Note 9 — Chapter I

In spite of the labours of recent critics, the history of St. Hyppolitus still remains obscure. It appears uncertain whether there were one or many saints of the name; whether the Hyppolitus celebrated by Prudentius was ever really Bishop of Porto, and lastly, whether he was, or was not, the author of the Philosophumena. The former opinion is maintained by Bunsen, Döllinger, and the majority of German and English critics; the latter is generally supported by the Catholic writers of France.