Ben C Smith

For anyone who can assist....

1. What is the (or a good) standard text for pseudo-Hegesippus? Are my notes correct that a version of the Testimonium appears in book 2, chapter 12?

2. Same question about the standard text, this time regarding the Latin translation that Rufinus made of Eusebius. I think the books up to 9 are the same between Rufinus and Eusebius (correct me if I am mistaken), but are the chapters and sections laid out the same as well? (In other words, can I find the Testimonium in the same spot in Rufinus as in Eusebius?)

3. Does the Theophany of Eusebius have an instance of the Testimonium? If so, where? And is it in Syriac only, or is there a Greek or a Latin version?

4. The usual question about the standard text, this time regarding the Demonstration of Eusebius.

5. Is there a published English translation of the Slavonic version of Josephus? Where in the Slavonic does the Testimonium appear?

6. Is there a published English translation of Michael the Syrian? Does he have a version of the Testimonium?

7. Are there any other versions of the Testimonium (besides Agapius and the Sassanid Court Dialogue) between 370 and, say, the fourteenth century that might be of interest?

(Sorry for so many questions....)

Peter Kirby

Great questions. Some may be answered here:

http://www.christianorigins.com/citations.html

Here is the Slavonic Josephus (a pricy book).

best wishes,
Peter Kirby

Roger Pearse

The Theophania is extant only in a single Syriac manuscript (dated 411 AD!), and the end of which is damaged.

The English translation is online here -- also the Demonstratio.

Here are some notes I made, mostly about the MSS but with the biblio at the end.

The only translation is the French edition and translation of Chabot, from the single Syriac ms in Aleppo. I gather Chabot's edition was based on an illicit copy -- although apparently a very faithful one.

Michael does indeed have the TF; Shlomo Pines quotes it in his article, mainly about the Agapius version.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

S.C.Carlson

E. Schwartz's critical edition of Eusebius for GCS has both the Greek and Rufinus's Latin on facing pages (pp. 78-81). The division into chapters is slightly different (I think the section divisions are modern), but the Testimonium is in the same relative position in both.

Stephen

Ben C Smith

Excellent!

Thank you, Peter, Roger, and Stephen. Most helpful.

I should have found that link on your Christian Origins site long ago, Peter. And yes, that Slavonic Josephus book is a bit out of my price range. Why can nobody ever recommend a pamphlet to me with all the needed information for $1.99, shipping included?

Ben.

Roger Pearse

I borrowed it via an interlibrary loan from my local library.

But I really recommend you get hold of it and read it, if you have any tendency to comment on the Slavonic version of Josephus.

What I understood from it, rightly or wrongly, is that the work is NOT intentionally a translation of Josephus at all. Rather it's a medieval Russian history text, named "The three captures of Jerusalem", using whatever (scanty) material the author had. For the third capture of Jerusalem, his main source was the Bellum Judaicum of Josephus, so naturally he simply plagiarises at length. But it also includes stuff from Antiquities (hence the TF, if it wasn't in that version of the BJ anyway -- one family has it), John Malalas, etc.

Once I saw the two versions side by side in that volume, the 'uninteresting' differences struck me forcefully.

Not that I am any expert on it, of course.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

andrewcriddle

The text for (pseudo)-Hegesippus is Hegesippi qui dicitur historiae libri v. by Vincente Ussani CSEL 66:1-2 Vienna 1932;1960. (The text and commentary are all in Latin.)

A version of the TF does appear in Book 2 chapter 12. It is a paraphrase but the most important difference from the standard text is that the underlying original of Hegesippus probably had no reference to Jesus being the Christ.

There is a discussion of pseudo-Hegesippus at Eusebius did not create the TF

Andrew Criddle

Ben C Smith

Thanks for the CSEL volume info, Andrew. And that link looks very interesting.

Roger, I now recall that Theissen has the so-called Testimonium Slavianum in his historical Jesus book. Nevertheless, I shall try to get hold of the synoptic text for the sake of completeness. Thanks.

Ben.