Two Tractates and a Letter to Athanasius

Tractatus duo et epistula ad Athanasium

1Potamius describes in vivid, elaborate language the decay of Lazarus's body, Christ's weeping, and the raising of Lazarus.
2Potamius describes the martyrdom of Isaiah, sawn in two by order of Belias, and his steadfast endurance.
3Potamius praises Athanasius for condemning the Arian heresy and argues from Scripture for the Son's unity of substance with the Father.

About this work

Author: Potamius of Lisbon
Attribution: authentic · The two tractates and the letter to Athanasius are generally ascribed to Potamius; an Easter sermon sometimes joined to them is not staged.
Standing: Not honoured as a saint or in a church calendar by the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions. A bishop in communion with a substantial part of the church of his own time (before and after his support for the homoian party); no tradition's calendar honours him.
Date: ca. 350-360 (approximate) · Potamius took part in the homoian council of Sirmium (357); the letter to Athanasius is later.
Written at: Lisbon (Olisipo), Lusitania (probable)
Addressed to: Athanasius (letter, ref 3)
Language: Latin
Genre: homily
Reference system: 1 = Tractate 1 (On Lazarus), 2 = Tractate 2 (On the martyrdom of Isaiah), 3 = Letter to Athanasius. The edition has no chapter numbers.
SBL abbreviation: Tract.Not yet checked
Text from: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, series Latina, vol. 8 (Paris, 1845-1846), digital text of the printed volume; column range not yet checked (Printed edition (Migne, 1844-1864) in the public domain; digital text CC BY-SA 4.0)