Epiphanius of Salamis, Weights and Measures (1935)pp.11-83. English translation
1 Only this one heading occurs in the Syriac. The rest of theanalysis included in the Table of Contents is added merely for the reader'sconvenience.
(SYRIAC INTRODUCTORY SECTIONS)1
1. [Further, it is well that we should know] what occasion inducedSaint Epiphanius to compose2thistreatise on the measures and weights in the divine Scriptures. The occasionarose in the church when Saint Epiphanius, bishop of Constantia in Cyprus, wassummoned by the God-fearing kings Valentinian,3Theodosius, Arcadius, and Honorius, by letter. There was dwelling inConstantinople a certain venerable priest, Bardion by name, a Persian by race, alearned man, eager to learn (whatever is of) value in the divine Scriptures. Hefound weights and measures in the divine Scriptures; he sought information aboutthem from Saint Epiphanius, the bishop. Then, perceiving the diligence of theone asking, he (the bishop) devoted himself to the task of collecting(information) from all the divine Scriptures and a multitude of histories. Andwhen he had done this, he wrote it out in orderly fashion. And these things werefinally composed and written {45b} as follows.
2. A list in brief of the topics found in this treatise.4Concerning weights. The talent, of 125librae.5Theassarion,6100lepta,by which (termlepton)also the smallest (weight) among the Hebrews is translated. Thenomisma,60assaria;theassarion,however, consists of 100denaria.7Thenomismaof silver; hence they say also silver (talent) in theScriptures. Thenomisma,that is to say, the silver (talent),|12they divide into 6,000lepta;it is also what accountants call the unit.Thecentenariusof 100librae,which the Romans invented. Thelibra,12 ounces; but the ounce is 2 staters, and the stater 4zuze.Twozuze,1 shekel, which is one-fourth of an ounce. Thekodrantes,which alsohas the weight of 1 shekel, that is one-fourth of an ounce.8 {45c} But thekodarionis so named from the fact that it is tied up(in a purse) when it is changed. There was also an obolus which containedone-eighth of an ounce; it was of iron and in the form of an arrow. But therewas also another obolus that was coined of silver, one-eightieth of an ounce.Thechalkoiwere found among the Egyptians, who originally made 8 to theounce, each one of which was azuzå.The Italian mina, of 20 ounces; butthe barbarian, which is also the Theban, of 30 ounces. And, finally, they mintedother kinds also, sometimes of 2libraeand sometimes of 4librae.Thedichryson9was half of the silver(denarius),and the silver(denarius)was azuzå.And thisdichrysonwasalso finally calledrepudiated,because of him who had coined it. Andthere is also a silver coin called thefolis,having {45d} the weight ofhalf an ounce. And thefolis,(so called) because of the roundness of itsform, is that which is found among the Hebrews as the @@@ ,10which, moreover, is 2 doublezuzeof silver. But among the Romans therewere formerly 12511 by number in the measurecalled thefollis,which is also the bag, that is to say, the purse.12Twolepta,1 shekel, which is one-fourth of an ounce. Everylepton,anobolus.
3. Concerning the measurement13 of land andmeasures (of capacity). The "field"14 isa land measure and consists of (the land sown by) 5 or 6 seahs. The kor is 30modii.Thelethekhis 15modii,the same as the great homer.15The great homer, 15modii.The bath,|13otherwise the little homer, 50xestai.The seah, an overfullmodius,thatis to say, because of its overflow, amodiusand a {46a} quarter. Themodius,of 22xestai,which is also the sacred measure. The cab, among someone-fourth of amodius,among others one-fifth, and among a fewone-sixth. Thechoinix,among the Cyprians one-eighth of themodius,which(with them) is 17xestai,making 2 1/8xestai.Thehyfi16of fine flour, being the same as thechoinix.The handful of meal,what the hand can grasp; and so the measure signifies as much as the hand canhold.17 The ardeb, 72xestai,which also isfound as a sacred measure. Three measures of fine flour, one-tenth, it is said,of an ardeb, that is, 7 1/5xestai,(in) every measure. But each measureholds an omer; and, again, in every measure (are) 3 (little) omers, every one ofthem 2xestaiand one-{46b} third and one-fifteenth. Three measures offine flour are not a measure but a kind, that is, broken grains of wheat thathave been ground and have fallen into baskets.18Thenevelof wine is a measure of 150xestai,that is to say, 3liquid seahs; for a liquid seah consists of 50xestai.Thekollathon,amongthe Syrians half of a liquid seah, which is 25xestai.Theshatifta19of ointment, a vessel round in form, containing alibraby weight,that is to say, half axestes.Theaporryma,only among theThebans, which is half asaites,of 11xestai;for a completesaitesis 22xestai.Thekapsakesof water, the great one of 12xestai;but the small one that was provided for Elijah20was of 4xestai.Thekotyleof oil, one-half axestes.{46c}Thekyathos,a measure for mixed wine, thexestesbeing dividedsometimes into 6 parts, sometimes into 3. Themetretesof wine; great isthe variation in this measure, but according to the sacred measure 72xestai.Themetretesof oil indicates the same measure. Thetryblion,shapedlike thescutella,21but a measureof half axestes.Thexestes;there is great variation in thexestai,the Pontic being four times the Alexandrian, 8libraein oil, but theItalian 22 ounces, the Alexandrian 2librae,thecastrensis2librae|14 and two-thirds and a little(more), the Nicomedian 20 ounces. The amphora, said to be the same measure asthenevel,for the Cyprians call a jar of 150xestaian amphora.Theshafitha,which among those of Ashkelon is of 22xestai,amongthose of Azotus of 18xestai,among those of Gaza {46d} of 14xestai.Thehin, the great one, 18xestai,which is one-fourth of ametretes;butthe sacred one is 9xestai.Thechus,the complete one, of 8xestai,but the sacred one of 6xestai.The goldenstamnos,22which was of 4xestai,in which was the manna. Themares,amongthe Pontians 2 jars, each one of 10xestai,which is 20 Alexandrianxestai.Thekupros,among them 2modii.Thecongiarium,of 6xestai.Themenasis,among the Cyprians and others 10modiiofwheat or barley. Themedimnosof the Cyprians varies; for those ofConstantia say 5modii,but those of Paphos and the Sicilians say 4 1/2modii.Here ends the (list of) topics.|15
{47a}
(THE TREATISE) OF ST. EPIPHANIUS, BISHOP OF THE CITY OF CONSTANTIA IN CYPRUS, ON MEASURES AND WEIGHTS AND NUMBERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IN THE DIVINE SCRIPTURES
1. Whoever wishes to have an understanding of the terms most frequentlyemployed in the divine Scriptures----I mean the measures and weights and anunderstanding of other things23----lethim take the trouble to read this memorandum. And first of all, it is well forhim who is a lover of learning to know how many divisions there are in theprophetic writings.24 For the prophetic writingsare divided into ten classes,25 as follows:
1. Teachings26 6. Punishments,28 wailings29
2. Contemplations25 7. Lamentations
3. Exhortations 8. Prayers
4. Rebukes27 9. Narrations
5. Threatenings 10. Predictions
And these signs are employed in the prophetic writings:30{47b} @ for the rejection of the ancient people; @ for the rejection ofthe law that is in the flesh; @ for the new covenant; @ for the calling of theGentiles;@for the Messiah;@for the promises to the ancientpeople;@for obscure passages in the Scriptures; @ for foreknowledge ofthings going to take place.|16
2. And inasmuch as some have also supplied the Scriptures with marks ofpunctuation, these also are employed as marks of punctuation : acute (accent)';grave (accent) '; circumflex^; long (vowel) ; short (vowel)@; rough (breathing) @ ;31smooth (breathing)@;31 apostrophe ';hyphen -;hypodiastole@. Concerning the asterisk, the obelus, thelemniscus,and thehypolemniscus,that is, the signs that are in the divineScriptures.32 The asterisk is this *; and whereverused it indicates that the word used occurs in the Hebrew, and occurs in Aquilaand Symmachus, and rarely also in Theodotion. {47c} But the seventy-twotranslators passed it by and did not translate it, because such words wererepetitious and superfluous. And in elucidation of the things that have beensaid,33 let it be said by means of a briefquotation, so that from the one instance you may understand others. There occursin the first part of Genesisw''j 'dhm slw'jm sn' wths' mjwth sn',34which is translated, "and Adam lived thirty years and nine hundredyears," as Aquila also agrees. Here the seventy-two translators, beingHebrews and having been carefully instructed from early youth in the language ofthe Hebrews as well as that of the Greeks, did not merely translate the Hebrewwriting into the Greek, but also, translating with insight, they retained theexpression that was uttered twice among the Hebrews; but, instead of the word"year" being employed in two places, they used it in but one. What wasconsidered lameness they changed to smoothness when [they said, "And Adamlived] nine hundred and thirty years," where, moreover, they did noteliminate {47d} a single word. But they also handed down accurately35a reading which in the Hebrew cannot be expressed as concisely as when theseventy-two say, "Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years." But it isnot thus in the Greek, so that Aquila translated superficially,saying,"Adam lived nine hundred years and thirty years." For|17behold, O lover of learning,36 that it does notgive smoothness to the sentence, having regard not to clearness of expressionbut to the exactness of the repetition of the word. Now this seems to some to bean omission made by the seventy-two, while by Aquila and Symmachus and othertranslators it is translated without any omission. However, there has been no(real) omission by the seventy-two. But, moreover, by the followers of Aquila,with harshness of sound the word is superfluously used in two places instead ofone, that is, instead of "years," "year" and"year."37 Therefore the seventy-twoomitted the word "year" in one place. {48a} But when the followers ofAquila came later and filled in the things that had been omitted by theseventy-two, they seemed altogether superfluous. And Origen, coming after them,restored the word that was lacking in every place, but placed the asterisk byit. Not that the word was of necessity required in all cases ----for it wassuperfluous----but because he would not permit the Jews and Samaritans to findfault with the divine Scriptures in the holy churches, since there is nothing inthe words with asterisks disparaging to the faith; for they are (merely)superfluous and repetitious, as we see by reading in the case of Adam and hislife, since even from the shorter sentence you are also able to insert the otherwords by which the asterisks have been placed. But that you may know also why heplaced the asterisk {48b} by these words, without malice we have said this also.You know, O reader, that there are stars in the firmament of heaven, even ifthey are obscured by clouds or the sun. It was with this thought that he actedwhen he placed the asterisks, that he might show you that the words to which theasterisks are attached are fixed in the Hebrew Scriptures like the stars in thefirmament of heaven, but that they have been obscured by the translation of theseventy-two as the stars are obscured by the clouds. This is the significance ofthe asterisk.
3. As to the story of the obelus, it goes this way. The obelus is that whichis made - , for it is written in the form of what is called the line. Butaccording to Attic usage obelus means spear,38 thatis, lance. And|18 in the divineScriptures it is placed by those words which are used by the seventy-twotranslators but do not occur among the followers of Aquila or Symmachus. For the{48c} seventy-two translators added these words of themselves, not uselesslybut, rather, helpfully. For where they added words lacking in these (otherversions), they gave clearness to the reading, so that we regard them as notdisassociated from the Holy Spirit. For they omitted those that had no need ofrepetition; but where there was a word that was considered ambiguous whentranslated into the Greek language, there they made an addition. This may besurprising, but we should not be rash to bring censure, but rather praise thatit is according to the will of God that what is sacred should be understood. Forwhile they were seventy-two in number and on the Pharian island, but calledAnoge,39 opposite Alexandria, they were inthirty-six cells, two in each cell. From morning to evening they were shut up,and in the evening they would cross over in thirty-six small boats and go againto the palace of Ptolemy Philadelphus and dine with him.40{48d} And each pair slept in (one of) thirty-six bedchambers, so that theymight not talk with one another, but might produce an unadulterated translation.Thus they conducted themselves. For, having constructed the thirty-six cellsalready mentioned, over on the island, and formed them into pairs, Ptolemy shutthem up in them two by two, as I have said. And with them he shut up two youthsto minister to them in preparing food and (in other) service, and also skilled41scribes. Moreover, he had made no opening into these cells through the walls,but in the roof above he opened what are called roof windows. But while thusabiding from morning to evening shut in by locks, they were translating asfollows. To every pair one book was given. That is to say, the book of theGenesis of the Avorld to one pair, the Exodus of the Israelites to another pair,that of Leviticus to another, and the next book in order to the next; and thuswere translated the twenty-seven {49a} recognized canonical books, buttwenty-two when counted according to the letters of the alphabet of the Hebrews.|19
4. For the names of the letters are twenty-two. But there are five of themthat have a double form, forkhas a double form, and m andnandpands.42 Therefore in this manner thebooks also are counted as twenty-two; but there are twenty-seven, because fiveof them are double. For Ruth is joined to Judges, and they are counted among theHebrews (as) one book. The first (book) of Kingdoms43is joined to the second and called one book; the third is joined to the fourthand becomes one book. First Paraleipomena is joined to Second and called onebook. The first book of Ezra is joined to the second and becomes one book.44So in this way the books are grouped into four "pentateuchs," andthere are two others left over, so that the books of the (Old) Testament are asfollows: the five of the Law---- {49b} Genesis,45Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy----this is the Pentateuch,otherwise the code of law; and five in verse----the book of Job, then of thePsalms, the Proverbs of Solomon, Koheleth, the Song of Songs. Then another"pentateuch" (of books) which are called the Writings, and by some theHagiographa, which are as follows: Joshua the (son) of Nun, the book of Judgeswith Ruth, First and Second Paraleipomena, First and Second Kingdoms, Third andFourth Kingdoms; and this is a third "pentateuch." Another"pentateuch" is the books of the prophets----the Twelve Prophets(forming) one46book,46Isaiah one,46 Jeremiah one,46Ezekiel one,46 Daniel one46----andagain the prophetic "pentateuch" is filled up.47But there remain two other books, which are (one of them) the two30of Ezra that are counted as one, and the other the book of Esther. So twenty-twobooks are completed according to the number of the twenty-two {49c} letters ofthe Hebrews. For there are two (other) poetical books, that by Solomon called"Most Excellent,"48 and that by Jesusthe son of Sirach and grandson of Jesus----49forhis grandfather was named Jesus49(andwas) he who composed Wisdom in Hebrew, which his grandson,|20translating, wrote in Greek----which also are helpful and useful, but are notincluded in the number of the recognized; and therefore they were not50kept in the chest, that is, in the ark of the covenant.
5. But, further, this also should not escape you, O lover of the good,that the Hebrews have also divided the book of Psalms into five books, so thatit is yet another "pentateuch." For from the first Psalm to thefortieth they reckon one book, and from the forty-first to the seventy-firstthey reckon a second; from the seventy-second to the eighty-eighth they make thethird book; for the eighty-ninth to the one hundred fifth they make the fourth;from the {49d} one hundred sixth to the one hundred fiftieth they unite into thefifth. For every Psalm that had as its conclusion, "Blessed be the Lord, sobe it, so be it," they thought to be appropriately the end of a book. Andthis is found in the fortieth and in the seventy-first and in the eighty-eighthand in the one hundred fifth,51and(thus) the four books are completed.51 But theconclusion of the fifth book, instead of the "Blessed be the Lord, so beit, so be it," is "Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!Hallelujah!" For when they thus reckoned they thereby completed the wholematter.52 Thus they are twenty-seven; but they arecounted as twenty-two, even with the book of Psalms and those by Jeremiah----Imean Lamentations and the epistles of Baruch51and of Jeremiah,51 although the epistles arenot in use among the Hebrews, but only Lamentations, which is joined toJeremiah. In the way we have related they were translated. They were given toevery pair {50a} of translators in rotation, and again from the first pair tothe second, and from the second pair to the third; and thus they went, every onegoing around.37 And they were translated thirty-six times, as thestory goes,53 both the twenty-two54and the seventy-two54 that are apocryphal.
6. And when they were completed, the king sat on a lofty throne; andthirty-six readers55also sat below,55holding thirty-six duplicates|21 ofeach book, and one had a copy of the Hebrew Scriptures. Each reader read alone,and the others kept watch. No56 disagreement wasfound, but it was such an amazing work of God that it was recognized that thesemen possessed the gift of the Holy Spirit, because they agreed in translation.And wherever they had added a word all of them had added the same, and wherethey had made an omission all alike had made the omission. And there was no needfor the omitted words, but for those they added57there {50b} was need. But that what is said may be clear to you, howmarvelously, under the guidance of God and in the harmony of the Holy Spirit,they translated harmoniously and were not at variance with one another, in orderthat thereby knowing and being assured you may agree with our statement, I shallgive you a demonstration of these things by means of a brief quotation.43In the one hundred fortieth Psalm it is put in the Hebrew thus:°dhonj 'lkhqrjth, sm' 'jlj, 'bhjt' 'qol,58whichis, being translated, "O Lord, I have cried unto thee; answer me; considerthe voice." But the Hebrew does not have "of my request."59Behold, then, how lame it is found to be! So the seventy-two translators, whenthey added "of my request," made the line unhalting and translated:"O Lord, I have cried unto thee; answer me; consider the voice of myrequest." And behold in what beautiful style the psalm is (now) chanted!Understand then, from this very brief statement, the similar things {50c}inserted by these translators everywhere in the additions, for the words arewell added in explanation60 and for the advantageof the peoples about to be called to the faith of God and the obtaining of theinheritance of life from the divine words of the Old Testament and the New.
7. And in the same way also, Origen, doing well in making use of theasterisk, likewise also made use of the obelus as a symbol. Oh that he had donethe other things as well! For when he had placed the six translations and theHebrew writing, in Hebrew letters and words, in one column (each), he placedanother column over against the latter,|22in Greek letters but in Hebrew words, for the comprehension of thoseunacquainted with the Hebrew letters, so that by means of the Greek they mightknow the force of the Hebrew words. And so, in theHexaplaorOctapla,which is61 by him, where the two columns {50d}of Hebrew and the six translations he set in order side by side, he hascontributed to the lovers of the good a great increment of knowledge. If only inhis discourses he had not erred, bringing harm to the world and to himself, whenhe taught wrongly the things pertaining to the faith and explained most of theScriptures in an unorthodox manner. But I will take up the account of the obelusagain.62 Now we have said that obelus means lance,but the sword is the destructive one.63Wheretherefore the word is found to be used by the seventy-two but does not occur inthe Hebrew, by the sign of the obelus placed beside the word it is known thatthe word is to be lifted up63 from the nativeplace, that is to say, from the soil of the Scriptures, as something that is notin the place in the Hebrew Scripture. And I have explained the things pertainingto the asterisk and the obelus.
8. 64Concerning thelemniscus.64But I must tell the things pertaining to thelemniscus÷and thehypolemniscus@ . {51a}Thelemniscus,as the sign is hereplaced, is that which is written ÷. It is a line betweentwo dots, that is to say, points, one being above and one below. And it is foundamong physicians in physiology, and gets its name from surgery upon the body.When (the flesh) is separated, that is to say, cut apart, by two straight cuts,then in the middle of the two divisions of the cut place, because of thecuttings,65 each one straight, the figure of theobelus is completed on the body. But when the dressing66----which is a piece of linen cut off in a form long and narrow----is applied on oneside of the cut and crosses to the other, it is well called by physicians thelemniscus,because of the overflowing (pools) when the|23dressing is flooded by the discharge from the place.67Therefore this kind of sign also they attach to the divine words, that when{51b} there is found in rare instances in the translation of the seventy-two adissonant word, neither subtracted from nor added to words similar to it, youmay know, because of the two points placed by it, that this word was translatedby one or two pairs. But they were read in two ways or similarly. And that thisalso may be clear to you and easy to understand, I would also say concerning it:When you find that it is said68 inPsalm 70, "My mouth proclaims thy righteousness,"6970instead of "proclaims thyrighteousness"70 is"proclaims thy righteousnesses." And again in Psalm 7170it says,70 "And their71name is honored before him";72 but instead ofthis it is put, "And their71 name is honoredin his eyes." And so you may find it in many places, where there is nothingtaken away or changed but it is the very same (in meaning), though expresseddifferently, so that it is not foreign to the others;73they are read both ways. And they are so {51c} indicated by thelemniscuswhena word is found thus employed by one or two pairs. Now we have explainedsufficiently74 the things concerning thelemniscus.In like manner also we make explanation concerning thehypolemniscus,sothat if you find the sign written ----, which is a simple line having the formof the obelus, with a dot, that is to say, a point, under it, you may know thatit is a sign indicating the symbol of thehypolemniscus.Where now it isfound placed by a word, it is indicated that by one pair of translators the wordwas omitted75in the place,75as the single dot indicates, and there is also a double or consonant76reading of the word by which it is placed. This is our77explanation of the asterisk, the obelus, thelemniscus,and thehypolemniscus,O lover of the good.
9. And it is well for us also to explain the matter of the translators. For aknowledge of them will be helpful to you, since {51d} by the inclusion|24of their story it will be seen who and whence78and of what race each of them was, and what was the cause of their79translating. And the first translators80 of thedivine Scriptures from the Hebrew language into the Greek were seventy-two menin number, those who made the first translation in the days of PtolemyPhiladelphus. They were chosen from the twelve tribes of Israel, six men fromeach tribe, as Aristeas has transmitted it in his work.81And their names are these:82 first, from the tribeof Reuben, Josephus, Hezekiah, Zechariah, Johanan, Hezekiah, Elisha; second,from the tribe of Simeon, Judah, Simeon, Samuel, Addai, Mattathias, Shalmai(Eschlemias); third, from the tribe of Levi, Nehemiah, Joseph, Theodosius, Base(Basaios),83 Ornias, Dakis; fourth, from the tribeof Judah, Jonathan, Abraios, Elisha, Hananiah, Zechariah,84{52a} Hilkiah; fifth, from the tribe of Issachar, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua,Sambat (Sabbataios), Simeon, Levi; sixth, from the tribe of Zebulun, Judah,Joseph, Simeon, Zechariah, Samuel, Shalmai (Selemias); seventh, from the tribeof Gad, Sambat (Sabbataios), Zedekiah, Jacob, Isaac, Jesse, Matthew (Natthaios);eighth, from the tribe of Asher, Theodosius, Jason, Joshua, Theodotus, Johanan,Jonathan; ninth, from the tribe of Dan, Theophilus, Abram, Arsamos, Jason,Endemias, Daniel; tenth, from the tribe of Naphtali, Jeremiah, Eliezer,Zechariah, Benaiah, Elisha, Dathaios; eleventh, from the tribe of Joseph,Samuel, Josephus, Judah, Jonathan, Caleb (Chabeu), Dositheus; twelfth, from thetribe of Benjamin, Isaelos, Johanan, Theodosius, Arsamos, Abitos (Abietes),Ezekiel. These are the names, as we have already said, of the seventy-twotranslators. We have told about the things concerning the asterisk and obelusabove, and in part about the other translators, that is, {52b} Aquila andSymmachus and the rest; we will here inform you also of the causes,85O lover of the good.85 |25After the first Ptolemy, the second who reigned over Alexandria, the Ptolemycalled Philadelphus, as has already been said was a lover of the beautiful and alover of learning. He established a library in the same city of Alexander,86in the (part) called the Bruchion; this is a quarter of the city today lyingwaste. And he put in charge of the library a certain Demetrius, from Phaleron,87commanding him to collect the books that were in every part of the world. And hewrote letters and made request of every king and prince on earth to take thetrouble to send85those that were inhis kingdom or principality85----I mean, those bypoets and prose writers and orators and philosophers and physicians andprofessors of medicine and historians and books by any others. And after thework had progressed {52c} and books had been collected from everywhere, one daythe king asked the man who had been placed in charge of the library how manybooks had already been collected in the library. And he answered the king,saying: "There are already fifty-four thousand eight hundred books, more orless; but we have heard that there is a great multitude in the world, among theCushites, the Indians, the Persians, the Elamites, the Babylonians, theAssyrians, and the Chaldeans, and among the Romans, the Phoenicians, theSyrians, and the Romans in Greece"----at that time called not Romans butLatins.88 "But there are also with those inJerusalem and Judah the divine Scriptures of the prophets, which tell about Godand the creation of the world and every other doctrine of general value. If,therefore, it seem good to your majesty, O king, that we89send (and) secure89 them also, write to theteachers in Jerusalem and they will send them to you, that you may place thesebooks also in this library, your grace."90Thereupon {52d} the king wrote the letter, in these words:|26
10. 91The letter of the king to the teachers ofthe Jews:91 "King Ptolemy to the teachers ofthe Jews in Jerusalem: Much joy. After I had established a library and collectedmany books from every people and placed them in it, I heard that there are alsofound among you the books of the prophets which tell about God and the creationof the world. And, desiring that I might give them also a place of honor92with the other books, I have written that you may send them to us. For I amhonorably desirous of such a thing and devoid of guile or evil intention, but ingood faith and kindness toward you I make request for them, since93from of old93 there has been good will fromus toward you, as you know when you remember. For perhaps you recall how, whenmany captives had been taken from your place and brought to our place in Egypt,I let them go. With abundance of provisions and exercising unusual considerationtoward them, I sent them away free.94 Moreover,those who were sick among them, {53a} after I had healed them, I likewisedismissed, and the naked I clothed. And now a table of gold, embellished withprecious stones of great value, a hundred talents in weight, instead of thetable that was taken from the holy place (of) Jerusalem, I have sent along, withgifts and valuable things for the priestly place. I have thus given a recital ofthese things that you may know that I have requested the books because of a vowof piety."95 And the letter was dispatchedand the presents sent likewise.96 And when they hadreceived and read96 the letter and97saw the things that had been sent,97 they hadgreat joy and without delay transcribed the books in Hebrew letters of gold.They sent those recounted98 by me above, thetwenty-two of the (Old) Testament and the seventy-two that are apocryphal. Butwhen the king picked them up and looked at them and was unable to read them,because they were written in Hebrew letters and in the Hebrew|27language, it was necessary for them to write a second letter {53b} and requesttranslators who would be able to explain to him in the Greek language the thingsin the Hebrew.99 The letter was as follows:100
11. 101The second letter:101"King Ptolemy to the teachers of religion in Jerusalem: Much joy. As to thehid treasure and the sealed fountain, what profit is there in either of them?102Likewise also is the matter of the books sent to us by you; for since we areunable to read these sent to us by you, such a thing is for us of no usewhatever. But consent to send us as translators such of your men as from youthhave been specially trained in the language of both the Hebrews and theGreeks." Thereupon the seventy-two translators103above mentioned103the teachersof the Hebrews chose and sent, according to the example that Moses once set whenhe went up the mountain at the command of the Lord,104having heard: "Take with thee seventy men and go up the mountain."105But for the sake of peace among the tribes, that he might not take five men fromsome and six from others and create discord among the tribes, {53c} he made uphis mind rather to take seventy-two and to add to the number. And in this way,as I have said, they also sent these men who translated the Scriptures on theisland called the Pharian (Pharos), as we have already said above,106inthe way we have described.106 And so theScriptures, when they had been transferred to the Greek language, were placed inthe first library, which was built in the Bruchion,106asI have already said.106 And there arose inaddition to this library a second up in the Serapeum, called its daughter.107And the period of the ten Ptolemies and Cleopatra passed away, two hundredfifty-nine years.108 |28
12. After the first Ptolemy, he of the Rabbit (Lagos), who reignedforty years,106and after the seventhyear of the second Ptolemy, who is also (named) Philadelphus, the number of thePtolemies and of the years is as follows:106Ptolemy Philadelphus, thirty-eight years; in his days, in his seventh year moreor less, the seventy-two translators above mentioned translated the Scriptures.109And after the time of their translation of the Scriptures the years and thekings are as follows: Ptolemy Philadelphus, already {53d} mentioned, the rest ofhis years, thirty-one;110 Ptolemy the Well-Doer(Euergetes), twenty-four years; Ptolemy Philopator, twenty-one years; PtolemyEpiphanes, twenty-two years; Ptolemy Philometor,111thirty-four years; Ptolemy the Lover of Learning and the Well-Doer (Philologusand Euergetes), twenty-nine years; Ptolemy the Savior (Soter), fifteen years;Ptolemy, who is also Alexas, twelve years; Ptolemy, the brother of Alexas, whowas driven out by his mother, eight years; Ptolemy Dionysius, thirty-one years;Cleopatra, the daughter of Ptolemy, thirty-two years.112She formed a union with Antoninus (Antony) the king, who is also (called)"Eight Sons." Altogether two hundred fifty-nine years, according towhat is set down above.113 Then ceased the Rabbity(Lagid) kings, the Ptolemies, who were114descended from the Rabbit (Lagos), for whom the race course, when built inAlexandria, was called only in the same Alexandria the Rabbity.115
13. Afterward the kings of the Romans:116Augustus, fifty-six years117and sixmonths.117 In the forty-second year of the days ofthis|29 Augustus118our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the flesh. Tiberius, twenty-three years. {54a}And in his eighteenth year Christ was crucified117ofhis own free will. And from the crucifixion to the destruction of Jerusalem theyears are as follows: the rest of Tiberius, five years;117Gaius, three years and nine months and twenty-nine days; Claudius,thirteen years and one month and twenty-eight days; Nero, thirteen years andseven months and twenty-seven days; Galba, seven months and twenty-six days;Otho, three months and five days; Vitellius, eight119months and twelve days; Vespasian, nine years and seven months and twelve days;Titus, two years and two months and two days. At this time occurred thedestruction of Jerusalem, fifty years after Christ was crucified, lacking threemonths.120 Domitian, fifteen years and fivemonths; Nerva, one year and four months; Trajan, nineteen years; Hadrian,twenty-one years.
121Concerning Aquila.121In the twelfth year of Hadrian Aquila became known. And again from Augustine toHadrian is one hundred eighty years122 and fourmonths, lacking nine days. So from the time of the translation {54b} by theseventy-two translators to the translator Aquila and the twelfth year of Hadrianis altogether four hundred thirty years and four months,123lackingnine days;123 and to the end of the entire (reign)of Hadrian four hundred thirty-nine years and four months, lacking nine days.124
14. For this Hadrian, when leprosy125 appearedin his body and he had summoned the whole multitude of the physicians under hisdominion before him, demanded of them healing for his body. And when they hadlabored much126and done many things126and availed nothing, they were scorned by him. He127wrote an abusive letter concerning|30them, assailing128 their art as devoid ofknowledge. But as a result of the illness129 thatbefell him he went on a journey to the land of Egypt. And, approaching otherplaces130 in order from that of the Romans, hemust inspect them, for he was122a man who loved to see places. So hepassed through the city of Antioch and passed through [Coele-Syria]131and Phoenicia and came to Palestine---- {54c} which is also called Judea----forty-sevenyears after the destruction of Jerusalem. And he went up to Jersualem, thefamous and illustrious city which Titus, the son of Vespasian, overthrew in thesecond year of his reign.132 And he found thetemple of God trodden down and the whole city devastated save for a few housesand the church of God, which was small, where the disciples, when they hadreturned after the Savior had ascended from the Mount of Olives, went to theupper room. For there it had been built, that is, in that portion of Zion whichescaped destruction, together with blocks of houses in the neighborhood of Zionand the seven synagogues which alone remained standing in Zion, like solitaryhuts, one of which remained until the time of Maximona the bishop andConstantine the king, "like a booth in a vineyard,"133as it is written. Therefore Hadrian made up his mind to (re)build the city, butnot the temple. And he took the Aquila mentioned above, who was a Greekinterpreter,134since Hadrian also was a Greek134----{54d} now Aquila was related to the king by marriage and was from Sinope inPontus----and he established him there135inJerusalem135 as overseer of the work of buildingthe city. And he gave to the city that was being built his own name and theappellation of the royal title. For as he was named Aelius Hadrian, so he alsonamed the city Aelia.
15. So Aquila, while he was in Jerusalem, also saw the disciples136ofthe disciples136 of the apostles flourishing inthe faith and working|31 great signs,healings, and other miracles. For they were such as had come back from the cityof Pella to Jerusalem and were137living there and137teaching. For when the city was about to be taken137anddestroyed137 by the Romans, it was revealed inadvance to all the disciples by an angel of God that they should remove from thecity, as it was going to be completely destroyed. They sojourned as emigrants inPella, the city above mentioned, {55a} in Transjordania. And this city is saidto be of the Decapolis. But after the destruction of Jerusalem, when they hadreturned138to Jerusalem,138as I have said, they wrought great signs,138as Ihave already said.138 So Aquila, after he had beenstrongly stirred in mind, believed in Christianity, and after a while, when heasked, he received the seal in Christ.139 Butaccording to his former habit,140 while yetthinking the things of the heathen, he had been thoroughly trained in vainastronomy, so that also after he became a Christian he never departed from thisfault of his, but every day he made calculations on the horoscope of his birth.He was reproved by the teachers, and they rebuked him for this141everyday141but did not accomplish anything.But instead of standing rebuked, he became bold in disputation and tried toestablish things that have no existence, tales about fate. Hence, as one whoproved useless and could not be saved, he was expelled from {55b} the church.But as one who had become embittered in mind over how he had suffered dishonor,he was puffed up with vain jealousy, and having cursed142Christianity and renounced his life he became a proselyte143and was circumcised as a Jew. And, being painfully ambitious, he dedicatedhimself to learning the language of the Hebrews and their writings. After he hadfirst been thoroughly trained for it, he made his translation. He was moved notby the right motive, but (by the desire) so to distort certain of the wordsoccurring in the translation of the seventy-two that he might proclaim thethings testified to about Christ in the divine Scriptures|32to be fulfilled in some other way, on account of a certain shame that he felt(to proffer) a senseless excuse for himself.
16. And this second translation by Aquila144came about after such a (long) time as this, the number of the years of which wehave written above. But we must say, beloved, the words of it are incorrect145and perversely translated,145 (words) whichcarry condemnation for him in the very translation which he made. But havingexplained the differences between them above, we think that that will sufficehere also.
But after this Aquila and his translation {55c} Antoninus, surnamed Pius----translated, "devout"----succeeded King Hadrian and reigned for aperiod of twenty-two years. Caracalla,146 who isalso called Geta,147also MarcusAurelius Verus, succeeded him and reigned seven years. In his time LuciusAurelius Commodus also reigned the same seven years.148Pertinax (reigned) six months, Severus eighteen149years.
150Concerning Symmachus.150In the time of Verus151 there was a certainSymmachus, a Samaritan, of their wise men, but unhonored by his own people. Hewas afflicted with the lust for power and became angry with his tribe. Heapproached the Jews, became a proselyte,152 andwas circumcised a second time. Do not be surprised at this, O hearer, for itoccurred. For all who fled from the Jews to the Samaritans were likewise153circumcised again; likewise also those who came from the Samaritans to the Jewsdid the same.154 And, moreover, what is even moredifficult than these things, some of the circumcised became uncircumcised. By acertain operation {55d} of the medical art, by means of a knife called155thespathistaros,the inner skin of the organ having been cut loose andsewed together and bound in place by adhesive medicaments, they again completeforeskins for them. You have also the testimony of the holy apostle, O greatlover|33 of the good, speaking in suchwords as these: "If a circumcised man be called, let him not change to aforeskin; if a man be in uncircumcision, let him not be circumcised."156This tradition of a demoniacally wicked notion they say that Esau, the brotherof Jacob, invented for the denial of the Godhead and the obliteration of thecharacteristic mark of his fathers. Therefore they say that God said: "EsauI have hated, but I have loved Jacob."157 Sothis Symmachus, translating in order to pervert the translation current amongthe Samaritans, published the third translation.
17. 158Concerning Theodotion, who was fromPontus.158 But after this, in the time immediatelyfollowing, that is,159in the reign of Commodus----Imean, of Commodus {56a} II----there was a certain Theodotion159of Pontus, of the doctrine160 of Marcion,the heresiarch of Sinope. Having become angered161with his heresy, he turned aside to Judaism and was circumcised and learned thelanguage of the Hebrews and their writings; he also published (a translation) onhis own account. He published many things in agreement with the seventy-two, forhe derived many (peculiar) practices from the translational habit(s) of theseventy-two. Now you become the judge, O great lover of the good, of such amatter as this, whether the truth is more likely to be found with these three----Imean Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion ----who, moreover, were not together, butwere remote from one another in both time and place; and there were not many,but only three, and yet they were unable to agree with one another. Or (was thetruth) with the seventy-two, who were the first to translate, were at the sametime, and were divided into thirty-six groups, according to the command of theking? And, furthermore, they did not converse with one another, {56b} but by theHoly Spirit they brought out the entire translation in absolute agreement; andwhere there was need for an addition in explanation of a word, it was the sameamong them all. Though they did not know what each one by himself wastranslating,|34 they agreed absolutelywith one another, and the translations were identical. And where they cast outwords, they translated in agreement with one another.162So it is clear to those who through love of the truth seek to investigate thatthey were not merely translators but also, in part, prophets.163For the things for which there was no need they left out of the translation----thethings which Origen later inserted in their places, with the asterisks. Likewisealso those that had been added he did not take away, knowing rather that therewas need of them, but wherever he found one of these words employed he left itwith an obelus, merely indicating by the obelus his knowledge about the readingof the passage. And by means of thelemniscusand thehypolemniscushelikewise indicated such (passages) as were found in two ways among some of theseventy-two translators {56c} in a few passages that are not unlike, but similarand having the same significance, as if a man should say "heconversed" instead of "he spoke," or "he has come"instead of "he came." And we have written for you the facts concerningthe four translators.
18. Concerning the fifth and sixth translations, which were found in winejars in Jericho after the persecution of Verus, in the time of Antoninus, who iscalled Caracalla and Geta.164 But as to the fifthand sixth translations, I have nothing to say as to those who translated them orwhence they were, but only that after the persecution of King Verus,165in the time of Antoninus,166 son of Severus, whois called Caracalla, also Geta,167 the fifth wasfound in Jericho, hidden in wine jars.168 For asto the time of those who reigned after Antoninus Pius----translated,"devout"----the succession, in order, is : {56d} After Antoninus|35Pius reigned Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, otherwise Verus, nineteen169years. And the same man is called Commodus Lucius.170In his time, as I have already said, Symmachus the translator became known.171After him Commodus II reigned thirteen years. At this time we have learned172that Theodotion became known, he who173becamea Jew, (going) from the Marcionites, and173 madethe fourth translation. And Pertinax succeeded Commodus174and reigned six months. Severus175 succeeded himand reigned with his son Antoninus, otherwise Geta, eighteen years.176And when Severus died, his son Antoninus Geta177inherited his sovereignty, he that is called Caracalla, and he served sevenyears. In his days,178 as I have said above,179were found the Scriptures in the fifth translation, hidden in wine jars inJericho with other Hebrew books and other books.180{57a} Macrinus succeeded Caracalla and reigned one year.181Antoninus II succeeded him,182 reigning fouryears. After him reigned Alexander, the son of Mammaea,183thirteen years. In the midst of these times the sixth translation was found,also hidden in wine jars, in Nicopolis, near Actium. After him Maximian reignedthree years. Gordian succeeded him and reigned six years. After him Philipreigned seven years. Decius succeeded him and reigned one year and three months.In the time of Decius Origen became known, flourishing from the time of Deciusthrough the days of Gallienus184 and Volusianusand beyond.185|36 But in the persecution that took place under Decius,186alreadymentioned,186 Babylas suffered martyrdom inAntioch, Flavianus in Rome, and Alexander, the bishop of Jerusalem, in Caesarea.187In this time of persecution,187while Origen himself suffered many things of the heathen in Alexandria, {57b}188hewho is also called Adamantius,188 he did notattain the goal of martyrdom. But when he had come to Caesarea Stratonitis andhad dwelt a little while in Jerusalem, he afterward went to Tyre. Twenty-eightyears, as the story goes, he devoted to ascetic practices, and he set forth189the Scripture, placing the six columns (of the Greek) and the two columns of theHebrew side by side, one translation alongside another, calling the books theHexapla,as has already been fully related by me above.190
19. But when the fifth and sixth translations of the Scriptures were found inthe manner we have related and no one knew who they were who had translatedthem, according to the time when they were found he (Origen) attached191them to the four earlier ones successively in the series. He called one thefifth, writing over it, by means of the fifth letter, the number five and givingit a name. Likewise also to the one {57c} after it, writing a letter above it asa symbol,192 he gave the name of the sixthtranslation. But, moreover, he did this skilfully, a thing that has escaped someof the lovers of learning. For when people happen upon theHexaplaorOctapla----forthe Greek (columns) are atetraplawhen the (translations) of Aquila,Symmachus, the seventy-two, and Theodotion are placed together; but when thesefour columns are joined to the two Hebrew columns they are called theHexapla,and when the fifth and sixth also are joined successively to these they arecalled theOctapla----I mean, the six translations and the two others,one written in Hebrew characters and in their own words, and the other in Greekcharacters but with the Hebrew words193----whensome|37 people, then, as I have said,happen upon these books and find the first two columns {57d} of Hebrew placedtogether, and after them that by Aquila placed first194and after it that by Symmachus, afterward that by the seventy-two and after itthat by Theodotion, grouped together, and afterward the fifth and sixth(translations), they conclude that Aquila and Symmachus translated first.195But it is not so; but Origen, having learned that the translation of theseventy-two was correct, placed it in the middle so that it might refute thetranslations on either side. This one thing only Origen did helpfully. Now, thatwe may not omit to give the succession of the kings of the Romans, which webegan, we will proceed to give in order the sequences of the other kings,according as each of them reigned.
20. After Gallienus196 and Volusianus, alreadymentioned, who reigned two years and four months, Valerian and Gallienus reigned{58a} twelve years. In the ninth year of their reign Mani came up from Persia,when he disputed with Archelaus, bishop of Kaschara in Mesopotamia, met defeat,(and) fled secretly. For when he came to Diodoris,197a town under the authority of Kaschara, and disputed with the holy Tryphon,198the priest, he was completely humiliated before him. (And) when the holyArchelaus heard that he had come to Tryphon and had held a disputation with him,he came (and) met him and arranged a debate with Mani, and when he hadcompletely defeated him he put him to shame.199Thereupon Mani200 was about to die by stoning fromthe people, but, having been saved by Bishop Archelaus, he returned to thecountry of the Persians. The king of the Persians heard of his coming; and, whenhe had sent and had him brought, he was ordered flayed by means of a reed.201And thus he returned (only) to end his life,202because he had committed murder and|38was unable to heal the demon-possessed son of the king {58b} as he had promised,so the story has it. And after Valerian and Gallienus, Claudius reigned one yearand nine months. Aurelian succeeded him and reigned five years and six203months. After him Tacitus reigned six months.204After him Probus reigned six years and four months. After him Carus, with hissons Carinus and Numerian, reigned two years. After him Diocletian, withMaximian and Constantine205and Maxentius, reigned205twenty206 years,205declaringMaxentius his colleague in the kingdom.205 Intheir days there was a violent persecution,207lastingfrom the eighth year of Diocletian to his nineteenth year, twelve years takenall together.207 And after the persecution ceasedDiocletian reigned one year more and, having become old,he ceased toreign. {58c} But Maximian fell by a terrible death, with a disease of the eyesand bodily suffering. His eyeballs were automatically torn out by the disease inthe very way he had appointed for the martyrs of Christ.208And thus he gave up the ghost, leaving Licinius and Constantine as rulers. Andfrom Diocletian onward the years of Maximian, of Licinius, and of the blessedConstantine, who ruled with his sons, were thirty-two years. And he left histhree sons as rulers---- Constans, Constantine, and Constantius.209But after the thirty-two years of Constantine, the years of his sons whosucceeded him---- Constans, Constantine, and Constantius----(and) of the impiousJulian, of Jovian,210211ofValentinian the Great, of Valens his brother, of Gratian the son of Valentinian,211of Valentinian the Younger, son|39 ofValentinian, brother212 of Gratian, of Theodosiusthe God-fearing king, of Arcadius his son, and of Honorius the Illustrious, theson {58d} of Theodosius,213 unto the present214second215 consulship of Arcadius Augustus214and Rufinus----the years,216as I have saidbefore,216 are fifty-seven. And in the consulshipof Arcadius Augustus and Rufinus Valentinian the Younger died, being foundsurprisingly hanged in the palace of Tiberius,217218asthe story is told,218 on the ides of May, on theday before Pentecost, on the Sabbath day; and on the day of Pentecost itself hewas borne (to his grave). And so it was, according to the Egyptians, thetwenty-first day of the month Pachon, according to the Greeks the twenty-thirdof 'Iyar, and according to the Romans the seventeenth day before the calends ofJune.219
21. And thus far, O great lover of the good, all these things related by usmust suffice; we have given220 an account of thetranslators221and of those things mentionedbefore the subject of the translators.221Hereafterwe give our attention to the rest of the topics which we mentioned before,according to our promise in response to your entreaties, O man of God,concerning {59a} the weights and measures and numbers in the divine Scriptures,whence each is named, and why it is so called, and whence it gets the reason forits name, and what is the quality or the weight or the force of every one ofthem.
222Concerning the measures.222The kor is a measure. It occurs in the Gospel of Luke, where the Savior commendsthe sagacious steward who re-wrote223 for thedebtors instead of so many kors in|40their accounts224 so and so, and instead of somany baths of oil he made it so and so.225
Lethekh, saton,226homer, bath, seah,modius,cab,choinix, hyfiof fine flour, handful of meal, ardeb, threemeasures of fine flour, three baskets227 of coarsemeal,nevelof wine,kollathon, shatiftaof ointment,kapsakesofwater,kotyleof oil,kyathos,measure of wine, measure of oil,log,228 xestes,amphora,aporryma, shefitha,hin,chus,the golden pot {59b} in which the manna was placed,mares,kypros, congiarium.
229Concerning the kor.229Kurais taken from the Hebrew language, in which it is called"kor," and there are 30modii(in it). The kor gets its namefrom the fundamental idea of a heap, inasmuch as a heap is called akarja,230for when 30modiiare heaped together they make a camel's load.
231Conceming thelethekh.231But as to thelethekh,since it is said in the prophet Hosea, "Ihave hired for myself .... for alethekhof barley,"232in other codices "a homer of barley," they are the same, for theysignify 15modii.But thelethekhis named according to a word ofthe Hebrews which means a "lifting up,"233from the circumstance that a young man can lift up the measure of 15modiiofbarley or wheat and place it on an ass. And the same (measure) of 15modiiisalso called the homer----the large one which is called the homer among theHebrews, for {59c} there is234 also a littlehomer.
235Concerning the bath.235The bath, so called, is also from the Hebrew language, the oil press beingsynonymously calledbith,for bath is interpreted "oil press."236It consists of 50xestai,and is the|41measure of the craft of the oil press.237 Themenasisand themedimnosare taken, I think, from the language of the Romans,for in that languagemediumis interpreted "middle."238Themenasis,however, is used as a measure among the Cypriansand other peoples; and it is 10modiiof wheat or barley by themodiusof 17xestaiamong the Cyprians. But themedimnosvaries amongthe Cyprians; for the people of Salamis, that is to say, of Constantia, have amedimnosof 5modii,while those of Paphos and the Sicilians measure it as 41/2modii.
239Concerning the seah.239It is called "seah," being derived from the Hebrew, {59d} and it isused as a feminine; but in Greek it is neither feminine nor masculine, that is,neuter,240 for we saysaton241and notsatos.It is an overfullmodius,so that it is amodiusand a quarter of amodiusby reason of its overfulness,242which is the overflow of themodius.But it is called a seah, meaning inthis language a "taking up" or "lifting up," from thecircumstance that the one measuring takes the measure with some force and liftsit up.
243Concerning themodius.Next themodius.243The name of themodiuswas invented by the Hebrews with greatexactness.244 For it consists of 22xestai,245not in simple fashion or by chance, but from great exactness. Now I speak of the"just"246modius,as the Law isaccustomed to say, according to the sacred measure. For, O lover of|42 the good, God did twenty-two works between the beginning and the seventh day,which are these:
22. On the first day,247 (1) the upper heavens, {60a} (2) theearth, (3) the waters----of which consist snow, ice, hail, frost, and dew----and(4) the spirits that minister before him. They are the angels before his face,the angels of glory, the angels of the winds that blow, the angels of the cloudsand of the cloud-darknesses, of snow and hail and frost, the angels of sounds,of the thunders and the lightnings, the angels of the cold and of the heat, ofwinter, fall, spring, and summer, and of all the spirits of his creatures inheaven and on earth. (5) The abysses,248 both that which is beneaththe earth and that of the gulf of darkness that was above the abyss of thewaters which were at one time upon the earth,249 whence (6) thedarkness----the evening and the night; (7) the light----of the day and of themorning. These seven great works God did the first day. On the second day, (8)the firmament that is between the waters.250 On this day the waterswere divided; half of them ascended above the firmament, {60b} and half of them remainedbelow the firmament in the midst upon the face of the whole earth. This is theonly work that God did on the second day. On the third day, (9) the seas, therivers, and the fountains and lakes, (10) seed grains and plants, (11) fruittrees and those without fruit, and (12) forests. These four great works God didon the third day. On the fourth day, (13) the sun, (14) the moon, (15) thestars. These three great works God did on the fourth day. On the fifth day, (16)the great whales, (17) the fishes and the other creeping things in the waters,(18) the winged birds. These three great works God did on the fifth day. And onthe sixth day, (19) wild beasts, (20) cattle, (21) the creeping things of theearth, (22) man. These four great works God|43did on the sixth day. And everything was twenty-two kinds in the {60c} sixdays.251 And he completed all his works252on the sixthday, everything that is in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in the abysses,in the light and in the darkness, and in everything. And God rested from all hisworks on the seventh day, and he blessed it and hallowed it. And he showed Mosesthrough an angel that there would also be253 twenty-two heads fromAdam to Jacob,254otherwise Israel,254when he said:"And I will choose for myself from his seed a people more numerous than anyother people."255 And the heads,256which are thegenerations,256 concerning whom the Lord spoke, are as follows: Adam,Seth, Enosh, Kenan,257 Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech,Noah, Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu----for the Scripture omitsCainan258 from the number259----Serug, Nahor, Terah,Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,260otherwise Israel260----altogether,twenty-two generations. Therefore there are twenty-two {60d} letters among theHebrews, which are these:alef, beth, gimel, deleth, he, waw, zej, heth,teth, joth, kaf, lamedh, mem, nun, samekh,cajin, pe, sadhen, qof,resh, shin, taw.261 Therefore also there are twenty-two books ofthe Old Testament; but they are said among the Hebrews to be counted astwenty-two though they are (really) twenty-seven, because five of their lettersalso {61a} are double----kafhas a duplicate form, alsomem, nun, pe,andsaddhe----for the books also are counted in this manner.|44
23. bereshlth,262which is called the Genesis ofthe world.'elesimoth,which is called the Exodus of theIsraelites, 'awajeqra,which is transferred (into Greek as) Leviticus, 'awaddajber,which is transferred (into Greek as) Numbers, 'elle devarejm,whichis Deuteronomy.dishuc263 which is Joshua.d'ijjov,which is Job.dishovtejm,which is Judges.dercuth,whichis Ruth.sefertelejm,264which is the Psalms.devarjamin,265which is I Paraleipomena.devarjamin,which is IIParaleipomena. [de]shamu'el,266whichis I Kingdoms,dadudh shamu'el,which is II Kingdoms.demalakhejm,which is {61b} IIIKingdoms.demalakhejm,which is IV Kingdoms.deme'aloth267 which is Proverbs.deqoheleth,which isEcclesiastes.268shirath shirin,269which is theSong of Songs.dathrecsar270 which is the TwelveProphets.deshacja,which is that of the prophet Isaiah,deremja,which is that of the prophet Jeremiah.dehezqi'el,whichis that of the prophet Ezekiel.dedanjel,which is that of theprophet Daniel.decezra,which is I Ezra.decezra,which is II Ezra,d'ester,which is Esther. These twenty-seven booksare counted twenty-two according to the number of the letters, because five ofthe letters also are double, as we have already said above. But there is alsoanother little book calledqinoth,which is translated the Lamentations {61c} of Jeremiah. And it is joined to Jeremiah; it is in|45 excess of the number, being joined to Jeremiah. This number twenty-two, foundin all these places but counted in different ways, in the twenty-two works thatGod did in the six days of the making of the world, in the twenty-twogenerations from Adam to Israel, in the twenty-two signs of the letters fromaleftotaw,and in the twenty-two books from Genesis to Esther, begetsfor us a measure of 22xestai,called among the Hebrews amode,271272which the Greeks, translating, call272 amodja;273and the Egyptians also similarly say @@@@@274 In the same wayalso the Syrians and Arabians saymodja,275which ispronounced in Hebrewmode;but it is translated from the Hebrew into theGreek asmodja,which is themode.275For if themodiuswere not filled up, it would not confess276that whichit holds:276 "I am completed."277But according{61d} to other interpretations it was named differently, for it is calledgnomon278 that is, measure; it is calledhomologia279alsohomologema,alsohomologos.280
24. For in the number of the twenty-two works of God at the beginning, and ofthe twenty-two generations up to Jacob, and of the twenty-two books up toEsther, and by reason of the scheme of twenty-two letters in which the Law281exists for us and the282teaching of God has prefigured everythingfor us,282 by this Law283and the mysteries in it JesusChrist is attested to us as one who has come and been revealed, who, coming, bythe Gospel fulfilled for us the measure of life by means of themode,thatis, confession, to every man who has|46confessed him and received life through him. Therefore the sacred measure,the Hebrews say, consists of 22xestai,according to the number givenabove, which is variously employed.284 For many of the other peopleseither add to or subtract {62a} from this measure, which is correctly reckoned among the Hebrews. But also among the Romans it happens that the measure iscalled by a similar name,modium,285 just as among the Hebrewsa child is admonished "to learnalef," and among the Greeks ithappens to be called "to seek toalphaize."286Whenceit has come to be known that from the Hebrew it287has beentransferred to the other languages.288 So themode,as it isfound in the Hebrew----it means "to confess," as I have frequentlysaid----is explained by the usage. For if a man does not fill it completely, itdoes not confess: "I am full." But when one fills the measure andstrikes289 it,290he persuades the measure to confess:290"I am full." But when the name was transferred to the Greek, as I havesaid, themodewas called themodjafor the sake of clearness.291
25. Concerning the cab. The cab, from the same language, is a variable292measure. Sometimes it is one-fourth of amodius,sometimes one-fifth, {62b} and at other times one-sixth. It nevertheless is ameasure, but it is called a cab because themodiusis divided into parts;for the Hebrewqava293 means "he has butchered" or"he has cut up," and when transferred to the Greek it was calledqaba294for the sake of clearness.
26. Concerning thechoinix.But thechoinix,also thehyfi,is one measure, though called by two names. But it is variously measured|47among different295 people. And in the Hebrew language it is used296as a masculine, but in the Greek as a feminine. But the Cyprians saychoiniqta,but among them they indicate by it one-eighth of amodius.And themodiusamong them, being measured without shaking down but pressed down, consistsof 17xestai,so that thechoinixis 2xestaiand a littlemore.297 But it is called thehyfifrom the Hebrew (term)which is pronounced'ofen,298 which is a measure oftwo handfuls.
27. [Concerning] the handful of meal, like {62c} the handful of meal that thewidow told Elijah she had in a jar.299 But this is simple and knownto all, for, from the fact that the one measuring grasps300 with onehand, a handful of one hand is called a handful.
28. [Concerning] the ardeb. This measure was named by the Egyptians, and itconsists of 72xestai.And this also is so composed with great exactness,for seventy-two men were building the tower and Babylon at the time when the onelanguage was confounded into seventy-two.301 Hence also they werecalledmeropes302 because of the divided speech. But themetretesalso has the same capacity according to the sacred measure. For there arealso othermetretaithat are measured variously in different places. InCyprus, when filled from the wine press, it is 104xestai,the fourxestaibeing reckoned as dregs and the 100 reckoned as pure, because {62d} of the dipping up303 by means of thexestesof the place. But according to the Alexandrianxestes88xestaifill the measure, but according to the sacred measure 82(such)xestai.Sometimes they reckon the capacity of themetretesas84, sometimes as 88, and sometimes as 96xestai;but according to the|48sacred measure it consists of 72xestai,and themetretesisfor liquids and the ardeb for produce. But that which is called the ardeb iscalled theartabåin the language of the Egyptians, which is interpreted"well composed" or "well constituted." It isartabåinthe Greek304for the sake of clearness. And the Hebrew is abundantlyused to this measure because of the sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt, whencethey acquired the use of the measure. As it is written in Isaiah: "He thatsoweth 6 ardebs shall make three measures"305----that is, hewho, from the great abundance of seed, because of the scantiness of the cropshall gather but a little. For the "three {63a} measures" are a littleomer, they are 6xestai,so that they are one-twelfth of the ardeb, butthat which (is composed) of 72; and306 6 ardebs are found to be 432xestai.And, again, to this point is concerning the ardeb.
29. And since there occurs in juxtaposition in Isaiah, "Where tenyoke of oxen cultivate"----for he says they cultivate the vineyard with aplow, by the use of oxen----(the land) "will yield one jar,"307he thus shows that a measure of land such as this, which is plowed by yokes ofoxen such as these, because of the scantiness of the crop will produce one jar,that is, a small measure. And so much for that.
30. "Three measures of fine flour," those which Abrahamcommanded Sarah to prepare for the angels,308 from which "threemeasures" he commanded an ash cake309 to be made. Every one ofthese measures held 1 omer. The omer, however, is one-tenth {63b} of the greatmeasure, that is, of the ardeb, which makes 7 1/5xestai.310And,again, in the measure of the omer there are three measures, which are 2 2/5311xestaieach. Now the measure has this form, but the measure is alsoappropriate for the spiritual contemplation of those who areesteemed worthy to understand. For the manna also was given an|49omer by measure, which according to the priesthood is a tithe,312but according to the significance of the name----because it is a tenth of thegreat measure----it signifiesjodh,313which is the beginningof the name of Jesus, who in this measure, since the "three measures"are summed up in one, showed314 them the equality of essence in theholy Trinity. And as to our saying that Abraham commanded Sarah, this also is (amatter) for investigation. For the three men were not going to eat such ameasure as this; for when the "three measures" are combined as one in 1 omer, these {63c} three make amodiusof 22xestai,315that is, the sacred measure. Not at all, therefore, (was it) because theywere about to consume all this, but that nothing might be lacking from the nameof the Trinity. For in the measure there is a trinity, but in the bread there isone unity and one taste; for there is also in Deity nothing that is changeable.But what he said, "Make an ash cake,"316signified thatthere was always bread, but it was not revealed to all the world. But it was inheaven, God the Word. In the seed of Abraham, however, it was concealed by theAdvent that was to be. Now the preparation of the ash cake is in this manner.When the bread has been kneaded and has afterward fermented, it is kneadedagain. They bake this bread not in an oven but on a rock. Collecting smoothstones and piling them upon the ground, by means of much brushwood they heatthem until they make of the smooth (stones) glowing embers. {63d} Then they remove the ashes from them, cover them withdough, and again spread the ashes over all the dough, spreading it out as oneloaf; and hence it is called "hidden," because concealed in the ashes.Moreover, that which was in this symbol was fulfilled.|50Caleb the son of Jephunneh, after Guzeva his first wife died,317took to wife'Afaretha, who also was a widow. And hereceived from Joshua the (son) of Nun as a portion the city of Kevarta,318which is interpreted "doxology," and he built and joined to the firstcity the second (city of) 'Afaretha,319 which isinterpreted "fruitfulness," after the name of his wife, 'Afaretha.Besides other sons he begat of her a son whose name was Bethlehem,320after he had begotten Lammon,321Arad,322 and others.Since he loved the youth, he built a third city and joined it to these twoformer cities and called it Bethlehem,323which {64a} is interpreted"house of bread." And, indeed, the name was in use;324butit was not revealed until there came from heaven, being bom of Mary inBethlehem, that is, in the house of bread, he that said: "I am the livingbread that came down from heaven."325For the place had beennamed of yore; but the bread had not been revealed, for it was"hidden."
31. Three baskets of coarse meal. The Scripture does not use this term,baskets,326 as a measure, but rather to specify the reed baskets327which the people use customarily. But as to the "coarse meal"that is mentioned, which they were accustomed at the time to put in reedbaskets, this coarse meal is a kind of wheat cut in two. But fine flour is theheart of the wheat, in fine grains; for from these processes the origin ofmilling came about.
32. Thenevelof wine. Thenevelis a measure that is putinto two wine skins, (a measure) which consists of 150 {64b}xestai,328which makes 3 liquid seahs, for the seah is 50xestai.Further, this means a"taking|51 up,329 that which a man, after filling, would draw up by man powerfrom the pit of the wine press, as much as he was able to lift with his twohands from "the pit of the wine press. Butnevelis interpreted"something to be carried,"330 which is a load of wine,331which is also called aforeus,as the Cyprians call the great jar whichholds 150xestai,which a young man can carry on his shoulder from onelittle place to another.332
33. [Concerning thekollathon.] Among the Syrians thekollathonis half of a liquid seah, which is 25xestai.333
34. [Concerning theshatifta.] Theshatiftaof ointment,as it is written in the Gospel,334 is a vessel of glass in accordancewith the name; but there is in it alibraof oil by weight, and incapacity there is half axestes335But it is called analabastron336 because of the great {64c} fragility, which is like salt. For the Scripture says: "Andit shall be broken in pieces like analabastron."337Andit is, as I have said, a vessel round in form.
35. [Concerning thekapsakes.] Thekapsakesof water hasa capacity of 12xestai,which corresponds to the cab,338 thegrain measure that is called theqevuna.339This, however, is the greatkapsakes,|52the one-fourth division of the seah. Some call it the 'espadhjun,340that is, the libation cup.340 But that which was prepared for Elijah341was also akapsakes,with 4xestaiin the measure, but called inthe feminineqevurta.And it was equal incapacity to thestamnos,in whichstamnosare 4 Italian orAlexandrianxestai.For there were placed in the ark, that is, in thechest, four books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. For it was in thethirty-eighth year of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt that Deuteronomywas commanded to be written {64d} and placed by the side of the ark and notjoined to these four, so that it might not obscure the measure which had beenrequired in conformity with the number. For there are four rivers out of Eden,four quarters of the world, four seasons of the year, four watches in the night,four successive times for prayers in a day and (corresponding) periods,fourxestaiin thestamnos342 measure for themanna, four spiritual creatures which were composed of four faces,343which typify the coming of the Messiah. One had the face of a man, because theMessiah was born a man in Bethlehem, as Matthew teaches.344 One hadthe face of a lion, as Mark proclaims him coining up from the Jordan,345a lion king, as also somewhere it is written: ''The Lord has come up as a lionfrom the Jordan."346 One had the face of an ox, as Lukeproclaims----not he alone, but also the other Evangelists----him who, at theappointed time of the ninth hour,347 like an ox in behalf of theworld {65a} was offered up on the cross. One had the face of an eagle, as Johnproclaims the Word who came from heaven and was made flesh348 andflew to heaven like an eagle after the resurrection with the Godhead. And thesethings also I have related concerning thestamnos,because in thestamnos,which has been handed down as a feminine noun, was placed the manna, whichwas the heavenly bread but symbolized the Perpetual Virgin Mary, who is indeedgold from the "tried gold"349 by reason of the evidence ofher virginity. But it|53 contained the manna which came down from heaven, and because of the little faithof those who saw the manna it received this name. It was calledman;butthis is translated: "What is this?" For when they saw it upon the faceof the earth they said: "What is this?"350 For they weregoing to say to the Messiah: "Who is this that speaks blasphemy?"351 So thestamnoscontained the manna,{65b} in which was a measure by reason of the 4xestai,and Mary(contained) the Word that was proclaimed through the four Evangelists. For sheherself was the holy ark to which it pointed, of which the ark that wasfashioned in the wilderness was a type. Moreover, that was of wood, in which wasthe Word inscribed on two tablets of stone and in the other books, the fourbooks together and the fifth book which was at the side, that is, Deuteronomy.But although he that uttered the divine Word was in it, yet the ark was alsomade as a type of her. But, being priceless, it was carried; and the Word thatwas in it spoke through him that read, since it did not speak of its ownvolition.352 But the holy Mary, the living ark, had the living353 Word borne within her. While she had within her {65c} another ark which was also alive, there was in the arkthat had been placed in her the living Word. And, further, when David theprophet was bringing the ark up to Zion, he danced before it, singing andrejoicing.354 And it was not a miracle, but rather a sign by way ofprophecy. "For these things happened typically, and they were written as anadmonition for us unto whom the ends of the times have come," as theapostolic words teach.355 But here was a miracle. For when the livingark----I speak of Mary----entered the house of Elizabeth, the child John dancedin the womb of his mother, leaping for joy before the ark on account of him whomshe was bearing, the living Word, the Messiah.356 But the living Wordalso was a living ark in his own living body, who, on account of the sacrificein lieu of our death, submitted to a three days' sleep. When he was awakened by the word of the prophet, he heard the one hundred {65d} thirty-firstPsalm: "Arise in thy rest, thou and the ark of thy holy covenant."357For they called the Godhead of the only-begotten to arise from the lowerparts of the earth with his holy soul, and also at the same time|54(called) his completely assumed human nature, his body, as they hint and say,"thou and the ark of thy holy covenant," so that they might say hisholy body. And these are the things concerning thestamnos,whichconsisted of the 4xestaiof manna, from which also we know thesignificance of the ark in which was the law in the four books beforeDeuteronomy (was written) and the ark andstamnosof Marywhich contained in the four Gospels the manna, the heavenly bread, and the ark,in which ark----I mean, in the holy body----the heavenly Word, when he camedown, was given to the world. But I mean to those who believed in him, throughthe four Gospels believed the things that were preached. Up to here is enoughconcerning thestamnos,{66a} we think, O lover of the good.
36. [Concerning thekotyle.] Thekotyleis half axestes,and it is called akotylebecause thexestesis cut in two.For they call those who sell wine or oil by thexestes kotylistai,becausethey divide up what they sell into small measures.
37. [Concerning thekyathos.] Thekyathosis not onemeasure but various (measures), for it is defined by the mixed drink in the cup,in one place a simple cup which is one-sixth of axestes,in another adouble cup which is one-third of axestes.But it is a dipper,by the use of which they dip up from a jar by means of the long handle. It has aform like that of a small inkstand, and one lifts it by the handle in order todraw from the depths of the jar that which he is about to take in the cup as amixed drink. But in translation from the Hebrew language into the Greek, in somebooks it is called by this name(kyathos); but in a fewbooks it is put down according to the Hebrew term, not being translated. Whentherefore you find in the preparation for the setting up of the tabernacle {66b} both themedekothand themasmaroth,know thatmedekothmeanskyathoiandmasmarothmeans|55 strainers. But many times when this word is employed it is used forethmoi;forethmoiand strainers, on account of one and the same use, arealike calledmasmarothin the Hebrew.
38. [Concerning thetryblion.] The form of thetryblionisthat of thescutella,358that is, a dish.359 But ithas a capacity of half axestes.
39. [Concerning thexestes.] Although thexestesisparticularly well known to everybody, yet we speak of it because its standard isvariously fixed360 among many peoples. For there is the Italian, theAlexandrian, thecastrensis,361 the Pontic, and theNicomedian. The Pontic is four times that of Alexandria; this is thestamnosalreadymentioned, when used as a wine measure. But it is otherwise adduced by weight, for in oil there are 8librae.{66c} For an Alexandrianxestesholds362a weight of 2libraein oil, and the Italianxestesholds 22 ounces; thecastrensisalso similarly holds 24 ounces, moreor less, and the Nicomedian 20 ounces.
40. [Concerning theaporryma.] Theaporrymais employedas a measure among the Thebans only, for it is half asaïtes.And itsform is that of a small jar of the type of thesaites.The truesaites,however, consists of 22xestai,363so that theaporrymaconsists of 11xestai.For there is anothersaïtescalled theNicaean, a jar of 8 or 10xestai.And it was called thesaïtesfromthe city of Saïs, where the measure and the form of thesaiteswereinvented.
41. [Concerning theshafitha.] (As for) theshafitha,thisis a Syriac term which occurs as a measure among the people of Gaza and Ashkelon and the rest of the seacoast called the Shefelah. Hence in Gaza {66d} andAshkelon364 they call the jar which is theshafitha365 thesapation,which is translated "the drawing vessel of thewine press,"366 for with the measure they draw out and carrywine. But among the people of|56 Ashkelon it consists of 22xestai,367among those of Azotus18xestai,and among those of Gaza 14xestai.
42. Concerning the hin. The hin also is mentioned in the divine Scriptures,as are also many of those already discussed. Therefore the Scripture cautionsmany times and says "by the great measure," "by that of thesanctuary."368 And the great hin consists of 18xestai,thatis, one-fourth of ametretes.But the sacred hin consists of 9xestai,one-sixth of which the prophet Ezekiel was ordered to drink daily, to whomthe Lord said: "And water thou shalt drink by measure, one-sixth of ahin,"369 that is, 1 1/2xestai.
43. {67a} Concerning thechus.Thechusis taken from theHebrew term that is pronouncedkuza.370 The complete(chus)consists of 8xestai371but the one called"sacred" consists of 6xestai.For compared with themetretesthe great(chus)is one-ninth; but as compared with thesamios,whichis employed among the Cyprians, it is one-sixth, for thetrichusis halfasamios.But thechus,according to the sacred measure, which isthekuzå,is one-twelfth of themetretes,6xestai.
44. To this point we have discussed such measures as we have mentioned,but hereafter we speak of weights.
45. Discussion concerning the talent. The talent is that measure usedin weighing that exceeds every other. And it is called the talent from thecircumstance that equal372 weights fall into the two scale pans of abalance, and by the weight that is equal in counterpoise that which is in the other scale pan is weighed, that {67b} is, suspended.373But the talent is called @@@374 among the Hebrews, that is, the @@@,375|57which inlibraeconsists of 125libraeby weight. But accordingto theleptaof coinage, when cut up376 intolepta,itis divided into 6,000lepta.Accountants call this the unit.377It is not the only (unit) for reckoning large sums, for there is also the unitinvolved in the "10,000 denarii." There are, however, 6,000leptain1 talent. Theleptaare calledassaria,concerning which it issaid in the Gospel: "Are not two sparrows sold for oneassarion?"378Or, again: "Are not five sparrows sold for twoassaria?"379But they are calledassariawhen the smallest (weight) is translatedfrom the Hebrew.380 Sixtyassaria,however, are adenarion,381and 100denariaare a silver (coin).382 And they were 2denariithat fell from the widow into the treasury;383{67c} they havealso been called 2lepta,forassariaare the smallest384things that can be. And theargyruswas coined as a coin from thebeginning; therefore they also sayargyroi.385This cameoriginally from the Assyrians, and they say that Abraham brought this coin386to Canaan. The 1/125part of the talent is thelibra.Thecentenariuswas invented among the Romans, for it also bears a Roman name. They saycentumfor 100, and it is a weight of 100librae.
46. [Concerning thelitra.] Thelitra,387however,consists of 12 ounces. As to its name, it also is from the Hebrew, forλίτραmeans|58 "It is mine," which is in every case persuasive andreassuring to him that receives and to him that gives.
47. [Concerning the ounce.] And it is named the ounce, on the one handaccording to the height in the measure or by the spaced altitude; on the otherhand it is measured in scales388 for weighing by the heaviness of a(known) weight, and by the knob of the scales it is determined according to theswerving, being estimated and weighed according to the lines of distance. {67d} And there are in the ounce 2 staters, because ofthat which was said by our Savior to Peter: "Cast your hook into the seaand take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will finda stater"----called in the Hebrew azuzå;389"takingthis, give for me and yourself."390 For it was a statercontaining half an ounce or 2 doublezuze,since the Pharisees said toPeter: "Does not your master pay the doublezuzå?"391Forby the census of King Augustus there was to be paid what they called the polltax,392 but in the Roman languagecapitatio,for they call thehead acaput.So the Pharisees said: "Does not your master pay thedoublezuzå?"which is 2zuze.
48. [Concerning the shekel.] One shekel is that which is transliteratedfrom the Hebrew languageshekel,393 meaning inclination, forthey say theshekelpulls down.394 There are in it two of whatare calledlepta,which makes 2zuze;{68a} but 2 doublezuze,whichis 2 shekels|59 according to the sacred shekel,395 make 1 stater. The weight of thisstater is the sum of 2 doublezuze,the complete measure of two polltaxes, as the Lord said: "Give a stater for me and you." For this iswhat was ordered by Augustus to be paid for every poll. But the shekel is alsocalled akodrantes,396 for there are 2zuzein it. Butwhen it is changed or divided it is divided into manylepta,for thesilver (coin) which is called by the Hebrews a mina----that is, a number397----contains100denarii;its fourth is 25denariiwhen it is changed. So whenit is changed, because it is bound up in a bag, it is called akodrantes,forthey call a bag of silver akodarion.398 But the shekel,which is one-fourth {68b} of an ounce, one-half of a stater, contains 2zuze;forone-eighth of an ounce is azuzå.And thezuzåwas also called aholke.399 By this weight----I mean the shekel----they weighed the hairof Absalom every time he had his hair cut; and it possessed the weight of 125shekels, which is 31 ounces and 1 shekel, that is, 2 1/2libraeand 5shekels.400
49. Concerning the obolus. The obolus also was coined among the silver(coins). The one, however, made not of silver but of iron is one-eighth of anounce,401 for this used to be an arrow.402 For the life ofman before the coming of Christ was hemmed in by wars, so that they had need ofarrows against those of the enemy. By means of such things as these they did business, {68c} everyone giving five or ten arrowswhen purchasing bread or anything else. But this was in weight one-seventh of anounce; and with our own eyes we have seen this kind, O lover of the good. For onthe island of Cyprus many kings and tyrants seized the government in antiquity.And going up for a walk|60 to one of the ancient castles which had revolted once upon a time, we enteredwhere there had been a palace, where there was stored a portion of the tyrant'spay which was given to the soldiers under him from time to time. And there hadbeen placed in a heap these obeloi,403which were fashioned by earlyman for use as money. But they were also employed in the wars. Moreover, thesethings concerning the oboloi, such as I have expounded and adduced, I wascompelled to say because the divine Scripture says: "The whole world ofcapital belongs to the faithful; {68d} not even an obolus belongs to theunfaithful."404 But there was also another obolus that wascoined of silver, which was a very small coin; it is one-eightieth of an ounce.405For it is said in Leviticus: "The doublezuzåshall be 20oboloi."406 We have already shown that the doublezuzåisone-fourth of an ounce.
50. Concerning thechalkoi.(As for) thechalkoi,theEgyptians invented them. They are silver (coins) that are coined; for thisreason the silver coins are called coppers407 among the Alexandrians.But thechalkusis one-eighth of an ounce by weight, like thezuzå.408
51. Concerning the mina. Mina is formane.409For inthe Hebrew the silver (coin) is called themane.But the Italian minaconsists of 40 {69a} staters, that is, of 20 ounces----alibraand two-thirds. Butthat which is called the barbarian, the Theban, consists of 60 staters, that is,2 1/2librae.But they coin other minas, some of 2librae,some of4, everyone according to his pleasure. And there have been many types of silver(coins) from time to time.|61
52. [Concerning thenummus.410] A certainnummuswasonce called after one Numa who was a king of the Romans, and in accordance withhis name the coin was coined. But the ancients called half of the silver(denarius)thedichryson.411And the silver(denarius)is whatthe Romans call themiliarision,412which is translated"military gift."413 Thisdichrysonalso was thesilver (coin) that was later called repudiated. After the king had been killed, {69b} his stamp was stillengraved upon thedichryson.When his coin came to be repudiated it wascalled fraudulent, that is, repudiated. But you find this term in the prophetalso, O lover of learning, as he says: "Call them repudiated silver."414But the Cyprians and other peoples call theassarionby the Greek nameziretia.415And, again, the ancients had silver (coins) that were calledlityra,415alsotyria;415but we do not know how heavy these were as toweight.
53. [Concerning thefollis.] Thefollisis also calledthe purse,416because it is a multiple; for it is 2 1/2 silver(coins), which is 250417denarii.Twoleptaare afollisaccording to the copper coinage,418 but not according to thesilver coinage. This also was of silver.419 And, moreover, even atthe present time the Romans make use of this|62number, {69c} 125 pieces of silver in number being considered among theRomans as heaped up together to make one purse, because the profusion of thequantity of the silver pieces fills the bag. For as the talent contains 125libraeby number, so also in the case of thefollis125 silver(denarii)complete420the number. But you also find this, O lover of the good, in the book ofKingdoms, when Naaman the Syrian, turning in the chariot, went to meet withGehazi and he, as if sent by Elisha personally, said, lying: "My lord sentme, saying: 'There have come to me two needy sons of the prophets. But send themtwo garments and a talent of silver.' " And he said: "Take two talentsof silver and two garments that may be changed," And he put the two talentsinto two bags and placed them upon two young men.421
Now a talent, {69d} we say, consists of 125librae,that is, the greattalent; and this was placed in bags because it was in coins. For the number 125is called a talent because of its great weight. For when we wish to mention whatis excessive in weight we say "exceeding the talent," but when (amatter) of simple number, the number 125 is employed.422And, again,it is called thefollisbecause of the interpretation "bag";and inleptait lumps up423 125leptaof silver424in one coin (name)425so as to be called individually a follis,beingmentioned by this name "bag." In accordance with another explanationamong the Hebrews, the termsala426 is used; but this coin isentirely of silver, the weight half an ounce. This is what Abraham proposed togive to the sons of|63 Shechem as the price of the field because of the double cave, saying,"four hundred doublezuzebetween us,"427 which were200salim.{70a} And428 thesalais interpreted asfollisbecauseof the roundness of form of the coin. The round scales of reptiles are calledfolides.429When this is reckoned in talents the number is carried up to 125librae,but when infollesthey are composed of 125 (denarii)ofsilver. It has the name of bag among the Romans, but among the Hebrews andGreeks that of snake scales.430 But the Alexandrians, having reducedthe talent to the smallest (subdivisions), made it consist of 15 silver (coins)in number, for a silver (coin) was 100denarii.And in adenariustherewere 4lepta.So all these made up 6,000431leptain atalent. To this point, again, as regards the weights and the silver (coins) andthe measures and the numbers which we have adduced, we have also madeexplanation.
54. The names of the measures432 locally. Themares433is a measure among the people of Pontus consisting of 2 pots; but the pot {70b} among themconsists of 10xestai,so that thekupros434consistsof 20 Alexandrianxestai.Among the people of Pontus thekuprosisa measure of dry produce of 2modii;but it (themodius)is saidby them to consist of 5choinikes,and thechoinixof 2xestai,among them, so that thekuproswould consist of 20xestai.Forthere is also a greatmodiusamong them of 24xestai.Thelitrais translated by the Romans aslibra,which among the Romansetymologically435 means equality, that is to say, equality bymeasure. And there is in it 12 ounces. But from what language the name of theounce has come we do not know with|64 certainty;436 but from what we conjecture the ounce is called by aGreek name, being named because of the many parts in thelitra.However,thelitrais also said to be perhaps from the Hebrew or Syriac language, as we have said above. For theliis, {70c} beingtranslated, "to me," and thetrais "it is"; so thatit will be: "Full weight belongs to him that receives." But thelitramakes 288 grams, and every gram consists of 6 carats. But carats are theseeds that are found in the fruit of the carob tree. And this seed weight, if itis complete, equals the weight of 2 fat barley (corns), so that thelitraconsistsof 3,456437 barleycorns, 1,728 carats, 288 grams,43812ounces. But the ounce consists of 24 grams. And again, divided differently, theounce is put439 in yet other terms. For the Hebrews, dividing theounce into other parts, called it by other names.440 For they calledhalf an ounce a stater from the circumstance that when the scale pans on both sides are equal in inclination, {70d} if half an ounce is put intoeach side of the balances and the equipoise of the beam is brought about inaccordance with the pointer that is in the middle of the balances, it comes441to be called a stater.442 That is, the half of an ounce which wasdetermined by the equality of inclination they called a stater, that which wascalled by them the doublezuzå.And the stater with them is thehalf-ounce, 2 shekels as they are called in the Hebrew, as we have said above,while according to the etymology of the language they are interpreted throughsekel443as a "taking up"444or a "weighing down,"445 as we say "it weighs down" or "it inclines." And, again, theshekel, which is half a stater, one-fourth of an ounce, has 2lepta|65in it. And theleptonis a weight which is one-eighth of an ounce, andby some it is also called the obelus.446 But some divide the ounceinto 7 obeloi, while some change {71a} the name obelus. Since it is numbered amongthe weights they call it the obolus, because the ancients, consuming their livesin war, did their business by means of arrows, for the arrow was called theobelus. And a man would give 2 obeloi and get bread or anything else pertainingto food. Therefore in the temple in Jerusalem there sat the money-changers whowere calledtrapezitai,447whose tables the Lord overturned,448which (tables) were for the coinage, which gets its name from this circumstance,that at royal courts by this means men think449 that the world iscontrolled. But it was called silver (coinage) because at the time it was madeof silver with the image of the king on it. There was a large one, (used) as asymbol and a weight, that was called a silver (talent), as I have already said, of 100denaria.450But everydenarionwas{71b} 60assaria.The silver (coin), however, that is current is thatwhich is called the mina, according to the Hebrew; therefore it was called themina according to those things previously determined by me above. But since itwas impossible, if the large silver (mina) was carried about, to buy bread oranything else of small value, it was necessary to give the large silver (minas)to the money-changers and to change (them) for small coins, that is to say, tochange (the money), that is, to make exchange. Hence those calledtrapezitaiarealso called money-changers. Therefore also the Lord, overturning their tablesthere, scattered their silver (minas). For this reason also there came about thename of the obolus, because by means of such little arrows as these the businessof the wars of mankind was carried on.
55. Concerning thexestes.But the name of thexestesis fromthe great measures divided into small parts. Because some have sought|66to learn {71c} whence this measure is derived and have not found out, we haveassented with some of the ancients as to whence this derived (term) is taken.Contrariwise it is Greek,451 from the circumstance that by means ofit large measures are reduced452 to smallness. The Romans, takingover its name, inasmuch as they had a measure of 6xestai,which (number)is pronounced by them in the Roman languagesex,say therefore notxestesbutsextan,453that is, "six times," amultiple of thexestes.454They also call the littlexestesthesexton455 for it is the sixth part of what is calledamong them thecongiarium.
56. But thecongiarium456is a liquid measure amongthe Romans also. For likewise the name is even pronounced in the Roman fashion.For this measure you have the further evidence of theChronicleofEusebius and the other chroniclers, (relating) that as each of the kings in(his) time (bestowed) gifts upon the Roman populace, they accordingly bestowed good cheer. {71d} It is to be interpreted "coiledup"457or "put together," for the Romanconge458 means "assemble" or "put together."
57. No one of those who have met with these weights and measures whichhave been mentioned by us for the second time can find fault, as though thewriting were without purpose instead of to teach accuracy; for although we spokeof them heretofore somewhat briefly, we have now set down for the sake ofaccuracy those things also that had been abbreviated. Hereafter we shall tellabout land measures and the measurements upon the land, for they also are in thedivine Scripture.|67
58. Concerning the field. The field459 is a land measure.Now roughly and generically the entire earth is called a field. For if we say,"The field offers pasturage," it means that the whole world togetheris green with vegetation. But again, the field is also a measure of land. Andyou460 find in the divine Scripture, O lover of the good, about thefield of Abiezer.461 And it consists of 5 or 6 seahs,462so that it is either a {72a} fifth or a sixth of ajugon.But this is an Egyptian measure,for the Egyptians measure all their land in fields.
59. Concerning thejugum.463And there are 6 fields inajugonof land of the second class, but 5 (in land) of the first class.But among the Romansjugummeans "pair" or "yoke,"because it is the plowing of a yoke of oxen for a whole day; for the same reasonalso (we find) the decad464 in the agriculture of the Palestiniansand Arabians. But among the Cyprians they are calledzyga,465andamong other peoplessyntelesmata.466There is in the field,according to the measure of the measuring rod of 6 2/3 cubits, called amongsurveyors theakaina,20 by 20 (rods). For the field consists of 5plethraof land of the first class, but of 6plethraof the second class.[The measure of the field467 |68is not like ours, for it extends 20 (rods) by 20 according to the reckoningof 5 cubits (to the rod).] But theplethronis 20468by 20cubits, called thesataean469 among the Palestinians andArabians. For 30sataeansconstitute ajugonof land {72b} of the first class.Therefore, just as the quantity of 30modiilike that in the Gospel470is called a kor, so also here the 30sataeansare called akoraean.Butakoraeanof land of the second class has 60sataeansin [themeasure. And, again, in measurements upon the land thesataeanhas 6 cabs471 in] it. But these 30472sataeansare 13jugera----likethe one-fifth of the measure among the Palestinians473----that is, 13yokes. For the Romans sayjungefor "yoke up," since a yoke ofoxen will plow 2 1/3sataeansin a day. You inquire as to the measure ofthe land, is it thus?474 You inquire as to the measure of the seed,as it thus?488 For, the structure of themodiusbeingenlarged, the overflow, that is, the overfulness of themodius,constituteda part475 of themodius.Therefore when themodiusissmall476 it consists of 5 cabs, but when it is spacious it consistsof 6. Therefore also thesataeanconsists of 6 cabs in the measurement ofland, and of 6 cabs (consists) the measure of seed. {72c} And we have toldthe things concerning thesataean,theplethron,the yoke, thejugon,thekoraean,the field, and thejugera.
60. Concerning the cubit. And this also is in the divine Scriptures|69in many places. For it is said that the specifications of the ark of Noahwere given by means of cubits. For it was said: "Thou shalt make it 300cubits long, 30 cubits high, and 50 cubits wide, and within a cubit thou shaltgather it together above."477 The cubit then is a measure, butit is taken from the measure of the forearm.478 For the part from theelbow to the wrist and the palm of the hand is called the cubit, the middlefinger of the cubit measure being also extended at the same time and there beingadded below (it) the span, that is, of the hand, taken all together.479This cubit has 24 fingers480 in the measure, if the cubit is {72d} a linear measure. If, however, it beτετράγωνος,which is measured along two sides, it is of 48 fingers.481 Whenemployed in measuring a round piece of timber, when doubled four times it iscalled a solid cubit and is of 192 fingers.482 But in this usage thefinger contains 8lepta.The measure of a piece of timber, however, istaken from the circumference of the timber. For example, if you wind a cordabout the piece of timber and it is found that there are in it 72 fingers, or asmany as there may be, then you multiply the 72 fingers by 72 again, which makes5,184 fingers. You divide these again by 12, and there are 432 fingers.483You take the length of such a piece of timber, whether its length be 10 or 12,or whatever it may be. If it be 10 cubits, you multiply the 432leptabythese 10, and there are 4,320lepta.Then you divide these by 192, andthey make 20 solid cubits, which are 3,840 {73a}lepta,that is to say, fingers.And there yet remain 480lepta,of which the 1/192part makes 2cubits, which is 384lepta,and there remain 96lepta.484Then,since it does not have|70 another measure of 192, so that it might be reckoned a solid cubit, we nowdivide the fingers which remain intolepta.Then since a finger contains8lepta,485 one-eighth of these 96leptathat remainmakes the number 12, which is 12 fingers, making half a cubit.486 Sothere are, in a piece of timber that is 72 fingers in circumference and 10cubits long, 22 solid cubits and 12 fingers, that is, 22 1/2 (solid) cubits.487But the simple cubit of linear measurement contains 3 spans,488 6hands,489or 4 palms.490 And there are 8 fingers in thespan and 4 fingers in the hand. {73b} But when it is closed it is called thefist. It is, however, often also called thegronthos,491inasmuchas athletes use this form when engaging in a fight. Therefore the apostle says:"Thus I fight, not as if I beat the air."492 For what iscalled the palm is employed as a measure by women in making fabrics forclothing. For they stretch out the fingers from the tip of the nail of themiddle finger to the "breast" of the palm of the hand, that is, to thegreat joint, and there are six fingers in it. This is the account of the cubit,the span, the hand, the finger, and the palm. And to this point is concerningmeasurements on the earth by means of which land is measured which are employedin the Scriptures. But I have also told about the measurement of round timbers,although it is not employed in the divine Scripture.|71
CONCERNING NAMES OF PLACES, IN PART493
61. Ararat is a place in Armenia in which there is a mountain called Lubar.494On it the ark of Noah came to rest,495 and it is situated in themiddle of Qardu496 and in the salt lands of Armenia.497
62. [Concerning Atat.] Atat,498 in Transjordania, {73c} where they madelamentation for Jacob when he died. It is four miles499from Jericho,about two miles from the Jordan. And it is now called Beth-hagla,500whichis interpreted the place of a circuit, because there, making lamentation, theycompleted a circuit. And there is a fountain of sweet water in the place. Atthis fountain stands to this day a great thorn bush, which is interpretedatat.501On account of this thorn bush the place also is likewise called the"thorn bush" of the salt lands.
63. [Concerning Abarim.] Abarim,502 the mountain on which Mosesdied. It is said, however, to be Mount Nebo, and it is in the territory of Moab,opposite Jericho, overlooking the Jordan, on the summit of Pisgah. And it isvisible on the ascent from Libias503 to Heshbon,504|72which is Heshbu,505 called by the same names, over against MountPeor,506 which also is thus called to this day. So also again theplace is still called Pisgah, which is interpreted "hewn stone."507It is also often called a hill. {73d} Therefore it was said to Moses: "Goup on Mount Nebo to the hill of hewn stone,"508 and he died.
64. [Concerning Azekah.] Azekah is a city of the Canaanites towhich Joshua the (son) of Nun pursued the five kings.509 Moreover, itbelonged to the tribe of Dan.510 But it is now called in Syriac Hewarta,for the reading Azekah is Hebrew; and it is translated into Greek as"white." It is situated midway between Eleutheropolis and Elia,511nine miles from Eleutheropolis, where Goliath died.512
65. [Concerning @@] @@,513 but also called'Ailun,514is a valley over which the moon stood still when Joshua prayed, near the villagewhich is still called @@, eastward of Bethel, three miles515distant.Geba and Ramah, the city516 of Saul, however, are situated near it.
66. [Concerning Anathoth.] Anathoth, a city in the portion of Benjamin,set apart for the priests, in the neighborhood of Elia, about three miles away.517 Jeremiah the prophet was from here. But {74a}what was formerly a city is now a village.
67. Hafra,518 in the portion of Benjamin, still exists. Itis a large village of Ephraim five miles519 east of the city ofBethel, but it was formerly a city. And it is situated near the wilderness ofBethel, as|73 you go down by way of the Akrabattine520 to the Aulon521(valley). Thither the Lord Jesus Christ turned aside when they came to anointhim king.522 And, going to the wilderness, to the city of Ephraim,523 he hid himself there, where there is a great miracle to this day. For vipers orother noxious reptiles are not found. But if you compel a viper to go upon thesoil of the village, it loses all its strength and is unable to do harm andfinally dies; but it makes haste to depart from these borders. The people of theplace say that the Lord Jesus Christ gave this sign to the village {74b} at thetime when he was abiding there, sealing up the place so that a reptile would notcome there, or, if it disobeyed in any respect, it would do no harm. But if andwhen it disobeyed, seeking to remain in the place, it would perish immediatelyupon entering and be found dead.
68. [Concerning 'Avicazar.] 'Avicazar,524the stone of my help, the place upon which the ark rested when it returned fromthe foreign tribes.525 And it is situated between Elia and Azotus,526near Lower Beth-Shemesh, which is fourteen miles distant east and north ofEleutheropolis, in a valley.
69. Concerning the threshing floor of 'Aran.527 This isJerusalem, that is, only the inclosure of the temple wall, specifically528where the altar529 was built.
70. [Concerning Abel-meholah.] Abel-meholah,530 a city ofone of the princes of Sodom,531 whence Elisha was. It is now avillage in the Aulon (valley), from Bajshan532 ten miles distanttoward the south, that {74c} which is now called Beth-meholah.|74
71. Concerning Rekem. Rekem, which is in Kingdoms,533 butcalled Rekem534 in Isaiah.535 It was, however, a great andfamous city that was reckoned to be in Arabia-Palestine, which is also calledEdom536 in the Scripture. But in the Greek language it is called theRock. You also have this name in Isaiah, who says: "And the Rock shall bedesolate," but in (some) codices: "The Rock shall be desolate."537For it is not in regard to a rock that the divine Scripture says, "it isdesolate," as many mistakenly think, but in regard to that which we haveindicated. And it is situated in Mount Seir; often it also is called Seir, forit had these names from Esau, because he built it. For he was named Esau becauseof ruddiness of countenance, {74d} Seir because of hairiness,538 Edombecause of gluttony and worldliness, because he sold his birthright in exchangefor food. But the inhabitant of the (region) round about is called, along withit, Edom.
72. [ConcerningcIn-Jawn.]cIn-Jawn,539"near Salim," where John|75 was baptizing in the Gospel of John. And the place, moreover, is to be seento this day, eight miles south of Bajshan, near Salim and the Jordan.
73. [Concerning Bethel.] Bethel540 is even today a village,ten miles distant from Elia as you go to Neapolis, on the right hand of the way,(a village) which of old was called @@@541 and Luz. It is also ofthe tribe of Benjamin, near Bethau542 and Ai. And Joshua besieged it,killing its king.
74. [Concerning Jerusalem.] (As for) Jerusalem, of it Adonibezek wasking,543 and afterward the Jebusites, by {75a} whom it was calledJebus. When David had driven them out544 he made it a priestlymetropolis of Judah because of the temple that was established in it. Josephussays that this is the Salem of Genesis over which Melchizedek was king.545And it was in the portion of the tribe546 of Benjamin. But others saythat the Salem of Melchizedek was opposite Shechem in Samaria, whose grounds areseen (lying) waste. For Eusebius also, who wrote theOnomasticon,547so testifies, saying: "Salem is the city of Shechem, which is Shechem,548as the Scripture says. But there is also another village to this day besideElia, to the west of it. And there is yet another situated in a plain eightmiles from Bajshan (the village), of Salumia. But Josephus says that this is theSalem over which Melchizedek was king, saying: 'Salem is that which was laterJerusalem.' "549 But some say {75b} that there is another Salemnear Hobah,550 to the left of Damascus.|76
75. [Concerning Jafo.] Jafo, which is transferred (into Greek as) Jope,is a city of Palestine on the seacoast in the portion of Dan.551Buttoday many of its buildings are in ruins. Here Jonah the prophet embarked forTarshish,552 which is called Tarsus above.553 And herethey of Judea were accustomed to embark----I mean, from Jope----for it was theirport.
76. Akko,554 which is Ptolemais and Thimuna,555beside great Carmel, was also the harbor of Jamnia556and the portfor Betosigon.557But it is now laid waste. From here, again, theysay Jonah, having been vomited up by the whale, departed on the way to Nineveh,the great city, for forty days. For thus it is in the Hebrew: "Jonah beganto enter the city forty days."558 But it is not possible thatthe city could have had a street of forty days' (length), but it is alsoimpossible that Jonah could have sat by it forty days {75c} until he saw what was goingto take place; for so do the followers of Aquila interpret: "Again fortydays and Nineveh shall be overthrown."559 Where then did Jonahtarry, so that he knew that it was not yet overthrown? Or while the sun beatdown upon his head with heat, the gourd from which he had shade rising up overhis head? And if he waited for forty days while it shaded him from the heat, whydid he say: "It sprang up one night and withered another,"560if he persevered for forty days looking for what was to take place? So theseventy-two have well translated: "Yet three days and Nineveh shall beoverthrown."561 For they have explained that what is involved inthe|77 forty days is said of the journey, as we think. And when they have explainedit as the measure of the length of the journey, they have resolved thedifficulty of the words and have explained the note about the three days.
77. Concerning Karmela. Karmela, {75d} where Nabal was,562is a village that is even yet called Karmela, which is transferred(into Greek as) Karmelos, toward the east from the tenth milestone on the roadfrom Hebron, where there is also situated a fort of the Romans.563
78. Concerning another second Karmela. The other Karmelais the great mountain that reaches to the sea of Phoenicia and separatesPalestine from Phoenicia; (it is) where Elijah sat.564
79. [Concerning Karchedon.] Karchedon,565 which is Carthage,also Carthagina, the metropolis of Africa. Thither once upon a time Canaanitesmigrated from Phoenicia. For even until today the Africans speak Canaanitish.And being asked about their language, they reply: "We are Canaanites."But they are called Bizakanoi,566 which is translated"scattered." But because of their racial relationship to the Phoenicians, Isaiah says to the king of Tyre: "Till thy land,{76a} for the ships of Karchedon no longer come to thee."567 Butin the Hebrew Isaiah and Ezekiel call it Tarshish.568
80. [As to the quarters (of the heavens) and the stars which are in thedivine Scriptures.] Again, O lover of the good, I also prepare you an account ofthe quarters (of the heavens) and of the stars which are in the divineScriptures. East, west, north, south, according to the word spoken by the Lordin the Gospel, shall come and lean on the bosom of Abraham and of Isaac and ofJacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom----as we would say,the sons of|78 Israel----shall go out into outer darkness.569 But some one maysay: "You have told us something superfluous in speaking of east and westand north and south, for who does not know these terms and the localsignificance570 of them?" But I have called them to mind that Imight explain their origin. Now it will occur to you at once, O lover of thegood, concerning Job, that "he was a highborn man of those from the (regionof the) rising of the sun."571 So the east,572{76b}where the sun rises, gets its name accordingly. But if the highborn and thelowborn are known by birth,573 Job was exceedingly highborn. For hewas the son of Zerah, and Zerah was the son of Reuel, and Reuel was the son ofEsau,574 Esau was the son of Isaac, Isaac was the son of Abraham, he(Job) being the fifth after Abraham, that is, from Abraham. He (Abraham) wasabove all nobility of birth,575 he who was known as the friend ofGod.576 For if the friends of kings577are known ashighborn, how much more highborn was Abraham, who was named "the friend ofGod"?578 But from the east also the easterly wind is calledeuros,either because it blows widely579 or because it is set at the|79 head580 of the winds, that is, is found (at the head). Hence, inthe Acts of the Apostles also there is found knowledge of the windeuraklydon{76c} andtyphonikos,581 typhonikosbecauseof severity, buteuraklydon582because it blows out of thedepths ofeuros.583But there is also in the Scriptureconcerning theapeliotes.584This blows from the other side ofeuros,from the quarter ofnotos585over which the sunpasses, hence calledapeliotes.586And beyond it iseuronotos,because it is in the middle betweeneurosandnotos,afterapeliotes,as this wind also is called in the divine Scriptures.587 Butnotosis the wind that blows from the south;588 and after this there isanother wind that is calledlibonotos,for it is in the middle betweennotosandlips.589The west is also calledhespera,590from which quarterzephyrosblows. You have this wind also in theActs.591 And in the middle betweenlipsandzephyrosblowsthat which is called the "middle," otherwisechoros,which islikewise found in the Acts,592 where the companions ofPaul sailed for the place Phoenix, {76d} the harbor of which Phoenix lookedtoward thechoros.From thischorosblow the annuals593that are also called "dogs," but they are called "dogs"because of the perpetual barking of dogs. The north wind, which is calledaparkias,blows from|80 the depths of the north, whence that which is called the bear594turns; therefore it is calledaparktias.595Beyond this is thatwhich is called thethraskion,596which blows from the regionof Thrace. Men give this wind many names, naming them from the places (whencethey blow). Thethraskionand theeuraklydonare associated witheach other. And some of those in the East call theeuraklydontheskopelea,597and thethraskionthepatrea.598But others call thethraskionthekekian,599while those in Numidia, in Africa, and inBritain call it thesamuren.600And these things pertain tothe four quarters and their winds and the two (winds) blowing with each one ofthe winds, situated on the two sides of each.
81. {77a} Mary went up to the hill country to (visit) Elizabeth.601And this hill country extends upward from the Aulon (valley) and Jericho and theDead Sea, and on the other side of Jericho it extends upward from the Jordan tothe neighborhood of parts of Phoenicia. Here, then, are established602the boundaries603 of Israel and (her) possessions,604Abilene and the Decapolis, which are on the side of Pella.605Butthey are also situated in the region of Perea.606 And to them alsobelong the Ammonite (country) and the Moabite (country) and the|81Gileadite (country) above.607 Now they are eastward across theJordan, but the hill country is westward of the Jordan, Jerusalem being in themidst of it. But to the west of the east608 it has the Shephelah. Inthe Shephelah were the five satrapies of the foreign tribes:609(that of) the Gazans, (named) from the city of Gaza; (that of) the Ashkelonians,from the city of Ashkelon; (that of) the Azotans----these were on the sea. Butthere was also that of the Gathans, whence Goliath was; but Gath is now laid waste. {77b} But it extended to Ekron. And there isnow a large desolate village not far from Gath, about seven miles. Some thinkthis to be Ekron, but from the positions and from the signs and from (thelocation of) Mount Carmel we find it to be Caesarea Stratonis.610This whole country, however, was called @@, and from its name of @@ the wholeeparchy611 came to be called Palestine. And so much for these things.
82. But there are also in Job these things about the position of the stars,612where he says: "He that made the Pleiades and the evening star and theNorth Star and Orion and the chambers of the south."613And thePleiades, with the seven stars in it, is known to many. But some call it theCluster614 because of its resemblance to a cluster (of grapes). Andthe evening star is the star that is seen in the west at evening time, but especially in the autumn season. They call this {77c} thelong-haired.615 Moreover, O lover of the good, you have written inJob concerning this: "For thou callest," he says, "the eveningstar with the voice, and he answers thee; but thou leadest him, taking hold|82of his hair."616 But as to the North Star, some say that itis the foremost star in the pole of Charles's Wain,617 but others saythat it is one of the four (constituting) the wagon itself, that is, the cornerone at the wagon end of the pole. But as to Orion, they say that it is the oneformed in the likeness of a man's image. And it has four (principal) starsforming a rectangle, and three above like a head, and three like a girdle forthe loins, and others that descend in the form of a belt or like a sword. Butthese are calledmazuroth618 in the divine Scripture; theyare, however, interpreted "elements." The (term) "chambers of thesouth" is used because of the storehouses of snow and of hail and dew.These are not on the earth, but between the heavens and the earth, being brought from the inside {77d} of the corners of the heavens; anddew and honey especially are drops that have been thus brought from heaven. Forit is not true, as some suppose, that the rain is from heaven. Out of the seaand other places the clouds draw up the rain and pour (it) upon the face of theearth. And you have testimony, O lover of the good, in the prophet,619where he says: "He that bringeth up the clouds from the end of theearth," and, again: "He that calleth the waters of the sea and poureththem out upon the face of the earth, the Lord God Almighty is his name."620And so much, again, for these things.
83. And, other place and land names occurring to us, we are making mention ofthem. Mountains and hills. Mountains, indeed, are according to nature; they621are elevated places that were formed by God, that were heaped up by means ofrocks and stones. And hills also are elevated places, but they are of earth622{78a} and notheaped up out of stones. And ridges623 are elevated places, but theyare of sand. And|83 therasine624also are said to be of sand----not theshevalte,625but therapine.For theshevalteare in themiddle parts of streams where the movement of the stream is from both sidestoward the middle, being gathered together in the likeness of a spike (ofgrain), such that because of the force of the turning about they are calledwhirlpools.
84. Here we arrive at the end of our writing for you, O lover of the good.
The end of the discourse of Saint Epiphanius, bishop of Constantia in Cyprus,concerning weights and measures and numbers and certain other explanations (ofthings) found in the divine Scriptures.
Praise be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now andalways, forever and forever. Amen.
And from John, the sinner, who has written, be thanksgiving to our Lord andGod Jesus Christ forever!
{78b} And [this] bo[ok] was completed on the twenty-ninth day of .... [in theyear] nine hundred sixty- .... of Alexander, in the da[ys of the] God-[fearing](men), famous for [excellent deportment], the abbot Mar Leonti[us] .... and thesteward andchorepiscopusMar ....sinaja,626in the[holy] monastery of our congregation ofHjn'627.... MarPhiliphft628.... of the presbyters, Mar Con[stantine] andMarT'. . . . , Paultj.....629
[Selected footnotes moved to the end and renumbered. Originally it was intended only to include a few footnotes, but they had scannedso well that the majority were included. Those omitted were usually thoseunintelligible unless the Syriac was transcribed -- a task beyond my abilities.]
1. 1 The order "Weightsand Measures" is based on B.
2. 2 Lit., "what occasion calledand St. Epiphanius made."
3. 3 I.e., Valentinian II, emperor ofthe West, is said to have joined with Theodosius, emperor of the East, and thetwo sons of the latter in summoning Epiphanius to Constantinople.
4. 4 But it is actually neither anorderly nor a complete list.
5. 5 We use this Latin term throughout exceptin a single paragraph; the Greeklitraseems to be derived from it.
6. 6 I.e., a synonym forlibra;weightsare under discussion.
7. 7 Incorrect; see §§45 and 54. TheGreeknomismausually meant "coin" in general, but was alsospecifically applied to a coin or coin unit not in circulation.
9. 9 The spelling found in Sophocles'Lexicon;cf. § 52.
10. 10 Thesoliduswas 1/6 ouncein the Roman system; see Sir W. M. Flinders Petrie,Ancient Weights andMeasures(London, 1926) p. 25. Doubtless the word written here is an errorforselac,written @@in § 53.
11. 11 I.e., small silver pieces,calledmiliarenses.
12. 12 B indicates a major pause here.
15. 15 The Greekγομορrepresents both the omer and the homer; there is only the context to guidein the choice between the two terms.
16. 17 Cf. Lagarde,OrientaliaII(Gottingen, 1880) 2 f.
17. 18 Lit.: "indicating a measurethat fills the grasp of the hand."
18. 19 κανισκιον,diminutive ofκανεος,a basket of reed orcane, especially a bread basket.
19. 20 Greek:ἀλάβαστρον;cf. Mark 14:3 and Peshitta.
21. 22 B has @@@@, which denotes a dishpractically square, about the same as the Latinscutella.
22. 23Heb. 9:4; cf. LXX, Exod. 16:33.
23. 2 "And an understanding ofother things" is not in the Greek. Note to the online text: I haveplaced material not in the Greek in grey.
24. 3 Margin: "in the divineScriptures."
25. 4 These two words are the same inSyriac and in Greek, literally, "theories"; in the second case both Aand B employ the singular.
27. 6 Not in Greek mss. employed by Lagardeand Dindorf; Lagarde suppliesἐλέγχους.
28. 7 Not in the Greek; apparently agloss on "threatenings."
29. 8 B has this as a marginal gloss...
30. 9 Never in general use and of nospecial value...
31. 10 The ancient forms of our 'and '.
32. 11 I.e., in theHexaplaofOrigen or in quotations from that work. Cf. H. B. Swete,An Introduction tothe Old Testament in Greek(Cambridge, 1914) pp. 59-76. Greek:"Likewise also concerning the rest of the signs. Concerning theasterisk."
33. 12 Preceding part of the sentencenot in Greek.
34. 13 An English transliteration ofthe Syriac transliteration of the original Greek of Epiphanius, which itselfappears to be a blundering attempt to reconstruct in Greek letters the Hebrew ofGen. 5:5 from which the LXX reading came.
36. 16 Margin: "(lover of the)good."
37. 18 Both Syriac and Greek here usethe singular in imitation of the Hebrew idiom employed in Gen. 5:5.
38. 19 Dindorf's Greek reads:"According to Attic usage it is called the obelus, but by others it iscalled the spear."
39. 21 Cf. theLetter of Aristeas,ed.H. St. J. Thackeray (London, 1917) §301: "northern district"; alsoibid.p. 109. A later edition by Raffaele Tramontano,La lettera di Aristea aFilocrate(Napoli, 1931), renders similarly.
40. 22 Margin adds the word"meal."
42. 24 I.e., the writer is thinking of thefinal and medial forms.
43. 25 I.e., following the usage of LXX.
44. 26 This sentence not in the Greek.
47. 31 Greek: "and this is theprophetic 'pentateuch.' "
48. 32 I.e., the Wisdom of Solomon.
50. 34 Negative omitted by the Greek.
52. 36 This sentence not in the Greek.
53. 38 Lit., both Syriac and Greek,"is sung."
54. 39-39 Not in the Greek; cf. IV Esdras,chap. iv.
55. 40-40 Not in the Greek;"below" is justified by the marginal readings of both A and B.
56. 41 The Greek omits the negative.
57. 42 Greek: "those not takenaway."
58. 44 An English transliteration ofthe Syriac transliteration of the original Greek of Epiphanius, which seemsitself to be a blundering attempt to reconstruct in Greek letters the Hebreworiginal of Ps. 141:1.
59. 45 This sentence not in the Greek.
60. 46 Greek: "as to style"or "as to phraseology."
61. 47 Greek: "is said to be."
63. 49 The Greek here has a wordplayimpossible in the Syriac. Just as the sword is "the destructive one,"in the sense of killing, so the obelus indicates a word that "is to belifted up" or destroyed.
66. 54 This word not in the Greek.
67. 56 At about this point the marginhas: "concerning what is called thelemniscus.''
68. 57 Margin: "brought" or"introduced."
71. 60 Some Greek mss. read"his."
73. 62 Lit., "without the others.".
74. 63 This word not in the Greek.
76. 65 Greek:..."one thathas a brother."
77. 66 This word not in the Greek.
78. 68 The Greek addsπότε,"when."
80. 70 The marginal @ is paralleled bya similar numeral for each of the versions.
81. 71 Cf. that text in Swete,op.cit.p. 560. Everything following, to and including "These are thenames, as we have already said, of the seventy-two translators," is absentfrom the Greek.
82. 72 Such names as are familiarthrough biblical and classical literature are given in their usual form; othersare transliterated from the Greek of Aristeas, following Thackeray in Swete,op.cit.
83. 73 Cf. R. Payne Smith,ThesaurusSyriacus,col. 546.
84. 74 Thackeray in Swete,op. cit.,hasχαβριαςand omits Hilkiah.
87. 77 I.e., the original harbor ofAthens. The margin undertakes to explain the word as meaning "bald whitehead," confusing the proper name withφαλαρές,"coot"; margin adds in Greek letters:φαλαρηνω.
88. 78 Dindorf, following Petavius,omits the word "Romans" where it first occurs and amends in the secondinstance so as to read, "the Syrians and those in Greece among the Romans,called not yet Romans but Latins." Most probably the Romaeans are meant inthis latter occurrence, a term early applied to the inhabitants of the EasternRoman Empire.
90. 80 In common use as a designation ofroyalty before A.D. 1500.
92. 82 Greek:..."toconsecrate"; the margin explains the Syriac verb to mean "priestlyseparation."
94. 84 Margin: "When AntiochusEpiphanes had captured your place and sent many of you as captives to our place,to Egypt, for sale, having purchased them with much gold, giving a sum of dinarsfor every man (and) redeeming (him), I sent them away."
95. 85 Greek: "a vow and piety."
96. 86 This word not in the Greek.
97. 87-87Greek: "the giftsgladly."
99. 89 Greek: "to explain thebooks in the Greek language by means of the Hebrew."
100. 90 The idea of a second letter isas early as JustinApologyi. 31, according to Thackeray,op. cit.pp.101-2.
102. 92 Cf. Ecclesiasticus 20:30 and Cant.4:12 (LXX).
107. 97 Greek: "But there waslater also another library in the Serapeum, smaller than the first, which wasalso called its daughter, in which were placed the translations of Aquila,Symmachus, Theodotion, and the rest, two hundred and fifty years later."
108. 98 I.e., from the time of thetranslation of the LXX; sentence not in the Greek.
109. 99 Greek: "the same PtolemyPhiladelphus under whom the seventy-two translators translated reignedthirty-eight years."
110. 100 Preceding portion of sentencenot in the Greek.
112. 102 Cf. J. K. Fotheringham,TheBodleian Manuscript of Jerome' s Version of the Chronicle of Eusebius,fol.103b. [Note to the online edition: see introduction]
113. 104 The fuller Greek text:"Altogether from the first Ptolemy, the son of Lagos, to Cleopatra, threehundred and six years. From the seventh year of Ptolemy Philadelphus, under whomin this year the seventy-two translated, to Cleopatra, is two hundred andforty-nine."
114. 105 The Greek adds"plainly" or "clearly."
115. 106 I.e., the Lagid; but theGreek says, "who having built the race course in Alexandria named it theλαϊον."
116. 107 Cf. theChronicleofEusebius.
117. 108-108 Not in the Greek.
118. 109 This word not in the Greek.
120. 111 Greek: "sixty-five years.... and some days"; cf. the long note of Petavius in the edition ofDindorf. Margin adds "some" to "three."
121. 112-112 Not in the Greek.
122. 113 I.e., including the entire reignsof both Augustus and Hadrian.
123. 114-114 Not in the Greek.
124. 115 This last calculation not inthe Greek.
125. 116 Margin: "I.e., he becamelionlike," or leprous; Greek:λωβηθεές.
126. 117-117 a mere doublet of thepreceding Greek verb.
127. 118 Instead ofὃςthe Greek hasὡς καὶand theinfinitive.
128. 119 The margin corrects thespelling.
129. 120 Greek: "devoid ofknowledge, because of the illness....."
131. 123 So margin and B; the text islit. "valley."
132. 124 I.e., Vespasian's reign.
134. 126-126 Not in the Greek.
135. 128-128 Not in the Greek.
136. 129-129 Not in the Greek, according toDindorf's text.
137. 130-130 Not in the Greek.
138. 131-131 Not in the Greek.
139. 132 Margin: "in the Lord."
140. 133 Margin merely adds a synonym.
141. 135-135 Not in the Greek.
142. 136 The Greek omits thisparticiple and makes the next one refer to both Christianity and life.
143. 137 The margin explains thisword: "I.e., he became a proselyte to the Jews."
145. 140-140 Not in the Greek.
146. 141 Incorrect; for the correctsequence of the emperors see § 18.
147. 142 Geta was really the youngerbrother of Caracalla.
148. 143 No; he was joint ruler withMarcus Aurelius Antoninus seven years.
150. 145-145 Not in the Greek.
151. 146 Greek: "Severus."Cf. Swete,op. cit.p. 50. The margin would perhaps make it read:"of this Verus."
152. 147 Margin explains this wordagain, in the same terms as before.
153. 148 This word not in the Greek.
154. 149 The Greek omits "thesame."
155. 150 Greek: "what is called."
157. 152 Rom. 9:13; Mal. 1:2-3.
158. 153-153 Not in the Greek.
159. 154-154 Greek: "in the reign ofCommodus II, who reigned after the above mentioned Lucius Commodus Aureliusthirteen years, a certain Theodotion."
160. 155 Greek and margin: "of thesuccession(orfollowing)."
161. 156 Margin defines this participle:"i.e., holding anger."
162. 157 Greek: "And again, wherethere was need of casting out certain words, they cast out alike and translatedin unison, just as though they had sat together and translated in consultationwith one another."
163. 158 Before this sentence the Greekinserts: "It is quite clear that the truth is with the seventy-two."
164. 159 The Greek omits this sectionheading, and the Petavius text reads "Severus" instead of"Verus" in what follows.
167. 162 The sequence of the Romanemperors is here given correctly, but Geta was the younger brother of Caracalla.
168. 163 For the "fifth" and"sixth" translations, cf. Swete,op. cit.pp. 53 ff.
169. 164 At this point begins a series ofmarginal numbers which merely repeat what is in the text.
170. 165 Commodus Lucius reigned jointlywith Marcus Aurelius during the first seven years of the latter. This sentenceis not in the Greek.
171. 166 This sentence not in theGreek.
172. 167 Syriac: "heard";Greek: "said."
173. 168-168 Not in the Greek.
174. 169 The Greek adds:"this."
175. 170 The Greek adds:"another."
176. 171 Greek: "succeeded him,with his son Antoninus, and they reigned eighteen years." Margin adds:"and (some) months."
177. 172 The Greek adds:"another."
178. 173 Greek: "in his heptad."
179. 174 This parenthetic clause notin the Greek.
180. 175 Greek: "with otherHebrew and Greek books."
181. 176 This sentence not in theGreek.
183. 178 The Syriac word ends in-os,as though masculine.
184. 179 Margin: "Gallus,"correctly.
185. 180 The dates for Origen areplaced too late; cf. Swete,op. cit.pp. 6O ff.
186. 181-181 Not in the Greek.
187. 182-182 Not in the Greek.
188. 183-183 Not in the Greek.
189. 184 Lit., "translated," inboth Syriac and Greek.
190. 185 Swete(op. cit.p. 73, n.1) calls this a confused and inexact account of Origen's labors, for he did notgo to Tyre until near the end of his life, but performed his herculean tasks atCaesarea.
191. 186 Lit., "wove," inboth Syriac and Greek.
192. 187 Greek: "writing thesymbol above it."
193. 188 The words after"Octapla"not in the Greek.
194. 189 This word not in the Greek.
195. 190 Greek: "before theseventy-two, according to the order of arrangement."
196. 191 The margin reads"Gallus," correctly.
197. 192 Cf. Epiphanius,AdversushaeresesLXVI xi (ed. Migne, Vol. XLII, col. 46); alsoActa Archelai,ed.Charles Henry Beeson (Leipzig, 1906).
198. 193 Is this the Turbo of theActaArchelai?
199. 194 This sentence not in theGreek.
200. 195 This word not in the Greek.
201. 196 Greek: "he was skinnedwith a reed by the command of the king of the Persians."
202. 197 The rest of the sentence isnot in the Greek.
203. 198 The marginal @ seems intendedto correct this figure.
204. 199 Margin: "and sixmonths."
205. 200-200 Not in the Greek.
207. 202-202 Greek: "lasting twelveyears in all."
208. 204 "Of Christ" not in theGreek. As to the death of Maximian, cf. Eusebius,Church HistoryIX x.
209. 205 These two sentences in Greek:"All these having died, the blessed Constantine succeeded, who, dying, lefthis own sons to rule----Constans, Constantius, and Constantine."
210. 206 Greek: "After them Julian,Jovian ...."; nominatives.
211. 207-207 Omitted in 13. "Valenshis brother" has a marginal note in A, "he that was burned." Thesame marginal note is in 13, but is not attached to any particular word. Cf.Socrates,Church HistoryIV xxxviii; Sozomenus,Church HistoryVIxl;Chronique de Michel le Syrien ... , 6d. ...par J. B. Chabot (Paris,1899-1910) I 295 and IV 153; Barhebraeus,Chronicum Syriacum[ed.....Bedjan](Parisiis, 1890) p. 66, 11. 10-11.
212. 208 The Greek has this word inthe genitive, in agreement with the one preceding. By error the Syriac hasmentioned three Valentinians.
214. 211 This word not in the Greek.
215. 212 I.e., a.d. 392. Arcadius hadformerly been consul in 385; cf. H. F. Clinton,Fasti RomaniI (Oxford,1845) 508, 524.
216. 213-213 Not in the Greek.
217. 215 This word not inthe Greek...
218. 216-216 Greek: "according torumor."
219. 218 Margin: "June, i.e.,Haziran."
221. 220-220 Greek: "in all the thingssaid before."
222. 221-221 Not in the Greek.
223. 222 Both Syriac and Greek allow thesense "altered" or "corrected."
226. 225 The Greek form of the word"seah"; hence the Greek has this word not at this point but in theplace here held by "seah."
227. 226 See p. 13, n. 19.Margin: "measures."
228. 227 The Greek hastryblion,andso has the Syriac in § 38.
229. 228-228 Not in the Greek.
230. 229 A Syriac term; hence a Syriacorigin rather than a Hebrew one is postulated.
231. 230-230 Not in the Greek.
232. 231 Epiphanius here cites a LXXreading not otherwise known for Hos. 3:2.
233. 232 But the author fails to citea Hebrew term here; he seems to give a merely conjectural derivation, based onthe homer (ass's load), which is equated withlethekh.
234. 233 The affirmative particle isrepeated in A.
235. 234-234 Not in the Greek.
236. 235 The Aramaic @@ means "oilpress."
237. 236 Greek:"oil-presser." Thisἐλαιοτρέπτης(inthe Breslau ms.,ἐλαιοτρήπτης)shouldbe inserted in the next edition of Liddell and Scott.
238. 237 Surely this remark is meantto apply only tomedimnos.
239. 240-240 Not in the Greek.
240. 241 The Greek word istransliterated; "neither feminine nor masculine" is not in the Greek.
241. 242 The Greek term, not in commonuse among Syriac-speaking people.
242. 243 The Syriac term is an unusualone, requiring the added gloss.
243. 245-245 Not in the Greek.
244. 246 But in reality Epiphanius'description attributes to the Hebrews the invention of the measure rather thanthe name.
245. 247 Cf. F. Hultsch,Griechischeund romische Metrologie(Berlin, 1882) p. 631.
247. 249 The days are numbered in the margin. The Greek adds, "hemade"; for the preceding sentence there reads: "And the sacred measureis none other than the twenty-two works that God did in the six days of thehebdomad."
248. 250 In the Greek there follows:τήν τε ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ χάους.Dindorf in his ed. of Epiphanius (Vol. IV [Lipsiae,1862] Pars I, p. xv) also cites the following, from Codex Venetus Marcianus:τάς τε ἐν ἀβύσσοις, τήν τε ὑποκάτω τῆς ἀβύσσου τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν τε ἐπάνω τῆς γῆς, ἐξ οὗ ὑπὲρ σκότος ἐστέ. καὶ σκότος.....
249. 251 Epiphanius would distinguish between the abyss of Sheoland the abysmal waters that in Gen. 1:2 are said to have covered the entireearth.
250. 252 The Greek continues: "and the division between the watersabove the firmament and the waters below the firmament upon the face....."
251. 253 Greek: "And all the works done by God in the sixdays were twenty-two."
252. 254 Greek: "And God completed everything."
255. 257 LXX of Exod. 19:5 and Deut. 7:6 and 14:2.
256. 258-258 Not in the Greek.
257. 259 Greek order:.... Enosh, Enoch, Arpachshad, Shelah, Kenan,Peleg, Mahalalel, Eber, Reu, Jared, Serug, Nahor, Methuselah, Terah, Lamech,Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
258. 260 LXX of Gen. 11:12 makes Cainan the son of Arpachshad andfather of Shelah, but this is not in the Peshitta. Cf. Luke 3:36.
259. 261 The parenthetic statement is absent from the Greek.
260. 262-262 Not in the Greek.
261. 263 The Greek does not give the names of the letters, butotherwise the section closes practically as above. B is given in App. I. Aspells out the names of the letters in both Syriac and Greek, then adds what maywell be meant for the Hebrew letters (but ע is not given; it seems to bespelled out again in Greek,αιν). In A the Greek alphabet follows, interspersedwith other characters in part at least Semitic.
262. 264 The Syriac consonants are given, vocalized according tothe Greek text so far as possible. For the five books of the Pentateuch theHebrew titles are given fairly accurately, except that in the case of Numbersthe first word of the Hebrew text is given rather than the conventional Hebrewtitle. The various books are numbered in the margin.
263. 265 The prefixeddin the Greek even shows clearly anAramaic influence here and in most of the other titles.
264. 266 Another Aramaized form, not used by the Hebrews; cf.Origen's title inDie griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der erstendrei Jahrhunderte:Hippolytus I2(Leipzig, 1897) 137.
265. 267 The title used in the Peshitta; therefore thevocalization of the Greek is not allowed above. This is the exact equivalent ofthe LXXparaleipomena.
266. 268 The initialdis present in B.
267. 270 So the Greek. Margin:demethaloth(forB margin see last note), which seems to be the Aramaic root plus the Hebrew fem.pl. ending.
268. 271 In the Syriac lit. "he who collects together."
269. 272 The exact Syriac translation of the Hebrew title.
270. 273 The title used in the Peshitta.
271. 274 Vocalized according to the Greek, for there is no such Hebrewterm. It can hardly be related to [Hebrew] .
272. 275-275 Greek: "among the Greeks."
273. 276 The usual form of the word in Epiphanius.
274. 277 Margin: "The Egyptians call themodius[Syriac]." The Syriac translator did not understand the Greekπεντοι,"indeed"or "really."
275. 278-278 Greek: "which is translatedhomologia," i.e.,"agreement."
276. 279-279 Not in the Greek.
277. 280 The Greek sentence omits the negatives.
278. 281 Margin:"Gnomonis that which is translated:'and he gave to every man what was due him.' "
279. 282 Margin:"Homologia,confession oracknowledgment; likewise also the other two names."
280. 283 This sentence not in the Greek.
281. 284 Greek: "the Law of our God," omitting "forus."
282. 285-285 Greek: "teaching of God is prefigured."
283. 286 Greek: "it is shown that from the Law....."
284. 287 Lit., "said." The Greek has only"according to the above" after"xestai."
286. 290 I.e., to learn the alphabet;ἀλφεῖνdoesnot appear even in theLexiconof Sophocles.
289. 293ρηγλιάζωis found in Sophocles;[Syriac]should have such a meaning assigned it in Brockelmann,op. cit.
290. 294-294Greek: "it confesses."
291. 295 This sentence not in the Greek.
292. 296 Greek: "different." From this point on theGreek is very fragmentary. Cf. App. III.
293. 297 A purely supposititious root so far as the Hebrew isconcerned.
294. 298 The emphatic form of the Syriac; Greek:κάβος.
298. 302 The Syriac , @@@ is doubtless a transliteration ofοφεν,which would be the Greek representation of [Hebrew] . Only the dual occursin MT: Eccles. 4:6; Ezek. 10:2, 7; Exod. 9:8; Lev. 16:12; Prov. 30:4. Cf.Lagarde,OrientaliaII (Gottingen, 1880) 2 f.
300. 304 In the Syriac the verb "grasps" and the noun"handful" are from the same root; this could have been true of theGreek also.
302. 306 Greek poetic term for men, commonly derived frommeiromai.
303. 307 Reading @@@ and considering it an abstract noun fromthe root @@@; or we might possibly translate: "because there is adiminution in thexestesof the place," reading according to theroot @@@. A third possibility would be a transliteration of the Greekληνός,"wine vat."
304. 308 Margin: "Greek here, also Hebrew, because the Greektongue and the Hebrew say (artabå)."
305. 309 LXX of Isa. 5:10; cf.Codex Syro-HexaplarisAmbrosianus,ed. A. M. Ceriani (Mediolani, 1874).
306. 310 A has changed an original @to @, "and."
307. 311 LXX of Isa. 5:10; cf.Codex Syro-HexaplarisAmbrosianus.
309. 313 Lit., "a hidden (cake) of bread."
311. 314a Lit., "2 and one-third and one-fifteenth."
312. 316 Lev. 5:11 and 6:20. In Exod. 16:36 the LXX identifies theephah with the "three measures."
313. 317 I.e., the tenth letter of the alphabet. This jumping fromthe fraction (δεκάτη) to the ordinal (δέκατος) would be much easier in theGreek which is the foundation of our Syriac text. I have been unable to consultLagarde'sPsalterium Hieronymixiv, to which he refers in hisSymmictaII 188.
315. 319 Cf. SG, p. 59. The confusion of Epiphanius is areflection of a similar confusion in LXX, which identifies the ephah with the"three measures" (Exod. 16:36), and again identifies the seah with theephah (I Sam. 25:18) and with themetretes(I Kings 18:32). Even the familiar "three measures ofmeal" of Matt. 13:33 and Luke 13:21 are a rendition of the Greekσάτα τπέα.
316. 320 Lit., "bread that is hidden."
317. 321I Chron. 2:18f.;cf. LXX.
318. 322 Cf. R. Payne Smith,Thesaurus Syriacus,col. 488.
319. 323Cf.Gen. 35:19 and 48:7; R. Payne Smith,loc. cit.
320. 324 B omitsBeth. Cf. I Chron. 2:51 and 4:4.
321. 325 B omits the first letter; cf. LXX of I Chron. 2:51.
323. 327 It. Payne Smith,loc. cit.
324. 328 Lit., "the name was named."
326. 330 The margin givesκανα,which is found in Gen.40:16, 17, 18; Exod. 29:3, 23, 32; Lev. 8:2.
328. 332 Cf. Hultsch,Gr. und röm. Metrologie,p. 452,incl. footnote.
329. 333 Cf. @@@; Marcus Jastrow in hisDictionary of theTargumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature(London,1903) says this is synonymous with the Aramaic @@@.
330. 334 Apparently derivingnevelfrom the Aramaic root@@, which in the hiphcil means "lead, carry, bring."
331. 335 The Syriac text could be read "ass," but themargin says, "that which is drunk and not that which brays."
332. 336 I.e., a short distance from place to place, as theoriginal Greek might more exactly express it.
333. 337 Cf. Hultsch,op. cit.,p. 587.
334. 338 Mark 14:3; Matt. 26:7.
335. 339 Cf. Hultsch,op. cit.,p. 602.
336. 340 The Greek term employed in the Gospels.
337. 341 LXX of IV Kings 21:13.
338. 342 Thekapsakesof 4xestaimentioned justbelow seems a better match for the cab.
339. 344 Can this be an error for Audo's@@@, a vesselfor dipping water(Dictionnaire de la langue chaldéenne[Mossoul, 1897]II 393a)? As written in our mss. this is a diminutive.
340. 345 Merely two spellings of the Greekσπονδεῖον.
342. 349 But MT of Exod. 16:33 says an omer of manna was thequantity.
352. 359 Lit., "being moved of itself."
359. 372 Greek:παροψές,defined as a dainty side dish ora dish on which such meats are served.
360. 373 Or, more lit., "it is variously standardized."
361. 374 Hultsch,op. cit.,p. 630, n. 1.
362. 375 Lit., "brings" or "bears."
363. 376 Hultsch,op. cit.pp. 542 f.
364. 377 The Syriac construction makes "Gaza" and"Ashkelon" adjectives modifying "jar."
365. 378 Apparently from the Aramaic root@@@,"to incline, tilt, pour out slowly."
366. 379 Greek:ληνιαῖον ἄντλημα.
367. 380 Hultsch,op. cit.pp. 585 f.
368. 3811 have been unable to locate either of these phrases; but cf.Exod. 30:25, 31; Lev. 19:35; Deut. 25:13-15.
369. 382 Ezek. 4:11; cf. LXX and Syro-Hexaplaric version. SeeHultsch,op. cit.pp. 369, 450, 456.
370. 383 Clearly Aramaic; cf. Jastrow,op. cit.,and JacobLevy,Wörterbuch über die Talmudim und Midraschim(Berlin und Wien,1924).
371. 384 Hultsch,op. cit.pp. 628, 690.
372. 385 The two Syriac words here translated "equal" mostlikely translate some such Greek term asἰσόμοιρος,ἰσομερής,ἰσόμορος.
373. 386 The root is@@,and there seems to be a word playon this andτάλαντον.
374. 387 Epiphanius has some idea of a reduplicated biliteralroot, such as is cited from the Sabaean in Gesenius-Buhl,Hebräisches undaramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament(Leipzig, 1921) under@@@ .
375. 388 The usual Syriac word translated "talent" aboveand elsewhere.
376. 389 Most likely a translation of the Greekκόπτω, which in such a contextwould mean "coined."
377. 390 Observe the Greek margin,μοναδα.
380. 393 Is Epiphanius trying to derive the termassarionfromsomething like the elative of the root [Hebrew] ?
381. 394 Denarionanddenariusrepresent the verysame Syriac or Greek word; the former is here used when reference is to themina, for the word is used in two distinct senses. Cf. Oskar Viedebantt,AnlikeGewichtsnormen und Münzfüsse(Berlin, 1923) pp. 80-82.
382. 395 Margin: @@@, translated, 'of silver'; a man mightsay it, e.g., of azuzåor anything else like this."
383. 396 Mark 12:42; Luke 21:2. The Greek hasλεπταin bothcases.
384. 397 Cf. theλεπτεπίλεπταsuggested by Lagarde.
385. 398 Transliterating, in this sentence, the two adjectives,"silver."
386. 399 The word is the Greekτύμος,anything wrought ofmetal or stone.
387. 400 The Greek form of the Latinlibra.
388. 402 The margin identifies these scales with the weighinginstrument invented by Archimedes,χαριστιον.
389. 403 Someone saw the discrepancy here and tried to mendmatters by adding on the margin: "It is the doublezuzå,the greatzuzåwhich weighs 2zuze."
393. 407I read the mark by the first letter in B as the Greeke,butthe word might be taken as a participle withdexcept for this pointing.As a matter of fact, this spelling is much nearer to the English form of theword than the usual Greek writing of the word.
394. 408 This word, strangely enough, seems pointed as a participle inB; and if the word transliteratedshekelis also a participle, we have:"for they callshåkela pulling down."
395. 409 The Jewish temple tax of half a shekel is here called ashekel, for Epiphanius identifies it with the doublezuzå,the Greekdidrachmon,and this is what the LXX calls the shekel in Lev. 27:25.
396. 410 The Greek form of the Latinquadrans.
397. 411 This is the most obvious meaning of the Syriac; but itmight be rendered "numbering," "counting," "sum,"or even "part."
398. 412 κῳδάπιον,diminutive ofκῴδιον,which is inturn a diminutive ofκῶας, a sheepskin or fleece;kodranteshas adifferent origin.
399. 413 A Greek weight equal to the drachma.
400. 414 This figure does not agree with II Sam. 14:26.
401. 415Cf. Hultsch,op. cil.pp. 133,150,193.
402. 416 The Syriac term would apply to any pointed missile for hurlingby hand or otherwise; our "missile" is too broad a term, for it can beapplied to a mere stone, and a "dart" is usually thought of as thrownby hand.
403. 417 This spelling with an e is justified by our present Englishusage, which comes down to us from the Greeks. The mss. do not of themselvesjustify a spelling here different from the "obolus" elsewhere. A hasthe word "obolus" or "obelus" seven times in this paragraph;in the first three instances there is no attempt to represent the medial vowel;in the last four it is indicated by @ . In B the vowel is so represented insix cases; only in the second instance is the vowel not represented.
405. 419 Cf. Hultsch,op. cit.p. 210.
407. 421 This is the transliteration of the Greek adjectivecorresponding tochalkus,a popular term for silver coins of small value.
408. 422 Cf. Hultsch,op. cit.pp. 133 f.
409. 423 The Hebrew term @@@. Lagarde's use of this term again inthe next sentence is abundantly justified by the fragments of Epiphanius in hisSymmictaI 214, first line 15, and 217, first line 10. The margins of A and B arecontradictory.
410. 424 Cf. Hultsch,op. cit.pp. 293-97.
411. 425 Both A and B have marginal Greek spellings india-,andin the Syriac thisais represented in every case save one by @. I havefollowed theLexiconof Sophocles, to avoid confusion withdiachryson,"interwoven with gold."
412. 426So the margin of B. This is the Romanmiliarensis,named for its value,the one-thousandth of a pound of gold; cf. A. R. Burns,Money and MonetaryPolicy in Early Times(London, 1927) p. 242, n. 5.
413. 427 Lit.; but the term really means the daily wage of thesoldier.
414. 428 Jer. 6:30; cf. LXX and Syro-Hexaplaric.
415. 429 Vocalized according to the Greek marginal glosses; not in thelexicons. Let students of Greek antiquities take notice of these terms.
416. 430 Speaking in Roman terms, Burns(op. cit.p. 439)says: "The purse of silver is estimated at 125miliarensesweighinga little under two pounds, and was worth 9solidior one-eighth of apound of gold." Cf. Hultsch,op. cit.pp. 340-48.
417. 431 The Greek of Petavius reads "208." Lagarde saysthe Breslau ms. reads "220." Cf. hisSymmictaI 213, 217 f.,222, 224; also Hultsch,Metroloyicorum scriptorum reliquiaeI 144 n.;also Burns,op. cit.p. 439.
418. 432 The copperdenariusbecame so common that the termδηναρισμονwas employed to mean copper coinage. Cf. Dindorf's ed. ofEpiphanius, IV1 138.
419. 433 Apparently a small silver coin(follis)worth 2lepta.
420. 434 If the writing of A, with a double@, be correct, then thereference is to what people "say" is the number. .
421. 435 II Kings 5:21-23 in LXX.
424. 438 I.e., the silverdenarius,just as the copperleptonwas the copperdenarius.
425. 439 I.e., a term in common use for expressing value but never anactual coin, in this respect like the English "mill." That thefollisis said in one place to equal 125 pieces of silver, in another place 250,and is even assigned other values in the Greek text, is in exact accord withcurrent usage in Palestine up until the recent World War. Themejidiwasofficially worth 19 piasters in the Turkish telegraph offices, but in currentusage was worth 23 piasters in Jerusalem, 24 in Damascus, 26 in Jaffa, and 46 inGaza. Cf. Baedeker,Palestine and Syria(Leipzig, 1912) p. xxiii and thefrontispiece.
426. 440 The word as here spelled means lit. "baskets"; it isno doubt the @@, which has been transliterated into Greek and then back intoSyriac and has thus become obscured.
428. 442 Margin: "Concerning thesaid."
429. 443 Plural offolis,a Greek term here confusedwithfollis,which latter was applied by the Romans to a small coin aswell as to a leathern money bag.
430. 444 An interpretation of the termfolides.
431. 445 B has 6,400 in text, and A adds 400 in the margin; but such acalculation does not fit Epiphanius' terms.
432. 446 Plural in B. A repeats the title in the margin; on leftmargin: "Concerning themares,thekupros,and thechoinix."
433. 447 Cf. Hultsch,Gr. und röm.Metrologie,pp. 480, 574f., 586.
434. 448 Evidently an error formares;butkuprosoccursin both Syriac mss. and also in the fragmentary Greek given by Lagarde,SymmiclaI 218 and II 182. So also Hultsch,Metrologicorum scriptorum reliquiaeI264, line 15, and 269, line 23. But cf. our §3,where the meaning isclear.
435. 449 ἐτυμολογίαis evidently the Greek that lies behindthe Syriac @@@ .
436. 450 Lit., "we do not know much."
437. 451 Someone has added on the margin "6,912," and thisseems to have provoked the further note: "Rather the barleycorns aredoubled, for there it was one-fourth of a carat according to us."
438. 452 Margin: "Concerning the gram, the carat, the barleycorn,and the ounce."
440. 454 Margin: "Concerning the shekel, the stater, thelepta,and the obolus."
441. 455 Lit., "it causes to pass over."
442. 456 Is Epiphanius trying to suggest that the root idea in"stater" is akin to the Greekἵστημι,"to stand"?
443. 457 A reproduction of the Greek transliteration of"shekel"; cf. margin.
444. 458 Corresponding to the Aramaic meaning of the root.
445. 459 The Syriac root @@@ is practically equivalent to theHebrew
446. 460 An attempt to reproduce an approximation of the originalidea of Epiphanius; our Syriac mss. are not altogether consistent, but ourecorresponds generally to @@ and our o to @.
447. 461 Derived from the Greek word for "table"; cf.our term "bankers," from a Middle English root akin to our"bench."
448. 462 Matt. 21:12 ff., with parallels in the other threeGospels.
449. 463 I.e., "coinage" (νόμισμα)is derivedfrom the verbνομίζω, which Lagarde takes to be the word lying back of theSyriac.
450. 464 See § 45. This largest silver (coin) was only a term,not an actual coin in use.
451. 465 Or perhaps: "It is from the Greek usage."
452. 466 Lit., "scraped down." The Syriac verb doubtlessrepresents the Greekζέωorζύω, and from this root Epiphanius wouldderive the termxestes.
453. 467 Low Latin may have had some such term assexterfor"six times," after the analogy ofterandquater.
454. 468 Lit., "thexestesmuch doubled."
455. 469 I.e., the Latinsextum,"the sixth."
456. 470 The same measure as thecongius,but also meaninga gift of acongiusdistributed among the people, hence also in a moregeneral sense a largess in money of undefined amount. Cf. Hultsch,Metrologicorumscriptorum reliquiaeII 117.
457. 471 This corresponds to the second Greek term of this pair,συνεστραμμένον;and the second Syriac term corresponds to the first of the Greek,συνημμένον.
458. 472 B margin,κονγε,evidently a conflation of the twoLatin verbscogoandcongero.
459. 473 The margin of B gives the original Greek,ἄρουρα.
460. 474 Following B; at this point four folios of A are from asecond hand and much inferior to most of that ms.
461. 475 The reference is perhaps to Josh. 17:2 or to Judg. 6:11 and8:32.
462. 476 I.e., the land these seahs would sow. B omits the word"seahs," and in the light of the next section we cannot be sure A hasthe correct form of the word.
463. 477 Otherwisejugerum(plural,jugera),calledin the fragments in Lagarde,SymmictaI 219,ἰούγερα μικρά.TheSyriac word is the same which was translatedjugonjust above and whichthere referred to theἰουγονorἔγγεον, a unit of land used indetermining the imperial taxes. Cf. theLexiconof Hesychius; also K. G.Bruns and Ed. Sachau,Syrisch-römisches Rechtsbuch aus dem fünftenJahrhundert(Leipzig, 1880) p. 33, line 19. In most cases the presentsection refers to the Romanjugum,an altogether different thing.
464. 478 I.e., most obviously, 10 days' plowing; but this was alsoperhaps the amount of land sown by 10 seahs of grain.
465. 479 This is the Greek margin of B, meaning primarily"yokes," and used as a synonym for the Romanjugera.
466. 480 This exact form does not occur in the mss.; the Syriac of B is@@@,and the Greek margin isτελεσματα.Thedata of both mss. make it clear thatsyntelesmatais the form lying backof the Syriac here, as Lagarde recognized.
467. 481 The dimensions immediately following and the previousreference to the use of the field as a land measure among the Egyptians make itcertain that the field here mentioned is the Egyptian. Cf. A. H. Gardiner,EgyptianGrammar(Oxford, 1927) p. 200.
468. 482 This first number must mean rods, since there are 5plethrain a field; if taken as cubits in both cases, there would be 25plethraina field. Hultsch,Gr. und röm. Metrologie,p. 599, now reads 60 by 60cubits as the meaning of the fragments in Lagarde,SymmictaI 218 f.; andthis agrees practically with what we have just said about the Syriac text. BarBahlul,Lexicon Syriacum(ed. R. Duval) col. 1576, line 3, calls theplethronajugum.Does he mean in Palestine?
469. 483 I.e., a land measure corresponding to the seah as ameasure of seed; the Syriac and Greek have an adjectival form here. The termkoraeanbelow has the same explanation.
470. 484 Themodiusis mentioned in Matt. 5:15; Mark 4:21;Luke 11:33.
471. 485 As the square brackets indicate, the word does not occur in A;the Greek of Lagarde'sSymmictaI 219,καβίεας,again indicatessuch an adjectival form as we have indicated bysataeanandkoraean.
472. 486 Reading according to B, which the context demands.
473. 487 § 58 has called the seah orsataeanone-fifth ofthe field, and this parenthesis must really belong to that term.
474. 488 Lit., "has it thus?" or "has it somuch?"
475. 489 Lit., "half"; but it cannot be this in thelight of what immediately follows.
477. 491 Gen. 6:15-16; cf. SG, p. 37.
479. 493 Cf. SG, p. 37. Lagarde translates: ". . . . undhinzugefügt wird unterhalb der spanne, das heisst aber welche eine geschlossenefaust ausfüllt."
480. 494 More exactly, "fingerbreadths."
481. 495 I.e., Epiphanius measures 24 fingers along one side ofthe quadrangle and 24 fingers along another side, then takes their sum.
482. 496 Epiphanius seems to think of a cubic block, around whichhe makes two complete measurements, each of them amounting to 96 fingers.
483. 497 The significance of this last figure can only be the areaof a cross-section of the piece of timber, and that would be 412+ units, if thecircumference be 72---- not very exact calculation.
484. 498 The only reason for this second division is that thescience of mathematics was not far advanced in the author's day, and he mustdivide by successive subtractions.
485. 499 I.e., the termleptaseems to be preferred whenspeaking of cubic fingers, but the author is not consistent in his usage.
486. 500 Only in linear measure; has the author forgotten he isdealing with cubic measure? But it is a fact that the 96 is half of his solidcubit.
487. 501 A result far from accurate. Since 18 fingers are a cubit, 324square fingers are a square cubit, and the area of a cross-section of this pieceof timber would be, according to a previous calculation, 412/324 square cubits.This fraction multiplied by 10 gives as a result 12 2/3 solid cubits.
489. 503 More exactly, "handbreadths." Margin:παλεστη.
490. 504 As described below it is a "handlength," andthe "palm" is sometimes used in this sense. Margin of both mss. isὀρθιαιος.
491. 505 The Syriac term is an altogether unusual form, clearly atransliteration of some such Greek word. The margin of B isγρονθαιος,butthe margin of A isμυγμη.The latter copyist evidently took it for anoun rather than an adjective. The fact that the marginal readings are exactlyreversed in the case of the preceding "fist" points in the samedirection.
493. 507 Title repeated in margin of A.
494. 508 Bk. Jub. 5:28; 7:1; 10:15, in R. H. Charles,TheApocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the O. T.,Vol. II (Oxford, 1913).
496. 510 This term is found in the Peshitta, Gen. 8:4, and thecorresponding gentilic in Isa. 37:38. The wordΚορδυαίων,quoted byJosephus(AntiquitiesI iii 6), indicates that the word "Qardu"goes back at least as far as Berosus. Cf. Eusebius,Onomasticon,ed.Klostermann (Leipzig, 1904) pp. 2 f.
497. 511 This term is found in LXX of Isa. 37:38. The fact was noted byEusebius,op. cit.p. 38, line 11.
498. 512 Atad in MT and LXX, Gen. 50:10 f.
499. 513 I.e.,σημεῖα.B margin adds: "i.e., thepillars or posts set up along the roads."
500. 514 Josh. 15:6. According to theEncyclopaedia BiblicaI(London, 1899) 557 Eusebius mistakenly identifies this place with Atad; cf. hisOnomasticon,ed. Klostermann, p. 8.
501. 515 I.e., @@@ , "thorn bush," is equated with@@@.
502. 516 Deut. 32:49. A comparison with Eusebius,op. cit.p.16, indicates clearly the source of the statements about Abarim; this is alsothe source of many of the statements that follow.
503. 517 Margin of A:απολι βιαλος; margin of B:απο λιβιαδος.
504. 518 Cf. map at end of theOnomasticonin Klostermann'sedition.
505. 519 Lagarde cites hisArmenische Studien,§ 1038, which Ihave been unable to consult; he also thinks G. Hoffmann inZDMGXXXII 743mmay be pertinent.
506. 520 cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 168, on Num. 23:28.
507. 521LXX in Num. 21:19 and 23:14; Deut. 3:27.
508. 522 The nearest approach tothis reading is Deut. 3:27 in LXX.
509. 523 Josh. 10:10 f.; Eusebius,op. cit.p. 18.
510. 524 Josh. 15:35 and Eusebius say Judah.
511. 525 Margin: "Jerusalem was called Elia of yore."
512. 526 Cf. I Sam. 17:1; i.e., Goliath is said to have died at Azekah.
513. 527 Cf. LXX of I Chron. 8:13; J. Payne Smith,op. cit.col.152: @@@.
514. 528 I.e., the Aijalon of Josh. 10:12; cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p.18.
515. 529 I.e.,"milia (passuum),"Roman miles.
516. 530 Eusebius has the plural, "cities."
517. 531 Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 26.
518. 532 The biblical Ophrah, Josh. 18:23. Cf. Eusebius,op.cit.p. 28.
519. 533 Margin: "σημεια,the pillars or posts set upalong the roads."
520. 534 Eusebius,op. cit.p. 14, line 10.
524. 5381 judge this to be a confusion with the name Abiezer (Josh.17:2) and have vocalized according to R. Payne Smith, but the reference isclearly to the Ebenezer of I Sam. 7:12.
525. 539 The equivalent of the LXXἀλλόφυλοι,Philistines.
526. 540 Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 54, underΒηθσαμές:καὶ ἔστιν εἰς νῦν ἀπέχουσα Ἐλευθεροπόλεως σημείοις ί πρὸς ἀνατολάς μετξὺ Νικοπόλεως.May we venture to correct his text on the basis of the above reading?
527. 541II Sam. 24:16; II Chron. 3:1.
528. 542 The margins of both A and B read, "correctly."
531. 545 Eusebius,op. cit.p. 34, reads "Solomon," asin I Kings 4:12.
532. 546 So found in the Peshitta of II Mac. 12:29; the modern Beisan,biblical Bethshean.
533. 547 Lagarde cites IV Kings 14:7, but MT has@@@ and LXXπετρα.Is it possible that @@ is an error for @@? Cf. Num. 31:8, where wefind Rekem or Rokom as the name of one of the kings of Midian, from whom thecity of Rekem was named according to Josephus(AntiquitiesIV vii 1). Cf.Eusebius,op. cit.p. 144.
534. 548 B makes no distinction in the two spellings of Rekem, butA has a point beneath in the first instance and a point above in the second.This may be intended to indicate the vocalization Rekem in the first place, andRekom or Rokom in the second, following Eusebius,op. cit.p. 144, lines7 f. It is a curious fact that the Lee edition of the Peshitta has this pointbeneath only in three places where it stands for MT Kadesh (Gen. 14:7; 16:14;20:1), while there is no hint as to the vocalization elsewhere; the Urmia andMosul editions uniformly point Rekem.
535. 549 The name Rekem per se does not occur in Isaiah in MT orLXX; so Josh. 13:21 may be meant. Joshua makes Rekem one of the chiefs ofMidian, the same mentioned in Num. 31:8. Josh. 18:27 refers to a city ofBenjamin which could hardly be confused with Petra. Dalman(NeuePetra-Forschungen[Leipzig, 1912] p. 14) suggests that the identification ofSelac with Rekem may have arisen through the use of a compound nameSelac-Rekem to designate the most conspicuous outpost of the ancientEdomite capital. MT has the name Rekem also in I Chron. 2:43-44 and 7:16; but itoccurs in LXX in I Chron. 2:43 and 7:16 only. Cf. also Eusebius, op.cit.p.142.
536. 550 Ps. 60:8 f.; 108:9 f.; cf. Syro-Hexaplaric version.
537. 551 Isa. 16:1 in LXX; but LXX hasμηinstead of the"and," while Syro-Hex. has @@@.
538. 552 Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 150; Josephus,AntiquitiesI xx 3.
539. 553 Not a mere transliteration of the Greek, but the formoccurring in the Peshitta of John 3:23. B might be readcIn-Nun,nearer the Greek.
540. 554 Gen. 28:19. Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 40.
541. 555 A LXX misreading of the Hebrew@@@ of Gen. 28:19.
542. 556 The Beth-aven of MT in Josh. 7:2 and 18:12; the name Bethelhas dropped out of LXX in the former passage. Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.pp.50 and 66.
543. 557 Judg. 1:5; cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 106.
545. 559 Gen. 14:18; Josephus,AntiquitiesI x 2.
546. 560 The order of the two words "portion" and"tribe" is unusual; it has been transposed from that found inEusebius.
547. 561 Lagarde is more literal in using the wordτοπικα,butthis is the work referred to. The margin reads, then:"τοπικα,thatis, because of the happenings in the places."
548. 562 Eusebius,op. cit.p. 152, has here two Greek names forthe place, in the first instanceΣικίμων, in the secondΣυχέμ.
551. 565 Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.p. 110.
553. 567 Josephus identifies the two places; see Eusebius,op.cit.p. 100. But Epiphanius has not previously mentioned Tarsus.
554. 568 The modern Acre; Eusebius,op. cit.p. 30.
555. 569 B: @@@; B margin:θιμουνα.There is a moderned-Damun southeast of Acre.
556. 570 Josephus (Vita,§ 188) mentions a Jamnia innorthern Galilee.
557. 571 Can there be any connection with theσιγοφorσιγωof Josephus,Jewish WarII 573? B margin:βιτοσηγων.
558. 572 This is not the reading of MT in Jonah 3:4.
559. 573 The margin of the Syro-Hexaplaric version reads: "Therest say, forty." Cf. also Field,Origenis Hexaplorum quae supersunt,onJonah 3:4.
561. 575 LXX of Jonah 3:4; also the Syro-Hexaplaric version.
563. 577 Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.pp. 118-19.
564. 578 Cf. Eusebius,loc. cit.Cf. LXX of IV Kings 1:9, wherethe exact word of Eusebius does not occur, but an excellent synonym. George AdamSmith thinks Mount Carmel is the scene of the story here related(Hastings,Dictionary of the BibleI 355b).
565. 579 Cf. Eusebius,loc. cit.
566. 580 B has two Greek readings in the margin:ζιβακανοςandβιζκανοι. Named from the Roman province Byzacium in North Africa.
568. 583 Isa. 23:1, 6, 10; Ezek. 27:12, 25; 38:13.
569. 584 Cf. Matt. 8:11 f. and Luke 13:29; not an exact quotation.
570. 585 Rather free translation justified by the context.
572. 587 The very same word just translated "rising."
573. 588 The word seems to be pointed as a participle, meaning"friends"; but it can equally well mean "by the womb" or"by birth," and this fits better what immediately follows. The laterreference to the "friend of God" may, however, hark back to themeaning "friends."
575. 590 For the idea of Abraham versus the entire human race, cf.Bereshith Rabbah 42:13.
576. 591 James 2:23; Isa. 41:8; II Chron. 20: 7. Cf. PhilonisAlexandriniOpera quae supersunt,ed. L. et P. Wendland, II (Berlin,1897) 226 (Mangey ed. [London, 1742] I 401).
577. 592 R. Payne Smith,op. cit.col. 3879, cites III Esd.8:11, 13, 26 as authority for the statement that the seven nobles nearest to theking of the Persians were called "friends."
578. 593 Other instances of this phrase applied to Abraham, but asan epithet rather than a name, are: Zadokite Fragments 4:2; Jub. 19:9; I Clem.10:1 and 17:2; Jerusalem Targum on Gen. 18:17; Prayer of Azariah 12("beloved of God"); Avoth deRabbi Nathan, version 2, chap.43 @@ and @@), ed. Schechter, p. 61; Bemidhbar Rabba 16:3 (@@).
579. 594 Greek for "widely" isεὐρέως.
580. 595 An attempt to deriveeurosfrom@@,"head."
581. 596 Lit., "vehement,""typhonic"; Acts 27:14.
582. 597 A readsdforr,a plain error.
584. 599 In LXX of Exod. 27:11; Judith 7:18; Jer. 32:12 (25:26MT); Ezek. 20:47 (21:3 MT); 21:4 (9 MT); I Macc. 12:37; Aquila, Ezek. 17:10;'Αλλος, Exod. 14:21 and Judg. 1:9.
585. 600 Margin:"Notosis the wind in the middlebetween south and east."
586. 601 Fromἀπο&+ἀFέλιος(old form ofἥλιος).
587. 602 I.e., the author sayseuronotosis calledapeliotesin the Scriptures. The wordeuronotosdoes not occur in LXX;ἀπηλιώτηςoccurs as the equivalent of the MT @@ in Exod. 27:11; Jer. 32:12 LXX(25:26 MT); of @@ in Ezek. 20:47 (21:3 MT); 21:4 (9 MT); of @@ in Ezek.17:10 (Aquila); Exod. 14:21 ('Αλλος).
588. 603Notosoccurs often in LXX. It is the equivalent of@@ in Exod. 10:13 (twice) and 14:21; of @@ in Exod. 26:20; of @@ in Exod. 26:35,etc. A special study of the translation of these terms might be valuable.
589. 604 Acts 27:12. The term is used in LXX as loosely asnotos;it stands for @@ in Deut. 33:23; r@@ in II Chron. 32:30 and 33:14;3:3 in Gen. 13:14; 20:1; 24:62; @@in Deut. 3:27; Num. 10:6.
590. 605 Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Acts 4:3 and 28:23; and manyother places.
594. 609 The word is the Greekαρκτοςtransliterated.Margin:"arktos,i.e., the wagon," sometimes called Charles'sWain.
595. 610 Liddell and Scott treat this as the normal spellingrather thanaparkias.
596. 611 Properlyθρασκίας.Liddell and Scott say this windwas probably named from Thrace, and they cite a formΘρᾳκίας. On the ancientnames of the winds cf. Theophrastus of Eresus,On Winds and on Weather Signs,trans. J. G. Wood (London, 1894).
597. 612 Skopelos, otherwise Peparethos, was an island off thecoast of Magnesia.
598. 613 Patrae, the modern Patras, was an ancient city of Achaia,on the promontory of Rhium.
599. 614 Properlyκαικίας, Greek term for the northeast wind.
600. 615 Could this term by any possibility be derived fromSmyrna?
603. 618 Lagarde correctly regards these two Syriac words as thetranslation ofὀροθεσία.
604. 619 Singular in Syriac; Abilene and the Decapolis are thoughtof as a geographical unit and so are referred to by singular pronouns belowwhere we use a plural.
605. 620 I.e., on the Pella side of the Jordan; cf. Eusebius,Onomasticon,ed. Klostermann, p. 80.
607. 622 These three countries or regions are indicated by feminineadjectives.
608. 623 "Of the east" seems altogether superfluous and is relegated to afootnote in Lagarde's edition. It can only mean something like "to the westof its eastern part."
609. 624 Philistines, theἀλλόφυλοιof LXX.
610. 625 Jerome says, "the tower of Strato, afterward calledCaesarea." Cf. Eusebius,op. cit.pp. 22, 23.
611. 626 The Romanprovincia;our "province" is notsufficiently exact.
612. 627 Doubtless a translation of the Greekἀστροθεσία.
613. 628 Job 9:9, in the main following LXX; but I find Orion inPeshitta and MT only. The Peshitta, however, has only one term, @@, in placeof "the evening star and the North Star."
614. 629 Does this represent the Greekβότρυς?
615. 630 A transliteration of the Greekκορήτης.
616. 631 Cf. Job 38:34a and 326 in LXX.
617. 632 I.e., Ursa Minor; Charles's Wain usually means UrsaMajor.
618. 633 Transliteration of the LXX term, here found on themargin.
619. 634 The marginal "Hosea" is an error; see Ps. 134:7in LXX.
620. 635 Amos 5:8 in LXX; the full title for Deity is found onlyin the margin of the Syro-Hexaplaric version.
622. 637 Or "dust." It is interesting to observe thatthe modern "tells," the word here translated "hills," areartificial and composed mainly of dust.
623. 638 Exactly what particular kind of ridges is meant is notclear; certainly not all ridges are of sand, even in Palestine.
624. 639 The only meaning given by the lexicons is"rivulets." The marginal Greek readings seem to be confused, andθινασι,"sand heaps" or "dunes," seems to belong to this wordrather than toshevalte.B does not definitely attachθινασιtoa particular word of the text.
625. 640 The primary meaning of this word in the singular is"spike (of grain)," but it seems also to mean "flood" (Ps. 69:3,16 MT; Isa. 27:12 MT and P). The marginalδινασι,"whirlpools"or "eddies," seems to belong to this word.
626. 6411 am venturing thus to vocalize in accordance with the sameconsonants in R. Payne Smith,Thesaurus Syriacus,col. 2615.
628. 643 Perhaps an adjective built on the city name Heftun; cf.R. Payne Smith,op. cit.col. 1349.
629. 644 For the entire colophon cf. W. Wright,Catalogue ofSyriac Manuscripts in the British MuseumII (London, 1871) 718a. Wrightmakes out some letters hardly legible in our photograph. B has no correspondingcolophon.
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