Guides: Theology and Religious Studies Research Guide: Primary Texts and Translations

Primary Texts Online

These collections contain many primary texts- mostly patristic- in the original languages. Searching these databases can be tricky, since author and title names appear in Greek or Latin. For more primary text options, see the Church History, Biblical Studies, Patristics, or Canon Law guides.

Patrologiae Graecae This link opens in a new window
The online version of Migne's Patrologiae Graecae.
Patrologia Latina Database This link opens in a new window
No single collection of Western philosophical and theological writings is comparable to the Patrologiae Cursus Completus, the extraordinary achievement of the nineteenth-century scholar and priest, Jacques-Paul Migne.

The Patrologia is divided into the Patrologia Latina and the Patrologia Graeco-Latina. The Patrologia Latina covers the works of the Latin Fathers from Tertullian around 200 AD to the death of Pope Innocent III in 1216...
In 221 volumes it covers most major and minor Latin authors, and contains the most influential works of late ancient and early medieval theology, philosophy, history and literature.

The Patrologia Latina Database is the full-text electronic version of the Patrologia Latina, including all prefatory material, original texts, critical apparatus, indexes and illustrations.

The Patrologia Latina Database has made an enormous difference to the work of scholars of patristics, theology, medieval history and Latin. In many other disciplines in the humanities, from philosophy and medieval languages to the history of art and the history of medicine, it is making a significant contribution to research. No other full-text database in the humanities serves so many disciplines in so many ways.
Thesaurus Linguae Graecae This link opens in a new window
Founded in 1972, the TLG has already collected and digitized most literary texts written in Greek from Homer to the fall of Byzantium in AD 1453. Its goal is to create a comprehensive digital library of Greek literature from antiquity to the present era. The web version currently provides access to 3,700 authors and 12,000 works, approximately 91 million words. You must create a separate account with the TLG (free of charge) and login to have full access.
Library of Latin Texts Online (CLCLT) This link opens in a new window
The Library of Latin Texts contains the leading editions of Latin texts from the beginning of Latin literature (Livius Andronicus, 240 BC) to the Second Vatican Council. The texts in the Corpus Christianorum series can be found in this database.

Monumenta Germaniae Historica
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The MGH is is a collection of several hundred works in German medieval history dating from 500 to 1500 A.D. Contains selections from the five divisions of the Monumenta Germanie Historica (Scriptores, Leges, Diplomata, Epistolae, Antiquitates), which covers a wide range of medieval documentation. Newer series cover specific studies. The entire collection with the exception of the last five years, is available online. The print edition, it is available in Room 316 Mullen in the folios section. DD3 .M81 The CD-ROM version is available in room 314.

Primary Text Book Series

These series can all be found in the Theology and Philosophy Reading and the Greek and Latin reading rooms, but we may have circulating copies in the stacks. Click on the series names or search the catalog to find specific titles.

Corpus Christianorum
Call Number: Theo. Phil. BQ310 .C67 - BQ310 .C762
There are multiple series of the Corpus Christianorum presenting Christian Literature from the patristic period to the Middle Ages in the original languages.
Sources Chretiennes
Call Number: Theo. Phil. BQ315 .S7
Sources Chretiennes includes many critical editions of texts in their original languages with introductions, commentary and translations in French.
Loeb Classical Library (Greek Series)
Call Number: Gr. Lat. PA 3612
The green-bound Loeb series offers the classical works of Greek literature in the original Greek with English translations. The writers in this series include Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophones, Philo, Josephus, and Plutarch among many others.
Loeb Classical Library (Latin Series)
Call Number: Gr. Lat. PA6156
The red-covered Loeb series offers the classical works of great Latin thinkers and writers in both the original Latin and English translation. The writers in this series include St. Augustine, Bede, Boethius, Celsus, Cicero, The Attic Nights of Aulus Gellius, Jerome, Prudentius, Seneca, and Tertullian.
Bibliotheca Teubneriana
Call Number: Gr. Lat. PA3104 (Greek); Gr. Lat. PA6404 (Latin)
This series contains Greek and Latin literature from the earliest known works through late antiquity. Much of this series is available online through the Library of Latin Texts
Scriptorum Bibliotheca Oxoniensis
Call Number: Gr. Lat. PA3405.S8 (Greek); Gr. Lat. PA6105.S8 (Latin)
This set covers a wide range of Greek and Latin sources. Also known as Oxford Classical Texts
Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum
Call Number: Theo. Phil. BQ310 .C8
The CSEL includes critical editions of Latin authors from the 2nd - 8th century.