some of the early Roman bishops; and as
the Papal see was fast rising into power when the statue was erected, it
was obviously deemed prudent to omit an invidious publication. The
writer of the "Philosophumena" declares that he is the author of one of
the books named on that piece of ancient sculpture, and various other
facts amply corroborate his testimony. There is, therefore, no good
reason to doubt that a Christian bishop who lived about fifteen miles
from Rome, and who flourished little more than one hundred years after
the death of the Apostle John, composed the newly discovered Treatise.
[345:2]

In accordance with the title of his work, Hippolytus here reviews all
the heresies which had been broached up till the date of its
publication. Long prior to the reappearance of this production, it was
known that one of the early Roman bishops had been induced to
countenance the errors of the Montanists; [345:3] and it would seem that
Victor was the individual who was thus deceived; [345:4] but it had not
been before suspected that Zephyrinus and Callistus, the two bishops
next to him in succession, [345:5] held unsound views respecting the
doctrine of the Trinity. Such, however, is the testimony of their
neighbour and contemporary, the bishop of Portus. The witness may,
indeed, be somewhat fastidious, as he was himself both erudite and
eloquent; but had there not been some glaring deficiency in both the
creed and the character of the chief pastor of Rome, Hippolytus would
scarcely have described Zephyrinus as "an illiterate and covetous man,"
[346:1] "unskilled in ecclesiastical science," [346:2] and a
disseminator of heretical doctrine. According to the statement of his
accuser, he confounded the First and Second Persons of the Godhead,
maintaining the identity of the Father and the Son. [346:3]

Callistus, who was made bishop on the death of Zephyrinus, must have
possessed a far more vigorous intellect than his predecessor. Though
regarded by the orthodox Hippolytus with no friendly eye, it is plain
that he was endowed with an extraordinary share of energy and
perseverance. He had been originally a slave, and he must have won the
confidence of his wealthy Christian master Carpophores, for he had been
intrusted by him with the care of a savings bank. The establishment
became insolvent, in consequence, as Hippolytus alleges, of the
mismanagement of its conductor; and many widows and others who had
committed their mon