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- Herausgeber: Jazzybee Verlag
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
"The Sacred Writings Of ..." provides you with the essential works among the Christian writings. The volumes cover the beginning of Christianity until medieval times. Our author seems to have been a North-African bishop, of whom little is known save what we learn from his own writings. He has been supposed to incline to some ideas of Praxeas, and also to the Millenarians, but perhaps on insufficient grounds. His Millenarianism reflects the views of a very primitive age, and that without the corrupt Chiliasm of a later period, which brought about a practical repudiation of the whole system.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012
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The Sacred Writings of Commodianus
Contents:
Commodianus – A Biography
The Sacred Writings of Commodianus
INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF COMMODIANUS.
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF COMMODIANUS IN FAVOUR OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE, AGAINST THE GODS OF THE HEATHENS.
I. PREFACE.
II. GOD’S INDIGNATION.
III. THE WORSHIP OF DEMONS.
IV. SATURN.
V. JUPITER.
VI. OF THE SAME JUPITER’S THUNDERBOLT.
VII. OF THE SEPTIZONIUM AND THE STARS.
VIII. OF THE SUN AND MOON.
IX. MERCURY.
X. NEPTUNE.
XI. APOLLO THE SOOTHSAYING AND FALSE.
XII. FATHER LIBER—BACCHUS.
XIII. THE UNCONQUERED ONE.
XIV. SYLVANUS.
XV. HERCULES.
XVI. OF THE GODS AND GODDESSES.
XVII. OF THEIR IMAGES.
XVIII. OF AMMYDATES AND THE GREAT GOD.
XIX. OF THE VAIN NEMESIACI.
XX. THE TITANS.
XXI. THE MONTESIANI.
XXII. THE DULNESS OF THE AGE.
XXIII. OF THOSE WHO ARE EVERYWHERE READY.
XXIV. OF THOSE WHO LIVE BETWEEN THE TWO.
XXV. THEY WHO FEAR AND WILL NOT BELIEVE.
XXVI. TO THOSE WHO RESIST THE LAW OF CHRIST THE LIVING GOD.
XXVII. O FOOL, THOU DOST NOT DIE TO GOD.
XXVIII. THE RIGHTEOUS RISE AGAIN.
XXIX. TO THE WICKED AND UNBELIEVING RICH MAN.
XXX. RICH MEN, BE HUMBLE.
XXXI. TO JUDGES.
XXXII. TO SELF-PLEASERS.
XXXIII. TO THE GENTILES.
XXXIV. MOREOVER, TO IGNORANT GENTILES.
XXXV. OF THE TREE OF LIFE AND DEATH.
XXXVI. OF THE FOOLISHNESS OF THE CROSS.
XXXVII. THE FANATICS WHO JUDAIZE.
XXXVIII. TO THE JEWS.
XXXIX. ALSO TO THE JEWS.
XL. AGAIN TO THE SAME.
XLI. OF THE TIME OF ANTICHRIST.
XLII. OF THE HIDDEN AND HOLY PEOPLE OF THE ALMIGHTY CHRIST, THE LIVING GOD.
XLIII.— OF THE END OF THIS AGE.
XLIV. OF THE FIRST RESURRECTION.
XLV. OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.
XLVI. TO CATECHUMENS.
XLVII. TO THE FAITHFUL.
XLVIII. O FAITHFUL, BEWARE OF EVIL.
XLIX. TO PENITENTS.
L. WHO HAVE APOSTATIZED FROM GOD.
LI. OF INFANTS.
LII. DESERTERS.
LIII. TO THE SOLDIERS OF CHRIST.
LIV. OF FUGITIVES.
LV. OF THE SEED OF THE TARES.
LVI. TO THE DISSEMBLER.
LVII. THAT WORLDLY THINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY TO BE AVOIDED.
LVIII. THAT THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE SUCH.
LIX. TO THE MATRONS OF THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD.
LX. TO THE SAME AGAIN.
LXI. IN THE CHURCH TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
LXII. TO HIM WHO WISHES FOR MARTYRDOM.
LXIII. THE DAILY WAR.
LXIV. OF THE ZEAL OF CONCUPISCENCE.
LXV. THEY WHO GIVE FROM EVIL.
LXVI. OF A DECEITFUL PEACE.
LXVII. TO THE READERS.
LXVIII. TO MINISTERS.
LXIX. TO GOD’S SHEPHERDS.
LXX. I SPEAK TO THE ELDER-BORN.
LXXI. TO VISIT THE SICK.
LXXII. TO THE POOR IN HEALTH.
LXXIII. THAT SONS ARE NOT TO BE BEWAILED.
LXXIV. OF FUNERAL POMP.
LXXV. TO THE CLERKS.
LXXVI. OF THOSE WHO GOSSIP, AND OF SILENCE.
LXXVII. TO THE DRUNKARDS.
LXXVIII. TO THE PASTORS.
LXXIX. TO THE PETITIONERS.
LXXX. THE NAME OF THE MAN OF GAZA.
ELUCIDATION.
Footnotes:
The Sacred Writings of Commodianus
Jazzybee Verlag Jürgen Beck
86450 Altenmünster, Germany
ISBN: 9783849621230
www.jazzybee-verlag.de
Cover Design: © Sue Colvil - Fotolia.com
Commodianus – A Biography
A Christian poet, the date of whose birth is uncertain, but generally placed at about the middle of the third century, or between the end of Diocletian's persecution and the issuing of the edict of Maxentius (305-11). It has lately been asserted, however, that Commodianus lived under Julian or even in the middle of the fifth century. He is not known outside of his own writings except through a notice by Gennadius, "De Viris Illustribus" (ch. xv), and the condemnation of Pseudo-Gelasius, who prohibits the reading of his books ("De Libris recipiendis et non recipiendis", in Migne, P. L., LIX, 163) Gennadius seems to draw his information chiefly from the works themselves, and claims that Commodianus imitated Tertullian, Lactantius, and Papias. From two passages in his manuscripts it was gleaned that Commodianus came from Gaza in Palestine and had been invested with the episcopal dignity, but the first of these passages has a very uncertain meaning, and the second has been attributed to the mistake of a copyist. Commodianus declares that he is not a "doctor", which has led to the belief that he was a layman. He styles himself "mendicant of Christ", mendicus Christi, but that could also mean "one who implores Christ" or "one who begs for Christ". What is certain, however, is that, after various religious experiences, such as associating with pagans and practising the occult sciences, and probably conforming to the religious doctrines and rites of the Jews, he adopted Christianity, having been converted by reading the Bible.
His works are a collection of 'Instructions" and a "Carmen apologeticum". The former consists of eighty acrostic, or abecedarian, essays, divided into two books. The plan of this work and the Biblical quotations introduced therein reveal the influence of St. Cyprian's "Testimonia". The first book is against the Jews and pagans, the second being addressed to different categories of the faithful: catechumens, baptized Christians, penitents, matrones, clerks, priests, and bishops. In parts its tone is decidedly satirical. The author is manifestly engrossed with ethics, and recommends alms-deeds above all else. The "Carmen apologeticum" has a misleading title, thanks to Pitra, its first editor (1852). It may be divided into four parts: a preamble (1-88); a résumé of the doctrine on God and Christ (89-578); a demonstration of the necessity of faith for salvation (379-790); and a description of the end of the world (791-1060). It is principally this picture that has made the name of Commodianus famous. According to it the Christians are a prey to a seventh persecution - the number is symbolical and indicates the last persecution. The Goths surprise and destroy Rome. Suddenly Nero, the Antichrist of the West, reappears, recaptures Rome from the Goths, associates himself with two Cæsars and maltreats the Christians for three and a half years. Then a second Antichrist, the man from Persia, comes from the East, conquers Nero, burns Rome, establishes himself in Judea, and works wonders. But God, with an army of the blessed. advances from beyond Persia in a triumphal march; Antichrist is overcome, and Christ and His saints settle in Jerusalem. To learn what follows we must consult the "Instructions" (II, 1-4). First of all the elect rise from the dead and for 1000 years lead lives of pleasure and happiness. At the end of that time the world is destroyed by fire, Christ appears, and all the dead arise for the Last Judgment, which leads either to the joys of Paradise or the pains of Hell.
The sources of Commodianus's information were the Bible - principally the Apocalypse, the Prophets, and the Fourth Book of Esdras - the Sibylline oracles, Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Cyprian, and Lactantius. From Terence, Lucretius, Horace, Cicero, and most of all from Virgil, he borrows modes of expression. His theology is not reliable; besides Millenarianism, he seems to profess Monarchianism and Patripassianism, two heresies in regard to the Trinity. His language is not only crude, but incorrect, and it would be a mistake to seek in Commodianus the origin of versification based on accent. Although unacquainted with prosody, he tries to write in dactylic hexameter, and succeeds in only 63 out of more than 2000 verses. However, his shortcomings are somewhat atoned for by his use of parallelism, rhyme, and the acrostic, and the regular division of his verses; moreover, in spite of its defects, his work is decidedly energetic. He has well-defined formulæ, he conjures up magnificent pictures, and among the many artists and writers who have attempted a portrayal of the end of the world, Commodianus occupies a prominent place. His works have been edited by Ludwig (Leipzig, 1877-78) and by Dombart (Vienna, 1877, in "Corpus scriptorum eccles. latinorum", XV). The poem against Marcio, attributed by some critics to Commodianus, is the work of an imitator.
The Sacred Writings of Commodianus
INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF COMMODIANUS.
[ad 240.] Our author seems to have been a North-African bishop, of whom little is known save what we learn from his own writings. He has been supposed to incline to some ideas of Praxeas, and also to the Millenarians, but perhaps on insufficient grounds. His Millenarianism reflects the views of a very primitive age, and that without the corrupt Chiliasm of a later period, which brought about a practical repudiation of the whole system.1Of his writings, two poems only remain, and of these the second, a very recent discovery, has no place in the Edinburgh series. I greatly regret that it cannot be included in ours.
As a poetical work the following prose version probably does it no injustice. His versification is pronounced very crabbed, and his diction is the wretched patois of North Africa. But the piety and earnestness of a practical Christian seem everywhere conspicuous in this fragment of antiquity.
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF COMMODIANUS IN FAVOUR OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE, AGAINST THE GODS OF THE HEATHENS.
(expressed in acrostics)
I.PREFACE.
My preface sets forth the way to the wanderer, and a good visitation when the goal of life shall have come, that he may become eternal—a thing which ignorant hearts disbelieve. I in like manner have wandered for a long time, by giving attendance upon heathen fanes, my parents themselves being ignorant.1Thence at length I withdrew myself by reading concerning the law. I bear witness to the Lord; I grieve: alas, the crowd of citizens! ignorant of what it loses in going to seek vain gods. Thoroughly taught by these things, I instruct the ignorant in the truth.
