[318] Jos., Bell. Jud., 4, 8, 5; 4, 5. According to Ideler (i. 400, 433) Josephus employs the Syro-Macedonian names of the months, not with the intention of adjusting them to the Julian Calendar, but merely as Greek names for the Jewish months.
[319] The attempt to fix the time of Christ’s birth by the help of the course of Abia was undertaken by Scaliger, abandoned as useless by Petavius, resumed by B. Lamy. In modern times, it was resumed by Seyffarth (Chronol. Sacra, Leipsig, 1846, 97 et seqq.), Weigl (Theol. und Chronol. Abhandlungen über das wahre Geburts- und Sterbejahr Christi, Sulzbach, 1848), and Stavars (Tüb. Theol. Quartalschr., 1866, 201 et seq.).
[320] Hieron, Opera, ed. Migne, xi. 220. It is evident from St Jerome’s commentary on Ezechiel that his views on the subject were not those of the preacher of this sermon. The sermon for the 25th December, published by Morin (Anecdota Mareds., iii. 2, 392, et seqq.), agrees with the sermon quoted above.
[321] Clemens Alex., Strom., i., ed. Sylburg, 340.
[322] Cypriani, Opera, ed. Hartel, ii. 266.
[323] Augustin., Sermo 190, 1; 192, 3; 196, 1.
[324] Luke ix. 13 seqq.
[325] Ambr., De Virg., 3, 1; Migne, xvi. 219.
[326] Paulinus, Vita Ambr., c. 4, and his life in the Benedictine edition of his works, c. 7. The chronology of the youthful period of St Ambrose’s life is unfortunately obscure.
[327] Conc. Cathag., iii. can. 4; Bruns, i. 123.