Texte und Untersuchungen zur Gesch. der altchristl. Lit. vol. I. Heft 3 (1883), p. 137–153.
Harnack tries to prove that the Gospel variations of Archelaus are taken from Tatian’s
Diatessaron.
St. Augustin (d. 430, the chief Latin authority next to the translation of Archelaus).
[Besides the treatises published in Clark’s series, Contra Fortunatum quendam
Manichæorum Presbyterum Disput. I. et II., Contra Adimantum Manichæi discipulum,
Contra Secundinum Manichæum, De Natura Boni, De duabus Animabus, De Utilitate Cre-
dendi, De Haeres. XLVI. Of these, De duabus Animabus, Contra Fortunatum, and De Natura
Boni are added in the present edition, and De Utilitate Credendi has been included among
Augustin’s shorter theological treatises in vol. III. of the present series. In the Confessions
and the Letters, moreover, the Manichæans figure prominently. The treatises included in
the present series may be said to fairly represent Augustin’s manner of dealing with
Manichæism. The Anti-Manichæan writings are found chiefly in vol. VIII. of the Benedictine
edition, and in volumes I. and XI. of the Migne reprint. Augustin’s personal connection
with the sect extending over a period of nine years, and his consummate ability in dealing
with this form of error, together with the fact that he quotes largely from Manichæan liter-
ature, render his works the highest authority for Manichæism as it existed in the West at
the close of the fifth century.] Comp. also the Acts of Councils against the Manichæans
from the fourth century onwards, in Mansi and Hefele [and Hardouin].
9
Sources.