Publisher's Synopsis
Cyprian was bishop of Carthage and an important Early Christian writer, many of whose Latin works are extant. He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps at Carthage, where he received a classical education. After converting to Christianity, he became a bishop soon after in 249. A controversial figure during his lifetime, his strong pastoral skills, firm conduct during the Novatianist heresy and outbreak of the plague, and eventual martyrdom at Carthage vindicated his reputation and proved his sanctity in the eyes of the Church. His skillful Latin rhetoric led to his being considered the pre-eminent Latin writer of Western Christianity until Jerome and Augustine. This collection has all of the following works: The Epistles of Cyprian On the Unity of the Church Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews On the Exhortation to Martyrdom On Jealousy and Envy On the Advantage of Patience On Works and Alms On the Mortality On the Vanity of Idols: Showing that the Idols are Not Gods, and that God is One, and that Through Christ Salvation is Given to Believers An Address to Demetrianus On the Lord's Prayer On the Lapsed On the Dress of Virgins
