Introduction:
The principal content of this manuscript, apparently copied in 1561,
is a compilation of selections of Byzantine canon law. The copyist appears to
have been the person responsible for assembling the compilation, a hieromonachos
(monk and priest) named Theonas. A miscellaneous assortment of brief religious and
secular texts and excerpts have been added to the blank leaves left at the end of
the manuscript, probably by the same hand.
The manuscript opens with a dedication to the Metropolitan of Serres,
suggesting that he may have been the work's patron, although the addition of the
assorted texts at the end of the volume suggests that it remained in Theonas's
possession. The dedication is followed by the opening of a prefatory text on the
spiritual motivation of the work undertaken, which breaks off in mid-word after a
few lines, followed by a note identifying Theonas himself. On the next page this
text is repeated and continued to its conclusion, followed by the date and the name
of Theonas in stylised monocondylion form. Since names in monocondylion were usually
signatures, this is the principal indication that this man was responsible for both
the copying and the content of the manuscript. Another brief prefatory text, again
giving the date and Theonas's titles, follows on the next page. This sequence of
content suggests that the introductory material was in the process of being drafted
here. Combined with the informality of the script, this would suggest a working
manuscript, perhaps intended as the basis for a subsequent fair copy, but the
adornment of the main text with simple ornamental initials in red ink is more
suggestive of an intention for long-term use.
The selections from the canons make up the majority of the
manuscript. They are followed by a series of prayers, interspersed with multiple
blank folios. In the last few folios appear some very brief texts of classical
content, including poetry and brief aphorisms excerpted from a number of ancient
authors. The unsystematic distribution and arrangement of these assorted texts
suggests that they were added incidentally at various times subsequent to the
copying of the main content, rather than forming part of a single plan.
Dr Christopher Wright
Language(s): Greek
1. f. 1r-1v
Theonas, hieromonachos,
Dedication to the Metropolitan of Serres
Incipit:
f. 1r Πανκυρώτατε ἡμῶν αὐθέντα καὶ δέσποτα τῆς
ἁγιωτάτης μητρπόλεως, Σερρῶν
Explicit:
f. 1v εὐχαὶ ἔστωσα φυλακτήριον ἐν παντὶ βίω ἡμῶν,
ἀμην
2. f. 2r
Theonas, hieromonachos,
Prooimion
Incomplete at the end.
Rubric:
f. 2r Περὶ πῶς γράφη τὴν μαρτηρίαν[sic]
ὁ πνευμάτικος[sic] τοῦ μελλοντος ἱερωθῆναι
Incipit:
f. 2r Οἱ τὰ θεῖα καλῶς διαταξάμενοι θεοκήρυκες
ἀπόστολοι
Explicit:
f. 2r ἵνα μὴ τὰ θεῖα ἀνιέρως πράττον||
Colophon:
f. 2r Θεωνᾶς ἱερομόναχος καὶ πνευματικὸς
μαρτηρῶ[sic] τὸν ἄνωθεν Δ⟨εκεμβρίῳ⟩ (?) ἄξιον τοῦ
ἱερωθῆναι καὶ χρόνου τελειοῦ[sic]
3. ff. 2v-3r
Theonas, hieromonachos,
Prooimion
Incipit:
f. 2v Οἱ τὰ θεῖα καλῶς διαταξάμενοι θεοκήρυκες
ἀπόστολοι
Explicit:
f. 3r καὶ μαρτηρῶ[sic] αὐτὸν εἰς δόξαν Πατρὸς
καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἀμην[sic].
Colophon:
f. 3r Ἐν ἔτει ͵ζοʹ μηνὶ
Δ⟨εκεμβρίῳ⟩ (?). Θεωνας ιερομοναχος
This is a repetition and completion of the preceding text; the signature is
given in monocondylion form.
4. f. 3v
Theonas, hieromonachos,
Prooimion
Rubric:
f. 3v αλλον
Incipit:
f. 3v Θεῖα καὶ ἀρχιερατικὴ ἐπιτροπῆ[sic] τὰς
τῶν ἀνθρώπων δεχόμενος
Explicit:
f. 3v ὅπως λάβη τὸ ἀξίωμα τῆς ἱεροσύνης
Colophon:
f. 3v εἰς ἰνδικτιῶνα δʹ ἐν ετει ͵ζοʹ
μην[sic]
(?) + Δ⟨εκεμβρίῳ⟩ (?) ἱερομόναχος καὶ
πνευμάτικος[sic]
ff. 4r-6r are blank; f. 6v is blank apart from a later note.
5. ff. 7r-[86v]
Selections from the canons
Rubric:
f. 7r Δήλωσεις ἀκρίβης εκ τῶν κανονικῶν
διατάξεῶν[sic]
Incipit:
f. 7r Ὁ δεχόμενος τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοῦ ἀνθρώπων
ὀφείλει εἶναι τύπος
Explicit:
f. [86v] ἐπί τι μάθω χρόνον αʹ καὶ μετανοίας
φʹ
f. [41v] is blank.
6. ff. [87r-88v]
Prayer on the harvest
Rubric:
f. [87r]
Εὐχη[sic] τὸν κολυβόν
Incipit:
f. [87r] Ὁ πάντα τελεσφορέσας τὸ
λόγω[sic] σου Κύριε
Explicit:
f. [88v] καί σοι τὴν δόξαν ἀναπέμπομεν, τῶ
Πατρὶ καὶ τῶ Υἱῶ, καὶ τῶ Ἁγίω Πνεύματι· νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων,
αμην[sic]
The heading is repeated in a variant form: ἡ εὐχη τὸν κολυβην
ff. [89r-93r] are blank.
7. f. [93v]
Fragment
Most of this folio has been torn away; only fragments of a few words
survive.
8. ff. [94r-115r]
Blank folios
9. ff. [115v-119v]
Prayer for the succession to an ecclesiastical office
Rubric:
f. [115v] Εὐχὴ λεγομενη[sic] παρὰ
ἀρχιερέως ἢ ἱερέως· ἢ πνευματικοῦ πατρὸς· εἰς τὸν μέλλωντα[sic]
μεταλαβεῖν
Incipit:
f. [115v] Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν,
Υἱὲ καὶ Λόγε τοῦ Θεοῦ
Explicit:
f. [119v] σὺν τῶ ἀνάρχω σου Πατρὶ, καὶ τῶ
Παναγίω καὶ ἀγαθῶ καὶ ζωοποιῶ σου Πνεύματι· νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν
αἰώνων ἀμην[sic]
ff. [120r-124r] are blank.
10. ff. [124v-125r]
Prayer for the blessing of wine
Rubric:
f. [124v]
Εεὐχὴ[sic] ἐπὶ εὐλόγησιν οἴνου
Incipit:
f. [124v] Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἀγαθὲ καὶ
φιλάνθρωπε
Explicit:
f. [125r] καί σοι τὴν δόξαν ἀναπέμπομεν, τῷ
Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ Υἱῷ, καὶ τῷ Ἁγίω Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν
αἰώνων, ἀμήν
ff. [125v-127r] are blank.
11. f. [127v], lines 1-7
Poem
Incipit:
f. [127v] Ἱμερτὸν ὦ Ζεῦ τοῖς
φιλοις[sic] πλέξαι στίχον
Explicit:
f. [127v] Σμῆνος τὲ κλεινὸς ἀπάσης
Γαλατίας
12. f. [127v], lines 8-12
Poem
Rubric:
f. [127v] Ἰωάννου
Incipit:
f. [127v] Μετανοεῖτε πᾶσι κυρύσω
πάλιν
Explicit:
f. [127v] τοῦ δεσπότου γὰρ ἐγγὺς
η[sic] παρουσία
13. f. [128r], lines 1-8
Sayings of the Seven Sages
Rubric:
f. [128r] Γνῶμαι τῶν ἑπτὰ
φιλοσόφων
Incipit:
f. [128r] Περιάνδρου· Θυμοῦ
κράτει
Explicit:
f. [128r] Βίαντος Πριηνε Οἱ πλεῖστοι
κακοί
14. f. [128r], lines 9-10
Hesiod,
Opera et dies
Excerpt: line 503
Rubric:
f. [128r] Ἡσιόδου
Incipit:
f. [128r] Οὐκ αἰεὶ θέρος ἐσσεῖται· ποιεῖσθε
καλιὰς
This is the entire text of the excerpt
TLG 0020.002
15. ff. [128v-129r], line 5
Plutarch,
Conjugalia praecepta
Excerpt: ed. Stephanus, p. 141, section A, line 3-section B, line 2
Incipit:
f. [128v] Ὁ Ῥωμαῖος ὑπὸ τῶν φίλων
νουθετούμενος
Explicit:
f. [129r] καὶ ἄλυπα καὶ προσφιλῆ
παρέχειν
TLG 0007.078
16. f. [129r], lines 6-8
Isocrates,
Ad Demonicum (oratio 1)
Excerpt: ed. Brémond and Mathieu, section 34, lines 1-2
Rubric:
f. [129r] Ἰσοκράτης
Incipit:
f. [129r] Βουλευόμενος, παραδείγματα ποιοῦ
τὰ παρεληλυθότα τῶν μελλόντων
This is the entire text of the excerpt
TLG 0010.007
f. [129v] is blank
Form: codex
Support:
ff. 1-[93] Western paper, folded in
sextidecimo (sixteens). Watermark:
Anchor (
c. 70 × c. 40 mm.
) at the upper end
of the fore-edge, similar to Mošin 1386.
This example is dated to 1550-1570.
ff. [94-105] Western paper,
folded in sextidecimo (sixteens). Watermark:
Pilgrim (
c. 70 × c. 40 mm.
) at the upper end
of the fore-edge, comparable but not identical to Briquet 7596. This example and variants is dated to
1580-1596.
ff. [106-114] Western paper,
folded in sextidecimo (sixteens). Watermark:
Pilgrim (
c. 50 × c. 40 mm.
) at the upper end
of the fore-edge, comparable but not identical to WZIS DE5580-Codgraec278_7/12. This example is dated
to 1551-1600.
ff. [115-119] Western paper,
folded in sextidecimo (sixteens). Watermark:
Pilgrim (
c. 55 × c. 40 mm.
) at the upper end
of the fore-edge, somewhat comparable but not identical to Briquet 7595. This example is dated to 1572-1573.
ff. [120-129] Western paper,
folded in sextidecimo (sixteens). Watermark:
Pilgrim (
c. 55 × c. 40 mm.
) at the upper end
of the fore-edge.
Extent:
Codex:
129 leaves.
102 × 77 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers 1-8, [9-129] in pencil, in
Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.
Collation
The manuscript consists of 18 quires, of which two were of twelve folios, one
is a ternion, one is a binion and the rest are quaternia.
- Quire 18-2
ff. 1-6
The first folio forms the left pastedown; the last folio has
been cancelled or lost, apparently without loss of text.
- Quires 2-118
ff. 7-[86]
- Quire 138-1
ff. [87-93]
The last folio has been lost, without loss of text
- Quire 1412
ff. [94-105]
- Quire 1512-3
ff. [106-114] The first, sixth and eleventh folios have been lost,
without loss of text.
- Quire 166-1
ff. [115-119]
The first folio has been lost, without loss of text.
- Quire 178-1
ff. [120-126]
- Quire 184-1
ff. [127-129]
The last folio forms the right pastedown.
There are signatures in Greek numerals on Quires 2-11, on the first
folio of each quire, recto, upper right. They begin with the number 1 on Quire 2
(αʹ-ιʹ).
Condition
Most of ff. [93] and [125] has been torn away. There is significant
wear and creasing to the fore-edge. There are areas of dirt.
Layout
A single column of 11-14 lines.
70-75 × 45-57 mm.
Hand(s)
The manuscript was copied in an informal mixed
minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in black ink, with
modest variation in letter size.
Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line.
Breathings are round and mute iota is absent or subscript.
There is decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all lengths of
nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to
letters, breathings and nomina sacra strokes. The
double grave accent is in use.
The modern eta, modern nu, sigma telikon and loop epsilon are
present.
Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower and middle commas
and full stop.
Some headings are written in the same style in red ink.
Decoration
Many sections begin with simple minor initials, sometimes
slightly ornamented, in red ink.
A minority of sections begin with minor initials in black
ink.
Additions
A note on the left
pastedown reads ‘ἀρχὴ σὴν[sic] Θεῶ ἁγίω ὦν
αλήλουγιριον[sic]
’. There are occasional pen-trials. On the right pastedown
are notes including a copy of the monocondylion of the hieromonachos Theonas from
f. 3r and a cryptographic substitution
sequence.
On f. 6v a later hand has copied the heading on
f. 7r opposite, with a Latin description: ‘Δήλωσις ἀκριβὴς εκ τῶν κανονικῶν διαταξίων.
Liber chartaceus’.
The same hand has added occasional annotations in Greek and Latin (e.g. ff. [32r-35r]).
Notes on the left
pastedown give the present classmark and the former classmarks Δ.3.16 and
K.3.16 (altered from K.3.17).
A note on the left
pastedown records the manuscript's donation to the College by Samuel Ward
in 1643: ‘Liber Collegii Dominae Franciscae Sidney Sussex ovem (una
cum aliis MSS Plurimum Reverendi vir Samuel Ward S.T.D. Professor pro Domina
Margareta dicti Collegii tertius Magister, ultima voluntate et testamento legavit.
Anno Domini 1643’.
Binding
17th-century full leather binding, with plain pastedowns. There is decorative
blind tooling on both boards and the spine. A leather label added to the spine
bears decorative gold tooling and the description ‘Liber
chartaceus MS’, tooled in gold; the classmark appears on labels.
111 × 86 × 33 mm.
Origin: The manuscript was copied by the hieromonachos
Theonas
and completed in
December 1561, as indicated by the colophons on ff.
2r,
3r and
3v. The dedication to the Metropolitan of
Serres on
f. 1r-1v suggests that he could have been the patron.
Provenance and Acquisition
Bequeathed to Sidnex Sussex in 1643 by the theologian
Samuel Ward
(1572-1643)
, Master of the College.
