Tertullian
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
A solid translation of a difficult text 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
The subject of the work is the origin of the world, and therefore creation. Hermogenes, a second century painter, cod-stoic, and heretic, following Stoic ideas, believed that matter was coeternal with God. Tertullian was by no means unwilling to make use of Stoic technical concepts himself, but drew the line at importing Stoic religious ideas in preference to the biblical teaching; and so was led to write this work. This volume is the translation made by J.H. Waszink, the eminent Dutch scholar. Waszink also published the Latin text from which this translation was made: Tertullianus: Adversus Hermogenem liber. Ed. by J.H. Waszink. (Stromata patristica et Mediaevalia). Utrecht, 1956. He went on to publish a text and German translation of Tertullian's work De Anima, also against Hermogenes, in which he established the definitive edition of that difficult work and make real progress in understanding the difficult terminology involved.Waszink was primarily a philologist of considerable reputation, and his text is oriented at solving the many problems which the inadequate state of the manuscripts pose for a work on so obscure a subject.
The translation is the most recent in English of the work. At points it can be a little stilted, since the subject is difficult, English was not Waszink's first language, and in any event he wanted to give the literal meaning, not a paraphrase. However it is superior to the only other English version available, the 19th century Ante-Nicene Fathers version based on the now very dated and inferior Oehler text. The notes are philological rather than theological.
The most up to date version of both text and translation is the new Sources Chretiennes Latin-French text. However Waszink's translation will be the standard where quotation in English is a desideratum.
In summary, a good workmanlike translation of a little-known work.
Editorial Review:
Hermogenes was still living when Carthage's native son took up his pen to oppose him; but that did not make Tertullians polemic more considerate, or his satire less passionate and biting. Hermogenes taught a form of materialism. Tertullian brilliantly convicts him of contradiction.
