In 1643 in Paris, Jacques Sirmond printed a previously unknown Latin text of the 5th century. He had discovered it in the cathedral library at Reims. His edition is online here. The manuscript that he used is now Reims B.M. 70, 9th century (online here), and gives no title or indication of the author. But Sirmond found that the title “Praedestinatus” – “The Predestined One” – was given by the author in a self-reference in book 3, 15, and so it has been known under that title since.
The text can be found in Migne, PL 53: 579-672, reprinted from Galland’s edition, Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum, t.10 (1774, online here). In 1999 Franco Gori published a critical edition[1], and in 2000 his edition was reprinted in the Corpus Christianorum, as part of the works of Arnobius the Younger, to whom Sirmond assigned it, and to whom today it seems to be generally attributed[2]. Gori located five manuscripts:
- A = Augiensis CIX (AD 820-842) – Karlsruhe, Bdische Landesbibl. Copied by a scribe named Reginbert.
- C = Casinensis 322 (10-11th century) – Montecassino, Bibl. della Badia.
- L = Florentinus Laurentianus S. M. 945 (11th c.) – Florence, Bibl. Mediceo-Laurenziana, San Marco collection.
- D = Dunensis, nunc Brugiensis 158 (12th c.) – Brugge, Stadstbibliothek.
- R = Remensis 70 (9th century) – Reims, Bibliothèque Municipale.
Finally – and admirably – an English translation by Guido Stucco, with the bare Latin text on the facing page for reference, appeared from Brepols in a useful new series in 2022.[3]. The Stucco volume also has a very useful introduction to the use of this work down the centuries, including by Archbishop Hincmar of Reims against his unfortunate opponent, the monk Gottschalk, whom the archbishop imprisoned in solitary confinement for the rest of his life.
In the Reims manuscript, the text itself begins with no heading and the first words of the praefatio: “Quotienscumque ad te, O amator Dei, verba doctorum attingunt, …” (“Dear lover of God, every time you hear the words of our wise teachers,…”).
The work is divided into three books. The first book is a catalogue of ninety heresies, mainly derived from Augustine, De haeresibus, but with some interesting additions, especially for the entry on the “Tertullianistae”, which gives us information on Tertullian and his followers not otherwise recorded. This is far and away the most useful portion of the book, historically. From it, we learn that the work is indeed plainly 5th century, since the 89th heresy is Nestorianism, but no later heresy is given. Heresy 90 is the “predestinationists”. The book says:
These people claim that the election of good people and the rejection of evil ones is up to God’s decision and not human beings, whether they are diligent or negligent. … They are used to say: “Anyone who has been predestined by God unto evil, even if they wanted to do what is good, they will not be able to reach it. On the other hand, anyone who has been predestined to good, even if they become negligent, they will be led to the good against their own will.” … They say that no one can come to faith in Christ unless they were drawn against their own will by the Father… (Book 1, heresy 90)
The second book is a pamphlet putting forward some heretical views on predestination, derived and expanded from some of Augustine’s statements; and the the third book is a point by point refutation of these.
There are some topics that attract daft people, such as speculation about Revelation; and predestination is definitely one of them. So I think we can skip the theological discussion!
All the same it is useful to know that this curious little work is now much more readily accessible than it was.
- [1]F. Gori, Praedestinatus di Arnobio il Giovane, Pubblicazioni Agostiniane (1999), ISBN: 9788879610322. Available here for a trivial price, although I have not seen this.↩
- [2]F. Gori, Arnobii Iunioris Praedestinatus qui dicitur, CCSL 23B (2000), ISBN 9782503002552↩
- [3]Arnobius Iunior, Praedestinatus, in: Brepols Library of Christian Sources / Patristic and Medieval Texts with English Translations 6, Brepols (2022), ISBN: 9782503596761↩
I’m usually on top of new patristic translations but this one has escaped my notice.
Thanks for the heads up!
Thank you for continuing to be a great sourse for translations of obscure patristic works.
Sadly, though, the problem continues that these are usually priced too high for the average lay student.
Robert
It leaves a bitter taste to see so much published, at the expense of ordinary people, yet accessible only to a few. But the model of academic publishing that we are working with is obsolete in some ways.
It’s not as hopeless as I made it sound thanks to interlibrary loan (in the US). Most Christians find early interpreters interesting to read as they struggled for a precise language to communicate the gospel.
I can remember seeing new translations being sent to you to put online before they became buried in an expensive “study” for scholars. This doesn’t seem to be happening any more.
I am grateful, though, for scholars who are willing to give lectures & write books that help the “average” Christian maintain confidence in bible texts & translations. This includes keeping a healthy respect for all the early men of God who spread the gospel across the known world.
Larry Hurtado’s lecture sums up the respect I feel about these heroes of the past:
“Why On Earth Did Anyone Become a Christian In the First Three Centuries?”
I hope my ramblings provides some encouragement to you.
Robert
Thank you for your kind thought! Yes the Internet is a different place these days. Also I am now retired and can do less. But it is important to promote trust in texts and translations, and to ensure that both are indeed trustworthy. Those who do otherwise serve no scholarly end. I hope that Christians do feel able to read the ancient literature, and that it is a blessing to them!