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Re: orion dates, method, invitation

Dear Fred Cryer,
	As your response was rude, I'll only briefly reply. I could be
mistaken, but some tasks in historical research can and should be done
systematically, and others cannot be, despite all the hauteur,
misrepresentation, and derisive characterization you can muster.
	I do not rely soley on Pliny, as your tired borrowing from Ian
pretended. The oath to which I referred is attested in the Qumran cave
texts, in Josephus, and even in the ostracon (regardless of line 8's end),
in the view of many, as you must have known.
	On the etymology of "Essenes," I have been reading for about thirty
years, though perhaps not systematically enough for you. I've read every
proposal I could find--about sixty, so far, with subvariations. I do wish I
had recorded my earlier reading better--but I knew less then. That's one
reason some humans are not fully systematic; they learn as they go. I have
of course looked at transliterations. And at gentilic forms. The LXX has
double ss spellings in names, but of course translated 'asah  (e.g., poiew)
rather than transliterated, and the name did not come from the LXX. I've
looked at : Josephus (e.g., on the breastplate), Epiphanius
(thicked-headed, perhaps, but a great collector of information) and his
Ossenes; Slavonic Josephus with O-spellings; Philo's expression of
uncertainty about the Greek involved; the sources of Philo and others; the
scrolls; the archaeology; descriptions of Essenes; arguments against
etymologies; the history of scholarship on this issue; etc.... but it seems
pointless to type out details for you to deride.
	For others on the list I will admit that my article on etymology of
"Essenes" in Revue de Qumran in 1984 could use revision and correction and
additions--some of which I have made in later publications and on orion
previously (Dr. Cryer was on the list then, but ignores those posts). I
hope to get to that eventually.
	Caveat: If Fred's right, I'm writing from the 18th century or
earlier--he wasn't specific : - ).
Sincerely,
Stephen Goranson