That's the picture the Letter of Aristeas paints for us, a glimpse into the lives of the 70 (or 72, depending on the tradition) Jewish scholars tasked with translating the Torah into Greek – a project that would become the Septuagint.
So, what was a typical day like for these luminaries?
Well, according to the Letter of Aristeas, their days were meticulously structured and steeped in reverence. Our text tells us their intense translation sessions lasted until the ninth hour – that’s roughly 3 PM! After that, they were "set free to minister to their physical needs."
And get this: their every need was met with incredible generosity. It wasn't just about providing the bare necessities; it was a lavish affair. The text emphasizes how "everything they wanted was furnished for them on a lavish scale." Talk about taking care of your team!
But the royal treatment didn't stop there. A fellow named Dorotheus was in charge of making sure these scholars had everything they needed. And not just anything – he provided them with the same provisions prepared daily for the king himself. The Letter of Aristeas makes it clear: this wasn't some ordinary assignment; it was a mission of paramount importance in the eyes of the king.
Each morning, the translators would make their way to the Court. Imagine the scene: these learned men, dressed in their finest, approaching the king to offer their greetings. Then, they would retreat to their designated place, ready to immerse themselves in the sacred text.
And before diving into the work of translation, they followed a ritual deeply ingrained in Jewish tradition. "As is the custom of all the Jews," the Letter of Aristeas tells us, "they washed their hands in the sea and prayed to God." The act of washing, a symbol of purification, was followed by prayer, a moment of connection with the Divine. Only then, cleansed in body and spirit, would they turn their attention to the task at hand: reading and translating the specific passage they were working on.
Think about the weight of that moment. The Septuagint wasn’t just about converting words from one language to another. It was about making the wisdom of the Torah accessible to a whole new audience, bridging cultures and languages, and ensuring that the teachings of Judaism could reach a wider world.
The Letter of Aristeas, in its own way, gives us a snapshot of a moment in time when dedication, scholarship, and a touch of royal pampering converged to create something truly extraordinary. It makes you wonder: what monumental tasks are we being called to today, and how can we approach them with the same level of reverence and commitment?