[B-Greek] anaskolopisthenta vs.stauron

George F Somsel gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Fri Dec 28 10:10:06 EST 2007


I don't have access to this work by Lucian either and don't wish to spend the time to look for it since I have other work to accomplish.  I will nevertheless give you some thoughts regarding this.

It is customary to think of a cross in the fashion in which we see it in virtually every church as the form of a "t."  The proper designation of σταυρός [STAUROS], however, is a stake.  Although the word σταυρός [STAUROS] is not used in the passage, I refer you to MPol where it refers to Polycarp's execution

 
ὅτε δὲ ἡ πυρκαϊὰ ἡτοιμάσθη, ἀποθέμενος ἑαυτῷ πάντα τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ λύσας τὴν ζώνην, ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ ὑπολύειν ἑαυτόν, μὴ πρότερον τοῦτο ποιῶν διὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἕκαστον τῶν πιστῶν σπουδάζειν ὅστις τάχιον τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτοῦ ἅψηται. ἐν παντὶ γὰρ ἀγαθῆς ἕνεκεν πολιτείας καὶ πρὸ τῆς πολιᾶς ἐκεκόσμητο. (3) εὐθέως οὖν αὐτῷ περιετίθετο τὰ πρὸς τὴν πυρὰν ἡρμοσμένα ὄργανα. μελλόντων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ προσηλοῦν, εἶπεν· Ἄφετέ με οὕτως. ὁ γὰρ δοὺς ὑπομεῖναι τὸ πῦρ δώσει καὶ χωρὶς τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐκ τῶν ἥλων
 ἀσφαλείας ἄσκυλτον ἐπιμεῖναι τῇ πυρᾷ.

Holmes, M. W. (1999). The Apostolic Fathers : Greek texts and English translations (Updated ed.) (236). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.

hOTE DE hH PURKAIA hHTOIMASQH, APOQEMENOS hEAUTWi PANTA TA hIMATIA KAI LUSAS THN ZWNHN, EPEIRATO KAI hUPOLUEIN hAUTON, MH PROTERON TOUTO POIWN DIA TO AEI hEKASTON TWN PISTWN SPOUDAZEIN hOSTIS TAXION TOU XRWTOS AUTOU hAYHTAI.  EN PANTI GAR AGAQHS hENEKEN POLITEIAS KAI PRO THS POLIAS EKEKOSMHTO. (3) EUQEWS OUN AUTWi PERIETIQETO TA PROS THN PURAN hHRMOSMENA ORGANA.  MELLONTWN DE AUTWN KAI PROSHLOUN, EIPEN, "AFETE ME hOUTWS.  hO GAR DOUS hUPOMEINAI TO PUR DWSEI KAI XWRIS THS hUMETERAS ED TWN hHLWN ASFALEIAS ASKULTON EPIMEINAI THi PURAi

Note the use here of PROSHLOW and hHLOS indicating that they had intended to nail him to an unstated object which was most likely a stake since it is doubtful that they intended to nail him to the firewood they place about him.  I therefore think the answer to your question regarding why one or the other word might be used is that they were virtually interchangeable.
 
george
gfsomsel
 
Therefore, O faithful Christian, search for truth, hear truth, 
learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth, 
defend the truth till death.
 
- Jan Hus
_________



----- Original Message ----
From: Anita Clerke <clerke at humanperformance.cc>
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2007 9:05:27 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] anaskolopisthenta vs.stauron

Lucian of Samosata's work "The Passing of Peregrinus" on pages 38-39  
(paragraph 34, line 7), as found in The Loeb Classical Library,  
Lucian with an English Translation by AM Harmon Volume V, 1972, makes  
use of the word STAURON when he states that as Peregrinus was heading  
for his self emolation, he was enjoying the admiration of the crowds  
"...not knowing, poor wretch, that men on their way to the cross  
( STAURON σταυρὸν ) οr in the grip of the executioner have  
many more at their heels."

However earlier (pages 12-13, paragraph 11, line 11) Lucian used a  
different word when describing " the man who was crucified in  
Palestine  (  Παλαιστίνῃ    
ἀνασκολοπισθέντα ANASKOLOPISTHENTA ) because he  
introduced this new cult into the world."

Again in paragraph 13 Lucian talks of the "crucified sophist"  
ἀνασκολοπισμένον ἐκεῖνον σοφιστὴν  
ANASKOLOPISΜΕΝΟΝ.

I also note that, according to Perseus Tuft, Lucian used  
ANASKOLOPISTHESOMAI in his Prometheus on Causasus paragraph 7. But I  
am unable to check a Greek text of this at present.

Prom. Perhaps there has been some nonsense talked already; that  
remains to be seen. But as you say your case is now complete, I will  
see what I can do in the way of refutation. And first about that  
meat. Though, upon my word, I blush for Zeus when I name it: to think  
that he should be so touchy about trifles, as to send off a God of my  
quality to crucifixion, just because he found a little bit of bone in  
his share! http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/luc/wl1/wl112.htm



I am not sure what word Lucian used for crucifixion earlier in  
Prometheus on Causasus paragraph 1, where he states:

Her. The very thing. Steep rocks, slightly overhanging, inaccessible  
on every side; no foothold but a mere ledge, with scarcely room for  
the tips of one's toes; altogether a sweet spot for a crucifixion.  
Now, Prometheus, come and be nailed up; there is no time to lose.

Could someone please tell me what word was used in this instance?



Meier JP A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the historical Jesus. Vol.1, p. 
102, note 20, states that anaskolopisthenta was probably used in  
paragraph 11 of Peregrinus scornfully ("mocking tone"), and that  
Lucian had an historical basis for using ANASKOLOPISTHENTA, "since  
crucifixion probably developed from impalement."



Similar to Lucian's use of both words, I have found that STAURON was  
used for crucifixion by Polybius (Histories 1.86 Book 1, Chapter 86,  
section 6), "All the baggage fell into the rebels'º hands and they  
made Hannibal himself prisoner. 6 Taking him at once to Spendius'  
cross they tortured him cruelly there, and then, taking Spendius down  
from the cross, they crucified Hannibal alive on it.."

An alternative reading found using Perseus tufts has:
They at once took him up to the cross on which Spendius was hanging,  
and after the infliction of exquisite tortures, took down the  
latter's body and fastened Hannibal, still living, to his cross; and  
then slaughtered thirty Carthaginians

Perseus tufts has the Greek as:touton men oun parachrêma pros ton tou   
Spendiou stauron agagontes kai timôrêsamenoi pikrôs ekeinon men  
katheilon, touton d' anethesan zônta kai perikatesphaxan triakonta  
tôn Karchêdoniôn tous epiphanestatous peri to tou Spendiou sôma,  
tês tuchês hôsper epitêdes ek paratheseôs amphoterois enallax  
didousês aphormas eis huperbolên tês kat' allêlôn timôrias.

Later Polybius used anaskolopisthenta in this same work, namely in  
Histories (10.33.8)." Suddenly letting down the portcullis which they  
had raised somewhat higher by mechanical means, they attacked the  
intruders and capturing them crucified them before the wall." http:// 
penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Polybius/10*.html 27/12/07
Perseus tufts has the Greek as:
Hoi de katarraktas, hous eichon oligon exôterô dia mêchanêmatôn  
anêmmenous, aiphnidion kathêkan kai epebalonto, kai toutous  
kataschontes pro tou teichous aneskolopisan. (1.11)

Could someone tell me if there may be a grammatical pattern or reason  
as to why these two authors sometimes used ANASKOLOPISTHENTA, or  
inflections of it, and other times used STAURON? Perhaps there is  
another possible reason for the choice of words apart from those  
given by Meier.


Are there any other ancient authors who used both terms to describe  
crucifixion?

Although ANASKOLOPISTHENTA isn't used in the GNT, did any of the  
early christian writers use it, or inflections of it?


Jonathan Clerke
clerke at humanperformance.cc



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