I’ve thought this for a long time now (and I know I’m not alone, as this was recently, yet again, serendipitously discussed in another thread) that we need “our own ‘Bible’” … well, had to start somewhere. So I've been building this, and, here's a start:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNJ1ST4B
THE HEDONICON (Twentiers’ Version)
It includes my personal translation of the KD, free translations (from the old, British boys of the 19th-century) of the Epistles and Sayings, as well as Munro's version of De Rerum Natura, an old translation of Philodemus' Epigrams., along with a brief foreword, pages of notes formatted as annotations, all of Gen's portraits, and some of the other, supplemental material I've been developing, including the timeline, map, and some other graphics that reinforce the theme of being a Holy Book, something that aims to mimic an Illustrated Version of the Bible.
I made it available through Amazon Kindle, and I am having paperback copies made, mostly for myself, and I want to give one to my Mum, but I also have a few friends that are interested, so it's up there for the moment. I am investigating other ways to share it, as most platforms don't support files as large as the Hedonicon (due to the pictures and graphics), and editing brings up additional questions as well.
Why ‘Hedonicon’?
The early Christians had an Evangelikon (book of Gospels) and Apostolikon (book of Epistles) that comprised the early New Testament. I believe that our equivalent would be a Hedonikon (book of pleasure) … or perhaps even Hedonomikon (book of the law of pleasure … but that’s a little more aimed at pop culture). I would think it to include works of, at least, Epicurus, and, hopefully, Lucretius, Philodemus, and, with luck, the two Diogenes’, among others. I imagine that every Epicurean Garden would have their own Version of the Hedonicon (or some fascimile thereof), and that congregations of Epicurean Gardens may publish universal Hedonicons per groups arranged according to recognition of coherent texts.
Why ‘Twentiers' Version'?
I liked that moon thing I made. It's a nice logo for something on which I wanted to make a mark. (Totally, keep using it, and play with it and do what you like it. It's just an idea; and an icon, like a cross nor a Jesus fish, so, it's not an official registered trademark, just an informal identifier.)
Anyway, I mention in the foreword of my ‘Twentiers’ Version’ that I hope to inspire future Hedoniconae in the same way that the early Christian heretic Marcion created the first ‘New Testament’ that become the standard upon which future versions of the Bible were built, each one, expanding upon the core collection of Marcion’s texts (Christian heresy fascinates me, and Philodemus seems to mention an Epicurean analogue against Rhodians).
There is a long to-do list that includes creating translations for Diogenes of Oinoanda and the bulk of Philodemus, both of which are currently beyond my means, and it would be great to compile a complete, unique, coherent translation (like the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible).
I imagine further polishing the Twentiers’ Version into a Second Edition that would include other contributors who might care to share their translations to the aesthetic presentation of the Twentiers' Version. Don, I welcome future developments if you would be interested in contributing any parts of your translations of the Epistle To Menoikeus, Sayings of the Sage, or Vatican Sayings to a Second Edition of the ‘Twentiers’ Version’, or, for that matter, working with me to produce collaborations. This is all for the sake of making something interesting, and your scholarship has always inspired me. I meant to put together a more local project initially, but with my wife's images and some advancements in formatting as well as some old work that finally came together, some new possibilities emerged, and I started playing around with publishing.
That equally goes for everyone (if my format so inspires you) including those of you who lean toward Latin overe Greek. Again, there is a long to-do list, dominated by Philodemus, that I cannot hope to accomplish without assistance from many others.
EQUALLY so, as I try to mention as often as possible elsewhere, I think it would be quite excellent if this inspired others to create their Version(s) of ‘a Hedonicon’. So, if, Cassius , if any members might be interested in developing an EpicureanFriends.com Version (for example), I am happy to lend whichever parts of my own format and structure and commentary works for someone else, and some of the artistic contributions therein.
I will unfortunately be inordinately busy in the next few weeks, (I’m sure I’m not alone, there), but I wanted to get the snowball rolling, just to share my intentions and see if these anyone would like to contribute to and/or develop these projects. I do not know when I will revisit the polishing and expansion of the Twentiers' Version into a Second Edition, and it is not currently a top-priority for me.
Until, then, Happy Eikas!