Chapman offers no translation, so I will offer one here. The Latin texts are pretty rough in spots and full of abbreviations and calendrical references, all of which my translation smooths out considerably. The translation will follow the Morin text, but will also include a paragraph present in Muratori but absent from Morin. I will also add some notes I made and used while translating.
Morin Text | Muratori Text |
Hieronymus. In commentariis Victorini inter cetera haec etiam scripta reperi quod in membranis Alexandri episcopi qui fuit in ierusalem. quod transcripsit manu propria de exemplaribus apostolorum viii kl. ian. natus est dominus iesus χρσ suplicio et cromatio consulibus. Baptizatus viii id. ian. valerio et asiatico consulibus. Passus vero viii kl. apr. nerone tercio. et valerio messula consulibus. Surexit vi kl. apr. consulibus suprascriptis. Supputatur quippe eodem die dominum fuisse conceptum quo et resurrexit feria vi. anunciatus. fer. i. natus feria v. baptizatus. fer. vi. passus A die nativitatis domini usque ad passionem ipsius anni. xxxii. menses. iii. dies .xi. | - In commentariis uictorini inter plurima hec etiam scripta reperimus invenimus in membranis alexandi e̅p̅i̅ qui fuit in hyerusale quod transcripsit manu sua de exemplaribus apostolorum ita viii kl i̅a̅n̅r̅ natus est d̅n̅s̅ nrt i̅h̅s̅ χ̅ρ̅σ̅ sulpitio et camerino consulis et baptizatus est viii i̅d̅ i̅a̅n̅r̅ valeriano et asiatico con̅s̅. passus est x. kl a̅p̅l̅ nerone iii et ualerio. mesala cons̅s̅ resurrexit. viii kl' apl con̅s̅ss supra scriptis. ascendit in celos v non̅ maias post dies xl. con̅s̅s supra scriptis. iohannis baptista nascitur viii kl. iul et circumciditur kl. iul ad mariam uero locutus est angelos viii k̅ apl̅ sexto iam conceptionis mense~̣ elisabeth habere dicens ex quo supputatur eodem die dominum fuisse conceptum quo et resurrexit. Amen. |
Jerome.
In the commentaries of Victorinus among
other things these are also written: “I found in
parchments of Alexander the bishop, who
was in Jerusalem, which he transcribed with his
own hand from exemplars of the apostles, thus:
‘The Lord Jesus Christ was born on December 25
in the consulate of Sulpicius Camerinus [in 9 AD].
He was baptized on January 6 in the [second] consulate of
Valerius Asiaticus [in 46 AD]. Truly his passion was
on March 25 in the third consulate of Nero and
[the first of] Valerius Messala [in 58 AD]. He rose
on March 27 in the consulate of the abovewritten men.
[Muratori text only: He ascended into heaven on May 3, after
40 days, in the consulates of the abovewritten men.
John the Baptist was born on June 24
and circumcised on July 1. Truly the angel
spoke to Mary on March 25, when
Elizabeth was already in her sixth
month of conception.]
It is indeed reckoned that the Lord
was conceived and rose again on the same day [of the year].
His annunciation was on a Friday, he was born on a Sunday,
he was baptized on a Thursday, and he suffered on a Friday.’”
From the day of the birth of the Lord up until
his passion there were 32 years,
3 months, and 11 days.
Jerome. In the commentaries of Victorinus among other things these are also written: “I found in parchments of Alexander the bishop, who was in Jerusalem, which he transcribed with his own hand from exemplars of the apostles, thus: ‘The Lord Jesus Christ was born on December 25 in the consulate of Sulpicius Camerinus [in 9 AD]. He was baptized on January 6 in the [second] consulate of Valerius Asiaticus [in 46 AD]. Truly his passion was on March 25 in the third consulate of Nero and [the first of] Valerius Messala [in 58 AD]. He rose on March 27 in the consulate of the abovewritten men. [Muratori text only: He ascended into heaven on May 3, after 40 days, in the consulates of the abovewritten men. John the Baptist was born on June 24 and circumcised on July 1. Truly the angel spoke to Mary on March 25, when Elizabeth was already in her sixth month of conception.] It is indeed reckoned that the Lord was conceived and rose again on the same day [of the year]. His annunciation was on a Friday, he was born on a Sunday, he was baptized on a Thursday, and he suffered on a Friday.’” From the day of the birth of the Lord up until his passion there were 32 years, 3 months, and 11 days.
viii id. ian. = (ante diem) VIII Idus Ianuarii = January 6
viii kl. apr. = (ante diem) VIII Kalendae Aprilis = March 25
viii k̅ apl̅ = (ante diem) VIII Kalendae Aprilis = March 25
vi kl. apr. = (ante diem) VI Kalendae Aprilis = March 27
v non. maias = (ante diem) V Nonae Maias = May 3
viii kl. iul = (ante diem) V Kalendae Iulii = June 24
kl. iul = Kalendae Iulii = July 1
viii kl. ian. = (ante diem) VIII Kalendae Ianuarii = December 25
feria i = Sunday (also: Dominica)
feria ii = Monday
feria iii = Tuesday
feria iv = Wednesday
feria v = Thursday
feria vi = Friday
feria vii = Saturday (also: Sabbato)
Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus
Decimus Valerius Asiaticus
Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus
Nero
Victorinus of Pettau
Jerome
I find the Roman calendar quite challenging to work with, so any corrections from those who know the system better than I do would be most welcome.
So Jesus is said to have been born in 9 AD, baptized in 46 AD, and slain in 58 AD. Chapman mounts an argument for the origin of the strange dates as mistakes based on earlier information, but I have not fully digested his arguments yet.
Ben.