Egidio Colonna

(1243-1316)

Del governo in
tempo di guerra
1295
 Domenico Elvezio Bartolucci, vita di Egidio Colonna, in "Tre illustri Scrittori del medio evo",
appendice a Della Milizia marittima degli antichi fino al perfezionamento delle artiglierie, Firenze,
Coi tipi di G. B. Campolmi, 1859
 Catholic Encyclopedia

(Ægidius a Colonna)

A Scholastic philosopher and theologian, b. about the middle of the thirteenth century, probably 1247, in Rome; hence
the name ÆGIDIUS ROMANUS, or GILES OF ROME, by which name he is generally known; d. at Avignon, 22 Dec.,
1316.
Having entered the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine at Rome, he was sent to Paris for his philosophical and
theological studies, and became there the disciple of Thomas Aquinas. Egidio Colonna was the first Augustinian
appointed to teach in the University of Paris, and his deep learning earned for him the title of Doctor fundatissimus. In
1281, at the Thirty-sixth Council of Paris, in which several differences between bishops and mendicant orders were
arranged, the he sided with the bishops against the regulars. Referring to this, a contemporary philosopher, Godfrey of
Fontaines, mentioned him as the most renowned theologian of the whole city (qui modo melior de totâ villâ in omnibus
reputatur). King Philip III entrusted to him the education of his son, who later, in 1285, ascended the throne as Philip
IV. When the new king, after his coronation at Reims, entered Paris, Egidio gave the address of welcome in the name of
the university, insisting on justice as the most important virtue of a king. (For the text, see Ossinger, in work cited
below.) Some time before this several of his opinions had been found reprehensible by Archbishop Etienne Tempier of
Paris, and in 1285 Pope Honorius IV asked him for a public retractation. This, however, was far from lessening his
reputation, for in 1287 a decree of the general chapter of the Augustinians held in Florence, after remarking that
Egidio's doctrine "shines throughout the whole world" (venerabilis magistri nostri Ægidii doctrina mundum universum
illustrat), commanded all members of the order to accept and defend all his opinions, written or to be written. After
filling several important positions in his order he was elected superior-general in 1292. Three years later Pope Boniface
VIII appointed him Archbishop of Bourges, France, although Jean de Savigny had already been designated for this see
by Pope Celestine V. The French nobility protested on the ground that Colonna was an Italian, but his appointment was
maintained and approved by the king. He was present at the Council of Vienne (1311-1312) in which the Order of
Knights Templars was suppressed.
The writings of Egidio Colonna cover the fields of philosophy and theology. There is no complete edition of his works,
but several treatises have been published separately. In Holy Scripture and theology he wrote commentaries on the
"Hexaemeron", the "Canticle of Canticles", and the "Epistle to the Romans"; several "Opuscula" and "Quodlibeta",
various treatises, and especially commentaries on Peter the Lombard's "Four Books of Sentences". In philosophy,
besides commentaries on almost all the works of Aristotle, he wrote several special treatises. But his main work is the
treatise "De regimine principum", written for, and dedicated to, his pupil, Philip IV. It passed through many editions
(the first, Augsburg, 1473) and was translated into several languages. The Roman edition of 1607 contains a life of
Egidio. The work is divided into three books: the first treats of the individual conduct of the king, the nature of his true
happiness, the choice and acquisition of virtues, and the ruling of passions; the second deals with family life and the
relations with wife, children, and servants; the third considers the State, its origin, and the proper mode of governing in
times of peace and war. Egidio's pedagogical writings have been published in German by Kaufmann (Freiburg, 1904).
The attitude of Egidio Colonna in the difficulties between Pope Boniface VIII and King Philip IV was long believed to
have been favourable to the king. But the contrary is now certain, since it has been proved that he is the author of the
treatise "De potestate ecclesiasticâ", in which the rights of the pope are vindicated. The similarity between this treatise
and the Bull "Unam Sanctam" seems to support the view taken by some writers that Egidio was the author of the Bull.
He had already taken an active part in ending the discussions and controversies concerning the validity of Boniface's
election to the papacy. In his treatise "De renunciatione Papæ sive Apologia pro Bonifacio VIII" he shows the
legitimacy of Celestine's resignation and consequently of Boniface's election. In philosophy and theology he generally
follows the opinions of his master, St. Thomas, whose works he quotes as scripta communia; The "Defensorium seu
Correctorium corruptorii librorum Sancti Thomæ Acquinatis" against the Franciscan William de la Mare of Oxford is
by some attributed to Egidio; but this remains uncertain. Nevertheless, on many points he holds independent views and
abandons the Thomistic doctrine to follow the opinions of St. Augustine and of the Franciscan School. He even errs in
asserting that, before the fall, grace had not been given to Adam, an opinion which he wrongly attributes to St.
Augustine. After the decree of the general chapter of 1287, mentioned above, the opinions of Egidio Colonna were
generally accepted in the Augustinian Order. He thus became the founder of the Ægidian School. Among the most
prominent representatives of this school must be mentioned Giocamo Capoccio of Viterbo (d. 1307) and Augustinus
Triumphus (d. 1328), both contemporaries of Egidio, and also students and professors in the University of Paris;
Prosper of Reggio, Albert of Padua, Gerard of Siena, Henry of Frimar, Thomas of Strasburg—all in the first half of the
fourteenth century. For some time after this other opinions prevailed in the Augustinian Order. But as late as the
seventeenth century should be mentioned Raffaello Bonherba (d. 1681) who wrote "Disputationes totius philosophiæ …
in quibus omnes philosophicæ inter D. Thomam et Scotum controversiæ principaliter cum doctrinâ nostri Ægidii
Columnæ illustrantur" (Palermo, 1645, 1671); and Augustino Arpe (d. 704) who wrote "Summa totius theologiæ Ægidii
Columnæ" (Bologna, 1701, and Genoa, 1704). Federico Nicolò Gavardi (d. 1715), the most important interpreter of
Colonna, composed "Theologia exantiquata iuxta orthodoxam S. P. Augustini doctrinam ab Ægidio Columnâ doctoræ
fundatissimo expositam …" (6 vols. fol., Naples and Rome, 1683-1696); this work was abridged by Anselm
Hörmannseder in his "Hecatombe theologica" (Presburg, 1737). Benignus Sichrowsky (d. 1737) wrote also
"Philosophia vindicata ad erroribus philosophorum gentilium iuxta doctrinam S. Augustini et B. Ægidii Columnæ"
(Nuremberg, 1701).

Giles of Rome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Giles of Rome (Latin Ægidius Romanus, or in Italian Egidio Colonna) (c. 1243 – 22 December 1316, at Avignon), was
an archbishop of Bourges who was famed for his logician commentary on the Organon by Aristotle. Giles was styled
Doctor Fundatissimus ("Best-Grounded Teacher") by Pope Benedict XIV. He was Prior General of the Augustinian
order, and also authored two other important works, De Ecclesiastica Potestate, a major text of early 14th century
papalism, and De Regimine Principum, a guide book for princes. Writers in 14th and 15th century England such as John
Trevisa and Thomas Hoccleve translated or adapted him into English.
Early life
Having entered the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine at Rome, he was sent to Paris for his philosophical and
theological studies, and became there the disciple of Thomas Aquinas. He was the first Augustinian appointed to teach
in the University of Paris. In 1281, at the Thirty-sixth Council of Paris, in which several differences between bishops
and mendicant orders were arranged, he sided with the bishops against the regulars. Referring to this, a contemporary
philosopher, Godfrey of Fontaines mentioned him as the most renowned theologian of the whole city (qui modo melior
de totâ villâ in omnibus reputatur). Philip III of France entrusted to him the education of his son, who later, in 1285,
ascended the throne as Philip IV. When the new king, after his coronation at Reims, entered Paris, Giles gave the
address of welcome in the name of the university, insisting on justice as the most important virtue of a king. (For the
text, see Ossinger, in work cited below.)
Controversy Giles was involved in the condemnation of 1277 promulgated by Étienne Tempier. Several of his opinions
had been found reprehensible by Archbishop Tempier, and in 1285 Pope Honorius IV asked him for a public retraction.
This, however, was far from lessening his reputation, for in 1287 a decree of the general chapter of the Augustinians
held in Florence, after remarking that Giles's doctrine "shines throughout the whole world" (venerabilis magistri nostri
Ægidii doctrina mundum universum illustrat), commanded all members of the order to accept and defend all his
opinions, written or to be written. After filling several important positions in his order he was elected superior-general
in 1292. Three years later Pope Boniface VIII appointed him Archbishop of Bourges, France, although Jean de Savigny
had already been designated for this see by Pope Celestine V. The French nobility protested on the ground that Colonna
was an Italian, but his appointment was maintained and approved by the king. He was present at the Council of Vienne
(1311-1312) in which the Order of Knights Templars was suppressed.
Works His writings cover the fields of philosophy and theology. There is no complete edition of his works, but several
treatises have been published separately. In Holy Scripture and theology he wrote commentaries on the Hexaemeron,
the Canticle of Canticles, and the Epistle to the Romans; several Opuscula and Quodlibeta, various treatises, and
especially commentaries on Peter the Lombard's Four Books of Sentences. In philosophy, besides commentaries on
almost all the works of Aristotle, he wrote several special treatises. But his main work is the treatise De regimine
principum, written for, and dedicated to, his pupil, Philip IV. It passed through many editions (the first, Augsburg,
1473) and was translated into several languages. The Roman edition of 1607 contains a life of Egidio. The work is
divided into three books: the first treats of the individual conduct of the king, the nature of his true happiness, the choice
and acquisition of virtues, and the ruling of passions; the second deals with family life and the relations with wife,
children, and servants; the third considers the State, its origin, and the proper mode of governing in times of peace and
war. His pedagogical writings have been published in German by Kaufmann (Freiburg, 1904). His attitude in the
difficulties between Pope Boniface VIII and King Philip IV was long believed to have been favourable to the king. But
it has been proved that he is the author of the treatise De potestate ecclesiasticâ, in which the rights of the pope are
vindicated. The similarity between this treatise and the bull Unam Sanctam seems to support the view taken by some
writers that he was the author of the bull. He had already taken an active part in ending the discussions and
controversies concerning the validity of Boniface's election to the papacy. In his treatise De renunciatione Papæ sive
Apologia pro Bonifacio VIII he shows the legitimacy of Celestine's resignation and consequently of Boniface's election.
In philosophy and theology he generally follows the opinions of his master, St. Thomas, whose works he quotes as
scripta communia. The Defensorium seu Correctorium corruptorii librorum Sancti Thomæ Acquinatis against the
Franciscan William de la Mare of Oxford is by some attributed to him; but this remains uncertain. Nevertheless, on
many points he holds independent views and abandons the Thomistic doctrine to follow the opinions of St. Augustine
and of the Franciscan School. He even errs in asserting that, before the Fall, grace had not been given to Adam, an
opinion which he wrongly attributes to St. Augustine. Giles wrote a commentary on Guido Cavalcanti's philosophical
love canzone "Donna me prega" (see Enrico Fenzi, La canzone d'amore di Guido Cavalcanti e i suoi antichi commenti,
Melangolo, 1999).
The Aegidian school
After the decree of the general chapter of 1287, mentioned above, his opinions were generally accepted in the
Augustinian Order. He thus became the founder of the Ægidian School. Among the most prominent representatives of
this school must be mentioned Giacomo Capoccio of Viterbo (d. 1307) and Augustinus Triumphus (d. 1328), both of
them his contemporaries, and also students and professors in the University of Paris: Prosper of Reggio, Albert of
Padua, Gerard of Siena, Henry of Frimar, Thomas of Strasburg — all in the first half of the fourteenth century. For
some time after this other opinions prevailed in the Augustinian Order. But as late as the seventeenth century should be
mentioned Raffaello Bonherba (d. 1681) who wrote Disputationes totius philosophiæ … in quibus omnes philosophicæ
inter D. Thomam et Scotum controversiæ principaliter cum doctrinâ nostri Ægidii Columnæ illustrantur (Palermo,
1645, 1671); and Augustino Arpe (d. 1704) who wrote Summa totius theologiæ Ægidii Columnæ (Bologna, 1701, and
Genoa, 1704). Federico Nicolò Gavardi (d. 1715), the most important interpreter of Colonna, composed Theologia
exantiquata iuxta orthodoxam S. P. Augustini doctrinam ab Ægidio Columnâ doctoræ fundatissimo expositam … (6
vols. fol., Naples and Rome, 1683-1696); this work was abridged by Anselm Hörmannseder in his Hecatombe
theologica (Presburg, 1737). Benignus Sichrowsky (d. 1737) wrote also Philosophia vindicata ad erroribus
philosophorum gentilium iuxta doctrinam S. Augustini et B. Ægidii Columnæ (Nuremberg, 1701).
References
• Johannes Felix Ossinger, Bibliotheca augustiniana (Ingolstadt and Vienna, 1768)
• Henry Denifle and Emile Chatelain, Chartularium Universitatis Parisiensis (Paris, 1889–), I, II, see Index
• FÉRRET, La faculté de théol. de Paris et ses doct. les plus célèbres au moyen âge (Paris, 1896), III, 459-475
• Hugo von Hurter, Nomenclator (3d ed., Innsbruck, 1906), II, 481-486 and passim for Ægidian School
• LAZARD, Gilles de Rome in Hist. litt. de la France (Paris, 1888), XXX, 423-566
• MATTIOLO, Studio critico sopra Egidio Romano Colonna in Antologia Agostiniana (Rome, 1896), I
• SCHOLZ, Ægidius von Rom (Stuttgart, 1902)
• WERNER, Die Scholastik des spät. M. A., III, Der Augustinismus des spät. M. A. (Vienna, 1863)
• Scheeben in Kirchenlexikon, s. v.
• CHEVALIER, Rép. des sources hist. (2d ed., Paris, 1905), s. v. Gilles.
External links
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry
• Catholic Encyclopedia, sub Egidio Colonna
• BBK page (German language)

Biblioteca Egidiana di Tolentino - http://giorgionet.com/il_nome_e_la_storia.html