Jerome. Lives of Illustrious Men 22
22 Hegesippus the historian PL 23, 639
Hegesippus who lived at a period not far from the Apostolic age, writing a History of all ecclesiastical events from the passion of our Lord, down to his own period, and gathering many things useful to the reader, composed five volumes in simple style, trying to represent the style of speaking of those whose lives he treated. He says that he went to Rome in the time of Anicetus, the tenth bishop after Peter, and continued there till the time of Eleutherius, bishop of the same city, who had been formerly deacon under Anicetus. Moreover, arguing against idols, he wrote a history, showing from what error they had first arisen, and this work indicates in what age he flourished. He says, “They built monuments and temples to their dead as we see up to the present day, such as the one to Antinous, servant to the Emperor Hadrian, in whose honour also games were celebrated, and a city founded bearing his name, and a temple with priests established.” The Emperor Hadrian is said to have been enamoured of Antinous.
Hegesippus vicinus Apostolicorum temporum, et omnes a passione Domini usque ad suam aetatem Ecclesiasticorum actuum texens historias, multaque ad utilitatem legentium pertinentia hinc inde congregans, quinque libros composuit, sermone simplici, ut quorum vitam sectabatur, dicendi quoque exprimeret characterem. Asserit se venisse sub Aniceto Romam, qui decimus post Petrum episcopus fuit, et perseverasse usque ad Eleutherum ejusdem urbis episcopum, qui Aniceti quondam diaconus fuerat. Praeterea adversum idola disputans, ex quo primum errore crevissent, subtexit historiam, ex qua ostendit, qua floruerit aetate. Ait enim: Tumulos mortuis templaque fecerunt, sicut usque hodie videmus: e quibus est et Antinous servus Hadriani Caesaris, cui et gymnicus agon exercetur apud Antinoum civitatem, quam ex ejus nomine condidit, et statuit prophetas in templo. Antinoum autem in deliciis habuisse Caesar Hadrianus scribitur.
Ἡγήσιππος τῶν χρόνων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, πάσας ἀπὸ τοῦ πάθους τοῦ Κυρίου ἕως τῶν ἰδίων χρόνων, τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν πράξεων ὑφαίνων ἱστορίας καὶ πολλὰ εἰς ὄφελος τῶν ἀναγινωσκόντων συντείνοντα, πανταχόθεν συλλέγων πέντε συνέθνκε βίβλους ἁπλουστέρῳ λόγῳ, ὥστε ἐκείνων ἐξηγήσασθαι χαρακτῆρας, ὧν τῷ βίῳ ἐξηκολούθει. Φάσκει δὲ ἐπιστῆναι τῇ Ῥωμῃ ἐπὶ Ἀνικήτου, τοῦ μετὰ Πέτρον δεκάτου ἐπισκόπου, καὶ διατετεληκέναι ἄχρι Ἐλευθέρου ἐπισκόπου τῆς προειρημένης ᾽Ρώμης, ὃς Ἀνικήτου διάκονος ἐγεγόνει. Καὶ κατὰ τῶν εἰδώλων ἐξηγούμενος, ἐκ ποίας πρῶτον πλάνης ηὐξήθη, συνέταξεν ἱστορίαν, δεικνὺς ἐν ποίοις ἤνθησε καιροῖς. Φάσκει γὰρ οὕτως· « Τύμβους τοῖς νεκροῖς καὶ ναοὺς ἐποιήσαντο, καθὰ ἄχρι τῆς δεῦρο ὁρῶμεν, ἀφ' ὧν ἐστιν καὶ Ἀντίνους, ὁ δοῦλος Ἀδριανοῦ Καίσαρος, οὗτινος καὶ γυμνικὸς ἀγὼν ἐν τῇ Ἀντίνῳ ἐπιτελεῖται, καὶ τὸ δίκαιον τῆς πόλεως ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ προσηγορίας ἔτυχε, καὶ προφήτας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ἔστησε. » Τὸν δὲ Ἀντίνουν ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ τῶν αἰδιλικίων ἐσχηκέναι Ἀδριανόν τινες συγγράφονται.