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.9.1

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11928

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, probably copied between the mid-11th and mid-12th centuries, contains a series of texts by the patristic theologians Gregory of Nyssa and Anastasios of Sinai. Most of the manuscript is occupied by the works of Gregory, mainly homilies and theological treatises, but also including his Life of St Alexios. Also present are the sequence of three homilies on the creation of humanity by Anastasios. The manuscript is of quite high quality, with gilded headings and painted ornament with notably heavy use of blue paint. The decorative headpieces include one on f. 62r incorporating two drawings of animals. The Life of Alexios was not part of the original content of this manuscript. It was copied by a different scribe, with a different ruling pattern and ornament in a different style. This text ends with a shorter than usual quire, suggesting that it was copied on its own for the purpose of expanding this manuscript, rather than being reused material from another manuscript. It is unclear how long after the manuscript's original production it was added, since its script has similar features to that of the main body, allowing for the possibility that its introduction was an early afterthought, but the plausible chronological range for both hands is long enough that it could equally have been copied as much as a century later. While some of the minor coloured initial letters used to highlight the beginning of sections of text in this supplementary section are written in red ink as was usual, others are in blue, a combination common in western manuscripts but rare in Greek one. Another unusual feature is that besides the typical decorative scheme of headpiece and initials, at the end of this text on f. 19v is an image of a cockerel, which is not a normal form of ornament in such manuscripts. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: i + 214 + i leaves. 370 × 277 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i] + 1-42, 42a, 43-213 + [ii], in Arabic numerals in brown ink, recto, upper right.

Collation

The manuscript consists of 28 quires, of which Quires 1-3 belong to Part I and Quires 4-28 to Part II: 1-28, 34-1 | 4-248, 2510-1, 26-278, 282

Binding

18th-century full leather binding over couched-laminate boards, with plain pastedowns. There is decorative blind tooling on the edges of the boards. Thee is decorative gold tooling on the spine and the names ‘Sancti Alexii Gregorii Nyssensis Anastasii’ tooled in gold on a red leather label. The classmark appears on patches on the spine. Leather tabs marking the beginning of texts survive on the foredges of ff. 95 47, 130 and f. 184.

395 × 293 × 92 mm.

The binding has been rebacked.

Accompanying Material

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

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by the Pantokratoros Monastery on Mount Athos, as indicated by the note on f. 1r.

Purchased from the Abbot of the Pantokratoros by Richard Bentley (1662-1742) , Master of Trinity.

Bequeathed to Trinity College by Bentley .

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.9.1, ff. 1-19]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 1r-19v
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), Vita Alexii
Rubric: f. 1r Βίος καὶ πολιτεία· τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἀλεξίου
Incipit: f. 1r Ἐχρὴν ὣς ἀληθὼς· τοὺς τὸ θεῖον χρῆμα τὸν ἄνθρωπον
Explicit: f. 19v τῆς ἐν μονάδι ἀπείρω· καὶ Τριάδι ἀϊδίω θεωρουμένης· ἧ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα· τιμὴ· προσκύνησις· καὶ μεταλοπρέπεια· νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν

CPG 3225

BHG 56f

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF), of medium thickness and quality.

Collation

This part consists of three quires, of which one is a binion and the others are quaternia.

  • Quires 1-28 ff. 1-16
  • Quire 34-1 ff. 17-19 The last folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.

There are quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, forming part of a sequence running through the whole manuscript. They appear on all quires.

Condition

There is pest damage to the early folios (ff. 1-12, and there are small tears to the edges of various folios, with a longer tear across f. 5. The lower margin of f. 19 has been cut away. Marks from the turn-ins of a previous binding appear on f. 1r There is significant cockling and creasing, and some water staining, areas of dirt and drops of wax.

Layout

ff. 1r-19v Two columns of 30 lines each. 250 × 170 mm. Pricking survives in all three margins, but some has been lost to cropping. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type 44C2q. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 1r-19v were copied by Hand A in mixed minuscule Perlschrift, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with little variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings only at the end of lines. Breathings are both angular and round and mute iota is adscript or absent. There is occasional decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . Circumflexes appear above breathings, sometimes enlarged. The double grave accent is in use.

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

Headings are copied in Alexandrine majuscule script, their early lines written in red ink and gilded, while the later lines of longer headings are in brown ink. The first line of some texts is also written in red ink and gilded.

Decoration

The beginning of the text on f. 1r is preceded by a pyle in red, green, blue and white paint and gold.

The text on f. 1r begins with a major initial in the same style as the headpiece.

The beginnings of sections are marked by simple minor initials in red and blue ink.

On f. 19v is a drawing of a cockerel in black and red ink.

Additions

Marks highlighting notable passages in the hand of the original scribe appear on ff. 4v-5r.

There is a note of ownership of the Monastery of the Pantokrator on f. 1r: ‘Τοῦ ἁγίου Γρηγρορίου τοῦ Νύσις·[sic] τῆς μονῆς τοῦ Παντοκράτορος καὶ Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ· τὴν ἐν τῶ ἁγίω ὄρει τοῦ Ἄθωνος’. A note regarding the manuscript's content also appears on f. 1r: ‘ Θεολόγος ὁ δειἄλογος· ἐστιν ὧ βιβιλιὼν οὗτὂν[sic] ’.

History

Origin: This part was apparently copied as a supplement to the main body of the manuscript, but probably within the same general period, between the mid-11th and mid-12th century, as suggested by the style of script.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS B.9.1, ff. 20-213]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

2. ff. 20r-20v, col. b, line 15
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), Contents list to De opificio hominis
Incipit: f. 20r Πρῶτον κεφάλαιον ἐν ὧι τίς ἔστι μερικὴ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου φυσιολογία
Explicit: f. 20v Θεωρία ἰατρικωτέρα περὶ τῆς τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν κατασκευῆς δι' ὀλίγων
3. f. 20v, col. b, line 16-f. 61v
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), De opificio hominis
Rubric: f. 20v Κεφάλαιον πρῶτον ἐν ὧι τίς ἐστι μερικὴ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου φυσιολογία· καί τις ἀβροτέρα διήγησις· περὶ τῶν προγεγονότων τῆς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου γενέσεως
Incipit: f. 20v Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς φησἰν ἡ γραφὴ
Explicit: f. 61v ὅτι ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' ἐικόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν· ὧι ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν

TLG 2017.079

CPG 3154

PG 44, coll. 125-256

4. ff. 62r-81v
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), Orationes VIII de beatitudinibus
Rubric: f. 62r Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Γργγορίου ἐπισκόπου τοῦ Νύσσης εἰς τοὺς μακαρισμοὺς
Incipit: f. 62r Ὁμιλία αʹ· Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῶι πνεύματι ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν· Τίς ἄρα τοιοῦτός ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς συνειλεγμένοις
Explicit: f. 81v χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπία· τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ὅτι αὐτοῦ ἐστὶν ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν
Final rubric: f. 81v Τέλος σὺν Θεῶ τῶν μακαρισμῶν

TLG 2017.053

CPG 3161

PG 44, coll. 1193-1301

5. ff. 82r-98v
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), De oratione dominica orationes V

Defective at the end: ends at PG 44, coll. 1169

Rubric: f. 82r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ πρόλογος εἰς τὸ Πατὲρ ἡμῶν προσεύχης· καὶ περὶ τοῦ μὴ βαττολογεῖν
Incipit: f. 82r Ὁμιλία αʹ· Εὑχῆς ἡμῖν διδασκαλίαν ὁ θεῖος ὑφηγεῖται λόγος
Explicit: f. 98v ὅτι παύσαθε ἄνθρωποι περὶ τὰ μάταια ταῖς ἐπι||

TLG 2017.090

CPG 3160

PG 44, coll. 1120-1193

6. ff. 99r-130v, col. a, line 17
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), De virginitate
Filiation: This manuscript was the source for this text in Mount Athos, Monastery of Dionysiou, MS 214, and is closely related to Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, MS gr. 67 and Athens, Mouseio Benaki, MS 10; Aubineau assigns these to his family y, from which several other manuscripts were derived. It was used in the editions of Cavarnos and Aubineau.
Rubric: f. 99r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἁγίου Γργγορίου ἐπισκόπου διαλόγου ἐπιστολὴ μηνύουσα τὰ ὑποτεταγμένα· ἅτινά ἐστι προτροπὴ εἰς τὸν κατ' ἀρετὴν βίον καὶ περὶ παρθενίας
Incipit: f. 99r Ὁ μὲν σκοπὸς τοῦ λόγου ἐστὶν, ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς κατ' ἀρετὴν ζωῆς
Explicit: f. 130v κατὰ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σώτηρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ὧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος· εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν
Final rubric: f. 130v περὶ παρθενίας

TLG 2017.043

CPG 3165

PG 46, coll. 317-416

7. f. 130v, col. a, line 18-f. 162v, col. a, line 5
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), Oratio catechetica magna
Rubric: f. 130v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ λόγος κατηχητικός
Incipit: f. 130v Ὁ τῆς κατηχήτος λόγος· ἀναγκαῖος μέν ἐστι τοῖς προεστηκόσι τοῦ μυστηρίου τῆς εὐσεβείας
Explicit: f. 162v νῦν μὲν κατὰ τὸν βίον μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ, κατὰ τὴν αἰωνίαν ἀντίδοσιν
Final rubric: f. 162v Τέλος σὺν Θεῶ τοῦ κατηχητικοῦ λόγου

TLG 2017.088

CPG 3150

PG 45, coll. 9-105

8. f. 162v, col. a, line 6-f. 184v, col. a, line 14
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), Apologia in Hexaemeron
Filiation: Drobner places the copy of this text in this manuscript in his family α, and suggests it may be derived from the same exemplar as Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, MS gr. 67.
Rubric: f. 162v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογία περὶ τῆς Ἑξαημέρου
Incipit: f. 162v Τί ταῦτα ποιεῖς ὦ ἄνθρωπε τοῦ Θεοῦ· κατατολμᾶν ἡμᾶς τῶν ἀτολμήτων ἐκελευόμενος
Explicit: f. 184v σὺν τῶι μονογενεῖ Υἱῶι· καὶ τῶι Πνεύματι τῶι Ἁγίωι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν
Final rubric: f. 184v Ἀπολογία εἰς τὴν Ἑξαήμερον

TLG 2017.078

CPG 3153

PG 44, coll. 61-124

9. f. 184v, col. a, line 15-f. 195v
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c. 394), De perfectione Christiana ad Olympium monachum
Filiation: The copy of this text in this manuscript is grouped by Jaeger et al. with Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS gr. 446, Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS gr. 1907, Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Reg. gr. Pio II 4, Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, MS gr. 67 and Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Cromwell 9.
Rubric: f. 184v Τοῦ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Ὀλύμπιον ἀσκητήν
Incipit: f. 184v Πρέπουσα τῆ προαιρέσει σου ἡ σπουδὴ· ἡ περὶ τοῦ γνῶναι πῶς ἄν τις διὰ τοῦ κατ' ἀρετὴν βίου τελειωθῆ
Explicit: f. 195v μὴ δέ τινι πέρατι περιορίσαι τὴν τελειότητα
Final rubric: f. 195v Πρὸς Ὀλύμπιον ἀσκητήν

TLG 2017.026

CPG 3164

PG 46, coll. 252-285

10. ff. 196r-202r, col. a, line 19
Anastasios of Sinai, Homilia I de creatione hominis
Rubric: f. 196r Ἀναστασίου πρεσβυτέρου τοῦ ἐν τῶι Σινᾶ ὄρει· περὶ τοῦ κατ’ εἰκόνα καὶ καθ’ ὁμοίωσιν τῆς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπὸ Θεοῦ κατασκευῆς
Incipit: f. 196r Οἱ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀπλανῶς τοῦ προσώπου θεόκτιστον ὡραιότητα
Explicit: f. 202r γέγονε μεταδοτικὸς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ εἰκόνος· τῶ δὲ Θεῶι ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν

Traditionally attributed to Gregory of Nyssa

TLG 2896.002

CPG 7747

PG 44, coll. 1328-1345

11. f. 202r, col. a, line 20-f. 205v, col. b, line 6
Anastasios of Sinai, Homilia II de creatione hominis
Filiation: The copy of this text in this manuscript was the source for Mount Athos, Monastery of Pantokrator, MS 120 and was used in the preparation of Vassis's edition.
Rubric: f. 202r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀκολούθως εἰς τὸ κατ’ εἰκόνα· καὶ ἀπόδειξις ὅτι δι’ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ Θεὸς σύνθετον ἐκ θνητῆς καὶ ἀθανάτου φύσεως, εἰ μὴ εἰς τύπον καὶ εἰκόνα τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως καὶ συνθέσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ
Incipit: f. 202r Ὄμμασι τοῖς νοεροῖς ὁμοῦ καὶ προφητικοῖς
Explicit: f. 205v τίνες δὲ οὐκ ὀρθῶς ταῦτα ἐν Χριστῶ δογματίζουσιν

TLG 2896.003

CPG 7748

12. f. 205v, col. b, line 6-f. 213v
Anastasios of Sinai, Homilia III de creatione hominis
Incipit: f. 205v Ἰατρῶν ἐχέφρονες καὶ σοφῶν γνωμόνων ἐπιστήμονες· ἐπὶ τὰς θεραπευτικὰς ὁρμῶντες τῶν νόσων ἐπιστήμας
Explicit: f. 213v κατὰ τὴν θεῖαν φύσιν δοῦλος καὶ ὑπουργὸς ὑπάρχει, κατὰ τοὺς τῶν Ἀρειανῶν μύθους

TLG 2896.004

CPG 7749

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF, thick and of medium quality.

Collation

This part consists of 25 quires, all quaternia.

  • Quires 4-248 ff. 20-186
  • Quire 2510-1 ff. 187-195 The third folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 26-278 ff. 196-211
  • Quire 282 ff. 212-213

There are quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, forming part of a sequence running through the whole manuscript. This sequence treats all quires before the last as being composed of eight folios, so the signatures for Quires 26-28 are all misplaced.

Condition

The lower margins of ff. 26 and 82, the lower outer margin of f. 83 and the outer margins of ff. 91, 139, 141, 169, 171, 176, 178, 194 and 203 have been cut away and repaired with parchment patches, many of which are now partially detached. The outer margin of f. 27 has been cut away. The lower outer corners of ff. 212-213 have been torn away, with loss of text. There are smaller tears from the edges of some folios, notably f. 111, and occasional small holes, e.g. f. 140. A small area of black mould staining appears on f. 128v-129r. There is significant cockling and creasing, some water staining, drops of wax and areas of dirt. Gilded text has suffered significant abrasion and is surrounded by stains, and there has also been abrasion to some painted ornament, notably on ff. 96r and 130v. A horizontal red stain acros f. 213v may be the residue of a strap or marker from inside a previous binding.

Layout

ff. 20r-213v Two columns of 37 lines each. 292 × 190 mm. Pricking does not survive. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type 14E2. Text hangs from or is written along the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 20r-213v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with little variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings only at the end of lines. Breathings are both angular and round and mute iota is adscript or absent. Use of the double dot is functional only, and there is accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . Circumflexes appear above breathings, sometimes enlarged. The double grave accent is in use.

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

Headings are copied in Alexandrine majuscule script, their early lines written in red ink and gilded, while the later lines of longer headings are in brown ink. The first line of some texts is also written in red ink and gilded.

Decoration

The beginnings of texts on ff. 20r, 62r and 87v are preceded by pylai in red, green, blue and white paint and gold. That on f. 62r include animal forms.

The beginnings of texts and homilies on ff. 66v, 72r, 78r, 82r, 91v, 96r, 99r, 100r, 130v, 162v, 184v, 196r and 202r are preceded by rectangular headpieces in red, green, blue and white paint and gold.

Texts begin with minor initials written in red ink and gilded. The beginnings of sections are marked by simple minor initials is red ink. Items in lists on ff. 20r-20v and 99v-100r begin with minor initials in red ink with blue infill. Items in these lists are numbered with large numerals in blue ink, overlaying ordinary numerals in brown ink.

The beginnings of texts on ff. 20v and 184v are preceded by a simple vignette in brown or red and brown ink.

The beginning of a section on f. 47r is accompanied by a piece of ornament in the margin, in the same style as the headpieces.

Additions

There are marginal scholia and marks highlighting notable passages in the hand of the original scribe (e.g. ff. 28v, 31v, 58v).

There are marginal notes in Greek by other hands on ff. 20r, 50v and 62r, and a Latin note added on a repair patch on f. 203r. There is a manicule on f. 23r.

History

Origin: This part was probably copied between the mid-11th and mid-12th century, as suggested by the style of script.

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) Überlieferung und Bestand der hagiographischen und homiletischen Literatur der griechischen Kirche : von den Anfangen bis zum Ende des 16. Jahrhunderts, Ehrhard, Albert (Leipzig, 3, Hinrichs, 1937) Gregorii Nysseni Opera, , (Leiden, VIII.1, Brill, 1952) Traité de la virginité, , (Paris, Éditions du Cerf, 1966) Anastasii Sinaitae Sermones duo in constitutionem hominis secundum imaginem Dei, , (Turnhout, Brepols, 1985) Gregorii Nysseni in Hexaemeron : Opera Exegetica in Genesim, pars I In Hexaemeron, , (Leiden ; Boston, Brill, 2009) Gregorii Nysseni Opera, , (Leiden, III.3, Brill, 2014) Homélies sur le Notre Père, , (Paris, Éditions du Cerf, 2018)

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