PL 38 · cols. 258–261
Augustine, Sermones 35-45 (Classis I, de Scripturis: de Proverbiis, Ecclesiastico, Isaia)
Sermon XLIV
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PL 38 · cols. 258–261
Sermon XLIV
(*) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot image› · call in col 258 Recensitus ad duos cl. ad gr. rm. v. Am. Er. Par. Lov.
Collated against two cl. manuscripts, against gr. rm. v., and against the editions of Amerbach, Erasmus, Paris and Louvain.
(printed under page 135)
(a) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot image› · call in col 258
Alias 36 ex Homiliis 50.
Formerly 36 of the Fifty Homilies.
(printed under page 135)
(b) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot image› · call in col 258
Possidius in Indiculo, cap. 9, sermonem hunc proculdubio notat istis verbis, « De lectione Isaiae, Domine, quis credidit auditui nostro? » Mutilus itaque sermo est, nec priore tantummodo parte; sed posteriore etiam, qua Donatistarum haeresis redarguebatur, minutus esse intelligitur ex n. 5, ubi sic habet: « Incipit dici et de sponsa; et quomodo in sponso mirabaris caecitatem Judaeorum, sic et in sponsa miraberis caecitatem haereticorum. » Quibus verbis Augustinus non obscure pollicebatur tractaturum se de subsequenti Isaiae capite, Laetare, sterilis, etc. Dilata locum tabernaculi tui, etc. Atque id quod Propheta de Ecclesiae per omnes gentes extensione dixisset, hac ipsa concione mox videndum significabat n. 2 et n. 6: « Audietis illud, » inquit, « et ab isto propheta, » etc. Non pauci tales in 50 Homiliarum classe fuerunt minus integri sermones, in quibus impostorum fraudem fallaciamque quidam non jure conqueritur. Nam qui in ecclesia legendi essent Augustini tractatus, necessario plerumque decurtabantur, iisque exordium aptabatur et idonea conclusio. Sic huicce sermoni 44 appositam aliunde praefationem esse vides vel ex versiculo Isaiae, qui altera parte est versionis Vulgatae, cum in reliquo capite Augustinus sequatur LXX. Conclusionem porro ex Caesario acceptam opinamur.
Possidius in the Indiculus, ch. 9, without doubt marks this sermon in these words: "On the reading from Isaiah, Lord, who has believed our report?" The sermon is therefore mutilated, and not in its first part only; that it has also been shortened in its latter part, where the heresy of the Donatists was refuted, is understood from n. 5, where it reads thus: "It begins to be said of the bride also; and as in the bridegroom you marvelled at the blindness of the Jews, so in the bride too you will marvel at the blindness of the heretics." By these words Augustine was promising, not obscurely, that he would treat of the following chapter of Isaiah, Rejoice, O barren one, etc. Enlarge the place of your tent, etc. And that what the Prophet had said of the Church's extension through all nations was presently to be seen in this very discourse he indicated in n. 2 and n. 6: "You will hear that," he says, "from this prophet also," etc. Not a few sermons in the class of the Fifty Homilies were of this kind, less than whole, in which a certain writer complains, not rightly, of the fraud and deceit of impostors. For such treatises of Augustine as were to be read in church were of necessity usually cut short, and an opening and a suitable conclusion were fitted to them. Thus you see that a preface from elsewhere has been attached to this sermon 44, even from the verse of Isaiah, which in its second part is of the Vulgate version, whereas in the rest of the chapter Augustine follows the Septuagint. The conclusion, moreover, we think was taken from Caesarius.
(printed under page 135)
(1) ‹anchor: amemus sponsum› · call in col 259
Am. et Er., Attendite quomodo amemus. Sponsus quanto, etc. Colbertinus codex, Attendite quomodo amemus sponsam. Alii Mss., Attente amemus sponsum.
Amerbach and Erasmus: "Mark how we are to love. The bridegroom, the more," etc. The Colbert codex: "Mark how we are to love the bride." Other manuscripts: "Let us attentively love the bridegroom."
(printed under page 136)
(2) ‹anchor: an prophetia› · call in col 259
Mss., an propheta.
The manuscripts: "or a prophet."
(printed under page 136)
(1) ‹anchor: hoc dicebat› · call in col 260
Am. et Er., Videtis quia verus Dominus, quasi potens non possit, nisi vere charitas haec dicebat? Lov., Videtis quia vere Dominus haec possit. Quis, nisi vera Veritas, haec dicebat? Locum juvantibus manuscriptis restituimus.
Amerbach and Erasmus: "You see that the true Lord, as though being powerful he could not, unless truly charity was saying these things?" The Louvain edition: "You see that truly the Lord can do these things. Who, if not the true Truth, was saying these things?" We have restored the passage with the help of the manuscripts.
(printed under page 136)
(1) ‹anchor: vani et credituri› · call in col 261
Sic potiores manuscripti. At editi, vendens vanitatem, vanitatem audituris vanis et credituris.
So the better manuscripts. But the printed editions: "selling vanity, vanity to vain men who will hear and believe."
(printed under page 137)
(2) ‹anchor: head of CAPUT V (before "Nos ergo"); a call 2 also stands after "potuerunt stabilire"› · call in col 261
Totum quod superest caput quintum a quibusdam abest Mss., videturque Augustinum minus quam Caesarium nobis exhibere. Confer sermonem Appendicis 13, n. 5, serm. 44; n. 6, serm. 45, n. 3, et Caesarii homiliam 27.
The whole of the fifth chapter that remains is absent from some manuscripts, and seems to show us Caesarius rather than Augustine. Compare sermon 13 of the Appendix, n. 5; sermon 44, n. 6; sermon 45, n. 3; and Caesarius's homily 27.
(printed under page 137)
(3) ‹anchor: quidquid nobis› · call in col 261
Mss., quidquid in nobis..... contulit. Sic loqui solet Caesarius.
The manuscripts: "whatever he has bestowed in us." Caesarius is accustomed to speak thus.
(printed under page 137)