The Letters of St. Jerome 83
83 From Pammachius and Oceanus PL 22, 743
A letter from Pammachius and Oceanus in which they express the perplexity into which they have been thrown by Rufinus’s version of Origen’s treatise, On First Principles (see Letter LXXX.) and request Jerome to make for them a literal translation of the work. Written in 399 or 400 a.d.
1. Pammachius and Oceanus to the presbyter Jerome, health.
A reverend brother has brought to us sheets containing a certain person’s translation into Latin of a treatise by Origen—entitled περὶ ἀρχῶν. These contain many things which disturb our poor wits and which appear to us to be uncatholic. We suspect also that with a view of clearing the author many passages of his books have been removed which had they been left would have plainly proved the irreligious character of his teaching. We therefore request your excellency to be so good as to bestow upon this particular matter an attention which will benefit not only ourselves but all who reside in the city; we ask you to publish in your own language the abovementioned book of Origen exactly as it was brought out by the author himself; and we desire you to make evident the interpolations which his defender has introduced. You will also confute and overthrow all statements in the sheets which we have sent to your holiness that are ignorantly made or contradict the Catholic faith. The writer in the preface to his work has, with much subtlety but without mentioning your holiness’s name, implied that he has done no more than complete a work which you had yourself promised, thus indirectly suggesting that you agree with him. Remove then the suspicions men cannot help feeling and confute your assailant; for, if you ignore his implications, people will say that you admit their truth.
Pammachius et Oceanus exstimulant Hieronymum, ut librum περὶ Ἀρχῶν in Latinum sermonem exacte transferat, et a calumniis Ruffini et hominum suspicionibus se purget, et ostendat ab Origenistarum errore alienum.
PAMMACHIUS ET OCEANUS HIERONYMO presbytero Salutem.
Sanctus aliquis ex fratribus schedulas ad nos cujusdam detulit, quae Origenis volumen, quod περὶ Ἀρχῶν inscribitur, in Latinum sermonem conversum tenerent. Et quoniam in his multa sunt, quae tenuitatem nostri ingenii permovent, quaeque minus catholice dicta existimamus, suspicamur etiam ad excusationem Auctoris, multa de libris ejus esse subtracta, quae apertam impietatem ejusdem monstrare potuissent, quaesumus 522 Praestantiam tuam, ut in hoc specialiter, non tam nobis, quam universis qui in Urbe habitant, profuturum opus digneris impendere, ut supra dictum librum Origenis ad fidem, quemadmodum ab ipso Auctore editus est, tuo sermone manifestes; et quae a defensore ejus interpolata sunt, prodas. Et quae etiam in his schedulis, quas ad Sanctitatem tuam direximus, vel contra catholicam regulam vel imperite edita sunt, redarguas atque convincas. Sane subtiliter in Praefatione operis sui mentionem, tacito nomine tuae Sanctitatis, expressit, quod a te promissum opus ipse compleverit: illud oblique agens, etiam te simili ratione sentire. Purga ergo suspiciones hominum, et convince criminantem, ne si dissimulaveris, consentire videaris.