Translation and Survival The Greek Bible of the Ancient Jewish Diaspora

includes index and biblioraphy

The Letter ofAristeas between History and Myth 24 Ancient Translation Precedents 24 Interpreting the Tradition 28 The Aristeas Narrative 30 Evolution of the Story 34 Fact or Fiction? The Search for Historicity 38 The Bible in the Shrine of Serapis? 43 Reading Aristeas as Historical Myth 47 The `Meaning` of the Story 51 Other Memories of the Early Ptolemies 55 Going Greek: Culture and Power in Ptolemaic Alexandria 64 Imperialism and Culture 67 Describing the Jews 72 The School of Aristotle and the Jews 74 The Monarch and Judaea 79 Graeco-Egyptians and the Jewish Narrative 82 A Law Code? 84 Jewish Needs and Choices 86 Recipients of Patronage 88 The Jewish Diaspora in Graeco-Roman Antiquity 92 Diaspora 92 Ideology 100 Diaspora Locations and Populations 102 Jewish Identity 106 Religious Practice in the Diaspora 107 The Jewish Community Interaction with Non-Jews The Ruling Power Conflict 4. Staying Jewish: Language and Identity in the Greek Bible Understanding Septuagint Language Translation Precedents and the `Dragoman` A Sacred Text The Interlinear Theory: Knowledge of Hebrew Language and Cultural Resistance Vocabulary and History Function and Evolution 5. Representing and Subverting Power Talking about Kings Wisdom at Court The Vocabulary of Divine Rulership The King`s Anger Toppling Idols Literature and Subversion 6. The Uses of Scripture in Hellenistic Judaism Preliminaries: Canon and Canonicity The Hellenistic-Jewish Tradition The Greek Bible and Jewish Literary Production Text and Users: Scripture in Action 7. Parallels and Models The Parallel with Homer A Comparative Approach to Jewish Biblical Cultures Situating Hellenistic Judaism Philo and Josephus The Biblical Culture of Hellenistic Judaism 8. The Bible among Greeks and Romans Ptolemy`s Legacy The Exodus Controversies Further Echoes: Alexandria and Egypt The Roman Milieu 267 The World of Magic 270 Conclusion 276 9. The Septuagint between Jews and Christians 278 The Abandonment Theory 288 Aquila of Pontus 290 Competing Texts 294 Reinterpreting the Evidence 296 Jewish Attitudes to Translation in the Second Century 303