PREFACE

...imperfect, unlearned, and in many places poorly corresponding to the Greek text, they demanded—with complaints that were nearly insults—a new translation, or at least a revised and corrected version of Gelenius’s Sigismund Gelenius (1497–1554), a Czech humanist whose 1544 Latin translation of Josephus was long the standard, despite being produced in great haste. interpretation. They sought this especially in those instances where that most learned man, through haste or drowsiness original: "oscitantia"; referring to a lack of attention or mental fatigue., had not correctly grasped the author’s meaning. They also complained bitterly about the overwhelming abundance of variant readings, which were increasing to an almost intolerable size. I myself easily foresaw that these would be objects of criticism when I first inspected and read through the sheets at the request of Mr. Bernard before they were printed. I kindly warned him that in noting these variants with such great labor—not to say curiosity—and in applying them to the meaning of the text, all effort was being uselessly spent. I argued that only a few should be selected with care: specifically those by whose help the true reading of the Greek text could be drawn out and restored where it lay disjointed or corrupt. In this, I proposed he follow the example of that most excellent man, Henri Valois original: "Henrici Valesii" (1603–1676), a French philologist known for his rigorous editorial standards., who was most highly practiced in handling such literature with the greatest judgment. Valois frequently consulted the ancient versions of Rufinus of Aquileia and Epiphanius Scholasticus Rufinus (4th century) and Epiphanius (6th century) produced early Latin translations of Josephus that preserved readings from Greek manuscripts now lost., bringing them back for new examination wherever necessary. Scribes, however, transcribing one from another, often changed or added words as they pleased. Hence, if more copies had been available, a more fertile crop of such readings would have continually grown—not of any good fruit, but clearly needing to be pruned away. The same must be said of the many Greek readings, though their different nature would better require a laborious investigation; for they are often piled up by editors of a more recent age as if for the sake of display and to show off their diligence. What was most displeasing, however, was the lengthiness of the Commentaries, in which entire Dissertations were introduced without any necessity—at least in the eyes of these critics—which by better right should have been relegated to the end of the work or published separately in a proper volume. From this arose first animosities, then mutual displeasure, and finally open disputes between the Curators and Mr. Bernard, as both sides tenaciously clung to their opposing opinions, tossing arguments back and forth. This burned the mind of Bernard, who took it very poorly that he was ordered to enter upon a method different from the one he himself had established. The printing work ceased; and no longer was there any thought of publishing a complete Josephus at the University’s expense, especially as "Democrats and Schismatics" A reference to the political and religious turmoil in England following the Restoration, likely referring to Whig or non-conformist factions that Dr. Fell and his circle opposed. were disturbing the literary republic as much as they did the civil and ecclesiastical ones, and most especially after the soul of Dr. Fell John Fell, Bishop of Oxford, who had been the financial and administrative backbone of the project.—the principal foundation of this edition—was received into heaven. After six or seven years, Bernard, overcome by the timely pleas of three Oxford booksellers, took up the work once more, intending to publish it in a different format according to the measure of a new specimen. But since they were scarcely able to bear such a great burden while war was raging, and having printed only a few sheets, they themselves also stopped, now sufficiently convinced of their own rashness. Thus, the "funeral cry" original: "conclamatum est"; a Roman funeral custom where the name of the deceased was called out, signifying that hope was gone. was raised over Josephus and his restored Chronology. Falling as companions and followers of this sad fate, Aristeas, Josephus Ben Gorion Referencing the "Josippon," a 10th-century Hebrew history of the Jews often attributed to a "Joseph son of Gorion" and confused with Flavius Josephus., and Hegesippus The Latin adaptation of Josephus's Jewish War, traditionally attributed to a "Pseudo-Hegesippus." on the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, now lie prostrate and buried under such great ruins. It would be a superfluous labor to show here at greater length how much Bernard excelled in every kind of literature—what a polymath and critic he was, possessing such subtlety of genius and skillful judgment, how accurate he was in the most intricate calculations of time, and how familiar he was in reading writers of all kinds: Latin, Greek, Chaldean, Syriac, Arabic, Armenian, and Coptic. He proved himself thoroughly skilled in sacred and profane antiquities in his notes and dissertations on the four books of Flavius Josephus's Jewish Antiquities and part of the fifth (for his industry sweated over these alone, and did not extend further into another’s province). All now know this, as the copies have been distributed, and it is most well-attested everywhere. Those who study and love these letters will grieve with me that, due to these interruptions—whether fair or unfair—this grave loss has befallen the Republic of Letters, which a century will scarcely repair.

We have placed Bernard's complete labors, just as he edited them to the Greek, in their proper places; for he had selected only a few things which pertained to the Variety [of readings]...