{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c007\">It was probably during this period that the commencement of\r\nhis friendship with Ambrosius is to be dated. Little is known\r\nof this individual. Eusebius<a id=\"r12\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f12\"><sup>[12]</sup></a> states that he had formerly been\r\nan adherent of the Valentinian heresy, but had been converted\r\nby the arguments and eloquence of Origen to the orthodox faith\r\nof the Church. They became intimate friends; and as Ambrose\r\nseems to have been possessed of large means, and entertained an\r\nunbounded admiration of the learning and abilities of his friend,\r\nit was his delight to bear the expenses attending the transcription\r\nand publication of the many works which he persuaded him\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_xxviii\">xxviii</span>to give to the world. He furnished him “with more than seven\r\namanuenses, who relieved each other at stated times, and with\r\nan equal number of transcribers, along with young girls who\r\nhad been practised in caligraphy,”<a id=\"r13\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f13\"><sup>[13]</sup></a> to make fair copies for publication\r\nof the works dictated by Origen. The literary activity\r\nof these years must have been prodigious, and probably they\r\nwere among the happiest which Origen ever enjoyed. Engaged\r\nin his favourite studies, surrounded by many friends, adding\r\nyearly to his own stores of learning, and enriching the literature\r\nof the Church with treatises of the highest value in the\r\ndepartment of sacred criticism and exegesis, it is difficult to\r\nconceive a condition of things more congenial to the mind of\r\na true scholar. Only one incident of any importance seems to\r\nhave taken place during these peaceful years,—his visit to Julia\r\nMammæa, the pious mother of Alexander Severus. This noble\r\nlady had heard of the fame of Origen, and invited him to visit\r\nher at Antioch, sending a military escort to conduct him from\r\nAlexandria to the Syrian capital. He remained with her some\r\ntime, “exhibiting innumerable illustrations of the glory of the\r\nLord, and of the excellence of divine instruction, and then\r\nhastened back to his accustomed studies.”<a id=\"r14\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f14\"><sup>[14]</sup></a></p>","headings":["The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 of 2","LIFE OF ORIGEN."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70693-paragraph-26"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"7da5f7cd5ca8d70a118f9f3e76afeb840d48d336023aeded0a43e8cfdf93598b","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie","W. H. Cairns"],"edition_year":1872,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70693-f12","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1872 English edition; listed translators died 1889 and 1872. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f12","source_ebook":70693,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f12\">\n<p class=\"c007\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r12\">12</a>. </span><i>Ibid.</i> <abbr title=\"book\">b.</abbr> <abbr title=\"six\">vi.</abbr> <abbr title=\"chapter\">c.</abbr> 18.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"76ed9a9fd752c1d5095189e38fe3dcbbea0fd23d6be719db17360e4da14552fa","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f12","text_sha256":"b1a75deff66162f71a89bb388c05189e7c522aff92a4b31b2977e9908f1ed5fb","verified":false,"work_id":null}