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.10.12

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12028

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript contains the Conics of the Greek mathematician Apollonius of Perga (fl. 200 BCE). The work, which became canonical for the study of conics, originally comprised eight books. Only the first four survive in Greek; Books 1 to 7 are extant in Arabic; the eighth is lost. This manuscript also contains the commentary by the Neo-Platonist Eutocius of Ascalon (early 6th century CE). The codex is formed of two parts, which are distinguishable on the basis of the scribal hands, the type of paper, and the size of the leaves. Each part has a separate pagination. The first part (pp. 1:1-1:[161e]) contains the text of Conics by Apollonius of Perga. The text was copied by several hands (at least nine) in the 17th century, as is shown by the watermarks of the paper. The scripts suggest moreover that the scribes were of western European origin. The Conics were copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Savile 7 ( Decorps-Foulquier (2001), p. 113), which dates to the first quarter of the 17th century. The Commentary on Apollonius's Conics by Eutocius is preserved in the second part of MS O.10.12 (pp. 2:1-2:[50]). It was copied by a single scribe of western European origin, in England, from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Barocci 169 ( Decorps-Foulquier and Federspiel (2014), p. lxxxiii). Dr Erika Elia

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: i + 109 + 1 leaves. 303-320 × 190-205 mm.
Foliation:

Each part of the manuscript has been paginated. Leaves forming part I are paginated from 1 to [162]: Arabic numerals in brown ink and in pencil in the upper margin right, only on the recto of the leaves. There are a few errors in the pagination: the numbering of the rectos passes from p. 1:83 to p. 1:84, hence we have pp. 1:83, 1:[83a], 1:84, 1:[84a]; the numbering of the rectos passes from p. 1:153 to p. 1:157, hence we have pp. 1:153, 1:[154], 1:157, 1:[158]. After p. 1:[162] there are 3 unnumbered blank leaves, pp. 1:[162a]-1:[162f]. Leaves forming part II are paginated from 1 to 49 [50]: Arabic numerals in brown ink in the upper margin right, from 1 to 48, the number 49 has been written in pencil, p. [50] is unnumbered. One unnumbered endleaf at the beginning and at the end of the manuscript. f. [i] + pp. 1:1-1:[82], 1:83, 1:[83a], 1:84, 1:[84a], 1:85-1:[154], 1:157-1:[162], 1:[162a]-1:[162f] + 2:1-2:49, 2:[50] + f. [ii].

Condition

The leaves have not been trimmed and have varying dimensions; the edges are worn and damaged. The margins of the larger leaves are yellowed. The right board is detached from the text block.

Binding

Modern binding, paper cover over millboard; parchment on spine, where are pasted three paper labels with the shelfmark ‘ O’, ‘10’, ‘ 12’. 330 × 215 × 18 mm.

The right board is detached from the text block.

Accompanying Material

f. [i] is a later endleaf, which probably came with the binding. It is made of western paper, thick, folded in folio, and shows a watermark of the type Pro Patria, which was used in the 18th century, see Heawood nos. 3695-3718.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

The manuscript was donated to the Library by Roger Gale (1672-1744) in 1738. On the lower right corner of p. 1:3 is pasted the Trinity College bookplate.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.10.12, pp. 1:1-1:[162f]]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. pp. 1:1-1:[162]
Apollonius of Perga, Conica Conics
Rubric: p. 1:1 Ἀπωλλωνίου Περγαίου κωνικῶν πρῶτον
Incipit: p. 1:1 Ἀπολλώνιος Εὐδήμῳ χαίρειν
Explicit: p. 1:[162] κατὰ πάσας οὖν τὰς ἐνδεχομένας διαστολὰς δῆλόν ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν δεδειγμένων τὸ προτεθέν.

  • pp. 1:1-1:55 Book 1
  • pp. 1:[56]-1:[90] Book 2
  • pp. 1:91-1:[132] Book 3
  • pp. 1:133-1:[162] Book 4

The scribes left blank spaces for diagrams, which were not realized

Filiation: The text was copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Savile 7 ( Decorps-Foulquier (2001), p. 113)

TLG 0050.001

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Western paper, folded in folio. Watermarks: pp. 1:1-1:[24], 1:45-1:[52], 1:65-1:[78], 1:111-1:[148] Lily in a shield surmounted by a crown, with countermark ‘ P B (?) ’ ( 60 × 45 mm. ) in the centre of the leaf, no exact parallels found in the main repertoires, but it is comparable, with some differences, to Heawood Fleur-de-lys 1673-1674 , which are dated around 1691. pp. 1:25-1:[36] Horn in a cartouche , in the centre of the leaf, the watermark is not clearly visible, see the type Heawood Horn 2664-2702 , which are dated in the years 1651-1730. pp. 1:41-1:[44] Horn in a cartouche ( 55 × 45 mm. ), in the centre of the leaf, comparable to Heawood Horn 2670 , which is dated ca. 1665-1680. pp. 1:53-1:[64] Horn in a cartouche ( 80 × 50 mm. ), in the centre of the leaf, no exact parallels found in the main repertoires. pp. 1:79-1:[98] Coat of arms formed by, from the bottom, the number ‘ 4’, a circle with letters ‘ F P (?)’, a shield with bend and two towers with scrollworks at both sides, a circle containing a cross, vertically superposed and surmounted by a crown ( 78 × 45 mm. ), in the centre of the leaf, no exact parallels found in the main repertoires. pp. 1:99-1:[102] Watermark, not identified. pp. 1:1-103-1:[110] Watermark, not identified. pp. 1:149-1:[158] Horn in a cartouche in the centre of the leaf, the watermark is not clearly visible. pp. 1:147-1:[148], 1:161-1:[161g] Various types: leaves without watermarks, a leaf with a horn in a cartouche, leaves with letters ‘ P B’.
Extent: Codex: 84 leaves. ca. 305-315 × ca. 190-205 mm.
Foliation:

The leaves are paginated in Arabic numerals from 1 to 161, in brown ink in the upper margin right, only on the recto; after the leaf marked as pp. 1:81/1:[82] there are two leaves which, probably by mistake, have been numbered respectively 83 and 84, pp. 1:83/1:[83a], 1:84/1:[84a]; number 155 is missing in the series, without a leaf having been lost; after p. 161 there are 3 blank unnumbered leaves; pp. 1:1-1:[82], 1:83, 1:[83a], 1:84, 1:[84a], 1:85-1:[154], 1:157-1:[162], 1:[162a]-1:[162f].

Collation

The collation is not clearly observable. Sewing is not visible, and there is no numbering of the quires (see Signatures). Tentatively, on the basis of watermarks and the leaves' dimension, it can be reconstructed as follows :

  • Quires 1-36 pp.1:1-1:[36]
  • Quires 4-52 pp. 1:37-1:[44]
  • Quire 64 pp. 1:45-1:[52]
  • Quire 76 pp. 1:53-1:[64]
  • Quire 86+1 pp. 1:65-1:[78]( one leaf added at the end)
  • Quire 94-1 pp. 1:79-1:[83a]( one leaf missing, no loss of text)
  • Quires 10-112 pp. 1:84-1:[90]
  • Quire 124 pp. 1:91-1:[98]
  • Quires 13-152 pp. 1:99-1:[110]
  • Quires 16-172 pp. 1:111-1:[118] ( It could also be: Quire 16 4 )
  • 2 single leaves pp. 1:119-1:[122]
  • Quire 186 pp. 1:123-1:[134]
  • Quire 194-1 pp. 1:135-1:[140]
  • Quires 20-212 pp. 1:141:[148]
  • Quire 224 pp. 1:149-1:[158]
  • pp. 1:159-1:[162f], no structure identifiable on the basis of watermarks

Passim there are signatures in Latin letters in the centre of the lower margin of the recto of the leaves:
  • A p. 1
  • B p. 13
  • D p. 37
  • I p. 99
  • K p. 111
  • M p. 135
  • N p. 147.
These however do not seem to indicate quires: it is evident, for example, in the case of letter D, which does not indicate a single quire, but the succession of two bifolia and a binion, as clearly attested by the watermarks and the different measures of the leaves. Some of the various hands who copied the text wrote horizontal catchwords in the lower margin of each page.

Layout

Irregular layout, changing with every different scribe, a single column of 35-49 lines. Text lines are passim traced in pencil (see pp. 1:39-1:[52]), and in brown ink (see pp. 1:84-1:[86]).

Hand(s)

pp. 1:1-1:[10] Hand A: a minuscule script, slightly slanting to the right, by a western European hand. There is an evident contrast between thick and thin lines; the form of the letters tends to be rounded.

The text is written in a brown ink.

pp. 1:11-1:[24], 1:37-1:[52] Hand B: a minuscule script, slightly slanting to the right, by a western European hand. There is contrast between thick and thin lines.

The text is written in a brown ink.

pp. 1:25-1:[36] Hand C: a minuscule script, vertical, by a western European hand.

The text is written in a grey/black ink.

pp. 1:53-1:[66] Hand D: a minuscule script, slanting to the right, by a western European hand.

The text is written in a brown ink.

pp. 1:67-1:[78] Hand E: a minuscule script, vertical, by a western European hand.

The text is written in a brown ink.

pp. 1:79-1:[98], 1:149-1:[162] Hand F: a minuscule script, vertical, by a western European hand. There is contrast between thick and thin lines; uprights and oblique strokes tend to be prolonged between lines.

The text is written in a brown ink.

pp. 1:99-1:[110] Hand G: a minuscule script, by a western European hand.

The text is written in a black ink.

pp. 1:111-1:[120], 1:135-1:[148] Hand H: a minuscule script, slanting to the right, by a western European hand.

The text is written in a brown ink.

pp. 1:121-1:[134] Hand I: a minuscule script, by a western European hand. The script is similar to that of hand H, but forms are rounder.

The text is written in a brown ink.

Additions

On p. 1:1, in the left margin, are written in brown ink the old mark ‘ E. 18’ (erased with a line), and number ‘ 279’, and the present shelfmark ‘ O.10.12’.

History

Origin:

The manuscript was copied by nine scribes of western European origin in England, from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Savile 7 ( Decorps-Foulquier (2001), p. 113). Since this mansucript was copied in the first quarter of the 17th century ( Decorps-Foulquier (2001), p. 113 with cited bibliography), the copy of the first part of MS O.10.12 can be dated to the 17th century (after c. 1625).

Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS O.10.12, pp. 2:1-2:[50], f. [ii]]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

2. ff. 2:1-2:[50]
⟨Eutocius of Ascalon⟩ , Commentary to Apollonius' Conics books 1-4 Commentaria in conica
Incipit: p. 2:1 Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ γεωμέτρης ὦ φίλε ἑταῖρε Ἀνθέμιε
Explicit: p. 2:[50] ἡ ἄρα Ε τομὴ οὐδεμιᾷ τῶν ΑΔ ΒΗ τομῶν συμπεσεῖται.
Filiation: The text was copied from Oxford, Bodleian Library, Barocci 169 (Decorps-Foulquier - Federspiel 2014, p. lxxxiii)

There are no diagrams

TLG 4072.004

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Western paper, thick, folded in folio. Watermarks: pp. 2:1-2:[50], f. [ii] Coat of arms with two lions, a shield with three ‘ X’, surmounted by a crown, with countermark ‘ IV’ ( 10 × 90 mm. ), in the centre of the leaf, comparable to Heawood Coat of arms 429-430 , which are dated to 1665 (the second is N.D.).
Extent: Codex: 25 leaves. 318 × 208 mm.
Foliation:

Pagination in brown ink, in Arabic numerals, in the upper margin right, from 1 to 48, the numbers 1 and 49 have been written in pencil, p. [50] is not numbered; pp. 2:1-2:[50] + f. [ii]

Collation

The collation is not clearly observable. Sewing is not visible, and there is no numbering of the leaves

Layout

A single column of 27-30 lines. There is no lower margin 285-290 × 140-155 mm.

Hand(s)

pp. 2:1-2:[50] Hand J: a minuscule script, slightly slanting to the right, by a western European hand. There is a tendency to rounded uprights, and a contrast between thick and thin lines.

The text is written in a brown ink.

Additions

On f. [ii] verso have been traced random notes, mathematical calculations, geometrical figures (circles) etc.

History

Origin:

The manuscript was copied by a single scribe of western European origin in the 17th century in England, from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Barocci 169 ( Decorps-Foulquier and Federspie (2014), p. lxxxiii). The watermark suggests that the copy could be dated perhaps more precisely around the years 1655-1675.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2021) draws partly on M.R. James, The Western Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College Cambridge (Cambridge: Cambridge University Library, 1902), vol. 3, p. 509.

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) La tradition manuscrite du texte grec des Coniques d'Appollonios de Pergé (livres I-IV) Revue d'Histoire des Textes, Decorps-Foulquier, M. (31, 61-116, 2001) Eutocius d’Ascalon: Commentaire sur le traité des "Coniques" d'Apollonius de Perge (Livres I-IV) Scientia Graeco-Arabica, , , (Berlin/Boston, De Gruyter, 2014)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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