Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 April 2006
1 I am very grateful to Dr Sebastian Brock for his guidance in the analysis of the Syriac version of MP, and to Professor Fergus Millar for his valuable suggestions. I also thank Tim Edwards and Rotraud Hansberger for helpful discussions during the translation of some passages of the Syriac text, and the editor and the anonymous referee of CQ for their remarks and suggestions for improvement. It goes without saying that all remaining errors and inconsistencies are entirely my responsibility.