The Bible in Greek
He Palaia Diatheke Kata Tous Hebdomekonta. Id Est Vetus Testamentum Secundum Septuaginta Seniorum Interpretationem Juxa Exemplar Vaticanum; Adjiciuntur Editionis Grabianae Variae Lectiones. Londini: Sumptibus Samuelis Bagster, Et FF. BOUND WITH He Kaine Diatheke. Novum Testamentum; ad Examplar Millianum, cum Emendationibus et Variis Lectionibus Griesbachii. Londini: Sumptibus Samuelis Bagster, Et. FF.
Full brown leather with red title plate and gold bands on spine and board edges. Marbled page edges. Ribbon book mark. Typeset in dual columns in very fine Greek font. Old Testament preceded by (in Latin) Praefatio in Biblia Polyglotta. New Testament preceded by (in English) The Publisher’s Advertisement. After each of these, and preceding the Biblical text of each Testament, is a list of variant readings. “Ex Libris” Book plate, with no name filled in, on front paste down. 1854 and 1918 prior owner’s names and dates on ffep. Library card holder on rear paste down, though it appears as though it has never been used. Some minor wear to leather here and there. Front hinge cracking externally at bottom two or three inches, holding at top half, cracked internally. Board still holding well though. All else is clean, tight, and bright throughout.
An undated Greek Bible (erroneously labeled on spine as Vetus Testemantum, but actually contains both Testaments) with the Septuagint version of the Old Testament bound with the Greek New Testament. It is likely early 19th century. Certainly, after 1806 (a date of an earlier publication mentioned in the publisher’s advertisement), and not later than 1854 (given the inscribed date on the fly leaf).
The Old Testament title page references the earlier (1730) edition of Grabe, which used Codex Alexandrinus as its source. The New Testament follows that of the “Received Text” but the whole work is also a critical edition of sorts with variant readings provided in tables. A return to the study of the Bible in the original languages (as opposed to just Latin) was a major focus of the Reformation and Biblical scholarship has never deviated from that since the 16th century.
