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Concerning the Seventy-Two Translators: Armenian Fragments of Epiphanius, On Weights and Measures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2011

Michael E. Stone
Michael E. Stone
Affiliation:
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Extract

The story of the translation of the Bible into Greek was widely known in early Christian literature. Epiphanius utilized various sources in his form of the story, which is given in On Weights and Measures, including the Epistle of Aristeas, as well as others. On Weights and Measures is known in three forms today, Greek, Syriac, and a recently identified Georgian version. Up to the discovery of the Georgian, the Syriac was considered to be the most original, while the Greek MSS were thought to present a mutilated text. The newly discovered Georgian version contains certain traditions which have been claimed to be extremely ancient. These are found, in particular, in the epistles of Ptolemy to the elders of Jerusalem.

Type
Articles
Information
Harvard Theological Review , Volume 73 , Issue 1-2 , April 1980 , pp. 331 - 336
Copyright
Copyright © President and Fellows of Harvard College 1980

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References

1 See Esbroeck, M. van, “Une forme inédite de la lettre du roi Ptolémée pour la traduction des LXX,” Biblica 57 (1976) 543–46Google Scholar; he summarizes the situation very clearly. The Syriac version was edited by Dean, J. E., Epiphanius' Treatise on Weights and Measures, the Syriac Version (Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 11; Chicago: University of Chicago, 1935).Google Scholar

2 See van Esbroeck, “Traduction des LXX,” 544–46.

3 See Dean, Epiphanius' Treatise, 2–5; van Esbroeck, “Traduction des LXX,” 543–44.

4 Van Esbroeck, “Traduction des LXX,” 547.

5 Dean, Epiphanius' Treatise, n. 84, van Esbroeck, “Traduction des LXX,” 548.

6 Van Esbroeck, “Traduction des LXX,” 548.

7 The present writer intends to publish or republish the Armenian texts of Epiphanius’ treatise discussed here, together with translations, in one volume together with Fr. van Esbroeck's edition and translation of the Georgian version.

8 On Vardan see Bogharian, N., Hay Grotner [Armenian Authors] (Jerusalem: St. James Press, 1971) 294–99. Although he is referred to on the title page of the edition of his Commentary on Psalms as Vardan vardapet Barjraberdc ‘i, he is distinct from his younger contemporary who is also designated by this name; on the latter see Bogharian, Armenian Authors, 351–53.Google Scholar

9 Meknut ʾiwn Salmosacʾ Dawtʾi [Commentary on the Psalms of David] (Astrakhan, 1797). For further details of this printing see Anasyan, H. A., ed., Hay Hnatip GrkʾI Matenagitakan Cʾucʾak [Bibliological Catalogue of Old Armenian Printed Book (Erevan: Miasnikian Library, 1963)Google Scholar #941. The title page of the Astrakhan edition sets the year of composition of the commentary in 1251. Bogharian (Armenian Authors, 298) sets it at 1265. This is probably because the monastery of Halbat is mentioned in the preface to many MS copies of the Commentary on Psalms and because it was written at the request of John, Bishop of Halbat. See, e.g., Bogharian, N., Grand Catalogue of St. James Manuscripts (Jerusalem: St. James Press, 1966) 1Google Scholar. 603 [in Armenian]. Vardan was at Halbat in Armenia in the year 1265–66.

10 See the title page of the edition; see also the comments of Inglisian, V., “Die armenische Literature,” Handbuch der Orientalistik (Leiden: Brill, 1963) 1/7. 200.Google Scholar

11 “Arm” indicates passages not found in Syriac.

12 On the MS see N. Bogharian, Grand Catalogue, 6. 96–102. The extract is printed there on p. 96.

13 Eganyan, Ō, Zeytʾunyan, A. and Antʾabyan, Pʾ. (eds.) Cʾucʾak Jerʾagracʾ Maštoc'i Anvan Matenadarani [Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the Maštocʾ Library] (Erevan: Academy of Sciences, 1965) 1. col. 249. I owe a debt of gratitude to the authorities of the Matenadaran who made photocopies of the two MSS available to me.Google Scholar

14 Ibid., 2. cols. 667–68.

15 Langlois, V., ed., Collection des historiens anciens et moderns de I'Arménie (Paris, 1867) 1. 405–8.Google Scholar

16 Langlois quotes it as Paris, Arménien 93, fols. 9v-10v. The text is not identified by Macler, F., Catalogue des manuscrits arméniens et géorgiens de la Bibliothéque Nationale (Paris, 1908). I am indebted to Mile G. Seguy of the Oriental Manuscripts Room of the Bibliothèque Nationale who aided me in the location of this MS.Google Scholar

17 For an illustration of the script of the latter see Yovsēpianc, G.ʾ, Kʾartez Hay Hnagrutʾean [Atlas of Armenian Palaeography] (Vałašapat: St. Etchmiadzin, 1913) fig. 36, pl. 22.Google Scholar

18 The translation into “classical” Armenian in Awgerian, B., Bacʾatrutʾiwn Čʾap-ʾucʾew Kšrʾocʾ Naxneacʾ [Explanation of Ancient Weights and Measures] (Venice: Mechitarists, 1821) is the editor's own.Google Scholar

19 See, e.g., Stone, M. E., “An Armenian Translation of a Baraitha in the Babylonian Talmud,” HTR 63 (1970) 151–54.Google Scholar