PG 5 · cols. 729–729

J. B. Cotelerius, Monitum in S. Ignatii epistolas interpolatas

Editors' preface

PG 5:729

S. IGNATII EPISTOLAE INTERPOLATAE.

The Interpolated Epistles of St. Ignatius.

MONITUM.

Notice.

(Cotelerius, Patres apostolici, ed. Amstelodam., 1724, II, 43.)

(Cotelier, Apostolic Fathers, Amsterdam edition, 1724, II, 43.)

Interpolatas fuisse ac depravatas B. Ignatii Epistolas satis superque demonstrant, tum superiores Epistolae verae, cum testimoniis veterum ad oras a me positis, si cum utraque editione committantur; tum ex additamentis illa multa, quae ad doctrinam, disciplinam et historiam aevi Ignatiani pertinere nullatenus possunt. Citatae primum interpolationes reperiuntur saeculo sexto per Stephanum Gobarum in Bibliotheca Photii, et Anastasium Antiochenum in Gregorii papae Epistolis: eo saeculo, sive antea interjectae per audaculum Graecum; qui aut idem exstitit cum interpolatore Constitutionum apostolicarum, aut diversus, isque antiquior, recentior, vel aequalis: incerta enim haec: quanquam probabilius mihi sit, centones Clementinos Ignatianis esse vetustioris suturae. Illud constare debet adversus Usserium hic; et probavimus supra, triginta canones apostolorum extremos, non sexto demum post Christum saeculo lucem aspexisse, verum jam quarto fuisse vulgatos. An autem consarcinator noster cum Arianis senserit, an a Catholica steterit, ubi ad loca haereseos suspecta ventum erit, expendemus atque explicabimus.

That the Epistles of the blessed Ignatius have been interpolated and corrupted is more than sufficiently demonstrated both by the genuine Epistles above, together with the testimonies of the ancients placed by me in the margins, if they are compared with either edition, and by those many things among the additions which can in no way pertain to the doctrine, discipline, and history of the Ignatian age. The interpolations are first found cited in the sixth century by Stephen Gobarus in the Bibliotheca of Photius, and by Anastasius of Antioch in the Epistles of Pope Gregory: having been inserted in that century, or earlier, by a rash Greek, who was either the same as the interpolator of the Apostolic Constitutions, or a different person, whether older, more recent, or contemporary: for these matters are uncertain, although it seems more probable to me that the Clementine patchworks are of older stitching than the Ignatian ones. This point must be established against Ussher here; and we have proved above that the last thirty canons of the Apostles did not first see the light only in the sixth century after Christ, but had already been published in the fourth. Whether, however, our patcher held with the Arians or stood on the Catholic side, we shall weigh and explain when we come to the passages suspected of heresy.

Editors' notes and page, col. 729

Footnotes

(¹) ‹anchor: Θεοῦ Πατρὸς› · call in col 729 deest in al. edit.

Missing in other editions.

(printed under page 371)

(1) ‹anchor: ΘΕΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ› · call in col 729

Θεουπόλεως Ἀντιοχείας. Multis post Ignatium martyrem saeculis, Antiochiae inditum fuit Theopoleos nomen a Justiniano imperatore. Et longe a veritate aberrabat Guillelmus Tyrius, cum de Antiochia haec scriberet: « Unde et quia gratis et sine difficultate praedicantem suscepit apostolum, ad Christi fidem unanimiter conversa; et nomen, quod sicut unguentum effusum, longe lateque redolet, prima invenit et docuit, nomen ei designatum est novum, et Theopolis est appellata: ut quae prius hominis nequam et impii nomen pertulerat, ejus qui eam ad fidem vocaverat, domicilium et civitas deinceps appellaretur. » Quem Guillelmi, lib. IV, cap. 9, locum (moneo obiter) oculis praetergredientibus legens Jacobus de Vitriaco, Theophilis putavit se cernere, ubi Theopolis jacet. « Postquam vero, inquit, Historiae Orientalis cap. 32, B. Petri apostolorum principis, qui in ea primo cathedralem dignitatem suscepit, ad Dominum conversa est praedicatione et miraculis, a viro nobili et in urbe potentissimo Theophilo, qui postea ejusdem civitatis septimus ordinatus est antistes, appellata est (continues)

"Of Theopolis, Antioch." Many centuries after the martyr Ignatius, the name Theopolis was given to Antioch by the emperor Justinian. And William of Tyre strayed far from the truth when he wrote this of Antioch: "Wherefore also, because it received the preaching apostle freely and without difficulty, and was turned with one mind to the faith of Christ, and was the first to find and teach the name which, like ointment poured out, gives its fragrance far and wide, a new name was assigned to it, and it was called Theopolis: so that the city which had before borne the name of a wicked and impious man should thenceforth be called the dwelling and city of him who had called it to the faith." Reading this passage of William (book IV, chapter 9) with eyes that passed over it (I note in passing), James of Vitry thought he saw "Theophilis" where "Theopolis" lies. "But after," he says in chapter 32 of the Historia Orientalis, "it was turned to the Lord by the preaching and miracles of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, who first received the dignity of the see in it, it was called, from Theophilus, a man noble and most powerful in the city, who was afterwards ordained the seventh bishop of that same city, (continues)

(printed under page 371)

J. B. Cotelerius, Monitum in S. Ignatii epistolas interpolatas

Footnotes

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