APOLLINARIS SIDONIUS, Caius Lollius, an emi-
nent Christian writer and bishop in the 5th century, was
born of a noble family in France. He was educated
under the best masters, and made a prodigious pro-
gress in the several arts and sciences, but particularly
in poetry and polite literature. After he had left the
schools, he applied himself to the profession of war. He
married Papiamilla, the daughter of Avitus, who was
consul, and afterwards emperor, by whom he had three
children. But Majorianus in the year 437 having de-
prived Avitus of the empire, and taken the city of
Lyons, in which our author resided, Apollinaris fell
into the hands of the enemy. However the reputation
of his learning softened Majorianus's resentment, so
that he treated him with the utmost civility, in return
for which Apollinaris composed a panegyric in his ho-
nour; which was so highly applauded, that he had a
statue erected to him at Rome, and was honoured with
the title of Count. In the year 467 the emperor An-
themius rewarded him for the panegyric which he had
written in honour of him, by raising him to the post of
governor of Rome, and afterwards to the dignity of a
patrician and senator, and erecting a statue to him.
But he soon quitted these secular employments for the
service of the church. The bishopric of Clermont be-
ing vacant in 472 by the death of Eparchus, Apollin-
aris, who was then only a layman, was chosen to
succeed him without any interest or solicitation on his
part, in which he acted with the greatest in-
tegrity. Clermont being besieged by the Goths, he
animated the people to the defence of that city, and
would never consent to the surrender of it; so that,
when it was taken about the year 480, he was ob-
liged to retire; but he was soon restored by Evariges
king of the Goths, and continued to govern the church
as he had done before. He died in peace the 21st of
August 487; and his festival is still observed in the
church of Clermont, where his memory is held in great
veneration. He is esteemed the most elegant writer of
his age, both in prose and verse. He wrote a great
many little pieces; but preferred none but those which
he thought were worthy of being continued down to
posterity. He collected himself the nine books which
we have remaining of his letters. His chief pieces in
poetry are the three panegyrics upon the emperors
Avitus, Majorianus, and Anthemius. The rest of them
are a collection of poems addressed to his friends upon
particular subjects. His letters contain a variety of
particulars relating to polite literature and profane
history.
APOLLINARIUS,
Apollinari-
us,
Apollo.