Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

A catalogue of Western manuscripts and papyri at Cambridge University Library, the Fitzwilliam Museum and selected Cambridge colleges

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 81

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11828

Contents

Introduction: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 81 is a large decorated manuscript, written on paper, containing the works of Homer and Quintus of Smyrna, placed in consecutive order of the narrative. It was copied in the mid-fifteenth century by Demetrios Xanthopoulos, who worked in the circle of Cardinal Bessarion (1403-72). There are some scholia to Homer in the hand of Demetrios Chalkondyles, who supervised the production of the editio princeps of Homer in 1488. The manuscript belonged to Theodore Gaza (ca. 1400-1475), and the cartouche on p. 1 could serve as a sign of ownership. His name may have led to the belief that the manuscript (along with MSS 224 and 248 at Corpus) came from Theodore of Tarsus (602-690). The manuscript was eventually bequeathed to Corpus Christi College by Matthew Parker. Dr Matteo Di Franco

Language(s): Greek

1. pp. 1-457
Homer, Iliad Ilias
Rubric: p. 1 Τῆς Ὁμήρου Ἰλιάδος ἡ ἄλφα ῥαψῳδία
Incipit: p. 1 Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
Explicit: p. 457 Ὣς οἵ γ’ ἀμφίεπον τάφον Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο

Single-line hypothesis introduce each book:

  • Book 1: pp. 1-18
  • Book 2: pp. 19-44
  • Book 3: pp. 44-57
  • Book 4: pp. 58-73
  • Book 5: pp. 74-100
  • Book 6: pp. 100-115
  • Book 7: pp. 115-129
  • Book 8: pp. 129-145
  • Book 9: pp. 146-166
  • Book 10: pp. 166-183
  • Book 11: pp. 183-207
  • Book 12: pp. 208-221
  • Book 13: pp. 222-246
  • Book 14: pp. 246-261
  • Book 15: pp. 261-283
  • Book 16: pp. 283-307
  • Book 17: pp. 308-330
  • Book 18: pp. 330-347
  • Book 19: pp. 348-360
  • Book 20: pp. 360-374
  • Book 21: pp. 375-392
  • Book 22: pp. 393-407
  • Book 23: pp. 408-433
  • Book 24: pp. 434-457

TLG 0012.001, 5026.016

2. pp. 457-713
Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica Posthomerica
Rubric: p. 1 Quintus Calaber Paralipomena in libros Homeri in quatordecim libros distincta. Κοΐντου
Incipit: p. 457 Εὖθ’ ὑπὸ Πηλείωνι δάμη θεοείκελος Ἕκτωρ
Explicit: p. 716 ὅσσοι ὑπὲρ πόντοιο λυγρὰς ὑπάλυξαν ἀέλλας

  • Book 1: pp. 457-481
  • Book 2: pp. 481-500
  • Book 3: pp. 501-523
  • Book 4: pp. 524-541
  • Book 5: pp. 541-560
  • Book 6: pp. 561-579
  • Book 7: pp. 580-601
  • Book 8: pp. 601-618
  • Book 9: pp. 618-631
  • Book 10: pp. 632-646
  • Book 11: pp. 646-660
  • Book 12: pp. 661-677
  • Book 13: pp. 678-694
  • Book 14: pp. 694-713

TLG 2046.001

3. pp. 715-1052
Eustathius, Archbishop of Thessalonica, Hypothesis on Odyssey books (from the Commentaries) Commentarii ad Homeri Odysseam
Incipit: p. 715 ⟨(Θ)⟩εῶν ἀγορὰ γίνεται περὶ τοῦ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα εἰς Ἰθάκην πεμφθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς Καλυψοῦς νήσου
Explicit: p. 1052 καὶ ταραχῆς τοῖς Ἰθακησίοις γινομένης ἐπὶ τῆ τῶν μνηστήρων ἀπωλεία Ἀθηνᾶ διακωλύει· καὶ συνθῆκαι γίνονται αὐτῆς κελευούσης

The hypothesis are on the beginning page of each book, but book 4, 11, 19 hypothesis on the preceding ones. Books 20 and 21 hypothesis are missing. For hypothesis on books 3 (p. 741), 7 (p. 804) and 10 (p. 847) see TLG 5026.007

TLG 4083.003

4. pp. 715-1070
Homer, Odyssey Odyssea
Rubric: p. 715 Ὀδυσσείας ἄλφα Ὁμήρου ῥαψωδίας
Incipit: p. 715 Ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε Μοῦσα πολύτροπον ὃς μάλα πολλὰ
Explicit: p. 1070 Μέντορι εἰδομένη ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ αὐδήν

Single-line metrical hypotheses introduce each book (missing in Book 21):

  • Book 1: pp. 715-728
  • Book 2: pp. 728-740
  • Book 3: pp. 741-755
  • Book 4: pp. 755-779
  • Book 5: pp. 780-794
  • Book 6: pp. 794-804
  • Book 7: pp. 804-814
  • Book 8: pp. 814-831
  • Book 9: pp. 831-847
  • Book 10: pp. 847-863
  • Book 11: pp. 864-882
  • Book 12: pp. 882-895
  • Book 13: pp. 895-908
  • Book 14: pp. 908-923
  • Book 15: pp. 924-939
  • Book 16: pp. 940-953
  • Book 17: pp. 954-971
  • Book 18: pp. 971-983
  • Book 19: pp. 984-1003
  • Book 20: pp. 1003-1014
  • Book 21: pp. 1014-1027
  • Book 22: pp. 1027-1041
  • Book 23: pp. 1041-1052
  • Book 24: pp. 1052-1068

TLG 0012.002, 5026.016

5. p. 1068
Epigram on Homer (Anthologia Graeca, vii 3)
Incipit: p. 1068 Ἐνθάδε τὴν ἱρὰν κεφαλὴν κατὰ γαῖα καλύπτει ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων κοσμήτορα θεῖον Ὅμηρον

Repeated twice

cf. DBBE type 3604

TLG 7000.001

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: pp. 1-1068 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Letter T ( 75 × 40 mm. ) middle of the folio comparable to Briquet 9129-9130 , dated 1441-1453. pp. 1069-1070 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: crossbow ( 70 × 50 mm. ) middle of the folio comparable to Briquet 760 , dated 1523.
Extent: Codex: ii + vii + 534 + viii + ii leaves., 400 × 230 mm.
Foliation:

ff. a-b + i-vii + pp. 1-986, 989-1070 + ff. viii-xv + c-d. Endleaves foliated in pencil in lower-case letters and Roman numerals in the upper right-hand corner, recto. The core of the manuscript is paginated in reddish pencil in Arabic numerals on rectos. Page number 679 is repeated twice, number 677 added in pencil. Page numbers 987-988 are missing.

An additional pagination in brown ink runs on the first 17 pages of the Odyssey, from p. 715 to p. 731.

Running heads on rectos, with reference to the books of the Iliad

Collation

The manuscript consists of 53 quinions and a binion:

  • Quires 1-5310 pp. 1-1062
  • Quire 544 pp. 1063-1070

Quire signatures in pencil in Arabic numerals on the lower outer corner of the first folio, recto from p. 21 (quire "2"). Quire number 17 is on p. 321 and repeated on p. 341. The following quire continues this mistake (18 on p. 361, etc.). Quire number 53 is on p. 1065.

Condition

In fair condition. Traces of metal bosses from former binding visible on ff. i recto - iv recto and xiii recto - xv verso, some leaves that had been torn were repaired at the time of the binding with paper patches. On pp. 1041-1042 there is a round stain.

Layout

pp. 1-1068: written space 280 × 90-105 mm. 35 lines to a page.

Hand(s)

The manuscript was written by Demetrios Xanthopoulos (RGK I 98), active in the second half of 15th century.

The scholia are written by the byzantine scholar Demetrios Chalkondyles (RGK I 105), active in the second half of 15th century.

Some notes are attributed to Theodorus Gaza (RGK I 128), active between the first and the second half of 15th century.

Decoration

Major initial on p. 1 (Iliad, book 1) in gold surrounded by white branch-work on pink, blue and greenish grounds, in florentine style. Initials sketched in ink on pp. 19, 393, 408, 501, 524, 541, 601, 661, 715, 741, 755, 780, 804 (Iliad 2, 22, 23; Posthomerica 1, 3-5, 7, 12; Odyssey 1, 3-5, 7).

In the lower margin of p. 1 a green wreath with the name ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΣ in gold capitals in it. On p. 1068 two miniatures inside medallions: a head with a turban in profile and an image of Athena with a spear; an analogous medallion with an image of Fortitude is drawn on Oxford, New College 233, f. 327v, which belonged to Demetrios Chalkondyles. A knot-work on p. 715 in reddish pencil.

Additions

Four notes on f. i recto on Theodore of Tarsus (d. 690), archbishop of Canterbury, to whom the manuscript was believed to belong. The first note is by Matthew Parker , the second and the third by a second Western hand, the last one by a third hand.

p. 1 ‘Matthaeus Cantuar(iensis) ’ added under the title.

Number of lines by a Western hand annotated next to last line of each page.

Binding

Rebound by J.S. Wilson and Son in October 1952: see note on f. a recto and stamp on right cover, inner.

410 × 260 × 120 mm.

History

Origin: The manuscript was written in the mid-15th century by Demetrios Xanthopoulos.

Provenance and Acquisition

The notes on f. i recto by Matthew Parker, his assistant John Joscelyn and his son John Parker suggest that the book was found at Canterbury, possibly as part of the library of St. Augustine's Abbey . It was counted among the books believed to have belonged to Theodore of Tarsus (d. 690), archbishop of Canterbury. The manuscripts passed into Parker's collection.

The manuscript was bequeathed to Corpus Christi College by Matthew Parker (1504-1575) , the college's Master between 1544 and 1553, and archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. It is listed in William Stanley's catalogue of 1722 at the classmark A.1.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2020) draws on M.R. James, A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, vol. 1 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1912), pp. 164-167, F. Pontani, Sguardi su Ulisse, la tradizione esegetica greca dell'Odissea (Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2005) pp. 388-394 and description available on Parker Library on the Web.

Availability

Visitors to Corpus Christi College who wish to consult Special Collections material are required to apply to the Parker Library in advance of their visit. For information on eligibility and admission procedures see: Parker Library: Information for Readers.

Bibliography

    Histoire de la tradition manuscrite de Quintus de Smyrne, Vian, Francis (Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 1959) Scribes grecs de la Renaissance. Additions et corrections aux répertoires de Vogel-Gardthausen et de Patrinélis Scriptorium, Canart, Paul (17, 56-82, 1963) Medieval libraries of Great Britain: a list of surviving books Medieval libraries of Great Britain Royal Historical Society guides and handbooks, Ker, N.R. (London, Offices of the Royal Historical Society, 1964) Before palaeography: notes on early descriptions and datings of Greek manuscripts Studia Codicologica, Easterling, P. E. (124, 179-88, 1977) From Britain to Byzantium: the study of Greek manuscripts Through the looking glass: Byzantium through British eyes. Papers from the twenty-ninth Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies, London, March 1995 Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies publications, Easterling, Patricia E. (Aldershot, 107-120, Ashgate, 2000) Byzantium through illustrated manuscripts Through the looking glass: Byzantium through British eyes: papers from the twenty-ninth Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies, London, March 1995, Lowden, John (Aldershot, 85-106, Ashgate, 2000) Sguardi su Ulisse: la tradizione esegetica greca all'Odissea, Pontani, Filippomaria (Rome, Edizioni di storia e letteratura, 2005) "De' libri che furono di Teodoro": una mano, due pratiche e una biblioteca scomparsa Medioevo e Rinascimento, Speranzi, David (23, 319-354, 2012) La Famille 13 dans l'évangile de Marc, Lafleur, Didier (Leiden, Brill, 2013)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation (cataloguing).

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (digital images).

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge