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Vita Hilarion by Jerome

Background and Biography
Background and Biography

Excerpts

Antonopoulos (1980:148 n.1) reported that Hieronymos (Vita Hilarion, ยง 7) contained a reference to this earthquake and the Great Plague in Rome where Hieronymos is Jerome's name in Latin. A search through this source for the words plague and pestilence revealed nothing. A search for Rome led to a short passage about the Apostle Peter who is reputed to have died a decade or more before the Sybil Quake. There is no mention of a plague in that passage. Section 42 which documents Hilarion's arrival in Cyprus may contain the section Antonopoulos (1980:148 n.1) was referring to
English from Fremantle (1893) - Section 42

Having then entered Paphos, the city of Cyprus renowned in the songs of the poets, the ruins of whose temples after frequent earthquakes are the only evidences at the present day of its former grandeur, he began to live in obscurity about two miles from the city, and rejoiced in having a few days rest.

While this does refer to past earthquakes it is unspecific about the dates. Section 40 mentions an earthquake after Roman Emperor Julian the apostate died in June 363 CE. This appears to reference the 365 CE Crete earthquake of the eastern Mediterranean which is reputed to have been felt widely and generated widespread tsunamis.
English from Fremantle (1893) - Section 40

At that time there was an earthquake over the whole world, following on the death of Julian, which caused the sea to burst its bounds, and left ships hanging on the edge of mountain steeps. It seemed as though God were threatening a second deluge, or all things were returning to original chaos. When the people of Epidaurus saw this, I mean the roaring waves and heaving waters and the swirling billows mountain-high dashing on the shore, fearing that what they saw had happened elsewhere might befall them and their town be utterly destroyed, they made their way to the old man, and as if preparing for a battle placed him on the shore.

There is no further mention of Earthquakes in the Life of Hilarion.

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