Andrew:
Andrew:
The Aquila who produced a Greek translation for the Diaspora was reputed to
be a nephew of the Emperor Hadrian, so that he is sometimes referred to as
Aquila the Proselyte, hence this story from Exodus Rabbah 30:12
"Aquilas3 once said to the Emperor Hadrian, ' I wish to be converted and
become an Israelite.' The reply was: ' After this people do you hanker? See
how I have degraded it, and how many thereof I have slain.' You wish to ally
yourself to the lowliest of peoples; what do you see in them that you now
wish to become converted?' He replied: 'The least among them knows how God
created the world and what was created on the first and second day, and how
long it is since the world was created and on what the world is founded.
Moreover, their law is one of truth.' He then said to him, 'Go and study
their law, but do not be circumcised.' To which he retorted, 'Unless he be
circumcised, even the wisest in thy kingdom, and even a grey- beard of a
hundred years old, cannot study their Torah,' for so it is written, 'He
declareth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances unto Israel.
He hath not dealt so with any nation'-except with the children of Israel."
He is often listed, along with Rabbi Akiva ( martyred 135 C.E ) as a pupil
of Rabbi Eleazer ben Hyrcanus but also as a disciple of Akiva. Both men
described him as " the fairest of the sons of men "
If you have access to "Verus Israel" by Marcel Simon, you will find some
comments on his style of Greek.
There are Andrew:
The Aquila who produced a Greek translation for the Diaspora was reputed to
be a nephew of the Emperor Hadrian, so that he is sometimes referred to as
Aquila the Proselyte, hence this story from Exodus Rabbah 30:12
"Aquilas3 once said to the Emperor Hadrian, ' I wish to be converted and
become an Israelite.' The reply was: ' After this people do you hanker? See
how I have degraded it, and how many thereof I have slain.' You wish to ally
yourself to the lowliest of peoples; what do you see in them that you now
wish to become converted?' He replied: 'The least among them knows how God
created the world and what was created on the first and second day, and how
long it is since the world was created and on what the world is founded.
Moreover, their law is one of truth.' He then said to him, 'Go and study
their law, but do not be circumcised.' To which he retorted, 'Unless he be
circumcised, even the wisest in thy kingdom, and even a grey- beard of a
hundred years old, cannot study their Torah,' for so it is written, 'He
declareth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances unto Israel.
He hath not dealt so with any nation'-except with the children of Israel."
He is often listed, along with Rabbi Akiva ( martyred 135 C.E ) as a pupil
of Rabbi Eleazer ben Hyrcanus but also as a disciple of Akiva. Both men
described him as " the fairest of the sons of men "
If you have access to "Verus Israel" by Marcel Simon, you will find some
comments on his style of Greek.
Also have a look at "The Jews in Their Land in the Talmudic Age" by Gedaliah
Alon.
What fragments of his version as survive are to be found in the Hexapla of
Origen
Regards,
Maurice