Subject: Versions and

From: "Ronald L. Minton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 22:09:30 -0500 (CDT)

I want to chart out the versions and select other ancient literature.  
This is my initial effort, but I used some good and some novel sources.
Please find fault and send me your corrections and suggestions.  Thanks

            SURVIVING MANUSCRIPTS OF ANCIENT AUTHORS

AUTHORS      WRITINGS   APPROXIMATE    EARLIEST  TIME   COPIES 
                        DATE WRITTEN   COPY-A.D  SPAN   EXTANT 
 
HOMER        Mythology  900 B.C.       400 B.C.  500    643
SOPHOCLES    Tragedy    496-406 B.C.   1,000     1,400  193
HERODOTUS    History    480-425 B.C.   900       1,300  8 
EURIPIDES    Tragedy    480-406 B.C.   1,100     1,500  9
THUCYDIDES   History    460-400 B.C.   900       1,300  8
ARISTOPHANES Comedy     450-385 B.C.   900       1,200  10    
PLATO        Various    427-347 B.C.   900       1,200  7 
ARISTOTLE    Science    384-322 B.C.   1,100     1,400  49+
DEMOSTHENES  Politics   383-322 B.C.   1,100     1,300  c. 200
CAESAR       Politics   100-44 B.C.    900       1,000  10     
LIVY         History    59B.C.-A.D.17  500       500    20
LUCRETIUS    Di. Poem   60 B.C.        1050      1,100  2  
CATULLUS     Poetry     54 B.C.        1,550     1,600  3    
VIRGIL       Poetry     50-19 B.C.     300       300
HORACE       History    20 B.C.        900       900
c. NINE MEN  New Test.  A.D. 40-95     120       25     24,000
PLINY/YOUNG  History    A.D. 61-113    850       750    7   
SUETONIUS    Biography  A.D. 70-160    950       800    8   
TACITUS      Annals     A.D. 100       1,100     1,000  20     
TACITUS      History    A.D. 100       1,000     900    1
MINOR WORKS

New Testament manuscripts are comprised of Greek copies and
translation copies.  The chart shows approximate numbers and dates.

           SURVIVING MANUSCRIPTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

  NEW TESTAMENT          A.D. DATE     A.D. DATE OF     TOTAL
GREEK MANUSCRIPTS        FIRST MADE    OLDEST COPY      NUMBER
  
  Minuscules             9th Cent      9th Cent         2,880 
  Lectionaries           4th Cent      4th Cent         2,300 
  Uncials                3rd Cent      3rd Cent         275
  Papyri                 1st Cent      2nd Cent         100

  NEW TESTAMENT          A.D. DATE     A.D. DATE        COPIES              
  TRANSLATION            FIRST MADE    OLDEST COPY      KNOWN
 
  Latin Vulgate          400           450              10,000    
  Slavonic               850           950?             4,100     
  Armenian               400           887              2,587     
  Ethiopic               500?          1250             2,000     
  Syriac Peshitta        425           450              350       
  Georgian               450           897              300?      
  Coptic                 250           350              100       
  Arabic                 700?          850              75        
  Old Latin              180           370              50        
  Nubian                 550           900?             10?       
  Anglo Saxon            950           950              9         
  Gothic                 350           450              6         
  Sogdian                ?             ?                3         
  Old Syriac             ?             ?                2         
  Persian                ?             1350             2         
  Old Syraic             200           400              2?        
  Frankish               ?             750              1

--
Prof. Ron Minton: [email-masked]   W (417)268-6053  H 833-9581
Baptist Bible Graduate School 628 E. Kearney St. Springfield, MO 65803

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From: ANDREW SMITH <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 08:48:03 -0400 (EDT)

Are there really 6 copies of Gothic Bible? I though that there was only
one, and that it was fragmentary.

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From: "Robert B. Waltz" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 09:21:12 -0700

>one, and that it was fragmentary.

You're thinking of Codex Argenteus, which to my knowledge is the only
substantial manuscript of the Gothic. It contains about half of the
gospels. But there are several other fragments, mostly if not all
palimpsest.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

                            Robert B. Waltz
                         [email-masked]

Want more loudmouthed opinions about textual criticism?
Try my web page: http://www.skypoint.com/~waltzmn
(A very rough draft of part of the Encyclopedia of NT Textual Criticism)

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From: "Robert B. Waltz" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 09:25:04 -0700

>TACITUS      History    A.D. 100       1,000     900    1

I think there are at least two other Greek authors that belong in
this list: Aeschylus (Drama, sixth century) and Hesiod (mythology,
eighth? century). Unfortunately, I can't add manuscript data.
Sigh.

                            Robert B. Waltz
                         [email-masked]