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Re: orion-list a test of the Nicolaus of Damascus proposal
Dear Russell,
The major point is you haven't shown Pliny used Nicolaus.
On one minor point:
I questioned that, merely because Josephus was "a delegate to Rome
before the Jewish war," that he therefore must have then, at that time,
known Latin. Should we, for example, say the same thing about Philo?
Eventually, by the time of his later books, I agree, he probably picked up
some Latin; but, since he needed help, early on, even with Greek, perhaps
we shouldn't overestimate his language knowledge early on. Also, your
presentation, mayhaps, underplays the role of educated Romans' knowledge of
Greek. Pliny certainly used more sources than Josephus. (And Pliny gathered
sources for a long time; Pliny may have recorded Agrippa on the Essenes
before the Jewish War even began.) Perhaps, eventually, we will learn more
about the library of Josephus' friend or patron Epaphroditus.
good day,
Stephen Goranson
For private reply, e-mail to stephen goranson <goranson@duke.edu>
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