VICTORINUS, CAIUS MARIUS: Philosopher, rhetorician, grammarian, and theologian; b. in Africa; d. probably at Rome about 363. At Rome he gained distinction as a representative of NeoPlatonic scholasticism and as the commentator and translator of Aristotelian and Neo-Platonic writings. Some time previous to 357, he became an open convert to Christianity and an ardent defender of Nicene orthodoxy in his De generatione verbi divini, directed against the Arian Candidus, and in the four books Adv. Arium, written in 357-358. When he wrote his commentaries on the Pauline epistles (probably more than the three which have been preserved) is uncertain. The edict of Julian forbidding Christians to teach obliged Victorious to resign his professorship of rhetoric, and as he seems to have become a convert when an aged man, he probably died shortly afterward. Victorious was the author of many other philosophical and theological treatises, all of which have perished except those already mentioned (ed., with some doubtful works, MPL, viii.).

Even as a Christian Victorious remained essentially a philosopher, almost undisguisedly developing the entire system of Plotinus in his dogmatics and by its aid seeking speculative support for the Nicene doctrines. His theological writings exercised no lasting influence; the commentaries contained dangerous expressions, and his trinitarian doctrine was too speculative and inaccurate dogmatically to win followers.

(R. Schmid.)

Bibliography: Augustine, Confessions, viii. 2-5; R. Schmid, Marius Victorious und seine Beziehurtgen zu Augustin Kiel, 1895; J. de Launoy, Opera, ii. 1, pp. 645-846, 10 vols., Geneva, 1731-32; J. E. B. Mayor, Clue to Latin Literature, pp. 172-173, London. 1875; H. Uaener, Anecdoton Holderi, pp. 59-88, Bonn, 1877; G. Koffmane, De Mario Victorino, Breslau, 1880; G. Geiger, Caius Marius VicEordnus AJer, 2 parts, Metten, 1888-89; A. Ebert, Geschichte der Literatur des Mittelalters, i. 124-125, 315-318, Leipsic, 1889; W. S. Teufiel, Geschichte der römischen Literatur, pp. 1031-35, Leipsic, 1890; Harnack, Dogma, v. 29, 33 sqq., 279-280; idem, in Zeitschrift Jür Theologie and Kirche, 1891; M. Manitius, Geschichte der christlichlateinischen Poeaie, pp. 113 sqq., Stuttgart, 1891; M. Schanz, in I. von Müller's Handbuch der klasaischen Altertumawissenschaft, viii. 137 sqq., Munich, 1904; Bardenhewer, Patrologie, pp. 36867, 417, Eng. transl., St. Louis, 1908; DCB, iv. 1129-38; HL, sii. 928-927.