Quadratus

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The first of the Christian apologists. He is said by Eusebius (Chron. ad ann. Abrah. 2041, 124 A.D.) to have been a disciple of the Apostles (auditor apostolorum). He addressed a discourse to the Emperor Hadrian containing an apology for the Christian religion, during a visit which the latter made to Athens in 124 or 125. With the exception of a short passage quoted by Eusebius (Church History IV.3), this apology has entirely disappeared. Eusebius states (Chron.) incorrectly, however, that the appeal of Quadratus moved the emperor to issue a favourable edict. Because of the similarity of name some scholars have concluded (e.g. Bardenhewer, "Patrology", p. 40) that Quadratus the apologist is the same person as Quadratus, a prophet mentioned elsewhere by Eusebius (Church History III.37). The evidence, however, is too slight to be convincing. The later references to Quadratus in Jerome and the martyrologies are all based on Eusebius or are arbitrary enlargements of his account.

Sources

ROUTH, Reliquiæ Sacræ, I (Oxford, 1846), 69-79; HARNACK, Ueberlieferung der griech. Apologetem, 103; Gesch. d. altchrist. Liter., I, 95; II, 269-71; BARDENHEWER, Patrology, tr. SHAHAN (St. Louis, 1908).

About this page

APA citation. Healy, P. (1911). Quadratus. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12589b.htm

MLA citation. Healy, Patrick. "Quadratus." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12589b.htm>.

Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Wm Stuart French, Jr. Dedicated to M.P. French.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

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