Book of Biblical Antiquities (Pseudo-Philo)

...scribes, we made an effort to depart as little as possible from the manuscripts, so that if by chance another copy existed, as we had heard, our collation—which had emerged for us in a rough and unfinished state—might be perfected. For what else could you do, where one must sin on one side or the other against one's will? We preferred to be accused of a hasty edition rather than one delayed to the detriment of studies. Nor did the example of some please us, who not only do not hold back their best authors for the ninth year, as Horace believes should be done, but keep them for entire lifetimes, at a great price to fame, as it seems to me, if indeed they advance toward it with such harm to the learned. Furthermore, because Eusebius of Caesarea specifically cites in the second book of his Ecclesiastical History from Philo’s book, which is inscribed peri biou theoretikou iketon, that is, On the Life of Suppliants—for thus Rufinus translates it—we have no doubt that it is the same book that we have inscribed On the Essenes. We were led to this not only by other things not to be despised, but above all by what is written there concerning the Zemni monks, monasteries, and the hymns of the ancient "Cultors," for so at the beginning they were called, whom we read shortly after were called Christians. Add also that he recounts a great part of the entire book word for word. But why, having rejected that which the authority of Caesariensis, and then of Jerome, suggested, we preferred to inscribe it On the Essenes was due to that consensus of the manuscripts and the very beginning of the book, where he confesses that he is about to write On the Essenes. At first, the suspicion of error in the manuscripts of Jerome had come into our minds, which Trithemius also confirmed in his Catalogue, who reads not "Jews," as Jerome, but "Ideans," so that we should believe it ought to be read as Essenes. But when Eusebius of Caesarea had been inspected more diligently, it persuaded us otherwise; he enumerates other monuments of his genius, among which is the Book of Questions and Solutions in Genesis. What things the mind should pray for from God, On Testaments, That which is divine is unchangeable. Five books On the Life of Moses. On the fact that everyone who is occupied with good studies is free. Furthermore, On the Virtues of Caligula, which inscription, though Eusebius testifies it was ironic, he writes that the book, when it was read publicly in the Senate at Rome, was held in such high regard that it was donated by public authority to the Library. Receive meanwhile these few things, most distinguished men, which the injury of time has allowed to survive for us after such a slaughter of good literature, and consider that the will to edit them as correctly as possible was not lacking, but rather the manuscripts. We trust, however, that it will happen one day that they will be brought back under the anvil as if in a postliminy, if not more enriched, then certainly more corrected. Farewell, and take our effort in good part.