Epigrams against a Detractor of Augustine (complete)
Authorship disputed: Printed by Migne among Prosper's works; the second epigram is generally ascribed to him, the first less certainly. The detractor is usually thought to be Vincent of Lerins.
Latin text: Migne, PL 51 (Latin text: Migne, Patrologia Latina, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1PL 51
Quidam dictiloqui libros senis Augustini / Carpere, et adversum condere fertur opus. / Usque adeone bonum ingenium, et facundia dives, / Ostentare artem non aliter potuit; / In nova prostratas acies nisi bella cieret, / Impiaque exstinctis hostibus arma daret. / Hæc pugna, incentor, mors est tua, te stylus iste / Conficit, et verbis perderis ipse tuis. / Dumque doces quantum valeat mens libera, monstras / Velle tuum tibimet sufficere ut pereas. / Verte gradum, fuge perniciem; stratosque rebelles / Oris apostolici fulmine ubique vide. / Nec te mutato defendi nomine credas. / Si pastorem ovium lædere vis, lupus es.
A certain wordy man is said to be picking at the books of old Augustine and composing a work against them. Could so good a talent and so rich an eloquence show off its art in no other way than by stirring the routed ranks to new wars and giving impious arms to enemies already dead? This fight, instigator, is your death; that pen of yours destroys you, and you perish by your own words. And while you teach how much the free mind can do, you show that your own will is enough for you to perish. Turn your step, flee destruction; and see the rebels laid low everywhere by the lightning of the apostolic mouth. And do not think yourself defended by a change of name: if you wish to hurt the shepherd of the sheep, you are a wolf.
John 10:12 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Prosper rebukes an unnamed critic of Augustine's books, warning him that by defending the power of the free will he arms the defeated Pelagians and is himself a wolf attacking the shepherd.
- The critic is not named; he is often identified with John Cassian (Conference 13), but this is uncertain. "The apostolic mouth" may mean the apostle Paul's teaching or the bishop of Rome's condemnation of the Pelagians. "A change of name": the critic does not call himself a Pelagian. The wolf and the shepherd allude to John 10:11–12.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; split word): adcone → adeone; acics → acies; te e stylos iste → te stylus iste; ipse tum → ipse tuis; Dumqne → Dumque; re belles → rebelles.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Prosper of Aquitaine, Epigr. obtr. 1 (PL 51; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/prosper-epigrammata-obtrectatorem/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/prosper-epigrammata-obtrectatorem/1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 51 (Corpus Corporum digital text, CC BY-SA; corrections logged); no public-domain English translation exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
Chapter 15
15PL 51:151
Contra Augustinum narratur serpere quidam / Scriptor, quem dudum livor adussit edax: / Qui captum obscuris contectum utcumque cavernis / Tollere humo miserum perpulit anguiculum. / Aut hunc fruge sua æquorei pavere Britanni, / Aut huic Campano gramine corda tument. Quæ concepta fovet promat, quæ parturit edat; Seu vetere armatur dogmate, sive novo. / In quoscumque sinus spirarum torqueat orbes, / Et fallax multa contegat arte caput; / Currentem attritos super aspidas et basiliscos / Declinare senem vipera non poterit.
A certain writer is said to be creeping against Augustine, one whom devouring envy has long since scorched; who drove the wretched little snake, hidden somehow in dark caves, to lift itself from the ground. Either the Britons of the sea fed this man with their crop, or his heart swells with Campanian grass. Let him bring out what he has conceived and cherishes, give birth to what he is in labor with, whether he arms himself with an old dogma or a new one. Into whatever folds he twists the coils of his body, and however much art he uses to cover his deceitful head, the viper will not be able to turn aside the old man as he runs over trampled asps and basilisks.
Ps 91:13 (90:13 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A second epigram against the same critic: whether fed by Pelagius or by Julian of Eclanum, the snake cannot stop Augustine, who treads on asps and basilisks.
- "The Britons of the sea" points to Pelagius, a Briton; "Campanian grass" to Julian of Eclanum in Campania. Treading on asps and basilisks alludes to Ps 91:13 (LXX 90:13).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; line-break debris): adussit edas → adussit edax; Quicaptobscuris contectum utcumque ca vernis → Qui captum obscuris contectum utcumque cavernis; parturit / edat → parturit edat.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Prosper of Aquitaine, Epigr. obtr. 15 (PL 51:151; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/prosper-epigrammata-obtrectatorem/15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/prosper-epigrammata-obtrectatorem/15
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-prosper-epigrammata-obtrectatorem-15) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 51 (Corpus Corporum digital text, CC BY-SA; corrections logged); no public-domain English translation exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.