DIONYSIUS Arcopagita was born at Athens, and educated there. He went afterwards to Heliopolis, in Egypt, where, if we may credit some writers of his life, he beheld that wonderful eclipse which happened at our Saviour's passion, and was urged by some extraordinary impulse to cry out, Aut Deus patitur, aut cum patiente dolet, either God himself suffers, or sympathises with him who does. At his return to Athens he was elected into the court of Arcopagus, from which circumstance he derived his name of Arcopagite. About the year 50 he embraced Christianity; and, as some say, was appointed first bishop of Athens by St Paul. Of his conversion we have an account in the 17th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He is supposed to have suffered martyrdom, but whether under Domitian, Trajan, or Hadrian, is not certain. We have nothing remaining under his name except what there is every reason to believe spurious.