Warned by disease of death’s approach, Isidore began the distribution of his property. For
the last six months of his life he dispensed alms from morn till night. His end was highly edifying.
Accompanied by his assembled bishops he had himself carried to the church of St. Vincent the
Martyr, and there, having publicly confessed his sins, prayed God for forgiveness. He then asked
the pardon and prayers of those present, gave away the last thing he owned, received the Holy
Communion, and was carried to his cell, in which he died four days later, Thursday, April 4, 636.^1008
He was immediately enrolled among the popular saints and in the 15th council of Toledo (688) is
styled "excellent doctor," and by Benedict XIV. (April 25, 1722) made a Doctor of the Church.
Isidore of Seville was the greatest scholar of his day. He was well read in Latin, Greek and
Hebrew, in profane as well as in sacred and patristic literature. He was also a vigorous and dignified
prelate, admired for his wondrous eloquence and beloved for his private virtues. He did much for
education, especially of the clergy, and established at Seville a highly successful school, in which
he himself taught. But his universal fame rests upon his literary works, which embrace every branch
of knowledge then cultivated, and which though almost entirely compilations can not be too highly
praised for their ability and usefulness. He performed the inestimable service of perpetuating
learning, both sacred and secular. It is a striking testimony to his greatness that works have been
attributed to him with which he had nothing to do, as the revision of the Mozarabic Liturgy and of
Spanish ecclesiastical, and secular laws, and especially the famous Pseudo-Isidorian decretals.
His Works may be divided loosely into six classes. We have two lists of them, one by his
friend and colleague Braulio, bishop of Saragossa, and the other by his pupil, Ildefonsus of Toledo.
No strict division of these works is possible, because as will be seen several of them belong in parts
to different classes.
I. Biblical. This class embraces, 1. Scripture Allegorics,^1009 allegorical explanations, each
in a single sentence, of 129 names and passages in the Old Testament, and of 211 in the New
Testament; a curious and, in its way, valuable treatise, compiled from the older commentaries. 2.
Lives and Deaths of Biblical Saints.^1010 Very brief biographies of sixty-four Old Testament and
twenty-one New Testament worthies. 3. Introductions in the Old and New Testaments,^1011 a very
general introduction to the entire Bible, followed by brief accounts of the several books, including
Esdras and Maccabees. The four Gospels, the epistles, of Paul, Peter and John are treated together
in respective sections. Acts comes between Jude and Revelation. It was compiled from different
authors. 4. Scripture Numbers^1012 (1–16, 18–20, 24, 30, 40, 46, 50, 60), mystically interpreted. Thus
under one, the church is one, the Mediator is one. Under two, there are two Testaments, two
Seraphim, two Cherubim. 5. Questions on the Old and New Testaments,^1013 a Biblical catechism
of forty-one questions and answers. Some are very trivial. 6. Expositions of Holy Mysteries, or
Questions on the Old Testament,^1014 a paraphrase of Genesis, and notes upon Joshua, Judges, the
four books of Kings, Ezra and Maccabees. The work is compiled from Origen, Victorinus, Ambrose,
(^1008) Vita S. Isidori, 33-36, in Migne, LXXXII. col. 45-49.
(^1009) Allegoriae quaedam Sacrae Scripturae, Migne, LXXXIII. col. 97-130.
(^1010) De ortu et obitu patrum qui in Scriptura laudibus efferuntur, ibid. col. 129-156.
(^1011) In libros V. ac N. T. prooemia, ibid. col. 155-180.
(^1012) Liber numerorum qui in S. S. occurunt, ibid. col. 179-200.
(^1013) De, V. et N. T. quaestiones, ibid. col. 201-208.
(^1014) Mysticorum expositiones sacramentorum seu quaestiones in V. T. ibid. col. 207. 434.