St. Ambrose's Interpretation of the Concept of Matter

During the last decennia the works of St. Ambrose have been enjoying a growing interest. One of the fruits of this interest is the translation of the Exameron, the De Paradiso and the De Cain et Abel by J. J. Savage in the series Fathers of the Church (New York, 1961). Unfortunately this translation has failed to stand the test, as was shown in a review elsewhere in this periodical (pp. 246-248). In the present paper it is my intention to discuss the most important texts of St. Ambrose which refer to matter; this discussion will give an opportunity for some further incidental remarks concerning Savage's translation. The first sentence of the Exameron already gives abundant food for reflection. St. Ambrose immediately plunges in medias res and begins his sermon as follows: Tantumne opinionis adsumpsisse homines, ut aliqui eorum tria principia constituerent omnium, deum et exemplar et materiam, sicut Plato discipulique eius, et ea incorrupta et increata ac sine initio esse adseverarent deumque non tamquam creatorem materiae, sed tamquam artificem ad exemplar, hoc est ideam intendentem fecisse mundum de materia, quam vocant ilv, quae gignendi causas rebus omnibus dedisse adseratur ... (p. 3, 2-9 Sch.). Though our attention is mainly turned to what St. Ambrose says on matter, some observations on the translation of the entire sentence may precede. Savage translates: To such an extent have men's opinions varied that some, like Plato and his pupils, have established three principles for all things: that is, God, Idea, and Matter. The same philosophers hold that these principles are uncreated, incorruptible, and without a beginning. They maintain that God, acting not as a creator of matter but as a craftsman who reproduced a model, that is, an Idea, made the world out of matter. This matter, which they call ib1, is considered to have given the power of creation to all things. (p. 3). There is an

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