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 R.9.9

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12037

Contents

Introduction: The manuscript is an incomplete copy of the Strategemata of Polyaenus (2nd century CE). It was copied by Georgius Moschus in late 15th or early 16th century, and donated to the CUL by the bishop of London Cuthbert Tunstall (1474-1559): the donation note remains on f. [ii] recto. It later entered into the Wren Library from a donation of Thomas Nevile (ca. 1548-1615), Master of Trinity College (1593-1615). A number of scholars have read the manuscript and one of them left a trace of the regret of not being able to read the whole text of Polyaenus: ‘O factum male!’ (f. 94v). The royal librarian to King James VI and I, and King Charles I, Patrick Young (1584-1652), selected some variant reading from the Trinity College manuscript and they are now preserved in the manuscript Leiden, Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, Voss. Misc. 8 , ff. 18r-24r. The manuscript was also used by Pancratius Maasvicius (1658-1719) for his edition (Leyden 1690). Dr Matteo Di Franco

Language(s): Greek

ff. 1r-94v
Polyaenus, Stratagems in War (defective at the end) Strategemata
Rubric: f. 1r Πολυαίνου στρατηγικῶν βιβλίον πρῶτον
Incipit: f. 1r Τὴν μὲν κατὰ Περσῶν καὶ Παρθυέων νίκην ἱερώτατοι βασιλεῖς Ἀντωνῖνε καὶ Οὐῆρε, παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἕξετε
Explicit: f. 94v λύτρα μεγάλα λαβὼν, τοὺς μὲν ἀπέλυσεν· αὐτὸς δὲ τὰ χωρία φρουράρχοις δοὺς, ἐπάρας ἀπηλλάγη||

  • Book 1: ff. 1r-16r
  • Book 2: ff. 16v-32r
  • Book 3: ff. 32r-47v
  • Book 4: ff. 47v-69v
  • Book 5: ff. 70r-89r
  • Book 6: ff. 89r-94v

TLG 0616.001

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1r-90v, western paper, folded in quarto. Watermarks: Scale in a circle ( 66 × 43 mm. ) centre of folio comparable to Briquet 2449 ; Scale in a circle with a star ( 73 × 40 mm. ) centre of folio comparable to Briquet 2452 ; ff. 91r-[iv] verso, western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Two concentric circles ( 40 × 35 mm. ) centre of folio comparable to Briquet 3128 . Watermarks of this shape are in use in late 15th and early 16th century.
Extent: Codex: i + 1 + 94 + 2 + i leaves. 280 × 195 mm.
Foliation: [i-ii] + 1-94 + [iii-v]; Modern foliation in pencil in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right corner from f. 2r.

Collation

The manuscript is tightly bound, but mapping the distribution of the watermarks is reasonable to assume that the manuscript consists of 10 quires:
  • Quires 1-910 ff. 1r-90v
  • Quire 106 ff. 91r-[iv] verso
A single signature in Greek numeral in brown ink survives on the upper right-hand corner of f. 71r, consistent with the collation: Ηʹ.

Condition

In good condition; pages are yellowed and slightly stained.

Layout

ff. 1r-94v: written space 200 × 125 mm. 28 lines per page.

Hand(s)

The manuscript was copied by Georgios Moschos (RGK I 67) active between the end of 15th and the beginnig of 16th century in a mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in black ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings usually appear only at the end of lines, but occasionally elsewhere. Breathings are round and mute iota is used. Horizontal strokes appear over names.

The modern nu and sigma telikon are present. Enlarged lunate sigma wrap around the following letters. Beta appears in its bilobate shape, with the top loop smaller than the lower. The upper curve of minuscule delta is often extended obliquely.

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

Decoration

Small colored initial in red ink throughout the manuscript.

Additions

f. [ii] recto: title and donation note.

f. 94v: ‘λειπει o factum male!’

Binding

Couched-laminate boards, red leather label on spine, with title (‘Polyaeni Stratag.’) tooled in gold. Text block edges are colored in red.

298 × 215 × 24 mm.

History

Origin: The manuscript was copied by Georgios Moschos (RGK I 67; II 88; III 111). The combination of watermarks indicates that it was produced in late 15th or early 16th century.

Provenance and Acquisition

Originally donated to the University Library by Cuthbert Tunstall (1474-1559) , bishop of London, as recorded on f. [ii] recto: (‘Cuthebertus Londiniensis episcopus studiosis dono dedit’). The manuscript was borrowed to Roger Ascham (1515-1568) by a Grace of the year 1539/40 (Luard 40). It was eventually donated to the Trinity College by Thomas Nevile (ca. 1548-1615) , Dean of Canterbury (1597-1615), Master of Trinity College, Cambridge (1593-1615), during his mastership.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2020) draws on M.R. James, The Western Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge, vol. 2, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1901, p. 252.

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

    Medieval libraries of Great Britain: a list of surviving books Medieval libraries of Great Britain Royal Historical Society guides and handbooks, Ker, N.R. (London, Offices of the Royal Historical Society, 1964) Three Sixteenth-Century Catalogues of the University Library Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, Oates, J.C.T.Pink, H.L. (1, 4, 310-340, 1952, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41336969) Codices Vossiani graeci et miscellanei Codices manuscripti Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. Bibliotheek, Meyier, K. A. de (Lugduni Batavorum, In Bibliotheca Universitatis, 1955)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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