Caius Lollius, an eminent 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 progress 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 Papianilla, the daughter of Avitus, who was consul, and afterwards emperor, by whom he had three children. But Majorianus in the year 457 having deprived 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 honour; 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 Anthemius 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 being vacant in 472 by the death of Eparchus, Apollinaris, 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 integrity. 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 obliged 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.