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.8.9

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11923

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, probably copied in the second half of the 14th century, contains the Panoplia Dogmatike of Euthymios Zigabenos, a compendium of refutations of heresies, composed in the early 12th century. The author, a monk in Constantinople, also known for his commentaries on various books of the Bible, was commissioned to produce this work by the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1048-1118; r. 1081-1118) . The heresies catalogued and refuted cover the full span of Christian history, finishing with the dualist sect of the Bogomils, who were active in Constantinople and the Balkans in the author's time, and were the target of persecution by Alexios. This text is the fullest source of information on their beliefs and organisation. The work of Zigabenos was a major source and influence for later authors working in the same vein, including the 12th-13th century historian Niketas Choniates, who wrote a compendium of his own under the same title. The similarities of the two texts have led to this manuscript being erroneously identified in the past as the work of Choniates. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Euthymios Zigabenos (c. 1050-c. 1118, Panoplia dogmatike

Defective at the beginning and end, with lacunas: begins at PG 130, col. 245; ends at PG 130, col. 1272

Incipit: || f. 1r ἐν τῶ κόλπω τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἦν
Explicit: f. 351v ἀλλ'αὐτὸ τὸ αἷμα. καὶ πρὸ τούτου

TLG 3038.001

PG 130

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1-176, 334-351 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Letter (B) ( 70 × 35 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar to Briquet 7971. This example is dated to 1364-1373. ff. ff. 177-223, 225-234, 236-333 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Fruit ( 95 × 58 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar to WZMA 3556-3557. These examples are dated to 1346-1390. f. 224 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Bird ( 76 × 43 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar to Briquet 12083-12084. These examples are dated to 1359-1381. Because of the uncertainty of the quire structure in this part of the manuscript, it has not been possible to identify the conjoint leaf of this folio. f. 235 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Bird ( 70 × 40 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar to WZMA 18864. This example is dated to 1351-1400. Because of the uncertainty of the quire structure in this part of the manuscript, it has not been possible to identify the conjoint leaf of this folio.
Extent: Codex: i + 351 + i leaves. 269 × 204 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i] + 1-351 + [ii], in brown ink, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.

Collation

The manuscript consists of approximately 46 quires. Those whose structure has been established are quaternia. It has not been possible to determine the quire structure of ff. 216r-351v.

  • Quire 18-7 f. 1 This is the only surviving folio of its quire, which would apparently have originally preceded the quire preceding the present Quire 2.
  • Quire 28 ff. 2-9
  • Quire 38-7 f. 10 This is the only surviving folio of its quire, and is bound in the wrong location: its quire would apparently originally have been the one preceding the present Quire 2; this was not the final folio of its quire.
  • Quires 4-108 ff. 11-66
  • Quire 118-1 ff. 67-73 The second folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 12-218 ff. 74-153
  • Quire 228-1 ff. 154-160 The third folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 23-298 ff. 161-216
  • Quires 30-468? ff. 217-344 The quire structure of this portion of the manuscript is unclear.

There are quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on f. 2r (2) and f. 10r (3). The sequence proceeds no further, and was perhaps abandoned due to confusion resulting from the insertion of f. 10 out of sequence.

Condition

There is pest damage to much of the manuscript, mostly very minor but more significant in places. Parts of the margins of ff. 18 and 81 have been cut away. Damage to the edges of ff. 1 and 105 has been repaired with paper patches. There are occasional small holes and tears to the edges and within the folios; on f. 163 this was apparently inflicted before the text was copied, as it avoids the damaged area. There is water staining and areas of dirt, and occasional creasing.

Layout

A single column of 30 lines. 193 × 135 mm. Four vertical lines have been ruled in the outer margin of each folio, the innermost marking the left-hand edge of the text on the verso.

Hand(s)

The manuscript was copied in mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the left, in brown ink, with moderate variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the end of lines or in the top line. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. There is decorative use of the double dot, often within an enlarged upsilon. There is accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to breathings and nomina sacra strokes.

The small x-shaped kappa is present.

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

Additions

There are occasional marginal annotations in Greek by various hands (e.g. ff. , 31r, 36r).

The name Nicetas has been written in Latin script on f. 1r, erroneously identifying the manuscript's content as the similar work of Niketas Choniates (d. c. 1213). This note has been cut in half by cropping.

There are occasional notes in Latin citing a print edition (e.g. ff. f. 1r, 10r).

Binding

18th-century full leather binding over couched-laminate boards, with plain pastedowns. There is decorative gold tooling on the spine. The author's name ‘Euthimius MS’ is tooled in gold on a red label on the spine, and the classmark appears on patches.

279 × 230 × 90 mm.

The left outer joint is partially split. Both endcaps are damaged, the headband and tailband are partially detached and the headband is partially unravelled.

History

Origin: The manuscript was probably copied in the second half of the 14th century, as suggested by the combination of watermarks. This is consistent with the style of script.

Provenance and Acquisition

Donated to the college by Thomas Nevile (d. 1615) , Dean of Canterbury and Master of Trinity.

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)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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