Francesco Fiorentino, Il Prologo dell'Ordinatio di Giovanni Duns Scoto (review)

This volume contains the Latin-Italian translation of the OrdinatioPrologue of John Duns Scotus. It is the second volume in the series ' Traditiones: Testi del pensiero tardo-antico, medieval e umanistico', directed by Armando Bisogno. While it is not the first Italian translation of the Ordinatio Prologue, it does offer a rich and detailed introduction that situates Scotus's text in the more general context of his historical milieu, including the effects of the Condemnation of 1277. After a general overview of the life and works of Scotus, including his major positions, the author aids the reader in understanding the significance of Scotus's predecessors (Henry of Ghent along with earlier Franciscans), contemporaries, his immediate disciples and those who continued his thought in England, such as William of Alnwick and Henry of Harclay. The introduction closes with a description of Scotism beyond the 14th century. The introduction is exceptionally helpful in laying out the various contours of Scotist thought, along with detailed notes that contain the most recent and relevant secondary literature.

The translated text itself is helpfully presented on facing pages, with footnotes that offer both the source texts along with commentary/clarification of technical terms that assist the reader in tracking the argument. The paragraph numbers follow those of the Vatican edition, making additional research into the critical apparatus possible.

With its complete bibliography of primary and secondary materials as well as helpful indices, this volume is a welcome addition to the growing corpus of Scotist texts now in translation. Scholars and advanced graduate students will find this an extremely helpful tool.