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xxviii INTRODUCTION The earliest copy of them (see above, p. xxiii, and below, p. xlii) is included in a volume of Miscellanies, not in a book for ecclesiastical use; but copies from the twelfth century down (codd. 12, 13, &c.) bear rubrics marking parts of them for Lessons, not of the ordinary yearly course, but for special Festivals. (2) Concerning the previous history of this Philoxenian New Testament, and especially these Epistles, the sum total of our information is brief, but definite. It is first mentioned by Moses of Agel,* a writer of the middle of the sixth century (a Monophysite), who states that one Polycarpus, whom he designates " Chorepiscopus," " translated the New Testament and David into Syriac from the Greek, for Xenaias [Philoxenus] of Mabug." This was written apparently about the year 550, when the Version spoken of was only about forty years in existence ; and Moses evidently supposed it to be probably unknown to his readers. His evidence thus not merely confirms that of Thomas (above cited, p. xxiv), who wrote a generation or two later, but throws light upon it by explaining how the Version came to bear the name of Philoxenus to whose " days " Thomas assigns it ; and it further gives us the name of the actual translator. It is, however, from Thomas, not merely in his colophon, but in his Version at large, that we gain our fullest and most important knowledge of its Philoxenian prototype ; that he has retained much for in that Version we may presume of the general substance and leading features of the work of Polycarpus. And, moreover, in his asterisks and marginal notes (to be dealt with presently^) he has apparently preserved traces of it. But beyond these indirect indications, and a few minute fragments of the Pauline Epistles that have casually survived, J our Four Epistles are the only part of the Philoxenian New Testament with the probable exception of the Revelation that is now forthcoming. (3) The earliest evidence of their existence appears (as above stated, p. xxiii) in the ninth century, in a MS volume dated A.D. 823 * See for Moses of Agel (or Aggil), Assemani, B.O., t. ii, p. 82. His statement (as above) occurs in an Epistle prefixed to his Syriac translation of the Glaphyra of Cyril of Alexandria, in which he warns his readers to expect to find that Cyril's citations from the Greek Bible often differ from the Peshitta, and refers them to the more recent and exact version of Polycarpus. This is probably the version of the Olaphyra that is extant (though mutilated) in MS. Add. 14555 (Br. Mus.). t In Sectt. x (d) and xi (c), infr., pp. xxxvii, xl. t See below, Sect, vi (a), p. xxx. Ib.
INTRODUCTION xxix (our Cod. 1) ; and in it they are not set apart, but associated with the three Catholic Epistles of the Peshitta 2 and 3 John subjoined to 1 John (which stands first of the Seven), 2 Peter to 1 Peter, Jude following, with no note to mark them as belonging to a different Version. They appear also, probably within the same century, in another shape, rendered from our Syriac into Arabic,* in a copy of the Acts and Epistles, in which all the Seven stand on equal terms, in the usual order as in the Greek. After this there is a blank in their history. No other copy of them can be dated with confidence earlier than the twelfth century, f to which three of our five oldest MSS (9, 12, 14) apparently belong. The later ones are mostly of the fifteenth century (as Codd. 11, 13, 20), or of the sixteenth and seventeenth (as Codd. 8, 10, 15, 17), or even more recent. Cod. 1 (Add. 14623) was written in an Egyptian (Copto-Syrian) monastery ; the twelfth century group, and apparently a few of the later ones (Codd. 19, 20), come from Tur-'Abdin (a district of Mesopotamia) ; the rest are mostly from the Maronite Church of the Lebanon, except one, recent but of much importance (Cod. 18), which was probably written in the convent on Mount Sinai where it is preserved. The manuscripts also which Etzel's Latin and the Paris Polyglot text represent, though not forthcoming, are known to have been Maronite (see pp. xx supr., Ivii infr.). Thus the materials by which is established the text of the present edition, testify to the fact that these Epistles have been preserved, read, and transcribed by Syriac-reading Christians dispersed over many regions, through many centuries. SECTION VI. Other surviving Remains of the Philoxenian. The question may be conveniently treated at this point, which naturally arises, whether any other portions survive of the Version to which Philoxenus gives his name and authority. (a) As regards the New Testament, one or two copies of the Harklensian Gospels have been with some confidence put forward by successive critics as Philoxenian, on the ground of certain divergences * See below, Sect, xiv (6). t For the date of our Cod. 2 (Add. 14473), which may be older, see below, Sect, xn, p. xliii.
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INTRODUCTION<br />
xxix<br />
(our Cod. 1) ;<br />
and in it they are not set apart, but associated with the<br />
three Catholic Epistles of the Peshitta 2 and 3 John subjoined to<br />
1 John (which stands first of the Seven), 2 Peter to 1 Peter, Jude<br />
following, with no note to mark them as belonging to a different<br />
Version. They appear also, probably within the same century, in<br />
another shape, rendered from our Syriac into Arabic,* in a copy of the<br />
Acts and Epistles, in which all the Seven stand on equal terms, in the<br />
usual order as in the Greek. After this there is a blank in their history.<br />
No other copy of them can be dated with confidence earlier than<br />
the twelfth century, f to which three of our five oldest MSS (9, 12, 14)<br />
apparently belong. The later ones are mostly of the fifteenth century<br />
(as Codd. 11, 13, 20), or of the sixteenth and seventeenth (as Codd.<br />
8, 10, 15, 17), or even more recent. Cod. 1 (Add. 14623) was written<br />
in an Egyptian (Copto-Syrian) monastery ;<br />
the twelfth century group,<br />
and apparently a few of the later ones (Codd. 19, 20), come from<br />
Tur-'Abdin (a district of Mesopotamia) ;<br />
the rest are mostly from the<br />
Maronite Church of the Lebanon, except one, recent but of much<br />
importance (Cod. 18), which was probably written in the convent on<br />
Mount Sinai where it is preserved. The manuscripts also which Etzel's<br />
Latin and the Paris Polyglot text represent, though not forthcoming,<br />
are known to have been Maronite (see pp. xx supr.,<br />
Ivii infr.).<br />
Thus the materials by which is established the text of the present<br />
edition, testify to the fact that these Epistles have been preserved,<br />
read, and transcribed by Syriac-reading Christians dispersed over many<br />
regions, through many centuries.<br />
SECTION VI. Other surviving Remains of the Philoxenian.<br />
The question may be conveniently treated at this point, which<br />
naturally arises, whether any other portions survive of the Version to<br />
which Philoxenus gives his name and authority.<br />
(a) As regards the New Testament, one or two copies of the<br />
Harklensian Gospels have been with some confidence put forward by<br />
successive critics as Philoxenian, on the ground of certain divergences<br />
* See below, Sect, xiv (6).<br />
t For the date of our Cod. 2 (Add. 14473), which may be older, see below,<br />
Sect, xn, p. xliii.
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