PL 54 · cols. 31–50
Pasquier Quesnel, Praefatio generalis in suam editionem operum S. Leonis Magni, et ejusdem Nuncupatoria
Editors' preface
Migne Reading Room
PL 54 · cols. 31–50
Editors' preface
(a) ‹anchor: editionem procuravit› · call in col 33
Dicendum est Romae ante annum 1472, ut patebit ex dicendis in praefatione ad Sermones S. Leonis num. 22. Addenda est etiam altera ejusdem editionis repetitio Venetiis an. 1482, quae praecessit Venetam anni 1485. Hoc loco memoranda pariter est interpretatio Italica Sermonum S. Leonis ex eadem Aleriensis editione Latina; ita ut et quinque epistolae ejusdem pontificis, et ipsa Aleriensis nuncupatoria epistola Italice redditae fuerint. Hujus autem rarissimae editionis in-folio, quam apud cl. virum apostolum Zenum inspicere licuit, hic titulus est: Corsini di Bartolomeo Fiorentino. Sermoni del Beato Leone papa di lingua Latina in lingua Toscana da lui tradotti adi 21 di Maggio 1485.
It should be said at Rome before the year 1472, as will appear from what is to be said in the preface to the Sermons of St. Leo, no. 22. There must also be added a second reprint of the same edition, at Venice in the year 1482, which preceded the Venetian one of the year 1485. In this place the Italian translation of St. Leo's Sermons, made from the same Latin edition of the bishop of Aleria, is likewise to be mentioned; such that five letters of the same pontiff, and the bishop of Aleria's own dedicatory letter, were also rendered into Italian. Of this very rare folio edition, which I was allowed to inspect at the house of the distinguished Apostolo Zeno, the title is this: Corsini di Bartolomeo, Florentine. Sermons of Blessed Leo the pope, translated by him from the Latin tongue into the Tuscan tongue, on the 21st day of May 1485.
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(b) ‹anchor: post plures editiones› · call in col 34
De Sincera Sichardi editione Basileensi an. 1536, vide praefationem ad Epistolas S. Leonis num. 28.
On the genuine Basel edition of Sichardus, of the year 1536, see the preface to the Letters of St. Leo, no. 28.
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(a) ‹anchor: plane aurei› · call in col 36
Hi libelli et duo sequentes, utpote Leoni perperam afficti, inter supposititia opera in tomum secundum rejicientur, ubi et Quesnelli argumenta ac dissertationes ad eos Leonis asserendos lucubratae confutabuntur.
These books and the two that follow, as having been wrongly fathered on Leo, will be relegated to the second volume among the spurious works, where Quesnel's arguments, and the dissertations he worked out to claim them for Leo, will also be refuted.
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(a) ‹anchor: Sermones Pontificis nostri› · call in col 37
Confer nostram praefationem Sermonibus praemissam.
Compare our preface set before the Sermons.
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(b) ‹anchor: in cathedra S. Petri› · call in col 38
Hic sermo suppletus et integer in appendice supposititiorum sermonum edetur serm. 14. Admonitio eidem praefixa legenda erit.
This sermon, filled out and entire, will be published in the appendix of spurious sermons as sermon 14. The notice prefixed to it should be read.
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(c) ‹anchor: Epistolae› · call in col 38
Vide praefationem Epistolis praemissam.
See the preface set before the Letters.
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(d) ‹anchor: exposuimus. Septimam› · call in col 38
Hanc, quae in nostra editione est epist. 2, et sequentem ad episcopos Siculos, quae nobis quoque est epist. 17, Leoni prorsus adjudicandas in peculiaribus admonitionibus demonstrabimus.
That this letter, which in our edition is letter 2, and the following one to the Sicilian bishops, which for us too is letter 17, are altogether to be adjudged to Leo, we shall show in their own notices.
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(a) ‹anchor: nostrae editionis est› · call in col 39
Nobis est epist. 162.
For us it is letter 162.
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(b) ‹anchor: qualis nullus› · call in col 39
Ratisponensem praestantissimam collectionem invenire nobis feliciter contigit: in qua quidem ultima Leonis epistola est illa, quae a Pelagio II indicatur; eamque esse collectionem a Vigilio papa compactam et indicatam ab eodem Pelagio ostendemus in praefatione ad Epistolas numer. 42. Hinc Quesnelli inquisitio, num haec collectio exhibeatur in Thuaneo codice, omnino superflua, et aliunde etiam inanis est. Cum enim in hoc codice continetur collecto 5 quam non Romanam sed Gallicanam tomo tertio probabimus; tum vero Leonis epistolae 32 in eadem collect. 5 primitus descriptae desinunt, non in epistola ad Leonem Augustum, sed in epistola ad Dorum; adeo ut ea solum, quae huic epistolae in Thuaneo codice subjiciuntur, additamenta sint, quae in puris ejusdem collectionis manuscriptis desunt, nec indicantur in ipsa Thuanei codicis tabula, ubi primaevae originis monumenta recensentur.
It was our good fortune to find the most excellent Regensburg collection, in which the last letter of Leo is indeed the one indicated by Pelagius II; and that this is the collection put together by Pope Vigilius and indicated by the same Pelagius we shall show in the preface to the Letters, no. 42. Hence Quesnel's inquiry, whether this collection is presented in the de Thou codex, is altogether superfluous, and on other grounds also empty. For not only does this codex contain collection 5, which we shall prove in the third volume to be not Roman but Gallican; but moreover the 32 letters of Leo originally copied in that same collection 5 end, not with the letter to Leo Augustus, but with the letter to Dorus; so that only those which are appended to this letter in the de Thou codex are additions, which are wanting in the pure manuscripts of the same collection, and are not indicated in the very table of the de Thou codex, where the documents of the original stock are listed.
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(a) ‹anchor: Bellonus Utinensis Tabellio› · call in col 41
De hoc praestanti viro vide Muratorium Rerum Italic. tom. XVI, pag. 3 et 67. Alias vero ejusdem Bellonis litteras scriptas anno 1515, iis anteriores, quas Quesnellus huic praefationi inseruit, hic appendimus. Ex his enim inter caetera discimus, eximium hunc Leoninum codicem antequam in ipsius Belloni et cardinalis Grimani potestatem veniret, fuisse Petri Passerini, celebris Forojuliensis patriae antiquarii, de quo idem Bellonus in epistola eodem anno data ad Jacobum Purlilianum comitem scripsit: Nihil est in universa patria librorum vetustorum, nihil antiquae sculpturae, quod non accurate viderit, adamussim collegerit, etc. Antonius Bellonus Petro Passerino Sal. Librum sanctissimi Leonis papae, dono quamvis abs te mihi quondam datum, non ut meum, sed ut tuum adhuc reverenter custodivi. Ita enim accipere servareque nolui, ut de Leone tibi liceret non minus quam de me ipso disponere. Cupio nunc ad tui imitationem Angelum Gabrielem illius munere, si concedas, afficere. Poterit enim, cum sit patricius in republica Veneta et litteraria praestantissimus, et Leonem suae dignitati restituere, et nobis prodesse plurimum. Tu vero de libro non amplius poteris, de me tamen ut semper disponere. Vale.. Hanc Belloni epistolam, sicut et recitatum alterius epistolae fragmentum, nobis pro humanitate sua communicavit comes Franciscus Florius cathedralis Utinensis primicerius, qui de optimis studiis, ac de vetustis documentis rebus pluribus bene meritus est.
On this eminent man see Muratori, Rerum Italicarum vol. XVI, pp. 3 and 67. We append here, however, another letter of the same Belloni, written in the year 1515, earlier than the one which Quesnel inserted in this preface. For from it we learn, among other things, that this outstanding Leonine codex, before it came into the hands of Belloni himself and of Cardinal Grimani, had belonged to Pietro Passerini, a celebrated antiquary of the Friulian homeland, of whom the same Belloni wrote in a letter sent the same year to Count Jacopo di Porcia: There is nothing of ancient books in the whole country, nothing of ancient sculpture, that he has not carefully seen and exactly collected, etc. Antonio Belloni to Pietro Passerini, greeting. The book of the most holy Pope Leo, though once given me by you as a gift, I have reverently kept until now not as mine but as yours. For I was unwilling so to receive and keep it but that you should be free to dispose of Leo no less than of myself. I now desire, in imitation of you, to present Angelo Gabriele with that gift, if you allow it. For he, being a patrician most eminent in the Venetian republic and in that of letters, will be able both to restore Leo to his proper dignity and to be of the greatest service to us. You will no longer be able to dispose of the book, but of me, as always, you may. Farewell. This letter of Belloni, as also the fragment quoted from the other letter, was communicated to us of his courtesy by Count Francesco Florio, primicerius of the cathedral of Udine, who has in many matters deserved well of the best studies and of ancient documents.
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(a) ‹anchor: Codicem illum› · call in col 43
Hunc codicem vetustum quidem et eximium esse nemo inficiari potest. At nec amplissimum esse omnium collectionum, nec Romanam collectionem exhibere, patebit ex iis quae tomo tertio de eodem codice ac de aliis incognitis collectionibus canonum et constitutionum apostolicae sedis fuse disputabuntur; ubi etiam ea confutabimus quae Paschasius Quesnellus eodem suo praejudicio subinde colligit.
That this codex is indeed ancient and outstanding no one can deny. But that it is neither the fullest of all collections, nor presents the Roman collection, will be plain from what will be discussed at length in the third volume concerning this same codex and other unknown collections of the canons and constitutions of the apostolic see; where we shall also refute what Pasquier Quesnel goes on to infer from that same prejudice of his.
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(a) ‹anchor: codici insertum habemus› · call in col 46
Leonis epistolas triginta duas huic collectioni fuisse insertas innuimus annot. 8. Quesnelli praejudicium unde originem duxerit, explicabimus in observationibus ad dissertationem ejusdem duodecimam, quae tomo tertio edetur.
That thirty-two letters of Leo were inserted in this collection we have intimated in annotation 8. From what Quesnel's prejudice took its origin we shall explain in the observations on his twelfth dissertation, which will be published in the third volume.
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(a) ‹anchor: viro apostolico› · call in col 47
Hinom. Rem. l. de Praedcst. c. 33
Hincmar of Reims, book On Predestination, ch. 33.
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(b) ‹anchor: Ecclesiae luminari› · call in col 47
Facund. l. v, cap. 5.
Facundus, book V, ch. 5.
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(e) [for (c)] ‹anchor: orthodoxae fidei columnae› · call in col 47
Libell. episc. Oriental. ad Agapetum PP.
Memorial of the Eastern bishops to Pope Agapetus.
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(d) ‹anchor: vocis Petri interpreti› · call in col 47
Lib, ep. 2 Syriae ad Justinianum imper,
Memorial of the bishops of Syria II to the emperor Justinian.
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(e) ‹anchor: apostolicorum dogmatum defensori› · call in col 47
Relat. conc. Chalc. ad Leonem PP.
Report of the council of Chalcedon to Pope Leo.
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(f) ‹anchor: apostolis coaequando› · call in col 47
Libell. synodicus c. 89.
The Libellus synodicus, ch. 89.
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(g) ‹anchor: angelis aequali› · call in col 47
Idem, c. 94.
The same, ch. 94.
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(a) ‹anchor: Caesaream Viennae bibliothecam› · call in col 48
De Vindebonensis et Romanorum bibliothecarum codicibns, qui nobis usui fuerunt, in generali praefatione aliquid attigimus; sed in praefationibus peculiaribus ad Sermones et Epistolas plura. Codicem vero qui Joannis Baptistae Mari canonici S. Angeli variantes, lectiones Sermonun S. Leonis tantummodo praefert, in bibliotheca Barberina invenimus. Vide hac super re praefationem ad Sermones, num. 27.
Of the codices of the Vienna and Roman libraries which were of use to us we have touched somewhat in the general preface; but more in the particular prefaces to the Sermons and the Letters. The codex, however, which presents only the variant readings of St. Leo's Sermons belonging to Giovanni Battista Mari, canon of Sant'Angelo, we found in the Barberini library. On this matter see the preface to the Sermons, no. 27.
[Notes to the Nuncupatoria, below the rule] (printed under page 29)
(h) ‹anchor: ubique catholicum est› · call in col 48
Prat. Spirit. c. 149.
The Spiritual Meadow, ch. 149.
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(i) ‹anchor: catholicae veritatis assertori› · call in col 48
Adrian. PP. II in concil. CP. IV.
Pope Adrian II at the fourth council of Constantinople.
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(j) ‹anchor: sed intrepido› · call in col 48
Ep. 20 (nunc 23) S. Leon. ad Flav. c. 2; ep. 69, 86 (nunc 89. 115), etc.
Letter 20 (now 23) of St. Leo to Flavian, ch. 2; letters 69, 86 (now 89, 115), etc.
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(k) ‹anchor: sed non ex suo› · call in col 48
Ep. 78, 79, 80, 81 (nunc 104, 105, 106-107), etc.
Letters 78, 79, 80, 81 (now 104, 105, 106–107), etc.
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<!-- NOTE (Q2b re-read, 2026-10-11): the notes below were collated against the column images (c49_1, c49_2, c50_1, c50_2), which show the whole series (a)–(z) with its calls, printed between the italic band and the double rule. Notes (a)–(o) stand under col. 49; the run-over of (o) and notes (p)–(z) stand under col. 50. All of them are keyed to this rail, because the upper band of col. 50 is set under the PL 54:49 rail (parts/c50_a.md). The first note of the Notitia historica, printed below the double rule, belongs to another unit (ed_schoenemann_notitia) and is not set here. -->
(a) ‹anchor: sed non otioso› · call in col 49
In Serm. et alibi passim.
In the Sermons, and elsewhere throughout.
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(b) ‹anchor: sed traditionis discipulo› · call in col 49
Vid. Dissert. 1, de Vita et Reb. gestis.
See Dissertation 1, on the Life and Deeds.
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(c) ‹anchor: instauratori sapientissimo› · call in col 49
Leo ep. 154, 135 (nunc 165, 166), etc. Et Simplic. PP. ep. ad Zenon. Aug. [the first number is set as it appears on the scan; 134 would be expected from the renumbering; the middle figure is not certain]
Leo, letters 154, 135 (now 165, 166), etc. And Pope Simplicius, letter to the emperor Zeno Augustus.
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(d) ‹anchor: exsecutori religiosissimo› · call in col 49
Facund. l. II, c. 6.
Facundus, book II, ch. 6.
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(e) ‹anchor: vindici› · call in col 49 (the call is printed (c) for (e))
Idem, ibid.
The same, in the same place.
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(f) ‹anchor: fortissimo› · call in col 49
Ep. decr. 4, 2, etc. Gelas. PP. ep. ad Dardan. et Marcian. August. ibid.
Decretal letters 4, 2, etc. Pope Gelasius, letter to the Dardanians, and Marcian Augustus, in the same place.
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(g) ‹anchor: Ecclesiae propugnatori› · call in col 49
Facund. l. V, p. 213, et diss. 1, de Vita.
Facundus, book V, p. 213, and Dissertation 1, on the Life.
(printed under page 30)
(h) ‹anchor: trepido impugnatori› · call in col 49
Facund. l. II, c. 5.
Facundus, book II, ch. 5.
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(i) ‹anchor: praedicare non cessat› · call in col 49
Idem. ibid.
The same, in the same place.
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(j) ‹anchor: contra Priscillianistas› · call in col 49
Idem, l. V, c. 4.
The same, book V, ch. 4.
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(k) ‹anchor: contra Judaeos› · call in col 49
Epist. 15, ad Turrib., et Serm. de Pentecost.
Letter 15, to Turribius, and the Sermons on Pentecost.
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(l) ‹anchor: contra Arianos› · call in col 49
Serm. de Nat. et Epiph. Dom.
The Sermons on the Nativity and the Epiphany of the Lord.
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(m) ‹anchor: contra Eutychen› · call in col 49
Ibid. et in Epist.
In the same place, and in the Letters.
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(n) ‹anchor: contra Nestorium› · call in col 49
Ep. 24 (nunc 28), ad Flav., etc.
Letter 24 (now 28), to Flavian, etc.
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(o) ‹anchor: contra Novatianos› · call in col 49
Ep. 27, 46, 64, 77, 92, 96, 97 (nnnc 31, 59, 84, 102, 119, 123, 124), et in Serm. Eulog. ep. Alexand. in defens. S. Leonis PP.
Letters 27, 46, 64, 77, 92, 96, 97 (now 31, 59, 84, 102, 119, 123, 124), and in the Sermons. Eulogius, bishop of Alexandria, in his defence of saint Leo the pope.
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(p) ‹anchor: contra Donatistas› · call in col 49
Ep. 14 (nnnc 18), ad Januar. Aquil. et ep. 1 (nunc 12), ad Afr.
Letter 14 (now 18), to Januarius of Aquileia, and letter 1 (now 12), to the Africans.
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(q) ‹anchor: gratiae› · call in col 49
Epist. 1 (nunc 12). ad Afr. et in Sermon.
Letter 1 (now 12), to the Africans, and in the Sermons.
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(r) ‹anchor: Pelagianorumque reliquias› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Lib. de Voc. gent. Ep. ad Demetr. capitul. de Grat. et Lib. Arb. Epist. 6, ad Aquileiens. episc., etc.
The book On the Calling of the Nations. The Letter to Demetrias. The Chapters on Grace and Free Will. Letter 6, to the bishop of Aquileia, etc.
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(s) ‹anchor: centra Manichaeos› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Ep. 8 (nunc 7), ad episc. Ital. Ep. 15, ad Turribium. Serm. 8, 15 23, 74, (nunc 9, 16, 24, 76), etc.
Letter 8 (now 7), to the bishops of Italy. Letter 15, to Turribius. Sermons 8, 15, 23, 74 (now 9, 16, 24, 76), etc.
(printed under page 30)
(t) ‹anchor: Pseudo-Christianos› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50; the call is printed as a small-capital I)
In Sermon. passim, etc.
In the Sermons, throughout, etc.
(printed under page 30)
(u) ‹anchor: propugnavit› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Hormisdas PP. ep. ad cler. et archimandr. 2 Syriae.
Pope Hormisdas, letter to the clergy and archimandrites of Syria Secunda.
(printed under page 30)
(v) ‹anchor: tantae doctrinae› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Ep. Episc. 44 Galliae ad Leonem cap. 5 (nunc ep. 99).
Letter of the 44 bishops of Gaul to Leo, ch. 5 (now letter 99).
(printed under page 30)
(x) ‹anchor: divinitus praeparato› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Allocutio concil. Chalc. ad Marcian. Aug.
The address of the Council of Chalcedon to the emperor Marcian Augustus.
(printed under page 30)
(y) ‹anchor: ille quaesitus est› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Prosper in Chronico.
Prosper, in the Chronicle.
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(z) ‹anchor: LXXV› · call in col 49 (rail; printed in the upper band of col 50)
Vide tom. II, diss. 1, ad an. 491, num. 8 et seq. [the year is set as it appears on the scan; the last two figures are not certain]
See vol. II, dissertation 1, at the year 491, no. 8 and following.
(printed under page 30) <!-- Below the double rule: NOTITIA HISTORICA IN SANCTUM LEONEM MAGNUM (Ex Anastasio Bibliothecario, de Vitis Romanorum pontificum.), with its own foot note (a): another unit (ed_schoenemann_notitia), not set here. -->