Tetradymus. Containing I. Hodegus ... II. Clidophorus ... III. Hypatia. ... IV. Mangoneutes

P R E F A C E.

...a Doctor of Divinity should be ignorant. He has further recourse (as will be seen in Mangoneutes original: "MANGONEUTES," likely referring to Thomas Mangey’s critique of Toland titled "Remarks upon Nazarenus.") to a false or unscriptural derivation of the word, adopted by some modern writers from the quaint ideas of certain venerable Church Fathers. To support this criticism, he quotes three or four writers who clearly mean the Old Testament Nazirites (or more properly Naziræans), whom they distinguish in those same passages from the Christian Nazarenes original: "Nazarens or Nazareans".

Thus, in the forged Letter of the equally forged Lentulus, a supposed "Governor of Judea," Jesus is described 14 as looking like a Nazirite—which I demonstrate he never was. Consequently, the Doctor’s derivation of Nazarean from the 15 root of that word, and the references others make to it, are not merely uncertain but absolutely false.

Haste does not permit me to make the remarks that so naturally arise regarding some of his authors. Among them is Ricoldus (or Richard, if you prefer), whom the justly admired Dean of 16 Norwich—as well as the Doctor—calls "judicious." I suppose the Dean meant he was simply less injudicious than others whose books are stuffed with even more fables and falsehoods; nevertheless, Ricoldus still has his fair share of them. One of his "judicious" arguments to prove the Quran original: "Alcoran" is not divine is that it is written in 17 verse; he then denies that God ever spoke...

14 original: "Pili capitis ejus vincti coloris usque ad fundamentum aurium, sine radiatione erecti, et a fundamento aurium usque ad humeros contorti ac lucidi, et ab humeris deorsum pendentes, bifido vertice dispositi in morem Nazaraeorum." "The hair of his head was the color of a ripe hazelnut, straight down to the ears, and from the ears to the shoulders it was somewhat curly and bright, hanging down from the shoulders and divided in the middle after the manner of the Nazareans."

15 He must mean the Hebrew root נזר Nazar original: "נזר", meaning "to separate," though he has not explicitly stated it. original: "Separavit" (Latin: 'He separated'). From this comes נזיר Nazirite original: "נזיר" or a separated person. In contrast, the root of Nazareth (and consequently of Nazarene) is נצר Natzar original: "נצר", meaning "to ward" or "to preserve." original: "Custodivit" (Latin: 'He guarded'). From this comes the name Nazareth, due to its strong position on a hill.

16 In the list of authors added to his Life of Muhammad original: "MAHOMET" and Letter to the Deists.

17 original: "Neque stilum neque modum habet [Alcoranum] Legi divinae similem, aut convenientem; est enim stilo rhythmicum, et affectatione plenum.—Vidimus enim in divina scriptura Deum loquentem cum Moyse et cum aliis prophetis, et nunquam rythmici vel versibus loquentem. Moysis autem Legem et Evangelium dicit MAHOMETES a Deo esse, et Deum illos libros MOYSI et CHRISTO dedisse: sed hi non sunt metrici vel rythmici, et nullus aliorum prophetarum qui divinam vocem audi-" "The style and manner of the [Quran] is neither similar nor suitable to Divine Law; for it is written in a rhythmic style and is full of affectation. For we see in the holy scriptures God speaking with Moses and other prophets, and never speaking in rhythm or verse. Now, Muhammad says that the Law of Moses and the Gospel are from God, and that God gave those books to Moses and Christ; but these are not in meter or rhythm, nor did any of the other prophets who heard the divine voice [speak in verse]..."