The Thrasyllan edition of Plato and the core Christian canon.

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Ben C. Smith
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The Thrasyllan edition of Plato and the core Christian canon.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Interesting idea:

Everard Johnston, “Toward a Theory Concerning the Formation of the NT Canon,” abstract: § The hypothesis presented in this paper is that the two oldest, documented collections of writings that eventually came to form the New Testament, viz. the “fourfold Gospel” and thirteen Pauline letters were designed to mimic the Thrasyllan edition of the works of Plato, which was in circulation during the revival of dogmatic Platonism in the Greco-Roman world between the first century BCE and the second century CE. Building on resemblances between early Christian groups and philosophical groups in the context of that world, the hypothesis suggests that the motivation for such mimicking would have lain in the fact that the philosophy of Plato and the Platonist philosophical groups presented the greatest challenge to Christian belief and teaching in the philosophico-religious marketplace of the time. Hence mimicking the works “the great Plato” would imply relativizing the importance and value of those works on the one hand and, at the same time, ascribing far greater value and authority to the Christian works: the four Gospels and the thirteen Pauline letters. [Link.]

Albinus, Introduction to the Dialogues of Plato 4 (English translation slightly modified from that of George Burges): 4 Since then we have seen their differences, how they exist naturally, and their characteristics, let us state, in addition, from what dialogues persons must begin their entrance upon a discourse of Plato. For opinions are different. For some begin with the Epistles, and some with the Theages. And there are those who divide the dialogues into tetralogies, and rank as the first tetralogy that which contains the Euthyphron, Apology, Criton, and Phaedo: the Euthyphro, as in it the charge against Socrates is brought forward; the Apology, since it was necessary for him to defend himself; the Crito, on account of his staying in prison; and afterwards the Phaedo, since in it Socrates meets with the end of life. And of this opinion are Derkyllides and Thrasyllus. But they seem to me to have wished to assign an order to the persons and the circumstances of their lives, a matter which is perhaps useful for something else, but not however for that, which we are wishing now; for we wish to discover the commencement and arrangement of instruction that is according to wisdom. We say then that the commencement of a discourse of Plato is not one and defined; for that, being perfect, it is similar to the perfect figure of a circle. For as the commencement of a circle is not one and defined, so neither is it of a discourse. / 4 Ἐπεὶ οὖν τεθεωρήκαμεν τὴν διαφορὰν αὐτῶν ὡς πέφυκε γίγνεσθαι καὶ τοὺς χαρακτῆρας, ἐπὶ τούτοις λέγωμεν, ἀπὸ ποίων διαλόγων δεῖ ἀρχομένους ἐντυγχάνειν τῷ Πλάτωνος λόγῳ. διάφοροι γὰρ δόξαι γεγόνασιν· οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν Ἐπιστολῶν ἄρχονται, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεάγους· εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ κατὰ τετραλογίαν διελόντες αὐτοὺς καὶ τάττουσι πρώτην τετραλογίαν περιέχουσαν τὸν Εὐθύφρονα καὶ τὴν Ἀπολογίαν καὶ τὸν Κρίτωνα καὶ τὸν Φαίδωνα· τὸν μὲν οὖν Εὐθύφρονα, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπαγγέλλεται τῷ Σωκράτει ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ δίκη, τὴν δὲ Ἀπολογίαν, ἐπειδὴ ἀναγκαῖον αὐτῷ ἀπολογήσασθαι, ἐπὶ τούτοις τὸν Κρίτωνα διὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ διατριβήν, ἔπειτα τὸν Φαίδωνα, ἐπεὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τέλος τοῦ βίου λαμβάνει ὁ Σωκράτης. ταύτης τῆς δόξης εἰσὶ Δερκυλλίδης καὶ Θράσυλλος, δοκοῦσι δέ μοι προσώποις καὶ βίων περιστάσεσιν ἠθεληκέναι τάξιν ἐπιθεῖναι· ὅ ἐστι μὲν ἴσως χρήσιμον πρὸς ἄλλο τι, οὐ μὴν πρὸς ὃ ἡμεῖς νῦν βουλόμεθα, βουλόμεθα δὲ ἀρχὴν καὶ διάταξιν διδασκαλίας τῆς κατὰ σοφίαν εὑρεῖν. φαμὲν οὖν Πλάτωνος λόγου μὴ εἶναι μίαν καὶ ὡρισμένην ἀρχήν· ἐοικέναι γὰρ αὐτὸν τέλειον ὄντα τελείῳ σχήματι κύκλου· ὥσπερ οὖν κύκλου μία καὶ ὡρισμένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἀρχή, οὕτως οὐδὲ τοῦ λόγου.

Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 3.56 (English translation slightly modified from that of Robert Drew Hicks): 56 But, just as long ago in tragedy the chorus was the only actor, and afterwards, in order to give the chorus breathing space, Thespis devised a single actor, Aeschylus a second, Sophocles a third, and thus tragedy was completed, so too with philosophy: in early times it discoursed on one subject only, namely physics, then Socrates added the second subject, ethics, and Plato the third, dialectics, and so brought philosophy to perfection. Thrasylus says that he published his dialogues in tetralogies, like those of the tragic poets. Thus they contended with four plays at the Dionysia, the Lenaea, the Panathenaea and the festival of Chytri. Of the four plays the last was a satiric drama; and the four together were called a tetralogy. / 56 Ὥσπερ δὲ τὸ παλαιὸν ἐν τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ πρότερον μὲν μόνος ὁ χορὸς διεδραμάτιζεν, ὕστερον δὲ Θέσπις ἕνα ὑποκριτὴν ἐξεῦρεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ διαναπαύεσθαι τὸν χορὸν καὶ δεύτερον Αἰσχύλος, τὸν δὲ τρίτον Σοφοκλῆς καὶ συνεπλήρωσεν τὴν τραγῳδίαν, οὕτως καὶ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ὁ λόγος πρότερον μὲν ἦν μονοειδὴς ὡς ὁ φυσικός, δεύτερον δὲ Σωκράτης προσέθηκε τὸν ἠθικόν, τρίτον δὲ Πλάτων τὸν διαλεκτικὸν καὶ ἐτελεσιούργησε τὴν φιλοσοφίαν. Θράσυλλος δέ φησι καὶ κατὰ τὴν τραγικὴν τετραλογίαν ἐκδοῦναι αὐτὸν τοὺς διαλόγους, οἷον ἐκεῖνοι τέτρασι δράμασιν ἠγωνίζοντο, Διονυσίοις, Ληναίοις, Παναθηναίοις, Χύτροις, ὧν τὸ τέταρτον ἦν Σατυρικόν· τὰ δὲ τέτταρα δράματα ἐκαλεῖτο τετραλογία.

R. G. Bury, Plato VII (Loeb), page 385: 385 In our manuscripts of Plato this collection of Thirteen Epistles is placed at the end, just before the spurious dialogues. This arrangement dates from the time of Thrasyllus, a contemporary of the Emperor Tiberius, who arranged the Platonic writings in “tetralogies,” or groups of four, and placed the Epistles in his last tetralogy. [Link.]

Tetralogies, including a main Tetralogy consisting of Platonic dialogues concerned with the death of Socrates, followed by Thirteen Epistles? Sounds a bit like...:

Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.11.8a: 8a It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the pillar and ground of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side, and vivifying men afresh. (4 gospels: no more, no less.)

Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.21.1-2: Concerning the Epistle to Philemon. 1 To this epistle alone did its brevity avail to protect it against the falsifying hands of Marcion. I wonder, however, when he received this letter which was written but to one man, that he rejected the two epistles to Timothy and the one to Titus, which all treat of ecclesiastical discipline. His aim, was, I suppose, to carry out his interpolating process even to the number of epistles. 2 And now, reader, I beg you to remember that we have here adduced proofs out of the apostle, in support of the subjects which we previously had to handle, and that we have now brought to a close the topics which we deferred to this work, that you may not think that any repetition here has been superfluous, for we have only fulfilled our former engagement to you, nor look with suspicion on any postponement there, where we merely set forth the essential points. If you carefully examine the entire work, you will acquit us of either having been redundant here, or diffident there, in your own honest judgment. / De Epistula ad Philemonem. 1 Soli huic epistulae brevitas sua profuit ut falsarias manus Marcionis evaderet. miror tamen, cum ad unum hominem litteras factas receperit, quod ad Timotheum duas et unam ad Titum de ecclesiastico statu compositas recusaverit. affectavit, opinor, etiam numerum epistularum interpolare. 2 memento, inspector, quod ea quae praetractata sunt retro de apostolo quoque probaverimus, et si qua in hoc opus dilata erant expunxerimus, ne aut hic supervacuam existimes iterationem qua confirmavimus spem pristinam, aut illic suspectam habeas dilationem qua eruimus tempore ista. si totum opusculum inspexeris, nec hic redundantiam nec illic diffidentiam iudicabis. (10 of Marcion + 1 Timothy + 2 Timothy + Titus = 13 Pauline epistles in all.)

Muratorian Canon, lines 39b-68a (Latin text corrected): 39b-68a The epistles of Paul, however, themselves declare, to those willing to understand, which ones are from what place or for what cause they were directed. First of all to the Corinthians against the schism of heresy, then to the Galatians against circumcision; to the Romans, however, he wrote rather at length, but also intimating by an order of scriptures that Christ was their beginning. Concerning these it is necessary that the single epistles be discussed by us, since the blessed apostle Paul, following the order of his predecessor John, wrote only to seven churches by name, in this order, to the Corinthians first, to the Ephesians second, to the Philippians third, to the Colossians fourth, to the Galatians fifth, to the Thessalonians sixth, to the Romans seventh. Though, granted, it was repeated to the Corinthians and to the Thessalonians for corruption, nevertheless one church is made known to be diffused throughout the whole orb of the earth. For John too, granted that he wrote to seven churches in the apocalypse, nevertheless spoke to all. Nevertheless, he wrote one to Philemon and one to Titus, and two to Timothy for his affection and love. In honor of the catholic church, however, they were sanctified by the ordination of the ecclesiastical discipline. There is also extant one to the Laodiceans, another to the Alexandrians, forged in the name of Paul for the heresy of Marcion, and many others, which cannot be received in the catholic church, for it is not fit to mix gall with honey. / 39b-68a Epistulae autem Pauli, quae a quo loco vel qua ex causa directae sint volentibus intellegere ipsae declarant. primum omnium Corinthiis schisma haeresis in terdicens, deinceps Galatis circumcisionem, Romanis autem ordine scripturarum, sed et principium earum esse Xr{istu}m intimans prolixius scripsit. de quibus singulis necesse est a nobis disputari, cum ipse beatus apostolus Paulus sequens prodecessoris sui Iohannis ordinem non nisi nominatim septem ecclesiis scribat ordine tali, ad Corinthios prima, ad Ephesios secunda, ad Philippenses tertia, ad Colossenses quarta, ad Galatas quinta, ad Thessalonicenses sexta, ad Romanos septima. verum Corinthiis et Thessalonicensibus licet pro correptione iteretur, una tamen per omnem orbem terrae ecclesia diffusa esse denoscitur. et Iohannes enim in apocalypsi licet septem ecclesiis scribat, tamen omnibus dicit. verum ad Philemonem unam, et ad Titum unam, et ad Timotheum duas pro affectu et dilectione. in honore tamen ecclesiae catholicae in ordinatione ecclesiasticae disciplinae sanctificatae sunt. fertur etiam ad Laodicenses, alia ad Alexandrinos, Pauli nomine fictae ad haeresem Marcionis, et alia plura, quae in catholicam ecclesiam recipi non potest, fel enim cum melle misceri non congruit. (9 epistles to 7 churches + 4 epistles to individuals = 13 Pauline epistles in all.)

Eusebius, History of the Church 6.20.3: 3 There has come to us also a dialogue of Gaius, a very learned man, which was held at Rome under Zephyrinus, with Proclus, who contended for the Phrygian heresy. In this he curbs the rashness and boldness of his opponents in setting forth new Scriptures. He mentions only thirteen epistles of the holy apostle, not counting that to the Hebrews with the others. And unto our day there are some among the Romans who do not consider this a work of the apostle. / 3 Ἦλθεν δὲ εἰς ἡμᾶς καὶ Γαΐου, λογιωτάτου ἀνδρός, διάλογος, ἐπὶ Ῥώμης κατὰ Ζεφυρῖνον πρὸς Πρόκλον τῆς κατὰ Φρύγας αἱρέσεως ὑπερμαχοῦντα κεκινημένος· ἐν ὧι τῶν δι´ ἐναντίας τὴν περὶ τὸ συντάττειν καινὰς γραφὰς προπέτειάν τε καὶ τόλμαν ἐπιστομίζων, τῶν τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἀποστόλου δεκατριῶν μόνων ἐπιστολῶν μνημονεύει, τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους μὴ συναριθμήσας ταῖς λοιπαῖς, ἐπεὶ καὶ εἰς δεῦρο παρὰ Ῥωμαίων τισὶν οὐ νομίζεται τοῦ ἀποστόλου τυγχάνειν. (13 Pauline epistles in all.)

Last edited by Ben C. Smith on Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Secret Alias
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Re: The Thrasyllan edition of Plato and the core Christian canon.

Post by Secret Alias »

BRILLIANT!!! With science we are always looking for improved hypotheses.
Secret Alias
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Re: The Thrasyllan edition of Plato and the core Christian canon.

Post by Secret Alias »

This also might explain why the Church Fathers like Eusebius were able to have only tacit acceptance or ambivalence for certain documents that were placed after the Pauline epistles i.e. 2 Peter etc
andrewcriddle
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Re: The Thrasyllan edition of Plato and the core Christian canon.

Post by andrewcriddle »

For Background see Thrasyllan Platonism by Tarrant.

Andrew Criddle
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