Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.9.4

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12023

Introduction: This manuscript, probably copied in the last thirty years of the 17th century, is a copy of the commentary on Aristotle's Metaphysics by the 5th-century Neoplatonist philosopher Syrianus. The author was a native of Alexandria who studied at the Academy of Athens. He wrote commentaries, some of which are now lost, on various works of Aristotle and Plato, as well as on rhetorical and esoteric texts, and was the teacher of Proclus, the most important late Neoplatonist. The commentary on the Metaphysics is the most important surviving work of Syrianus. This copy, in a western European hand and probably produced in England, contains at the end an alphabetical list of names and texts mentioned in the work, perhaps an uncompleted index. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Syrianus, In metaphysica commentaria

Filiation: The manuscript was probably a copy of Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct. T.1.16 (Misc. 194) .

Rubric: p. 1 Συριανοῦ τοῦ φιλοξένου, περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τῆς μετὰ τὰ φυσικὰ Ἀριστοτέλους πραγματείας λογικῶς ἠπορημένων καὶ διαίτης ἠξιωμένων

Incipit: p. 1 Ἐν τῷ μείζονι αʹ τίς ἡ παροῦσα σκέψις εἰπών, ὅτι ἡ τοῦ ὄντος ᾗ ὄν

Explicit: p. 219 πολλῶν δὲ ῥηθέντων ἐφ’ἑκάτερα λόγων, κρατοίη τῆς τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων διανοίας, τὰ ἀληθέστερα καὶ θεοφιλέστερα

Final rubric: p. 219 Τέλος

TLG 4017.001

p. 220 is blank

On f. [vi] recto the copyist has written the author's name: ‘Συριανος Αλεξανδρευς’.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Western paper, folded in folio. Watermark: Fleur-de-lis ( 62 × 47 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, comparable to Heawood 1670, 1672, but with a different countermark (HD). These examples are dated to 1683-1688.

Extent: Codex: vi + 110 + vi leaves. 296 × 184 mm.

Foliation: The manuscript is paginated with the numbers [i-vi] + 1-220 + [vii-xii], in brown ink, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.

Collation

It was not possible to determine the quire structure definitely.

Condition

There is some creasing, slight water staining and areas of dirt.

Layout

A single column of 29-30 lines. 253 × 130 mm.

Hand(s)

The Greek text was copied in a western European mixed minuscule script, slanting to the right, in brown ink.

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

Decoration

On f. [vi] recto is a drawing in ink of a bird.

On ff. [v] recto and [vi] recto are simple friezes in brown and red ink.

Additions

f. [iv] recto are notes in Greek and Latin including references to Simplicius's commentary on Aristotle's Physics.

Also marked on f. [iv] recto are the current classmark and the former classmarks 332, H.18 and O.10.22, the latter two struck through.

On ff. [vii] recto and [viii] recto-[viii] verso is an alphabetical list of names and works cited in the text, perhaps intended as an index but never supplied with page references.

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.

302 × 195 × 24 mm.

History

Origin: The manuscript was probably copied between about 1670 and 1700, as suggested by the watermark. This is consistent with the style of script.

Provenance and Acquisition

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, Montague Rhodes (Cambridge, 3, Cambridge University Press, 1902)

Inventaire des manuscrits grecs d'Aristote et de ses commentateurs: contribution à l'histoire du texte d'Aristote., Wartelle, André (Paris, Société d'édition Les belles lettres, 1963)

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.9.4

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