FULGE'NTIUS, FABIUS CLAUDIUS GORDIANUS, Bishop of Ruapina, a town on the coast of Africa, was born about A.D. 464. His father Gordianus, who was a senator of Carthage, was obliged to leave his native city during the persecutious of the Vandals, and retired to Telepte, in the province of Byzacium, where Fulgeutius pawed the early years of his life. He is said to have made great progress in his studies, and to have acquired an accurate knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages. In oonsequence of his attain ments, he was appointed at an early age to receive the public revenues of the province; but he resigned his office soon after his appoint ment, and retired to a monastery in the neighbourhood. After enduring many persecutions on account of his opposition to the Arian doctrines, he resolved to go into Egypt to visit the celebrated monka of that country. From this design he was dissuaded by Eualius, bishop of Syracuse, on the ground that the monks of the East had withdrawn from the Catholic communion, and accordingly he pro ceeded to Rome in 500. On his return to his native country, the Catholic clergy elected him bishop of Ruspicia; but he did not enjoy his dignity long, being exiled to Sardinia, together with the other Catholic bishops of that part of Africa, by Thraaimend, king of the Vandals. His learning, his austere manner of living, and his frequent controversies with the Arians, procured him the universal respect of the Catholic clergy, who considered him the greatest ornament of the African church in that age. Curiosity led Thrasimoud to recal him
to Carthage, where he held disputes with the king on the debated points of the Arian controversy ; but as he was unable to couvince the monarch, he was obliged to return to Sardinia, where he remaiued till 522, when the death of Thrasimond and the succession of Hildericua to the throne occasioned the recal of the Catholic bishopa. Fulgentiva returned to Ruapina, and resided there till the time of his death, which happened either in 529 or 533.
Hia worka were printed at Paris, in a 4to volume, in 1684. His principal works are :-1, 'Three Booka to Thrasimond, king of the Vandals, on the Arian Controversy ; ' 2, 'Three Books to Menimus: The first supports the opinions of Augustin on the doctrine of pre destination ; the second explains the sacrifice of Christ and the passage in 1 Cor. vi. 6, "But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment ; " the third containa remarks on the Arian interpre tation of John i. 1, "The word was with God." 3, Two Books to Euthymiva, ou the Remiseiou of Sine,' to show that God will pardon sins only in this life; 4, 'A Book to Donates, ou the Triuity; ' 5, 'Three Books on Predestination, to John, a priest, and Veneriva, a deacon;' 6, 'A Book on Faith ; ' 7, 'Letters ou various religious Subjects,' written principally duriug his exile.
(Dupin, Bibliothegue Ecclesiastique, vol. v., p. 13-21, Eug. Trans.; Acta Sanctorum, vol. i., Januar. p. 32.)