κολοβοδάκτυλος

[Secret Alias]

I can't believe that no one has suggested this before.

κολοβοδάκτυλος means "truncated-length" (or "short-measured")

κολοβός = cut
δάκτυλος = measure

The measures of Herodotus are almost all drawn either from portions of the human body , or from bodily actions easily performable . His smallest measure is the δάκτυλος , or " finger's breadth , " four of which go to the palm or hand's breadth. https://books.google.com/books?id=tnE-A ... 22&f=false

οὔτε Μάρκος ὁ κολοβοδάκτυλος ἀνήγγειλαν Mark the cut-lengthed does not announce is clearly identified as the equivalent of "τούτων γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Μάρκον εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται" the things written in the (canonical) according to Mark.

I know. I know. Morton Smith forged the Letter to Theodore. I know.

[mbuckley3]

I can't believe that no one has suggested this before.

This is a brilliant spot, and it's disappointing that hardly anyone (so far) has bothered to read this post.

However, even if correct, this reading is not necessarily evidence of knowledge of two versions of the gospel of Mark, which I assume to be your point. Let's look at the context, 'Hippolytus', Refut.7.30 :

"When therefore Marcion or any of his dogs shall bay against the Demiurge, bringing forward arguments from the comparison of good and evil, they should be told that neither the apostle Paul nor short-measure Mark reported these things ( for none of them is written in the gospel according to Mark )."

The writer seems to be making a rather laboured joke on the theme of abbreviation, playing both upon Μαρκιων as a diminutive of Μαρκος, and on Marcion's reputation as the abbreviator of a gospel. The sense is that Marcionite doctrines are an importation of Empedocles' system, which has no textual basis in the Marcionite canon, the Apostolos and the Evangelion. The gospel of Mark is juxtaposed to point up the joke.

[Peter Kirby]

I can't believe that no one has suggested this before.

This is a brilliant spot, and it's disappointing that hardly anyone (so far) has bothered to read this post.

However, even if correct, this reading is not necessarily evidence of knowledge of two versions of the gospel of Mark, which I assume to be your point. Let's look at the context, 'Hippolytus', Refut.7.30 :

"When therefore Marcion or any of his dogs shall bay against the Demiurge, bringing forward arguments from the comparison of good and evil, they should be told that neither the apostle Paul nor short-measure Mark reported these things ( for none of them is written in the gospel according to Mark )."

The writer seems to be making a rather laboured joke on the theme of abbreviation, playing both upon Μαρκιων as a diminutive of Μαρκος, and on Marcion's reputation as the abbreviator of a gospel. The sense is that Marcionite doctrines are an importation of Empedocles' system, which has no textual basis in the Marcionite canon, the Apostolos and the Evangelion. The gospel of Mark is juxtaposed to point up the joke.

Are you sure that the passage in Refut. 7.30 is referring specifically to "Marcion's reputation as the abbreviator of a gospel"?

And, if so, why would you say so?

[Secret Alias]

What other reputation does he have? Deals on furniture.

[Peter Kirby]

Two for one ship sales?

[Peter Kirby]

I'm not trying to detract from the OP.

I'm just not convinced, specifically, by mbuckley3's analysis, which says things that the OP doesn't.

I was writing more before you replied to my question for mbuckley3, lol.

[mbuckley3]

I was simply pointing out that if Stephan's understanding of κολοβοδακτυλος is accepted, other interpretations of the passage are possible, perhaps more plausible than the one he would like it to bear. Still think it's a brilliant spot

[Secret Alias]

Solomon measures the thickness of a column by his finger https://books.google.com/books?id=0CCCZ ... ty&f=false

[Secret Alias]

Bingo! Jewish scrolls measured by fingers. https://books.google.com/books?id=kesUE ... nt&f=false

Have to drive my son to Bad Bunny. Sera el unico gringo allI. I looked up Bad Bunny quotes expecting something witty. No luck. "Money does not change people, people change." Wow.

[MrMacSon]

... 'Hippolytus', Refut.7.30.1 :

"When, therefore, Marcion, or any of his dogs, shall bay against the Demiurge, bringing forward arguments from the comparison of good and evil, they should be told that neither the apostle Paul nor 'short-measure' Mark reported these things — for none of them is written in the gospel according to Mark*."

---

Ἐπειδὰν οὖν Μαρκίων ἢ τῶν ἐκείνου κυνῶν τις ὑλακτῇ κατὰ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ [dēmiourgôu], τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ἀντιπαραθέσεως ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ προφέρων λόγους, δεῖ αὐτοῖ(ς) λέγειν ὅτι τούτους οὔτε Παῦλος ὁ ἀπόστολος οὔτε Μάρκος ὁ κολοβοδάκτυλος ἀνήγγειλαν —τούτων γὰρ οὐδε<ὶς> ἐν τῷ <κατὰ> Μάρκον εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται

Is this an acknowledgement that Paul and Mark were 'tied'/aligned?
Or is it an attempt (or part of an attempt) to wrestle Paul away from Marcion?