The Three Additions to Daniel, a Study Part 12

HIPPOLYTUS (230) distinctly recognizes Susanna at the end of his _Preface to Daniel_, as well as in his _Commentary_ itself. This last, Bardenhewer (Freiburg im Breisgau, 1877, p. 69) deems, on account of its homiletic phrases, to be "Bruchstucke einer Homilie" (_cf._ art.

_Hippolytus, D.C.B._ iii. 102a).

APOSTOLIC CONSt.i.tUTIONS (third century?). Susanna's trial is instanced in II. 49, "Concerning accusers and witnesses" (_see_ quotation under 'Canonicity,' p. 161), and again in cap. 51.

TERTULLIAN (240). In _de Corona militis_, 4, after instancing Rebecca, he goes on to say of Susanna: "si et Susanna in iudicio revelata argumentum velandi praestat, possum dicere: et his velamen arbitrii fuit," etc. Also _de Pudic._ 17, etc.

ORIGEN (254) frequently refers to Susanna in his commentaries, many references to which are collected by Schurer, _H.J.P._, II. III. 186. In the middle of -- 1 of his _Hom._ I. _in Levitic._ he quotes Susanna's words in v. 22 as if appropriate to the mouth of the book itself, surrounded, by those who doubted its canonicity (words quoted under 'Canonicity,' p. 158). In Eusebius' Praep. Ev. VI. 11, Origen is given as quoting v. 42 as a proof of G.o.d's foreknowledge, ?p? t?? ??af?? t??t?

pa?ast?sa?. In his _Commentary_ on St. John (bk. XX. -- 5) he quotes v.

56 with ?? ? ?a???? f?s?.

CYPRIAN (258), in _Ep._ XLIII. 4, ill.u.s.trates his remarks by a reference to "Susannam pudicam."

Bleek (_O.T._ II. 316) says that Bel and the Dragon and Susanna were used by both Irenaeus and Cyprian in a similar way to the Scriptures of the Hebrew canon.

METHODIUS (330), in his "Song of the Virgins" (II. 2). ????e?, pa??????

???, includes Judith and Susanna:

????te? e?d?? e?p?ep??, ?f? ??

d?? ???ta? S??s???a? ?a?e??, ???t? ???a?, ? ???a?, ?.t.?.

(Migne, _Patr. gr._ XVIII. 212).

HILARY OF POITIERS (367), _de Trin._ IV. 8 (Migne, _Patr. lat._ 10, 101), quotes Susanna 42, "Sicut beata Sus. dicit, Deus aeternus absconditorum cognitor, sciens omnia," etc.

ATHANASIUS (373) also, in his _Disc, against Arians_, I. 13, quotes this popular verse (42) as "in Daniel." In the _Life of Anthony_, -- 43, he refers to Susanna, as well as in the 'doubtful' _Synopsis S.S._

EPHREM SYRUS (378) refers both in his _Ep. ad Johann. monachum_, and in his 15th _Paraenesis_, to the blessed Susanna.

GRATIAN (383) notes on Can. XI. of Neocaesarea (315 A.D.) in _Decreta_ I. 78, c. iv., "Daniel, we read, received the spirit of prophecy before he had arrived even at youth." The Canon itself, as given by Hefele, makes no mention of Daniel.

CYRIL OF JERUSALEM (386) refers (_Catech._ I. 31) to Daniel's inspiration to rescue Susanna, and quotes v. 45 with ????apta? ???.

GREGORY OF NYSSA (396) quotes, in his _Hexaemeron_ (Migne, _Patr. gr._ XLIV. p. 71) and in his _Making of Man_, v. 42, twice as a prophetic writing (XXIX. 1).

AMBROSE (397) has, Sermons XLIX. and L., "de accusato Domino apud Pilatum et de Susanna," in which he draws a parallel between them, as to silence under false charges, at considerable length (Basel, ed. 1527, III. 549).

SULPICIUS SEVERUS (400?), in his _Hist. Sacr._ lib. II. -- 1, gives an outline of the story of Susanna, after the events of Dan. i. and before those of chap, ii., evidently regarding it as historical.

CHRYSOSTOM (407) has a sermon "de Susanna," in which he compares her to the "garden enclosed" of Solomon's Song iv. 12 (quoted in Arnald's _Commentary_).

JEROME (420), in his _de Nominibus Hebraicis_, includes, under the Book of Daniel, Susanna and Joacim without any distinction from the names in the rest of the book (ed. Vallarsi, vol. III.).

AUGUSTINE (430) draws, in _de Civ. Dei_, I. 19, a parallel between Susanna and Lucretia, greatly to the advantage of the former. Arnald, on v. 23, gives some extracts from this.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (444) quotes v. 56 at least twice, viz. on Hos.

xii. 8 and on Zeph. i. 11. In the latter case he speaks of it as pa?? ?e t??? ?e???? ???as??, giving it thus explicitly a high position.

THEODORET (457) quotes in Letter CX., Susanna 22; but in his comment on Daniel, Susanna is not contained.

MAMERTUS CLAUDIa.n.u.s (474). The following occurs in a hymn attributed to this writer, "_In Jacob.u.m magistrum equitum_," but which Migne says is 'dubiae auctoritatis': "Sic tibi det vires sancta Susanna suas."

NICEPHORUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE (828) cla.s.ses Susanna among his "antilegomena." As he makes no separate mention in his lists of the Song, or of Bel and the Dragon, he presumably reckons them under 'Daniel'[55] (Migne, _Patr. gr._ c. 1056). At the end of pseudo-Athanasius' _Synopsis S.S._ comes a list of ?a??????e?a, so similar to Nicephorus' list in order and contents as to suggest that they had some close connection; and it is possible that this appendage may be of even later date than the Synopsis itself, which may be attributed to the 6th century (Loisy, _A.T._, p. 147).

The above are specimens of the numerous references made to Susanna by early Christian writers, both Greek and Latin, who evidently found in her a favourite instance to adduce in support of their teaching. Nor ought we, in such a matter, to treat lightly the tenor of Christian antiquity so remarkably manifested.

ART.

From early times scenes from Susanna were often chosen for artistic treatment. In "a list of the symbols most frequently represented in painting or sculpture by the Church of the first seven centuries"

Susanna is included (_D.C.A._ art. _Symbolism_).

Frescoes of Susanna and the Elders occur, though not with great frequency, in the Catacombs (_D.C.A._ I. art. _Fresco_, 700a). W.

Lowrie, in his _Christian Art_ (N.Y. and Lond. 1901, p. 210), mentions a second-century fresco of Susanna and the Elders judged by Daniel, in the cemetery of Callistus; also he says, "in the Capella graeca in St.

Priscilla the story is depicted with unusual dramatic interest in several scenes." Three old Italian sarcophagi have bas-reliefs of Susanna and the Elders as emblematic of the Church enduring persecution; others are known in southern Gaul (_D.C.A._ art. _Church, Symbols of_). A woodcut is given in this article of a sheep (ewe?) between two wild beasts (wolves?), 'Susanna' and 'Senioris' being written over them respectively, the artist evidently fearing that the symbolism might otherwise not be perceived.

Scenes from the history of Susanna carved on sarcophagi are more frequent in France than in Italy. It has been thought that the two Elders may be taken to represent the two older forms of religion, the Pagan and the Jewish (_D.C.A., O.T. in Art_, II. 1459b). In the same Dict. (_Sculpture_, II. 1867a) it is noted that the cycle of subjects has a remarkable correspondence with those named in the Roman Breviary "Ordo commendationis animae," where "Libera, Dom. animam servi tui sicut liberasti Sus. de falso crimine," is one of the pet.i.tions.

It is fair to presume that Delitzsch refers to some of the above when he writes, "Susannae historia in sarcophagis veterum Christianorum c.u.m sacris historiis insculpta conspicitur" (_op. cit._ 26).

In the Brit. Mus., 2nd North Gallery, Room V., there is a gla.s.s fragment of the 4th century, found at Cologne, representing (probably) Susanna amongst other subjects. She also appears on a carved ivory reliquary of Brescia, which is most likely not later in date than 800 (_D.C.A._ art.

_Reliquary_, II. 1780b).

In the Byzantine Guide to Painting (????e?a t?? ????af????), given in Didron's _Christian Iconography_ (Bohn's ed., Lond. 1886, I. 45_n_, II.

284), 'Daniel defends Susanna' is put immediately after the scene in Dan. i. 15, and before the other scenes given out of Daniel (_cf._ 'Position,' p. 109). Didron's MS. of this work is probably of the 15th century, though the monks of Athos, whence it appears to have come, regarded it as some five centuries older.

There is a window of stained gla.s.s, said to be _cinque-cento_, in the westernmost bay of the south aisle of St. James' Church, Bury St.

Edmunds, of which the three lower lights represent the trial of Susanna.

In the centre Susanna's bath takes the form of a deep font, in which she is standing. The Elders are clothed in purple.[56]

In Sumner's _Antiquities of Canterbury_, 1703, the second figure in the third window of the cathedral is described as "Daniel in medio seniorum," and this inscription is given:

"Mirantur pueri seniores voce doceri Sic responsa dei sensum stupent Pharasaei."

(Reprinted in _Ancient Gla.s.s Painting_, by an Amateur, Oxf. 1848, p.

355.)

In the scheme of stained gla.s.s for Truro cathedral there are several apocryphal subjects, including a window in the south-east transept having "Susanna and the Mother of the Seven Martyrs" for its subjects (Donaldson, _Bishopric of Truro_, 1902, App. V.).

A carved chimney-piece exists in Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, representing Susanna and the Elders (Murray, _Handbook to Northumberland_, 1873, p. 326).

This scene has been a wonderfully popular one with painters. Altdorfer, Carracci, Correggio, A. Coypel, van Dyck, Guercino, Rembrandt, Rubens, Santerre, Tintoretto, Valentin, and P. Veronese may be named amongst those who have treated it. A picture ent.i.tled 'Susanna' was exhibited in the Royal Academy, London, in 1886, by Fred. Goodall, R.A.

Thus we see that the many picturesque incidents in this Addition have not been overlooked by Christian artists in search of subjects for the brush or the chisel. Of these three supplementary sections of Daniel the History of Susanna has, in this respect, been found much the most suggestive; probably as the one which is thought to contain the highest pa.s.sion and feeling.

"EXAMPLE OF LIFE AND INSTRUCTION OF MANNERS."

In the character of _Susanna_ we see unconquerable _Purity_ in thought and deed; prayerful _Trust_ in G.o.d under a false and cruel accusation,[57] and, in the face of death, securing deliverance from an unexpected quarter (_cf. v. 60 with II. Cor. i. 10). With v. 55 Hippolytus compares Tob. iii. 2 (Vulgate). The parallels drawn by St.