Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 790/812

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11881

Introduction: The manuscript contains a collection of Greek ascetical texts comprising sermons by Isaac of Nineveh (Isaac Syrus), mystical theologian of the 7th century, John Chrysostom (5th c.) and others together with a series of Apophthegmata Patrum (“Sayings of the Fathers”), anecdotes and maxims by the Egyptian Desert Fathers. Such collections of texts are frequently found in Greek manuscripts, as books which had a particular value within monastic communities. The codex was copied by a single scribe, probably in the 17th century. A later hand wrote some annotations in the margins and a final note on the verso of the last leaf of the manuscript, mentioning a monastery τοῦ τιμίου προδρόμου, confirming the probable production and use of the manuscript in a monastic milieu. Dr Erika Elia

Language(s): Greek

1. f. [2]v

Oratio ante lectionem

Rubric: f. [2]v Εὐχὴ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου ἐν τῷ μέλλειν ἀναγινώσκειν, ἢ ἀναγινώσκοντος ἑτέρου ἀκροᾶσθαι

Incipit: f. [2]v Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἄνοιξον τὰ ὦτα

Explicit: f. [2]v ἵνα σύ μου φωτίσῃς τὴν καρδίαν.

The text is attributed to John Chrysostom‎ , but is considered spurious

TLG 2062.345; CPG 4687; PG 63, 923-924

2. ff. 3r-4v

Isaiah, Abba, -489 or 491, Asceticon, excerpts

Rubric: f. 3r Τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἡσαίου

Incipit: f. 3r Ἀδελφὲ, ἐὰν νεώτερος ἦς μήπω ποιήσας τὴν δουλείαν τοῦ σώματος

Explicit: f. 4v ἐφ' οἷς ἔχουσι φυσωμένους ὑπερηφάνους νοητέον.

Εd. A. Iordanites, Τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμών ἀββᾶ Ἡσαΐου λόγοι κθ΄, Jerusalem 1911 (ed. repr. by S.N. Schoinas, Volos 1962)

CPG 5555

3. ff. 5r-[107]v

Isaac, Bishop of Nineveh, Sermones ascetici

Rubric: f. 5r Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Σύρου καὶ ἀναχωρητοῦ ἐπισκόπου γενομένου τῆς φιλοχρίστου πόλεως Νινευὶ λόγοι ἀσκητικοὶ ἑρμηνευθήσις[sic] ὑπὸ τῶν ὁσίον[sic] πατρῶν ἡμῶν Πατρικίου καὶ Ἀβραμίου τῶν φιλοσόφων καὶ ἡσυχαστῶν· ἐν τῇ μονῇ τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Σάββα

Final rubric: f. [107]v Τέλος τοῦ Ἀββᾶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Σύρου

The sermons are numbered; the numbering, the order and the division of the sermons do not correspond to the most recent critical edition of the text (Pirard 2012)

Ed. M. Pirard, Ἀββὰ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Σύρου Λόγοι ἀσκητικοὶ, Ἅγιος Ὄρος, Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Ἰβήρων 2012; CPG 7868

CPG 7868

3.1. ff. 5r-[9]v l. 4

Sermon 1 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 213-224

3.2. ff. [9]v l. 5-13v l. 8

Sermon 2 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 225-236

3.3. ff. 13v l. 8-[18]v l. 14

Sermon 3 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 237-259

3.4. ff. [18]v l. 14-29v l. 8

Sermon 4 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 260-281

3.5. ff. 29v l. 8-[40]v l. 11

Sermon 5 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 282-306

3.6. ff. [40]v l. 11-[48]v l. 12

Sermon 6 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 307-326

The text of sermon 6 (Pirard) is followed on ff. [48]v l. 13-[57]v l. 15 by a part of sermon 27 (Pirard), with some lacunae, a series of questions and answers, see Pirard 2012, pp. 444 l. 124-464 l. 534

3.7. ff. [57]v l. 15-[65]r l. 12

Sermon 28 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 481-494

3.8. ff. [65]r l. 12-[68]v l. 9

Sermon 7 (Pirard)

In the margin the scribe wrote ‘ λόγος ζ΄’

Pirard 2012, pp. 327-333

3.9. ff. [68]v l. 10-69v l. 13

Sermon 10 (Pirard)

In the margin the scribe wrote ‘ λόγος ι΄’

Pirard 2012, pp. 345-347

3.10. ff. 69v l. 13-70r l. 15

Sermon 11 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 348-349

3.11. ff. 70r l. 15-[72]r l. 15

Sermon 12 (Pirard)

In the margin the scribe wrote ‘ λόγος ια΄’

Pirard 2012, pp. 350-352 with differences

3.12. ff. [72]r l. 15-[74]v l. 12

John of Dalyatha (active 8th century), Sermon

The text has been excluded from Isaac's collection in Pirard (2012) (it is sermon 2 in Theotokes' edition, N. Theotokes, Τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἰσαὰκ έπισκόπου Νινευὶ τοῦ Σύρου εὑρεθέντα ἀσκητικά, Leipzig 1770 ); for the text see Pirard (2012), pp. 813-817

In the margin the scribe wrote ‘ λόγος ιϛ΄’

3.13. ff. [74]v l. 12-[76]v l. 3

Sermon 16 (Pirard)

In the margin the scribe wrote ‘ λόγος ιθ΄’

Pirard 2012, pp. 365-368

3.14. ff. [76]v l. 3-[79]v l. 16

Sermon 17 (Pirard)

In the margin the scribe wrote ‘ λόγος κ΄’

Pirard 2012, pp. 369-375

The text of sermon 17 (Pirard) is followed on ff. [79]v l. 17-[80]r l. 3 by a part of sermon 20 (Pirard), see Pirard 2012, p. 409 ll. 154-158

3.15. ff. [80]r l. 4-[81]r l. 6

Sermon 24 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 429-431

3.16. ff. [81]r l. 7-[81]v l. 12

Sermon 25 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 432-433

3.17. ff. [81]v l. 13-[86]v l. 2

Sermon 29 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 494-507

3.18. ff. [86]v l. 2-[88]r l. 10

Sermon 30 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 508-507; sermon 30 (Pirard) follows the preceding one without interruption

3.19. ff. [88]r l. 11-93r l. 10

Sermon 31 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 515-524

3.20. ff. 93r l. 10-93v l. 4

Sermon 32 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 525-530; the text starts imperfectly at p. 529 l. 91

3.21. ff. 93v l. 5-[96]r l. 6

Sermons 37-38 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 550-565, with differences; the text in the manuscript ends at p. 565 l. 97

3.22. ff. [96]r l. 5-[97]v l. 4

Sermon 40 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 571-573

3.23. ff. [97]v l. 4-101r l. 7

Sermon 41 (Pirard)

Pirard 2012, pp. 574-594, with numerous lacunae

On ff. 101r-[107]v l. 4 follow various excerpts from sermons of Isaac of Nineveh, without interruption

4. ff. [107]v-[113]r

Rubric: f. [107]v l. 2 Περὶ τὰς τέσαρας[sic] γενικᾶς[sic] ἀρετάς[sic]

Incipit: f. [107]v Περὶ φρονήσεως. Ἡ φρόνησις καὶ τὰ περὶ ἐκείνην

Explicit: f. [113]r l. 14 λάθριος συκοφαντία.

5. ff. [113]r-[111]v l. 2

Rubric: f. [113]r l. 15 Περὶ τῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπιθέτων

Incipit: f. [113]r Τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπίθετα

Explicit: f. [115]v κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Σολομῶντα.

6. ff. 116r-116v

Questiones et responsiones, excerpt (question 5)

Rubric: f. 116r Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀναστασίου ἀπόκρησις[sic] πρὸς τὰς προενεχθήσας[sic] αὐτῷ ἐρωτήσας περὶ τίνων ὁρθοδόξων· περὶ διαφόρων κεφαλαίων

Incipit: f. 116r Ἐρώτησις α΄. Τί ἐστι τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ τελείου Χριστιανοῦ;

Explicit: f. 116v l. 5 καὶ ἐπέσχάτων[sic] αὐτῆς βόθρος ᾅδου

The text is attributes to Anastasius, Sinaita but is considered spurious

TLG 2896.007

7. ff. 116v-[118]v

Text attributed to John Chrysostom

Rubric: f. 116v l. 14 Τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου Ἰωάννου

Incipit: f. 116v Ποιήσατε φησὶν, ἀξίους καρποὺς τῆς μετανοίας τουτέστιν ἠρπάσω

Explicit: f. [118]v l. 9 ἔλαφρόν ἐστι.

8. f. [118]v

Micah, 8

Rubric: f. [118]v l. 10 Mηχαίου τοὺ προφήτου λόγος

Incipit: f. [118]v Ἀνηγγέλλη[sic] σοι ἄνθρωπε, τὶ καλόν

Explicit: f. [118]v l. 12 μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ σου.

TLG 0527.038

9. f. [118]v

Zacharias, 8

Rubric: f. [118]v l. 12 Ζαχαρίου τοὺ προφήτου

Incipit: f. [118]v Τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτορ[sic]· κρίμα δίκαιον κρίνατε

Explicit: f. 118v l. 12 λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ.

The text is partially different from the edition

TLG 0527.046

10. f. [119]r

Text attributed to Isaias

Rubric: f. [119]r Ἡσαίου τοὺ προφήτου

Incipit: f. [119]r Ζητῆσαι τὸν θεόν καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτόν

Explicit: f. [119]r l. 3 ἐπιστράφητε πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἐλεηθήσεσθαι

11. f. [119]r

Ecclesiasticus sive Siracides (Sapientia Jesu filii Sirach), 10-11

Rubric: f. [119]r l. 3 Σιράχιδος

Incipit: f. [119]r Ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰς ἀρχέας[sic] γενεὰς

Explicit: f. [119]r l. 7 διότι οἰκτίρμoν[sic] καὶ ἐλεήμoν[sic] ἐστίν

TLG 0527.034

12. f. [119]r

Parable of Christ from the Gospels

Rubric: f. [119]r l. 7 Παραβολὴν[sic] ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου

Incipit: f. [119]r Εἶπεν ὁ κύριος· αἰτεῖται[sic] καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν

Explicit: f. [119]r l. 10 καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ἀνοιγήσεται

This is present in both Matthew's (7. 7-8) and Luke's (11. 9-10) Gospels

TLG 0031.001; 0031.003

13. ff. [119]r-[119]v

Text attributed to Maximus the Confessor

Rubric: f. [119]r l. 10 Τοῦ ἁγίου Μαξίμου

Incipit: f. [119]r Ταῦτα μὲν τῶν ἀφ' ἡμῶν πραττομένων κατὰ θεόν

Explicit: f. [119]v l. 17 ἐγὼ ἐφύλαξα ὁδοὺς σκληράς

The last part of the text, f. [119]v ll. 12-17 is an extract from Maximus Confessor's Capita de caritate (TLG 2892.008), book 2, sect. 24

14. ff. [119]v-[121]r

Anastasius, Sinaita, Questiones et responsiones, excerpt (question 73)

Incipit: f. [119]r l. 17 Ἐρώτησις. Πόθεν ὁρῶμέν τινας πιστοὺς σωματικὰ πταίσματα ποιοῦντας

Explicit: f. [121]r l. 5 καὶ ἐπέσχάτων[sic] αὐτῆς βόθρος ᾅδου

The text does not coincide with the printed one, it is longer

TLG 2896.006

15. ff. [121]r-[122]r

Rubric: f. [121]r l. 5 Ἰωάννου τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου

Incipit: f. [121]r Tίνος ἕνεκεν ὁ Ἡσαῦ[sic] ἐπλούτει, ὁ δὲ Ἰακὼβ

Explicit: f. [122]r l. 6 ὅ τ'ἂν[sic] ἀνάξιοι τῆς εὐεργεσίας φανόμενοι[sic].

The beginning of the text, f. [121]r ll. 5-17 corresponds to John Chrysostom, In epistulam i ad Corinthios, PG 61, 247 ll. 3-21 (TLG 2062.156); the final sentence, f. [122]r ll. 5-6, correponds to a preceding passage of the text, PG 61, 204 ll. 39-42

16. ff. [122]r-[123]v

Text attributed to Isaac, Bishop of Nineveh

Rubric: f. [122]r l. 6 Τοῦ ἀββὰ Ἡσαάκ[sic]

Incipit: f. [122]r Ἐὰν τὸν Παῦλον ὠφελῇ πειρασμός

Explicit: f. [123]v l. 1 καὶ γίνεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὅλος πνευματικός.

For the beginning of the text see Isaac of Nineveh, Sermones ascetici, Sermon 51 Pirard (Ed. M. Pirard, Ἀββὰ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Σύρου Λόγοι ἀσκητικοὶ, Ἅγιος Ὄρος, Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Ἰβήρων 2012, p. 663 l. 45)

17. ff. [123]v-[134]r

Symeon Metropolitan of Euchaita, Epistula ad Iohannem monachum

Rubric: f. [123]v l. 2 Τοῦ μακαρίου Ἰωάννου μητροπολίτου Εὐχαίτων, ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ἰωάννην μοναχὸν καὶ ἔκλειπον· αὕτη δὲ ἀρμόζει[sic] καὶ παντὶ κελλιώτῃ[sic]

Incipit: f. [123]v Ἐδεξάμην σου πάτερ πνευματικέ τὴν θεοφιλῆ ταύτην γραφήν

Explicit: f. [134]r l. 12 εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰῶνων αμήν.

In the title the epistle is attributed to John Mauropus, Metropolitan of Euchaita

This text is present also, inter alia, in MS Vat. gr. 1868, see P. Canart, Codices Vaticani Graeci. Codices 1745-1962, 1, Vatican Ciry 1970, p. 410, also for the bibliography on the text and its author

18. ff. [134]r-[134]v

Rubric: f. [134]r l. 12 Περίλογον καὶ σιωπῆς καὶ πῶς δεῖ καί ποτε τοῦτας[sic] χρᾶσθαι· καὶ ὅτι τὸ ἀργολογεῖν, οὐκ ἀνέγκλητον Παλαδίου, καὶ Θεωδόρου τοῦ Σαββαίτου

Incipit: f. [134]r Μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ τὸ πολύρρημον[sic]

Explicit: f. [134]v ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ.

19. ff. [135]r-158r

Apophthegmata patrum et varia ascetica Sayings of the Fathers and various ascetical texts

Rubric: f. [135]r Ἐν τῷ γεροντικῷ

Incipit: f. [135]r Ἀδελφὸς ἡρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶ Ποιμένα· ἐὰν θεάσωμαι πρᾶγμα

Explicit: f. 158r ἐκ τοῦ ἐπαίνου καὶ ψώγου τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

The first title has been written by the scribe in the upper margin of f. [135]r; it is repeated on f. [140]r, where there is another apophthegm mentioning abbas Poemen, who is mentioned several times afterwards (apophthegmata mentioning him are contained in MS Firenze, Biblioteca nazionale centrale, Nuovi acquisti 437

The apophthegms alternate with short ascetical texts attributed to Isaac Syrus, Maximus and others

20. ff. 158v-[159]r

John Chrysostom, Ad eos qui scandalizati sunt (excerpt)

Rubric: f. 158v Τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου

Incipit: || f. 158v Παλαίστρα ὁ παρὼν βίος ἐστί

Explicit: f. [159]r l. 6 καὶ ἐμφράξαι τοῦ διαβόλου τὸ στόμα. ||

Only an excerpt: A.-M. Malingrey, Jean Chrysostome. Sur la providence de Dieu, Paris 1961, pp. 52-276: ch. 21, sect. 1 l. 5

TLG 2062.087

21. ff. [159]r-[159]v

Text attributed to John Chrysostom

Rubric: f. [159]r l. 6 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ

Incipit: f. [159]r Καὶ ταῦτα τοίνυν ἅπαντα ἀναλέγοντες

Explicit: f. [159]v ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermarks: ff. [1]-[141] Letters ? in the gutter, the watermark is faintly visible. ff. 142-[160] Flowers with a crown ? in the gutter, the watermark is faintly visible.

Extent: Codex: 160 leaves. 220 × ca. 160-165 mm.

Foliation:

The leaves are only partially numbered; the number 23 has been wrongly written in the place of number 28 : ff. [1]-[2], 3-5, [6]-[12], 13, [14]-[20], 21, [22]-[27], 23[a], 29, [30]-[36], 37, [38]-[44], 45, [46]-[52], 53, [54]-[60], 61, [62]-[68], 69-70, [71]-[76], 77, [78]-[84], 85, [86]-[92], 93, [94]-[100], 101, [102]-[108], 109, [110]-[115], 116, [117]-[123], 124, [125]-[131], 132, [133]-[141], 142, [143]-[149], 150, [151]-[157], 158, [159]-[160].

Collation

The manuscript consists mainly of quaternions. The last folio of the last quire is the right pastedown.

Quire 1⁴ ff. [1]-4
Quires 2-14⁸ ff. 5-[108]
Quire 15^8-1 ff. 109-[115]
Quires 16-17⁸ ff. 116-[131]
Quire 18¹⁰ ff. 132-[141]
Quires 19-20⁸ ff. 142-[157]
Quire 21⁴ ff. 158-right pastedown

Horizontal catchwords by the scribe in the lower margin, right, on each folio recto and verso. Modern quire numbering in pencil, in the lower right corner of the first leaf verso, from 1 to 21.

Condition

The manuscript is in fair condition. The binding is very stained. The leaves have not been trimmed regularly. There are brown stains and mould stains passim throughout.

Layout

A single column of 17 lines. 170 × 120 mm.

Hand(s)

f. [1]r-[159]v Hand A: the texts were written by a single scribe, in a minuscule script slanting slightly to the right, characterized by a tendency to the extension of uprights, rapid, but still accurate. The scribe did not use iota subscript.

The text is written in black ink; titles and initials in red, which is often obsidated.

Hand a: another hand wrote a few annotations in the margins, not always following the text direction (see e.g. ff. [27]v-[28]r), and on f. [160]v, in a minuscule informal script, cursive, slanting to the right.

The text is written in a grey ink

Additions

On f. [1]r there are some notes in pencil, probably by a librarian: ‘Isaac Syrus Logoi | MS | Manuscript | Greek’, ‘ XVII s.’ (in a blue pencil).

On f. [160]v Hand a wrote a note in Greek mentioning a monastery τοῦ τιμίου προδρόμου

Binding

Western limp leather binding. On the spine are pasted two paper labels with the two shelfmarks ‘ 812’ (in red) and ‘ 790’ (in black). In the left cover has been inserted a paper leaf written by hand A, and containing parts of two texts by John Chrysostom‎ , , De beato Philogonio (= Contra Anomoeos, homilia 6) (TLG 2062.014) and In Psalmum 50 (homilia 2) (this is a spurious text, TLG 2062.200). 225 × 170 × 33 mm.

Accompanying Material

In the mauscript is preserved a paper slip, on which are written a few words by hand A, ‘ τὸ δὲ ἀντιστῆναι τῇ λήθῃ, ταῦτα πάντα φυλά… ’ . There was writing also on the other side, but only traces are visible. The right border of the slip is stained.

History

Origin:

The manuscript was copied by a single scribe probably in the 17th century, as the script indicates.

Provenance and Acquisition

Nothing is currently known about the way in which the manuscript came into the College Library; in the catalogue it is described as a later acquisition. On f. [1]r is pasted the Gonville and Caius College bookplate.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2021) partly draws on M. R. James, Supplement to the catalogue of manuscripts in the library of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1914, pp. 39-40.

Availability

Visitors to Gonville and Caius College who wish to consult Lower Library material are required to apply to the Library in advance of their visit. For information on eligibility and admission procedures see: Gonville and Caius College: Library Information.

Bibliography

Supplement to the catalogue of manuscripts in the library of Gonville and Caius College, James, M. R. (Cambridge, University Press, 1914)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 790/812

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