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.2.39

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11975

Contents

Introduction: The manuscript contains a collection of Speeches by the Roman emperor Julian (331-363) and consists of two parts. The first and larger part (Part I, ff. I-II, pp. 1-[146b]) was copied by the French scholar, editor and printer Henri II Estienne in Padua in June 1552, from MS Leiden, Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, Voss. gr. F° 77 (see J. Bidez, La tradition manuscrite et les éditions des discours de l'empereur Julien, Paris 1929, pp. 14-19, ms. J; the Cambridge manuscript includes the first six works contained in the manuscript in Leiden, as well as an index, which was added to Leid. Voss. gr. F° 77 by another hand, see Bidez 1929, pp. 15-16). Part II contains another work of Julian, the Misopogon (literally "Beard-hater"), a satirical work written against the people of Antioch, who did not understand Julian's paganism (the beard of the title being a reference to the "philosophical" beard of the emperor). The text was copied by the Greek scribe Iakobos Diassorinos from MS Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, G 69 sup. (see Bidez 1929, pp. 90-91). This part of the Cambridge manuscript was owned by Estienne as well, who annotated copiously the text in the margins, appearing to have collated the text of the Misopogon with Leid. Voss. gr. F° 77 (see Bidez 1929, pp. 16, 91). The two parts were therefore probably united by Henri II Estienne after 1552. The manuscript was used by Denis Pétau in his edition of Julian's works of 1614 (see Bidez 1929, pp. 17-19; H.-G. Nesselrath, Iuliani Augusti Opera, Berlin-Boston 2015, p. XX); the editor defined the MS ‘ Codex Henrici Stephani qui in Londinensi bibliotheca servatur’ (see Bidez 1929, p. 17). Information on the text of this manuscript was given to him by the Royal librarian Patrick Young (1584-1652) in 1618 (see Nesselrath 2015, p. XX; Bidez 1929, pp.17-19). Dr Erika Elia

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: iii + 2 + 96 + iii leaves. 210-215 × 150-170 mm.
Foliation: Original pagination by Henri II Estienne in brown ink in Arabic numerals in the centre of the upper margin, from 1 to 202; blank pages are not numbered; the pagination at pp. 141a-143 was missing due to damages caused by fire on the upper margins of the leaves and was integrated in pencil by the same hand that realised a modern partial foliation. After p. 61 the pagination jumps directly to p. 82. Three later endleaves at the beginning, and three at the end of the manuscript are unnumbered. ff. [i]-[iii] + I-II + pp. 1-31, [31a], 32-51, [51a]-[51b], 52-61, 82-111, [111a]-[111b], 112-133, [133a], 134-140, 141a, 141b, 142a, 142b, 143-146, [146a]-[146b], 147-202 + [iv]-[vi]
Foliation: A partial, modern foliation in pencil in Latin and Arabic numerals, in the top right hand corner, recto: I-II, 1-2, 73, 75, 82-83, 90.

Collation

ff. [i]-[iii] | ff. I-II, 1-2 6, 3-4 4, 5 6, 6-9 4, 10 6, 11-12 6, 13 8 | 14-16 8, 17 4 | ff. [iv]-[vi]

Condition

In poor general condition, with large spots and humidity stains, and tears along the edges of the leaves, which were not trimmed. In the upper margin of pp. [111a]-[111b], 124-202 there are signs of fire damages. The binding is damaged, the left board is detached.

Binding

Early modern western full leather binding over pasteboards. Blind tooled double frame motif with palmette motif on the boards. Gold tooled borders on both boards. O yje spine are pasted paper labels for the shelfmark. 225 × 165 × 25 mm.

There are scraps and stains on both covers. The spine is detached from the left board.

Accompanying Material

With the manuscript is preserved a leaf with an annotation by Wilhelm Meyer of 04/10/1906, stating that Henri II Estienne wrote titles at pp. 1, 33, 52, 147, and the texts at pp. 1-146. The leaf contains also some corrections to the transcription by James (1902, vol. 3 p. 141) of some lines written by Estienne on p. 134.

Ff. [i]-[iii] and [iv]-[vi] are later endleaves. On the left pastedown there is a possession note by Thomas Gale (see Carolla 2008, p. 151 for the attribution to his hand) with the date of 1687 (see Provenance). On f. [i] are written the manuscript's numbers and shelfmarks: ‘B. 14.’ (crossed out), ‘n° 80’ (previous number), ‘O.15.14’ (crossed out), ‘O.2.39’ (present shelfmark). ff. [i]-[iii], [iv]-[vi] are western paper leaves, folded in quarto ( 220 × 162 mm. ), with wartermarks:

  • ff. [i]-[iii] Shield with lily, surmounted by a crown, in the gutter, the watermark is not completely visible.
  • ff. [iv]-[vi] Lions, in the gutter The watermark is not completely visible.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Both parts of Trinity O.2.39 were owned by Henri II Estienne (1531-1598) . He wrote the texts in part I and annotations in both parts of the manuscript. A possession note by his hand on p. 147 attests moreover his ownership of part II: Ἐκ τῶν Ἑρρίκου τοῦ Στεφάνου.

The manuscript was later in the hands of Patrick Young (Patricius Junius, 1584-1652) , Greek scholar and Royal librarian, who sent transcriptions from this codex to Denis Pétau for his edition of Julian's works of 1630 ( J. Bidez, La tradition manuscrite et les éditions des discours de l'empereur Julien, Paris 1929, pp. 14-20).

The manuscipt passed in 1687 to Thomas Gale (1635/1636-1702) , Regius professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge, High Master of St Paul's School and Dean of York, as it is stated in a note on the left pastedown: ‘ Olim Liber Henrici Stephani; nunc Thomae Gale. Anno Domini 1687°’.

The manuscript was donated to the library by the antiquary Roger Gale (1672-1744) in 1738. On f. II verso is pasted the Trinity College Library bookplate. On pp. 1, 111, 112, 124, 134, 135, 146, 147, 202 there are stamps of Trinity College Library.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.2.39, ff. I-II, pp. 1-[146b]]

Contents

Language(s): Greek and Latin (one text)

1. pp. 1-31
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, Panegyric in Honour of Constantius Encomium Constantii Imperatoris
Rubric: p. 1 Ἰουλιανοῦ καίσαρος ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα Κωνστάντιον
Incipit: p. 1 Πάλαι με προθυμούμενον ὦ μέγιστε βασιλεῦ τὴν σὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ πράξεις
Explicit: p. 31 τελείας ἀρετῆς ὑπάρχει γνώρισμα.

TLG 2003.001

f. I verso and p. 31[a] are blank

2. pp. 32-51
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, Panegyric in Honour of the Empress Eusebia Encomium Eusebiae Reginae
Rubric: p. 32 Ἰουλιανοῦ καίσαρος Εὐσεβίας τῆς βασιλίδος ἐγκώμιον
Incipit: p. 32 Τί ποτε ἄρα χρὴ διανοεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν ὀφειλόντων μεγάλα
Explicit: p. 51 πολλοὺς ἔχει τε ἤδη καὶ ἕξει τοὺς ἐπαινέτας.
Final rubric: p. 51 Τέλος τοῦ Ἰουλιανοῦ αὐτοκράτορος ἐγκωμίου εἰς Εὐσεβίαν τήν βασιλίδα

TLG 2003.002

Colophon: p. 51 Ἐν Παταβίῳ ἐγράφη ἔτει ˏαφνβ΄ μηνὶ ἰουνίῳ

pp. [51a]-[51b] are blank

3. pp. 52-111
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, De regno
Rubric: p. 52 Περὶ τῶν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος πράξεων ἢ περὶ βασιλείας
Incipit: p. 52 Τὸν Ἀχιλλέα φησὶν ἡ ποίησις
Explicit: p. 111 ἀλλ’ ὥρα λοιπὸν πρὸς ἔργον τρέπεσθαι.
Final rubric: p. 111 Ἰουλιανοῦ καίσαρος περὶ τῶν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος πράξεων ἢ περὶ βασιλείας

TLG 2003.003

pp. [111a]-[111b] are blank

4. pp. 112-123
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, Hymn to king Helios dedicated to Sallust De Sole ad Salustium
Rubric: p. 112 Ἰουλιανοῦ αὐτοκράτορος εἰς τὸν βασιλέα Ἥλιον πρὸς Σαλούστιον
Incipit: p. 112 Προσήκειν ὑπολαμβάνω τοῦ λόγου τοῦδε
Explicit: p. 123 μόνον τὰ συνήθη καὶ γνώριμα λέγειν||

The text is incomplete and ends at C. Lacombrade (ed.), L'empereur Julien. Oeuvres complètes, 2.2, Paris 1964, pp. 100-138 : p. 122, 147 a l. 2

TLG 2003.011

5. pp. 124-133
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, Hymn to the Mother of the Gods De matre deorum
Incipit: || p. 124 στάσις ἐστὶ τῆς ἀπειρίας
Explicit: p. 133 μετὰ τῆς Ἀγαθῆς Ἐλπίδος τῆς ἐπὶ τῇ παρ’ ὑμᾶς πορείᾳ
Final rubric: p. 133 Τέλος

The text begins imperfectly at G. Rochefort (ed.), L'empereur Julien. Oeuvres complètes, 2.1, Paris 1963, pp. 103-131: p. 116, 168 d l. 4

TLG 2003.008

p. [133a] is blank

6. p. 134
Verses to the reader
Incipit: p. 134 Haec ego per terras misere iactatus et undas
Explicit: p. 134 et mihi quas possit, cupidum persolvere gratum

Transcription of the text in James (1902), p. 141

7. p. 135
Index of Julian's orations
Rubric: p. 135 Πίναξ τῶν λόγων τοῦ Ἰουλιανοῦ
Incipit: p. 135 α΄ Εἰς τὸν Ἥλιον
Explicit: p. 135 Ἰουλιανοῦ αὐτοκράτορος Συμπόσιον ἢ Κρόνια. Ἀρχὴ, ἐπειδὴ δίδωσιν ὁ θεὸς παίζειν, ἔστι γὰρ Κρόνια, γελοῖον δὲ οὐδὲν

This pinax was copied from MS Leid. Voss. gr. F° 77, see Bidez 1929, pp. 15-16

8. pp. 137-146
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, Letter to the Senate and People of Athens Ad senatum populumque Athenarum
Rubric: p. 137 Ἀθηναίων τῇ …
Incipit: p. 137 Πολλῶν εἰργασμένων τοῖς προγόνοις ὑμῶν
Explicit: p. 146 καὶ διαφερόντως αὐτὰς εἴσονται καὶ ἀγαπήσουσιν.
Final rubric: p. 146 Τέλος τοῦ Ἰουλιανοῦ αὐτοκράτορος λόγου Ἀθηναίων τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ

TLG 2003.005

pp. [146a]-[146b] are blank

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. I-II, pp. 1-123, 135-[146b] Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermarks: ff. I-II Undefined motif with Latin cross, in the gutter , only a little part of the watermark is visible. pp. 1-93, 135-138, 145-[146b] Mountains in a circle surmounted by a Greek cross ( ca. 80 × 37 mm. ), in the gutter, comparable to Briquet Monts 11912 , which is dated to 1515, with variants dated to 1527-1546 (Padua) pp. 102-103, 106-109, 112-113, 139-144 Cardinal's hat surmounted by a Greek cross with pearls, countermark in the corner of the leaf ‘CB’ with clover ( ca. 60 × ca. 45 mm. ), in the gutter, comparable to Harlfinger Chapeau 78a-b , which is dated to 1547, and Briquet Chapeau 3477 , which is dated to 1547 (Padua). pp. 104-105, 110-111 Cardinal's hat surmounted by a five-leaves clover ( ca. 50 × ca. 35 mm. ), in the gutter, no exact parallels found in the main repertoires. pp. 124-134 western blue paper, folded in quarto.
Extent: Codex: 2 + 68 210-215 × 160-170 mm.

Collation

The first quire is formed by later endleaves; they form a binion; being the left board detached, it is not clear whether the first leaf is the left pastedown or whether it is missing. Two endleaves, contemporary to the manuscript, appear now detached from one another. The following quires are ternions and binions; at the end of part I there is a quaternion.

  • 2 endleaves (16th century) ff. I-II
  • Quires 1-26 pp. 1-24 (α΄-βʹ)
  • Quires 3-44 pp. 25-31, [31a], 32-39(γ΄)
  • Quire 56 pp. 40-51
  • Quires 6-94 pp. [51a]-[51b], 52-61, 82-101 (α΄-δʹ)
  • Quires 10-126 pp. 102-111, [111a]-[111b], 112-133, [133a], 134 (ε΄-g)
  • Quire 138 pp. 135-140, 141a, 141b, 142a, 142b, 143-146, [146a]-[146b]

Various sequences of quire signatures by the scribe:
  • big Greek numerals in the centre of the lower margin, from α΄ (p. 1) to γ΄ (p. 25)
  • small Greek numerals (or letters) in the lower margin of the leaf, from α΄ ( p. [51a]) to ε΄ (p. 102)
  • small Latin letters near the lower edge of the leaf, from f (p. 112) to h (p. 135).
 Horizontal catchwords by the scribe on each page, directly under the written space, right.

Condition

In poor general condition. Humidity stains along the edges of all leaves, see particularly ff. I recto-II verso and pp. 1-3. Leaves appear irregularly trimmed and frequently there are tears near the margins. Ink stains on pp. 52 and 99. Signs of fire damages on the upper margin of pp. [111a]- [111b], 124-[146b].

Layout

pp. 1-146: A single column of 26-36 lines. 170-175 × 110-120 mm. On pp. 52-123 the writing space is shifted to the right, near the gutter, leaving a larger left margin.

Hand(s)

Hand A: all the texts were written by Henri II Estienne (1531-1598) , in an informal minuscule script, vertical. (attribution by W. Meyer on a leaf preserved within the manuscript; on Estienne's Greek script see RGK I, 116bis).

Titles and final rubrics are written in a more "baroque" variant of the script, sometimes with monocondyles (see e.g. p. 51).

The text is written in a light brown ink; titles in red.

Estienne wrote annotations in the margins in Greek and Latin, as well as notes on ff. I recto and II recto.

Decoration

Small line-fillers in red ink with vegetal motifs, not very accurately realised, accompany titles on pp. 1 and 32.

Initial with a simple decoration in a branch motif on p. 2.

Initials written in red ink on pp. 1 and 32.

Sketch of an ornamental vegetal motif in red ink on p. 51. Vegetal motif in brown ink in the margin on p. 24.

Additions

On ff. I recto and II recto Henri II Estienne wrote annotations about the text, and passages of it with the indication of the page of the manuscript where they can be found.

Estienne wrote also annotations in the margins, both in Greek and in Latin, underlining passages of interest, see e.g. pp. 57-58, 111.

A later hand wrote two annotations in black ink:

  • in the upper margin, left, of p. 124, indicating the change of text
  • in the right margin of p. 132 indicating the title of the text ‘ Hymnus εἰς μητέρα τῶν θεῶν’.

Seal(s):

p. 134 Small brown wax seal with the form of a flower with 5 petals.

12 × 12 mm.

History

Origin: At the end of one of the texts, the Panegyric in Honour of the Empress Eusebia, on p. 51, Henri II Estienne wrote a colophon, stating that he had ended the copy in Padua in June 1552.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.2.39, pp. 147-202]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

9. pp. 147-202
Julian, Emperor of Rome, 331-363, Misopogon
Rubric: p. 147 Ἰουλιανοῦ αὐτοκράτορος μισοπώγων ἢ Ἀντιοχικός
Incipit: p. 147 Ἀνακρέοντι τῷ ποιητῇ πολλὰ ἐποιήθη μέλη
Explicit: p. 202 τὰς ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδοῖεν.

TLG 2003.012

ff. [iv] recto-[vi] verso are blank

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: pp. 147-202 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermarks: pp. 147-178 Snake (?) ( ca. 25 × 8 mm. ), in the gutter, not identified. pp. 179-202 Pitcher with one handle, surmounted by a quatrefoil, on the pitcher a name on two lines, ‘ SIM | ONET’ ( ca. 45 × 20 mm. ), in the gutter, comparable to Briquet Pot 12831 , which is dated to 1522/1579.
Extent: Codex: 28 leaves., 215 × 150 mm.

Collation

Part II consists of 3 quaternions and 1 binion. The last quire is formed by later endleaves pertaining to the binding; they form a binion; being the left board detached, it is not clear whether the last leaf is the right pastedown or whether it is missing.

  • Quires 14-168 pp. 147-194
  • Quire 174 pp. 195-202

Vertical catchwords in the scribe's hand on the last verso, lower part, near the gutter; they are written from the top down.

Condition

In poor condition. The leaves were probably not trimmed originally; therefore their edges are now damaged, there are a lot of tears, see in particular pp. 147-148. Big stains on pp. 163-166, 201-202. Signs of fire damages in the upper margin of pp. 147-202. Pp. 161-162 have been heavily trimmed and are of smaller size.

Layout

pp. 147-202: A single column of 20 lines. 150 × 85 mm.

Hand(s)

pp. 147-202 Hand B: the text has been written by Iakobos Diassorinos (16th c.) (RGK II, 191. See also RGK I, 143; RGK III, 241), in the less calligraphic variant of his script. The script is a minuscule, with "baroque" features, vertical.

The text is written in black ink; titles and initials in red ink, now faded to a sepia colour.

Decoration

P. 147 wavy line in red ink with leaves in the loops.

P. 147 thick red-ink major initial in ekthesis with a small branch motif.

Additions

The margins are filled with annotations by Henri II Estienne, both in Greek and in Latin, see e.g. pp. 178-179. In some cases he added in the margins passages omitted by the scribe, see e.g. p. 196 l. 11

History

Origin: Between 1534 and 1552.

This part of the manuscript was copied by Iakobos Diassorinos between 1534 (first dated manuscript copied by him) and 1552, when Estienne copied Part I from Leid. Voss. F° 77, since this part of the manuscript shows variants in the margins copied by Estienne from the same manuscript.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2019) draws partly on M. R. James, The Western Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College Cambridge, vol. 3, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1902, pp. 140-142.

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. (Montague Rhodes) (Cambridge, 3, Cambridge University Press, 1902) La tradition manuscrite et les éditions des discours de l'empereur Julien Université de Gand. Recueil de travaux publiés par la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres, Bidez, J. (Gand :, Paris, Van Rysselberghe and amp; Rombaut, Champion, 1929) The Date of Julian's Letter to Themistius Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies, Bradbury, S. (28, 2, 235-251, 1987) Repertorium der griechischen Kopisten, 800-1600 Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Byzantinistik, Gamillscheg, ErnstHarlfinger, Dieter, (Wien, II. Frankreich, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1989) Non deteriores. Copisti e filigrane di alcuni manoscritti degli Excerpta de legationibus Miscellanea Bibliothecae apostolicae vaticanae. 15., Carolla, Pia (Città del Vaticano, 129-170, Biblioteca apostolica vaticana, 2008) Iuliani Augusti Opera Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana, , (Berlin ;Boston, De Gruyter, 2015, ©2015, 2015) El copista griego Jacobo Diasorino (s. XVI): estudio paleográfico y codicológico de sus manuscritos, García Bueno, Carmen (2017, 2019-10-03T15:23:34Z, http://hdl.handle.net/10803/456128) Jacobo Diasorino en Italia ΠΗΓΗ/Fons, García Bueno, C. (3, 51-69, 2018) Appunti in margine alla tradizione degli scritti di Giuliano l'Apostata: il Par. gr. 2964 Segno e testo, Giacomelli, C. (16, 247-263, 2018) Le commerce transalpin du copiste-libraire vénitien Andréas Darmarios entre 1582 et 1585 Revue d'Histoire des Textes, Calvié, L. (15, 89-168, 2020) The evolution of Jacobos Diassorinos’ handwriting in context Griechisch-byzantinische Handschriftenforschung : Traditionen, Entwicklungen, neue Wege, García Bueno, C.Brockmann, C.Harlfinger, D.Valente, S.Deckers, D. (Berlin ; Boston, 201-210, De Gruyter, 2020)

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