Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

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

Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.8.5

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11919

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, probably copied in the 13th century, contains a series of orations on a variety of religious subjects by Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 330-390), one of the most important patristic theologians, whose contributions to the theology of the Trinity were particularly influential. A selection of Gregory's orations were read in churches on particular feast days, and those presented here and the order in which they appear accord with this liturgical arrangement. The dating of the manuscript is ambiguous, since in most respects its script would seem consistent with a 12th-century origin, but it features mute iota in its fully-developed subscript form, not generally found before the 13th century, alongside the original, unmodified adscript form, an incongruous combination. This suggests the possibility that the style of script could be a deliberately archaising product of a later date. Another unusual peculiarity of the manuscript is the placement at the end of many texts of a brief version of the work's title. The purpose of this feature is unclear. At some point, probably in the late 15th or 16th century, a later hand wrote the heading and the opening of the first work in the manuscript on the 15th-century endleaf facing the first folio, duplicating the content found opposite. This was presumably a response to the reduced legibility of the opening page due to fading and abrasion over time. This was an unusual response to a problem more often countered by overwriting damaged text with fresh ink, an expedient used elsewhere in this manuscript. In 1857, slips of parchment from two bifolia of a 9th-century Gospel book were discovered in the structure of this manuscript, having been reused here as binding material at some point. The slips were reassembled under glass and are now stored separately as MS B.8.5A. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: iv + 2 + 255 + 4 + iv leaves.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [a-d] + ii-iii + 1-255 + [v-viii] + [e-h], in Arabic numerals in brown ink for the main body and in Roman numerals for endleaves, recto, upper right (f. 1 is numbered on the verso, upper left).

Collation

The manuscript consists of 32 quires, all quaternia.

  • Quires 1-318 ff. 2-249
  • Quire 328-2 ff. 250-255 The third and seventh folios have been cancelled, without loss of text. The arrangement of flesh-side and hair-side of the two innermost bifolios leaves is the opposite of what would be usual in a quaternion, leaving the surviving folios in a disposition corresponding to what would be usual for a ternion.

There are original quire signatures in Greek numerals, in brown ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower left, and on the last folio of each quire, verso, lower right. They appear on all quires (αʹ-λβʹ). The fifth folio of each quire is marked with the letter X. There are also quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right. The number 24 has been erroneously written on two consecutive quires, so the numbers of all signatures of this sequence thereafter are too small by one. They appear on all quires except the first (2-24, 24-32). The fifth folio of each quire is marked in pencil with the letter X.

Binding

Full leather binding by Douglas Cockerell and Son (i.e. Sydney Morris ('Sandy') Cockerell (1906-1987)), December 1983, with plain pastedowns. The clasmark is tooled on the spine. Details of the previous binding and the rebinding work appear in a typewritten binder's note pasted onto the right pastedown.

320 × 250 × 90 mm.

Accompanying Material

There are four paper endleaves at each end, belonging to the current binding.

A typewritten binder's note pasted onto the right pastedown, describing the present and previous binding, together with a sample of leather covering material and a leather label belonging to the previous binding.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

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

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.8.5, f. 1]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. f. 1v
Gregory of Nazianzus, In sanctum Pascha et in tarditatem (oratio 1)

Defective at the end: ends at PG 35, col. 396

Rubric: f. 1v Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Γρηγορίου ἀρχιεπισκόπου Κωνσταντινουπόλεως τοῦ θεολόγου· λόγος εἰς ἅγιον Πάσχα καὶ εἰς τὴν βραδυτῆτα
Incipit: f. 1v Ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρα, καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ δεξιά· καὶ λαμπρυνθῶμεν τῆ πανηγύρει
Explicit: f. 1v ἵν' ὁ σήμερον ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάς||

TLG 2022.015

CPG 3010.01

PG 35, coll. 395-401

ff. i recto, ii recto-1r, 256r-257r and 258r-259r are blank; ff. i verso, 257v and 259v are blank apart from some later notes and drawings.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Western paper, of folio size but with the watermark in the gutter. Watermark: Ladder ( c. 70 × 24 mm. ) in the gutter, comparable to CCF Z01309. This example is dated to 1489.
Extent: 294 × 225 mm.

Collation

This part consists of three left endleaves, forming a binion with its first folio cancelled, and four right endleaves, forming a binion. There is substitute main text copied on f. 1v.

Condition

There is water staining and small tears to the edges of the leaves. More extensive damage to the edges of ff. 256-257 has been repaired with paper patches. There are traces of mould on ff. i recto-ii verso. Stains from the turn-ins of a previous binding appear on f. 259v.

Layout

f. 1v Two columns of 24 lines each. 195 × 150 mm.

Hand(s)

f. 1v was copied by Hand A in Hodegon-style mixed minuscule script, in black ink, slanting to the right, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings are round, and mute iota is absent. Use of the double dot is functional only. The double grave accent is in use.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower and middle commas and full stop.

The heading is written in the same style in red ink.

Decoration

The beginning of the text on f. 1v is preceded by a rectangular headpiece in black ink.

The text begins with a major initial in red ink.

Additions

There are notes in Greek on ff. ii verso and 257, and a folio count on f. 1v. There are two crude drawings of hands on f. 259v.

History

Origin: These endleaves were probably added on the occasion of a rebinding in the late 15th century, as suggested by the watermark. The text was probably added in the late 15th or 16th century, as suggested by the style of script.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.8.5, ff. 2-255]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

2. ff. 2r-4r, col. b, line 8
Gregory of Nazianzus, In sanctum Pascha et in tarditatem (oratio 1)
Rubric: f. 2r Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Γρηγορίου ἀρχιεπισκόπου Κωνσταντινουπόλεως τοῦ θεολόγου· λόγος εἰς ἅγιον Πάσχα καὶ εἰς τὴν βραδυτῆτα
Incipit: f. 2r Ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρα, καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ δεξιά· καὶ λαμπρυνθῶμεν τῆ πανηγύρει
Explicit: f. 2v ἐν Χριστῶι Ἰησοῦ νῦν τὲ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνάπαυσιν· ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν

TLG 2022.015

CPG 3010.01

PG 35, coll. 395-401

3. f. 4r, col. b, line 5-f. 22r, col. a, line 10
Gregory of Nazianzus, In sanctum Pascha (oratio 45)
Rubric: f. 4r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πάσχα
Incipit: f. 4r Ἐπὶ τῆς φυλακῆς μου στήσομαι φησὶν θαυμάσιος
Explicit: f. 22r ὅτι σοὶ πᾶσα δόξα τιμὴ καὶ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν

TLG 2022.052

CPG 3010.45

PG 36, coll. 624-664

4. f. 22r, col. a, line 11-f. 27v
Gregory of Nazianzus, In nouam Dominicam (oratio 44)
Rubric: f. 22r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν καινὴν Κυριακὴν· καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐάρ, τὸν μάρτυρα Μάμαντα
Incipit: f. 22r Ἐγκαίνια τιμᾶσθαι, παλαιὸς νόμος καὶ καλῶς ἔχων
Explicit: f. 27v ἐν Χριστῶι Ἰησοῦ τῶι Κυρίωι ἡμῶν, ὧ πᾶσα δόξα τιμὴ κράτος σὺν Ἅγίω Πνεύματι· εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἀμήν

TLG 2022.051

CPG 3010.44

BHG 1021

PG 36, coll. 608-621

5. ff. 28r-38r, col. b, line 3
Gregory of Nazianzus, In Pentecosten (oratio 41)
Rubric: f. 28r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὴν Πεντηκοστήν
Incipit: f. 28r Περὶ τῆς ἑορτῆς βραχέα φιλοσοφήσωμεν
Explicit: f. 38r μεθ' οὗ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ σέβας τῶι Πατρὶ σὺν τῶι Ἅγίωι Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ αἲ[sic] και[sic] εις[sic] τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν· Εἰς τὴν Πεντεκοστήν

TLG 2022.049

CPG 3010.41

PG 36, coll. 428-452

6. f. 38r, col. a, line 3-f. 47r, col. a, line 16
Gregory of Nazianzus, In Macchabaeorum laudem (oratio 15)
Rubric: f. 38r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τοὺς Μακαβαίους
Incipit: f. 38r Τί δαὶ[sic] οἱ Μακαβαῖοι· τούτων γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα πανήγυρις
Explicit: f. 47r ὁμολογούμενός τε καὶ ὁμολογῶν· δοξαζόμενός τε καὶ δοξάζων· ἐν αὐτῶ Χριστῶ, ὧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν· Εἰς τοὺς Μακκαβεῖς

TLG 2022.028

CPG 3010.15

BHG 1007

PG 35, coll. 912-933

7. f. 47r, col. a, line 17-f. 57v
Gregory of Nazianzus, In laudem sancti Cypriani (oratio 24)
Rubric: f. 47r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς Κυπριανόν τὸν μάρτυρα
Incipit: f. 47r Μικροῦ Κυπριανὸς διέφυγεν ἡμᾶς· ὢ τῆς ζημίας
Explicit: f. 57v ἐν αὐτῶι Χριστῶ τῶ Κυρίω ἡμῶν· ὧι πᾶσα δόξα τιμὴ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν· Εἰς Κυπριανόν

TLG 2022.037

CPG 3010.24

BHG 457

PG 35, coll. 1169-1193

8. ff. 58r-67r, col. b, line 16
Gregory of Nazianzus, Ad Iulianum tributorum exaequatorem (oratio 19)
Rubric: f. 58r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τοὺς λόγους· καὶ εἰς τὸν ἐξισωτὴν Ἰουλιανόν
Incipit: f. 58r Τίς ἡ τυραννὶς, ἣν ἐξ ἀγάπης ἀεὶ τυραννούμεθα
Explicit: f. 67r ὅτι αὐτῶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ προσκύνησις, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν· Εἰς τὸν ἐξισωτήν

TLG 2022.032

CPG 3010.19

BHG 1918

PG 35, coll. 1044-1064

9. f. 67r, col. b, line 17-f. 77r, col. a
Gregory of Nazianzus, In Theophania, sive natatitia salvatori (oratio 38)
Rubric: f. 67r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὰ θεοφάνια
Incipit: f. 67r Χριστὸς γεννᾶται· δοξάασατε· Χριστὸς ἐξ οὐράνων
Explicit: f. 77r τοῖς δεσμίοις τῆς σαρκὸς, ἐν Χριστῶ Ἰησοῦ τῶ Κυρίω ἡμῶν· ὧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν· Εἰς τὰ ἅγια θεοφάνια

TLG 2022.046

CPG 3010.38

BHG 1921-1921b

PG 36, coll. 312-333

10. f. 77r, col. b-f. 128r, col. b, line 10
Gregory of Nazianzus, Funebris oratio in laudem Basilii magni Caesareae in Cappadocia episcopi (oratio 43)
Rubric: f. 77r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἐπιτάφιος εἰς τὸν μέγαν Βασίλειον
Incipit: f. 77r Ἔμελλεν ἄρα πολλ<⟨ὰς⟩> ἡμῖν ὑποθέσεις τῶν λόγων ἀεὶ προτιθεὶς ὁ μέγας Βασίλειος
Explicit: f. 128r εἰ καί τι παράσχοιμεν ἐπαίνου τοῖς λόγοις ἄξιον:- Ἐπιτάφιος εἰς τὸν μέγαν Βασίλειον

TLG 2022.006

CPG 3010.43

BHG 245

PG 36, coll. 493-605

11. f. 128r, col. b, line 11-f. 139v
Gregory of Nazianzus, In sancta Lumina (oratio 39)
Rubric: f. 128r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὰ Φῶτα
Incipit: f. 128r Πάλιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ ἐμός· καὶ πάλιν μυστήριον
Explicit: f. 139v ἐν Χριστῶ Ἰησοῦ τῶ Κυρίω ἡμῶν· ὧι ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν· Εἰς τὰ Φῶτα

TLG 2022.047

CPG 3010.39

BHG 1938-1938b

PG 36, coll. 335-340

12. ff. 140r-172v, col. b, line 17
Gregory of Nazianzus, In sanctum baptisma (oratio 40)
Rubric: f. 140r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸ βάπτισμα
Incipit: f. 140r Χθὲς, τῆ λαμπρᾶι τῶν Φώτων ἡμέρα πανηγυρίσαντες
Explicit: f. 172v ἐν αὐτῶ Χριστῶι τῶ Κυρίω ἡμῶν· ὧι ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν

TLG 2022.048

CPG 3010.40

BHG 1947

PG 36, coll. 340-425

13. f. 172v, col. b, line 18-f. 177v, col. a, line 20
Gregory of Nazianzus, Ad Gregorium Nyssenum (oratio 11)
Rubric: f. 172v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς Γρηγόριον τὸν ἀδελφον[sic] Βασιλείου, ἐπιστάντα μετὰ τὴν χειροτονίαν
Incipit: f. 172v Φίλου πιστοῦ, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀντάλλαγμα τῶν ὄντων οὐδέν
Explicit: f. 177v καὶ ὀφθέντας ἐν δικαιοσύνη, τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δόξης κορέσειεν· ἐπὀφθείσης[sic] ἐν Χριστῶι Ἰησοῦ ἀμήν· Εἰς Γρηγόριον τὸν ἀδελφὸν Βασιλείου τοῦ μεγάλου

TLG 2022.024

CPG 3010.11

BHG 716

PG 35, coll. 832-841

14. f. 177v, col. b, line 19-f. 198v, col. a
Gregory of Nazianzus, In laudem Athanasii (or. 21)
Rubric: f. 177v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸν μέγαν Ἀθανάσιον
Incipit: f. 177v Ἀθανάσιον ἐπαινῶν, ἀρετὴν ἐπαινέσομαι· ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἐκεῖνόν τε εἰπεῖν
Explicit: f. 198v κἀν μέγα ἦ τὸ αἰτούμενον· ἐν αὐτῶι Χριστῶι τῶι Κυρίωι ἡμῶν, ὧι πᾶσα δόξα τιμὴ καὶ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν· Εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Ἀθανάσιον

TLG 2022.050

CPG 3010.21

BHG 186

PG 35, coll. 1081-1128

15. f. 198v, col. b-f. 215v, col. b, line 6
Gregory of Nazianzus, Supremum uale (oratio 42)
Rubric: f. 198v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὴν τῶν ρνʹ ἐπισκόπων παρουσίαν
Incipit: f. 198v Πῶς ὑμῖν τὰ ἡμέρα· ὦ φίλοι ποιμένες καὶ συμποίμενες
Explicit: f. 215v τὴν παρακαταθήκην μέμνησθέ μου τῶν λιθασμῶν· ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν:- Εἰς τὴν τῶν ρνʹ ἐπισκόπων παρουσίαν

TLG 2022.050

CPG 3010.42

BHG 730b

PG 36, coll. 457-492

16. f. 215v, col. b, line 7-f. 240v
Gregory of Nazianzus, De pauperum amore (oratio 14)
Rubric: f. 215v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ περὶ φιλοπτωχίας
Incipit: f. 215v Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ συμπένητες· πτωχοὶ γὰρ ἅπαντες
Explicit: f. 240v δέξωνται ἡμᾶς εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους σκηνάς· ἐν αὐτῶι Χριστῶι τῶι Κυρίωι ἡμῶν· ὧι ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν:- Περὶ φιλοπτωχίας

TLG 2022.027

CPG 3010.14

PG 35, coll. 857-909

17. ff. 241r-255r
Gregory of Nazianzus, In patrem tacentem propter plagam grandinis (oratio 16)
Rubric: f. 241r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὴν πλήγην τῆς χαλάζης
Incipit: f. 241r Τί λύετε τάξιν ἐπαινουμένην· τί βιάζεσθε γλῶσσαν
Explicit: f. 255r προσάγοντος ἡμᾶς τε καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα ἐν Χριστῶ Ἰησοῦ τῶι Κυρίωι ἡμῶν· Εἰς τὴν πλήγην τῆς χαλάζης

TLG 2022.029

CPG 3010.16

PG 35, coll. 933-964

f. 255v is blank

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF), of variable thickness and quite poor quality, with many holes originating in the process of production.

Condition

One corner of f. 19 has been torn away, and repaired with a paper patch. A corner of f. 84 has been cut or torn away. There are smaller tears to the edges of some folios (e.g. f. 7) and some (e.g. ff. 30, 68) have been repaired with paper patches. There are occasional holes torn in folios (e.g. f. 56), and pest damage to the last few parchment folios (ff. 252-255). A hole in f. 9 has been repaired with a paper patch. There is purple (e.g. ff. 153r-157v) and brown (e.g. ff. 39v-40r) mould staining to some folios. There is widespread water staining, and dark staining to ff. 251v-255v. Water staining has contributed to fading of text in places, especially in the upper corners, which has been overwritten in places (e.g. ff. 20r-28r). There is more general fading of text across some entire folios in the early part of the manuscript (e.g. f. 9r). Abrasion of text on f. 2r has left some of it illegible. Some text on f. 79r appears to have been partially erased deliberately, and marked for cancellation with expunctuation. There is some creasing, areas of dirt and occasional drops of wax.

Layout

ff. 2r-255v Two columns of 28 lines. 220 × 160 mm. Pricking survives in the lower margin, but much has been lost to cropping. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type 34C2. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 2r-255v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script similar to Perlschrift, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with little variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the end of lines except in the top line. Breathings are round and mute iota is adscript, subscript or absent. There is occasional decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to breathings. Circumflexes occasionally appear, slightly enlarged, above breathings.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower comma, question mark and full stop.

Headings are copied in Alexandrine majuscule script, in red ink.

Decoration

The beginnings of texts are preceded by rectangular headpieces outlined in red ink, with green and blue paint infill. A large rectangular headpiece in red ink previously preceded the beginning of the text on f. 2r, but has been erased.

Texts begin with major initials in the same style as the headpieces.

The beginnings of sections are marked by simple minor initials is red ink.

Space has been left for a headpiece before the beginning of the text on f. 4r, which has not been added.

Additions

As part of the original production of the manuscript, the scribe has added marginal notes on the page where each new text begins, numbering it in the sequence of works in the manuscript. This has been omitted on f. 4r, and supplied by a later hand. The scribe has also added marginal ση(μείωσαι), ὡρ(αῖος) and other marks to highlight notable passages (e.g. ff. 70v, 96r, 175v-176r).

A later hand has added a count of the number of folios each work occupies on the page where it begins. Various different hands have added Greek marginal notes (e.g. ff. 67r-67v, 70r, 73r, 77r, 89r) and interlinear notes (e.g. ff. 81v, 90v-92v). Various hands have added notes, pen-trials and crude drawings of heads to f. 255r-255v.

History

Origin: The main body of the manuscript was probably copied in the 13th century, as suggested by the style of script. though the evidence is ambiguous. In most respects the script would seem most likely to date from the 12th century, and was assigned to that century by James. However, the use of the subscript mute iota is not normally found before the 13th. It is unusually found here alongside mute iota in its original adscript form, with no transitional elements, which is not usually found after the 12th century. The incongruity of these features suggests that deliberate archaism may be an influence on the script, which, if true, would leave open the possibility of an even later date.

Additional Information

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 légués par R. Bentley à Trinity College, Cambridge, et en particulier de l'oncial O131 du nouveau testament Studies in the History and Text of the New Testament in honor of Kenneth Willis Clark Ph.D Studies and Documents, Duplacy, J. (Salt Lake City, 113-126, University of Utah Press, 1967)

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