This is an introduction to the textual criticism of ancient texts – covering theory as well as specific applications, such as how to read and interpret text critical apparatuses and their evidence.  Primary attention will be given to texts preserved in Greek and Latin, including translations from Hebrew to Greek (especially Jewish scriptures in Greek) and between Greek and Latin.  Jewish and Christian texts, scriptural and others, will be examined as well as various classical writings.  Working knowledge of Greek is necessary; some Latin and/or Hebrew would be helpful but not crucial.

The goal of textual criticism is to collect and evaluate available information relating to the symbolic presentation (especially wording) and associated meaning(s) of a text in an attempt to shed light on its various stages of transmission and re-presentation, from the earliest ascertainable form onward throughout the lives of the preserved witnesses.Quest for "the original" is but one of many possible byproducts.

Maas, Paul. Textual Criticism (Textkritik 1957\3; ET B. Flower 1958, repr 1967; Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-198-14318-4    

The Wikipedia article also describes various approaches and problems: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textual_criticism

 
Also valuable as a starting point is Jim Marchand's outline in What Every Medievalist Should Know (WEMSK), now online at http://www.the-orb.net/wemsk/textcritwemsk.html

And some informal notes from the MEDTEXTL (Medieval Text List) on related subjects.

This will be a "work-seminar" in which each student chooses projects that will require detailed knowledge of textcritical conventions and approaches relating to the students main areas of interest. For example, one project should deal with aspects of texts for which more than a score of witnesses exist, such as:

• Jewish Greek scriptures, and relationship to Hebrew and/or to "Old Latin" and other "daughter" versions.
• Christian "New Testament" texts, also in relation to Latin and other versions.
• Homer manuscripts and papyri
• Vergil
• Ovid
• Aesop's Fables
• Augustine or Jerome
  
  

Another project should explore a text or texts for which no more than a handful of direct witnesses exist, such as:

• the Old Greek of Daniel
• the hymn/poem of Habakkuk 3 (see CATSS variants data bank)
  
• "Paul" to the Laodiceans, or "3 Corinthians" (in English; in versions)
  
• the Didache (see Kraft, translation and commentary)
• Posidippus
• Philodemos

On the highly specialized and technical vocabulary of LXX/OG editions --

• John Wevers, Introduction to the Critical Edition of Greek Exodus
• CATSS project on recording variants to LXX/OG books
• Sample file from CATSS project, Greek Obadiah

 

On the complex situation involving translation(s), recensions, etc. --

• Problems specific to LXX/OG scriptures (old handout)
• Recent developments in LXX/OG study (see Barthelemy's contributions )
• Psalm 151 and related materials
• Kraft, "Reassessing the 'Recensional Problem' in Testament of Abraham." = pp. 121-137 in Studies on the Testament of Abraham, ed. G. Nickelsburg. Septuagint and Cognate Studies 6. Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1976
  

On recensional activity on a sub-set of a larger corpus --

• Kraft, "Philo's Bible Revisited: the `Aberrant Texts' and their Quotations of Moses," pp. 237-253 in Interpreting Translation: Studies on the LXX and Ezekiel in Honour of Johan Lust, ed F. Garcia Martinez and M. Vervenne with the collaboration of B. Doyle (Peeters 2005) [also an expanded version with working notes appended].
  

On recensional activity in a text with limited witnesses --

• Kraft, "Towards Assessing the Latin Text of '5 Ezra': The Christian Connection." Pp. 158-69 in CHRISTIANS AMONG JEWS AND GENTILES: Essays in Honor of Krister Stendahl on his Sixty-fifth Birthday. Ed. George W. E. Nickelsburg with George W. MacRae. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986.
• Theodore A. Bergren, Fifth Ezra: The Text, Origin and Early History (SCS 25; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1990).
• T. Bergren, Sixth Ezra: the Text and Origin (New York: OUP, 1998)

On Christian editing of Jewish and other texts --

• Kraft,  "Christian Transmission of Greek Jewish Scriptures: a Methodological Probe." = pp. 207-226 in Paganisme, Judaisme, Christianisme: Influences et affrontements dans le Monde Antique (Melanges M. Simon), ed. A. Benoit et al. Paris: De Boccard, 1978
  .

On textual confusion caused by faulty archetypes

• The seamless joining of Polycarp start-9.2 with Barnabas 5.7b-end

On the textcritical impact of papyri evidence

• Barnabas 9 [update in progress; original at Brill site]
• Epp on NT Papyri

On the influence of commentarial treatments --

• Ralph Hexter, Ovid and Medieval Schooling: Studies in Medieval School Commentaries on Ovid's Ars amatoria, Epistulae ex Ponto, and Epistulae Heriodum (Mu"nchner Beitra"ge zur Media"vistik und Reniassance-Forschung
  38; Munich, 1986)
  
  

Some samples of interesting problems with names --

• Fourth son of David in the genealogy of 2Kgms[Sam] 3.04 Ορνια υἱὸς Φεγγιθ [MT = ADNYH BN H.GYT]
• Adoneias son of Aggeiq || Ornia(s) son of David in 3Kgs[1Kg] -- in what follows, minor itacistic variations in some MSS are not noted, such as omicron for omega, eta for epsilon+iota, etc.What do you think caused such a seemingly radical variation?:

1.05 -- Αδων(ε)ιας υἱὸς Αγγ(ε)ιθ || Ὀρνία υἱὸς ΔΑΔ [boc₂e₂; Syr^j (Ornia; Ὀρνα M), g (ΔΑΔ)][MT as above]
1.07 -- ὀπίσω Αδωνιου || αὐτοῦ [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.08 -- ὀπίσω Αδωνιου || μετὰ Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.09 -- Αδωνιου || Ὀρνία [oc₂e₂] Ὀρνίας [b] AORONIA [Syr^j]
1.11 -- Αδωνιας υἱὸς Αγγιθ || Ὀρνία υἱὸς Αγγιθ [boc₂e₂ Syr^j; see g (Αδωνιας υἱὸς ΔΑΔ γειθ]
1.13 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂]
1.18 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.24 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.25 -- Αδωνιας (Αδωνιου BAa₂) || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.41 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.42 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.49 -- τοῦ (>Bxa₂) Αδωνιου || τοῦ Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂ Syr^j]
1.50 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂]
1.51 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂]
2.13 -- Αδωνιας [Bja₂Eth] (+ υἱὸς Αγγ(ε)ιθ rell) || Ὀρνία υἱὸς Αγγειθ [b(Αγιθ)oc₂e₂]
2.19 -- περὶ Αδωνιου || περὶ Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂]
2.23 -- Αδωνιας (Αδωνεια B) || Ὀρνία [Zboc₂e₂]
2.24 -- Αδωνιας (Αδωνεια B) || Ὀρνία [Zboc₂e₂; Ornias OL]
2.25 -- Αδωνιας || Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂(Ὀρνείας)]
2.28 -- ὀπίσω Αδωνιου (Αδωνεια Bi) || ὀπίσω Ὀρνία [boc₂e₂]

see Michael Glycas, Annals 337 -- ἰστέον ὅτι Ὀρνίας καὶ Ἀδωνίας ὁ αὐτὸς ἦν, υἱὸς δὲ Δαβίδ
ps-John Chrysostom, Synopsis 56 -- Ὀρνίας υἱὸς Δαυῒδ
John of Damascus, Sacra Parallela 95-96 -- Ὀρνίας ( υἱὸς Γεθθὶ)
Anacharsis sive Ananias 764 -- ὁ πολύφημος Ὀρνίας
Latin ps-Titus 544-551
Latin version of Hippolytus
[Ornias is also a very active demon in the Testament of Solomon]
[see also 3Kgs 4.5 Orneia // Azarias son of Nathan]

• Daniel 11.30 on the "Kittim"
  [MT] WBAO BO CYYM KTYM
  [ET] And there shall come against him ships of Kittim
  ["Theod"] = Κίτιοι
  [ET] And there shall enter in it/him the advancing Kitioi
  [var Q* XETTIEIM before KITIOI (then marked for deletion?)]
  [OG] = Ῥωμαῖοι
  [ET] And they shall come, Romans, and drive it/him ashore

 

more to come