Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 3.djvu/366

 CAPREOLUS

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CAPTAIN

the negotiations which followed concerning the execution of the Concordat lie displayed too con- ciliatory a spirit in dealing with the ten constitu- tional bishops who were to be appointed to as many of the newly-established dioceses; in fact, he went contrary to specific instructions from Rome. How- ever, persistent pressure exerted by Napoleon may be taken as an excuse for the legate's conduct. Cardinal Caprara officiated at the solemn restoration of public worship in the cathedral of Notre-Dame on Easter Day (18 April, 1S02), at which function the First Consul, the high officers of state, and the new ecclesiastical dignitaries assisted. At times the cardinal legate showed more strength in the interest of the Church; thus, in a letter written 18 August, 1803. he protested most energetically against the Organic Articles added to the Concordat by the French Government.

In May, 1802, shortly after the above-mentioned solemnities, he was appointed Archbishop of Milan, and as such he blessed, on the 26th of May, 1805, the Iron Crown, which Napoleon placed on his own head in his new dignity of King of Italy. Otherwise Caprara retained his position as papal legate in France until his death, or rather until the imprison- menl of Pope Pius VII in July, 1S09. His declining health saved him from the embarrassment connected with the divorce and second marriage of Napoleon (April, 1S10). In his last will his entire fortune was left to the hospital of Milan. In memory of all that was done in behalf of France he published the "Con- cordat et recueil des bulles et brefs de N. S. Pie VII. sur les affaires de PEglise de France" (Paris, 1802). ( Cardinal Caprara was a man of simple and pure habits, zealous for religion and very charitable, but often inclined to yield to the imperious will of princes and ministers, a weakness which at times justified the reproaches of Pius VI (1775-99) and Pius VII.

Rinieri, La Diplomazia Pcmtijicia (Rome, 1902), I; Theiner. Hist. As deux Concordats (Paris. 1S69), I; Gen-dry. Pie VI d'ar^, 190.5); Aktu'ii, Hixtoirr du Pope Pie VII (Paris, 1837); Werner in Kirchenlex. (Freiburg, 1SS7), II.

Francis J. Schaefer.

Capreolus, John, theologian, b. towards the end of the fourteenth century (about 1380) in the Dio- cese of Rodez, France; d. in that city, 6 April, 1444. He lias been called the "Prince of Thomists", but only scanty details of his personal history are known. He was a Dominican affiliated to the province of Toulouse, and a general chapter of his order at Poi- tiers in 1407 assigned him to lecture on "The Sen- tences" in the University of Paris. He began in I ins and achieved success. The following year he ed the first part of his celebrated defensive commentary on the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. He passed examinations for degrees at the Sorbonne in 1411 and in 1415. After serving for some time as regent of studies at Toulouse, In- repaired to Rodez, where he laboured assiduously at his commentaries, completing the three remaining parts in 1426. 142S,

and 1133. In the pn fai 8 compendium of Cap-

reolus'swork by Isidore de Isolanis, it is stated that these MSS. once narrowly escaped destruction by fire, a lay brother having saved them, to the joy of the author, who was then advanced in years. The same authority describes the erudite commentator as having cherished through life a tender devotion i.. the Blessed Virgin. Though following the order "f "The Sentences, the commentaries of Capreolus i calm, learned, and penetrating exposition of the teachings of St. Thomas, as wefl as a compre- hensive defence against sundry opponents and critics, including Scot us, Henry ol Ghent, John of Ripa, Guido (the Carmelite), Aureolus, Durandus, Gregory of Rimini. William of < >ckham, and other Nominalists. ( I pious and apt citations show thai the author had

mastered Aristotle and his Arabic commentator, Averroes; but a scrupulous fidelity to the Angelical Doctor, that earned for him the extraordinary appella- tion of "Soul of St. Thomas", is his chief character- istic.

There is nothing in the wide field of the doctrinal discussions of his time that Capreolus did not study and elucidate with precision of insight and reason- ing, and express in a style so terse and vigorous that his work is rightly given a place among the most enduring achievements of the golden age of Scholas- ticism. The commentaries, bearing slightly variant titles, were published in four folio volumes at Venice, 1483, 1514, 1519, 1589. In 1881, Bishop Bourret of Rodez, who had made the life and works of Capreolus the object of considerable research, suggested a criti- cally revised edition of the commentaries, which was at length undertaken by two Dominicans. Its publication was begun at Tours in 1900 and is now (1907) nearly completed in the seventh volume, un- der the title: " Johannis Capreoli Tholosani, Ordinis Prsedicatorum, Thomistarum principis, Defensiones Theologia? Divi Thorna? Aq. de novo edita? cura et studio RR. PP. Ceslai Paban et Thomae Pegues". Early compendiums of the work by Paul Soncinas and by Sylvester Prierias were much used in their day.

Echard, Script. Ord. Prced., I, 795; Pegues in Revue Tlmmi.itr. March. 1899. 6S sq.; July, 1S99, 317 sq.; Nov.. 1S99, 507 sq.; Mandonnet in Vacant, Diet, de thiol, cath. (Paris, 1905). col. 1693; Ude, Doclrina Capreoli (Graz, 1905); Hurter, Nomenclalor, II, col. 805.

John R. Volz.

Capsa, a titular see of North Africa. The city, said to have been founded by the Libyan Hercules, belonged to King Jugurtha, who had deposited his treasures there; it was captured by Marius in 106 B. c. and destroyed, but later became a Roman colony. When Africa was divided into two provinces by Justin- ian, it was assigned to Byzacena. Under Justin- ian the Duke of Byzacena resided there and the town, which was protected by a strong citadel, was called Justiniana Capsa. In the eleventh century, after the Arab conquest, more than two hundred flourishing villages stood in the surrounding region. Five bishops, one a Donatist, are known from 255 to 484 (Morcelli, Africa Christiana, I, 118; Gams, 464). The modern name of the town is Gafsa; it is situated in a most fertile oasis, about 81 miles west of Gabes and 12S west of Sfax, with which it is connected by a railway. The oasis has about 5000 inhabitants, trading in dates, carpets, and wool rugs. It is well watered, has magnificent palm-trees, and is an im- portant centre for French military and civil adminis- tration in Tunisia.

Smith, Diet, of Greek and Roman Geog. (London, 1S7S), I, 510.

S. Vailhe.

Captain (in the Bible). — In the Douay version captain represents several different Hebrew and Latin words, and designates both civil and military officers. It is used without rule, other words being frequently substituted where the same expression with the same sense is translated, and this is true with re- gard to the Latin Vulgate as well as the Hebrew or Gnck text. It is rarely used to designate civil offi- cials, and then only the highest. Thus we find "cap- tain of my people" (IV Kings, xx, 5); "let us appoint a captain" (instead of Moses; Num., xiv. 1; cf.rrov., vi, 7). When applied to military officers it corre- sponds in most cases to the Hebrew sdr, and like it designates officers of all grades, namely: (1) Generals, " capt a ins of t lie host "(sdrhciffaba, ffTpar-nySs, i)yovp.tms, princeps cxercitus, dux); but in many cases "general of the army" or "prince of the army " is used. (2) The various grades of officers of infantry: "captains of thousands" (sdr haalaphim, x<^ a PX°s- tribunus);