Origen on the "Song of Songs". A Reassessment and Proposal of Dating of his Writings on the "Song"

The "Song of Songs" is undoubtedly one of the Old Testament texts which Origen of Alexandria mostly focused on: in fact, he dedicated to the exegesis of the "Song of Songs" not only a short commentary which he seems to have drafted in youth, but also a very extensive commentary, which has been passed down to us in Latin translation by Rufinus, and two homilies, in Latin translation by Jerome. Though these writings have already been studied, especially in light of their philosophical, theological, and exegetical features, their datings are still uncertain and confused. Therefore, the main aim of this article is firstly to disclose very shortly these three works, secondly to concentrate on a main difference among the commentary and the homilies on the "Song", finally to suggest a consistent dating of them.