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.4.41

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11997

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript contains a selection of Greek patristic theological texts, copied in 1613-1615. The first, dating from the 3rd or 4th century, is a dialogue refuting Marcionite and Gnostic doctrines, in which the orthodox protagonist is named Adamantius, possibly the author's name. This text was traditionally attributed to the 3rd-century theologian Origen, an identification reflected in the text here. This is followed by a commentary on the same text by the 5th-6th century prelate Zacharias of Mytilene, also known as Zacharias Scholasticus or Zacharias Rhetor. Only a portion of the text is present here, due to the incompleteness of the exemplar from which it was copied. Finally there are two theological treatises by Eusebios of Caesarea (c. 260-c. 340), together with a brief letter by the same author, commonly associated with the latter text. The manuscript was copied by two hands, one that of the Scottish scholar and royal librarian Patrick Young (1584-1652), who copied, commissioned, acquired and annotated numerous Greek manuscripts. The other copyist was another Scot, Peter Goldman, identified by the colophon he added recording his completion of the dialogue of Adamantius in the Bodleian Library in Oxford in 1613, which houses the manuscript from which it was copied. Portions of the two men's work are interspersed within the manuscript, changing over in mid-line. At the end of the last text, Young has marked the date 6 March 1615. Inserted into the manuscript are loose leaves containing notes on the text, and part of a single folio containing the beginning of the text of Adamantius as found in a Paris manuscript identified by the copyist, perhaps in fact copied from the Trinity College MS B.9.10, which used the Paris manuscript as its exemplar. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: 138 leaves. 310 × 197 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers 1-138 in Arabic numerals, in pencil, recto, upper right.

Binding

17th-century limp parchment binding. The height and width of the cover are smaller than the text-block. The classmark appears on patches on the spine.

310 (cover 299) × 197 (cover 195) × 27 mm.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by the Biblical scholar and royal librarian Patrick Young (1584-1652) .

Purchased after Young's 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. 154).

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

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.4.41, ff. 1-138]

Contents

1. f. 1v
Contents list to the manuscript
Language(s): Latin

f. 1r is blank apart from some later notes

2. ff. 2r-66r
Adamantius, De recta in Deum fide
Language(s): Greek

Traditionally attributed, as here, to Origen

Filiation: This text was copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. E.1.11, as indicated by the note on f. 2r and van de Sande Bakhuyzen's examination of the text.
Colophon: f. 66r Τέλος τῶν Διαλόγων Ὠριγένους. Scripsit Petrus Goldmannus Scotus in bibliotheca Bodleiana anno redempto salutis 1613

TLG 2950.001

CPG 1726

PG 11, coll. 1711-1884

f. 66v is blank

3. ff. 67r-74r
Zacharias of Mytilene, Ammonius sive de mundi opificio disputatio
Language(s): Greek

Defective at the end: ends section 2, line 359

Filiation: This text was probably copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. E.1.11, as indicated by the note on f. 2r and van de Sande Bakhuyzen's examination of the first text.
Explicit: f. 74r τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἔθεντο καὶ ἐπεψηφίζοντο λόγοις||
Final rubric: f. 74r Reliqua desiderantur

TLG 2831.001

CPG 6996

PG 85, coll. 1012-1144

f. 74v is blank

4. ff. 75r-95v
Eusebios of Caesarea (c. 260-c. 340), Contra Marcellum
Language(s): Greek
Filiation: This text was probably copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. E.1.11, as indicated by the note on f. 2r and van de Sande Bakhuyzen's examination of the first text.

TLG 2018.007

CPG 3477

PG 24, coll. 707-824

5. f. 96r
Eusebios of Caesarea (c. 260-c. 340), Epistula ad Flacillum
Language(s): Greek
Filiation: This text was probably copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. E.1.11, as indicated by the note on f. 2r and van de Sande Bakhuyzen's examination of the first text.

TLG 2018.008

CPG 3478

PG 24, coll. 824-825

6. ff. 96v-137r
Eusebios of Caesarea (c. 260-c. 340), De ecclesiastica theologia
Language(s): Greek
Filiation: This text was probably copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. E.1.11, as indicated by the note on f. 2r and van de Sande Bakhuyzen's examination of the first text.
Colophon: f. 137r Pridie Nonarum Martii MDCXV

TLG 2018.009

CPG 3478

PG 24, coll. 825-1046

ff. 137v-138v are blank

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1-100 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Horn ( 58 × 40 mm. ) in the centre of the folio. ff. 101-132 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Pot ( 69 × 30 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, comparable but not identical to Heawood 3550, 3552, 3576-3577. These examples are dated to 1589-1591 or undated. ff. 133-134, 137-138 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Pillar ( 45 × 28 mm. ) in the centre of the folio. 135-136 Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Pot ( 45 × 28 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, comparable but not identical to Heawood 3565. This example is dated to 1611.

Collation

The manuscript consists of 19 quires, of which one is a ternion, two are quinia and the rest are quaternia.

  • Quire 110 ff. 1-10
  • Quires 2-118 ff. 11-90
  • Quire 1210 ff. 91-100
  • Quires 13-168 ff. 101-132
  • Quire 196 ff. 133-138

Condition

The lower outer corner of f. 1 has been lost, and there are occasional small tears to the edges of other folios. There is slight water staning and areas of dirt.

Layout

ff. 1v-77v, line 20, ff. 109r-115v, line 19 A single column of 31-34 lines. 236 × 135 mm. Ruling for margins only, in red ink.

f. 77v, line 20-f. 100v, f. 115v, line 19-f. 137r A single column of 42-44 lines. 237 × 130 mm. Ruling for margins only, in red ink.

ff. 101r-108v, f. 115v, line 19-f. 137r A single column of 44-54 lines. 259-274 × 150 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. 1v-77v, line 20 and ff. 109r-115v, line 19 were copied by Peter Goldman (Hand A) in mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right, in brown ink. There is little variation in letter size apart from the use of enlarged tau.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not in use. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript. Use of the double dot is functional only.

Minuscule mu is written in a highly anomalous form resembling a short minuscule eta. Minuscule sigma often takes the form of a circle joined with a long, curved stroke extending diagonally upwards rather than horizontally.

Punctuation used includes the lower and middle points and lower comma.

f. 77v, line 20-f. 108v and f. 115v, line 19-f. 137r were copied by Patrick Young (Hand B) in mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right, in brown ink. There is little variation in letter size apart from the use of enlarged tau. There are deletions by expunctuation.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not in use. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript. Use of the double dot is functional only.

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

Additions

On f. 1r is a note citing a series of pieces of evidence that the dialogue of Adamantius was not the work of Origen.

A note on f. 2r records the copying of the manuscript from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. E.1.11, and its collation with Trinity College MS B.9.10.

There are marginal notes and corrections in Latin and Greek by both copyists and another hand.

The present classmark, the former classmark G.10 and the number 296 have been marked on f. 1r.

History

Origin: The manuscript was copied in England in in 1613-1615. The text on ff. 1v-77v, line 20 and ff. 109r-115v, line 19 was copied by Peter Goldman, the work occupying ff. 2r-66r being copied in the Bodleian Library in Oxford and completed in 1613, as indicated by his colophon on f. 66r. The text on f. 77v, line 20-f. 108v and f. 115v, line 19-f. 137r was copied by another Patrick Young, whose work was completed on 6 March 1615 as indicated by the date on f. 137r. The work of these two hands formed part of the same production process, as indicated by their alternation and the transitions between them in mid-page.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.4.41, Fragment 1]

Contents

7. Fragment 1r-1v
Adamantius, De recta in Deum fide
Language(s): Greek

Fragment of the hypothesis, with a lacuna

Filiation: This text was copied from Paris, Bibliothèque National de France, MS gr. 1219.

TLG 2950.001

CPG 1726

PG 11, coll. 1713-1884

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Fragment 1 Western paper.

Condition

The lower part of this loose folio has been lost.

Layout

Fragment 1r-1v A single column of at least 22 lines. 193

Hand(s)

Fragment 1r-1v was copied by Hand C in mixed minuscule script with variable slanti, in black ink. There is little variation in letter size apart from the use of enlarged tau.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not in use. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript.

Punctuation used includes the lower point and lower comma.

Additions

A note by the copyist on Fragment 1r identifies the text here as having been copied from Paris, Bibliothèque National de France, MS gr. 1219.

History

Origin: This folio was copied in the 17th-19th centuries as indicated by the style of script.

Part 3 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.4.41, Fragments 2-4]

Contents

8. Fragments 2r-4r
Notes on the text of Adamantius, De recta in Deum fide
Language(s): Latin and Greek

Fragment 4v is blank

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Fragments 2r-4r Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Name (ANIO) ( 11 × 48 mm. ) in the centre of the folio.

Layout

Fragments 2r-4r A single column of 25-41 lines. 247-289 × 150 mm.

Hand(s)

Fragments 2r-4r were copied by Peter Goldman (Hand A) in mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right, in brown ink. There is little variation in letter size apart from the use of enlarged tau.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not in use. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript. Use of the double dot is functional only.

Minuscule mu is written in a highly anomalous form resembling a short minuscule eta. Minuscule sigma often takes the form of a circle joined with a long, curved stroke extending diagonally upwards rather than horizontally.

Punctuation used includes the lower and middle points and lower comma.

History

Origin: These loose folios were copied in the early 17th century, around the time of the copying of the main manuscript.

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

    Der Dialog des Adamantius Peri tēs eis theon orthēs pisteōs Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte, (Leipzig, Hinrich, 1901) The western manuscripts in the library of Trinity College: a descriptive catalogue, James, M. R. (Cambridge, 3, Cambridge University Press, 1902) Codices Vossiani graeci et miscellanei Codices manuscripti Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. Bibliotheek, de Meyier, K. A. (Leiden, Universitaire pers Leiden, 1955) Zacaria Scolastico, Ammonio, Colonna, Maria M. (Naples, 1973)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

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Cambridge Digital Library

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