The Works of Tertullian

Tertullian has left us 31 extant treatises, all in Latin. There are also a number of lost works, and a number of spurious works which have passed under his name at one time or another.

Approximate English translations of the titles are attached, but the usage varies so much that texts will be referred to using the usual Latin titles. All must date between 190-220AD, but there is no agreement among scholars about a definitive dating or sequence, although there is a current chronology.

Works that are clearly Montanist are marked with an symbol, although Montanism began as a tendency within the church, rather than separate from it, and only gradually influenced Tertullian. His most obviously Montanist works are those written after the New Prophecy was rejected by the church authorities, and are recognisable because of his attacks upon those responsible for quenching what he saw as a movement of the Spirit.

Descriptions, excerpts of passages of interest, and a summary of the lines of argument and editions are on the linked pages.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Unless otherwise indicated, details are from Quasten's Patrology, 2 (1955). See also Editions page and Critical Editions page for more information. Bibliographies for individual texts can be found under each work.

[Note: I need to add some biblio, from l'Annee Phil. for the years 1954-1974] .

Editions:

J.-P. MIGNE, Patrologia Latina 1, 2 (1844). Vol 3 contains an index.

F. OEHLER, Tertulliani Opera Quae Supersunt, 3 vols: Leipzig (1851-3). Complete text. Includes commentary. Checked . Editio maior. Also edito minor, 1854, 1 vol.

A. REIFFERSCHEID-G. WISSOWA, H. HOPPE, E. KROYMANN, V. BULHART, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 20 (1890), 47 (1906), 69 (1942), 70 (1942), 76 (1957). Vienna. Complete works.

E. DEKKERS &c, Corpus Christianorum Series Latina 1 & 2. Turnhout: Brepols (1954). Complete works. 26cm. Useful bibliography and indexes.

Indexes:

G. CLAESSON, INDEX TERTULLIANEUS. Paris: Études Augustiniennes (1974). 3 vols. 25cm. ISBN 2-85121-002-5. (Personal copy).

Translations:

English: C. DODGSON, Tertullian. Vol. 1, Apologetic and practical treatises / translated by C. Dodgson, A library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church : anterior to the division of the East and West ; v. 10. Oxford : John Henry Parker & London : Rivington (1842). Checked . xix, 531p. Selected works only. (Details from Heythrop College ULL online catalogue).

-- S. THELWALL, P. HOLMES (Tr.), Ante-Nicene Christian Library 7, 11, 15 & 18 (1868-70); reprinted Ante-Nicene Fathers 3 & 4 (1885). Checked . Complete works.

-- R. ARBESMANN, Fathers of the Church, 10 & 40 (1950, 1959). Checked . (Personal copy) Selected works only.

French: A. DE GENOUDE, Oeuvres de Tertullien: Paris (1852). 3 vols. (Details from BNF catalogue). Complete works.

German: H. KELLNER, Ausgewählte Schriften des Septimius Tertullianus, übersetzt und mit Einleitungen versehen. Kempten. (1870/1872). 2 Vols. Series: Bibliothek der Kirchenväter1. (Personal copy). In Fraktur. 448pp/389pp.

-- H. KELLNER, Tertullians sämtliche Schriften aus dem Lateinischen übersetzt. Cologne (1882). 2 Vols. Contains different works, e.g. Val., Marc. (Details from the net).

-- H. KELLNER, Tertullians ausgewählte Schriften/ ins Deutsche übersetzt von Karl Adam Heinrich Kellner. Series: Bibliothek der Kirchenväter2 vols.7 & 24. Kempten: Kösel (1912-1915). 2 v.; 20cm Checked . Selected works only. Contents: 1. Private und katechetische Schriften; 2. Apologetische, dogmatische und montanistische Schriften. Vol. 2: 'durchgesehen und herausgegeben von...Gerhard Esser'.

Dutch: H. U. MEYBOOM, Oudchristel. geschriften, dl. 40-46). Leiden (1929-34).

Spanish:J. PELLICER DE OSSAU SALES Y TOBAR, Obras de Quinto Fl. Tertuliano. Barcelona (1639). Selected works only.

Catalan: [Various], Tertuliano: Sobre el baptisme i altres escrits. 1ª ed.- Barcelona: Fundació Enciclopédia Catalana, 1989.- ISBN: 84-7739-080-0 151, [4] p. (Details from BN Portugal, and personal email). Contents: Introduction by Jaume Fàbregas; - Sobre el baptisme (De baptismo) (translation: Jaume Fàbregas); - Sobre la oració (De oratione) (trans. Jaume Fàbregas);- Sobre la penitència (De paenitentia) (trans. Andreu Soler);- Contra Pràxees (Adversus Praxean) (trans. Jaume Fàbregas)

Italian: Selvaggia BORGHINI, Opere di Tertulliano tradotte in Toscano. Rome (1756). See editions page for more details. (Personal copy).

-- Maria Selvaggia BORGHINI, Opere scelte di Tertulliano tradotte dalla signora Maria Selvaggia Borghini. nobile pisana e corredata di note. Milano: da Placido Maria Visaj, (1821) 2 v. 17 cm (Details from Biblioteca Abbaziale Fondo Antico, Parrocchia di Santo Stefano, Casalmaggiore (CR)).

-- Claudio MORESCHINI, Tertulliano: Opere scelte, a cura di Claudio MORESCHINI. Torino: Unione Tipografica Editrice Torinese (1974). 1107p. 8 p of plates. Series: Classici delle religione. Contains Scap. Prae. Herm. Iud. Marc. Carn. Res. Val. Prax. Monog. Also bibliography pp.91-102. Plates include two pages from Montpellier Ms. Checked . Personal copy.

-- Claudio MORESCHINI, Tertulliano: Opere scelte, a cura di Claudio MORESCHINI, Seconda edizione interamente rifatta. Torino: Unione Tipografica Editrice Torinese (1999). 817p. 8 p of plates. Series: Classici delle religione. Sezione quarta: La religione cattolica. (Details from CTC 99, 5). Contains 5 works (Cult., Marc., Res., Prax., Pud.). Cult. and Pud. translated by Maria VINCELLI. pp.9-65 = introduction; pp.67-75=bibliography. Checked . Copy kindly sent to me by Dr. Moreschini.

Russian: Творения Тертуллиана. Т. 1: Апологетические сочинения: Пер. Н. Н. Щеглова. – Киев, 1910; Т. 2: Догматико-полемические сочинения: Пер. Н. Н. Щеглова. – Киев, 1912; Т. 3: Догматические творения: Пер. с пред. и прим. еп. Василия (Богдашевского). – Киев, 1915. (Works of Tertullian. Vol. 1: The apologetic compositions: Translation of N. N. Sheglov, Kiev, 1910; Vol. 2: The dogmatic and polemical compositions: Translation of N. N. Sheglov, Kiev, 1912; Vol. 3: The dogmatic works: Translation with a foreword and notes by the diocesan Basil (Bogdashevsky), Kiev, 1915.)

-- А. А. Столяров (A. A. STOPYAROV (?)), Квинт Септимий Тертуллиан, Избранные сочинения [Пер. с латин.] (=Selected Works). М. Прогресс. Культура. Moskow (1994). 443,[1] с. 22 см. ISBN: 5010041308 (10000). (Details from Russian State Library OPAC). Contains at least De Carne Christi, De Baptismo and De Praescriptione Haereticorum as these are online.

Danish: (These items of uncertain contents - can anyone help identify them?):

-- 1859 : H.P. Kofoed-Hansen: Nyt Gammelt. Breve over Tertullian fra XU til UX. Haderslev 1859, 84 s. (Details from Holger Villadsen)

-- 1900 : Indsigelser mod alle Kætterier, Tertullians og Latinerkirkens mærke­ligste Skrift om Troens Ord. Sigtet og oversat af F.L. Grundt­vig. Kbh.: Schønberg 1900, IX+134 s. [De praescriptione haereticorum? or Adversus omnes haereses] (Details from Holger Villadsen)

-- 1932 : Nicolai Clausen-Bagge: Menighedens oprindelige Daabstro. Af Tertullians Vidnesbyrd. Ringkjøbing 1932, 52 s. (Details from Holger Villadsen)

-- 1973 : [Uddrag]. i: Grane 1973, 153-154 og 156-160. (Details from Holger Villadsen)

Hungarian: László VANYÓ &c, Tertullianus muvei (The works of Tertullian), Budapest: Szent István Társulat (1986) 1100pp. (Ókeresztény frók 12). (Details CTC 2002.75). Contains 25 of the 31 possible: Pat. Apol. Orat. Ux. Cult. Mart. Pal. Test. Bapt. Virg. SPect. Idol. Scap. Fug. Carn. Prax. Iei. Mon. Paen. Haer. Cor. Scorp. Val. Prae. Marc. Dr. Vanyo (1941-2003) died in August 2003 at his desk, working on a patristic translation. The older translations of István Városi (Pat, Apol, Orat, Ux, Cult) and Marcell Mosolygó (Mart) have been recycled; the rest are new.

Studies:

H. TRÄNKLE, § 474. Q. Septimius Florens Tertullianus, in: K. Sallmann (Ed.), Handbuch der Lateinischen Literatur der Antike, Vol. 4, München (1997), pp.438-511, (French translation: Nouvelle histoire de la littérature latine IV, Turnhout 2000, 494-571). (Details from author website).

Christel BUTTERWECK, Tertullian, in: Theologische Realenzyklopädie 33 (2002) pp.93-107. (Details from CTC2002).

Peter HABERMEHL, Tertullian, in: Der Neue Pauly, Enzyklopädie der Antike. Altertum, 12/1 (2002) c. 173-177 (Details from CTC2002).

Renato UGLIONE, Poeti latini in Tertulliano: intertestualita e riscrittura. Atene e Roma 46 (2001), pp. 9-34. (Details from CTC2002).

Sandra BOURGUET, Tertullien et les paraboles: de l'utilité d'un corpus. Pallas 56 (2001) (Hommage à Dominique Raynal). pp. 151-174. (Details from CTC2002).



This page has been accessed by people since 10th December 1999.



Return to the Tertullian Project / About these pages