Pseudo-Augustine: The Biting and Slaying of Hell (Sermon CLX)
Introduction It was long a tradition for unknown writers to sign a famous author's names to their works; sometimes, the work was half by the purported author anyway. The homily translated below is nominally attributed to St. Augustine, but scholars reject it as spurious. Some pieces of it can be traced to other writers: a large portion of §1 is copied from St. Gregory the Great's Homilies on the Gospels XXII.6 (PL76:1177B-D). The editor of the Latin text claims portions of §§2-3 are taken, respectively, from the homilies on Pascha and on the Ascension by a certain Eusebius, but I have not yet located the source. Sermon CLX On Pascha II The Biting and Slaying of Hell The Passion or resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, beloved brethren, all of the volumes of the Old Testament spoke of beforehand in many ways, so that, even through the mouth of David the prophet, the Holy Spirit clearly shows this, ...