Translations of Josephus
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:52 pm
What are some of the best translations of Josephus's writings and whose translation does Kirby's site use for Josephus?
Investigating the roots of western civilization (ye olde BC&H forum of IIDB lives on...)
https://earlywritings.com/forum/
Off hand I only know ofericbwonder wrote:What are some of the best translations of Josephus's writings and whose translation does Kirby's site use for Josephus?
Book |
Loeb Vol |
Year |
ISBN |
Translator |
9 v. |
10 v. |
13 v. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Life and Against Apion | 186 | 1926 | 0-674-99205-9 | H. St John Thackeray | 1 | 1 | 1 |
The Jewish War, Books I-III | 203 | 1927 | 0-674-99223-7 | H. St John Thackeray | 2 | 2 | |
The Jewish War, Books IV-VII | 210 | 1928 | 0-674-99232-6 | H. St John Thackeray | 3 | 3 | |
The Jewish War, Books I-II | 203 | 0-674-99568-6 | H. St John Thackeray | 2 | |||
The Jewish War, Books III-IV | 487 | 0-674-99536-8 | H. St John Thackeray | 3 | |||
The Jewish War, Books V-VII | 210 | 0-674-99569-4 | H. St John Thackeray | 4 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books I-IV | 242 | 1930 | 0-674-99267-9 | H. St John Thackeray | 4 | 4 | |
Jewish Antiquities, Books V-VIII | 281 | 1934 | 0-674-99310-1 | H. St John Thackeray and Ralph Marcus | 5 | 5 | |
Jewish Antiquities, Books IX-XI | 326 | 1937 | 0-674-99360-8 | Ralph Marcus | 6 | 6 | |
Jewish Antiquities, Books XII-XIV | 365 | 1943 | 0-674-99402-7 | Ralph Marcus | 7 | 7 | |
Jewish Antiquities, Books XV-XVII | 410 | 1963 | 0-674-99451-5 | Ralph Marcus and Allen Wikgren | 8 | 8 | |
Jewish Antiquities, Books XVIII-XX | 433 | 1965 | 0-434-99433-2 | Louis H. Feldman | 9 | ||
Jewish Antiquities, Books XVIII-XIX | 433 | 0-674-99477-9 | Louis H. Feldman | 9 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Book XX | 456 | 0-674-99502-3 | Louis H. Feldman | 10 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books I-III | 242 | 0-674-99575-9 | H. St John Thackeray | 5 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books IV-VI | 490 | 0-674-99539-2 | H. St John Thackeray and Ralph Marcus | 6 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books VII-VIII | 281 | 0-674-99576-7 | H. St John Thackeray and Ralph Marcus | 7 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books IX-XI | 326 | 0-674-99360-8 | Ralph Marcus | 8 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books XII-XIII | 365 | 0-674-99577-5 | Ralph Marcus | 9 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books XIV-XV | 489 | 0-674-99538-4 | Ralph Marcus | 10 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books XVI-XVII | 410 | 0-674-99578-3 | Ralph Marcus and Allen Wikgren | 11 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books XVIII-XIX | 433 | 0-674-99477-9 | Louis H. Feldman | 12 | |||
Jewish Antiquities, Books XX | 456 | 0-674-99502-3 | Louis H. Feldman | 13 | |||
StephenGoranson wrote:There's also a series in progress, Flavius Josephus, Translation and Commentary (Brill, starting in 2000 and continuing), editor Steve Mason, with various translators, including Louis H. Feldman. Publisher page: Brill.nl
Some Loeb Classical Library volumes have been translated twice. Current volumes listed here:
http://www.hup.harvard.edu/results-list ... mit=Search
and all, past and present, in WorldCat.
Loeb translations sometimes seem to be paraphrases and there is a lot of compaction of the narrative to remove the redundant phrases that are characteristic of Semitic thinking. But in other cases you can see the eisegesis. My favorite example is something that I noticed when researching Augustus Maximin Daia's publication of Pilate's purported "Acta" (personal diary) about Jesus (circa 305+ CE).jbejon wrote:Perhaps too late to be useful as a response, but I've personally found Whiston's translation to be preferable to the LOEB editions. It's a bit more literal, which makes it a bit more clunky, but it captures some important details which, if I recall correctly, are sometimes glossed over in the LOEB edition. The LOEB edition, however, has useful references to relevant papers etc. in the footnotes, particularly in the case of chronological info.
Niece's Greek Text |
Whiston's translation |
Thackeray's Loeb translation |
---|---|---|
Ant 1.80 Συνέβη δὲ τοῦτο τὸ πάθος κατὰ τὸ ἑξακοσιοστὸν ἔτος ἤδη Νώχου τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐν μηνὶ δευτέρῳ Δίῳ μὲν ὑπὸ Μακεδόνων λεγομένῳ, Μαρσουάνῃ δ᾽ ὑπὸ Ἑβραίων˙ οὕτω γὰρ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἦσαν διατεταχότες | Ant 1.80 This calamity happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's government [age], in the second month, {d} called by the Macedonians Dios, but by the Hebrews Marchesuan; for so did they order their year in Egypt; | [37] [1.80] (I.III.3) This catastrophe [of the flood, Gen 7.11] happened in the six hundredth year of Noah’s rulership, in what was once the second month, called by the Macedonians Dius and by the Hebrews Marsuan, according to the arrangement of the calendar which they followed in Egypt. |
81 Μωυσῆς δὲ τὸν Νισᾶν, ὅς ἐστι Ξανθικός, μῆνα πρῶτον ἐπὶ ταῖς ἑορταῖς ὥρισε κατὰ τοῦτον ἐξ Αἰγύπτου τοὺς Ἑβραίους προαγαγών˙ οὗτος δ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ πρὸς ἁπάσας τὰς εἰς τὸ θεῖον τιμὰς ἦρχεν ἐπὶ μέντοι γε πράσεις καὶ ὠνὰς καὶ τὴν ἄλλην διοίκησιν τὸν πρῶτον κόσμον διεφύλαξε˙ τὴν δ᾽ ἐπομβρίαν ἄρξασθαί φησιν ἑβδόμῃ τοῦ προειρημένου μηνὸς καὶ εἰκάδι. | 81 but Moses [in later times] appointed that Nisan [April], which is the same with Xanthikos, should be the first month for their festivals, because he brought them [i.e., the Hebrews] out of Egypt in that month: so that this month began the year as to all the solemnities they observed to the honour of God, although he preserved the original order of the months as to selling and buying, and other ordinary affairs. Now he says that this flood began on the twenty-seventh day [Hebrew says "seventeenth" day] of the before mentioned month; | [1.81] Moses, however, [in later times] appointed Nisan, that is to say Xanthicus, [39] as the first month for the festivals, because it was in this month that he brought the Hebrews out of Egypt; he also reckoned this month as the commencement of the year for everything relating to divine worship, but for selling and buying and other ordinary affairs he preserved the ancient order. It was, he tells us, on the seven and twentieth c day [Hebrew says "seventeenth" day] of the said month that the deluge began. |
82 χρόνος δὲ οὗτος ἀπὸ Ἀδάμου τοῦ πρώτου γεγονότος ἐτῶν ὑπῆρχε δισχιλίων διακοσίων ἑξηκονταδύο [two-thousand two-hundred sixty-two, with varient δισχιλίων ἑξακοσίων πεντηκονταέξ, two thousand six-hundred fifty-six, per SPL Lat.]. ἀναγέγραπται δὲ ὁ χρόνος ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς βίβλοις σημειουμένων μετὰ πολλῆς ἀκριβείας τῶν τότε καὶ τὰς γενέσεις τῶν ἐπιφανῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τὰς τελευτάς | 82 and this was two thousand six hundred and fifty-six years [Niese has here two-thousand two-hundred sixty two, but Whiston follows the variant in SPL Lat.] from Adam, the first man; and the time is written down in our sacred books, those who then lived having noted down, with great accuracy, both the births and deaths of illustrious men. | [1.82] The time of this event was 2262 years after the birth of Adam, the first man; the date is recorded in the sacred books, it being the custom of that age to note with [41] minute care the birth and death of the illustrious men. |
83 Ἀδάμῳ μὲν τριακοστῷ ἤδη καὶ διακοσιοστῷ ἔτει γεγονότι παῖς Σῆθος γίνεται ὃς ἐνακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη ἐβίωσε Σῆθος δὲ κατὰ πέμπτον καὶ διακοσιοστὸν ἔτος ἐγέννησεν Ἄνωσον ὃς πέντε ζήσας ἔτη καὶ ἐνακόσια Καϊνᾷ τῷ παιδὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπιμέλειαν δίδωσι τεκνώσας αὐτὸν περὶ ἐνενηκοστὸν καὶ ἑκατοστὸν ἔτος οὗτος ἐβίωσεν ἔτη δώδεκα πρὸς τοῖς ἐνακοσίοις | 83 For indeed Seth was born when Adam was in his two hundred and thirtieth year, who lived nine hundred and thirty years. Seth begat Enos in his two hundred and fifth year; who, when he had lived nine hundred and twelve years, delivered the government to Cainan his son, whom he had in his hundred and ninetieth year. He lived nine hundred and five years. | [1.83] (I.III.4) For Adam was 230 years old when his son Seth was born and a lived (in all) 930 years. Seth at the age of 205 begat Anos, who when aged 905 years delivered the care of affairs to his son Cainas, whom he had begotten when he was about 190 years old; Seth lived in all 912 years. |
84 Καϊνᾶς δὲ βιοὺς δέκα καὶ ἐνακόσια Μαλαῆλον υἱὸν ἔσχεν ἔτει γενόμενον ἑβδομηκοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ οὗτος ὁ Μαλαῆλος ζήσας πέντε καὶ ἐνενήκοντα καὶ ὀκτακόσια ἔτη ἐτελεύτησεν Ἰάρεδον καταλιπὼν υἱόν ὃν ἔτος πέμπτον ἑξηκοστὸν καὶ ἑκατοστὸν γενόμενος ἐγέννησε | 84 Cainan, when he had lived nine hundred and ten years, had his son Mahalaleel, who was born in his hundred and seventieth year. This Mahalaleel, having lived eight hundred and ninety-five years, died, leaving his son Jared, whom he begat when he was in his hundred and sixty-fifth year. | [1.84] Cainas lived 910 years and in his 170th year had a son Malael. This Malael died aged 895 years, leaving a son Jared, whom he begat at the age of 165. |
85 τοῦτον εἰς ἐννέα [Niese, δύο, but BW edited to follow mss O & Lat. as did Thackeray] καὶ ἑξήκοντα πρὸς τοῖς ἐνακοσίοις βιώσαντα Ἄνωχος υἱὸς διαδέχεται γεννηθεὶς περὶ ἔτη δύο καὶ ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῷ τυγχάνοντος οὗτος ζήσας πέντε καὶ ἑξήκοντα πρὸς τοῖς τριακοσίοις ἀνεχώρησε πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ὅθεν οὐδὲ τελευτὴν αὐτοῦ ἀναγεγράφασι | 85 He lived nine hundred and sixty-two years [following text of Niese, δύο]; and then his son Enoch succeeded him, who was born when his father was one hundred and sixty-two years old. Now he, when he had lived three hundred and sixty-five years, departed and went to God; where it is that they have not written down his death. | [1.85] Jared lived 969 years [following the variant of mss. O & Lat.] and was succeeded by his son Anoch f born when his father was in his 162nd year; Anoch lived 365 years and then returned to the divinity, g whence it comes that there is no record in the chronicles of his death. |
86 Μαθουσάλας δὲ Ἀνώχου παῖς κατὰ ἔτος αὐτῷ γεγονὼς πέμπτον καὶ ἑξηκοστὸν καὶ ἑκατοστὸν Λάμεχον υἱὸν ἔσχε περὶ ἔτη γεγονὼς ἑπτὰ καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ ἑκατόν ᾧ τὴν ἀρχὴν παρέδωκεν αὐτὸς αὐτὴν κατασχὼν ἐννέα καὶ ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἐνακοσίοις | 86 Now Methuselah, the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old, had Lamech for his son when he was one hundred and eighty-seven years of age; to whom he delivered the government, when he had retained it nine hundred and sixty-nine years. | [1.86] Mathusalas h the son of Anoch was born when his father was 165, and at the age of 187 had a son Lamech, to whom he transmitted the rulership which he had held for 969 years. |
87 Λάμεχος δὲ ἄρξας ἑπτὰ καὶ ἑπτακοσίοις ἔτεσι Νῶχον τῶν πραγμάτων ἀποδείκνυσι προστάτην υἱόν ὃς Λαμέχῳ γενόμενος ὄγδοον καὶ ὀγδοηκοστὸν καὶ ἑκατοστὸν ἔτος ἠνυκότι πεντήκοντα καὶ ἐνακοσίοις ἔτεσιν ἦρξε τῶν πραγμάτων | 87 Now Lamech, when he had governed seven hundred and seventy-seven years [Whiston deviates from Niese's text here, which has seven hundred and seven years], appointed Noah, his son, to be ruler of the people, who was born to Lamech when he was one hundred and eighty-two years old [Whiston does not follow Niese's edition, which has one hundred and eighty eight], and retained the government nine hundred and fifty years. | [1.87] Lamech bare rule for 707 years and put at the head of affairs his son Noah, who was born when his father was 188, and for 950 years held the reins of power. |
88 ταῦτα συναγόμενα τὰ ἔτη τὸν προαναγεγραμμένον πληροῖ χρόνον ἐξεταζέτω δὲ μηδεὶς τὰς τελευτὰς τῶν ἀνδρῶν τοῖς γὰρ αὐτῶν παισὶ καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνων ἀπογόνοις παρεξέτεινον τὸν βίον ἀλλὰ τὰς γενέσεις αὐτῶν μόνον ὁράτω | 88 These years collected together make up the sum before set down; but let no one inquire into the deaths of these men; for they extended their lives along together with their children and grandchildren; but let him have regard to their births only. | [1.88] These years, [43] added together, give the total above mentioned. The reader should not examine the ages of the individuals at death, for their life-times extended into those of their sons and of their sons’ descendants, but should confine his attention to their dates of birth. |