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RE: orion-list Re: Bannus, the four philosophies & so on
Prof. Crossley suggests that Bannus might be unaffiliated
with the Pharisees or with the Essenes. I think this
brings us full circle to the idea that Bannus was
an "Ex-Essene". I don't see how this helps anyone
with their Essene indigestion. But I will say "why
not!" if it means others will accept Josephus using
his Bannus discussion for what he intended it: he
spent 3 years in the Wilderness (where Essenes are
known to dwell unlike Pharisees) learning the ways of
the Essenes.
Perhaps it was 3 years of "pretend"
study - - that Bannus had no credentials as an
active Essene (which I think would be odd for even
a 16 year old to do). But clearly Josephus intends
for his audience to perceive the seriousness of his
effort to learn the ways of the Essene. And if the
3 year mark is mentioned purely coincidentally, with
no expectation that his audience would imagine that
he finished the 3 year trajectory that he himself
mentions elsewhere in his work, then Josephus is not
nearlyl as clever as we think he is.
George Brooks
Tampa, FL
For private reply, e-mail to George Brooks <george.x.brooks@juno.com>
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