De Principiis, the commentaries on Canticles and Romans, and the Homilies on several early books of the Old Testament and on three Psalms: for his well known licence in manipulating Origen's own language undoubtedly extended to the quotations; and at least in the commentaries the depravation of text has apparently been increased by the condensation of the voluminous original. Yet even here numerous readings can be determined with certainty as Origen's. More reliance can be placed, though still with some reserve, on Jerome's translations, that is, those of the Homilies on St Luke, (Isaiah?), Jeremiah (mostly also extant in Greek), and Ezekiel, and of two on Canticles. For part of the commentary on St Matthew we have an interesting anonymous translation, the portion for xvii 34—xxvii 66 being preserved in no other shape. For xvi 13—xxii 33 it overlaps an extant section of the Greek text; and comparison suggests that they are both independent condensations of a fuller original, so that neither can be safely neglected, though the Latin has the disadvantages of Old Latin modification as well as greater brevity. It has however occasionally preserved matter omitted altogether by the Greek abbreviator. Other Greek patristic writings extant in Latin may be passed over.
222. The Syriac MSS brought to England within the present century have contributed some valuable patristic texts. The Theophania of Eusebius, edited and translated by Dr Lee, presents phenomena analogous to those of the Latin Irenæus. Some of the readings are undoubtedly of Old Syriac parentage, and introduced by the translator; others as certainly belong to Eusebius; and many may have either origin. Moreover the predominant colour of both texts is Western, though the influence of a Non-Western text over Eusebius is also perceptible. The help of Greek fragments is available both here and in the other Syriac patristic translation most useful to the textual critic, that of a large part of the younger Cyril's Homilies on St Luke, edited and translated by Dr Payne Smith. In this instance the disturbing element is the Vulgate Syriac: but the great bulk of the text of the biblical quotations is unaffected by it, and takes high rank as a documentary authority for a Non-Western Pre-Syrian text of the verses which it covers.
223. Respecting Post-Nicene Greek patristic writings generally it will suffice here to refer to what has been said already (§ 193) on the extremely mixed character of their
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