On Ptolemy II Philadelphus: Text and Manuscripts

Go to the Alexander and Descendants group, the Visual edition.

Iste ptolomeus philadelfus , cupidus librorum, consilio demetrii et aristei , solutis .cxx. milia judeorum , singulis pro .cxx. dragmis argenti missis in muneribus ad oblationes in templum, .lxx. interpretes ab eleazaro missos in alexandria honorifice suscepit et, post interpretationem .lxx. diebus factam, muneribus honoratos remisit.

This Ptolemy Philadelphus, a lover of books, on the advice of Demetrius and Aristeus, having freed 120,000 Jews (for 120 silver dracmas each), sent gifts to be dedicated in the temple. He honorably welcomed 70 interpreters sent by Eleazar to Alexandria, and after they had completed their interpretation in 70 days, he sent them away honoured with gifts.

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Image excerpts from the manuscripts (as grouped by main graph versions) are the result of tool-based image annotation (via Cadmus) or manual extraction. For each manuscript version only these visually annotated manuscripts are listed here. For the grouping of all manuscripts we provide a separate list (Manuscript groups). Transcriptions are semi-diplomatic following project specific rules.

Version

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 29 (C2)

Iste ptho. philadelfus cupidus librorum
consilio demetrij et aristej. solutis c.xx. milia
iudeorum singulis .pro. c.xx. dragmis argenti
missis in muneribus ad oblationes in tem
plum. lxx interpretes ab heleazaro mis
sos in alexandria honorifice
suscepit. et post interpretationem lxx
diebus factam muneribus hono
ratos remisit.

Version 1

Wien, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 363 (W)

Manuscript group AT1

Iste ptolomeus philadelfus cupidus librorum consilio de
metrii et aristei solutis .c.xx. milia iudeorum singulis pro. c.xx.
dragmis argenti missis in muneribus ad oblati
ones in templum. lxx. interpretes
ab eleazaro missos in alexan
dria honorifice suscepit et post in
terpretationem. lxx diebus factam ho
noratos muneribus remisit.

Linz, Oberösterreichische Landesbibliothek, Hs. 490 (Schiffmann 26) (Lz1)

Manuscript group AT2

Köln, Historisches Archiv der Stadt Köln, W 247 (Kö)

Manuscript group BE1

Auxerre, Bibliothèque municipale, Ms. 145 (Ax)

Manuscript group FR2

Iste ptolomeus
philadelfus cupidus li
brorum. consilio demetrij
et aristei. solutis. cxxmilia. iudeorum. singulis pro
c.xx. dragmis missis in muneribus ad obla
tiones in templum. lxxa. interpretes ab eleazaro
missos in alexandria honorifice suscepit.
et post interpretationem. lxxta. diebus factam mu
neribus honoratos remisit.

Heidelberg, Universitätsbibliothek, Cod. Sal. IX, 40 (H)

Manuscript group GB3

Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.15.5 (C)

Manuscript group GB6

Iste ptholomeus philadelphus cupidus
librorum consilio demetrii
et aristei. solutis .c.xx.
iudeorum. singulis .c.xx.
dragmis argenti missis
in muneribus ad oblationes in
templum. lxx. interpretes ab
eleazaro missos in alexan
dria honorifice suscepit.
et post interpretationem .lxx die
bus factam muneribus honora
tos remisit.

Version 2

Cleveland, Museum of Art, 1973.5 (Cl)

Admont, Benediktinerstift, Cod. 128 (Ad)

Manuscript group AT3

Firenze, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 15.11 (F1)

Manuscript group FR3

Version 3

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 83 (C3)

Manuscript group GB2

Version 4

Frankfurt am Main, Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek, Ms. germ. quart 13 (Fm)

Manuscript group CH1

Version 6

Leipzig, Universitätsbibliothek, Ms. Apel 1 (Le1)

Manuscript group NL1

Citation recommendation

On Ptolemy II Philadelphus: Text and Manuscripts. In: Peter of Poitiers' Compendium historiae: a research platform and edition, ed. by Andrea Worm, et al., Graz: 2026. https://gams.uni-graz.at/query:chigc.thirdlayer?params=$1|t-ptolomeus2.

Credits

Data modeling, data curation and web design: Jakob Sonnberger
Project principal investigators: Andrea Worm, Roman Bleier and Patrick Sahle
Mercator Fellows: Laura Cleaver and Franz Fischer