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 O.1.61

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11966

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, probably produced in the 14th century, is a Gerontikon, a collection of brief narratives and sayings relaying the wisdom of early ascetics in the desert, for guidance in the monastic life. It was copied by two hands. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

ff. 1r-294v
Gerontikon Apophthegmata Patrum

Defective at the beginning and end, with lacunas

Incipit: || f. 1r ὁ πρῶτος, τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν· ὁ δεύτερος [....] ἁμαρτήσαντα
Explicit: f. 294v [....]ζωμένων· ἵνα κἂν [....]ων αὐτὸν [....]οῦντα καὶ ταπειν[....] [....]είψη τὰς ἁμα||

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Eastern paper, now mounted on tracing paper.
Extent: Codex: ii + 294 + ii leaves. 159-170 × 125 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i-ii] + 1-294 + [iii-iv], in Arabic numerals, in pencil, recto, lower centre or lower right.

Collation

Due to the remounting of the folios and the lack of watermarks, ruling, signatures or catchwords, the original collation cannot be determined. As presently arranged, the manuscript consists of 73 quires, of which two are composed of five folios and the rest of four.

  • Quire 15 ff. 1-5
  • Quires 2-214 ff. 6-85
  • Quire 225 ff. 86-90
  • Quires 23-734 ff. 91-294

Condition

There have been substantial losses from the edges of ff. 1-3 and 289-294, causing loss of text in some cases, and some smaller losses in the margins elsewhere. The present mounting on tracing paper was presumably a response to the deterioration of the paper. The ink has become faded or abraded in places and there has been much overwriting here. There is water staining and areas of dirt. f. 200 has become detached. The edges of the tracing paper have become brittle and suffered some minor losses, and is subject to creasing in the gutter.

Layout

ff. 1r-166v A single column of 24-34 lines. 114-130 × 70-85 mm.

ff. 167r-294v A single column of 18-19 lines. 127 × 80 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. ff. 1r-166v were copied by Hand A in mixed minuscule script, with variable slant, in black ink, with moderate variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript or absent. There is deorative use of the double dot and accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to abbreviations.

The modern nu and sigma telikon are in use.

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

ff. 167r-294v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script, with variable slant, in black ink, with moderate variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. There is deorative use of the double dot and accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to letters, breathings, abbreviations and nomina sacra strokes. The double grave accent is in use.

Tau often appears with the left-hand horizontal curved down to join the base of the vertical. The modern eta, modern nu and sigma telikon are in use.

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

Binding

19th-century binding full leather binding over millboards, with marbled pastedowns. There is decorative blind tooling on the boards and spine. The classmark appears on the spine on patches.

190 × 154 × 87 mm.

There is a split in the cover running the full length of the spine, and both outer joints are partially split.

History

Origin: The manuscript was probably copied in the 14th century, as suggested by the style of script and use of eastern paper.

Provenance and Acquisition

Donated by the antiquary Roger Gale (1672-1744) , in 1738.

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, 3, Cambridge University Press, 1902)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge