$ 176. JOHANNES SCOTUS ERIGENA. 761
weighty matters ; indeed they are official documents, and not familiar correspondence.
6. Poems.1 They are very few and devoid of poetical merit.2
§ 176. Johannes Scotus Erigena.
I. JOHANNES SCOTUS: Opera omnia, in Migne, Tom. CXXII. (1853).
//. J. Floss prepared this edition, which is more complete than any other, for Migne's series. The De divisione naturae was separately edited by C. B. Schluter, Minister, 1838, who reprints in the same vol. (pp. 593-610) thirteen religious poems of Scotus as edited by Cardinal Mai (Class. Auct. V. 426 sqq.). B. Haureau has edited Scotus's com mentary on Marcianus Capella, Paris, 18(51 ; and Cardinal Mai, his commentary on the Heavenly Hierarchy of Dionysius Areopagita in Appendix at opera edita ab Mai, Rome, 1871. There is an excellent German translation of the De Div. Nat. by L. Noack (Rrigena iiber die Einthettung der Natur, mil einer Schlussabhandluny Berlin, 1870-4, Leipzig, 1876, 3 pts.),
II. Besides the Prolegomena and notes of the works already mentioned, see PEDER HJORT : J. 8. E., oder von dem Ursprung einer christlichen Philosophic und ihrem heiligen Beruf, Copenhagen, 1823. F. A. STAUDENMAIEH: J. S. E., u. d. \Vlssenschaft s. Zeit., vol. I. (all pub lished), Frankfort-on-the-Main, 183-4. ST. RENE TAILLANDIER : S. E. et la philosophic scholastique, Strasbourg, 1843. N. MOLLER : J. S. E. u. s. Irrth timer, Mayence, 1844. THEODOR CHRISTLIEB Leben u. Lehre d. J. ti. E., Gotha, 1860 ; comp. also his article in Herzog,2 XIII. 788-804 (1884). JOHANNES HUBER: /. S. E. Ein Bel frag zur Geschichte der Philosophic und Theologie im MittelaUer^ Munich, 1861. A. STOCKL : De J. 8. E., Minister, 1867. O. HERMENS : Das Leben des J. S. E., Jena, 1869. R. HOFFMANN : De J. S. E. vita et doctrifia, Halle, 1877 (pp. 37). Cf. BAUR : Geschichte der Lehre von der Dreicinigkcii, II. 263-344. DORNER : Gesch. d. Lehre v. d. Person Christi, II. 344-359. NEANDER, III. 461-466.
III. On particular points. TORSTRICK : Philosophia Erigena? ; 1. Trinitatis notio, Gottingen, 1844. FRANCIS MONNIER : De Gothescalci etj. S. E. controversia^ Paris, 1853. W. KAULICH : Das speculative System des J. S. E., Prag, 1860. MEUSEL : Doctrina J. S. E. cum Christiana comparavit, Budissre (Bautzen), 1869. F. J. HOFFMANN: Der Gottes- u. Schopfnngsbegrijf des J. S. E., Jena, 1876. G. ANDERS:
1 Oirmina, Migne, CXXV. col. 1201-1202. There are a few verses else where in Misrne, and a poem on the Virgin Mary in Mai, " Class, auctor. e Vaticanis codivibux" 452 sqq.
* Ebert, 1. c. 257.
762 FOUKTH PERIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
Darstellung u. Kritik d. Ansicht dass d. Kategorien nicht auf Gott anwendbar seien, Sorau, 1877 (pp. 37). G. BUCHWALD: Der Logosbegriff de J. S. E., Leipzig, 1884. For his logic see PRANTL : Geschichte d. Logik im Abendlande, Leipzig, 1855-70, 4 vols. (II. 20-37). For his philosophy in general see B. HAUREAU: Histoire de la philosophic scholastique, Paris, 1850, 2 vols., 2d ed. 1872-81, (chap, viii). F. D. MAURICE: Mediceval Philosophy, London, 1856, 2d ed. 1870 (pp. 45-79). F. UEBERWEG: History of Philosophy, Eng. trans. I., 358-365. REUTER : Geschichte d. religidsen Aufklarung im Mittelalter, Berlin, 1875-1877, 2 vols. (I. 51-64). J. BASS MAL INGER: The Schools of Charles the Great, London, 1877 (pp. 171- 193). Also Du PIN, VII. 82-84. CEILLIER, XII. 605-609. Hist, lit. de la France, V. 416-429. BAHR, 483-500. EBERT, II. 257-267.
HIS LIFE.
Of JOHANNES SCOTUS ERIGENA, philosopher and theologian, one of the great men of history, very little is known. His an cestry, and places of birth, education, residence and death are disputed. Upon only a few facts of his life, such as his position at the court of Charles the Bald, and his literary works, can one venture to speak authoritatively.
He was born in Ireland l between 800 and 815, educated in one of its famous monastic schools, where the Greek Fathers, particularly Origen, were studied as well as the Latin. He went to France about 843, attracted the notice of Charles the Bald, and was honored with his friendship.2 The king appointed him principal of the School of the Palace, and frequently deferred to his judgment. John Scotus was one of the ornaments of the court by reason of his great learning, his signal ability both as teacher and philosopher, and his blameless life. He was popularly regarded as having boundless knowledge, and in reality his attainments were uncommon. He knew Greek fairly well and often introduces Greek words into his writings. He owed much to Greek theologians, especially Pseudo-Dionysius
1 See supplementary note to this section.
2 He even stood on a very familiar footing if the story of Matthew of Paris mentioned on p. 539 may be credited. Cf. Matthew Paris, Chronica major, ed. Luard, pp. 415 sq.