We know the Gothic language from the fragments of the biblical translation which is safely ascribed to bishop Ulfilas (or, in Gothic spelling, Wulfila; cp. Bernhardt, Vulfila, p. VII; Anz. fda., 14, 285; Grundr., II, 674). Wulfila was born in 310 and died at the end of 380 or erly in 381 after Christ. During the last 33 years of his life he was bishop of that part of the West Goths which, when persecuted by their heathen kinsmen, he led across the Danube where they wer permitted by Constantius to setl in Moesia (Moeso-Goths or Goti minores).—The fragments of the biblical version hav cum down to us in the following manuscripts:—
1. 'Codex Argenteus' at Upsala. It containd on 330 leavs the four gospels in the following order: Matthew, John, Luke, Mark. Of these 330 leavs 187 ar extant. The gospel of Lu. shows yunger forms of speech which differ in many respects from the normal forms (cp. [§§ 7], n. 2; 14, n. 3; 56, n. 1; 62, n. 3; 67, n. 2; a 74, n. 1; 105, n. 2; 204, n. 1; probably thru the influence of the dialect of the East Gothic writers; cp. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 200 et seq.).
2. 'Codex Carolinus', a 'codex rescriptus' at Wolfenbüttel, which contains portions of the 11.-15. chaps. of the epistl to the Romans.
3. 'Codices Ambrosiani', five fragments ('codices rescripti') in the Ambrosian library at Milan, which contain chiefly St. Paul's epistls. They are clast as follows:—
Codex A contains on 95 leavs fragments of the epistls to the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and a fragment of a Gothic calendar.
Codex B contains on 77 leavs all of the second epistl to the Corinthians, fragments of the first epistl to the Corinthians, of the epistls to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus.—In contents Codex A and Codex B ar partly the same, which is important for the criticism of the text.
Codex C. Two leavs with fragments of Mt. XXV-XXVII.
Codex D. Three leavs with fragments of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Codex E. Eight leavs three of which ar in the Vatican library at Rome, and contain the fragments of an interpretation of the gospel of St. John. They wer calld by their editor (Massmann): Skeireins aíwaggêljôns þaírh Jôhannên, and are therefore stil cited as Skeireins (concerning which cp. Zs. fda., 37, 320; Anz. fda., 20, 148 et seq.).
4. 'Codex Taurinensis', four considerably damaged leavs with scanty fragments of the epistls to the Galatians and Colossians, which remain to be deciferd.