Primary source · Koine Greek

The Letters of Julius Africanus

Sextus Julius Africanus · c. AD 220–240

Eusebius, HE I.7 & VI.31 (carriers) and the catena tradition — manuscript witness to The Letters of Julius Africanus
Eusebius, HE I.7 & VI.31 (carriers) and the catena tradition — medieval copiesEastern Orthodox St. Fathers · Public domain · Commons
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Eusebius, HE I.7 & VI.31 (carriers) and the catena tradition — manuscript witness to The Letters of Julius Africanus

Eusebius, HE I.7 & VI.31 (carriers) and the catena tradition — medieval copiesEastern Orthodox St. Fathers · Public domain · Commons

What this text is

The Christian polymath writes to Origen doubting the Susanna story's Hebrew credentials — the first surviving exercise in biblical higher criticism — and to Aristides on harmonizing the Lord's genealogies.

Profile of Sextus Julius Africanus →

Public-domain translations

S. D. F. Salmond (ANF, 1886)

When you find puns and plays upon words which exist in Greek and not in Hebrew, be sure the passage was never written in Hebrew… I say this as one who honours you, and I ask you to answer me. (To Origen, on Susanna.)

Manuscript witnesses

Eusebius, HE I.7 & VI.31 (carriers) and the catena tradition

medieval copies

The letters to Aristides (on the genealogies) and to Origen (on Susanna) survive in quotation and catenae.

PRINCIPAL CARRIERS

Provenance

Emmaus and Alexandria, c. AD 220–240

Editions & scholarship

Critical editions and standard translations behind the text above.

Figures named in this text (3)

Complete public-domain text ↗