Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.8.4

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11918

Introduction: This manuscript, probably copied in the late 13th or early 14th century, contains the first 44 homilies by the Patriarch of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, In Matthaeum homiliae (1-44) . An earlier manuscript, Trinity College Cambridge, MS B.9.12 contains homilies 45-90, but it not clear whether the manuscript B.8.4 was written in order to complement this collection. Folio 1 is badly damaged and only the inner column of text survives. A bifolium in paper was added in the 16th century to repair the lacuna. As with Trinity College, MS B.9.12, MS B.8.4 was used by Frederick Field for his edition of the homilies (Cambridge 1839; see vol. 3, p. XVII). The manuscript was bought by the classical scholar Richard Bentley and bequeathed to Trinity College Library after his death. Dr Matteo Di Franco

Language(s): Greek

ff. 1r-407v

John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew 1-44 In Matthaeum homilae 1-44

Rubric: f. 1r Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις π(ατ)ρὸς ἡμῶν Ἰω(άννου) ἀρχιεπ(ισκόπου) Κωνστ(αντινουπόλεως) τοῦ Χρ(υσοστόμου) ἑρμηνεία εἰς τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον

Incipit: f. 1r Ἔδει μὲν ἡμᾶς μὴ δὲ δεῖσθαι τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων βοηθείας ἀλλ’ οὕτω βίον παρέχεσθαι καθαρὸν

Explicit: f. 407v

The homilies are counted in a note in red ink on the upper margin. The numbers of leaves occupied by each homily is written in brown ink on the upper margin by a later hand.

Hom. 1: ff. 1r-11r: f. 1r, column b and f. 1v, column a are missing, with lacuna from Μωϋσῆ δὲ, οὐ διὰ (PG 57, 13 lin. 12) to τὰ γράμματα (15 lin. 3); The incipit of the homily up to PG 57, 16 l. 26 (καὶ τί δήποτε τοσούτων ὄντων) are repeated on ff. 2ar-3r
Hom. 2: ff. 11r-18r
Hom. 3: ff. 18v-25v
Hom. 4: ff. 25v-41r
Hom. 5: ff. 41v-48v
Hom. 6: ff. 48v-60r
Hom. 7: ff. 60r-70r
Hom. 8: ff. 70r-78r
Hom. 9: ff. 78r-88r
Hom. 10: ff. 88r-97v
Hom. 11: ff. 97v-109v
Hom. 12: ff. 109v-116v
Hom. 13: ff. 116v-127r
Hom. 14: ff. 127r-133r
Hom. 15: ff. 133r-151r
Hom. 16: ff. 151r-170r
Hom. 17: ff. 170r-181r
Hom. 18: ff. 181r-190r
Hom. 19: ff. 190r-203v
Hom. 20: ff. 203v-211v
Hom. 21: ff. 211v-216v
Hom. 22: ff. 216v-224v
Hom. 23: ff. 225r-237v
Hom. 24: ff. 238r-244v
Hom. 25: ff. 244v-251r
Hom. 26: ff. 251r-263v
Hom. 27: ff. 263v-271r
Hom. 28: ff. 271r-280r
Hom. 29: ff. 280r-285r
Hom. 30: ff. 285r-294v
Hom. 31: ff. 294v-302r
Hom. 32: ff. 302v-315r
Hom. 33: ff. 315v-327r
Hom. 34: ff. 327r-335r
Hom. 35: ff. 335r-344v
Hom. 36: ff. 344v-351r
Hom. 37: ff. 351r-361r
Hom. 38: ff. 361r-367v
Hom. 39: ff. 367v-372v
Hom. 40: ff. 372v-379r
Hom. 41: ff. 379r-385r
Hom. 42: ff. 385r-391r
Hom. 43: ff. 391r-399v
Hom. 44: ff. 399v-407v

PG 57, 13-472

CPG 4424

TLG 2062.152

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: ff. 1-2, ff. 4-407: Parchment, medium thickness, low quality with extensive cockling and some eyes, arranged flesh-to-flesh and hair-to-hair with hair outermost (HFFH). ff. ff. 2a-3, Western paper, folded in folio. No visible watermark.

Extent: Codex: i + i + 408 + i + i leaves. 298 × 227 mm. f. 1 is fragmentary: height 230 mm, width 123 mm

Foliation: [i-ii] + 1-2, 2a, 3-407 + [iii-iv]. Modern foliation in brown ink in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right-hand corner.

Collation

The manuscript consists of 53 quires:

Quire 1⁸⁺¹ ff. 1-8, f. 1 is fragmentary and added to the quire; ff. 2a-3 are a later addition to the quire
Quires 2-6⁸ ff. 9-48
Quires 7-9^8-1 ff. 49-69
Quire 10⁸ ff. 70-77
Quire 11^8-1 ff. 78-84
Quires 12-18⁸ ff. 85-140
Quire 19^8-1 ff. 141-147
Quire 20⁸ ff. 148-155
Quires 21-23^8-1 ff. 156-176
Quires 24-29⁸ ff. 177-224
Quire 30^8-1 ff. 225-231
Quire 31⁸ ff. 232-239
Quires 32-34^8-1 ff. 240-260
Quires 35-36⁸ ff. 261-276
Quire 37^8-1 ff. 277-283
Quires 38-40⁸ ff. 284-307
Quire 41^8-1 308-314
Quire 42^8-1 ff. 315-321
Quire 43⁸ ff. 322-329
Quire 44^8-1 ff. 330-336
Quires 45-46⁸ ff. 337-352
Quire 47^8-1 ff. 353-359
Quires 48-50⁸ ff. 360-383
Quire 51^8-1 ff. 384-390
Quire 52⁸ ff. 391-398
Quire 53⁸⁺¹ ff. 399-407

Three sequences of quire signatures in Greek numerals are present, complementing each other:

the first sequence of quire signatures, in light brown ink, is present on the lower inner corner of first rectos and last verso of quires 2-6, from f. 9r (βʹ) to f. 48v (ϛʹ), missing on f. 33r
the second sequence of quire signatures, probably original to the production of the manuscript, in dark brown ink, is present on the lower inner corner of first rectos of quires 8 (f. 56r, ηʹ), 12-15 (f. 85r, ιβʹ, to f. 109r, ιεʹ), 25 (f. 185r, κεʹ), 27 (f. 201r, κζʹ), 29-30 (f. 217r, κθʹ, f. 225r, λʹ), 32-45 (f. 240r, λβʹ, to f. 337r, μεʹ), 47 (f. 360r, μζʹ). The rest of the signatures are lost in trimming or partially visible
the third sequence of quire signatures, in pencil, was added in all likelihood in the 20th century and is present on lower outer corner of quires 48-53, from f. 360r to 399r (μηʹ-νγʹ); f. 407 is numberes as quire νδʹ

Condition

In fair condition, there is slight creasing to some folios, and very slight cockling. ff. 151-152 are damaged, ff. 366 and 401 are very thin and the verso did not receive any script.

Layout

ff. 2r-2v, ff. 4r-407v: written space 227 × 170 mm. 28-32 lines per column. Pricked in the outer margins. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 11, type Leroy 20E2 , but the ruling lines are often missing.

ff. 2ar-3r: written space 210 × 140 mm. 36 lines per column.

Hand(s)

The manuscript is written in a mixed minuscule script, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in dark brown ink, hanging from the ruling line unevenly; the first lines of each column are usually written above the line. There is only moderate variation in letter size.

Eta is mostly majuscule, and sigma is lunate. My is alexandrinian.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscription usually appear only at the ends of lines, but occasionally in mid-line. Breathings are round and mute iota is not in use.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper point, middle and lower comma, and full stop.

The ff. 2ar-3r are written in a mixed minuscule script, upright, in dark brown ink, added in the 16th cenutry.

Decoration

Headpieces in red ink or red and black ink at the beginning of each homily.

Major decorated initials in red ink at the beginning of each homily.

Minor colored initials in red ink through the texts.

Additions

ff. 2ar-3r have been added to fill the loose of text in the first quire.

Binding

Couched-laminate boards covered with brown leather; edges are tooled in blind. Spine is repaired with light brown leather tooled in blind, with a red leather label from previous spine with title: ‘Chrysostomi Homilae in Matthaeum’.

310 × 255 × 120 mm.

History

Origin: The manuscript was copied in the late 13th or early 14th century.

Provenance and Acquisition

The manuscript does not show any note of provenance or ownership. In all likelihood, it comes from the Pantokratoros Monastery on Mount Athos, as did many of the patristic manuscripts that belonged to Richard Bentley. The note of possession could have been lost in the damage of f. 1.

Bequeathed to Trinity College by Richard Bentley (1662-1742) , Master of the College.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2021) draws on M.R. James, The Western Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1900), vol. 1, pp. 241-242.

Availability

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

Bibliography

The western manuscripts in the library of Trinity College: a descriptive catalogue, James, M.R. (Cambridge, 1, Cambridge University Press, 1900)

La provenance athonite des manuscrits grecs legues par R. Bentley a Trinity College, Cambridge et en particulier de l'oncial 0131 du Nouveau Testament Studies in the history and text of the New Testament in honor of Kenneth Willis Clark, Duplacy, Jean (Salt Lake City, 113-126, University of Utah Press, 1967)

Codices Chrysostomici Graeci I Codices Britanniae et Hiberniae, Aubineau, Michel (Paris, CNRS éditions, 1968)

An unknown fragment of Greek manuscript from the National Centre of Manuscripts in Tbilisi Nea Rhōmē: rivista di ricerche bizantinistiche, Otkhmezuri, T.Bezarashvili, K. (7, 123-129, 2010)

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, Trinity College, MS B.8.4

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