from jIevrnh ˆ gevna, jIevrnh being the Greek name for Ireland. But this leaves the disappearance
of the first v to be accounted for. The far-fetched explanations of Erigena either from Ayr, a city
on the west coast of Scotland, or Ergene in Hereford, a shire in England on the south Welsh border,
and gena, may be dismissed without discussion.
The absence of authentic information to the contrary makes it probable that Scotus Erigena
died in France. But there is a tradition that he was called by Alfred the Great into England and
made abbot of Malmesbury, and there died a violent death at the hands of his scholars. It is inherently
improbable that a conservative and loyal son of the church like Alfred, would invite to any position
so eccentric, if not heretical, a man as Scotus Erigena. Charles the Bald died in 877. It is not likely
that Erigena would leave France before that date, but then he was at least sixty-two, and hence
rather old to change his residence. A reference to Asser’s biography of King Alfred affords a rational
explanation of the tradition. Asser says that Alfred invited from Gaul a priest and monk named
John, who was remarkable for energy, talent and learning, in order that the king might profit by
his conversation. A few pages further on, Asser calls this John an old Saxon, and says that Alfred
appointed him the first abbot of Athelney, and that he was almost murdered by hired ruffians. Mon.
Hist. Brit. vol. i. [1848], pp. 489, 493, 4 Eng. trans. Six Old English Chronicles in Bohn’s
"Antiquarian Library," pp. 70, 80, 81. It needed only that the fame of John Scotus should reach
England for the John of Asser’s biography to be confounded with him, and thus the story arose as
it is found in Ingulph, William of Malmesbury, and Matthew Paris.
§ 177. Anastasius.
I. Anastasius Bibliothecarius: Opera omnia in Migne, Tom. CXXVII.-CXXIX. col. 744.
II. The Prolegomena in Migne, CXXVII. Ceillier, XII. 712–718. Bähr, 261–271.
Anastasius, librarian of the Roman Church, hence surnamed the "Librarian," to distinguish him
from others of the same name, was abbot of the monastery of Sancta Maria trans Tiberim under
Nicolas I. (858–867). He was sent in 869 to Constantinople as ambassador to arrange a marriage
between the daughter of Louis II. and a son of Basil the Macedonian. While there the eighth
oecumenical council was in session, and by his knowledge of Greek he was very useful to the Papal
ambassador in attendance. He brought back with him the canons of the council and at the request
of Hadrian II. translated them into Latin. He died, according to Baronius, in 886.
He has been identified by some (e.g. Fabricius^1478 and Hergenröther^1479 ) with the Cardinal
presbyter Anastasius who was deposed and excommunicated in 850, anathematized in 853, but
elected pope in 855 in opposition to Benedict III. whom he imprisoned. He was deposed in 856
and died in 879. Those who accept the statement are obliged to suppose that for some reason Nicolas
and Louis II. condoned his fault and Hadrian II. continued him in favor. The name Anastasius is
too common in Church history to render it necessary or safe to resort to such an improbable
identification.
(^1478) Bib. Lat. med., Hamburg, 1734, I. 230.
(^1479) Photius, II. 230-240. Wetzer u. Welte, 2d ed. 1. col. 788-792.