Chapter 39: On the ordering of times (chronology).308

[308] Sufficient of Isidore’s chronology is translated to give an
idea of its method and of the events mentioned in it. His dates
for the six ages of the world are as follows:

First age 0–2242.
Second age 2242–3184.
Third age 3184–4125.
Fourth age 4125–4610.
Fifth age 4610–5155.
Sixth age 5155-?

The world according to Isidore’s chronology was in its 5825th
year. Although Isidore professes to start the sixth age with the
birth of Christ, he really starts it with the beginning of the
reign of Augustus. See _Chronicon_; Migne, _P. L._, vol. 83, col.
1038.

1. The first age contains at its beginning the creation of the world. On the first day under the name of light God created the angels; on the second, under the name of firmament, the heavens; on the third, under the name of parting, the waters and the land; on the fourth day, the lights of heaven; on the fifth, living things of the waters; on the sixth, living things of the land and man, whom he called Adam.

[Years]

2. Adam in his 230th year begat Seth, from whom
[sprang] the children of God. 230

Seth in his 205th year begat Enos, who began to call
upon the name of the Lord. 435

Enos in his 190th year begat Cainan. 625

Cainan in his 170th year begat Malaleel. 795

_Second Age_

5. Sem in the second year after the flood begat
Arphaxad, from whom sprang the Chaldeans. 2244

Arphaxad in his 135th year begat Sala, from whom
sprang the Samaritans and Indians. 2379

Sala in his 130th year begat Heber, from whom
sprang the Hebrews. 2509

6. Heber in his 144th year begat Phaleg. The tower
was built. 2643

Phaleg in his 130th year begat Ragan. The gods
are first worshiped. 2773

Ragan in his 132nd year begat Seruch. The kingdom
of the Scythians begins. 2905

7. Seruch in his 130th year begat Nachor. The
king of the Egyptians appears. 3035

Nachor in his 79th year begat Tharam. The kingdom
of the Scythians and the Sycionii appears. 3114

Tharam in his 70th year begat Abraham. Zoroaster
discovered magic. 3184

_Third Age_

12. Abdon ruled eight years. Troy was captured. 4025

Samson ruled twenty years. Ascanius founded Alba. 4045

The priest Eli ruled forty years. The ark of the
covenant was captured. 4085

Samuel ruled forty years. Homer is believed to
have lived at this time. 4125

_Fourth Age_

13. David ruled forty years. Carthage is founded
by Dido. Gad, Nathan and Asaph prophesied. 4165

Solomon ruled forty years. The temple at Jerusalem
was built. 4205

_Fifth Age_

19. The captivity of the Hebrews, seventy years.
Judith writes history. 4680

Darius, thirty-four years. The captivity of the
Jews is ended. 4714

Xerxes, twenty years. The tragedians Sophocles
and Euripides are famous. 4734

20. Artaxerxes, forty years. Esdras renews the law
which was burned. 4774

Darius, called also Nothus, nineteen years. This
time possessed Plato and Gorgias, the first teacher
of rhetoric. 4793

25. Ptolemaeus, eight years. The art of rhetoric
begins at Rome. 5118

Dionysius, thirty years. Pompey takes Judaea. 5148

Cleopatra, two years. Egypt is conquered by the
Romans. 5150

Julius Caesar, five years. He was the first to
possess sole authority. 5155

_Sixth Age_

26. Octavian, fifty-six years. Christ is born. 5211

Tiberius, twenty-three years. Christ is crucified. 5234

Caius Caligula, four years. Matthew wrote his
gospel. 5238

27. Claudius, fourteen years. Mark published his
gospel. 5252

Nero, fourteen years. Peter and Paul are put to
death. 5266

Vespasian, ten years. Jerusalem was destroyed by
Titus. 5276

41. Tiberius, six years. The Lombards take Italy. 5779

Mauritius, twenty-one years. The Goths become
Catholic. 5800

Phocas, eight years. The Romans are defeated by
the Persians. 5808

42. Eraclius is now governing the empire in his seventeenth year.

The Jews in Spain are being made Christian. The remainder of the sixth age is known to God alone.

BOOKS VI-VIII

THEOLOGY[309]

[309] These three books are not grouped by Isidore under one
name. There apparently was no name in existence by which to
designate them, as _theologia_ was not applied, commonly at
least, to Christian doctrine before Abelard’s time.