breathed out his life", it is inferred by some (who assume Jerome to speaking from authoritative knowledge and not merely in his usual highly rhetorical mode of vituperation) that he was then dead, and had not been made to suffer for his views too strenuously. In fact, penalties of quite a cruel nature were often meted out upon heretics during the reign of Theodosius, and legal records at the time show that the Roman state did prescribe cruel punishments for him, including flogging and (supposing he survived) exile "...to the Isle of Bua" in the Adriatic Sea. It is worth noting in this regard that Augustine, in a relatively recently discovered letter (10*), laments the use of the leaded thong on heretics, since, in the Saint's words, "...it so often leads to death." Despite seeing marriage as an honorable state, Jovinian himself did not marry, so that he was not kept busy by the state of marriage. Teachings The writings of Jovinian were sent to Jerome by his friend Pammachius. Jerome replied to them in a long treatise in two books, written in 393. Many of Jovinian's views could be considered contrary to ascetic ideals that were gaining prominence in the era, and would ultimately influence what constitutes Roman Catholic orthodoxy today. He felt that virgins, widows and married women, even remarried widows, are of equal merit in the Christian community. Jovinian addressed his virginal reader: I do you no wrong, Virgin: you have chosen a life of chastity on account of the present distress: you determined on the course in order to be holy in body and spirit: be not proud: you and your married sisters are members of the same Church…Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgement, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I think therefore that this is good by reason of the present distress, namely, that it is good for a man to be as he is… See, the Apostle confesses that as regards virgins he has no commandment of the Lord, and he who had with authority laid down the law respecting husbands and wives, does not dare to command what the Lord has not enjoined. And rightly too. For what is enjoined is commanded, what is commanded must be done, and that which must be done implies punishment if it