This account of things agrees best with history when duly rectified. For
[29] _Justin_ and [30] _Irenaeus_ say, that _Simon Magus_ came to _Rome_ in
the reign of _Claudius_, and exercised juggling tricks there.
_Pseudo-Clemens_ adds, that he endeavoured there to fly, but broke his neck
thro' the prayers of _Peter_. Whence [31] _Eusebius_, or rather his
interpolator _Jerom_, has recorded, that _Peter_ came to _Rome_ in the
second year of _Claudius_: but [32] _Cyril_ Bishop of _Jerusalem_,
_Philastrius_, _Sulpitius_, _Prosper_, _Maximus Taurinensis_, and
_Hegesippus junior_, place this victory of _Peter_ in the time of _Nero_.
Indeed the antienter tradition was, that _Peter_ came to _Rome_ in the days
of this Emperor, as may be seen in [33] _Lactantius_. _Chrysostom_ [34]
tells us, that the Apostles continued long in _Judea_, and that then being
driven out by the _Jews_ they went to the _Gentiles_. This dispersion was
in the first year of the _Jewish_ war, when the _Jews_, as _Josephus_ tells
us, began to be tumultuous and violent in all places. For all agree that
the Apostles were dispersed into several regions at once; and _Origen_ has
set down the time, [35] telling us that in the beginning of the _Judaic_
war, the Apostles and disciples of our Lord were scattered into all
nations; _Thomas_ into _Parthia_, _Andrew_ into _Scythia_, _John_ into
_Asia_, and _Peter_ first into _Asia_, where he preacht to the dispersion,
and thence into _Italy_.
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