Chapter Three. The Scholars Of The Editio Princeps: Moses And Masius

This chapter reviews pieces of evidence which show that Postel was working on the Syriac Gospels as early as 1537 when Bomberg had shown him a manuscript, and that he wrote to Masius in 1547 recording his progress. These pieces of evidence together gives the reader a pre-history of the editio princeps that has not previously been perceived because the sources have not been properly understood. The chapter discusses Masius's contacts with Moses of Mardin, Postel and Mar Sulaqa. It also explains Masius's unwillingness to concede that the Talmud contains blasphemies. The chapter further argues that the change of atmosphere in Rome had considerable influence upon the future of the project to print a Syriac New Testament.Keywords: editio princeps; Mar Sulaqa; Masius; Moses of Mardin; Postel; Syriac gospels; Talmud