Prayer to open the Song; transition to the text
With these things thus set first, let us now attempt to explain the very words of the Song of Songs, as far as the Lord has given, praying that the Bridegroom himself, who sang these things through Solomon, may even now speak in us and open our sense to understand the mysteries of the Scriptures. The book therefore begins: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. But of this and of what follows fuller treatment will be given in the order of the Books themselves.
Latin
His ita praemissis, iam ipsa verba Cantici Canticorum, quantum Dominus dederit, explanare temptemus, orantes ut sponsus ipse, qui haec per Salomonem cecinit, etiam nunc in nobis loquatur et aperiat sensum nostrum ad intellegenda scripturarum mysteria. Incipit ergo liber: Osculetur me ab osculis oris sui. Sed de hoc et sequentibus in ipso Librorum ordine plenius disseretur.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on the Song of Songs, Prologus (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–20.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, 1925), Rufinus’s Latin of the Commentary Prologus. Lawson ACW 26 was not used as wording. This page is Prologus §§1–20 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VIII = GCS 33 (1925) (Latin · Commentary Prologus §§1–20)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.