APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE. A general term for a collection of Jewish writings called " Apocalypses," i.e., prophetic revelations of the future. An early example is found in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel (167 164 B.C.). The last book of the New Testament bears the Greek title " Apocalypse of S. John the Divine " (see REVELATION, BOOK OF), and some scholars think that a little Apocalypse has been incorporated in the Gospels (Matthew xxiv. 6-S, 15-22, 29-31, 34-35=Mark xiii. 7-9 a, 14-20, 24-27, 30; see Arno Neumann, Jesus, 1906, p. 14S) and in 2 Thessalonians (2, 1-12). Other Apocalyptic writings are : the " Apocalypse of Baruch," preserved in Syriac, written by Pharisees (c. A.D. 50-90); the "Book of Enoch," preserved in Ethiopic, composite, the earliest portion having been written perhaps c. 200 B.C., the latest c. 64 B.C.; another " Book of Enoch " or " Book of the Secrets of Enoch," preserved in Slavonic, written about A.D. 1-50; the " Ascension of Isaiah," preserved in
Ethiopic and partly in Latin, composite, written about A.D. 1-100; the " Book of Jubilees," preserved in Ethiopic and partly in Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, Latin, Slavonic, written about 40-10 B.C.; the " Assumption of Moses," preserved in Latin, written about 7-30 A.D.; the " Testa ment of the XII. Patriarchs," preserved in Greek, Armenian, and Slavonic, written about 130 B.C. - 10 A.D.; the " Psalms of Solomon," composite, written about 70-40 D.C.; the " Sibylline Oracles," written in Greek, com posite, the earliest portions dating from the second century B.C., the latest from the third century A.D. See Encycl. Bibl.; W. Fairweather, Background of the Gospels, 190S. For New Testament Apocalypses, see APOCRYPHAL BOOKS OF THE N.T.