Introduction:
This manuscript contains a vernacular Greek paraphrase of a long poem of religious
instruction called the Dioptra, hagiographical texts, hymns and prayers, copied in
1642-1643 by two different scribes, one of whom claims to have done the work on board
ship.
The hagiographical works include saints' Lives and other texts to be read in church
on
particular days of the liturgical calendar, including orations on Abraham and King
David, and a text
on the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. These were copied by a priest and monk named
Neophytos, at
least some of them at St George's church or monastery in a place called Neochori,
as he recorded in a
colophon on f. 100v, dated 17 November 1643. This place cannot be
located with any confidence, as Neochori is a very common name. However, one possibility
is the large
village of Neochori on the Bosphorus (now called Yeniköy). This hypothesis is suggested
by the fact
that the parish of St George there was a dependency of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem,
and that
Patriarch is mentioned by a later note on the flyleaf f. iv
recto.
This colophon presumably refers only to the completion of the text at whose end it
appears.
However, Neophytos evidently continued copying without interruption as part of the
same project, since
his text continues in the same unfinished quire and the next few quires were copied
on the same paper
and feature ornament of the same style.
At the beginning of the first two texts (ff. 1r, 39r) there are headpieces and ornamented initial letters drawn in
ink and filled with both paint and gold. While the designs of the headpieces at the
beginning of
subsequent texts (ff. 67r, 101r, 121r) are in the same style, gold is no
longer used, its place being taken by yellow paint. The headpiece of f.
101r exists only as an ink outline, without any infill. Similarly, the accompanying
initial letters, which on ff. 1r, 39r are largely in gold, are in ink only for the subsequent texts. This suggests that
money may have run short during the production of the manuscript, leading to the abandonment
of the
use of the expensive material.
The latter part of the manuscript was copied by an unnamed scribe who wrote his own
colophon on ff. 174v-175r. This records the completion of the
work that accounted for the bulk of his work here, the Dioptra. He then went on
to copy two hymns.
The original Dioptra was the work of Philippis Monotropos, an
11th-century monk. The colophon records that the vernacular paraphrase found here
was the work of
Konstantinos, a krites (judge) in Thessalonike who employed the former
Byzantine court title of vestes. He composed it in 1639 in the Thracian port of
Ainos at the school of Georgios, rhetor and ekdikos (an
advocate responsible for asserting the legal rights of a church institution) of the
Great Church of
Hagia Sophia. The colophon goes on to say that the present copy of the work was written
on board a
ship from a place called St Cyril's in 1642, and paid for by an archon
(aristocrat) named Armagos.
The fact that different parts of the manuscript were copied by different scribes in
different places,
and that their work does not coincide within any quire or text could be taken to suggest
that their
work was done entirely separately. However, the paper used by the second scribe appears
to be of the
same type as the one used in the latter part of the work of Neophytos, while the ornament
accompanying
their work is of the same style. This suggests that both worked on behalf of the same
patron as part
of the same project, despite their physical separation.
Dr Christopher Wright
Language(s): Greek
1. ff. 1r-37r
Oration on Abraham
Second Sunday before Christmas (Sunday of the Forefathers)
Rubric:
f. 1r Κυριακὴ τῶν ἁγίων πρωπατόρων· λόγος εἰς τὸν προπάτορα ⟨Ἀβρα⟩ὰμ
Incipit:
f. 1r Ὅταν ἔνας[sic] ἄνθρωπος ξένος καὶ παρεπήδημο[sic]ς
ἤγουν διαβάτης, περιπατῆ μίαν στράταν ἀγνωρίστην
Explicit:
f. 37r Ἔζησε δὲ ὁ Ἰσμαὴλ χρόνους ρλζʹ
ff. 37v-38v are blank
2. ff. 39r-66v
Oration on King David
First Sunday after Christmas
Rubric:
f. 39r Κυριακὴ μετὰ τὴν Χριστοῦ γέννησιν λόγος εἰς τὸν προφήτην
Δαυὶδ καὶ βασιλέα· Πάτερ εὐλόγησον
Incipit:
f. 39r Ὅταν ἔνας[sic] ἄνθρωπος ὑπάγη εἰς ἔνα[sic]
περιβόλαιον ὁποῦ να εἶναι γεμάτον φυτὰ
Explicit:
f. 66v καὶ ἔκαμε βασι χρόνους σαράντα· εἰς δόξαν Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ
ἡμῶν · ὦ[sic]
ἠ[sic] δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμὴν
3. ff. 67r-100v
Life of St Martinianos
13 February
Rubric:
f. 67r Μηνὶ Φευρουαρίου ιγʹ βίος καὶ πολιτεῖα τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν
Μαρτιανοῦ Πάτερ εὐλόγησον
Incipit:
f. 67r Ἀπὸ δύο πράγματα, ἐκκόπτετε ἄνθρωπος ἀδελφοὶ ἀπὸ τὴν
ἁμαρτίαν
Explicit:
f. 100v καὶ ἐκαταζιώθη τῶν ουρανίων[sic] στεφάνων εἰς δόξαν
τοῦ αληθινου[sic] Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἀμὴν
Colophon:
f. 100v Ἐγράφη δια[sic] χειρὸς ἐμοῦ Νεοφύτου ἱεροδιακόνου
ὄντος μου εἰς Νεοχώρι εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Γεώργιον· 1643 Νοέμβριος 17
4. ff. 101r-120v
Symeon Metaphrastes,
Life of St John Kalabytes
15 January
Rubric:
f. 101r Βίος καὶ πολυτία[sic] τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν
Ἰωάννου· τοῦ Καλυβίτου· Πάτερ εὐλόγησον
Incipit:
f. 101r Βίον κάλον καὶ ἐνάρετον ἀνδρὸς δικαίου καὶ
τελαίου
Explicit:
f. 120v ἅμα τῶ ἀνάρχω Πατρὶ, καὶ τῶ Παναγίω, καὶ ἀγαθὼ καὶ
ζωὀποιῶ[sic] αὐτοῦ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰώνας[sic] τῶν αἰώνων
ἀμὴν
BHG 868
PG 114, coll. 568-581
5. ff. 121r-142v
Alberto Marino of Chios,
On the Annunciation
25 March
Rubric:
f. 121r
Του[sic]
ταπεινου[sic]
ἱερομοναχου[sic], καὶ διδασκάλου Ἀλβέρτου Μαρίνου τοῦ Χίου· λόγος εἰς τὸν εὐαγγελισμὸν τῆς
ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου προοίμιον τῆς ἐκκλησίας Πάτερ εὐλόγησον
Incipit:
f. 121r Σήμερον τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν τὸ κεφάλαιον, καὶ τοῦ
ἀπ[sic]
αἰώνος[sic] μυστηρίου ἡ φανέρωσις
Explicit:
f. 142v
ὦ[sic] ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμὴν
This text is also found in Mount Athos, Monsatery of Iveron, MS 651
(Lambros 4771)
6. ff. 143r-150r
Prayer of St Cyprian
Rubric:
f. 143r Εὐχὴ ὀφελήμος[sic] εἰς πάσα ἀρρωστίαν
Incipit:
f. 143r Δέσποτα Κύριε, ὁ ἰατρὸς τῶν νοσούντων καὶ Θεὸς πάσης
παρακλήσεως
Explicit:
f. 150r ὅπως δοξασθὴ καὶ παρ'αὐτοῦ τῶ Πανάγιον ὅνομά σου τοῦ
Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν
αἰώνων
ἀμὴν
BHG 2090
f. 150v is blank apart from some later drawing
7. ff. 151r-175r
Konstantinos, vestes and krites of Thessalonike,
Dioptra
This is a vernacular Greek paraphrase of the Dioptra of Philippos Monotropos
Rubric:
f. 151r Ἐκ τοῦ διδασκάλου· καὶ σχολαιου[sic] τοῦ Aἰνου·
διόπτρα καὶ καθρέπτης· σώματος· καὶ ψύχης [sic]
το [sic]
ὀπίον [sic]
εγράφη [sic]
πρώτον[sic] ὑπὸ του σοφωτάτου κυρίου Κωνσταντίνου· βέστου κρίτου Θεσσαλόνίκοις[sic]·
βιβλίου· διὀπτρας·[sic] καθὸ διγία· μὲ ὀλίγα· λόγια· πος[sic] να σωθὴ τίνὰς[sic] με
ευλογίαν, στίχοι πολιτικοὶ
Incipit:
f. 151r
Διὀπτα[sic] θέλει να εἰπῆ· κατρέπτις· βισταλόγγα· απομακράνα
Explicit:
f. 174v στράταν να σωθὼ ἐπαρηγώρη σέσμαι· δοξα σοι ὀ Θεὸς
μου
Colophon:
ff. 174v-175r Ἐγράφη ἐν τη Eνω εν τὼ δηδιασκαλείω· Γεόργίου
ρίτορος και ἐκδήκου τὴς μεγάλης· εκκλησίας· εν έτης ͵αχλθʹ· Καὶ τόρα το αντιγραψαμένα
δὲ στο καράβον ὀ
εξ αγίου Κύριλος και δοσάτο καὶ χαριν· του εὐγενοὺς καὶ άρχοντος· Αρμάγου· εξ αγράφον·
να τα να γνώνη
καθὲ εἰς να κάμνη ὠσα γραφη· νύν χαρίς τα δε το Θεώ· δόξα εἰς τοὺς αιώνας αμὴν ͵αχμβʹ
8. ff. 175v-177r
Hymn
Incipit:
f. 175v Δοξαν ἀχη κάθημέρα· ὠ Υἱός με τον Πατέρα
Explicit:
f. 177r Ὀποιος αροστὸν λαυτρεύη ο Θεὸς τουταν τι μέρη
ff. 177v-180r are blank apart from a later note on f. 177v
9. ff. 180v-181v
Ioannes Koukouzeles (c. 1280-c. 1360),
Hymn
Ed. Sophronios Eustratiades, "Ἰωάννης ὁ Κουκουζέλης, ὁ Μαΐστωρ, καὶ ὁ χρόνος τῆς ἀκμῆς
αὐτοῦ", Ἐπετηρὶς Ἑταιρείας Βυζαντινῶν Σπουδῶν 14 (1938), pp. 41-67, 3.4
Incipit:
f. 180v Στήθει καὶ βλέψον ἄνθρωπε· το τῆς ζωεὶς σου
τέλος
Explicit:
f. 181v καὶ της μελούσις λύτροσε· κολάσεος εκίνης
TLG 4509.001
f. 182r-182v is blank apart from later notes
Form: codex
Support:
ff. 1-126 Western paper, folded in octavo. Watermark:
Crown (
c. 60 × c. 50 mm.
) at the top of the
gutter.
ff. 127-182 Western paper, folded in octavo. Watermark:
Crescent (
c. 70 × c. 30 mm.
) at the top of the
gutter.
Extent:
Codex:
iii + 1 + 182 +
i leaves.
147 × 105 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i-iii] + [iv] + 1-182 + [v],
in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.
Collation
The manuscript consists of 23 quires, of which one is a ternion and the rest are
quaternia.
- Quires 1-48
ff. 1-32
- Quire 56
ff. 33-38
- Quires 6-238
ff. 39-182
There are quire signatures in Greek numerals, in black ink, on the first folio of
each quire, recto, lower centre, and on the last folio of each quire, verso, lower
centre,
apparently original to the production of the manuscript. Most have been largely lost
to
cropping. They survive on Quires 7 and 14 (ζʹ, ιδʹ), with traces on Quires 4, 5-7,
9-10
and 12-17. The signature at the end of Quire 14 (f.
110v) is placed much higher than the rest.
There are catchwords on the last folio of each quire on Quires 1-4, 6-18. There is
no catchword on Quire, as there is no text on the last folio, while after Quire 18
their
use seems to have been abandoned.
Condition
There have been losses in the gutter from ff. 175-182
and more extensive losses from f. 182. This damage has been
repaired with Japanese paper. There have also been small losses from the corner of
ff. 101-102 There is slight water staining, occasional
creasing and areas of dirt.
Layout
ff. 1r-150r A single column of 13 lines.
102 × 60 mm.
ff. 151r-181v A single column of 13-15 lines.
102-117 × 60-80 mm.
Hand(s)
ff. 1r-150r were copied by Neophytos (Hand A) in mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right,
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 absentt. Use of the double dot is functional only,
and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes
joined to letters, breathings, abbreviations and nomina sacra
strokes.
Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower and middle commas, question
mark and
full stop.
Headings are written in the same style in red ink.
ff. 151r-181v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right, in black
ink, with modest variation
in letter size.
Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings
are
round and mute iota is absent. There is occasional decorative use of the
double dot, and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents and
breathings are often omitted or misused.
Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, middle comma and full stop.
Headings are written in the same style in red ink.
Decoration
The beginnings of texts on ff. 1r and 39r are preceded by headpieces outlined in black ink, with infill in
red and blue paint and gold. The beginnings of the texts on ff. 67r
and 121r are preceded by headpieces in the same style, with
yellow paint in place of gold. That on f. 101r is preceded by a
headpiece with only the black ink outline. The beginnings of texts on ff. 143r and 151r are preceded by simple horizontal
snake and plait designs outlined in red ink.
The texts on ff. 1r and 39r begin with major initials in the same style as the headpieces, outlined in black
ink, with infill in red and blue paint and gold. Those on ff. 67r,
101r, 121r and
143r begin with initials in red ink.
Smaller ornamented initials in red ink occasionally begin sections (e.g. ff.
122v, 128r). Sections
on ff. 151r-158v and 180v-181r begin with simple minor initials in red ink, within lines as well as at their
beginning. Some have been gilded, but much of the gold has been abraded.
Punctuation marks on ff. 180v-181v have
been made in red ink and gilded.
Additions
There are a number of notes, monocondylia and pen-trials on ff. [iv] recto-[iv] verso, 177v, 180v and 181v-182r, including a reference
to the Patriarch of Jerusalem on f. [iv] recto, ‘Αγαγοιος ελέου Θεοῦ πατροιάρχης, της αγείας πολεος, Ιερουσαλημ’, on f. 180v the name of the hieromonachos Nektarios, ‘Νικταρίου ἰγἐρωμοναχα’, and on f. 181v that of the
priest Antonios, ‘Ἀντονίου ἰἐρεὠς’. On ff.
181v-182r there are also sketches of pieces of ornament; another such sketch appears on
f. 150v. A large piece of ornament has been drawn more
carefully on f. 175r.
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.
154 × 109 × 35 mm.
The manuscript was rebound by Cambridge University in 2021, using the existing boards and covering material. Much of the
covering material of the spine had been lost, and this has been repaired with paper.
Origin:
Most of this manuscript (ff. 1r-150) was copied by the hieromonachos
(priest and monk) Neophytos. As recorded by his colophon on f.
100v, the text up to that point was completed on 17 November 1643, at St George's church or monastery in
Neochori.
The remainder of the manuscript was copied by a second hand, whose colophon on ff. 174v-175r records that the work up to this point was completed in
1642 on board a ship from a place called
St Cyril's, having been commissioned by an aristocrat (archon) named Armagos.
Provenance and Acquisition
Donated by the antiquary
Roger Gale (1672-1744)
in 1738.
