Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagintal Studies: Variants Module

Information update 03 May 2007 (site reorganization May 2005), Robert A. Kraft, module director.

These notes need further refinement, but provide a starting point for understanding what has been done and who has been involved. Basic information on the variants project and its procedures are available in the 1986 article describing the work on RUTH (from the Cambridge larger Septuagint edition); these instructions are being updated to include more recent work based on Go%ttingen editions. (See the IOSCS page for a list of recommended critical editions.) These materials began to be made available on the CCAT gopher in June 1994. Much of the most recent work on the texts that were encoded previously involves reformatting into an HTML type coding and adjusting to show Unicode Greek (by Christopher McCartney), as well as checking for accuracy. The remaining texts are also still awaiting encoding, as noted below. Ultimately, all files will need to be adjusted for consistency.

If you have problems displaying the information, see the possible solution proposed by Jay Treat [a member of the project staff since 1989].

General staff members (not including individual assignments listed below) have included Jackie Pastis, David Rech [especially scanning], Ben Dunning [1995], Gil Renberg [1995-2004], Patrick George [c 1995], Alan Lowenschuss [1995-96], William (Chip) Gruen [from 7/2000-2003], Justin Dombrowski [2003-2004], Moises Bassan [2004], Hunter Powell [from 6/2004], Chris McCartney [from 5/2005; see his unicode files], Michael Francis [from 5/2005], Virginia Wayland [from 5/2005], and Sigrid Peterson (from 12/2006).

For the sequence numbers, we have arbitrarily chosen a modified and expanded version of the order in codex Vaticanus (moving Esther, Judith and Tobit right after 1-2 Esdras), and including the 4 books of Maccabees (24-24; see codex Sinaiticus and Alexandrinus), Psalms of Solomon (37; see Alexandrinus), and the Prayer of Manasseh (65). Where the numbering is unusual (e.g. two numbers for Isaiah, etc.), it reflects an attempt to be consistent with the Morphologically Analyzed files, which were numbered first. [Note that the Parallel Text numbering differs, since several of the Greek books do not exist in Hebrew or Aramaic; this will need to be made more consistent at some point.]

PENTATEUCH

Bold face notes: Sigrid Peterson in February 2007.

• 01 Genesis (scanned 1994, edited under the direction of Fritz Knobloch 1995-2000) -- will need minor adjustments in the interests of consistency -- transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005). Enumeration is in the form #02 05 (chapter verse); makes Search and Replace (S&R) of enumeration in longer books go much faster than enumeration as e.g. 2.5 or 15.15 or 25.25. Why are there 4 files of Genesis? Why not simply 01Gen.html and 01Gen-beta.txt? Needs rubrication of numbers and italicizing, subscripting and superscripting. The Introduction to the Goettingen edition has been translated into English by the author, John Wevers, and is now online with the variant files. We hope to update it periodically.
  
• 02 Exodus (scanned 1994; to Jim Blankenship 1/1995 -- still at work 5/2005) -- nothing yet on file. No news as of 2/07. The Introduction to the Goettingen edition has been translated into English by the author, John Wevers, and is now online with the variant files. We hope to update it periodically.
  
• 03 Leviticus (ch 1 Amey Hutchens 9/93; some scanned 7/1994 to Patrick George?) -- nothing significant on record 6/1996 or on backup media 9/1997 (5/2005); chs 1-6 in vertical format and Greek Unicode (6/2004); Hunter Powell is currently working on this material. He reports, in Jan. 2007, being "nearly complete" with Chapters 1,2,19,20, and 21; he wants to double check these, and go on to 22-25, to be completed by summer 2007.
  
• 04 Numbers (Patrick George partial files 9/29/1997; Gil Renberg completed it by 1/1999) -- transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005). The Unicode Greek file has complete text, and is in the 01 Pentateuch Folder.There is a strange sequence at the beginning that requires interpretation and editing. Also needed are italics/Latin and rubrication S&R, as well as superscripting and subscripting. Enumeration needs to be changed to the Genesis format, as above
  
• 05 Deuteronomy (was in 4 files: Noel Hubler, Patrick George, coding modified by Alan Lowenschuss 8/1996, verified by Gil Renberg 10/1997) -- needs to be edited as one (large!) file -- transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005). Now in single large files, both beta code and Greek Unicode. Needs rubrication of numbers and italicizing, subscripting and superscripting. Enumeration needs to be changed to the Genesis format, as above.
  

HISTORICAL WORKS (including some "Apocrypha")

• 06-07 Joshua (Hans Erbes ? [check status]; saw him 7/1999, but nothing yet)
• 08-09 Judges [nothing yet]
• 10Ruth (from CD-ROM 1987, includes Parallel Hebrew text) needs coding modifications for Unicode Greek and Hebrew. Checked: no change.
• 111 Samuel/1 Kingdoms (Bernard Taylor, 2001) -- needs versional evidence added, etc.; transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 122 Samuel/2 Kingdoms (4 files; Patrick George [check for completeness]; put on gopher 9/29/97); transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 13 1/3 King(dom)s Virginia Wayland is currently working on this material (2006). February 2007: Virginia Wayland has uploaded  1 Kings/3 Reigns completely, chapter by chapter, thru 22.
• 14 2/4 King(dom)s (Paul Lippi in odd ParTxt file structure, boc2e2 mainly) needs radical reformatting, supplementing)
• 15 1 Chronicles [nothing yet]
• 16 2 Chronicles [nothing yet]
• 17 1 Esdras (Zippi Talshir: text lacking, etc.; Gil Renberg 6/96 and Patrick George; confused files found 9/1997) -- materials from 1 Esdras 4.1 onward need rechecking.
• 18-19 2 Esdras [= Ezra & Nehemiah] (?? supposedly started, but no evidence in files 6/96); Michael Francis is currently working on this material (?? 2006).
• 20 Esther (with Greek additions); check Karen Jobes materials. ???SP
• 21 Judith [vertical text created (6/2004, Greek Unicode), needs variants added] Checked. This file is in the 5Apocrypha folder, as judithvr.htm
• 22 Tobit(AB) (who began it??: check for accuracy; needs extensive reformatting; Gil Renberg 6/1996?)
• 23 Tobit(S) (vertical file 11/11/1997; Gil Renberg finished 4/2000); transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 24 1 Maccabees, variants only (Jackie Pastis 6/1994; plans to complete it, 2006) -- need text added to variants in both files, and the second file needs further checking; transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 25 2 Maccabees (Maxine Grossman chs 1-10, Allen Kerkeslager, Sigrid Peterson; to Alan Lowenschuss and then Gil Renberg for coding modifications and verification 9/1996); transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 26 3 Maccabees (Mary LaRue; to Alan Lowenschuss then Gil Renberg 9/1996)
• 27 4 Maccabees [Rahlfs] (Noel Hubler 8/1992; Brad Kirkegaard 6/1994; to Alan Lowenschuss 9/1996); transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
  

POETIC/HYMNIC WORKS (including some "Apocrypha")

• 28-29 Psalms 1-50, 50-100, 101-151 (in three files; Patrick George; contents/format ok, Latin Rob Rice 6/1995; code changes by Alan Lowenschuss 1995-96; further checking by Jay Melvin and Ed Miller summer 2003); transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 30 Odes [nothing yet]
• 34 Job (scanned by David Rech, verified & integrated Ben Dunning 1/1995; further checking by Gil Renberg 7/1996) -- needs considerable work; transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 31 Proverbs [nothing yet]
• 32 Qohelet [nothing yet]
• 33 Song of Songs (Jay Treat [part of dissertation]; needs to be added to CATSS directory)
• 35 Wisdom of Solomon (who??: Lenny Lopez, 6/16/94; to Destiny Kimmel 6/1996 [she did virtually nothing] RAK 11/1996, to Gil Renberg 1999, finished 1/2000); transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005).
• 36 Sirach 1-7 (Ben Wright; needs to be added to CATSS directory) [status of the remainder?] check file materials on hand
• 37 Psalms of Solomon (if it is to be included; see Robert Wright on Syriac) [nothing yet]
• 65 Prayer of Manasseh (if to be included) [nothing yet; not in TLG-LXX]
  

PROPHETS AND ASSOCIATED WORKS

• 38-49 Minor Prophets -- [+ indicates kaige fragments exist]; transferred to HTML and Unicode Greek by Chris McCartney (Nov 2005), with the missing final section of Hosea supplied April 2007.
  
  • 38 Hosea (Max Grossman, Sigrid Peterson 6/1994; Gil Renberg 6/1996)
  • 39 Joel (Ken Banner [check 6/1994]; 6/1991 lacks text)
  • 40 Amos (who? not Lynne LiDonnici; 6/1991 lacks text; united by someone ca 1994; verified by Ben Dunning 2/1995; Gil Renberg 5/1996)
  • 41 Obadiah (Noel Hubler, Lenny Lopez; Gil Renberg 6/1996; further checking and reformatting by RAK in March 2006).
  • 42 Jonah + (who ?? [to gopher 6/1994] R vars Alan Lenzi 1/1996)
  • 43 Micah + (who ? Bill Stroup 11/1994 Gil Renberg 3/1996)
  • 44 Nahum + (Lynn LiDonnici [to gopher 6/94]; Horine)
  • 45 Habakkuk + (Noel Hubler [to gopher 6/94]; further work by Justin Dombrowski 2004)
  • 46 Zephaniah + (Noel Hubler [to gopher 6/94]; Gil Renberg 3/1996)
  • 47 Haggai (Joe Gulka 6/94; Gil Renberg 5/1996)
  • 48 Zechariah + (who?; not Jackie Pastis; finished by Ben Dunning 1/1995; Gil Renberg 3/1996)
  • 49 Malachi (Ken Banner ? 6/91; Ben Dunning 2/1995; Gil Renberg 3/1996)
• 50-51 Isaiah 1.1-3.1 (Maddy Lopez scanning? 6/1995; didn't find any scanned file 6/1996; Justin Dombrowski 2003)
• 52-53 Jeremiah (David Rech "being scanned" 1/1993; didn't find any scanned file 6/1996) --
• 54 Baruch [entered by Chris McCartney, March 2006]
• 56 Lamentations [unicode Greek vertical file created, RAK 25ap2007]
• 55 Epistle of Jeremiah (in vertical format; to Chip Gruen on 10jl2000; [unicode Greek vertical file created, RAK 25ap2007])
• 57-58 Ezekiel (some files on scanner David Rech 7/1994; didn't find any scanned files 6/1996)
• 59-64 Daniel (Jay Treat)
  

===== notes on earlier reporting =====

Text variants status reports (David Rech 8/14/1991; RAK 6/16/1994 and 6/1996 and 11/2000)

This file was called NVARSTAT on the original Ibycus mini-computer system

Key to older status abbreviations:

** = ready for Ibycus upload. Correction 2 (final) completed..
* = format 1 completed, files at various levels of verification.
k = files that have been scanned, but not reformatted or verified.
$ = files needing to be scanned.

Other later codes:

*** on ccat gopher -- see "NEW" and "OLD" libraries [about 1997]
h = SGML descriptor/header file has been added following TEI conventions

===== tasks for CATSS-Var coordinator =====

Confirm that the files linked above are as described.

Prod RAK to follow up on possibly avialable material mentioned but not in house.

Prod RAK to create vertical text files of missing material.

Consult about assigning or doing missing material.

Encourage or pursue contact with potential vendors.

Determine what new discoveries (e.g. papyri) need to be added.

Experiment with adding material from "the three" and other non-LXX/OG sources.

Finish formatting John Wevers' English translations of Introductions to Pentateuch books.

Collect and edit information for workers/users handbook.

===== tasks for general CATSS maintanance =====

Organize files of (and information about) "user declarations."

Collect and implement corrections to Morph (Bernard Taylor) and ParallelText (Frank Polak) materials.

Collect and organize "secondary distributor" agreements and contracts.

Be alert to information on "history of the project" (e.g. staff, collaborators).

Prod RAK to locate, mine and organize relevant files in his archives.

//end; updated to 20ap2007, RAK//