The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Part 66

4494–4500.

The apparatus criticus notes on textual variants in the texts which follow is based on Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th edition (Stuttgart 1993), with occasional further information from Tischendorf, Editio octava critica maior (Leipzig 1869–1894), and von Soden, Die Schriften des neuen Testaments (Göttingen 1911–1913). Symbols used in the apparatus follow Nestle-Aland²⁷ and the supplements are also taken from this edition, except where otherwise indicated. References to Turner in the introductions are to E. G. Turner, The Typology of the Early Codex (Philadelphia 1977). We are greatly indebted for advice, especially on the collating, to the Rev. Dr David Parker.

4494. MATTHEW X 13–14, 25–27

A 3B.6/13

Fourth century
𝔓¹¹⁰ Plates I–II

This fragment of a papyrus codex is written in a carbon ink in a handsome hand which slopes to the right. It is an example of the type of bookhand which Guglielmo Cavallo calls ‘la maiuscola di tipo ogivale inclinato’ the inclined ogival-style majuscule (Ricerche sulla maiuscola biblica, Firenze 1967, 118–19), whose characteristics are set out under the heading ‘écriture littéraire penchée vers la droite’ literary handwriting leaning to the right by William Lameere, Aperçus de paléographie homérique, Paris–Brussels 1960, 178–9. It is largely bilinear, being 2.5–3 mm high, and is written with a narrow, pointed pen. Phi, beta and upsilon extend above and below these limits. It has mannered serifs and no ligatures. Particularly to be noted is the roundel of phi, which is a flattened oval 6 mm wide. Upsilon is written in a single movement, beginning at top left, proceeding to top right and then descending to the foot with a final flourish to the left. The bow of omega is flattened. Epsilon and theta have extended cross-bars. Early examples of similar hands are P. Chester Beatty I (𝔓⁴⁵), assigned to the third century, and P. Flor. II 108, whose omega, xi and alpha with rounded bowl are comparable; this has an item from the Heroninus archive on the verso and hence must have been written not later than the mid third century. However, the exaggerated width of phi and alpha with the knotted top suggest a later date for 4494. XV 1778, assigned to the fourth century, has a similar phi, but the hand is slightly less inclined to the right; and dated documents from the Theophanes archive of c. 320 (GMAW² 70; GBEBP 2a) would provide a suitable context.

Inorganic tremata dots placed over vowels are placed over ymon your in ↓ 3 and 6 (see GMAW², pp. 10–11). Apostrophes are found in Beelzebul in → 3 (cf. GMAW², p. 11), exmaxate shake off/wipe off in ↓ 7 and after ouk not in → 6. Rough breathings occur in → 2 bis, 6 and 7. Low stops are placed in ↓ 4 and → 2, 4 and 5. The only abbreviations are aute itself in ↓ 2 and the nomen sacrum sacred name ks Lord in → 2.