Testament of Longinus

John, Here’s a scan of that book I was telling you about. I think, after some consideration, it probably falls into your department rather than mine. I can’t imagine it’s anything other than a hoax, although it’s an undeniably fascinating hoax. Not only do we have in this strange little book a fictional piece of pseudepigraphia, but it’s accompanied by this weird bogus scholarship, as if a small committee really had thrashed out a new translation of some religious text that had never existed, in which the central messianic figure was not Jesus Christ but Saint Longinus, the centurion who in the stories thrust the spear into Christ’s side. I am sure that you’re familiar with that Borges story where they find a single copy of an encyclopedia that has an inexplicable extra entry about a country that does not exist? I feel like I have stumbled upon that book myself. It was mis-shelved in the university library when I found it. In the Greek Loebs, between Polybius and Polycrates, looking really out of place among those tatty little green hardbacks. I have it on my desk here, and the lettering on the front and spine says the title: Testament of Longinus. It didn’t have a number or a label. It looks like a small press piece, or maybe one of those new print-on-demand books. The publication date is given as last year. But it wasn’t a university acquisition. I thought about handing it in at the desk, should have done that, but... I don’t know. I put it in my bag. I’m not proud of that. I expect I’ll relent and hand it in eventually. But I want to get to the bottom of this. Who makes a book like this? See what you make of it, John. I’d be interested to know. -Daniel John, John, Here’s a scan of that book I was telling you about. I think, after some some after think, I about. you telling was I book that of scan a Here’s consideration, it probably falls into your department rather than than rather department your into falls probably it consideration, mine. I can’t imagine it’s anything other than a hoax, although it’s an an it’s although hoax, a than other anything it’s imagine can’t I mine. undeniably fascinating hoax. Not only do we have in this strange little little strange this in have we do only Not hoax. fascinating undeniably book a fictional piece of pseudepigraphia, but it’s accompanied by this this by accompanied it’s but pseudepigraphia, of piece fictional a book weird bogus scholarship, as if a small committee really had thrashed out out thrashed had really committee small a if as scholarship, bogus weird a new translation of some religious text that had never existed, in which which in existed, never had that text religious some of translation new a the central messianic figure was not Jesus Christ but Saint Longinus, the the Longinus, Saint but Christ Jesus not was figure messianic central the centurion who in the stories thrust the spear into Christ’s side. side. Christ’s into spear the thrust stories the in who centurion I am sure that you’re familiar with that Borges story where they find find they where story Borges that with familiar you’re that sure am I a single copy of an encyclopedia that has an inexplicable extra entry entry extra inexplicable an has that encyclopedia an of copy single a about a country that does not exist? I feel like I have stumbled upon upon stumbled have I like feel I exist? not does that country a about that book myself. It was mis-shelved in the university library when I I when library university the in mis-shelved was It myself. book that found it. In the Greek Loebs, between Polybius and Polycrates, looking looking Polycrates, and Polybius between Loebs, Greek the In it. found really out of place among those tatty little green hardbacks. I have it it have I hardbacks. green little tatty those among place of out really on my desk here, and the lettering on the front and spine says the title: title: the says spine and front the on lettering the and here, desk my on Testament of Longinus. It didn’t have a number or a label. It looks like a a like looks It label. a or number a have didn’t It Longinus. of Testament small press piece, or maybe one of those new print-on-demand books. The The books. print-on-demand new those of one maybe or piece, press small publication date is given as last year. year. last as given is date publication But it wasn’t a university acquisition. I thought about handing it in at at in it handing about thought I acquisition. university a wasn’t it But the desk, should have done that, but... I don’t know. I put it in my bag. I’m I’m bag. my in it put I know. don’t I but... that, done have should desk, the not proud of that. I expect I’ll relent and hand it in eventually. But I I But eventually. in it hand and relent I’ll expect I that. of proud not want to get to the bottom of this. Who makes a book like this? this? like book a makes Who this. of bottom the to get to want See what you make of it, John. I’d be interested to know. know. to interested be I’d John. it, of make you what See -Daniel THE TESTAMENT OF LONGINUS A Revised Translation of the text from the Latin and Greek containing the Rule of Golgotha, the Sanguinaria and the Eschaton Edited by committee SPLD Atlanta Reykjavik Shanghai London MMVIII Published By WHitE WOLF PUBLISHING 2075 West Park Place Blvd, Suite G Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Senior Contributors HOWARD INGHAM, GENEVIEVE PODLESKI Editor EDDY WEBB Book Design CRAIG S GRANT © 2009 CCP hf. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and one printed copy which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vam- pire and World of Darkness are registered trademarks of CCP hf. All rights reserved. Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the Awakening, Promethean the Created, Changeling the Lost, Hunter the Vigil, Storytelling System and Parlor Games are trademarks of CCP hf. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by CCP hf. CCP North America Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCP hf. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a chal- lenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised. Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com ii iii v Preface to the Revised Edition 1 THE TESTAMENT OF LONGINUS, with notes and alternate readings 1 The Malediction 13 The Torments of Longinus 21 The Rule of Golgotha 39 The First Book of Sanguinaria 45 The Second Book of Sanguinaria 53 The Book of the Eschaton 65 APPENDICES 65 Appendix I: Textual History of the TES T AMEN T OF LONGINUS 69 Appendix II: Fragments from the Longinian Apocrypha 75 Appendix III: The Search for the Historical Longinus ii iii v Preface to the Revised Edition It seems something of an oversight that the central text on which the religion of Longinus rests should not have been given a translation that reflects mod- ern innovations in scholarship and recent manuscript discoveries (not least the vitally important fragments uncovered at the Oxyrhynchus site and in the Nag Hammadi codices). The original Authorized Version of theTestament of Longinus was a tremen- dous achievement for the scholars translating it and for the faithful adherents of the Longinian Rule who had long sought a vernacular translation. We exist in its shadow; we cannot hope to duplicate the dignity and power of its prose, much of which has passed from the page into common usage. It transformed our language. It transformed the way we think of ourselves. But the language of the old version, for all its force and grace, is now as archaic and inaccessible to the new reader or listener as the Vulgate Testament was four hundred years ago. It is time for a version of the Testament that reflects the times we inhabit. In early 2004, a committee of Archbishops and other significant figures met in London at the instigation of the Rt. Rev. Francis Rose to discuss the possibility of a new edition of the Testament. Although some controversy in- evitably resulted, Archbishop Rose’s party held the day, and a committee of three scholars was invited to begin the project: myself, Caroline Petronius of Chicago and Victor Ballsden of London. The result of these deliberations is the present volume. This edition of the Testament of Longinus of course includes the five books of the generally accepted Longinian canon. We can assume that little intro- duction need be made of these books to the devotee, but since we intend this work to be accessible to a wider scholarly audience, it serves our purposes to offer some explanation.

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