, a principal father of the Christian church, was born at Carthage
, a principal father of
the Christian church, was born at Carthage in Africa,
about the beginning of the third century. We know nothing more of his parents, than that they were heathens;
and he himself continued such till the last twelve years of
his life. He applied himself early to the study of oratory;
and some of the ancients, Lactantius in particular, informs
us, that he taught rhetoric at Carthage with the highest
applause. Tertullian was his master; and Cyprian was so
fond of reading him, that, as St. Jerome tells us, seldom a
clay passed without his saying to his amanuensis, “Da magistrum,
” Give me my master. Cyprian, however, far
excelled Tertullian as a writer.