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ABSTRACT Translation according to Flavius Josephus As a contribution to the clarification of the identity of Flavius Josephus, the present material aims to elucidate what role Josephus played as a translator of the Holy Scriptures. For this purpose, we take as a basis the Jewish Antiquities, since it is in its first ten books that Josephus translates the contents of the Bible. In order to understand what attitude this author took to the text, it is necessary to know what he understood by ‘translation’. Such an investigation is necessary given the confusion caused, on the one hand, by Josephus’ own stance towards the sacred texts and, on the other hand, by his manipulation of these texts. The study of the Greek word μεθερμηνεύω sheds light on the matter, for although it literally means ‘to translate’, the translation to which Josephus alludes is different from the one we know today. An examination of the word shows that, in antiquity, the ἑρμηνεύς was an interpreter rather than a translator. And in accordance with this idea, Josephus seems to fit the term ἑρμηνεύς, since he interprets the Bible and makes use of various models in order to give us a work as complete as possible.

This paper deals with the so-called “Brothers poem”, fr. 10 Voigt = Neri, which is up to now the most recent papyrological discovery attributed to Sappho. In its first part, the paper investigates the identities, the actions, and the mutual relationships of the characters featuring in this new poem. In its second one, it will be discussed how the Sapphic lines deal with themes such as power relations, oppression, social hierarchy, and behavioral expectations in relation to genre.

This paper examines Iliad I 225-244 and XXIV 486-506, two passages at the beginning and at the end respectively of Achilles’ narrative arc. This work aims at showing the way in which traditional epic techniques (enjambement, similitude, interrelation with respect to the caesurae) contribute to outline in one case Achilles’ wrath, in the other one his empathy.

Almost all current translations of 2Tim 1:7 understand σωφρονισμός in this verse as a synonym of σωφροσύνη. So do authoritative recent commentaries and dictionaries. This paper demonstrates that word formation makes this unlikely and that σωφρονισμός is never used synonymously with σωφροσύνη in ancient Greek literature. It is shown that the usual meaning of "making someone σώφρων" is possible and appropriate for 2Tim 1:7. A survey of ancient translations and interpretations of the verse by ancient Christian writers shows that most of them also consider this meaning possible and obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Letter of Isis to Horus is a brief (and precious) piece of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. Beyond the technical interest of the processes it describes, its prologue is noteworthy for its intricate and surprising mixture of Greek, Hebrew, and Egyptian elements. In it, alchemy is presented as a secret knowledge of divine origin, which the goddess Isis received from an angel who fell in love with her. This preface is, therefore, a key element in the study of the discursive mechanisms and arguments through which early alchemical tradition attempted to bestow authority on its writings and to justify the Holy Art label that is often conferred on this discipline. This article analyses these mechanisms and arguments according to the patterns around which this narrative was articulated.

The article "The Structure of Ps 45 (V. 1-2; 17-18)" by Hans-Peter Mathys examines the structure of Psalm 45. The psalm is about a radiant king and his court, heavily influenced by Phoenician culture. The article focuses particularly on verse 2, in which a bard reflects on his state of mind and his actions. It also addresses the complicated heading of the psalm, which consists of five elements. The psalm belongs to the collection of the Korahites, a Levite family associated with psalm singing. The meaning of some elements of the heading remains unclear. Psalm 45 differs from other psalms with its heading "שִׁיר ידְִידתֹ". This psalm is not a cultic song, but a love song referring to the king and his wife. There are indications that the psalm is connected to the Song of Songs, as both deal with the theme of love. The use of the term "שִׁיר ידְִידתֹ" suggests that the king and his wife are considered a loving couple. The psalm also has Phoenician influences. Ancient Greek literature contains much information about court poets who had various tasks and enjoyed different levels of influence and prestige. They praised their hosts and also gave advice and admonitions. In the Old Testament, there are only a few texts that can be attributed to court poets, such as the Song of Songs and Deborah's victory song. These works may have been forgotten or rejected as the Old Testament increasingly transformed into a religious work. Psalm 45 is a special genre that may originate from Greek and creates a new genre term. The author of the psalm shows strong self-confidence and claims that his poem meets the same quality standards as those of Greek poets. This text is about self-reflection in ancient Oriental literature and other periods. It is pointed out that in Ps 45, a poet reflects on his role and task. The poet is excited before his appearance before the king and wants to deliver a beautiful speech. It is also mentioned that the poet's tongue is compared to a skilled stylus. The text deals with different individuals and their self-confidence in various texts such as the Ahiqar romance, the Book of Ezra, and Psalm 45. It is mentioned that Ahiqar is a member of the scribal elite and Ezra is an important man who masters the Torah. It also discusses the descendants of the king and their role in the royal house. The text concludes with the significance of the king's name and how it is passed down from generation to generation. The text focuses on Psalm 45 and particularly analyzes verse 18. It is noted that this verse, when considered in isolation, could be related to God. It also refers to other passages in the Psalter where God is associated with similar terms. The text raises the question of who is meant by "they" in verse 18 and discusses various possible interpretations. It also points to possible historical references of the psalm to Achaemenid and Seleucid imperial conceptions. The text emphasizes that the glory of the king in Psalm 45 extends beyond the nations and does not stop at the borders of his kingdom. It also discusses various attitudes of Israel towards foreigners. [Extracted from the article]

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Il contributo prende in esame gli indovinelli legati alla vicenda della Principessa Turandot nella versione teatrale italiana di Carlo Gozzi (1762) e nella traduzione tedesca di Friedrich Schiller (1802). L’analisi di uno degli indovinelli, che è presente anche nella novella persiana dalla quale Gozzi ha tratto la trama della sua commedia, permette di stabilire un collegamento tra quell’indovinello particolare e altri indovinelli simili testimoniati nella letteratura greca e nel folklore. The essay deals with the riddles connected with Turandot’ story, as they appear in the Italian version of Carlo Gozzi (1762) and in the German translation of Friedrich Schiller (1802). The analysis of one of the riddles, also present in the Persian tale Gozzi used as the source of his play, allows to establish a relationship between that particular riddle and similar riddles witnessed in Greek literature and in ancient folktales.

It has long been known that Commodianus employed acrostics throughout the text of his Instructiones. Recent scholarship has also developed an awareness of his telestichic endeavours. This paper suggests the existence of a telestic in instr. 2,5,11/20. Its primary aim, however, is to discuss a phenomenon that seems to be singular in Greek and Latin literature: a previously unknown ›double acrostic‹ in instr. 1,38. Not only do the first letters of these verses form (as elsewhere in instr.) an acrostic (here: IUDAEIS), but the first two letters of each verse simultaneously yield a Latin expression: INVIDIA SETINSI. While invidia fits squarely in anti-Jewish Christian discourse, setinsi - the vulgar Latin form of an adjective derived from seta, »bristle« - warrants closer examination. Commodianus uses the expression to denigrate Jews who do not convert to Christianity, likening their fidelity to their religion to a recalcitrance reminiscent of a boar/pig. In so doing, he relies both on the Jewish concept of the pig as an unclean animal and on the presentation of fierce but (almost) always doomed boars in hexametric poetry. There are several ways to interpret invidia setinsi in relation to instr. 1,38 - all reinforce its anti-Jewish thrust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Philicus' "Novel Composition" for the Alexandrian Grammarians: Initial Lines and Iambe's Speech The Hymn to Demeter (SH 676-80) by Philicus of Corcyra can be viewed as a combination of new and traditional features. It contains a proclamation of novelty, but, at the same time, it is rooted in the hymnic tradition; the traceable characteristics of the conventional hymn, however, are considerably modified by Philicus and practically require redefinition. What seems particularly worth emphasising is the poet’s receptiveness to other than hymnic modes of expression as well as intertextual allusions ranging in time from the archaic period to the present day. Philicus’ poem (dw#ra) is “brought” to the grammatikoi, a specific group of recipients whose opinions must have counted so much that the poet decided to address to them his hymn on par with the gods. Although it is a truism to say that the ancient hymn composers took into account two communicative settings, one formally adopted (the author/performer – the god) and one resulting from the circumstances of their performance (the author/performer – the audience/readers), it is Philicus’ merit to state explicitly what the other poets used to leave implicit.

Copyright of Glotta is the property of Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper is intended to help Slavicists dealing with multilingual text. It presents an account of the experience gained while working on the SlaVaComp project. The main concern of the paper are problems of multilingual text processing specifically the use of characters in entering Greek and Church Slavonic texts into the computer. It also broaches the most common problems encountered when using Unicode characters. Finally, the paper discusses select text processing technologies based on the WYSIWYG principle which can be employed to represent medieval manuscripts correctly by means of Unicode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article it is shown that the Teubner edition of Diodorus Siculus by Vogel-Fischer urgently needs to be replaced by an adequate critical edition. The series of critical notes is intended to serve the needs of the future editor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Heraclitean tradition in the Herculaneum papyri is a topic which involves some of the most important research fields of ancient philosophy: ethics, physics and cosmology, theology and aesthetics (particularly rhetoric). This paper concentrates on Heraclitus' fr. 18 Marcovich (= D K 22 B 81), where the pre-Socratic philosopher talks about an unspecified ... The fragment occurs in the seventh book of Philodemus' Rhetoric {PHerc. 1004) and is the only direct quotation of Heraclitus in this multi-volume treatise. This article presents a new textual reconstruction of the two columns of the papyrus in which the same passage is quoted and attempts: 1. to contextualize the quotation inside the Philodemean paraphrase of a treatise by the Stoic Diogenes of Babylon against the rhetoricians of his time; 2. to reconsider the grammatical and philosophical problem of the subject of the Heraclitean quotation. Almost all scholars have considered Pythagoras to be the target of Heraclitus. But certain elements allow us to go beyond this old opinion and to understand this fragment as something of more than a personal dispute. Rhetoric, according to its supporters, was an 'art' since Homer's times and gained its professional autonomy with Corax and Tisias. There is no reason to believe that, in quoting Heraclitus, Diogenes has totally changed the subject of the fragment he cites. That subject could originally have been very similar to that attested in the Philodemean paraphrase, that is the education of the rhetoricians ... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two versions of Aristotle's will. One of them is found in Diogenes Laertios' account of Aristotle in his Lives of the Philosophers, the second one is preserved (only) in an Arabic translation as a part of Ptolemy's biography of Aristotle. A comparison of these two versions shows that the Arabic translation is a faithful rendering of a lost Greek version. This Greek version, furthermore, is not based on that preserved in Diogenes Laertios, but is rather an independent second version, whose function inter alia was to support the case of Aristotle's son Nikomachos within inheritance disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The close of Theocritus 24 (Herakliskos) is preserved only in the Antinoë codex of the 5th or 6th century and is re-examined here. It is apparent that Teiresias' speech came exactly in the middle of the poem. The ending of the poem described Heracles' apotheosis, his wedding with Hebe and the poet's wish for a victory; it turns out to be an important model for the ending of Virgil's fourth Eclogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretation of the isolated fragment of Menander 630 K-A and its hypothetical connexion with a famous scene in the Sicyonius papyrus concerning the relationship between fathers and daughters, masters and slaves, shame and honour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the volume Fasciculus poematum Graecorum edited in 1715 for the first time by Hieronymus Freyer. Freyer's volume contains not only poems written by ancient poets, but also some by modern scholars, such as the polymath Johann Heinrich Schulze who taught as professor at the university of Halle. The poems of Schulze and Freyer are presented as examples of Posthumanist Greek Versification and of the phenomenon we would like to call 'New Ancient Greek Literature'. At the end there is discussion of three modern Greek poems written by Robert, Friedländer and Peek, whose work is also linked with the university of Halle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents two graffiti from Kalapodi (central Greece). The first has so far been interpreted as an omega, but it depicts a small helmet and a bird. The second dates to between 480 and 460 BC and depicts an omega (unusual for this area). This is perhaps to be interpreted as evidence for a visitor to the sanctuary from another part of Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reedition of the Coptic pages of the documentary codex P.Yale Inv. 1804 (editio princeps by MacCoull, Coptic Documentary Papyri in the Beinecke Library, P.Yale copt., 1986). The codex, composed of Greek and Coptic documents, apparently originates from Antinoupolis, and seems to be centered around the monastery of Apa Surus. Improved readings allow identification of document types. Apart from lists and accounts, the most frequently attested type is the misthosis land lease. Fragments of more than ten land leases are preserved, shedding new light on the Coptic lease. An appendix is attached, presenting basic information on provenances, dates, formularies, clauses and key terms of Coptic lease documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the Greek version of Solomon's consecration of the temple in I Reg 8,12/III Regn 8,53 (LXX) and the question whether it is possible to reconstruct its Vorlage. The article concludes, first, that a reliable retroversion of the Greek text into Hebrew is not possible. Secondly, the Old Greek presents its own theological exposition regarding Solomon's temple. Finally, the presumed Vorlage of the LXX cannot be used to reconstruct the ideology of the pre-Solomonic temple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the communis opinio tragic poets presented at the Athenian Lenaia only two tragedies, but no satyric play. A revision of the main source IG II2 2319 makes it probable that they presented three tragedies and a satyr play too, just like at the Dionysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a new interpretation of a prose fragment that is linked to the Homeric cycle and is preserved in the literary papyrus P.Heid. IV 289.1--6. So far the fragment has been correlated to the Cypria, yet the article shows such a correlation to be not without problems and suggests that the fragment should rather be examined together with a Homeric scholion by Porphyry. Since the papyrus is a century earlier than Porphyry, it should be inferred that either the papyrus preserves the source of Porphyry's scholion or that the two texts have the same older mythographical source in common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts is the property of Reichert Verlag and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the first part of the article, the question of Theocritus' treatment of magic in the 2nd Idyll is being discussed. The author's view is that Theocritus not only accurately depicted the contemporary magical practices, but that the very composition of the poem was influenced by the magical texts. The second part of the paper pays attention to a special class of magical texts, the defixiones influenced by the prayers for justice. The author argues that Simaetha's confession to Selene bears close resemblance to the prayers for justice and that Simaetha's argumentative strategy in the description of her short love affair with Delphis serves the purpose of portraying her as the betrayed party, thus enabling her to put the blame on Delphis and demand of the goddess that the justice (e.g. the return of Delphis to Simaetha) should be done. Finally, the effect of Simaetha's magical practice and her prayer is being discussed. Since the motif of ϕαρμακον connects the 2nd with the 11th Idyll, a comparison between Simaetha and Cyclops is called for and some general conclusions about the motif of the healing properties of poetry in the Theocritean corpus are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant import of chthonic elements, especially chthonic deities, in Sophocles' Oedipus Coloneus has been widely noticed and variously discussed. The focus of this discussion traced, however, historical cult and religion without regard to a possible literary aspect. This paper tries to show how Sophocles throughout the play intentionally associates his protagonist with the sphere of the chthonic and dark as a means of creating a symbolic language and as a device of personal characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers critical remarks to the text of four epigrams of the Greek Anthology, namely V 39 (Nikarchos), VII 562 (Julian of Egypt), VII 597, and IX 794. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]