Greek Text Research Articles

Greek history

I commence this review with a major contribution to the study of women in the ancient Greek world. The public invisibility of women in the poleis of the archaic and classical period is a well-known phenomenon; equally well-known is the fact that this starts to change from the Hellenistic period onwards, when developments in the culture of evergetism and in honorific practices created a niche for women to be publicly visible and honoured by their communities. Przemysław Sierkierka, Krystyna Stebnicka, and Aleksander Wolicki have published a two-volume collection of all public honorific inscriptions for Greek women from the classical to the Roman imperial period. The work excludes honorific inscriptions for Hellenistic queens and female members of the Roman imperial family, thus focusing on honours for Greek citizen women and foreign women. The first volume includes a book-size introduction to the history of public honours for Greek women, examining diachronic changes and offering an overview of the language of inscriptions and the repertory of honours provided. At the same time, the introduction offers an extensive discussion of the role of women in the public life of Greek cities in the long term. The first volume also includes the corpus of inscriptions from Aegean Greece, the Balkans, and Sicily and Italy in the West; the second volume largely focuses on Asia Minor, while also including the few relevant inscriptions from Cyprus, Syria, Egypt, and Cyrenaica. Each inscription is described in detail, while the Greek text is accompanied by an English translation and followed by a focused commentary. In line with the other major corpus under review here, this editorial choice to provide translation, bibliography, and commentary will make these volumes an impressive research tool for both specialists and non-specialists. I admit that I was really surprised by the quantity of the surviving material: the volume includes 1128 inscriptions from 238 communities. While many of these inscriptions are short, formulaic, and repetitive, the information provided on a substantial number is truly fascinating for Greek social history and the history of women.

Exploring Potential Relationships Between the Fabula of LXXJudith and Hellenistic Theatre

It is well known that LXXJudith displays an innate suitability for theatrical interpretation or re-enactment. Previous research findings have revealed that the Greek language of LXXJudith, by default, prompts an urgency for immediate and dramatic action and strongly suggests the influence of orality. In this regard, Wills has gone so far as to suggest that some aspect of LXXJudith might have once been performed at dinners or during Jewish festivals. It is in this speculative spirit that this paper explores the text of chapter 13 from LXXJudith to determine why it is so suitable for dramatic re-interpretation as a stage production or visually entertaining (albeit didactic) re-enactment. Here, the authors cautiously consider the possibility that important key events in LXXJudith 13 may have been informed by a Hellenistic Jewish stage play/theatrical performance or was written as a consequence of observing Greek theatre for its final structure. The authors make deliberate use of key aspects of Storey and Allan’s performance criticism theories and accordingly attempt to recreate elements of a hypothetical performance of chapter 13, based solely on the Greek text, in order to determine the most likely meaning that would have been conveyed to a Hellenistic Jewish audience. Consequently, a reconstruction of possible conditions on stage plus the effects of the accompanying dialogue are hypothesised. The authors do not claim that there is any undisputed evidence that LXXJudith was ever staged as a theatrical performance in the Hellenistic period. However, from the standpoint of performance criticism they conclude that indeed, there are various elements present in the Greek text that would have made it easy to perform in a theatrical context.

Eastern Christian and Islamic Manuscripts in Minnesota: Handwritten, Microfilm, and Digital

Abstract: This article is a brief overview of Eastern Christian and Islamic collections in Minnesota, with a focus on the holdings of the largest such collection, located at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML) in Collegeville. Minnesota's manuscripts are largely defined by their digital presence and physical absence, as HMML has amassed the world's largest collection of digital manuscript images while the digitized manuscripts remain in libraries around the world. However, HMML holds a (relatively) small collection of physical manuscripts as well, which is the focus of this survey. The collection includes Islamic manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, along with Christian manuscripts in Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Church Slavonic, Coptic, Geʻez, Georgian, Greek, Russian, and Syriac. Highlights include twenty-one Geʻez magic scrolls, three copies of Muḥammad al-Jazūlī's Arabic prayer book Dalāʼil al-khayrāt , late antique Coptic and Greek texts on papyrus and wood, and a Georgian palimpsest fragment with two Syriac undertexts. The article describes the history of the institution and its manuscript holdings and gives an outline of the collection's contents.

Greek Text of the Acts of the Apostles

Greek Text of the Acts of the Apostles

Medieval Divination by Unexpected Incidents: The Tabula prenostica Salomonis

Abstract This article explores a little-known prognostic table, the so-called Tabula Salomonis, in its four oldest Latin manuscript witnesses from between ca. 1000 and 1300. Unusually for Latin prognostic texts, the table employs unexpected incidents such as animal sounds, sneezes, and bodily twitches combined with the signs of the zodiac as its starting point. Interestingly, the sources for the Tabula, a series of Late Antique texts from which the author “picked and mixed,” are not extant in Latin. Given a parallel tradition in Arabic, the authors argue that the Tabula’s direct precursor is not a Greek text (as is the case for many contemporary prognostic texts in Latin), but an Arabic work. This would make it the earliest attested prognostic text translated directly from Arabic into Latin.

Creating a large-scale diachronic corpus resource: Automated parsing in the Greek papyri (and beyond)

AbstractThis paper explores how to syntactically parse Ancient Greek texts automatically and maps ways of fruitfully employing the results of such an automated analysis. Special attention is given to documentary papyrus texts, a large diachronic corpus of non-literary Greek, which presents a unique set of challenges to tackle. By making use of the Stanford Graph-Based Neural Dependency Parser, we show that through careful curation of the parsing data and several manipulation strategies, it is possible to achieve an Labeled Attachment Score of about 0.85 for this corpus. We also explain how the data can be converted back to its original (Ancient Greek Dependency Treebanks) format. We describe the results of several tests we have carried out to improve parsing results, with special attention paid to the impact of the annotation format on parser achievements. In addition, we offer a detailed qualitative analysis of the remaining errors, including possible ways to solve them. Moreover, the paper gives an overview of the valorisation possibilities of an automatically annotated corpus of Ancient Greek texts in the fields of linguistics, language education and humanities studies in general. The concluding section critically analyses the remaining difficulties and outlines avenues to further improve the parsing quality and the ensuing practical applications.

Multifractal Characterization of Texts for Pattern Recognition: On the Complexity of Morphological Structures in Modern and Ancient Languages.

The study of languages' structure and their organization in a set of well-defined relation schemes is a delicate matter. In the last decades, the convergence of traditional conflicting views by linguists is supported by an interdisciplinary approach that involves not only genetics or bio-archelogy but nowadays even the science of complexity. In light of this new and useful approach, this study proposes an in-depth analysis of the complexity underlying the morphological organization, in terms of multifractality and long-range correlations, of several modern and ancient texts pertaining to various linguistic strains (including ancient Greek, Arabic, Coptic, Neo-Latin and Germanic languages). The methodology is grounded on the mapping procedure between lexical categories belonging to text excerpts and time series, which is based on the rank of the frequency occurrence. Through the well-known MFDFA technique and a specific multifractal formalism, several multifractal indexes are then extracted for characterizing texts and the multifractal signature has been adopted for characterizing several language families, such as Indo-European, Semitic and Hamito-Semitic. The regularities and differences in the linguistic strains are assessed within a multivariate statistical framework and corroborated with a Machine Learning approach that is dedicated, in turn, to investigate the predictive power of the multifractal signature pertinent to text excerpts. The obtained results show a strong presence of persistence, i.e., memory, in the morphological structure of analyzed texts and we claim that this property has a role in characterizing the studied linguistic families. In fact, for example, the proposed analysis framework - grounded on complexity indexes - is able to easily distinguish ancient Greek texts from Arabic ones, as they belong to different language strains, i.e., indo-European and Semitic, respectively. The proposed approach has been proven effective and can be adopted for further comparative studies and for designing new informetrics for further advances in the fields of information retrieval and Artificial Intelligence.

Le ossa di Oreste si trovano in classe La metafora che insegna: proposta per un intervento didattico

This paper aims to propose an integrated model for the analysis of verbal processes in ancient Greek texts and their facilitation in contemporary readers through coherent evidence-based teaching procedures. Rooted in functional contextualism, a philosophy of science in which events are studied in relation to their historical and current environment pursuing the goals of prediction and influence, it applies the model of language and cognition known as Relational Frame Theory to the analysis of verbal processes involved in the decoding of Orestes’ bones oracles described in Hdt., 1.67‑8 and to the extension to these of an existing teaching procedure for the facilitation of naming and metaphorical language. The intervention efficacy will need empirical evaluation by a behavioural analyst.

Translating politeness on public notices with a directive function in Thessaloniki

Abstract This paper examines notices with a directive function that have been translated from Greek into English in the public spaces of Thessaloniki. In particular, it explores the ways in which Greek politeness is expressed and how this politeness is rendered in the English translation of the original Greek texts. The paper uses photographic data collected in 2020. Using Brown and Levinson’s (1987) concept of face, the methodology used is a combination of the qualitative ethnographic approach employed in contemporary linguistic landscape research and Bourdieu’s habitus approach used in the sociology of translation. The analysis shows that the translations examined often retain aspects of Greek politeness strategies, affecting the message of the English target text to varying degrees.

Amos: A Handbook on the Greek Text by W. Edward Glenny (review)

Amos: A Handbook on the Greek Text by W. Edward Glenny (review)

Some Observations on the Composition of the Medieval Slavonic Translation of the Acts of Paul and Thecla

The article examines the Old Church Slavonic translation of the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla with a focus on the oldest extant manuscript. Only a fragment of the manuscript has survived, on the end and the miracles. The article relies on the original Greek text and later Slavonic manuscripts for comparison.

Не пей с ним или с ней? К вопросу интерпретации Сир 9.9

In this paper, the author deals with the problem of Biblical literary criticism on the example of one of the problematic readings of Ben Sira (9:9). The majority of translations of Ben Sira are made either from the Greek sources or from Greek and Hebrew sources, achieving a certain textual compromise. The Greek text is usually corrected on the basis of the Hebrew text, however there are cases where the Hebrew text is corrected on the basis of the Greek one, and the emendations are introduced. Such an approach ignores the fact that Biblical books existed and were transmitted in various recensions, which were altered independently. Therefore, there reconstruction of the common archetype is hardly possible. The example of Ben Sira 9:9 contains a regulation for a young man to drink wine during a banquet, however, this regulation varies in different sources. There are not so many written evidences about banquets in Judea in the time prior to the events described in the Maccabean books, so the Ben Sira is one of the principal sources of information. The Greek text prohibits to drink wine and to talk to a married woman during a banquet, the restriction presupposes a married woman was admitted to such events and to be able to choose freely who to converse with. The Latin sources prohibit to recline with a married woman and to drink wine with her. The Hebrew text advises to avoid drinking wine with a husband and conversing with him. Most of the translations ignore the witness of the Hebrew text, a popular vocalized reconstruction of the original contains an emendation on the basis of the Greek text: the masculine pronoun is replaced with feminine one. The detailed analysis of the pericope Ben Sira 9:1–9 suggests the Hebrew text is apparently primary one, and the Latin and the Greek translations reflect social realties of Roman and Greek banquets respectfully.

H21 Acne treatments through the ages

Abstract The search for an effective treatment for acne dates back to 1550 Bc with the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical documents in the world, mentioning the application of raw honey and sulfur to affected areas. King Tutankhamun is widely believed to have suffered from acne as his tomb was filled with popular acne treatments of the time such as sulfur, sour milk, Aloe vera, myrrh and salt to rid him of his affliction in the afterlife. Much like the Egyptians, ancient Greek texts mention honey and sulfur for the treatment of acne. A Greek physician named Theodosius suggested that patients wipe their spots with a towel while watching a star falling from the sky as he suggested this would result in their spots falling from their faces. The Romans, in addition to the aforementioned honey and sulfur, trialled crocodile meat, cypress oil, sour cheese, leek leaves and cinnamon in their attempts to find a successful treatment. Thomas Bateman wrote in A Practical Synopsis of Cutaneous Disease that a patient reported that bruised parsley cleared her acne. He was also an advocate of remedies used by ancient civilizations. At the turn of the 20th century, American physician W.A. Pusay wrote about the use of ionizing radiation in the treatment of acne. Radiation was widely used in the treatment of acne until the 1960s, when concerns regarding associated secondary carcinogenesis led to the treatment falling out of favour. In the first half of the 20th century, phototherapy was a popular treatment for acne, and quartz mercury vapour lamps, in particular, were used. The most significant advancement in the treatment of acne was the discovery of the utility of synthetic vitamin A. In the 1960s, pharmaceutical company Roche trialled the compound 13-cis-retinoic acid as a treatment for skin cancer. This was ineffective, but it was demonstrated that it was efficacious in the treatment of acne. A study published in 1979 in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that 13 of 14 patients with acne conglobate experienced clearance of their acne. In 1982, the US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for 13-cis-retinoic acid, or isotretinoin, as a treatment for acne. It was introduced in Europe in 1983. Isotretinoin has been a life-changing advance in the treatment of this disease, but its teratogenic effects mean it must be prescribed with education and care.

Civilizational Analysis, the Axial Age and the Roads to Modernity

Abstract An analysis of the impact of outstanding Greek texts and ideas, their passage through Islamic civilization, scant impact on Judaic thought, and full incorporation in medieval Europe laying the foundations for modernity.

Old Latin versions of the Book of Daniel

The article is an introduction to the edition of the Old Latin versions of the book of Daniel. After a brief presentation of the manuscripts (those of the biblical book and those of the hymns), the Greek texts are presented (Theodotion and LXX). The next chapter studies the division into visions. The hymns are then analyzed: the hymn of the Three Young Men, the hymn of Azariah, and the hymn of the Divine Transcendence. The types of text are the subject of the next chapter: from the origins (X) to Jerome's version (H and V), passing through the ancient African texts (K) and the recent ones (C), then through the European texts (D and I), without forgetting Augustine's text (A). The article ends with a sketch of the history of the Old Latin text of Daniel.

New Books across the Disciplines

New Books across the Disciplines

Reason vs. Religion in Medieval India: Mainly from Evidence in Persian

The pursuit of reason may be defined as the drawing of logical deductions from a study of actual phenomena, and thus be essentially confined to the results gained from access to the various branches of science. It was in Greece where, from the fifth century BCE onward, rational thought was deemed to have developed most. Greek texts exercised undeniable influence on early thought in the Islamic world, Alberūnī’s Kitabu’l Hind being a remarkable product of that influence. Muslim theologians mounted a tirade against rationality (‘aql), in which the ṣūfīs joined; but since ṣūfic moral thought often tended to override Muslim theology, there could arise figures (even if partly imaginary) like Rābi‘a of Basra, who stood up against theology and its fictions. The conflict between ma‘qūlāt (reason) and manqūlāt (theology) was duly imported into India, along with the arrival of the Arabic–Persian sciences in the 13th and 14th centuries. Here poetry in Persian also became a major vehicle undermining theology. The tendency is partly present in Amīr Khusrau of Delhi (extolling love above theology!), but especially in the Iranian poet Ḥāfiz Shīrāzī, where the sāqī and ale-house constituted the major alternative to the pulpit and the mosque. In Indo-Persian poetry the same role is often ascribed to the but (idol) and the butkhāna (temple). It was under Akbar (r. 1556–1605) that a detailed inquiry (1574 onward) into Islamic beliefs and the doctrines of other religions led to disquiet about their validity. Abū’l Faẓl (d. 1602) became the leading light of a revival of rationality. Akbar’s own critique of Islam was similarly extended to aspects of Hinduism. ‘Urfī represents best the shift to reason, by the boldness of his poetry, rejecting religion for its inadequacy and looking forward to a just world. The seventeenth century did not fulfil the promise of the 16th. There was continuing interest in religion, shown by Jahāngīr’s formula: Tasawwuf = Vedānta; Dārā Shukoh’s translation of the Upanishads; and Mobad’s unique work Dabistān. But there was no corresponding assertion of rationality, whose votaries were reduced to a small band, last described, c. 1655.

Seventy Times Seven or Seventy-Seven Times: The Mathematical Formula in Matthew 18:22 and LXX Genesis 4:24

Abstract A survey of the current state of research shows that Matthean scholars are uncertain about the precise value of ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά in Matt 18:22. An investigation of similar constructions in ancient Greek texts indicates that ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά denotes the multiplication of seventy by seven and it is best translated “seventy times seven.” Further evidence indicates that the absence of a conjunction between the numerical adverb (ἑβδομηκοντάκις) and the cardinal number (ἑπτά) requires the construction to signify multiplication and not addition. Finally, Jewish literature suggests that the multiplication of seventy and seven signifies a global totality for all that may exist.

LXX Judith: Removing the fourth wall

Given the strong mimetic and dramatic qualities found in Judith the authors make the suggestion that perhaps, before LXX Judith became a fixed, written text, the basic fabula might well have been part of an oral tradition. The authors accept that an appropriately written dramatic work, whether transmitted through reading or an oral presentation, by means of its performative qualities, has the potential to achieve immediacy. Here, the audience may become captivated with its own familiarity and memory of popular, communally shared narratives. Accordingly, this article attempts to find evidence in the Greek text of LXX Judith for a possible oral precursor. In this context, corroboration is sought for the employment of verbal aspect and mood of the Greek language as well as instances of drama, theatrics, bodily gestures, mnemonic devices or special emphasis on the employment of the senses such as sight, taste and smell. The authors suggest that based on an analysis of the text of Chapter 13, there is much circumstantial evidence for the Judith fabula once being an oral narrative – one that embodies the dramatic and even encourages audience participation. This characteristic strongly suggests the removal of the fourth wall – the notion of an imaginary boundary between any fictional work and its audience.Contribution: This article shows that Judith 13 is indeed the climax of the narrative. However, it goes further. It is a vivid scene with various performative aspects. There are props, dialogue and audience participation. This research is cutting-edge and paves the way for new explorations.

The Meaning of agalma, eidôlon, and eikôn in Ancient Greek Texts: A Quantitative Approach Using Computer-Driven Methods and Tools


 This article analyzes the use and meaning of central Greek terms related to images in ancient Greek texts collected in the Diorisis Ancient Greek Corpus (Alessandro Vatri and McGillivray 2018). In contrast to the existing literature on the (religious) status of images in Greco-Roman Antiquity, Judaism, and Christianity, this article applies a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and computer-driven examinations with a qualitative analysis of selected sentences. The examination of the use and meaning of agalma, eidôlon, and eikôn considers various religious contexts (Jewish and Christian as well as Greco-Roman polytheistic), thereby embedding this article in the larger framework of comparative religious research on synchronic inter-religious contact.