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.3.15

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11982

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, probably copied in the mid-to-late 16th century, contains a Greek Catena on the Psalms, a compilation of extracts of commentary on the text, compiled by the 11th/12th-century scholar and teacher Niketas of Herakleia, also known as Niketas of Serres. This is the only catena on the Psalms whose compiler's identity is known (Bram Roosen, 'The works of Nicetas Heracleensis (ὁ) τοῦ Σερρῶν', Byzantion 69 (1999), pp. 119-144 at p. 135). The author was a nephew of the bishop of the city of Serres in Macedonia. He pursued an ecclesiastical career in Constantinople and became one of the senior teachers in the patriarchal school at Hagia Sophia, the most eminent educational institution in the Byzantine Church, which provided tuition in secular as well as religious studies. In the theological sphere, the school employed three teachers to give tuition on the Gospels, the Epistles and the Psalms, posts which the same individual often held one after another. Niketas also produced catenae on the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles, so it is likely that he held all three posts in the course of his career, and that his catenae were compiled in support of his teaching (Roosen, pp. 138-139, 142-143). Near the end of his life he was appointed Bishop of Herakleia Pontika in north-western Anatolia. The bulk of the manuscript is a product of the 16th century, while the opening leaves were added in the 17th. The process by which the main body was produced is rather ambiguous. A sharp discontinuity occurs between ff. 409 and 410. A single scribe copied the whole of the preceding part of the manuscript's main body, ff. 9r-409v, but from f. 410r, the beginning of a new quire, a different copyist was responsible, while modest ornament in red ink also appears from this point and there is a change in the type of paper. The text on the last few folios of the preceding quire was increasingly large and widely spaced, indicating that the scribe was stretching it out to fill the remainder of the quire and reach a predetermined end-point on its last page. This is despite the fact that this was not the end of the text. The second portion of the manuscript is distinguished not only by the features already mentioned but by the appearance of a second set of quire signatures. One sequence runs continuously through the entire manuscript, but from f. 410r it is joined by another, oddly beginning from the number 2. This suggests that the second part of the text was originally supposed to form a distinct entity, together with an additional first quire, now lost, although the text on f. 410r picks up from the point where that on f. 409v ended. It could be that the two portions were originally supposed to form a two-volume set, which would be very plausible given the unwieldy thickness of the manuscript as it now exists. Alternatively, the latter part of the text may for some reason have been selected for copying on its own, but subsequently augmented by the addition of the earlier part. In either case, it would seem that the original first quire of the second portion was either lost or deliberately removed to smooth its integration with the first. Certainly the way that the text of the first part is stretched at its end towards the point where the second begins indicates that by the time the copying of the first was being completed, the second already existed in its present form. It is likely that, even if the first part was an expansion rather than an originally intended part of the project, it was commissioned only a short time later and in the same context, since one of the various types of paper occurring in the manuscript appears in both parts, while the last quire of the second part (ff. 630r-633v) was copied by a different scribe from the rest, who appears to be same one responsible for the first part. A note on f. 9r records that the manuscript was at one time the property of Metrophanes Kritopoulos (1589-1639) , a monk of Mount Athos, who in about 1621 travelled to study at Oxford, presumably bringing this manuscript with him. He went at the instigation of the Patriarch of Constantinople Cyril Loukaris (1572-1638) , who in the early 17th century established a close relationship with the Anglican Church, as a result of his attraction to Calvinist theology and the wish for cooperation against Catholic encroachment. Loukaris was particularly concerned to bolster the intellectual means available to counter the arguments of Catholic missionaries, owing to the limited character of the education the Orthodox Church could now provide. Loukaris made arrangements with the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Abbot (1562-1633) , to send Greek clerics to study at Oxford. The first of these was Kritopoulos, who studied for a time at Balliol College, but fell out with Abbot and left England in 1623, having seemingly given away or sold this manuscript in the meantime. He would pursue his studies and contacts with Protestant churches in other parts of Europe for several years before returning home around 1630, soon being elevated to the post of Bishop of Memphis and later Patriarch of Alexandria. The manuscript was soon afterwards found in the hands of the royal librarian Patrick Young (1584-1652), who may well have acquired it directly from Kritopoulos, along with another catena on the Psalms previously owned by Kritopoulos, now MS O.4.21. He extensively annotated it and apparently had it rebound, adding some additional leaves at the front (ff. 1r-8v) on which he had copied excerpts from a number of Greek commentaries on the Psalms out of a manuscript belonging to the Archbishop of Armagh, James Ussher (1581-1656) . Young recorded that he completed this work at his house in London on 4 June 1628 (f. 8v). He also collated the text of the catena of Niketas with a manuscript belonging to Ussher, probably the same one. In 1637 Young also published an edition of a catena on the Book of Job which he attributed to Niketas, although this is strongly disputed (Roosen, p. 135). The last folio of the main body of the manuscript, f. 633, has been pasted to the first of the endleaves added with the current binding, hiding the text on f. 633v, although this can still be read by shining a light through the paper. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: ii + 8 | 625 + i leaves.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i-ii] + 1-8 | 9-633 + [iii], in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.

Collation

Part I consists of 1 quire (Quire 1), Part II of 66 (Quires 2-67): 1-38, 410, 5-612, 720-1, 8-108, 1112, 12-168, 1710, 18-228, 2310, 24-288, 2912, 308, 3114, 32-3410, 35-388, 39-6610, 674

Binding

18th-century full leather binding over couched-laminate boards, with plain pastedowns. There is decorative gold tooling on the spine and the title ‘Catena in Psalmos’ tooled in gold on a red label, while the classmark appears on patches.

314 × 215 × 80 mm.

There are serious splits to the spine and joints, which have been repaired with glue.

Accompanying Material

There are two endleaves at each end, belonging to the current binding. The first of the right endleaves has been pasted to the last folio, (f. 633).

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by Metrophanes Kritopoulos (1588-1639) , as indicated by the note on f. 9r.

Owned by the Biblical scholar and royal librarian Patrick Young (1584-1652) , as indicated by the extensive presence of his hand in the manuscript.

Purchased after his death by the antiquary Thomas Gale (c. 1635-1702) , Fellow of Trinity and Dean of York. It appears in the 1697 catalogue of Gale's collection contained in Trinity College, MS O.5.38 (p. 150).

Donated to Trinity College by Thomas's son, the antiquary Roger Gale (1672-1744) , in 1738.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.3.15, ff. 1-8]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 1r-2r
Hesychius of Jerusalem, d. approx. 450

Previously attributed to John Chrysostom

Commentarius magnus (in Psalmos)

Excerpt: PG 55, coll. 755-759

Rubric: f. 1r Προσευχὴ Μωϋσεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ψαλμὸς πθʹ
Incipit: f. 1r Καλὸν ἀξίωμα τῷ Μωυσῇ τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπενόησεν
Explicit: f. 2r Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ ελεήμονες[sic] ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται

TLG 2797.007

CPG 6554

PG 55, coll. 711-784

ff. 2v-3v are blank

2. ff. 4r-5r
Basil of Caesarea (c. 329-379), Homiliae super Psalmos

Homilia in Psalmum I, excerpt: PG 29, coll. 216-225

Incipit: f. 4r τὸ μὲν οὖν ἀληθῶς τε καὶ κυρίως μακάριον ἡ θεία φύσις
Explicit: f. 5r εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο πέπονθας, μὴ ἐνιδρυνθῆς τῷ κακῷ

The text is followed by the following brief excerpt: ‘Ἀλλ'ἢ ἐν τῷ νόμω Κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, et caetera’

This text is accompanied on f. 4r by the note ‘Hac Basilii sunt omnia sed verborum ordine interum mutato, et Catenatore interpolata’

TLG 2040.018

CPG 2836

PG 29, coll. 209-494

3. ff. 5r-6v
Theodoret of Cyrrhus (c. 393-466), Interpretatio in Psalmos

Excerpt: PG 80, coll. 868-892

Incipit: f. 5r Μακάριος ἀνὴρ et caetera:- Τὸ μακάριος ὄνομα τῆς κατ'ἀρετὴν πολιτείας ὑπάρχει καρπὸς
Explicit: f. 6v τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν, ἐθαυμάστωσεν

The text is followed by the following brief excerpt: ‘Οργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ et caetera:- Οργίσθητε ἀλλὰ μὴ ἁμάρτητε, διαλέχθητε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης ὑμῶν καὶ ἡσυχάσατε τοῦτ[..] ἅμε’

This text is accompanied on f. 5r by the note ‘Hac scholia scripta sunt in margine codici Domini Usherii, qui etiam in quatuor sequentes Psalmos praeter [...]icata alia ad oram libri habebat scholia ἀνωνύμως’

TLG 4089.024

CPG 6202

PG 80, coll. 857-1997

4. ff. 7r-8v
Commentary on the Psalms

This commentary is drawn largely from Basil of Caesarea, Homiliae super Psalmos, (PG 29, coll. 209-494; CPG 2836; TLG 2040.018) (f. 7r, line 17-f. 8v, line 42), preceded by brief portions from Asterius, Commentarii in Psalmos (homiliae 31), Homily 27, sections 5, 6 (CPG 2815; TLG 2061.001) (f. 7r, lines 3-6, 6-8); Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Interpretatio in Psalmos, (PG 80, coll. 857-1997 at col. 953; CPG 6202; TLG 4089.024) (f. 7r, lines 9-13); and Athanasios of Alexandria, Expositiones in Psalmos (PG 27, coll. 60-589 at col. 556; CPG 2140; TLG 2035.061) (f. 7r, lines 13-15); and followed by text of unidentified origin (f. 8v, lines 43-58)

Rubric: f. 7r Εἰς τὸ τέλος ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβὶδ ιδʹ
Incipit: f. 7r Ὁ ιδʹ ψαλμὸς πολλὴν συμφωνίαν ἔχει πρὸς τὸν πρὸ αὐτοῦ
Explicit: f. 8v καὶ ἀμετάπλωτον ἕξει τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν δόσιν

This text is accompanied on f. 7r by the note ‘Quae sequuntur Basilii sunt’

5.
Colophon
Colophon: f. 8v Londini in aedibus meis pridie Nonarum Junii 1626 ex MS codice Domini Usherii Hiberniae primatis descripsi

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1-3 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Unidentified motif ( 80 × 60 mm. ) in the centre of the folio. ff. 4-8 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Bell ( 14 × 11 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar but not identical to Gravell 1150. This example is dated to 1625-1626.
Extent: 285-328 × 195 mm. f. 1r is larger and has been photographed folded (1r, 1v) and unfolded (1ra, 1va).

Collation

This part consists of one quire, a quaternion.

  • Quire 18 ff. 1-8

Condition

There have been minor losses due to wear and tear from the edges of some folios, and there is some water staining and areas of dirt.

Layout

f. 1r A single column of 48-58 lines. 260-300 × 160 mm.

Hand(s)

The prefatory texts were copied by Patrick Young (Hand A) in a western European mixed minuscule script resembling early printing, slanting to the right, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript. Use of the double dot is functional only, and there is accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to letters.

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

Additions

As part of the original production, marginal notes on the authorship and source of individual texts have been added by the copyist on ff. 4r, 5r and 7r.

A note of content, ‘Catena in Psalmos’, has been added to f. 1r by a later hand.

History

Origin: This portion of the manuscript was copied by Patrick Young (1584-1652) at his home in London and completed on 4 June 1628 , as indicated by the colophon on f. 8v.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.3.15, ff. 9-633]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

6. ff. 9r-633v
Niketas of Heraclea (c. 1030-1117), Catena on the Psalms Catena Typus VIII,

[**Defective at the end**], with lacunas

Rubric: f. 9r Συναγωγὴ ἐξηγήσεων παρὰ Νικήτα τοῦ Σερῶν εἰς τὸν ψαλτῆρα συναχθεισῶν φιλοπόνως
Incipit: f. 9r Πρόκειται μὲ ἡμῖν τῶν ἱερῶν ψαλμῶν ἡ ἐξήγησις
Explicit: f. 633v διὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἐρχ⟨εται⟩ Ναυουχοδονόσορ διαγραμμάτων

CPG C21

The final folio of this text, and of the main body of the manuscript, f. 633, has been pasted to the first endleaf; as a result, the text on f. 633v is hidden from view, but it can be read clearly if the leaf is lit from behind.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 122-203, 254-360, 410-633 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Angel ( 50 × 38 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar to Mazzoldi 171. This example is dated to 1573. ff. 9-121, 204-253 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Horse ( 50 × 38 mm. ) in the centre of the folio. ff. 360-390 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Crossbow ( 40 × 37 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar but not identical to Briquet 729. This examples is dated to 1589. ff. 390-399 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Crossbow ( 73 × 44 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, very similar to Mazzoldi 274. This example is dated to 1557. ff. 400-409 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Crossbow ( 56 × 44 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, comparable but not identical to Gravell 5591. This example is dated to 1600.
Extent: 294 × 200 mm.

Collation

The main body of the manuscript consists of 65 quires, of which 1 is a binion, 25 are quaternia, 33 are quinia, 4 are of twelve folios, 2 of fourteen and 1 of twenty.

  • Quires 2-38 ff. 9-24
  • Quire 410 ff. 25-34
  • Quires 5-612 ff. 35-58
  • Quire 720-1 ff. 59-77 The second folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 8-108 ff. 78-101
  • Quire 1112 ff. 102-113
  • Quires 12-168 ff. 114-153
  • Quire 1710 ff. 154-163
  • Quires 18-228 ff. 164-203
  • Quire 2310 ff. 204-213
  • Quires 24-288 ff. 214-253
  • Quire 2912 ff. 254-265
  • Quire 308 ff. 266-273
  • Quire 3114 ff. 274-287
  • Quires 32-3410 ff. 288-317
  • Quires 35-388 ff. 318-349
  • Quires 39-6610 ff. 350-629
  • Quire 674 ff. 630-633

There are quire signatures in Greek numerals, in black ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower centre. They survive on all quires except the first (βʹ-ξεʹ). There is another set of quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in brown ink, on Quires 44-65 (ff. 410-633), on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower centre, beginning with the number 2 (2-23). There are catchwords, often comprising only part of a word, on each verso folio of ff. 9-409, and many of ff. 410-629.

Condition

There is a tear in f. 428, and occasional minor losses from the edge of folios. Ink corrosion has in places produced holes in the paper, sometimes very extensively (e.g. ff. 488-489). There is extensive water staining in the upper outer half of the folios, extending throughout the manuscript, sometimes blurring the ink. In the last few folios this staining is deepened towards the edges, arising from the turn-ins of a previous binding.

Layout

ff. 9r-633v A single column of 23 lines. 292 × 140 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. 9r-409v, 630r-633v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in brown 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. There is decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to letters and breathings. Marginal quotation marks are in use.

The modern eta, modern nu, sigma telikon and loop epsilon are present.

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

Headings are written in the same style in red ink.

ff. 410r-629v were copied by Hand C in mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations appear throughout the line, and superscript word endings are not in use. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript or absent. There is decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Marginal quotation marks are in use.

The modern eta, modern nu and sigma telikon are present.

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

Headings are written in the same style, in red ink.

Decoration

Some subsections on ff. 410r-629v begin with simple minor initials in red ink, not always at the beginning of lines.

Some subsections on ff. 410r-629v begin with simple minor initials in brown ink, not always at the beginning of lines. Major sections on ff. 9r-409v, 630r-633v also begin with such initials.

Some sections on ff. 410r-629v are preceded by simple vignettes in red ink.

Additions

Possibly as part of the original production of the manuscript, there are marginal notes identifying the authors whose works appear in the catena on ff. 410r-629v. Similar notes and other annotations, mostly giving textual variants, have been added to ff. 9r-409v by Patrick Young, who has added a note on f. 16r regarding the manuscript from which he has supplied the text corresponding to a lacuna in this one: ‘Hanc lacunam ex MS Domini Usherii Primatis Armachani, qui olim fuit Nicodemi Metaxae, supplevimus; quam vide in charta proxima ad hoc signum’.

A note on f. 9r records the ownership of the manuscript by Metrophanes Kritopoulos: ‘Ἐκ τῶν Μητροφάνους τοῦ Κριτοπούλου’.

History

Origin: The manuscript was probably copied in the middle or later 16th century, as suggested by the watermarks. This would be consistent with the style of script. It is likely that ff. 410-633 were originally produced as a smaller manuscript, together with a single preceding quire, which was subsequently expanded by the addition of ff. 9-409. However, the presence of one of the same types of paper and of the work of Hand B in both parts of the manuscript suggest that they emerged from the same programme of production, perhaps originally intended as two volumes.

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, Rahlfs, Alfred (Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2004)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

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Cambridge Digital Library

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