Popular Patristics Series

Yes, I'm still doing a deep dive into the writings of the Christian Church Fathers, this time through buying/reading several volumes of the Popular Patristics Series.  As is the norm for series, I will list in italics books owned but not yet read and bold the ones that I've read.  I'm cautiously optimistic that I will have time later this summer to write essays on at least a few of these, perhaps on a different blog than this venerable one.  

Total through 5/12/2024:  32 books owned.

1. On the Priesthood by St. John Chrysostom
2. Lectures on the Christian Sacraments by St. Cyril of Jerusalem (discontinued)
3. On the Divine Images by St. John of Damascus (discontinued)
4. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius (discontinued)
5. On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil the Great (discontinued)
6. On the Holy Icons by St. Theodore the Studite
7. On Marriage and Family Life by St. John Chrysostom
8. On the Divine Liturgy by St. Germanus of Constantinople
9. On Wealth and Poverty by St. John Chrysostom (2nd edition published 2020)
10. Hymns on Paradise by St. Ephrem the Syrian
11. On Ascetical Life by St. Isaac of Nineveh
12. On the Soul and Resurrection by St. Gregory of Nyssa
13. On the Unity of Christ by St. Cyril of Alexandria
14. On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses, vol. 1: The Church and The Last Things by St. Symeon the New Theologian
15. On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses, vol. 2: On Virtue and Christian Life by St. Symeon the New Theologian
16. On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses, vol. 3: Life, Times, and Theology by St. Symeon the New Theologian
17. On the Apostolic Preaching by St. Irenaeus of Lyons
18. On the Dormition of Mary: Early Patristic Homilies
19. On the Mother of God by Jacob of Serug
20. On Pascha by Melito of Sardis (discontinued)
21. On God and Man: The Theological Poetry of St. Gregory of Nazianzus
22. On the Apostolic Tradition by St. Hippolytus (discontinued)
23. On God and Christ, The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledonius by St. Gregory of Nazianzus
24. Three Treatises on the Divine Images by St. John of Damascus (new translation, replaces volume 3)
25. On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ by St. Maximus the Confessor
26. Letters from the Desert by St. Barsanuphius and John
27. Four Desert Fathers – Pambo, Evagrius, Macarius of Egypt, and Macarius of Alexandria
28. Saint Macarius the Spiritbearer: Coptic Texts Relating to Saint Macarius the Great
29. On the Lord’s Prayer by Tertullian, St. Cyprian, & Origen
30. On the Human Condition by St. Basil the Great
31. The Cult of the Saints by St. John Chrysostom
32. On the Church: Select Treatises by St. Cyprian of Carthage
33. On the Church: Select Letters by St. Cyprian of Carthage
34. The Book of Pastoral Rule by St. Gregory the Great
35. Wider Than Heaven: Eighth-century Homilies on the Mother of God
36. Festal Orations by St. Gregory of Nazianzus
37. Counsels on the Spiritual Life, Volumes One and Two by St. Mark the Monk
38. On Social Justice by St. Basil the Great
39. Harp of Glory (Enzira Sebhat): An Alphabetical Hymn of Praise for the Ever-Blessed Virgin Mary from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
40. Divine Eros: Hymns of Saint Symeon the New Theologian
41. On the Two Ways: Life or Death, Light or Darkness: Foundational Texts in the Tradition
42. On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil the Great (new translation, replaces volume 5)
43. Works on the Spirit by St. Athanasius the Great and Didymus the Blind
44. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius the Great (new translation, replaces volume 4; available in Greek and English (44A) or English only (44B); own both)
45. Treasure-house of Mysteries: Exploration of the Sacred Text Through Poetry in the Syriac Tradition
46. Poems on Scripture by St. Gregory of Nazianzus
47. On Christian Doctrine and Practice St. Basil the Great
48. Light on the Mountain: Greek Patristic and Byzantine Homilies on the Transfiguration of the Lord
49. The Letters by St. Ignatius of Antioch
50. On Fasting and Feasts by St. Basil the Great
51. On Christian Ethics by St. Basil the Great
52. Give Me a Word: The Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers
53. Two Hundred Chapters On Theology by St. Maximus the Confessor
54. On the Apostolic Tradition (Second Edition) by St. Hippolytus (replaces volume 22)
55. On Pascha (Second Edition) by Melito of Sardis (replaces volume 20)
56. Letters to Saint Olympia by St. John Chrysostom
57. Lectures on the Christian Sacraments (Second Edition) by St. Cyril of Jerusalem (replaces volume 2)
58. The Testament of the Lord: Worship and Discipline in the Early Church
59. On the Ecclesiastical Mystagogy: A Theological Vision of the Liturgy by St. Maximus the Confessor
60. Catechetical Discourse: A Handbook for Catechists by St. Gregory of Nyssa
61. Hymns of Repentance by St. Romanos the Melodist
62. On the Orthodox Faith: Volume 3 of the Fount of Knowledge by St. John of Damascus
63. Headings on Spiritual Knowledge: The Second Part, Chapters 1-3 by St. Isaac of Nineveh
64. On Death and Eternal Life by St. Gregory of Nyssa
65. The Prayers of Saint Sarapion: The Bishop of Thmuis

 

I Tatti Renaissance Library

As is evidenced by the number of these posts over the past couple of months, I’ve lately been involved in collecting (and eventually, reading) volumes of certain classics in bilingual editions.  The I Tatti Renaissance Library, published by Harvard University Press since its inception in 2001, is one such list.  This series is devoted to publishing in Latin/English editions the Latin language works of many of the preeminent Renaissance thinkers.  Much of the literature presented here has never before been made available in English translation.  If I’ve read the volume, it’ll be listed in bold; italics for those owned but not yet fully read.

1.  Giovanni Boccaccio, Famous Women

2.  Marsilio Ficino, Platonic Theology  vol. I:  Books I-IV

3.  Leonardo Bruni, History of the Florentine People, Volume I:  Books I-IV

4.  Marsilio Ficino, Platonic Theology vol. II:  Books V-VIII

5.  Craig W. Kallendorf (ed.), Humanist Educational Treatises 

6.  Polydore Vergil, On Discovery

7.  Marsilio Ficino, Platonic Theology vol. III:  Books IX-XI

8.  Leon Battista Alberti, Momus

9.  Giannozzo Manetti, Biographical Writings

10. Cyriac of Ancona, Later Travels

11.  Francesco Petrarca, Invectives

12.  Pius II, Commentaries vol. I:  Books I-II

13.  Marsilio Ficino, Platonic Theology vol. IV:  Books XII-XIV

14.  Angelo Poliziano, Silvae

15.  Maffeo Vegio, Short Epics

16.  Leonardo Bruni, History of the Florentine People, Volume II:  Books V-VIII

17.  Marsilio Ficino, Platonic Theology vol. V:  Books XV-XVI

18.  Pietro Bembo, Lyric Poetry; Etna

19.  Gary R. Grund (ed.), Humanist Comedies

20.  Biondo Flavio,  Italy Illuminated, Volume I:  Books I-IV

21.  Angelo Poliziano, Letters, Volume I:  Books I-IV

22.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, Baiae

23.  Marsilio Ficino, Platonic Theology vol. VI:  Books XVII-XVIII

24.  Lorenzo Valla,  On the Donation of Constantine

25.  Teofilo Folengo, Baldo, Volume I:  Books I-XII

26.  JoAnn DellaNeva (ed.), Ciceronian Controversies

27.  Leonardo Bruni, History of the Florentine People, Volume III:  Books IX-XII; Memoirs

28.  Pietro Bembo, History of Venice, Volume I:  Books I-IV

29.  Pius II, Commentaries, Volume II:  Books III-IV

30.  Bartolomeo Platina, Lives of the Popes, Volume I:  Antiquity

31.  Bartolomeo Scala, Essays and Dialogues

32.  Pietro Bembo, History of Venice, Volume II:  Books V-VIII

33.  Nicolas of Cusa, Writings on Church and Reform

34.  Marsilio Ficino, Commentaries on Plato, Volume I:  Phaedras and Ion

35.  Christoforo Landino, Poems

36.  Teofilo Folengo, Baldo, Volume II:  Books XIII-XXV

37.  Pietro Bembo, History of Venice, Volume III:  Books IX-XII

38.  Jacopo Sannazaro, Latin Poetry

39.  Marco Girolamo Vida, Christiad

40.  Aurelio Lippo Brandini, Republics and Kingdoms Compared

41.  Francesco Filelfo, Odes

42.  Antonio Beccadelli, The Hermaphrodite 

43.  Florentius de Faxolis, Book on Music

44.  Federico Borromeo, Sacred Painting; Museum 

45.  Gary R. Grund (ed.), Humanist Tragedies

46. Giovanni Boccaccio, Genealogy of the Pagan Gods, Volume I:  Books I-V

47.  Bartolomeo Fonzio, Letters to Friends

48.  Lilia Gregorio, Modern Poets

49.  Lorenzo Valla, Dialectical Disputations, Volume I:  Book I

50.  Lorenzo Valla, Dialectical Disputations, Volume II:  Books II-III

51.  Marsilio Ficino, Conmmentaries on Plato, Volume II:  Parmenides, Part I

52.  Marsilio Ficino, Commentaries on Plato, Volume II:  Parmenides, Part II

53.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, Dialogues, Volume I:  Charon and Antonius 

54.  Michael Marcellus, Poems

55.  Francesco Filelfo, On Exile

56.  Paulo Giovio, Notable Men and Women of Our Time

57.  Girolamo Fracastoro, Latin Poetry

58.  Jacob Zabarella, On Methods, Volume I:  Books I-II

59.  Jacob Zabarella, On Methods, Volume II:  Books III-IV; On Regressions

60.  Lorenzo Valla, Correspondence 

61.  Elizabeth R. Wright (ed.), The Battle of Lepanto

62.  Coluccio Salutati, On the World and Religious Life

63.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, On Married Love; Eridanus

64.  Coluccio Salutati, Political Writings

65.  Cyriac of Ancona, Life and Early Travels

66.  Marsilio Ficino, On Dionysius the Aeropagite, Volume I:  Mystical Theology and The Divine Names, Part I

67.  Marsilio Ficino, On Dionysius the Aeropagite, Volume II:  The Divine Names, Part II

68.  Girolamo Savonarola, Apologetic Writings

69.  Ugolino Verino, Fiammetta; Paradise

70.  Aldius Manutius, The Greek Classics

71.  Giannozzo Manetti, A Translator’s Defense

72.  Francesco Petrarca, My Secret Book

73.  Giovanni Marrasio, Angelinetum and Other Poems

74.  Biondo Flavio, Rome in Triumph, Volume I:  Books I-II

75.  Biondo Flavio, Italy Illuminated, Volume II:  Books V-VIII

76.  Francesco Petrarca, Selected Letters, Volume I

77.  Francesco Petrarca, Selected Letters, Volume II

78.  Aldius Manutius, Humanism and the Latin Classics

79.  Giannozzo Manetti, Against the Jews and Gentiles:  Books I-IV

80.  Marsilio Ficino, Commentary on Plotinus, Volume IV:  Ennead III, Part I

81.  Giovanni Boccaccio, Genealogy of the Pagan Gods, Volume II:  Books VI-X

82.  Marsilio Ficino, Commentary on Plotinus, Volume V:  Ennead III, Part II and Ennead IV

83.  Pius II, Commentaries, Volume III:  Books V-VIII

84.  Ludovico Ariosto, Latin Poetry

85.  Giannozzo Manetti, On Human Worth and Excellence

86.  Angelo Poliziano, Greek and Latin Poetry

87.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, The Virtues and Vices of Speech

88.  Pier Candido, Lives of the Milanese Tyrants

89.  Angelo Poliziano, Miscellanies, Volume I

90.  Angelo Poliziano, Miscellanies, Volume II

91.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, Dialogues, Volume II:  Actius

92.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, Dialogues, Volume III:  Aegidius and Asinus

93.  Gianfrancesco Pico della Mirandola, Life of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola; Oration

94.  Giovanni Gioviano Pontano, Ecologues; Gardens of the Hesperides

95.  Paolo Giovio, Portraits of Learned Men

96.  Leon Battista Alberti, Biographical and Autobiographical Writings

97.  Leon Battista Alberti, Dinner Pieces, Volume I (March 2024)

98.  Leon Battista Alberti, Dinner Pieces, Volume II (March 2024)

Loeb Classical Library: Books Owned

 I’ve been spending quite a bit of time the past two months working on improving on my college Latin (and teaching myself Attic Greek) and the Loeb Classical Library, with its parallel original/English translated text, has been a great use for me.  Since there are over 500 volumes in the series (and newer, revised translations are being released under the old series numbers or occasionally renumbered and/or divided), I think I will list the books I currently own, with the series number beside them (most of these are newish, but some are older editions I’ve bought over the years), and just add more as I buy more.  As is the norm with me, I’ll bold the books already finished, but the unread books that I own will appear in regular style instead of in italics like I normally do when listing books in a series.

9/14/2023 Update:  80 total volumes (44 Latin, 36 Greek)

1    Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica (Greek)

2    Appian I:  Roman History, Volume I (Greek)

3    Appian II:  Roman History, Volume II (Greek)

4    Appian III:  Roman History, Volume III (Greek)

5    Appian IV:  Roman History, Volume IV:  Civil Wars Books 1-2 (Greek)

6    Catullus, Tibullus, Pervigilium Veneris (Latin)

7    Cicero I:  Letters to Atticus I (Latin)

10  Euripides IV:  Trojan Women, Iphigenia Among the Taurians, Ion (Greek)

11  Euripides V:  Helen, Phoenician Women, Orestes (Greek)

15  Petronius, Satyricon; Seneca, Apocolocyntosis (Latin)

16  Philostratus I:  Apollonius of Tyana, Volume I:  Books 1-4 (Greek)

17  Philostratus II:  Apollonius of Tyana, Volume II:  Books 5-8 (Greek)

19  Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica (Greek)

20  Sophocles I:  Ajax, Electra, Oedipus Tyrannus (Greek)

21  Sophocles II:  Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus (Greek)

23 Terence II:  Phormio, The Mother-in-Law, the Brothers (Latin)

24  The Apostolic Fathers, Volume I (Greek)

25  The Apostolic Fathers, Volume II (Greek)

26  Augustine I: Confessions I:  Books 1-8 (Latin)

27  Augustine II: Confessions II:  Books 9-13 (Latin)

30  Cicero XXI:  On Duties (Latin)

31  Suetonius I:  Lives of the Caesars Books 1-4 (Latin)

32  Dio Cassius I:  Roman History, Volume I:  Books 1-11 (Greek)

33  Horace, Odes and Epodes (Latin)

34  John Damascene, Barlaam and Ioasaph (Greek)

35  Tacitus I:  Agricola; Germania; Dialogus (Latin)

36  Plato I:  Euthphro, Apology, Crido, Phaedo (Greek)

37  Dio Cassius II:  Roman History, Volume II (Greek)

38  Suetonius II:  Lives of the Caesars Books 5-8 (Latin)

39  Caesar II:  Civil War (Latin)

41  Ovid I:  Heroides, Amores (Latin)

42  Ovid III:  Metamorphoses Books 1-8 (Latin)

43  Ovid IV:  Metamorphoses Books 9-15 (Latin)

44  Apuleius I:  Metamorphoses Books 1-6 (Latin)

46  Plutarch I:  Lives, Volume I (Greek)

48  Procopius I:  History of the Wars, Volume I (Greek)

57  Hesiod I:  Theogony, Works and Days, Testimonia (Greek)

58  Marcus Aurelius (Greek)

63  Virgil I:  Ecologues, Georgics, Aeneid Books 1-6 (Latin)

64  Virgil II:  Aeneid Books 7-12, The Minor Poems (Latin)

72  Caesar I:  The Gallic War (Latin)

73  Aristotle XIX:  Nicomachean Ethics (Greek)

74  Boethius, Theological Tractates, The Consolation of Philosophy (Latin)

81  Procopius II:  History of the Wars, Volume II (Greek)

90  Xenophon III:  Anabasis (Greek)

91  Juvenal and Perseus (Latin)

92  Clement of Alexandria (Greek)

104 Homer I:  Odyssey I:  Books 1-12 (Greek)

105 Homer II:  Odyssey II: Books 13-24 (Greek)

107 Procopius III:  History of the Wars, Volume III (Greek)

108 Thucydides I:  History of the Peloponnesian War:  Books 1-2 (Greek)

111 Tacitus II:  Histories, Volume I:  Books 1-3 (Latin)

114 Livy I:  History of Rome, Books 1-2 (Latin)

116 Sallust I:  The War with Cataline; The War with Jugurtha (Latin)

117 Herodotus I:  The Persian Wars:  Books 1-2 (Greek)

124 Quintilian, The Orator’s Education:  Books 1-2 (Latin)

128 Polybius I:  The Histories, Volume I (Greek)

135 Claudian I:  Volume I (Latin)

139 David Rohrbacher (ed.), Historia Augusta, Volume I (Latin)

145 Aeschylus I:  Persians, Seven Against Thebes, Suppliants, Prometheus Bound (Greek)

146 Aeschylus II;  Oresteia, Agamemnon, Libation-Bearers, Eumenides (Greek)

151 Ovid VI:  Tristia; Ex Ponto (Latin)

153 Eusebius I:  The Ecclesiastical History I:  Books 1-5 (Greek)

154 Cicero:  On Old Age; On Friendship; On Divination (Latin)

166 Plato III:  Lysis, Symposium, Georgia’s (Greek)

170 Homer III:  Iliad I:  Books 1-12 (Greek)

171 Homer IV:  Iliad II:  Books 13-24 (Greek)

173 Procopius IV:  History of the Wars, Volume IV (Greek)

178 Aristophanes I:  Acharnians, Knights (Greek)

179 Aristophanes III:  Birds, Lysistrata, Women at the Thesmophoria (Greek)

180 Aristophanes IV:  Frogs, Assemblywomen, Wealth (Greek)

181 Lucretius, On the Nature of Things (Latin)

190 Basil I:  Letters, Volume I:  Letters 1-58 (Greek)

203 Josephus I:  The Jewish War, Books I-II (Greek)

207 Statius II:  Thebaid: Books 1-7 (Latin)

214 Seneca, Moral Essays I (Latin)

217 Procopius V:  History of the Wars, Volume V (Greek)

220 Lucan, The Civil War (Latin)

226 Philo, Volume I (Greek)

231 Florus, Epitome of Roman History (Latin)

232 Ovid II:  The Art of Love and Other Poems (Latin)

234 Plato IX:  Timaeus, Critias, Cleitophon, Menexenus, Epistles (Greek)

239 Augustine, Select Letters (Latin)

246 Bede I:  Ecclesiastical History, Volume I:  Books 1-3 (Latin)

248 Bede II:  Ecclesiastical History, Volume II:  Books 4-5; Lives of the Abbots; Letter to Egbert (Latin)

250 Tertullian, Apology,De Spectaculis; Minucius Felix, Octavius (Latin)

253 Ovid V:  Fasti (Latin)

254 Seneca, Moral Essays, Volume II (Latin)

262 Jerome, Select Letters (Latin)

265 Eusebius, The Ecclesiastical History II:  Books 6-10 (Greek)

268 Cicero, On the Nature of the Gods; Academics (Latin)

290 Procopius VI: Secret History (Greek)

294 Fragmentary Republican Latin I:  Ennius, Testimona, Epic Fragments (Latin)

300 Ammianus Marcellinus I:  History, Volume I:  Books 14-19 (Latin)

333 Varro, On the Latin Language I:  Books 5-7 (Latin)

334 Varro, On the Latin Language II:  Books 8-10 and Fragments (Latin)

344 Nonnos I:  Dionysiaca:  Books 1-15 (Greek)

347 Cicero V:  Brutus, Orator (Latin)

387 Prudentius I:  Volume I (Latin)

398 Prudentius II:  Against Symmachus II; Crowns of Martyrdom; Scenes from History; Epilogue (Latin)

402 Caesar III: Alexandrian War, African War, Spanish War (Latin)

411 Augustine, City of God I:  Books 1-3 (Latin)

412 Augustine, City of God II:  Books 4-7 (Latin)

413 Augustine, City of God III:  Books 8-11 (Latin)

414 Augustine, City of God IV:  Books 12-15 (Latin)

415 Augustine, City of God V:  Books 16-18.35 (Latin)

416 Augustine, City of God VI:  Books 18.36-20 (Latin)

417 Augustine, City of God VII:  Books 21-22, Index (Latin)

450 Seneca, Natural Questions I:  Books 1-3 (Latin)

453 Apuleius II:  Metamorphoses Books 7-11 (Latin)

467 Cornelius Nepos, On Great Generals; On Historians (Latin)

488 Aristophanes II:  Clouds, Wasps, Peace (Greek)

495 Euripides VI:  Bacchae, Iphigenia at Audis, Rhesus (Greek)

496 Homeric Hymns, Homeric Apocrypha, Lives of Homer (Greek)

497 Greek Epic Fragments (Greek)

498 Statius III:  Thebaid: Books 8-12, Achilleid (Latin)

534 Apuleius III:  Apologia; Florida; De deo Socratis (Latin)

552 Cato, Orations; Other Fragments (Latin)