Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.2.38

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11974

Introduction: This manuscript is a Psalter in Greek, probably copied in the 12th century. The Psalms are followed by the Odes, the sequence of hymns excerpted from various Biblical books, also known as canticles, which in the Orthodox tradition constitute a separate book of the Bible. The first nine of these are the basis for the canons which are a central component of Orthodox hymnography. Since the end of the manuscript has been lost, it is unclear whether it contained only this basic set of nine or the full set of fifteen Odes. The manuscript is a relatively high-grade production, with headings, marginal apparatus and frequent minor initial letters gilded. The manuscript has suffered losses including some entire quires, while other quires have been bound out of order. It came to England early in its history, as indicated by a Latin annotation in a medieval English hand on f. 334r. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 1r-24v, 57r-64v, 25r-56v, 65r-327v

Psalms

Defective at the beginning and end, with lacunas (begins at Ps 6:7, ends at Ps 151:4); ff. 57r-64v are misplaced

Incipit: || f. 1r νύκτα τῆν κλίνην μου

Explicit: f. 327v αὐτὸς Κύριος αὐτὸς εἰσακούει· Αὐτὸς εξαπέστειλε[sic] ||

TLG 0527.027

f. 149v is blank

2. ff. 328r-330v, 337r-342v, 331r-336v

Odes

Defective at the beginning and end, with lacunas (begins at Ode 1:6, ends on f. 336v at Ode 5:11; ff. 337r-342v, containing Ode 2:8-40, are misplaced at the end of the manuscript)

Incipit: || f. 328r Κύριε ἔθραυσεν ἐχθροὺς καὶ τῷ πλήθει

Explicit: f. 336v οὐκ ἤδεισαν γνῶντες δὲ αἰσχυν<⟨θήτωσαν⟩> ||

TLG 0527.028

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Parchment (FHHF), of medium thickness and quality. Holes formed at the time of production appear in places, but not in the written area.

Extent: Codex: iii + 342 + i leaves. 210 × 145 mm.

Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i-iii] + 1-342 + [iv], in Arabic numerals, in pencil, recto, upper right.

Collation

The manuscript consists of 44 quires, of which one is a ternion and the rest are quaternia. The original first, fourth, sixth, seventh and forty-eighth quires have been lost (the missing fourth should follow the present Quire 2 and the sixth-seventh the present Quire 3, while the forty-eighth should follow the present Quire 44, currently misplaced, and precede the present Quire 43). Further quires have been lost at the end of the manuscript.

Quires 1-18⁸ ff. 1-144 Quire 9 is misplaced; this is the original eighth quire, and should follow the present Quire 3
Quire 19^6-1 ff. 145-149 The last folio has been lost, with loss of text
Quire 20^8-1 ff. 150-156 The first folio has been lost, with loss of text
Quires 21-41⁸ ff. 157-324
Quire 42^8-2 ff. 325-330 The fourth and fifth folios have been lost, with loss of text
Quire 43^8-2 ff. 331-338 The first and last folios have been lost, with loss of text
Quire 44^8-2 ff. 337-342 The first and last folios have been lost, with loss of text; this quire is misplaced, and should follow Quire 42

There are original quire signatures in Greek numerals, in brown ink, on the last folio of each quire, verso, lower rightt. They survive on Quires 1, 3-18, 20-42 (βʹ, εʹ, θʹ-ιβʹ, ηʹ, ιγʹ-κβʹ, κδʹ-μϛʹ). Traces survive also on Quire 2, but the signature here has been partially lost to cropping.

Condition

Creasing and cockling appears in parts of the manuscript, and there is some water staining and areas of dirt. In places gilt text has become abraded and imprinted onto the facing page, while the ink has also been abraded in places, leading to some loss of text.

Layout

A single column of 18 lines. 132-144 × 90 mm. Pricking survives in the upper and lower margins. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type Leroy 22C21. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

The manuscript was copied in a calligraphic mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with significant variation in letter size. There is frequent flourishing of tails into the margin, sometimes decorated with X-shapes, and frequent extension of final horizontals to fill a line, often decorated with a vertical stroke or X-shape. Vertical strokes also decorate some other letters and abbreviation marks.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear at the end of lines only. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent or in transitional forms, usually below and to the right of the preceding letter, but occasionally in adscript position but much reduced in size (e.g. f. 332r, line 2). It often takes the form of a dot rather than a line. There is occasional decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all nomina sacra . The double grave accent is in use. Circumflexes are often much enlarged and somewhat angular.

Majuscule omega is often almost flat-bottomed, occasionally entirely so, and sometimes decorated with a vertical stroke (e.g. f. 329v, line 19).

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower and middle commas and full stop. Points are often accompanied by a second point in red ink.

Headings were written in Alexandrine majuscule script in red ink and gilded.

Decoration

Short sections, every few lines, beginning with simple, gilded minor initials.

Headings and original marginal annotations are gilded.

Additions

As part of the original production of the manuscript, the numbers of Psalms and Odes have been added in the margins, as have δόξα and κάθισμα marks for the subdivision of the Psalms.

On f. 334r a medieval English hand has twice written ‘Ego sum bonus’ and a partial Latin alphabet, with multiple versions of some letters.

On f. 129r are a series of crude drawings of trumpet-like forms.

The title ‘Psalterium Davidis’ has been written on ff. [i] recto and 1r. The current classmark and the former classmark 71.B.5 have been marked on f. 1r.

Binding

18th-century binding with grey paper covering over couched-laminate boards, with a white parchment spine and plain pastedowns. The classmark appears on the spine on patches.

223 × 165 × 117 mm.

History

Origin: The manuscript was probably produced during the 12th century, as suggested by the style of script.

Provenance and Acquisition

Already in England during the medieval period, as indicated by the style of the annotation on f. 334r.

Donated to Trinity College 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)

Verzeichnis der griechischen Handschriften des Alten Testaments Bible. Old Testament. Supplementum. Greek. Septuagint. 1931, Rahlfs, Alfred (Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2004)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.2.38

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