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Latin · Treatises ·

De Deo et nominibus ejus

Pseudo-Hieronymus / Auctor incertus (Hieronymus Stridonensis?) · ogl-pl

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machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 687 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

De Deo et nominibus ejus is a Latin theological treatise attributed to Jerome but now considered pseudonymous (Pseudo-Hieronymus). It examines divine names as a theological lexicon, blending Neoplatonic and biblical exegesis in a scholastic register. The work survives only in manuscripts attributing it to Jerome, but its style and doctrine diverge from authentic Hieronymian works. Internal evidence, including Pseudo-Dionysian vocabulary and absence of Carolingian citation, suggests composition between the late 5th and early 9th centuries. The treatise had limited influence, appearing in a few monastic library catalogues from the 12th–13th centuries but not cited by major scholastics or in medieval florilegia.

De Deo et nominibus ejus is significant as an early medieval attempt to systematize divine names through a blend of Neoplatonic and biblical exegesis, reflecting post-Nicene Trinitarian theology. Its pseudo-Hieronymian attribution illustrates the authority of Jerome in early medieval Latin Christianity. The work's limited influence and survival highlight the selective transmission of theological texts in monastic libraries.

Historical context

The treatise was likely composed in the Latin West between the late 5th and early 9th centuries, a period of transition from late antiquity to the early Middle Ages. Its use of Pseudo-Dionysian vocabulary indicates familiarity with Greek Neoplatonic thought, possibly transmitted through Latin translations or intermediaries. The work's scholastic register and focus on divine names as a theological lexicon suggest a monastic or scholarly community engaged in systematic theology. The pseudo-Hieronymian attribution reflects the authority of Jerome in early medieval Latin Christianity, where his name was often attached to works seeking legitimacy. The treatise's limited manuscript survival and absence from major scholastic citations suggest it circulated in a narrow, possibly insular or continental monastic network. No external anchor for date or place exists, and the source edition (ogl-pl) relies on a single manuscript base without collation of variants, complicating textual analysis.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

18 commentary units 9 term3 background2 structure2 scripture1 reception1 caution 0 derived notes 4 open questions 3 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • coverageNo English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed.
  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: treatise in Latin; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 3 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: ogl-pl — Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
tmp449.tmp449.opp-lat1:1 · narrativehigh
Source
DE DEO ET NOMINIBUS EJUS. Beatissimus Hieronymus, vir eruditissimus et multarum linguarum peritus, Hebraeorum Nominum interpretationem primus in Latinam linguam convertit, ex quibus pro brevitate praetermissis multis, quaedam huic operi adjectis interpretationibus interponere studui; vocabulorum enim expositio satis indicat, quid velint intelligi. In principio autem decem nomina ponimus, quibus apud Hebraeos Deus vocatur. Primum apud Hebraeos Dei nomen EL dicitur, quod alii Deum, alii etymologiam ejus exprimentes, Schiros, id est, fortem interpretati sunt, eo quod nulla infirmitate opprimitur, sed fortis est et sufficiens ad omnia perpetranda. Secundum nomen, ELOIM. Tertium, ELOE. Quod utrumque in Latinum Deus dicitur. Est autem in Latinum ex Graeca appellatione translatum, nam Deus Graece Theos, febos dicitur, id est, timor. Unde tractum est Deus, quod eum colentibus sit timor. Deus autem proprie nomen est Trinitatis, pertinens ad Patrem, et Filium, et Spiritum sanctum. Ad quam Trinitatem etiam reliqua, quae in Domino intra sunt posita vocabula referunt.
English
Concerning God and His Names. The most blessed Jerome, a most learned man and skilled in many languages, first translated the interpretation of the Hebrew names into the Latin language. Passing over many of these for the sake of brevity, I have taken care to insert some into this work, with interpretations added; for the exposition of the words sufficiently indicates what is to be understood. In the beginning, however, we set down ten names by which God is called among the Hebrews. The first name of God among the Hebrews is said to be EL, which some have interpreted as God, others, expressing its etymology, as Schiros, that is, strong, because He is oppressed by no infirmity, but is strong and sufficient for accomplishing all things. The second name is ELOIM. The third is ELOE. Both of these are rendered in Latin as Deus. Now, Deus is translated into Latin from the Greek appellation, for Deus in Greek is Theos, which is said to be from phobos, that is, fear. Whence Deus is derived, because He is a fear to those who worship Him. Deus, however, is properly the name of the Trinity, pertaining to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To which Trinity also the remaining words that are placed within the Lord refer.
tmp449.tmp449.opp-lat1:2 · narrativehigh
Source
Quartum nomen dicitur, SABAOTH, quod vertitur in Latinum, exercituum. Sunt enim in hujusmodi ordinatione virtutes multae, ut Angeli, Archangeli, Principatus et Potestates, cunctique coelestis militiae ordines, quorum tamen ille Dominus est: omnes enim sub ipso sunt, ejusque dominatui subjacent. Quintum, ELYON, quod interpretatur excelsus, quia super coelos est, sicut scriptum est de eo: Excelsus Dominus, supra coelos gloria ejus (Psal. CXII, 4). Excelsus autem dicitur, pro valde celsus, sicut eximius, quasi valde eminens. » Sextum, EHEIE, id est, qui est: Deus enim solus quia aeternus est, hoc est, quia exordium non habet, essentium nomen vere tenet. Hoc enim nomen ad sanctum Moysen per angelum est delatum; quaerenti enim, quod est nomen ejus, qui eum pergere praecipiebat ad populum ex AEgypto liberandum, respondit: Ego sum qui sum (Exod. III, 14): et, Dices filiis Israel: Qui est misit me ad vos (Ibid.), tanquam in ejus comparationem qui vere est, quia incommutabilis est, ea quae commutabilia facta sunt, quasi non sint: quod enim dicitur, fuit, non est; et quod dicitur, erit, nondum est. Deus autem esse tantum novit, fuisse, futurum esse non novit. Solus autem Pater cum Filio et Spiritu sancto veraciter est, cujus essentiae comparatum esse nostrum non esse est. Unde et in colloquio dicimus, Vivit Deus, quia essentia vita vivit, quam mors non habet.
English
The fourth name is said to be SABAOTH, which is translated into Latin as exercituum, "of armies." For in this kind of arrangement there are many powers, such as Angels, Archangels, Principalities, and Powers, and all the orders of the heavenly militia, of which, however, He is the Lord: for all are under Him and are subject to His dominion. The fifth is ELYON, which is interpreted as excelsus, "the Most High," because He is above the heavens, as is written of Him: "The Lord is Most High, His glory above the heavens" (Ps. 112:4). Now He is called "Most High" as being very high, just as eximius means "very eminent." The sixth is EHEIE, that is, "He who is": for God alone, because He is eternal, that is, because He has no beginning, truly holds the name of being. For this name was conveyed to holy Moses through an angel; for when he asked what the name was of the one who was commanding him to go to the people to be freed from Egypt, He answered: "I am who I am" (Ex. 3:14), and "Say to the children of Israel: 'He who is has sent me to you'" (ibid.), as if in comparison to Him who truly is, because He is unchangeable, those things which have been made changeable are as if they are not: for what is said to have been is not, and what is said will be is not yet. But God knows only being; He does not know having been or going to be. Only the Father, together with the Son and the Holy Spirit, truly is, in comparison to whose essence our being is non-being. Hence also in speech we say, "God lives," because His essence lives a life which death does not possess.
tmp449.tmp449.opp-lat1:3 · narrativehigh
Source
Septimum, ADONAI, quod generaliter interpretatur Dominus, quod dominetur creaturae cunctae„ vel quod creatura omnis dominatui ejus deserviat. Dominus ergo dicitur et Deus, vel quod dominetur omnibus, vel quod timeatur a cunctis. Octavum, IA, quod in Deum tantum ponitur, quod etiam alleluia in novissima syllaba sonat. Nonum, TETRA GRAMMATON, hoc est, quatuor litterarum, quod proprie apud Hebraeos in Deo ponitur, id est duabus IA, quae duplicata ineffabile illud et gloriosum Dei nomen efficiunt: dicitur autem ineffabilis, non quia dici non potest, sed quia finiri sensu et intellectu humano nullatenus potest; ideo nihil de eo digne dici potest, quia ineffabilis est. Decimum, SADDAI, id est, omnipotens vocatur; vocatur autem omnipotens, quia omnia potest, sed faciendo quod vult, non patiendo quod non vult.
English
The seventh is ADONAI, which is generally interpreted as "Lord," because He rules over every creature, or because every creature serves His dominion. Therefore He is called both Lord and God, either because He rules over all, or because He is feared by all. The eighth is IA, which is applied only to God, and which also sounds in the final syllable of "alleluia." The ninth is TETRA GRAMMATON, that is, of four letters, which is properly used among the Hebrews for God, that is, the two letters IA, which when doubled produce that ineffable and glorious name of God. It is called ineffable, not because it cannot be spoken, but because it cannot in any way be comprehended by human sense and understanding; therefore nothing can be worthily said about it, because it is ineffable. The tenth is SADDAI, that is, called "Almighty." He is called Almighty because He can do all things, by doing what He wills, not by suffering what He does not will.
Citation. Tergwame, “De Deo et nominibus ejus”, tmp449.tmp449.opp-lat1:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/tmp449.tmp449.opp-lat1#s1
Colophon. Source: ogl-pl · licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0020 · generated 2026-11-15.