C VI 53
De principiis – Περὶ ἀρχῶν (princ.)
Περὶ ἀρχῶν, De principiis, On First Principles was written about 230 CE. As the original Greek text of the treatise is lost, our knowledge of it depends on several witnesses: a) the Latin translation of the entire treatise by Rufinus (ca. 398), fragments of which are transmitted by Pamphilus, Apologia pro Origene, and Ps.-Augustine, De incarnatione Verbi ad Ianuarium; b) the Philocalia, attributed to Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil of Caesarea, transmitted in princ. III 1 and IV 1–3 in Greek (ca. 358); although the Philocalia transmits the original Greek text of the treatise, sometimes Rufinus’ Latin translation is more reliable because it contains some problematic passages that are omitted by the Philocalia (see princ. IV 3,9–11); c) the fragments of the lost Latin translation by Jerome (ca. 400), which Jerome himself claims to be a literal translation of De principiis; d) the Greek fragments transmitted by the letter of Justinian against Origen (543); these fragments were possibly chosen by Palestinian monks with polemical aims (see Liberatus, Breviarium 23 [ACO V, 139.33–140.3]); and e) a number of short Greek and Latin fragments and testimonies transmitted by different authors; f) Koetschau 1913 integrated into the text of the treatise some fragments that certainly do not belong to it (at least, frg. 15, 17a, 22, and 23a, according to Koetschau’s numbering, must be rejected). Since there is no neutral witness, the reliability of all these testimonies – not only that of Rufinus – is controversial. The outline of the treatise is described by Photius’ Bibliotheca, cod. 8.
Textual tradition: CPG 1482. – Koetschau 1913 collated seven manuscripts (pp. xxiii–vxxvii); additionaly Görgemanns/Karpp 1976 collated Codex Guelferbytanus 4141 (Weissenburger 57), 9th century, and Fernández 2015 collated Codex Parisinus lat. 10593, 6th century (princ. II 6). Since, roughly speaking, the same group of manuscripts have transmitted De principiis and Rufinus’ original works, studies on the transmission of the works of Rufinus are also useful, particularly Simonetti 1957 and Amacker/Junod 2002. On the Philocalia see Robinson 1893, pp. xiii–xxxi; Koetschau 1913, pp. ci–cv; Fernández 2015: full collation of Codex Patmiacus graec. 270 (P) and Codex Parisinus suppl. 615 (C) partially collated by Koetschau and Robinson (cf. Koetschau 1913, p. cii; Robinson 1893, p. lii).
Pre-modern editions
Jacques Merlin, Operum Origenis Adamantii, vol. IV, Paris 1512, fol. cxi–clviii (reprints Venice 1516; Paris 1519, 1522, 1530; Lyon 1536) [Latin text by Rufinus].
Constantius Hyerotheus, Sublimis Origenis opus Periarchon seu De principiis, Venice 1514, fol. i–xli [Latin text by Rufinus].
Desiderius Erasmus / Beatus Rhenanus, Origenis Adamantii eximii scripturarum interpretis opera, pars prima, vol. I, Bâle/Lyon 1536, pp. 748–898 (reprints 1545, 1557, 1571) [Latin text by Rufinus].
Gilbert Génébrard, Origenis Adamantii […] opera, pars prima, Paris 1574, pp. 419–476 (reprints 1604, 1619; Bâle 1620) [Latin text by Rufinus].
Charles Delarue, Ὠριγένους τὰ εὑρισκόμενα πάντα. Origenis opera omnia, vol. I, Paris 1733, pp. 45–195 [Latin text by Rufinus, Latin fragments by Jerome and Greek fragments with new Latin translation of them].
Franz Oberthür, Origenis Adamantii opera omnia, vol. III, Würzburg 1781 [Delarue’s edition].
Armand Benjamin Callau / Marie Nicolas Sylvestre Guillon, Collectio selecta SS. Ecclesiae Patrum, vol. VII, Paris 1829 [Latin text by Rufinus].
Karl Heinz Eduard Lommatzsch, Ὠριγένους τὰ εὑρισκόμενα πάντα. Origenis opera omnia, vol. XXI, Berlin 1831 [Delarue’s edition].
Karl F. Schnitzer, Origenes über die Grundlehren der Glaubenswissenschaft, Stuttgart 1835 [German translation with critical notes].
Ernst Rudolf Redepenning, Origenes: De principiis, Leipzig 1836 [Greek fragments, Latin text by Rufinus, and the fragments by Jerome].
Jacques-Paul Migne, Ὠριγένους τὰ εὑρισκόμενα πάντα. Origenis opera omnia, vol. I (PG 11), Paris 1857, pp. 115–414 [Delarue’s edition].
Frederick Crombie, The Writings of Origen translated (ANF 10), Edinburgh 1869 [English translation].
Nikolaj Vasil’evič Petrov, 1899 [Russian translation].
Modern editions and translations
Paul Koetschau, Origenes Werke. Fünfter Band: De principiis [Περὶ ἀρχῶν] (GCS 22 = Orig. 5), Leipzig 1913 [first modern critical edition].
Hajo Uden Meijboom, Oud-Christelijke Geschriften in Nederlandsche Vertaling, vol. 23, Leiden 1921 [Dutch translation].
George William Butterworth, Introduction by Henri de Lubac, On First Principles, London 1936 [English translation].
Manlio Simonetti, I Princîpi di Origene, Torino 1968 [Italian translation].
Marguerite Harl / Gilles Dorival / Alain Le Boulluec, Origène: Traité des principes (Peri Archôn) (Études Augustiniennes), Paris 1976 [French translation of Rufinus’ Latin text and all the fragments in appendix].
Herwig Görgemanns / Heinrich Karpp, Origenes: Vier Bücher von den Prinzipien (TzF 24), Darmstadt 1976 (21985; 31992) [Koetschau’s text reworked, new collations, with German translation].
Takeshi Odaka, preface by Peter Nemeshegyi, オリゲネス: Shogenri ni Tsuite (Kirisutokyō Koten Sōsho 9), Tokio 1978 [Japanese translation].
Henri Crouzel / Manlio Simonetti, Origène: Traité des Principes, 5 vols. (SC 252. 253. 268. 269. 312), Paris 1978–1984 [Koetschau’s text reworked, with French translation and critical notes].
Stanisław Kalinkowski / Wincenty Myszor / Emil Stanula, Orygenes: O zasadach (PSP 23), Warszawa 1979 [Polish translation].
Joseph Rius-Camps, Tractat sobre els principis, Barcelona 1988 [Catalan translation].
Henryk Pietras / Katarzyna Augustyniak / Stanisław Kalinkowski, Orygenes: O zasadach (Źródła Myśli Teologicznej 1), Kraków 1996 [Polish translation].
Joseph Rius-Camps, Orígenes: Tractat dels Principis, Barcelona 1998 [Koetschau’s text reworked, with Catalan translation].
SHI Minmin, 論首要原理. On First Principles, Hong Kong 2002 [Chinese translation].
João Eduardo Pinto Basto Lupi, Tratado sobre os Princípios (Patrística 30), São Paulo 2012 [Portuguese translation].
Samuel Fernández, Orígenes: Sobre los principios (Fuentes Patrísticas 27), Madrid 2015 (22020) [Koetschau’s text reworked, new collations, with Spanish translation].
John Behr, Origen: On First Principles (OECT), Oxford 2017, 2 vols. [Koetschau’s text reworked, with English translation].
Samuel Fernández / Manlio Simonetti (†), Origene: I principi (OO 15), Rome 2019 [Fernández’ text (2015) with Simonetti’s Italian translation (1968)].
Works containing Greek fragments of On First Principles
[Origen], Philocalia 1; 21 (CPG 1502): Joseph Armitage Robinson, The Philocalia of Origen, Cambridge 1893 [Greek text; N.B.: The Sources chrétiennes edition of the Philocalia (SC 226 and 302) does not contain the chapters of De principiis because they are published in Origène: Traité des Principes (SC 268 and 269)].
Marcellus of Ancyra, Fragment 19 Vinzent [=frg. 37 Klostermann] (CPG 2800): Markus Vinzent, Markell von Ankyra: Die Fragmente. Der Brief an Julius von Rom (VCS), Leiden 1997 [Greek text with German translation]; Samuel Fernández, Marcelo de Ancira: Carta a Julio. Fragmentos teológicos. Sobre la santa Iglesia (Fuentes Patrísticas), Madrid 2022 [Greek text with Spanish translation].
Eusebius of Caesarea, Contra Marcellum I 4,26 (CPG 3477): Erich Klostermann / Günter Christian Hansen, Eusebius Werke IV: Gegen Marcell über die kirchliche Theologie. Die Fragmente Marcells (GCS 14), Berlin 31991 [Greek text].
Athanasius of Alexandria, De decretis 25; 27 (CPG 2120): Hans-Georg Opitz, Athanasius Werke, vol. II, Berlin 1935 [Greek text].
Athanasius of Alexandria, Epistulae ad Serapionem 4,10 (CPG 2094): Dietmar Kyriakos, Athanasius Werke, vol. I/1.4: Epistulae I−IV ad Serapionem, Berlin 2010 [Greek text].
Thephilus of Alexandria, Epistula septima decima (CPG 2586): Gerard H. Ettlinger, Theodoret of Cyrus: Eranistes, Florilegium II, 58, Oxford 1975 [Greek text with English translation]; Jerome, Epistula 98 (CPL 620): Isidor Hilberg, Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, tom. II (CSEL 55), Wien 1912 [Latin text].
Antipater of Bostra, Adversus Origenem (CPG 6687): Jacques-Paul Migne, PG 85, Paris 1864, pp. 1792–1796 [Greek text with Latin translation].
Justinian I., Edictum contra Origenem (Epistula ad Menam) (CPG 6880): Eduard Schwartz, Acta conciliorum oecumenicorum, vol. III, Berlin 1934 [Greek text]; Alfons Fürst / Thomas R. Karmann (eds.), Verurteilung des Origenes. Kaiser Justinian und das Konzil von Konstantinopel 553 (Adamantiana 15), Münster 2020, pp. 170–233 [Greek text with German translation].
Works containing Latin fragments of On First Principles
Pamphilus, Apologia pro Origene (CPG 1715): René Amacker / Éric Junod, Pamphile et Eusèbe de Césarée: Apologie pour Origène (SC 464. 465), Paris 2002 [Latin text with French translation].
Jerome, Epistula 124 (CPL 620): Isidor Hilberg, Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, vol. III (CSEL 56), Wien 1918 [Latin text]; Jérôme Labourt, Jérôme: Lettres, vol. VII (Les Belles Lettres), Paris 1961 [Latin text with French translation].
Ps.-Augustine, De incarnatione Verbi ad Ianuarium (CPL 378a): Lukas J. Dorfbauer, Ps.-Augustinus. De incarnatione et deitate Christi ad Ianuarium (CSEL 99), Wien 2011 [Latin text].
Selected modern studies on the text and its transmission
Erwin Preuschen, Besprechung von: Origenes’ Werke 5. Band: De principiis, in: Berliner philologische Wochenschrift 36 (1916), pp. 1198–1206 [review of Koetschau 1913].
Gustave Bardy, Recherches sur l'histoire du texte et des versions latines du De principiis d'Origène, Paris 1923.
Marcel Richard, Testimonia sancti Basilii, in: RHE (1937), pp. 794–796 [fragments of Rufinus’ Latin translation under Basil’s name].
Basilius Steidle, Neue Untersuchungen zu Origenes’ Περὶ ἀρχῶν, in: ZNW 40 (1941), pp. 236–243 [on the division and structure of De principiis].
Daniel Amand, Une ancienne version latine inédite de deux homélies de saint Basile, in: RBén 57 (1947), pp. 12–81 [identification of princ. II 6 in Codex Parisinus lat. 10593].
Manlio Simonetti, Sulla tradizione manoscrita delle opere originali di Rufino I, in: Sacris Erudiri 9 (1957), pp. 6–20.
Marguerite Harl, Recherches sur le Περὶ ἀρχῶν d’Origène en vue d’une nouvelle édition. La division en chapitres, in: Frank Leslie Cross (ed.), Studia Patristica III, Berlin 1961, pp. 57–67.
Manlio Simonetti, Osservazioni sulla struttura del De Principiis di Origene, in: Rivista di Filologia e d’Istruzione Classica 40 (1962), pp. 273–290. 372–393.
Paul Kübel, Zum Aufbau von Origenes’ De principiis, in: VigChr 25 (1971), pp. 31–39.
Henri Crouzel, Comparaisons précises entre les fragments du Peri Archôn selon la Philocalie et la traduction de Rufin, in: Henri Crouzel / Gennaro Lomiento / Josep Rius-Camps (eds.), Origeniana (QVetChr 12), Bari 1975, pp. 113–121.
Gilles Dorival, Remarques sur la forme du Peri Archon, in: Henri Crouzel / Gennaro Lomiento / Josep Rius-Camps (eds.), Origeniana (QVetChr 12), Bari 1975, pp. 33–45.
Marguerite Harl, Structure et cohérence du Peri Archôn, in: Henri Crouzel / Gennaro Lomiento / Josep Rius-Camps (eds.), Origeniana (QVetChr 12), Bari 1975, pp. 11–32.
Henri Crouzel, Qu’a voulu faire Origène en composant le Traité des Principes?, in: BLE 76 (1975), pp. 161–186. 241–260.
Éric Junod, Entre deux éditiones du “De principiis” d’Origène, in: BLE 78 (1977), pp. 207–220 [comparison between the editions of Crouzel/Simonetti 1978–1984 and Görgemanns/Karpp 1976].
Klaas Anthony Worp / Kurt Treu, Origenes’ De Principiis III 1,6–8 in einem Amsterdamer Papyrus, in: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 350 (1979), pp. 43–47.
Gilles Dorival, Nouvelles remarques sur la forme du Traite des Principes d’Origène, in: Recherches Augustiniennes et Patristiques 22 (1987), pp. 67–108.
Josep Rius-Camps, Los diversos estratos redaccionales del Peri Archon de Orígenes, in: Recherches Augustiniennes et Patristiques 22 (1987), pp. 5–65.
–, Localisation à l’intérieur du De Principiis d’Origène-Rufin de certains extraits sur les êtres raisonnables conservés par Jérôme, in: VigChr 41 (1987), pp. 209–225.
Giulia Sfameni Gasparro, Aspetti della controversia origeniana. Le traduzioni latine del Peri Archon, in: ead., Origene e la tradizione origeniana in Occidente. Letture storico-religiose (BSRel 142), Rome 1988, pp. 13–26.
–, Ps. Basilio, De incarnatione Domini e ps. Agostino, De incarnatione Verbi ad Ianuarium, ovvero la traduzione rufiniana del Peri Archon di Origene auctoritas nelle controversie cristologiche e trinitarie del v–vi sec., in: ibid. pp. 55–95.
Henri Crouzel, Jérôme traducteur du Peri Archôn d’Origène, in: Yves-Marie Duval (ed.), Jérôme entre l’Occident et l’Orient (Études Augustiniennes), Paris 1988, pp. 153–161.
Nicola Pace, Ricerche sulla traduzione di Rufino del “De principiis” di Origene, Florence 1990 [detailed comparison between Greek and Latin texts].
Manlio Simonetti, Agl’inizii della filosofía cristiana. Il De principiis di Origene, in: VetChr 43 (2006), pp. 157–173 [on the composition and structure of the treatise].
Samuel Fernández, Gli interventi dottrinali di Rufino nel De Principiis di Origene, in: Maurizio Girolami (ed.), L’Oriente in Occidente. L’opera di Rufino di Concordia, Brescia 2014, pp. 27–44.
Samuel Fernández, El propósito de la estructura del De principiis de Orígenes, in: Teología y Vida 55 (2014), pp. 243–261.
Nicola Pace, Orígenes: Sobre los principios. Osservazioni su una recente edizione, in: Rivista di Storia e Letteratura Religiosa 52 (2016), pp. 135–147 [on the Greek fragments transmitted by the Philocalia].
Samuel Fernández, A Neglected Sixth-Century Manuscript of Origen’s De Principiis, in: Adamantius 22 (2016), pp. 323–327 [on the Codex Parisinus lat. 10593].
Peter Martens, The Modern Editions of Peri Archon, in: JECS 28 (2020), pp. 303–331 [comparison of the editions by Merlin, Delarue, Koetschau, Görgemanns/Karpp, Crouzel/Simonetti, Rius-Camps, Fernández and Behr].