Prosper of Aquitaine ( la, Prosper Aquitanus; – AD), a
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
writer and disciple of
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...
, was the first continuator of
Jerome
Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...
's
Universal Chronicle.
Life
Prosper was a native of
Aquitaine, and may have been educated at
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
. By 417 he arrived in
Marseilles
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
as a refugee from
Aquitaine in the aftermath of the Gothic invasions of Gaul. In 429 he was corresponding with
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman pr ...
. In 431 he appeared in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
to appeal to
Pope Celestine I regarding the teachings of Augustine; there is no further trace of him until 440, the first year of the pontificate of
Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I ( 400 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great, was bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death. Pope Benedict XVI said that Leo's papacy "was undoubtedly one of the most important in the Church's history."
Leo was ...
, who had been in
Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
, where he may have met Prosper. In any case Prosper was soon in Rome, attached to the pope in some secretarial or notarial capacity.
Gennadius of Massilia's ''De viris illustribus'' (lxxxiv, 89) repeats the tradition that Prosper dictated the famous letters of Leo I against
Eutyches. The date of his death is not known, but his chronicle goes as far as 455, and the fact that the chronicler
Marcellinus Marcellinus may refer to:
Ancient
* Marcellinus (consul 275), Roman imperial official
* Marcellinus (magister officiorum) (died 351), officer of Emperor Constans and of usurper Magnentius
* Marcellinus (magister militum) (died 468), a Roman general ...
mentions him under the year 463 seems to indicate that his death was shortly after that date.
Prosper was a layman, but he threw himself with ardour into the religious controversies of his day, defending Augustine and propagating
orthodoxy
Orthodoxy (from Greek: ) is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion.
Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Antiquity, but different Churc ...
. In his ''De vocatione omnium gentium'' ("The Call of all Nations"), in which the issues of the call to the Gentiles is discussed in the light of Augustine's doctrine of
Grace
Grace may refer to:
Places United States
* Grace, Idaho, a city
* Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois
* Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office
* Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...
, Prosper appears as the first of the medieval Augustinians.
The
Pelagians
Pelagianism is a Christian theological position that holds that the original sin did not taint human nature and that humans by divine grace have free will to achieve human perfection. Pelagius ( – AD), an ascetic and philosopher from th ...
were attacked in a glowing polemical poem of about 1000 lines, ''Adversus ingratos'', written about 430. The theme, ''
dogma
Dogma is a belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam ...
quod ... pestifero vomuit coluber sermone Britannus'', is relieved by a treatment not lacking in liveliness and in classical measures. After Augustine's death he wrote three series of Augustinian defences, especially against
Vincent of Lérins (''Pro Augustino responsiones'').
His chief work was his ''De gratia Dei et libero arbitrio'' (432), written against
John Cassian
John Cassian, also known as John the Ascetic and John Cassian the Roman ( la, Ioannes Eremita Cassianus, ''Ioannus Cassianus'', or ''Ioannes Massiliensis''; – ), was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern c ...
's ''Collatio''. He also induced Pope Celestine to publish an open letter to the bishops of Gaul, ''Epistola ad episcopos Gallorum'' against some members of the Gaulish Church. He had earlier opened a correspondence with Augustine, along with his friend Hilary (not Hilary of Arles), and although he did not meet him personally, his enthusiasm for the great theologian led him to make an abridgment of his commentary on the
Psalms
The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...
, as well as a collection of sentences from his works—probably the first dogmatic compilation of that class in which
Peter Lombard's ''Liber sententiarum'' is the best-known example. He also put into elegiac metre, in 106 epigrams, some of Augustine's theological dicta.
Far more important historically than these is Prosper's ''Epitoma chronicon'' (covering the period 379–455) which Prosper first composed in 433 and updated several times, finally in 455. It was circulated in numerous manuscripts and was soon continued by other hands, whose beginning dates identify Prosper's various circulated editions. The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' 1911 found it a careless compilation from
Jerome
Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...
in the earlier part, and from other writers in the later, but that the lack of other sources makes it very valuable for the period from 425 to 455, which is drawn from Prosper's personal experience. Compared with his continuators, Prosper gives detailed coverage of political events. He covers
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
's invasions of Gaul (451) and Italy (452) in lengthy entries under their respective years. Though he was a poet himself, the sole secular writer Prosper mentions is
Claudian
Claudius Claudianus, known in English as Claudian (; c. 370 – c. 404 AD), was a Latin poet associated with the court of the Roman emperor Honorius at Mediolanum (Milan), and particularly with the general Stilicho. His work, written almost ent ...
. There were five different editions, the last of them dating from 455, just after the death of
Valentinian III. For a long time the ''Chronicon imperiale'' was also attributed to "Prosper Tiro", but without the slightest justification. It is entirely independent of the real Prosper, and in parts even shows Pelagian tendencies and sympathies.
Writings
Prosper of Aquitaine's most influential writings are admired for their classical qualities, but have been criticized for being flat and dull.
[White, 113] <<
This is a tendentious value judgment: it adds no information, but merely the anonymous author's opinion.>>> His writings come mostly from the second quarter of the fifth century.
;''De vocatione omnium gentium'' (''Calling of All Nations'')
This was Prosper's attempt to reconcile
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...
’s teaching on grace in which he suggests that God wishes all men to be saved. The argument is that although all human beings do not receive the grace that saves, they do receive God's general grace. Written in AD 450, the ''Calling of All Nations'' was Prosper's most original contribution to theology.
;''Epitoma Chronicon''
This was Prosper's version of the history of the World. In it he sought to give his own version of the
Pelagian controversy and in his own interpretation of recent history. The ''Epitoma Chronicon'' ends in 455.
;''Capitulla''
This was a simple list of ten doctrinal points asserting the efficacy and necessity of God's Grace, each separately supported by papal statements. It was a strong defense of an essential Augustinian doctrine, but most moderate one to its date.
[Muhlberger, 51–52] Prosper did not mention Augustine's name in the doctrine, but also did not reject any of his thoughts on
predestination
Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby G ...
. It was written between 435 and 442.
;''Sententia'' and ''Epigrammata''
The Sententia was a collection of 392 maxims drawn up against the writings of
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...
. The epigrammata was a compilation of 106 epigrams of
florilegium in verse. Both were intended to be used as handbooks for the serious Christian, drawn from an Augustinian point of view. The work was devoted to the discussion of doctrines of grace and the incarnation. The motto of the florilegia was monastically influenced, urging the reader to patience through adversity, exercise of virtue, and constant striving to perfection.
[
;''Liber contra Collatorem''
This writing represents the final opinion of Prosper on the problem of necessity of grace. It was written during the reign of Pope Sixtus III (link) and is a step-by step response to Conference XIII of the ''Conlationes'' of ]John Cassian
John Cassian, also known as John the Ascetic and John Cassian the Roman ( la, Ioannes Eremita Cassianus, ''Ioannus Cassianus'', or ''Ioannes Massiliensis''; – ), was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern c ...
.
;''Carmen de Providentia Divina'' (''Poem on Divine Providence'')
The problem of providence is discussed in the context of God's creation of the World and in relation to the invasion of Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
by the Vandals
The Vandals were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal Kingdom, Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century.
The ...
and the Goths
The Goths ( got, 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰, translit=''Gutþiuda''; la, Gothi, grc-gre, Γότθοι, Gótthoi) were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Europe ...
. This work has been attributed to Prosper of Aquitaine in the past, but this theory has been discredited.
Legacy
"Prosper of Aquitaine was much more famous for what he wrote than for what he did." (Abbé L. Valentin) However, many historians believe his chief fame rests not on his historical work, but on his activities as a theologian and an aggressive propagator of the Augustinian doctrine of grace. It is no doubt that Prosper holds a place in the ranks of the moulders of theological understanding of the doctrine of grace.[''Fathers of the Church'', 336]
Most of his works were aimed at defending and distribution Augustine's teachings, especially those pertaining to grace and free will. Following Augustine's death in 430, Prosper continued to disseminate his teachings and spent his life working to make them acceptable. Prosper was the first chronicler to add to Jerome's account, beginning his continuation half a century later. Prosper's epigrams became most popular in his later years, providing a method for students of Christianity to learn moral lessons and aspects of the Augustinian doctrine.
Prosper also played a vital role in the Pelagian controversy in southern Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
in the 420's. With the help of Augustine and Pope Celestine There have been five Popes Celestine of the Roman Catholic Church:
* Pope Celestine I (422–432)
* Antipope Celestine II (1124)
* Pope Celestine II (1143–1144)
* Pope Celestine III (1191–1198)
* Pope Celestine IV (1241)
* Pope Celestine V
P ...
, Prosper was able to put down revolutions of the Pelagian Christians.
Prosper's works were very popular during the Middle Ages: the ''Epigrams'' alone sum no fewer than one hundred and eighty manuscripts.
Editions
Prosper's ''Epitoma Chronicon'' was edited by Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen (; 30 November 1817 – 1 November 1903) was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician and archaeologist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classicists of the 19th cent ...
in the ''Chronica minora'' of the ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica
The ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica'' (''MGH'') is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published primary sources, both chronicle and archival, for the study of Northwestern and Central European history from the end of the Roman Empire ...
'' (1892) and by Maria Becker and Jan–Markus Kötter as part of the ''Kleine und fragmentarische Historiker Kleine is a German and Dutch surname meaning "small". Notable people with the surname include:
* Andrea Kleine (born 1970), American writer, choreographer, and performance artist
* Christian Kleine (born 1974), German musician and DJ
* Cindy Kleine ...
'' ''(KFHist G 5)'' (2016). Prosper's complete works are in Migne
Jacques Paul Migne (; 25 October 1800 – 24 October 1875) was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias, and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a u ...
's ''Patrologia Latina
The ''Patrologia Latina'' (Latin for ''The Latin Patrology'') is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1841 and 1855, with indices published between ...
''. vol. 51. See also ''Saint Prosper of Aquitaine, the Call of All Nations'', edited and translated by P. De Letter, S.J. (Series ''Ancient Christian writers'' 14) 1952. Prosper's ''Epitoma Chronicon'' is available in English translation in ''From Roman to Merovingian Gaul: A Reader'' ed. & trans. A. C Murray (Ontario, 2003) pp. 62–76.
Prosper's ''Epigrams'' were edited by Albertus G. A. Horsting in ''Prosper Aquitanus. Liber epigrammatum'', Berlin-New York 2016 (''Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum Latinorum'' 100).
See also
* Uncial 0208
Uncial 0208 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering) is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 6th century.
Description
The codex contains a small parts of the Colossians 1:29-2:10,13-14; 1 Thessalonians 2:4-7 ...
Notes
References
*Arturo Elberti, ''Prospero d'Aquitania: Teologo e Discepolo'' (Rome, 1999).
*Mark Humphries. "Chronicle and Chronology: Prosper of Aquitaine, his methods and the development of early medieval chronography." ''Early Medieval Europe'' 5 (1996) 155–175.
*Steven Muhlberger, ''The Fifth Century Chroniclers'' (Great Britain: Redwood Press, 1990) pp. 48–60.
*Alexander Hwang. ''Intrepid Lover of Perfect Grace: The Life and Thought of Prosper of Aquitaine''. Washington: Catholic University of America Press, 2009.
*Caroline White, ''Early Christian Latin Poets'' (New York, 2000) pp. 113–118.
* ''The Fathers of the Church'' (New York: The Catholic University of America, 1949) pp. 335–343.
* This work in turn cites:
**L. Valentin, ''St. Prosper d'Aquitaine: Étude sur la littérature écclésiastique au cinqième siècle en Gaule'' (Paris, 1900). This work offers a complete list of previous writings on Prosper and is still the main reference.
** August Potthast, ''Bibliotheca historica'' (1896).
External links
Tiro Prosper of Aquitaine
article from ''The Catholic Encyclopedia
The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...
'' (Newadvent Website)
Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
''Carmen de ingratis et epigrammata selecta'' full text on Google Books
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prosper Of Aquitaine
450s deaths
People from Aquitaine
French Roman Catholic saints
Italian Roman Catholic saints
5th-century Latin writers
5th-century Christian saints
Year of birth uncertain
5th-century historians