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.8.10

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11924

Contents

Introduction: The manuscript B.8.10 is composed of two parts, both on paper. They are not contemporary, but have been bound together because they both two texts by Origen of Alexandria. The first part is a witness to the Commentary on St Matthew, together with the manuscript München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (BSB), Cod.graec. 191. It was used by Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536) for his 1527 edition and by Pierre Daniel Huet (1630-1721) for his 1685 edition. The second part is the sole witness to the whole text of treatise De oratione (Περὶ εὐχῆς) by Origen (another copy - Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, grec 1788 - which dates to the 15th century, contains only the final part of the text). Trinity MS B.8.10 was the exemplar for another manuscript: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Supplément grec 534 . This manuscript was copied by P.D. Huet in Stockholm in 1652, the exemplar having been brought there in 1648 by Isaac Vossius (1618-1689). Huet published the editio princeps in 1686. The manuscript is therefore identified as the codex Holmiensis, as on f. [ii] recto. (left cover, inner with classmark in red pencil, and [i] recto blank are not imaged). Dr Matteo Di Franco

Language(s): Greek and Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: i + 1 + 252 + 1 + i leaves. 240-268 × 170-185 mm.
Foliation: [i-ii] + 1-214 | 215-252 + [iii-iv]. Modern foliation in pencil in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right corner.

Collation

1-268, 278-2 | 28-318, 328-2

Condition

In fair condition, f. [ii] is detached, ff. 1 and 215 have some reinforcing paper-strips glued on. Moisture stains, traces of mould and wormholes are present throughout the manuscript.

Binding

Couched-laminate boards covered with brown leather, edges are tooled in blind. False bands tooled in gold and red leather strip with title on spine: ‘Origenis in Mattheum M.SS.’.

280 × 200 × 60 mm.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

John Grant (1998, pp. 55-59) has shown that the two parts were not bound together before the 17th century.

According to Pierre D. Huet (cf. Koetschau (1899), p. lxxxiii-iv), when the Worms library was plundered during the Thirty Years' War, a certain Rumf, physcian to Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, managed to buy the manuscript from a soldier. The physician then sold it at The Hague to Isaac Vossius (1618-1689) in the mid 1640s. In 1648 Vossius took it with him to Stockholm and entered the Royal Library. After the abdication of Queen Christina (1654), Vossius regained possession of the manuscript and later gave it to Herbert Thorndike.

The manuscript was donated to Trinity College in 1670 by Thorndike, Herbert, 1598-1672 , Fellow of the College, as stated on f. [ii] verso: ‘Ex dono Reverendi clarissimique viri Herbeti Thorndike hujusce Collegij quondam Socij. Anno Domini 1670’.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.8.10, ff. 1r-214v]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 1r-214v
Origen, Commentarium in evangelium Matthaei libri X-XVII
Rubric: f. 1r Ὠριγένους ἐκ τῶν εἰς τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἐξηγητικων τόμος ιαʹ
Incipit: f. 1r Τότε ἀφεὶς τοὺς ὄχλους, ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ· καὶ προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· φράσον ἡμῖν τὴν παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ: Ὅτε μὲν μετὰ τῶν ὄχλων ἐστὶν ὁ Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς, οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῆ οἰκία
Explicit: f. 214r τὴν διδαχὴν ἀποδεχόμενοι τοῦ σ(ωτῆ)ρ(ο)ς σοφωτάτην καὶ δυναμένην τοὺς δυσπίστως ἔχοντας, ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς αὐτόν
Final rubric: f. 214r τέλος· τοῦ ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου

PG 13, 836-1600

CPG 1450

TLG 2041.029, 2041.030

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. [i], [ii]: Parchment endleaves, medium thickness, medium quality. ff. 1-214: Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermarks: cloverleaf ( 40 × 30 mm. ) on middle of folio comparable to Briquet 6228 ; Watermarks of this shape are dated to late 14th century. crown ( 40 × 40 mm. ) on middle of folio comparable to Briquet 4598 ; Watermarks of this shape are dated to late 14th century. cross ( 60 × 35 mm. ) on middle of folio comparable to Briquet 5606 ; Watermarks of this shape are dated to second quarte of 14th century. knot ( 30 × 30 mm. ) on middle of folio comparable to Briquet 11982 ; Watermarks of this shape are dated to early 14th century. cross ( c. 40 × c. 40 mm. ) on middle of folio comparable to Briquet 5650 ; Watermarks of this shape are dated to early 14th century.

Collation

The part consist of 27 quaternions:

  • Quires 1-268 ff. 1-208
  • Quire 278-2 ff. 209-214

Quire signatures in black ink, in Greek numerals, on lower margin of the last folio recto of quires 1-26 from αʹ (f. 8v) to κϛʹ (f. 208v); this is missing for quire 2 and two supplementary signatures are present on quire 3, f. 17r (τρίτον) on the lower margin and on quire 26, f. 201r (κϛʹ) on the upper right-hand corner. The signatures continue on Part II.

 Bifolium signatures, a-c, f-z, aa-cc, accompanied by Arabic numerals, under the last line of text on the first four recto folios of quires; "z" is repeated on quires 23 and 24 (ff. 177r-180r, 185r-188r). These signatures are missing on quires 4 and 5, but continue on Part II. On quire 1-3 a diffent hand has numbered the second half of quires (b5, b6, etc. "c8" on f. 24r is missing); from f. 24r to 54r leaves are numbered in Arabic numerals (8-38), along with the bifolium signatures on quires 6 (f) and 7 (g).

Condition

In fair condition.

Layout

ff. 1r-214v: written space 185 × 135 mm. 26 lines per page

Hand(s)

This part is written in a mixed minuscule script of the 14th century, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in black ink. There is only moderate variation in letter size, but enlarged beta and, less frequently, zeta are in use. Syllabic abbreviations are rare and present in the end of the lines and in the last lines of folios. Mute iota is not present, many letters, as gamma, eta or kappa, are often in majuscule.

Punctuation includes the middle and upper point and full stop.

Decoration

Decorated rope motif headpieces in red ink on ff. 1r, 75v, 96r, 117v.

Small palmette in red ink on ff. 41v, 44r, 47v, 59v, 82v, 99v, 150v, 171r

Decorated major initials in red ink on ff. 1r, 3r, 4v, 7v, 42v, 44r, 59v, 61v, 80v, 96r, 117v, 148r. Minor initial in red ink throughout the part.

Additions

f. [ii] recto: notes identifying the manuscript as the one used by Pierre Daniel Huet (1630-1721) , and on donation from Isaac Vossius (1618-1689) to Thorndike, Herbert, 1598-1672 by a later hand.

f. [i] verso: note of donation.

History

Origin: This part was copied in the 14th century.

Provenance

In the prefatory letter to his edition of the Commentary on St Matthew (1527), Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536) states that this part of the manuscript (which was then not yet bound together with the second part) was given to him on loan from the library of the castle of Ladenburg (near Heidelberg), which belonged to Heinrich von der Pfalz (1487-1552), Count Palatine and bishop of Worms .

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.8.10, ff. 215v-252v]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

2. ff. 215r-252v
Origen, De oratione
Incipit: f. 215r Τὰ διὰ τὸ εἶναι μέγιστα καὶ ὑπὲρ ἄν(θρωπ)ον τυγχάνειν. εἰς ὑπερβολήν τὲ ὑπὲρ ἄνω τῆς ἐπικήρου φύσεως ἡμῶν ἀδύνατα τῷ λογικῷ καὶ θνητῷ γένει καταλαβεῖν ἐν πολλῇ
Explicit: f. 252v διαλαβεῖν μεγαλοφυέστερον καὶ ὑψηλότερον καὶ τρανότερον· πλὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος μετὰ συγγνώμης τούτοις ἐντεύξεσθε

PG 11, 416-562

CPG 1477

TLG 2041.008

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 215-252: Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: letter S ( c. 50 × c. 30 mm. ) on middle of folio comparable to Briquet 9103 ; Watermarks of this shape are dated to second quarter of 14th century.
Foliation: Modern pagination in black ink in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right corner.
Foliation: Modern foliation in pencil in Arabic numerals, on upper right corner of first recto of quires 29-32.

Collation

The part consist of 5 quaternions:

  • Quires 28-318 ff. 215-246
  • Quire 328-2 ff. 247-252

Quire signatures in black ink, in Greek numerals, on lower margin of the first folio recto of quires 29-32 from κθʹ (f. 223r) to λβʹ (f. 2247r), continuing from Part I.

Bifolium signatures, dd-hh, accompanied by Arabic numerals, under the last line of text on the first four recto folios of quires, continuing from Part I.

Condition

In fair condition.

Layout

ff. 215r-252v: written space 200 × 135 mm. 29-31 lines per page

Hand(s)

The part is is written in a mixed minuscule script of the late 14th or 15th century, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with some elements from Fettaugenmode. Syllabic abbreviations and ligatures are not reserved for the end of the line and mute iota is present.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper point and full stop.

History

Origin: The part was copied in the 14th century.

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, 1900), vol. 1, pp. 253-254.

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

    Origenes Werke, Koetschau, Paul (Leipzig, 1, 1899) The western manuscripts in the library of Trinity College: a descriptive catalogue, James, M.R. (Cambridge, 1, Cambridge University Press, 1900) Origenes Werke XII Origenes Matthäuserklärung III Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten Jahrhunderte, Klostermann, ErichFrüchtel, Ludwig (Berlin, Akademie Verlag, 1955) Un frammento palinsesto del "Commento al Vangelo di s. Matteo"di Origene nel codice criptense Γ. β. VI Jahrbuch der österreichischen Byzantinistik, Crisci, Edoardo (38, 95-112, 1988) Erasmus' "Modus orandi Deum", Origen's "De oratione", and Cambridge Trinity College MS 194 (B.8.10) Humanistica Lovaniensia, Grant, John N. (47, 42-59, 1998, 2021-03-09, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23974014) Origene bizantino. I Commenti a Matteo e Giovanni da Mistrà a Venezia Adamantius, Tondini, R. (22, 398-415, 2016)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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