Migne Reading Room

PL 54 · cols. 487–490

Sermones S. Leoni Magno attributi (Appendix ad primam partem operum S. Leonis Magni), I-XX

Sermons II–IV

PL 54:487
sicut ait B. apostolus Paulus, magnum est pietatis sacramentum, quod manifestatum est in carne. justificatum est in spiritu, apparuit angelis, praedicatum est gentibus, creditum est in hoc mundo, assumptum est in gloria (I Tim. III, 16).
as the blessed apostle Paul says, great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared to angels, was preached to the nations, was believed in this world, was taken up in glory (1 Tim. 3:16).
SERMO II.
SERMON II.
In Nativitate Domini.
On the Nativity of the Lord.
CAP. I. — Salvator noster, dilectissimi, hodie natus est, gaudeamus: neque enim locum oportet esse tristitiae, ubi natalis est gaudiorum. Ad omnes itaque gaudium istud pertinet, quia Christus omnibus venit. Nullus ergo se laetitiae diei hujus arbitretur alienum. Si sanctus est quis gaudeat, quia accipiet remunerationem. Si peccator est gaudeat, quia invitatur ad veniam. Si gentilis est gaudeat, quia admittitur ad salutem. Carnem humani generis pro nobis Deus assumpsit. Si ipsi nos alienos a Christo non faciamus, jam in Christo sumus. Agnoscamus ergo redemptionem nostram, agnoscamus salutem nostram. Ipse se alienum a consortio Christi efficit, qui se esse in corpore Christi denegaverit. Sed illud, dilectissimi, quod secundum Scripturas, quae lectae sunt, hodie Dominum natum esse cognoscimus, videamus; quomodo in fine saeculi natus sit, qui creator est saeculorum: Ipse enim dixit et facta sunt; ipse mandavit, et creata sunt (Ps. CXLVIII, 6).
CHAP. I. — Our Saviour, dearly beloved, has been born today; let us rejoice: for there ought to be no place for sadness where it is the birthday of joys. To all, therefore, this joy belongs, because Christ came for all. Let no one, then, judge himself a stranger to the gladness of this day. If anyone is holy, let him rejoice, because he will receive a reward. If he is a sinner, let him rejoice, because he is invited to pardon. If he is a gentile, let him rejoice, because he is admitted to salvation. God took up the flesh of the human race for us. If we do not make ourselves strangers to Christ, we are already in Christ. Let us therefore acknowledge our redemption, let us acknowledge our salvation. He makes himself a stranger to fellowship with Christ who denies that he is in the body of Christ. But as to this, dearly beloved, that according to the Scriptures which have been read we know the Lord to have been born today, let us see; how He was born at the end of the age, Who is the creator of the ages: For He spoke and they were made; He commanded, and they were created (Ps. 148:5).
CAP. II. — Christus ergo Salvator noster, dilectissimi, homo et Deus creditur: Deus ex Patre, homo de matre; Deus ex deitate, corporeus ex carne; et ideo Deus ante saecula, homo post saecula; Deus ante initia, homo inter extrema, qui in principio creavit per majestatem, hodie venit salvare per carnem, Creatio hominum, prima potentia fuit; salvatio secunda pietas. Benignitatis motus affectu Dominus voluit ut nobis redderet misericordia quidquid abstulerat offensa. Descendit ergo ille ut nos ascenderemus, coelestia submisit ut terrestria sublevaret, fecit se hominis participem ut hominem faceret Dei esse consortem; factus, sicut per Apostolum audistis, ex muliere factus sub lege (Galat. IV, 4). Sed nemo cum mulierem audit matrem Domini, de nominis offensione moveatur. Virgo concepit ex Spiritu sancto, sed mulier nominatur ex sexu. Et ideo evangelista, qui lectus est, virginem; apostolus autem mulierem nuncupavit: ut omnes in partu Virginis omnipotentiam agnoscerent Divinitatis; in appellatione autem mulieris, nomen conditionis audirent.
CHAP. II. — Christ our Saviour, therefore, dearly beloved, is believed to be man and God: God from the Father, man from a mother; God from the Godhead, bodily from flesh; and therefore God before the ages, man after the ages; God before the beginnings, man among the last things, Who in the beginning created through majesty, today came to save through flesh. The creation of men was first, [an act of] power; their salvation second, [an act of] loving-kindness. Moved by the affection of kindness, the Lord willed that mercy should restore to us whatever the offence had taken away. He therefore descended that we might ascend, He lowered heavenly things that He might raise up earthly things, He made Himself a partaker of man that He might make man to be a sharer of God; made, as you have heard through the Apostle, of a woman, made under the law (Gal. 4:4). But let no one, when he hears the mother of the Lord called a woman, be disturbed by the offence of the name. A Virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit, but she is named a woman from her sex. And therefore the evangelist who has been read called her a virgin, but the apostle a woman: so that all might acknowledge in the Virgin's childbearing the omnipotence of the Divinity, but in the appellation of woman might hear the name of her condition.
CAP. III. — Natus est ergo Dominus noster ex carne quidem, sed non ex corruptione carnali; natus ut homo, sed non genitus ut homo. Ita suscepit carnem, ut servaret majestatis honorem. Et sic segregando puritatem nativitatis suae a concretione colluvionis humanae, peregit quidem in ortu suo plenam hominis dispensationem, sed Dei tamen non deseruit dignitatem. Ideoque in mundo isto talis qualis nativitate, puritatem ortus sui etiam in vitae sinceritate servavit. Solus enim ille est in cujus ore, sicut scriptum est, dolus non fuit: utique ut qui colluvionem humanam in creatione nescierat, etiam in conversatione nesciret. Cum enim, inquit Apostolus in forma Dei esset, formam servi accepit, etc. Omnes homines, dilectissimi, servi peccatorum fuerunt,
CHAP. III. — Our Lord, therefore, was born of flesh indeed, but not of fleshly corruption; born as a man, but not begotten as a man. He so took up flesh as to keep the honour of His majesty. And thus, by separating the purity of His nativity from the admixture of human defilement, He did indeed carry through in His birth the full dispensation of a man, yet He did not abandon the dignity of God. And therefore in this world, such as He was in His nativity, He preserved the purity of His origin also in sincerity of life. For He alone is the one in Whose mouth, as it is written, there was no guile: surely so that He Who had not known human defilement in His creation should not know it in His way of life either. For when, says the Apostle, He was in the form of God, He took the form of a servant, etc. All men, dearly beloved, were servants of sins,
Editors' notes and page, col. 487

Editors' prose

Editus in Quesnelli appendice ex codice S. Petri Corbeiensis, in quo S. Leoni tribuitur.

Published in Quesnel's appendix from the codex of St Peter's at Corbie, in which it is attributed to St Leo.

<!-- note: a single italic source notice, centred on two lines in the upper part of the column, directly under the title SERMO II. and its rubric In Nativitate Domini., and directly above CAP. I. (Salvator noster, dilectissimi). Above the title stands the end of Sermo I, run over from col. 486; nothing of the notice runs over from or into a neighbouring column. The foot of the column holds footnote matter, set elsewhere. English made fresh from the page; the part was not read in this pass. -->

Page

  • running head: 487 APPENDIX AD PRIMAM PARTEM OPE[...] (left half of the page head, as far as this column's image shows)
  • marginal letters: A ‹niam. sicut ait B. apostolus Paulus, magnum est›; B ‹salutem. Carnem humani generis pro nobis Deus›; C ‹tulerat offensa. Descendit ergo ille ut nos ascende-›; D ‹deseruit dignitatem. Ideoque in mundo isto talis›
  • old-edition numerals: 407 after ‹assumpsit.›
  • other: column opens with the tail of a word broken from col. 486 (‹niam.›, the end of Quoniam); under the settled rule the word is set whole at the end of col. 486 and the tail is NOT set here, so this column's text begins at ‹sicut ait› (corrected by Q2a, 2026-10-12: the earlier wording said the tail was set as visible). Last word ‹fue-› completed as ‹fuerunt,› from the first line of col. 488 (‹runt,›) visible beside it; the comma printed after the tail is set with the word (added by Q2a). The two full points printed where the sense wants commas (‹niam.› and ‹in carne.›) may be worn commas: UNSURE; ‹in carne.› is kept as printed. ‹per carnem, Creatio› is printed with a comma before the capital; kept. Worn type read as intended: redemptionem, colluvionis. Ps. CXLVIII, 6 as printed; English gives the modern verse (148:5). The italic line under the title of Sermo II is the editors' source-notice: under the unit rule it is editors' prose, and it is set above under Editors' prose, not in the part file (Q6a, 2026-10-12: the earlier wording here said it stood in the part file as a sub-caption, which no longer holds). Foot of the column: tail of the Ballerini note (q) carried over from col. 486, now set whole in n486 (Q2a), and note (a), whose call stands in col. 488 (Sermo III) and which is set in n488.
PL 54:488
et ideo bene ait Apostolus formam tantummodo servi assumpsisse, quia homo quidem verus, sed humanis vitiis non coinquinatus, formam tantum habuit servi, non conscientiam: quia licet habuerit speciem hominis, non tamen habuerat conscientiam peccatoris: quia, sicut Apostolus dicit, Cum in forma Dei esset, formam servi accepit, et habitu inventus est ut homo (Philip. II, 6). Habitu homo, sed potentia Deus, quasi servus in forma, sed Dominus in natura: foris ostendens matris infirmitatem, intus possidens Patris majestatem; foris humilis corpore, intus pollens Divinitate.
and therefore the Apostle well says that He assumed only the form of a servant, because, being a true man indeed, but not defiled by human vices, He had only the form of a servant, not the conscience: because although He had the appearance of a man, yet He had not had the conscience of a sinner: because, as the Apostle says, When He was in the form of God, He took the form of a servant, and in habit was found as a man (Phil. 2:6–7). In habit man, but in power God; as it were a servant in form, but Lord in nature: outwardly showing His mother's weakness, inwardly possessing His Father's majesty; outwardly lowly in body, inwardly mighty in Divinity.
CAP. IV. — Denique et ipsa ejus inter homines conversatio simul utrumque monstravit, in passionibus hominem, in virtutibus Deum. Esurivit enim, sed esurientes multiplicatis per benedictionem panibus pavit. Quod esurivit, caro fuit; quod pavit, Deus. Ex homine fuit quod lacrymavit; ex Divinitate quod praestitit. Hominem indicavit, quod precem fudit, oravit, exauditus est. Omnibus ergo rebus duplicem in se naturam monstravit, et ideo substantiae utriusque mediator est: quia dum submisit coelestia, exaltavit humana: fecit summam ex diversitate concordiam, ut in eo una utraque fieret, qui in se utrumque retinet Dominus noster Jesus Christus, qui vivit et regnat cum Patre et sancto Spiritu in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
CHAP. IV. — Finally, His very way of life among men also showed both at once: in His sufferings the man, in His mighty works God. For He hungered, but He fed the hungry with loaves multiplied through a blessing. That He hungered was the flesh; that He fed was God. It was of the man that He wept; of the Divinity that He bestowed. It indicated the man that He poured out prayer; He prayed, He was heard. In all things, therefore, He showed a twofold nature in Himself, and therefore He is the mediator of both substances: because while He lowered heavenly things, He exalted human things: He made the highest concord out of diversity, so that in Him both might become one, Who retains both in Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit unto ages of ages. Amen.
SERMO III.
SERMON III.
De Quadragesima I.
On Lent, I.
CAP. I. — Permotos esse vos credo, fratres dilectissimi, cur a superiore Dominica Quadragesimam percurremus, et cum haec dies sit ejus exordium, cur festivitatem ejus ante unam hebdomadam celebrare coeperimus. Reprehendi non potest observatio ista: peroptimae enim devotionis indicium est prius legem exsequi quam legis statuta cognoscas, et ante obedire praeceptis quam obedientiam praecepta compellant. Illud enim amoris est, hoc timoris. Hoc imperative exigitur, illud religiose defertur. Hic debitum solvitur, ibi domum muneris exhibetur. Unde et nos religiosum munus exhibuimus Deo, dum amplius jejunavimus. Reprehendi enim non potest festinata festivitas. Semper enim in gaudiis solemnitas vota praeveniunt, et futuram laetitiam devotio, dum exoptat, anticipat. Non solum igitur non reprehensibiliter, sed et caute factum est. Semper enim in rebus ambiguis oportet addere aliquid amplius ad cautelam, quia quod est amplius recidi potest, quod minus est non potest prolongari, sicut in hac observatione factum est. Nam quod propter
CHAP. I. — I believe you have been disturbed, dearly beloved brothers, as to why we are to run through Lent from the previous Sunday, and, since this day is its beginning, why we began to celebrate its festival a week beforehand. This observance cannot be blamed: for it is the mark of the very best devotion to carry out the law before you come to know the law's statutes, and to obey the precepts before the precepts compel obedience. For the former belongs to love, the latter to fear. The latter is exacted by command, the former is offered out of religious devotion. Here a debt is paid, there the gift of a present is rendered. Hence we too rendered a religious present to God when we fasted more. For a festival hastened cannot be blamed. For in joys vows always run ahead of the solemnity, and devotion, while it longs for it, anticipates the gladness to come. Not only, then, was it done without blame, but also cautiously. For in doubtful matters something more ought always to be added for caution's sake, because what is more can be cut back, what is less cannot be lengthened, as has been done in this observance. For that on account of
Editors' notes and page, col. 488

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: Dominica Quadragesimam› · call in col 488

Nostri codd., percurremus. Praetulimus lectionem Aeneae Parisiensis. Melius videretur praecurrimus. S. Maximus, hom. inscripta: In die Cinerum, testatur, suo tempore nonnullorum fuisse consuetudinem, advenientes Quadragesimae dies devotiore jejunio praevenire. Ex hoc autem sermone discimus una hebdomada, a Dominica scilicet Quinquagesimae, jejunium coeptum fuisse; immo etiam ab episcopo aliquatenus fuisse indictum; ita ut quidam idcirco permoti fuerint, alii vero, postquam intellexerunt solemnitatem ambiguam, seu non praeceptam, sed liberam, jejunare neglexerint.

Our codices have percurremus. We have preferred the reading of Aeneas of Paris. Praecurrimus would seem better. St Maximus, in the homily entitled On Ash Day, testifies that in his time it was the custom of some to anticipate the coming days of Lent with a more devout fast. From this sermon, moreover, we learn that the fast was begun one week earlier, that is, from Quinquagesima Sunday; indeed that it was even to some degree proclaimed by the bishop; so that some were disturbed on that account, while others, after they understood the solemnity to be doubtful, that is, not commanded but free, neglected to fast.

(printed under page 249)

(b) ‹anchor: addere aliquid amplius› · call in col 488

Sic codices Venetus et Veron. Codex Patav., caute.

So the Venice and Verona codices. The Padua codex has caute.

(printed under page 249)

(c) ‹anchor: sicut in hac› · call in col 488

Observatio, sicut et observantia apud Leonem pro jejunio accipitur.

Observatio, like observantia also, is taken in Leo for fasting.

(printed under page 249)

Editors' prose

Nunc primum editus ex tribus codicibus, Veneto S. Marci 153, Patavino PP. Eremitanorum 113, et Veronensi 214, in quibus S. Leoni papae attribuitur; sed ex characteribus in praefatione propositis num. 4 alius ignotus antiquus auctor proditur. Aeneas Parisiensis, qui hujus sermonis non exiguam partem recitat in libro adversus Graecos tom. I Spicileg. Acher. ipsum S. Faustino episcopo adjudicat, cui alios quoque sermones in quibusdam mss. ascribi Patres Benedictini in append. tom. V Operum S. Augustini notarunt. In cod. Patav. inscribitur, Dominica initium Quadragesimae; et prima quidem Dominica Quadragesimae hunc sermonem habitum ex initio cap. 1 et 3 manifestum est.

Now published for the first time from three codices, the Venetian one of St Mark's 153, the Paduan one of the Hermit Fathers 113, and the Veronese 214, in which it is attributed to St Leo the pope; but by the marks set out in the preface, no. 4, another, unknown ancient author is disclosed. Aeneas of Paris, who recites no small part of this sermon in his book against the Greeks, in vol. I of d'Achery's Spicilegium, assigns it to St Faustinus the bishop, to whom the Benedictine Fathers, in the appendix to vol. V of the Works of St Augustine, have noted that other sermons too are ascribed in certain manuscripts. In the Paduan codex it is inscribed, Sunday, the beginning of Lent; and that this sermon was indeed delivered on the first Sunday of Lent is manifest from the beginning of chapters 1 and 3.

<!-- note: a single italic source notice (hanging indent, eleven lines) in the middle of the column, directly under the title SERMO III. and its rubric De Quadragesima I., and directly above CAP. I. (Permotos esse vos credo). The words Dominica initium Quadragesimae are printed in roman within the italic. Above the title stands the end of Sermo II (cap. III end and cap. IV), run over from col. 487; the notice does not run over from or into a neighbouring column. The foot of the column holds footnote matter, set elsewhere. English made fresh from the page; the part was not read in this pass. -->

Page

  • running head: [...] PARTEM OPERUM S. LEONIS MAGNI. 488 (right half of the page head, as far as this column's image shows)
  • marginal letters: A ‹runt, et ideo bene ait Apostolus formam tantum-›; B ‹fudit, oravit, exauditus est. Omnibus ergo rebus du-›; C ‹quoque sermones in quibusdam mss. ascribi Patres›; D ‹stinata festivitas. Semper enim in gaudiis›
  • old-edition numerals: 408 after ‹speciem›; 409 after ‹Semper enim in›
  • other (added by Q2a, 2026-10-12): the column opens with ‹runt,›, the tail of ‹fuerunt,› broken from col. 487; it is set whole at the end of col. 487 and not here. Misprint kept as printed and not listed before: ‹ibi domum muneris› (the sense wants donum, and the English follows donum). Kept as printed, sense strained: ‹solemnitas vota praeveniunt› (the English takes solemnitas as the object); ‹percurremus› in the text is the very reading note (a) says was set aside, so either the text or the note's lemma is misprinted: UNSURE, both kept as printed (Q6a, 2026-10-12: re-read in the column and at the foot; both look the same at this resolution, still UNSURE). Last word ‹pro-› is completed as ‹propter›: confirmed by Q6a (2026-10-12) from the head of col. 489, whose first printed syllable is ‹pter›. The italic notice under the title of Sermo III is the editors' source-notice: under the unit rule it is editors' prose, and it is set above under Editors' prose, not in the part file (Q6a: the earlier wording here said it stood in the part file as a sub-caption, which no longer holds). Italic markup removed from the foot notes (a), (b), (c) under the unit rule (Q6a).
PL 54:489
Quadragesimam plus jejunavimus, non minuimus Quadragesimam: integra enim nobis manet. Quod si minus jejunassemus a numero, redintegrare non poteramus ad numerum.
Lent we fasted more, we did not diminish Lent: for it remains whole for us. But if we had fasted less than the number, we could not have made it up again to the number.
CAP. II. — Sed fortasse illud in causa est, quod jejunium quo jejunavimus non proficiat nobis ad Quadragesimam. Proficit plane nobis, quia etsi non proficit ad Quadragesimam, proficit ad salutem. Si non proficit ad numerum, proficit ad meritum. Cui enim umquam non profuit orare, legere, jejunare? Cui non profuit castitas, sobrietas, mansuetudo? Nisi quod illos magis reprehendendos puto, qui cum parati fuerint jejunare, posteaqnam audierunt solemnitates ambiguas, neglexerunt jejunare. Demonstraverunt utique non se volentes religiose vivere, sed coactos. Veriti sunt, credo, ne quinque dierum jejuniis prolongatis, caro eis corpusque deficeret, et exiles ac tenues Quadragesimae abstinentiam tolerare non possent.
CHAP. II. — But perhaps the point at issue is this, that the fast which we have fasted does not profit us towards Lent. It plainly profits us, because even if it does not profit towards Lent, it profits towards salvation. If it does not profit towards the number, it profits towards merit. For whom has it ever not profited to pray, to read, to fast? Whom have chastity, sobriety, gentleness not profited? Except that I think those the more to be blamed who, although they had been ready to fast, after they heard that the solemnities were doubtful, neglected to fast. They showed, surely, that they live religiously not as willing men, but as men compelled. They feared, I believe, that with the fasts prolonged by five days their flesh and body would fail them, and that, lean and thin, they would not be able to bear the abstinence of Lent.
CAP. III. — Audiant igitur refecti pariter ac robusti, tenues atque pallentes, quia hodie est Quadragesima. Audiant illi, inquam, ut jejunare incipiant; et isti, ut abstinere non desinant, et communiter in arcam Christi intrare festinent. Immo festinent amplius, qui tardius abstinere coeperunt, ut castigatiores et puriores introeant. Quia arca Domini in periculis jejunium sustentare praevalet, temulentum sustinere non novit. Admonemus ergo vos, sicut ante jam diximus, nostri temporis homines, ut in his mundi turbinibus ad domum Dei certatim unusquisque confugiat, sicut et sui temporis homines Noe justus admonuit. Admonuit enim illos futurum diluvium, et praedicare non destitit; et licet vox praedicationis non sit audita, tamen etsi tacebat lingua, opera loquebantur; etsi silebant voces, fabrica personabat. Cum enim aedificabat tam grande opus arcae illius, causam cur fieret ipso opere testabatur. Testabatur enim ipso apparatu nova tabernacula novis periculis profutura. Sapiens enim quisque intelligere poterat naufragii nescio quid imminere, cum domus talis fieret, quae non haereret terrae, sed nataret in gurgite; cum hospitium hujusmodi pararetur, quod nec pavimentum solo defigeret, nec fluctibus unda submergeret. Quis, inquam, sapiens non intelligeret adesse diluvium, cum videret tale domicilium fieri, quod susceptos intra se non tam clauderet quam portaret, quod non tam pluviarum imbres repelleret quam naufragii procellas arceret? Quo, inquam, ex hospitio non advertit periculum hominis: in quo hospitio non esset habitandum, sed potius exsulandum; in qualibet parte mundi futurum esset cum ipsis habitaculum peregrinum. Ipse ergo sanctus Noe opere populis praedicabat, et dicebat
CHAP. III. — Let them hear, therefore, the well-fed and robust alike, the thin and the pale, that today is Lent. Let the former hear, I say, that they may begin to fast; and the latter, that they may not cease to abstain, and that together they may hasten to enter the ark of Christ. Nay, let those hasten the more who began to abstain later, that they may enter more chastened and purer. For the ark of the Lord has strength in dangers to sustain one who fasts; one who is drunken it does not know how to bear. We therefore admonish you, as we have already said before, men of our own time, that in these whirlwinds of the world each one flee eagerly for refuge to the house of God, as Noah the just also admonished the men of his time. For he warned them of the flood to come, and did not cease to preach; and although the voice of his preaching was not heard, yet even if the tongue was silent, the works were speaking; even if voices were still, the building resounded. For when he was building so great a work as that ark, by the work itself he bore witness to the reason why it was being made. For by the very preparation he bore witness that new dwellings would be of use against new dangers. For any wise man could understand that some sort of shipwreck was impending, when such a house was being made as would not cling to the land but would float on the deep; when a lodging of such a kind was being prepared as would neither fix its floor in the ground nor be sunk by the wave in the floods. What wise man, I say, would not understand that a flood was at hand, when he saw such a dwelling being made as would not so much shut in as carry those received within it, as would not so much repel the showers of the rains as ward off the storms of shipwreck? From what lodging, I say, does one not perceive man's peril: a lodging in which one was not to dwell, but rather to be in exile; in whatever part of the world, the habitation would be a stranger along with them. Holy Noah himself, therefore, was preaching to the peoples by his work, and was saying
Editors' notes and page, col. 489

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: a numero, redintegrare› · call in col 489

Codex Veronensis addit eum; legendum eam, id est Quadragesimam. Cod. Venetus, cum

The Verona codex adds eum; it should be read eam, that is, Quadragesimam. The Venice codex has cum.

(printed under page 250)

(b) ‹anchor: Sed fortasse› · call in col 489

Secuti sumus lectionem mss. Patav. et Veron. Cod. Venetus, aliud in cosa est cur. Mox ms. Veron. utroque loco, proficiet.

We have followed the reading of the Padua and Verona manuscripts. The Venice codex has aliud in cosa est cur. Next, the Verona manuscript has proficiet in both places.

(printed under page 250)

(c) ‹anchor: jejunare, posteaqnam› · call in col 489

Al., audierint, et dein, neglexerint.

Elsewhere, audierint, and then neglexerint.

(printed under page 250)

(d) ‹anchor: credo, ne› · call in col 489

Codex Patavinus, quatuor. Praetulimus codicis Veneti et Aeneae Parisiensis lectionem, quinque, quae etiam colligitur ex lectione erronea ms. Veronensis, nequaquam; nam duplex qq in voce quinque, non autem in quatuor reperitur. Intelliguntur autem quinque dies a Dominica Quinquagesimae ad feriam quintam inclusive, alias liberi a jejunio et abstinentia.

The Padua codex has quatuor. We have preferred the reading of the Venice codex and of Aeneas of Paris, quinque, which is also gathered from the erroneous reading of the Verona manuscript, nequaquam; for the double qq is found in the word quinque, but not in quatuor. The five days meant are those from Quinquagesima Sunday to Thursday inclusive, otherwise free from fasting and abstinence.

(printed under page 250)

(e) ‹anchor: communiter in› · call in col 489

Duo codd. Ven. et Veron. habent in aream. Sed retinendum cum ms. Patav. et Aenea Parisiensi, in arcam, cum in sequentibus ex arca Noe exemplum petatur.

The two codices of Venice and Verona have in aream. But in arcam is to be kept, with the Padua manuscript and Aeneas of Paris, since in what follows an example is drawn from Noah's ark.

(printed under page 250)

(f) ‹anchor: introeant. Quia› · call in col 489

Codd. Venet. et Patav., Qui arcam Domini in periculis per jejunium sustentare non praevalet. Cod. Veron. similiter, deleta tantum negativa particula. Veram lectionem suppeditavit exemplum Aeneae Parisiensis.

The Venice and Padua codices have Qui arcam Domini in periculis per jejunium sustentare non praevalet. The Verona codex likewise, with only the negative particle deleted. The copy of Aeneas of Paris supplied the true reading.

(printed under page 250)

(g) ‹anchor: vos, sicut› · call in col 489

Nimirum, ut videtur, in sermone habito Dominica Sexagesimae, in qua legebatur ex Genesi historia Noe, unde auctor exemplum sumpserat, et ad jejunium una hebdomada praeveniendum excitaverat.

That is, as it seems, in a sermon preached on Sexagesima Sunday, on which the story of Noah was read from Genesis; from it the author had taken his example, and had roused them to anticipate the fast by one week.

(printed under page 250)

(h) ‹anchor: loquebantur; etsi› · call in col 489

Ita ex cod. Ven. In Patav., silebat voce, aspectu sonabat. Veronensis non absimiliter, sed habet, personabat.

So from the Venice codex. In the Padua codex, silebat voce, aspectu sonabat. The Verona codex not unlike, but it has personabat.

(printed under page 250)

(i) [printed "(j)"] ‹anchor: fieret, quae non› · call in col 489

Veron. ms., adhereret.

The Verona manuscript has adhereret.

(printed under page 250)

(j) ‹anchor: ex hospitio› · call in col 489

Codd. Patav. et Ver., non averterit.

The Padua and Verona codices have non averterit.

(printed under page 250)

(k) ‹anchor: habitaculum peregrinum.› · call in col 489

Cod. Veron., Ipso ergo.

The Verona codex has Ipso ergo.

(printed under page 250)

Page

  • running head: 489 SERMONES S. LEONI MAGNO AT[...] (left half of the page head, as far as this column's image shows)
  • marginal letters: A ‹pter Quadragesimam plus jejunavimus, non minui-›; B ‹busti, tenues atque pallentes, quia hodie est Quadra-›; C ‹intelligere poterat naufragii nescio quid imminere,›; D (stands beside the foot notes, level with ‹Cod. Venetus, aliud in cosa est cur.›, not beside the text)
  • old-edition numerals: 410 after ‹audita,›
  • other: The column's first printed syllable ‹pter› completes ‹pro-› from col. 488 (propter); by the hyphen rule the word is set whole at the end of col. 488 and this file begins with the next word (Q6a, 2026-10-12: c488_a.md now ends ‹propter›, so the earlier remark that it still ended ‹pro-› no longer holds). ‹posteaqnam› is so printed (a turned u, for posteaquam): kept as printed, translated as the intended word; to be added to misprints.tsv. Foot-note calls (a)–(k) removed; foot note (i) is printed with the mark (j). Worn type read as intended (redintegrare, Si, deficeret, intrare, diximus). Italic markup removed from the foot notes (Q1). Added by Q6a (2026-10-12): the sheet signature stands at the foot of the page, ‹PATROL. LIV.› under this column and ‹16› under col. 490. ‹jejunium sustentare› is so printed (the abstract noun, beside ‹temulentum›); the English renders it by the person fasting, as the parallel asks: UNSURE whether jejunum was meant, kept as printed.
PL 54:490
illud evangelicum Domini dictum: Si mihi non creditis, operibus credite (Joan. X, 38).
that saying of the Lord in the Gospel: If you do not believe Me, believe the works (John 10:38).
SERMO IV.
SERMON IV.
De Quadragesima II.
On Lent, II.
CAP. I. — Dilectissimi nobis, fides vestra non admonet religionis promere documenta. Hortamur namque jejunium, quod est recte viventibus devotionis augmentum, murus fidei, expugnatio pravitatis. Suademus etiam non solum a cibis esse, sed ab omnibus semper vitiis abstinendum. Nolite esse in comessationibus prodigi, vel in ebrietatibus arrogantes: quoniam scriptum est in Salomone: Corpus quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam (Sap. IX, 15); nec non et Apostolus ait: Carnis curam ne feceritis in desideriis vestris (Rom. XIII, 14). Abstinete vos ergo his diebus a saecularibus curis desideriisque carnalibus. Castigetur corpus, ut anima sanetur Roboratur enim spes, attenuata parcimoniis carne, et deliciarum victus vita praesens alitur, non futura: quoniam abundantiam rerum luxuria comitatur. Auferte a vobis invidiae simultatem, maliloquia contemnentes et omnia semina peccatorum. Dissolvite violentarum laqueos actionum; et dolosa calumniarum argumenta cessent. Praebete egentibus et domesticis fidei mansionem. Chirographa iniqua disrumpte, ut non solum corpore, sed etiam spiritu placita Deo jejunia celebretis.
CHAP. I. — Dearly beloved to us, your faith admonishes [us] to bring forth the lessons of religion. For we urge fasting, which for those who live rightly is an increase of devotion, a wall of faith, the storming of depravity. We also counsel that one must abstain not only from foods, but always from all vices. Do not be prodigal in revellings, or arrogant in bouts of drunkenness: since it is written in Solomon: The body which is corrupted weighs down the soul (Wis. 9:15); and the Apostle likewise says: Make no provision for the flesh in your desires (Rom. 13:14). Abstain, therefore, in these days from worldly cares and fleshly desires. Let the body be chastised, that the soul may be healed. For hope is strengthened when the flesh is thinned by frugalities, and by a living of delights the present life is nourished, not the future: since wantonness accompanies abundance of things. Take away from yourselves the rivalry of envy, despising evil-speaking and all the seeds of sins. Loose the snares of violent actions; and let the deceitful devices of calumnies cease. Offer a lodging to the needy and to those of the household of the faith. Tear up unjust bonds, that you may celebrate fasts pleasing to God not only in body but also in spirit.
CAP. II. — Oportet quoque eleemosynarum semine fructus nos proprii sperare jejunii. Scriptum est enim: Sicut aqua exstinguit ignem, sic eleemosyna exstinguit peccatum (Eccli. III, 33). Agendum est etiam ut non avaritiae studio, sed misericordiae cura vincamur. Ab opulentis apparatibus abstinere debemus. Demus temporalia pauperibus, ut perpetua nobis eorum
CHAP. II. — We ought also, by the seed of alms, to hope for the fruits of our own fast. For it is written: As water quenches fire, so almsgiving quenches sin (Sir. 3:33). We must also see to it that we are overcome not by the pursuit of avarice, but by the care of mercy. We ought to abstain from sumptuous preparations. Let us give temporal things to the poor, that everlasting things may for us by their
Editors' notes and page, col. 490

Footnotes

(l) [call printed "(1)"] ‹anchor: operibus credite› · call in col 490

Licet in ms. Veronensi habeatur clausula, Amen; et in Veneto, Qui vivit et regnat cum Patre et Spiritu sancto per omnia saecula saeculorum, Amen; finis tamen deesse videtur.

Although the Verona manuscript has the close Amen, and the Venice one Qui vivit et regnat cum Patre et Spiritu sancto per omnia saecula saeculorum, Amen, the ending nevertheless seems to be wanting.

(printed under page 250)

(m) ‹anchor: viventibus devotionis› · call in col 490

Vat. unus, argumentum.

One Vatican codex has argumentum.

(printed under page 250)

(n) ‹anchor: ut anima› · call in col 490

Aliqui codd., satietur. Mox cod. Barber. coll. 2. alia interpunctione: Nam deliciarum.

Some codices have satietur. Next, the Barberini codex of collection 2, with a different punctuation: Nam deliciarum.

(printed under page 250)

(o) ‹anchor: et deliciarum› · call in col 490

Victus hic pro vivendi ratione accipitur.

Victus is taken here for manner of living.

(printed under page 250)

(p) ‹anchor: Auferte a vobis› · call in col 490

Sic Vat. 1268. Al., invidias, simultates.

So Vatican 1268. Elsewhere, invidias, simultates.

(printed under page 250)

(q) [call printed "(d)"] ‹anchor: laqueos actionum; et› · call in col 490

Ita ex laudato Vat. Alii, nodosa.

So from the Vatican codex cited. Others have nodosa.

(printed under page 250)

(r) ‹anchor: nos proprii› · call in col 490

Cod. coll. 2, spectare.

The codex of collection 2 has spectare.

(printed under page 250)

Editors' prose

Editus a P. abb. Joanne Chrysostomo Trombellio inter veterum Patrum Latinorum Opuscula tom. II, part. I, pag. 281, qui eum Leonis esse existimat, uti eidem sane ascriptum vidimus etiam in nostris codicibus collect. 1 et 2, nec non in Lectionariis Veneto 153 et Vat. 6452. Sed in Lectionariis 105 et 107 basilicae S. Petri, quae sinceris Leonis Sermonibus hujus nomem inscribunt, sine Leonis nomine post hujus sermones de Quadragesima subjicitur una cum alio sermone incipiente, Jejunii tempora, quem ex Isidoro Hispalensi sumptum in praefatione animadvertimus num. 11. Anonymus pariter legitur in Lectionario Vat. 1268. Similitudo doctrinae, quae etiam in Augustino aliisque Patribus invenietur, nihil probat; idemque est de simili interpretatione textus ecclesiastici. Stylus certe pressior, et brevioribus sententiis restrictus, a Leonino maxime differt.

Published by Father Abbot Giovanni Crisostomo Trombelli among the Opuscula of the ancient Latin Fathers, vol. II, part I, p. 281, who judges it to be Leo's, as indeed we too have seen it ascribed to him in our codices of collections 1 and 2, and also in the Lectionaries Venetian 153 and Vat. 6452. But in Lectionaries 105 and 107 of the basilica of St Peter, which inscribe his name upon the genuine Sermons of Leo, it is subjoined without Leo's name after his sermons on Lent, together with another sermon beginning Jejunii tempora, which we have remarked in the preface, no. 11, to be taken from Isidore of Seville. It is likewise read anonymous in the Lectionary Vat. 1268. The likeness of doctrine, which will be found in Augustine and other Fathers also, proves nothing; and the same holds of the like interpretation of the text of Ecclesiasticus. The style at any rate, more compressed and confined to shorter sentences, differs very greatly from the Leonine.

<!-- note: a single italic source notice (hanging indent) near the head of the column, directly under the title SERMO IV. and its rubric De Quadragesima II., and directly above CAP. I. (Dilectissimi nobis, fides vestra). Above the title stand the last two lines of Sermo III, run over from col. 489. The bold inner page number 411 printed inside the notice (before nihil probat) is not set. Printed as it stands: nomem (for nomen). The words Jejunii tempora are in roman within the italic. The notice does not run over from or into a neighbouring column; the foot of the column holds footnote matter, set elsewhere. English made fresh from the page; the part was not read in this pass. -->

Page

  • running head: [...]NI MAGNO ATTRIBUTI. SERM. IV. 490 (right half of the page head, as far as this column's image shows)
  • marginal letters: A ‹illud evangelicum Domini dictum: Si mihi non cre-›; B ‹hil probat; idemque est de simili interpretatione›; C ‹ferte a vobis invidiae simultatem, maliloquia con-›; D (stands beside the foot notes, level with ‹junium una hebdomada praeveniendum excitaverat.›, not beside the text)
  • old-edition numerals: 411 after ‹invenietur,›
  • other (added by Q2a, 2026-10-12): misprints kept as printed and not listed before: ‹hujus nomem inscribunt› in the editors' notice (for nomen); ‹fides vestra non admonet› (the sense wants nos admonet, and the English follows that, with us in brackets; the page is read as non by both the first reader and Q2a, but the letter is small: UNSURE). ‹sanetur Roboratur› is printed with no point between the sentences; kept, and the English supplies the stop. ‹textus ecclesiastici› in the notice is printed with a small e; Q2a takes it as the book of Ecclesiasticus (the text quoted in chap. II) and has changed the English accordingly: UNSURE. The foot of the page also prints a note lettered (j) where (i) is meant (its call stands in col. 489); it belongs to n489. The italic notice under the title of Sermo IV is the editors' source-notice, set as a sub-caption in the part file (under the unit rule it is editors' prose and may belong in this file instead; left as found, for a unit-wide decision).
  • other (added by Q7a, 2026-10-12): misprint kept as printed and not listed before: ‹Chirographa iniqua disrumpte› (for disrumpite; the English follows the intended word). The English of ‹textus ecclesiastici› in the notice still read "the ecclesiastical text" in spite of Q2a's remark above; Q7a has now set it to the text of Ecclesiasticus, as Q2a records: UNSURE. The italic markup (asterisks) on the readings quoted in foot notes (l)–(r) is removed under the unit rule (no italic markup); no word is changed by that.