The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Part 66

PREFACE

The first part of this volume continues our publication of theological texts from volume LXV. The major item here comprises the extensive remains of a codex of Revelation, edited by Dr Chapa (4499); dating from the late third or the fourth century AD, this papyrus is the oldest surviving witness for portions of Revelation. Smaller fragments, edited by Dr W. E. H. Cockle, include pre-Constantinian texts of Luke, Romans and Hebrews. Allocated $\mathfrak{P}$-numbers numbers designating papyrus manuscripts of the New Testament are given below the inventory numbers.

The literary texts divide into three groups. In Part II Parsons edits two related papyri of epigram; of the six poems, one is known from the Palatine Anthology and there attributed to Nicarchus, the satirist of the early Empire; the five new poems are probably his as well. Dr Obbink edits five papyri in which Anoubion, astrologer and aspiring didactic poet, hammers out horoscopes in elegant elegiacs. Part III contains papyri of Comedy: two further fragments of New Comedy (4522-3); two prose texts concerned with Aristophanes (4508-9); twelve papyri from known plays of Aristophanes himself (4510-21), which confirm some modern conjectures, demonstrate the antiquity of some late variants, and illustrate the uniformity of the colometric relating to the division of text into lines or clauses tradition. 4508-21 are all edited by Dr Gonis and originally formed part of his Oxford University doctoral thesis.

Part IV brings together twenty-one assorted documents, the work of seven different editors, ranging in date from the first century to the seventh century AD. Notable among these are 4527, seemingly with the total revenue in wheat for a year from one of the three divisions of the Arsinoite nome; 4528, a report of public doctors which completes LXIII 4366; 4537-8, with measurements and technical details of irrigation works, edited by Dr Syrcou, and five invitations to various festivals edited by Dr Montserrat. Both of the last two groups derive from doctoral theses written at University College London under the supervision of Professor Maehler.

The literary index has been compiled by Dr Gonis; Coles has prepared the documentary indexes and co-ordinated the whole.

We are again specially grateful to the Rev. Dr David Parker for his advice on the New Testament texts 4494-4500. Thomas acknowledges the continued support of the Leverhulme Trust.

We are as ever indebted to the staff of The Charlesworth Group, whose energies have facilitated the publication of this volume so soon after its two predecessors.

January, 1999

R. A. COLES
P. J. PARSONS
J. R. REA
J. D. THOMAS
General Editors