andrian version, and from the common text, (zový,) and preserves even its defects. It agrees most closely with the Vatican codex," and is a valuable help in restoring the text of the Septuagint.

[The following is a specimen of that version, and shows its literal character:

The whole of the book of Job, the Psalms, and some of the apocryphal books, are still extant, while only fragments exist of the rest. These are found in the

3 vols. fol. Frid. Münter, Fragmenta vers. antiqu. Latinæ antehieronym. Prophetarum Jer., Ezech., Dan., et Hos., e cod. rescr. Wirceburg; Hafn. 1819, in Miscell. Hafn. vol. i. pt. i. p. 81, sqq.

• The LXX. omit

Theodotion, καὶ χαρήση.

in Isa. lx. 5. The Itala reads et gaudebis;

* [See these and more specimens in Eichhorn, § 324.

In Gen. xv. 15, it reads, Tu autem ibis ad patres suos nutritus in senecta bona, instead of sepultus in senecta bona, because the Greek MS. had Toapels instead of rapels. In Ps. xvii. 14, it retained a singular error. The Greek MS. read võv, (swine,) for viv, (sons ;) so the translator rendered it suillam instead of filiorum. Eichhorn, 1. c.]

Fathers, in old Latin manuscripts, in Psalters, missals, and breviaries.]"

Since the diversity and imperfections of the text of this version had become greater than that of the Septuagint before the time of Origen, Jerome, in the year 382, undertook a similar critical revision of it. After finishing the New Testament, he corrected the Psalms, though without following any critical method. He thus prepared the Psalterium Romanum. He then wrought this work over anew, making use of Origen's Hexapla and critical marks. The result was the Psalterium Gallicanum.

He thus speaks of the work: "While I was at Rome, I revised the Psalter, following the Seventy; though hastily, (cursim,) yet I corrected it extensively, (magna tamen ex parte.) But now, O Paula and Eustochium, since you see it is again corrupted by the fault of transcribers, and that the ancient error prevails more than the recent correction, you compel me, as it were, to plough the field just now reaped with my sickle, and, with cross furrows, tear up the thorns which begin to show their heads anew. Let each one observe the horizontal line, or the prominent marks, that is, the obelisks or asterisks; and whenever he sees a mark, (virgulam,) let him understand that, from thence to the two points which follow, the Septuagint contains more than my version. But when he sees stars, he may know that, from thence to the two points, something has been added from the Hebrew text, according to the version of Theodotion, which does not differ from the Septuagint in

literalness." Again, "Have I not said something against the Seventy, whom I diligently corrected, some years ago, and gave to those who speak my language, whom I daily use in the assembly of brethren, and whose Psalms I sing in continual meditation?" Again he says, "I do not doubt that you have the edition of the Seventy, which I carefully corrected, many years ago, and gave to the studious." Still further, he adds, "This, [edition of the Septuagint,] which is contained in the Hexapla, and which we have translated, is the same translation of the Septuagint which is preserved spotless and uncorrupted in the copies of the learned."

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In this way he gradually wrought over the whole of the Old Testament. He says of part of his labor, "Rejoice because you receive the blessed Job safe and sound, who formerly, among the Latins, lay prostrate in filth and worms, and was full of offences. And as, after his

Jerome, Præf. ad Edit. poster. Psalmorum: Psalterium, Romæ dudum positus, emendarum, et juxta LXX. interpretes, licet cursim, magna tamen ex parte correxeram. Quod quia rursus videtis, o Paula et Eustochium, scriptorum vitio depravatum, plusque antiquum errorem, quam novam emendationem valere, cogitis, ut veluti quodam novali scissum jam arvum exerceam, et obliquis sulcis renascentes spinas eradicem....... Notet sibi unus quisque vel jacentem lineam vel radiantia signa, id est, vel obelos vel asteriscos: et ubicunque viderit virgulam præcedentem ab ea usque ad duo puncta quæ impressimus, sciat in LXX. translatoribus plus haberi: ubi autem stellæ similitudinem perspexerit, de Hebræis voluminibus additum noverit æque usque ad duo puncta, juxta Theodotionis duntaxat editionem, qui simplicitate sermonis a LXX. interpretibus non discordat. Apolog. adv. Rufin. ii. 24: Egone contra LXX. interpretes aliquid sum locutus, quos ante annos plurimos diligentissime emendatos meæ linguæ studiosis dedi, quos quotidie in conventu fratrum edissero, quorum Psalmos jugi meditatione decanto? Ep. 23, ad Lucinium, Opp. iv. pt. ii. p. 574: Septuaginta interpretum editionem et te habere non dubito, et ante annos plurimos diligentissime emendatam studiosis tradidi. Ep. 135, ad Sunn. et Fret. Opp. ii. p. 627 : Ea autem, (editio LXX. intt.,) quæ habetur in Hexaplis et quam nos verlimus, ipsa est, quæ in eruditorum libris incorrupta et immaculata LXX. interpretum translatio reservatur.

trial and his triumph, all his possessions are given back to him double, so in our language I have made him receive what he had lost."... "But among the Latins, before that translation was made which we have recently published with its asterisks and obelisks, nearly seventy or eighty verses were lacking." Again, "When you demanded of me, in your letters, a short time ago, that I should translate the Chronicles for you into the Latin tongue, I engaged a certain doctor of the law, from Tiberias, who is held in great admiration among the Hebrews, and with him I have examined it from end to end; and, thus confirmed, I have dared to undertake what you command. For I speak freely. This book of names [Chronicles] is so corrupt in the Greek and Latin manuscript, that you would think they were barbarian and Sarmatic, rather than Hebrew names, which are here thrown together.""

He speaks, in his Apology against Rufin, of revising only six books, namely, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, and Chronicles. Double prefaces of these, and no others, are extant. Perhaps he did not revise the whole of the Old Testament; [but it is more probable that he did, for he complains that the greater

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"Præf. in Job: Beatum Job, qui adhuc apud Latinos jacebat in stercore et vermibus scatebat errorum, integrum et immaculatum gaudete. Quomodo enim post probationem atque victoriam duplicia sunt et universa reddita: ita ego in lingua nostra feci eum habere quæ amiserat, etc. Præf. alt. Cæterum apud Latinos ante eam translationem, quam sub asteriscis et obelis nuper edidimus, septingenti ferme aut octingenti versus desunt. See Ep. ad Pammachium....... Præf. ad Paralip.: Cum a me nuper litteris flagitassetis, ut vobis Paralipomenon Latino sermone transferrem, de Tiberiade quendam legis auctorem, qui apud Hebræos admirationi habebatur, assumpsi et contuli cum eo a vertice (ut ajunt) usque ad extremum unguem, et sic confirmatus ausus sum facere quod jubebatis. Libere enim loquor. Ita in Græcis et Latinis codicibus hic nominum liber vitiosus est, ut non Hebræa quam barbara quædam et Sarmatica nomina conjecta arbitrandum sit. See Hody, p. 352, sqq.

part of his work was destroyed by the fraud of some one. In his Apology, he did not need to speak of books which perished almost as soon as they were completed, and therefore he mentions only such as were preserved. It is uncertain whether he revised the Apocrypha.] Only three passages of this revision have been printed.

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["Jerome acquired great fame by this recension of the old Latin version....... In Rome and Gaul, his revision of the Psalms was admitted into the churches, and Augustine commented on his improved edition of Job. But this prosperity excited envy against this meritorious man, and Rufinus, bishop of Aquileia, made the bitterest reproaches against the good Father, on account of this, as well as his other learned labors. He considered that Jerome had committed an offence, because he approved the use which Origen had made of the other Greek versions to improve the Seventy, and preferred the hexaplary to the common text." The few relics of this recension are valuable aids in the criticism of the hexaplary text of the Alexandrian version.]

Jerome, Ep. 94, ad August. Opp. iv. pt. ii. p. 644: Grandem Latini sermonis in ista provincia notariorum patimur penuriam: et idcirco præceptis tuis parere non possumus, maxime in editione Septuaginta, quæ asteriscis verubusque distincta est. Pleraque enim prioris laboris fraude amisimus.

Fabri Stap. Psalter. quincuplex....... Jos. Mar. Cari (Tommasi) Psalter: Juxta duplicem edit., Romanum et Gallicanum, una cum Canticis ex duplici item edit. et Hymnarium atque Orationale: edit. ad veterem eccles. formam ex antiquis MSS. exemplaribus digesta; Rom. 1683, 4to.; reprinted with Tommasi's corrections, and A. F. Vezzosi and Luc. Holsten's Remarks in Tommasi's works; Rome, 1747, vol. ii. Psalter, cum Canticis versibus prisco more distinctum, argumentis et orationibus vetustis novaque litterali explanatione delucidatum; Rom. 1697, 4to.; Einsied. 1727; Vien. 1735, and in the 3d vol. of Tommasi's works. Both the Psalters and Job may be found in Jerome's Biblioth. div. Opp. i. p. 1186, sqq.