Front matter
Justin, Philosopher
OXFORD EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS
and Martyr The series provides reliable working texts of important early Christian writers in both Greek and Latin. Each volume contains an introduction, text, and select critical apparatus, with English translations en Jαce, and brief explanatory references.
Apologies Other Titles in the Series Cyril of Alexandria: Selected Letters Edited by Lionel R. Wickham
EDITED WITH Α COMMENTARY ΟΝ ΤΗΕ ΤΕΧΤ ΕΥ
Augustine: De Doctrina Christiana
DENIS MINNS
Edited by R. Ρ. Η. Green AND Augustine: De Βοηο Coniugali and De Sancta Virginitate
PAUL PARVIS
Edited by Ρ. G. Walsh Maximus the Confessor and his Companions:
Documents from Exile Edited by Pauline Allen and Bronwen Ν eil Leontius of Jerusalem Against the Monophysites:
Testimonies of the Saints and Aporiae Edited by Patrick Τ. R. Gray Sophronius of Jerusalem and Seventh-Century Heresy:
The Synodical Letter and Other Documents Edited by Pauline Allen The Epistles ofSt Symeon the New Theologian
Edited by Η. J. Μ. Turner General Editor: Henry Chadwick OXFORD
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PREFACE More th'an a thousand years separate Justin's writing of the Apologies and the transcription of the οηlΥ manuscript of independent value containing them. Little is known of the history of the text in the intervening centuries,
~ apart from its influence οη other early Christian apologists and its citation in the fourth century by E-I,lsebius of Caesarea in his Ecclesiαsticαl History and in the eighth century by John of Damascus in his Sαcrα Parallelα. Ιη the ninth century Photius read a number of works attributed to Justin, including an Apology ]or the Christians and a book against the Jews, presumably the Diαlogue with Trypho. Sadly, Photius' judgement was that, though
Justin's books are powerful and learned, they do not have the charm and allure that might attract a mass readership (Bibliothecα 125, Henry, Π, ρ. 97f.)· Ιη more recent times scholars have been divided over how well Justin has been served by the manuscript tradition of his works. We believe that the text as delivered to us by Pαrisinus graecus 450 is the result of the attentive, if optimistic, editing and correction, at some stage in the manuscript tradition, of a text that was severely lacunose and corrupt. Accordingly, we have been more suspicious than some other editors of the merely superficial coherence often rendered by the manuscript text, and less inclined to attribute its deficiencies to Justin's οννη inadequacies as a writer, ΟΓ even as a thinker. The aim of the present work is to recover as far as possible the Greek that Justin wrote. The English translation is primarily intended to show what we think the Greek means. This is reflected in the style of translation, and accounts for the sometimes lengthy footnotes, in which we set out our reasons for thinking the text of Justin is problematical, and argue for the emendations we propose. Similarly, the Introduction is intended primarily as an introduction to the text and its problems, rather than as an introduction to Justin as philosopher ΟΓ theologian. We do not, of course, claim to have solved all the riddles of the text, but we hope that our edition will encourage others to try to peer behind what the manuscript has transmitted to see what Justin might actually have written.
We had always hoped to say in the Preface that for any errors that remain each author blames the other, but the nature of the collaboration has been such that it would be inappropriate to do so. Friends may be able to diagnose from idiosyncrasies of style who is responsible for the initial drafting of sections of the Introduction, but the work is in every way a
VΙΙ1 PREFACE joint production. The project has been carried out over a number ofyears ίη working sessions ranging from a week to several months, ίη Melbourne,
Oxford, and. Edinburgh. During these years we have been fortunate enough to incur a number of obligations, both individual and collective, to those who have helped us. Sir Henry Chadwick invited Denis Minns to edit the Apologies for Oxford Early Christian Texts, approved of the c070pting of PaulParvis to the project, and continued to cast an avuncular eye over its progress. We deeply regret that he did not live to see its publication. We must express our thanks to Fr Timothy Radcliffe ΟΡ, who supported and encouraged our work in many ways, and to all at ουρ who have helped us over the years. The institutions to which we are obliged include, ίη particular, Mannix College, Monash University, Melbourne; New College, the UniversityofEdinburgh; and the Blackfriars of Oxford and Edinburgh. We must also thank for generous and repeated hospitality Owen and Bonnie Dudley Edwards, themselves something of an institution ίη Scottish culturallife. Among libraries we are particularly indebted to the Bodleian and Sackler Libraries at Oxford; the libraries of the University of Edinburgh, and especially that of New College; the National Library of Scotland; and the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, first for supplying us with a microfilm of Pαrisinus grαecus 450, and then allowing us to examine the precious manuscript itself. Finally, it has been customary since antiquity to include ίη prefaces a plaint about the arduous labour involved in the work. Ιη our case we must confess that it has also been a lot of fun, and we must thank all those who have helped make it so.
We are both indebted to Dr Sara Parvis, to whom Paul dedicates his half of the book ίη appreciation of all she has contributed to the edition and to him-for her always pertinent and stimulating questions and comments, for unfailing love and encouragement, for the occasional gentle nudge to finish_ the job, and for so much more. Denis dedicates his half to his mother, who has wondered for some time if it would ever be finished.
CONTENTS Abbreviations χ Introduction Ι. Justin's Text(s): The Tradition ίη Manuscript and Print
2. The Man and his Work 3. Justin's World 4. The Apparatus Criticus Sources of Conjectural Readings Sigla
Texts and Translations Justin's Apology οη Behalf of Christians
'The Second Apology'
Bibliography Index of Biblical Passages Index ofNames and Topics