St. Bede's commentary on the Apocalypse dates from early in his career, between 703 and 709; it vies with the first versions of the commentaries on Genesis and Acts for being the first of his works in this genre, and was not, apparently, revised later in his life. (See the page on chronology for further information on the dating of Bede's works.) Bede's introductory letter to the commentary cites the rules of interpretation of Tychonius, quoted by St. Augustine in De Doctrina Christiana; there is some debate as to whether Bede knew De Doctrina directly or had seen the passage quoted in another source.
There is not, so far as I know, a modern edition or English translation of the commentary. What I propose to offer here is the edition of Giles, as reprinted in the Patrologia Latina, tom. 93, cols. 129-206, along with the 1878 translation by the Rev. Edward Marshall, M.A., F.S.A., and with Vulgate and Douai-Rheims versions of the Apocalypse itself. The transcription of 77 columns of the PL being something of a task, the site is likely to remain under construction for some time to come. I also include plain versions of Marshall's translation, for those who need only the English.
--John William Houghton
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This page last modified 19 August, 1998.
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