Adversus Valentini, & similium gnosticorum haereses, libri quinque

Dedicatory Letter.

...of the distinguished Prelate of Lyon Saint Irenaeus, these works, dedicated, consecrated, and offered to the eminent Bishop of Metz and Strasbourg; formerly Primate of the Gauls, most illustrious Prince in the lands of Gaul, Lorraine, and Germany; and the writings of a most steadfast Martyr against heresies, to the most valiant defender of our faith, who is most ready to shed his blood for its sanctity, as your purple garment vestis purpurea the color of a Cardinal's robes, symbolizing a willingness to die for the faith reminds us, these works will be able to profess no small benefit.

Finally, there is this addition: since the pitiable calamities of our France, and the dangers of my calling and profession, had driven me far from my fatherland, I was most kindly received into your jurisdiction. In that noble city of the people of Lorraine, I was admitted to teach for seven months. Having been heard with great attention by the most illustrious Duke, his noble brothers, and most religious noblewomen, and especially by Your Highness C. T. abbreviation for Celsitudo Tua, Your Highness, and having been called to frequent and familiar conversation, and at last dismissed with no small generosity, I judged it to be in my interest to offer this public testimony of my regard, however small it may be, as a theologian and religious man toward Your Highness, to be delivered with all submission. In doing this, may Your Highness receive it with your accustomed kindness and a grateful countenance, and continue to keep and retain me in your protection. May the immortal God, King of kings and Lord of lords, keep Your Highness safe and most happy for a very long time, and, the course of this life being finished, lead you into His blessed and eternal kingdom. Cologne, on the Ides of August, in the year of our Lord 1595.

AN ADMONITION TO THE READERS BY FR. FRANCISCUS
FEU-ARDENTIUS REGARDING THIS EDITION OF THE
FIVE BOOKS OF ST. IRENAEUS.

A decorative initial letter N marks the beginning of the text. We are sending forth for the public benefit of students a new edition of the five books of the most blessed Father and Martyr Irenaeus, newly collated, amended, and enriched. Although some still doubt whether these were elegantly written in Greek by the author—and that fourteen hundred years ago—and published for the benefit of the entire Catholic Church, we do not doubt that everyone will be persuaded of this if they weigh with attentive minds the many long and excellent fragments. These fragments were once transcribed word-for-word in Greek from the author by Epiphanius, Eusebius, Theodoret, and others, and inserted into their own writings; we have recited these in appropriate places and restored them to him as if by a right of recovery post liminio a legal term for the restoration of rights to one returning from exile. Ezekiel 36. Added to this is the most weighty testimony of St. Jerome, who, moved by the Greek titles of the books published by the Author and approved by the earlier Fathers—"Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely So-called" original: "ἔλεγχος & ἀνατροπὴ τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως" in five books—and by other reasons, numbers him among the Greek writers and does not doubt that he wrote in Greek. There also exist clearly Greek elements: innumerable expressions and forms of speaking not common to Latins. Greek authors, both divine and human, are very often cited word-for-word, but never Latin ones; likewise, he is frequently cited by the Greeks, but rarely by the Latins. Finally, let several pious and learned men bear witness that they have read a Greek copy in the Venetian library; others also report seeing one in the Vatican, though these were sought there later in vain.

Regarding the first translator of these books, it does not yet appear clearly enough to me what I should certainly determine, since no one up to that time has indicated who it might be. If I may be permitted to pass judgment on a matter so uncertain and obscure without offending anyone, I would gladly affirm that the Author and the Translator are the same person. Having first written very elegantly and skillfully in Greek, he later imparted the work in Latin to the Latins among whom he lived, though perhaps not with equal felicity and charm of speech. And why not, since Tertullian, nearly his contemporary, practiced his style in both Greek and Latin speech? Athanasius also, and many other leaders of our religion, published no few things in both languages. In this way, the authority of these books will waver in no part, but will always be more venerable and firm. Thus, what he says of himself—that he devoted much effort to a "barbarous language" (for only Greek was native and proper to him) while living among the Celts—becomes more evident. This opinion is confirmed by two passages cited by St. Augustine from this Author, which appear in almost the same words as the very ancient translation produced thus far. Or surely Irenaeus had some priest at hand who, at his command, translated word-for-word, neglecting the splendor and artifice of Latin speech; or, as he himself testifies of his writing, he communicated it "simply and truly" original: "ἀπλῶς & ἀληθῶς", that is, plainly, truly, and in the common Latin speech of that time, faithfully expressing the mind and sense of the author. Should anyone, by producing firmer conjectures or more certain testimonies, indicate another first translator, he will find us grateful and bound to him by a great favor. Let these things be said of the type of language and the translator; now, hear what has been provided in this most recent edition.

We have seen to the printing in their proper places of the first eighteen chapters of the first book, once transcribed word-for-word in Greek from Irenaeus by Epiphanius; then twenty-two fragments from Eusebius; fourteen from Theodoret; two from Basil; two from Melissa; and one from Anastasius of Nicaea, just as they were first written by Irenaeus and thereafter praised by these Fathers. Then, at the end of the work, we have appended other fragments from various works of the same Irenaeus, collected in Greek from the author of the "Questions and Responses to the Orthodox" found in Justin Martyr, and from Eusebius and Demetrius Diacopus. We have placed both these and those in as decent an order as possible, the majority having been rendered into Latin by the most praised man Jacques de Billy Iacobo Billio, and the rest by the most learned translators Christophe de Longueil Christophoro fono, Gentian Hervet Herueto, Erasmus, and Lefèvre d'Étaples Fabro. The same Jacques de Billy enriched the first eighteen Greek chapters of the book with scholarly notes, and then the Reverend Father Fronton du Duc Fronto Ducaeus, a theologian of the Society of Jesus as pious as he is learned, compared them with his own notes against the Greek copies of Epiphanius, amending and illustrating them. We also have added very rich annotations not only to those, but to each chapter of the books and to the newly added fragments, in which we give the reasons for our emendations, explain many obscure and ambiguous passages, and clarify many Greek phrases and those less common to Latins. We include whatever we have found to pertain to the doctrine, hierarchy, rituals, and the confirmation of the faith of the Catholic Church, and to the refutation of ancient and new heresies. Finally, we have retained and observed what was erased or changed by us, so that no one may complain that anything was unjustly taken away from them. There was also added to the edition, with...