Theodotion  seems  to  have  had  before  him  in  170  a.c.  the
Greek  version  of  Aquila,  Akilos  or  Onkelos  of  130-140  a.c,  and
apparently  other  unknown  and  more  or  less  imperfect  Hebrew
and  Greek  fragments,  then  floating  about  among  Jewish  and
Gentile  communities;  for  Theodotion's  own  version  follows
some  old  Hebrew  MSS.,  if  we  may  judge  by  some  names  used
in  the  Law  and  Prophets,  for  which  he  gives  no  authority — a
not  uncommon  thing  in  those  days.  An  author  rarely  investi-
gated the  history  of  the  documents  he  used.  Let  us  look  into
the  strange  dual  history  of  Aquila,  'AioAas,  anglice,  Onkelos.
"  This  apostate,"  as  Dr  S.  Davidson  proves  (Art.  Targum  Kitto's
Ency.\  is  "  the  Christian  pervert  Aunkalus  or  Ankalus  (Dl^pilN
or  D^p2M),  the  'Okilas  or  Akilas  or  Aqilas,  D^pJ?  or  D^pM,  of
Talmudik  and  Hagadik  literature.     Hebrews  boast  that  he  threw


446  SACRED  BOOKS  OP  THE  WEST.  IX.
into  the  Dead  Sea  the  fortune  which  came  to  him  through  his
Christian  relatives,  and  by  some  strange  legendary  confusion  or
perversion  he  becomes  the  author  of  the  celebrated  Targum  of
Onkelos — one  which  thoroughly  commended  itself  to  the  R&bbini-
kal  world,  perhaps  because  of  its  anti-Christian  nature.  Baby-
lonian Jews  also  accepted  it ;  their  Talmud  describing  it  as  "  a
Targum  of  the  Pentateuch  made  by  Onkelos,  the  proselyte,  from
the  mouths  of  Rabbim  Eleazar  (cir.  280  b.c.  ?)  and  Joshua  (of
160  B.C.  ?)  .  .  .  for  have  we  not  been  taught  that  the  Targum
existed  from  the  time  of  Ezra  .  .  .  only  it  was  forgotten,  and
Onkelos  restored  it"  (Davidson).
