It is still curious when you think about Origen fleeing Alexandria to Caesarea ... alongside his 'patron' Ambrose. Here is how one book describes the situation:
With a heavy heart Origen abandoned Alexandria forever and made his way, accompanied by the faithful Ambrosius and perhaps with a small following of copyists and stenographers to Caesarea. https://books.google.com/books?id=loyrZ ... ia&f=false
Another source reconstructs the situation as follows:
He visited Rome (211–212 CE) and Arabia (213/14 CE) before another popular uprising at Alexandria forced him to follow his friend Ambrosius (whom Origen had won away from Gnosticism) to Caesarea Maritima for a period. https://books.google.com/books?id=73tJA ... ea&f=false
So the situation seems to be understood as a fabulously wealthy Alexandrian (Ambrose) traveled the world with Origen before settling together in Caesarea.
But this is clearly quite odd. What sort of wealth could Ambrose have had that he could easily moved from one city to the other with a huge entourage and not been better known to the world? Indeed it seems that Demetrius was actively looking for Origen in one period of his life. How difficult could finding Origen have been if he was traveling with such a huge company alongside him?
The whole idea that Ambrose provided a huge staff to help Origen publish works is accepted uncritically I think by scholars. The difficulty again is the move from Alexandria. Was Ambrose really so rich that he could afford to travel like a Pharaoh? I don't believe this story. All of which opens up a whole new series of problems? How were Origen's works published? What really happened when he left Alexandria? How did he sustain himself in Caesarea? Clearly he had some sort of attachment to Caesarea. I am just wondering whether or not Ambrose was a resident of Caesarea rather than Alexandria. This would mean that Ambrose lured Origen away from Alexandria and likely helped him escape Demetrius. It would also imply that all mention of Ambrose at the beginning of books necessarily came from a later period ...
Last edited by Secret Alias on Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:06 am, edited 3 times in total.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Lampe provides some insight into the person of Ambrose:
At the end of the century in Rome the presbyter Florinus80 represents a doctrine of gnostic Valentinian character. Excluded from the priesthood by Victor, he teaches in the circles of his students and busies himself with writing.81 In regard to his origin, Irenaeus communicates to him in a letter (in Eusebius, Ecc. Hist. 5.20.5): “When I was still a boy, I saw you in lower Asia with Polycarp; you had a splendid position in the imperial court (εἶδον σε λαμπρῶς πράσσοντα ἐν τῇ βασιλικῇ αὐλῇ) and sought to win the favor of Polycarp.” Ambrosius, the sponsor of Origen, had a similar position (τῶν διαφανῶν ἐν αὐλαῖς βασιλικαῖς, Epiphanius, Haer. 64.3). Although little can be concretely grasped, a position like that was at least connected with affluence: Ambrosius financed for Origen a complete scriptorium with more than seven persons who could write rapidly; “there were also no small number of calligraphers next to the girls skilled in ornate calligraphy. Ambrosius generously bears the expenses for this entire personnel” (Eusebius, Ecc. Hist. 6.23.2).82 Florinus is most likely to be numbered among the imperial freedmen.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
And Daniel asked of the king, and he appointed Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel was in the king's palace (βασιλικῇ αὐλῇ).
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
We may begin with the reference in AH 4.30. 1 , because, of the two references, this is the only one which seems to give us more information about those who were in regali aula (or in regalihus aulis). It is usually assumed that Irenaeus has the situation of believers in Rome particularly in mind, though he does not say so. Similar expressions are used to describe royal residences in Rome at the time. Herodian uses αὐλήν, with βασίλειος instead of βασιλικός?, for the palace in Rome (History 1.7.6, E? τὴν βασίλειον αὐλήν), when Commodus arrived in Rome in 180 after succeeding his father.41 But the way Irenaeus uses the phrase seems to indicate that these Christians are in the more-or- less direct employment as servants or low officials, wherever they were.42 He simply says they "derive the utensils they employ from the property which belongs to Caesar (ex eis auae Caesaris sunt habent utensilia)," without specifying a particular residence. It may imply that they regularly worked in a royal residence, but need not do so; the main point is that they were dependent upon the emperor for their "utensils," their daily goods. Peter Lampe reminds us that already in Paul's day there were some οἱ ἐκ τῆς Καίσαρος οἰκίας; living outside Rome in the east (Phil. 4.22), and that "There existed many opportunities to station them on imperial lands in the provinces," in administrative positions or in garrisons."4' Elsewhere he points out that Origen's patron, Ambrose, who lived in Alexandria, held a similar position, according to Epiphanius (Haer. 64.3), ' Ἀμβροσίῳ τινὶ συντυχὼν τῶν διαφανῶν ἐν αὐλαῖς βασιλικαῖς?. The plural parallels the Armenian of AH 4.30.1.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
I have never understood why neither Hill nor Lampe have made the connection between the 'Valentinians' and the palace and the Aramaic word for 'palace' falitin = פלטין, פלטינוס. I have never believed there was a historical Valentinus. The reason why 'Valentinians' were associated with the royal palace was because that's the origin of their name.
פלטין n.f. palace (< παλάτιον , Lat. palatium Lehnw 457; → בני פלטין ; Sy ܦܠܛܝܢ f. LS 574) sg. דהוה ממני על פלטין דידיה who was in charge of his palace FPT Gen 43:16[04; voc]; TN ib. 44:19; TNGl ib. 12:15; ib. 44:14; בפלטין דממרא BR 414:5 [expl. באלוני ממרא Gen 14:13]; Ber 2d(58); BR 1158:1; VR 202:2; ib. 500:4; 579:1; PRK 235:6; תרע פלטין the palace gate VR 577:7; ib. 579:4 // KohR 8c(21); ib. 34; איגר פלטין the roof of the palace ib. 23b(14)
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
So it is my suspicion that Origen and Ambrose did not leave Alexandria together. Origen left Alexandria and came to Ambrose in Caesarea.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Ambrosius (1) (Ἀμβρόσιος) of Alexandria, a deacon according to Jerome (de Vir. Ill. 56), the disciple and friend of Origen, died c. 250. It is not certain whether Ambrose was a Christian by birth; but he was of a noble and wealthy family (Orig. Exhort. ad. Mart.14 f.49; Hieron. l.c.), and probably occupied some office under the Imperial Government (Epiph. Haer.64, 3: cf. Orig. ib. c.36). Endowed with an active and critical mind, he at first neglected the simple teaching of the Gospel for the more philosophic systems of heresy (Orig. in Johann. tom. v.). However, when he met Origen he recognized his true teacher, and embraced the orthodox faith (Epiph. l.c.). From that time to his death Ambrose devoted his whole energy to encouraging his great master in his labours on Holy Scripture, and used his fortune to further them (Eus. H. E. vi.23).
Ambrose left no writings of his own except some letters, but it is evident that he exercised a powerful influence upon Origen, who called him his "taskmaster," ergodioktes (in Johann. tom. v.), and it may have been through his zeal in "collation" (Orig. Ep.1.) that Origen undertook his critical labours. Through mistaken devotion, Ambrose indiscreetly permitted the publication of some unrevised treatises of Origen which were intended only for his own use (Hieron. Ep.84, 10).
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Curious too that ἀμβρόσιος could be an epithet (= immortal). The person Origen addresses as ἀμβρόσιος might not actually have been named ἀμβρόσιος.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
So, most God-fearing Ambrose and most pious Protoctetus, you are no longer of the flesh or babes in Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1), but have grown in your spiritual stature (cf. Lk. 2:52). You no longer need milk but solid food (cf. Heb. 5:12).
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote