Interpreting the Bible and Aristotle in Late Antiquity: The Alexandrian Commentary Tradition between Rome and Baghdad

362 Pages·2011·7.16 MB·English

by  Josef Lössl

InterpretIng the BIBle and arIstotle
In late antIquIty
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Interpreting the Bible and
aristotle in late antiquity
the alexandrian Commentary tradition
between rome and Baghdad
Edited by
Josef lössl
Cardiff University, UK
John W. Watt
Cardiff University, UK
© Josef lössl and John W. Watt and the contributors 2011
all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Josef lössl and John W. Watt have asserted their right under the Copyright, designs and
Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the editors of this work.
published by
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Interpreting the Bible and aristotle in late antiquity: the alexandrian Commentary
tradition between rome and Baghdad.
1. Bible – Commentaries – history and criticism. 2. alexandrian school, Christian.
3. aristotle. I. lössl, Josef. II. Watt, J. W.
220.7’01–dc22
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Interpreting the Bible and aristotle in late antiquity: the alexandrian Commentary
tradition between rome and Baghdad / [edited by] Josef lössl and John W. Watt.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
1. alexandrian school. 2. Bible – Criticism, interpretation, etc. – history –
early church, ca. 30-600. 3.Criticism – Mediterranean region – history.
4. aristotle. I. lössl, Josef. II. Watt, J. W.
B631.I58 2011
186’.4–dc22 2011014770
ISBN 9781409410072 (hbk)
ISBN 9781409410089 (ebk)
V
Contents
Contributors vii
List of Figures ix
Acknowledgements xi
Note on Transliteration xiii
Abbreviations xv
Introduction 1
Josef Lössl and John Watt
Part 1: aLexanDria to rome
1 origen: exegesis and philosophy in early Christian alexandria 13
Alfons Fürst
2 prologue topics and translation problems in latin
Commentaries on paul 33
Sophie Lunn-Rockliffe
3 ambrosiaster’s Method of Interpretation in the questions on the
old and new testament 49
Marie-Pierre Bussières
4 philosophical exegesis in Marius Victorinus’
Commentaries on paul 67
Stephen Cooper
5 Jerome’s pauline Commentaries between east and West: tradition
and Innovation in the Commentary on galatians 91
Andrew Cain
6 the Bible and aristotle in the Controversy Between augustine
and Julian of aeclanum 111
Josef Lössl
7 Boethius as a translator and aristotelian Commentator 121
Sten Ebbesen
vi Interpreting the Bible and Aristotle in Late Antiquity
Part 2: aLexanDria to BaghDaD
8 translating the personal aspect of late platonism in the
Commentary tradition 137
Edward Watts
9 aristotelianism and the disintegration of the late antique
theological discourse 151
Dirk Krausmüller
10 sergius of reshaina as translator: the Case of the de Mundo 165
Adam McCollum
11 sergius of reshaina and pseudo-dionysius: a dialectical fidelity 179
Emiliano Fiori
12 the Commentator probus: problems of date and Identity 195
Sebastian Brock
13 du commentaire à la reconstruction: paul le perse interprète
d’aristote(sur une lecture du peri hermeneias, à propos des modes
et des adverbes selon paul, ammonius et Boèce) 207
Henri Hugonnard-Roche
14 the genesis and development of a logical lexicon in
the syriac tradition 225
Daniel King
15 From Sergius to Mattā: Aristotle and Pseudo-Dionysius in
the syriac tradition 239
John Watt
16 Al-Fārābī’s Arguments for the Eternity of the World and
the Contingency of natural phenomena 259
Philippe Vallat
Bibliography 287
Index of Passages 325
Index of Names and Subjects 337
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Contributors
Sebastian Brock University of Oxford
Marie-Pierre Bussières University of Ottawa
Andrew Cain University of Colorado, Boulder
Stephen Cooper Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA
Sten Ebbesen University of Copenhagen
Emiliano Fiori Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Alfons Fürst Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster
Henri Hugonnard-Roche Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris
Daniel King Cardiff University
Dirk Krausmüller Mardin Artuklu University
Josef Lössl Cardiff University
Sophie Lunn-Rockliffe Kings College London
Adam McCollum St. Johns University, Minnesota
Philippe Vallat Institut Français du Proche Orient, Damascus
John Watt Cardiff University
Edward Watts Indiana University
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List of Figures
8.1 Classrooms and portico, Kom el-Dikka, Alexandria
(February 2006). © Manasi Watts. 138
8.2 Kom el-Dikka Classroom with raised seat
(September 2008). © Manasi Watts. 139