Revelation 9:16

τῶν στρατευμάτων. Primas[332] reads militantium = στρατευομένων.

[332] Primasius, edited by Haussleiter.

δύο μυριάδες μυριάδων. With א. Lach[333] Tisch[334] W. H[335] and Weiss read δισμυριάδες μυριάδων with Revelation 1*. Epiph[336] quotes ἤκουσα τὸν�; B2 reads μυριάδες μυριάδων; Primas[337] reads octoginta milia (which points to an older reading δισμύριοι, cf. Psalms 68:17, where LXX. translate τὸ ἅρμα τοῦ θεοῦ μυριοπλάσιον, as if each angel was over 20,000), and quotes Tyconius as reading bis miriades miriadum which is certainly wrong, for in his commentary Tyc[338] says non dixit quot miriadum. The reading of most editors might have been reached by combining two readings, one of which has only indirect Latin evidence.

[333] Lachmann’s larger edition.
[334] Tischendorf: eighth edition; where the text aud notes differ the latter are cited.
[335] H. Westcott aud Hort.
[336] St Epiphanius.
[337] Primasius, edited by Haussleiter.
[338] Tyconius.

16. τοῦ ἱππικοῦ. Not plural but collective, as we should say “the cavalry.” Not that the Seer gives the number of one arm only of an army containing more: apparently this army consists of cavalry exclusively. The four angels seem to be its captains, and it is held in readiness with them to march when they are loosed to slay the third part of men. The Parthian cavalry was the most formidable barbarian force of St John’s day: did the Parthian kings boast of the myriads of horsemen whom they could call out at a day appointed? Any way, if the Parthian cavalry suggested the image to St John’s mind, we should have the explanation of the use of the name Euphrates. More than this we can hardly say as to the meaning of the Vision, and any partial fulfilment that it may have had or be about to have.

δύο μυριάδες μυριάδων. The number is perhaps suggested by Psalms 68:17 (Primasius’ text implies that in some ancient MSS. it had been reproduced literally, each angel had 20,000 horsemen, 80,000 in all): still it hardly seems as if these horsemen were celestial (like those of Revelation 19:14), though they are not distinctly infernal like the locusts of the previous Vision.