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.15.36

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12047

Contents

Introduction: The manuscript contains a rich collection of Greek astrological and divinatory texts. Among them there are various texts of onomancy, divination based on the subject's name, and, mostly, geomancy, the divination based on the interpretation of figures drawn on the basis of a casual number of points made in the earth or sand with a chisel. Various of the texts are still unpublished. The same collection of texts, in the same order, is found in MS Firenze, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 86.14 , copied by the Florentine scribe Lorenzo Zanobi Ciatti (D. Speranzi, 'Tra Creta e Firenze. Aristobulo Apostolis, Marco Musuro e il Riccardiano 77', in: Segno e Testo 4 (2006), pp. 191-210,, 204 note 47; see also Rapisarda-Calcagno 2016, pp. 154-155 and note 10) in the 15th century. Among the geomantic texts, MS R.15.36 contains a still unpublished treatise, Ἡ τέχνη τοῦ λαξευτηρίου ('The art of the chisel'; the term has been read as referring to the object used for tracing the geomantic shapes), which is a translation in Greek from Latin, made by Nicholas of Otranto (1219-1235; as a monk he took the name of Nectarius), who became abbot of the well-known Byzantine monastery of Casole, in Southern Italy (on this text see A. Delatte, L. Delatte, 'Un traité byzantin de géomancie', in: Mélanges Franz Cumont (Annuaire de l'Institut de Philologie et d'Histoire Orientales et Slaves 4), 1936, pp. 575-658, J.M. Hoeck, R.J. Loenertz, Nikolaos-Nektarios von Otranto Abt von Casole. Beiträge zur Geschichte der ost-westlichen Beziehungen unter Innozenz III. und Friedrich II. (Studia Patristica et Byzantina 11), Passau 1965, pp. 69-74, Rapisarda-Calcagno 2016, pp. 167-169, Giannachi 2017, pp. 221-222, with bibliography). The script, and the decoration seem to indicate an origin for this manuscript in the 14th century, in the region of Otranto in Southern Italy, the same milieu where the geomantic text of Nicholas/Nactarius was composed. Dr Erika Elia

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 1r-2r
Astrological texts about the position of the sun and the moon in the Zodiac

The same texts are present in this manuscript on ff. 3r-4r; the text, unpublished, is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 27r-28r

1.1. f. 1r
Rubric: f. 1r l. 1 Μέθοδος τοῦ γνῶναι, ποίω ζωδίω[sic] ἴστ⟨αται ὁ ἥλιος καὶ⟩ πόσων μοιρῶν ἐστίν
Incipit: f. 1r Κράτισον[sic] ἀπὸ μηνὸς σεπτεμβρίου ἠμέρα λ΄
Explicit: f. 1r l. 16 καὶ τόσων μοιρῶν ἐστίν
1.2. ff. 1r-2r
Incipit: f. 1r l. 17 Δωδεκαπλασίασον
Explicit: f. 2r l. 22 οἴκου τοῦ Διός

A title has been added by another hand, Διὰ τῆς σελήνης μέθοδός ἐστιν αὐτή

2. ff. 2r-2v
Magical recipes
Incipit: f. 2r l. 22 Πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιθυμήσαι ἄνδρα γυναικὸς, καὶ γυναῖκα ἀνδρός. Χοίριον[sic] γάλλα[sic] λαβών
Explicit: f. 2v τοὺς μυκτείρας χρείε[sic]

Ed. A. Delatte, Anecdota Atheniensia, 1, Liège-Paris 1927, p. 625 (the published text does not contain the last 5 lines of the text in the manuscript)

3. ff. 3r-4r
Astrological text about the position of the sun and the moon in the Zodiac

The same text is present in this manuscript on ff. 1r-2r; the text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 27r-28r

3.1. f. 3r
Rubric: f. 3r l. 1 Μέθοδος τοῦ γνῶναι ἐν ποίω ζωδίω[sic] ἴσταται ὁ ἥλιος καὶ πόσων μοιρῶν ἐστίν
Incipit: f. 3r Κράτισον[sic] ἀπὸ μηνὸς σεπτεμβρίου ἠμέρα λ΄
Explicit: f. 3r l. 13 καὶ τόσων μοιρῶν ἐστίν
3.2. ff. 3r-4r
Rubric: f. 3r l. 14 Ἡ δὲ τῆς σελήνης μέθοδος ἔστιν αὔτη
Incipit: f. 3r Δωδεκαπλασίασον
Explicit: f. 4r οἴκου τοῦ Διός
4. ff. 4v-7r
Prognostica ratio euangelii et psalterii
Rubric: f. 4v Μέθοδος προγνωστικὴ, τοῦ ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου καὶ τοῦ ψαλτηρίου, ποίημα κυροῦ Λέωντος[sic] τοῦ σοφοῦ
Incipit: f. 4v Λαβὼν τὸ ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον ἢ τὸ ψαλτήριον
Explicit: f. 7r l. 6 εἰς τὸ ἐνάντιον[sic] μετὰ τρέπει[sic]

The text is attributed to Leo VI, Emperor of the East (866-912) , called the Wise or Philosopher

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 28v-30r

Ed. (from MS Laur. Plut. 86.14) F. Filimon, 'The prediction method by means of the Holy Gospel and the Psalter: a late Byzantine case of a reassigned geomantic text', in: P. Magdalino, A. Timotin (ed.), Savoirs prédictifs et techniques divinatoires de l'Antiquité tardive à Byzance, Seyssel 2019, pp. 235-301 : 286-292; MS R.15.36 is indicated as C

5. f. 7r
Astrological text on how to know the Zodiac sign of birth
Rubric: f. 7r l. 7 Πῶϛ ὀφείλειϛ εὐρεῖν[sic] τὸ ζώδιον[sic] ἐν ὧ[sic] ἐγεννήθηϛ
Incipit: f. 7r Λάβε τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ ὀνόματός σου
Explicit: f. 7r l. 30 ἐστίν ὧ[sic] ἐγενήθεις[sic]

The text is unpublished; it is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 30rv

6. ff. 7v-9v
Geomantic text

The text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 30v-32r

6.1.
Rubric: f. 7v l. 1 Εὐχὴ τοῦ Λαξευτηρίου
Incipit: f. 7v Ὁ ἀμέτριτον[sic] ἔχων τὴν δύναμιν
Explicit: f. 7v l. 16 καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων, ἀμήν
6.2. ff. 7v-9v
Incipit: f. 7v l. 17 Σχῆμα πρῶτον ἐστὶν ἡ ὀδός
Explicit: f. 9v l. 7 καὶ ἡγείας[sic] ἀπόλειαν[sic]
7. ff. 9v-10r
Rubric: f. 9v l. 8 Ἑρμηνεία
Incipit: f. 9v Γίνοσκε[sic] ὅτι ῥίζα τοῦ ῥαμπλίου
Explicit: f. 10r l. 2 καὶ τὰ ιβ΄ σχήματα

Ed. Mélanges Franz Cumont, Bruxelles 1936, pp. 594-597

The text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 32r-32v

8. ff. 10r-11v
Rubric: f. 10r l. 3 Ἑρμήνεια τῶν ιβ΄ σχημάτων
Incipit: f. 10r Ὅτι τὸ α΄ δηλ⟨οῖ⟩ εἰς τὴν ζωήν[sic]
Explicit: f. 11v l. 2 τὴν σύναξιν

The text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 32v-34r

9. ff. 11v-15v
Astrological text
Incipit: f. 11v l. 22 Περὶ ὑγείας. Ἐν παραδείγματι
Explicit: f. 15v l. 3 κάρκινος[sic] μόνος μόνης
10. f. 15v
Prayer
Rubric: f. 15v l. 3 Εὐχὴ τοῦ αὐτοῦ
Incipit: f. 15v Παντοκράτωρ Θεὲ οὐράνιε
Explicit: f. 15v l. 8 ἐπὶ τῆ[sic] ζητουμένη[sic] μου γνώσει, ἀμήν
11. ff. 15v-16r
Arithmetic onomantic tables
Rubric: f. 15v l. 9 Τοῦ Πυθαγόρου πληνθίδες[sic]

The text is constituted by onomantic calculations in tables; in the manuscript it is attributed to Pythagoras

Ed. Notices et extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Nationale et autres bibliothèques, 31, 2, p. 251 (= J.-L. Heiberg, H.-G. Zenthen (eds.), Paul Tannery, Mémoires scientifiques, 9, p. 38)

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 37r-38r, see also D. Bassi, F. Cumont, E. Martini, A. Olivieri, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum graecorum, 4, Bruxelles 1903, p. 41

12. ff. 16r-16v
Geomantic text
Rubric: f. 16r Μικρὸν λαξευτήριον [...]
Incipit: f. 16r Περὶ τελιώσεως[sic]
Explicit: f. 16v περὶ δευτερογαμίας

Ed. P. Tannery, Notices et extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Nationale et autres bibliothèques, 31.2, Paris 1886, p. 258 no. 10 (= J.-L. Heiberg, H.-G. Zenthen (eds.), Paul Tannery, Mémoires scientifiques, 9, p. 47 no.10)

13. ff. 17r-19r
Onomantic text attributed to Pythagoras
Rubric: f. 17v Ψῆφος Πηθαγορικὸς[sic] πρὸς τὸ γνῶναι περὶ μονομαχίας τὶς νικήσει καὶ τὶς ἡττᾶται [...]
Incipit: f. 17v Πυθαγόρας Εἰλιάδει[sic] χαίρειν. Πολλὰ καταμαθὼν
Explicit: f. 19r καὶ μόνα βλέπε

  • f. 18r Περὶ γάμου
  • f. 18r Περὶ ἀπολέσαντος
  • f. 18r Περὶ τοῦ γνῶναι τὸν κλέπτην
  • f. 18r Περὶ ἀρόστου[sic] εἰ ζήσει ἢ κινδυνεύει
  • f. 18v Περὶ προτελευτῆς

The text is attributed to Pythagoras and is accompanied by tables

Ed. P. Tannery, Notices et extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Nationale et autres bibliothèques, 31.2, , Paris 1886, pp. 248-250 no. IV, 256-258 no. 3-5, 8 (= J.-L. Heiberg, H.-G. Zenthen (eds.), Paul Tannery, Mémoires scientifiques, 9, pp. 35-37, 45-46, 47, 49-50); the text ends differently from the edition

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 38r-39v

14. ff. 19v-26r
Various astrological texts and tables on the four elements and on the signs of the Zodiac

The texts are also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 40r-45r

14.1. f. 19v
Rubric: f. 19v l. 1 Περὶ στοιχείων
Incipit: f. 19v Τέσαρα[sic] εἰσὶν τὰ στοιχεία
Explicit: f. 19v l. 4 τῆς θαλάσσης εὖρος

See C.O. Zuretti, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum graecorum, 11.2, Bruxelles 1934, p. 135

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 40r

14.2. f. 19v
Rubric: f. 19v l. 5 Περὶ τῶν ιβ΄ ζῳδίων πόθεν ἔχων[sic] τὴν γένησιν
Incipit: f. 19v Ἐκ τοῦ πυρός
Explicit: f. 19v l. 25 ζυγός
Final rubric: f. 19v Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τῶν ιβ΄ ζῳδίων

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 40r

14.3. ff. 19v-22v
Incipit: f. 19v l. 26 Ἡμέρᾳ κυριακῇ ὥρᾳ α΄ Ἡλίου
Explicit: f. 22v l. 18 ἔπεται ἰχθύς

See Zuretti 1934 , pp. 126-131 with differences

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 40r-42v

14.4. ff. 22v-23r
Astronomical text on the planets
Rubric: f. 22v l. 19 Περὶ ἀστρονομίας ἐποχῆς τοῦ κρόνου[sic]
Incipit: f. 22v Εἰσὶν ζ΄ πλανείται[sic]
Explicit: f. 23r l. 14 τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰσίν

The text, unpublished, is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 42v-43r

14.5. f. 23r
Incipit: f. 23r l. 15 Ἡ κυριακῆ ἔχει ἀριθμὸν φνθ΄
Explicit: f. 23r l. 17 ὁ σαββάτον ἔχει ἀριθμὸν ωογ΄

See Zuretti 1934 , p. 125

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 43r

14.6. ff. 23r-23v
Rubric: f. 23r l. 18 Aὕτη ἐστὶν ἑρμηνεία τοῦ ὀρολογίου[sic]
Incipit: f. 23r Μηνὶ ἰανουαρίῳ καὶ δεκεμβριῳ ὥρᾳ α΄ πόδες κη΄
Explicit: f. 23v ὥρᾳ ια΄ πόδες κβ΄

See I. Heeg, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum graecorum, 5.3, Bruxelles 1910, pp. 77-78 and F. Boll, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum graecorum, 7, Bruxelles 1908, pp. 189-190

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 43r-43v

14.7. f. 23v
Incipit: f. 23v l. 23 Μηνὶ μαρτίῳ κα΄ ἰσημερία
Explicit: f. 23v l. 35 ξηρὸν τὸ πῦρ

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 43v-44r

14.8. ff. 23v-24r
Incipit: f. 23v l. 36 Τεσσάρων στοιχείων ὄντων
Explicit: f. 24r l.13 τὸ ὑγρόν

See Boll 1908, pp. 102-104 and Zuretti 1934, p. 135

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 43v-44r

14.9. ff. 24r
Incipit: f. 24r l. 13 Ἀγαθοποιεῖ μὲν οὖν ο Ζεύς
Explicit: f. 24r l. 23 δυσσωπούμενοι[sic]

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 44r

14.10. ff. 24r-26r
Rubric: f. 24r l. 24 Περὶ πολεύωντος[sic] καὶ διέποντος ἀστέρος ἀστέρα

In the margin, in red ink, by the scribe: ἡμέρ⟨ᾳ⟩ Κρόνου σα⟨ββάτῳ⟩, with the symbol of Saturn

Incipit: f. 24r Κρόνου πολεύωντος[sic] καὶ διέποντος
Explicit: f. 26r ἡμέρᾳ δ΄ ὥρᾳ α΄||

The text ends imperfectly, as indicated by the scribe in red ink with λύπει[sic] (for λείπει)

The text is similar to Boll 1908, pp. 90-95

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 44r-45v

15. f. 27r
Geomantic treatise
Rubric: f. 27r Περὶ σεισμῶν, καὶ τῶν δι' αὐτῶν προγνώσεων ἐκ τῶν οὐρανίων ζωδίων[sic] λαμβάνων καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου
Incipit: f. 27r Ἀπριλλίῳ μηνὶ Ἡλίου ὄντος ἐν Κριῷ
Explicit: f. 27r οἱ βασιλεῖς ἔσονται ἄτιμοι||

The text, attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, is incomplete, ed. Boll 1908, pp. 167-171: 167-168 l. 20

The text is also present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 45v

16. ff. 27v-28r
Astrological treatise on the seven planets
Rubric: f. 27v Ὡρολόγιον τῶν ἑπτὰ πλανήτων
Incipit: f. 27v Ὅτι ὁ Κρόνος
Explicit: f. 28r l. 23 οὐκ ἐπ' αὐτῆ[sic] τελευτίσει[sic]

The text is partially published in Zuretti 1934, pp. 132-133

The text is present also in MS Laur. Plut 86.14, ff. 46r-46v

17. ff. 28r-29r
De natura hominis
Rubric: f. 28r l. 24 Περὶ συστάσεως τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Incipit: f. 28r Συνίσταται ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τεσάρων[sic] στιχείων[sic]
Explicit: f. 29r l. 10 ξηρᾶς κράσεως καὶ ὑγρᾶς.

The text is present also in MS Laur. Plut 86.14, f. 46v

18. f. 29r
Rubric: f. 29r l. 10 Ὅροι σφιγμῶν ιβ΄ κράσεως ψυχρᾶς καὶ ὑγρᾶς
Incipit: f. 29r Ὁ μὲν ἕκτος λακτίζει
Explicit: f. 29r l. 15 πληροῦται.

The text is present also in MS Laur. Plut 86.14, f. 47r

19. f. 29r
Ages of man
Incipit: f. 29r l. 16 Ἑπτὰ εἰσὶν κατὰ ἀτρονόμους αἱ τοὺ ἀνδρὸς ἠλικίαι
Explicit: f. 29r l. 24 τότε Κρόνω[sic].

See F. Boll, 'Die Lebensalter', in: Neue Jahrbücher für das klassische Altertum, Geschichte und deutsche Literatur und für Pädagogik, , 21, 1913, p. 120 l. 2

The text is present also in MS Laur. Plut 86.14, f. 47r

20. f. 29r-29v
Rubric: f. 29r l. 25 Πρὸς τὸ εὑρεθύναι[sic] τὸν κλέπτην
Incipit: f. 29r Λαβὼν τὸ λευκὸν τοῦ ὠοῦ μίνξον[sic] μετὰ μολίβδου
Explicit: f. 29v l. 9 ὅπισθεν τῆς θύρας.

Εd. A. Delatte, Anecdota Atheniensia, 1, Liège-Paris 1927, pp. 625-626

21. ff. 29v-47v l. 17
Nicolaus de Casulis -1235, The Art of the Scalpel (long version) Ἡ τοῦ λαξευτηρίου τέχνη

The attribution of all the collection of texts to Nikolaos-Nektarios of Casole is doubtful; only the prologue was certainly written by him (see J.M. Hoeck, R.J. Loenertz, Nikolaos-Nektarios von Otranto Abt von Casole. Beiträge zur Geschichte der ost-westlichen Beziehungen unter Innozenz III. und Friedrich II. (Studia Patristica et Byzantina 11), Passau 1965, pp. 69-74). Also the extension of the work is not clear (the manuscripts do not seem to give precise limits): on the basis of internal elements, it is thought possible that the collection encompassed also the texts which are itemised here as 22-29, (see Hoeck-Loenertz 1965, who did not mention R.15.36 as a manuscript containing the texts, but refer to MS Laur. Plut. 86,14, which has the same contents). The question needs more research; the division here proposed tries simply to follow the succession of titles in the manuscript

Above the frieze preceding the title there is a sentence written in red by the scribe repeating the author: Ποίημα Νεκταρίου καθηγουμένου τῶν Κασούλων

This version of the text is unpublished; see C.O. Zuretti, Catalogus codicum astrologorum graecorum, 4, Bruxelles 1903, pp. 75-76 and Rapisarda-Calcagno 2016, pp. 154-155 notes 8-9, and p. 160; just a part is published in A. Delatte, L. Delatte, 'Un traité byzantin de géomancie', in: Mélanges Franz Cumont (Annuaire de l'Institut de Philologie et d'Histoire Orientales et Slaves 4), 1936, pp. 575-658: 597 l. 15-616 l. 16

21.1. ff. 29v-31r
Rubric: f. 29v l. 10 Νικολάου Ὑδρούσης προοίμιον, εἰς τὴν τοῦ λαξευτηρίου τέχνην· ἐξελινιστήσαν[sic] παῤ αὐτοῦ ἐκ Ῥωμαικῆς διαλέκτου, Χαλδαίαν οὔσαν τὸ πρὶν, καὶ συνταχθήσαν[sic] ἔκ τε ἄλλων βίβλων ἑλλινικῶν[sic] σποράδην, εἴδη[sic] ὑπάρχουσαν
Incipit: f. 29v Τοῖς μετοιαῖνε[sic] τι τῶν οἰωνοῦν ἀγαθῶν βουλομένοις
Explicit: f. 31r l. 1 ἐκλέξας αὐτῶ ἀντιγράφω[sic]
21.2. ff. 31r-47v
Rubric: f. 31r l. 2 Ἰδοῦ σὺν Θεῶ[sic] τῆς περὶ τοῦ λαξευτηρίου ὑποθέσεως ἄρξωμεν
Incipit: f. 31r Ἧς καὶ πεῖραν
Explicit: f. 47v l. 17 τέλος καλὸν

A. Delatte, L. Delatte, Un traité byzantin de géomancie, in: Mélanges Franz Cumont (Annuaire de l'Institut de Philologie et d'Histoire Orientales et Slaves 4), 1936, pp. 575-658: 597 l. 15-616 l. 16

22. ff. 47v-49r
Geomantic treatise
Rubric: f. 47v l. 18 Πάλιν περὶ τῶν σχημάτων σημασίας
Incipit: f. 47v Δέον εἰδέναι ὅτι τῶν ιϛ΄ ἡμερῶν
Explicit: f. 49r l. 15 τὴν τούτων σαφοίνιαν[sic]

Εd. A. Delatte, L. Delatte, Un traité byzantin de géomancie, in: Mélanges Franz Cumont (Annuaire de l'Institut de Philologie et d'Histoire Orientales et Slaves 4), 1936, pp. 575-658: 616 l. 17-618 l. 30 (from MS Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, gr. 2419, ff. 232v-233r), where this text is part of the same Byzantine treatise of geomancy which comprises also an extract from Nicolaus de Casulis' work (here ff. 31r-47v), and the geomantic texts of ff. 47v-49r, 50r-51v and 52r-53r

23. ff. 49r-50r
Geomantic treatise, attributed to Buseth
Rubric: f. 49r l. 16 Νοήματα Βουσὴθ φιλοσόφου περὶ σημασίας σχημάτων
Incipit: f. 49r Ὁ Ἥλιος ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ οἴκω[sic]
Explicit: f. 50r l. 14 ἔσται καλή

The text is unpublished; the same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 63r ss. and in MS Oxon. Auct. T.5.8, f. 196, attributed to Σηβός

24. ff. 50r-51v
Geomantic text
Rubric: f. 50r l. 16 Πρὸς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν τύχην εἴτε τὴν εἱμαρμένην ἑκάστης ἡμέρας
Incipit: f. 50r Ἡνίκα βούλει γνῶναι τὴν εἱμαρμένην ἑκάστης ἡμέρας
Explicit: f. 51v l. 7 ἐξ ἴσου ἀριθμοῦ τὸ γενόμενον

Ed. A. and L. Delatte 1936, pp. 619 l. 14-621 l. 22, where this text is part of the same Byzantine treatise of geomancy which comprises also an extract from Nicolaus de Casulis' work (here ff. 31r-47v), and the geomantic texts of ff. 47v-49r, 50r-51v and 52r-53r

25. ff. 51v-52r
Geomantic text
Rubric: f. 51v l. 7 Περὶ τῆς τῶν σχημάτων συμπλοκῆς
Incipit: f. 51v Τέσσαρα τῶν ἀνωτέρω ῥηθέντων σχημάτων
Explicit: f. 52r l. 3 ὑδατώδε

Τhe same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 63r and Oxford, Bodleian library, MS Auct. T.5.8, f. 212r

26. ff. 52r-53r
Geomantic text
Rubric: f. 52r l. 3 Πάλιν περὶ τῆς αὐτῶν ποιότητος
Incipit: f. 52r Ὁ γελάστης, ἡ ὑπόκυψις
Explicit: f. 53r l. 20 πᾶσιν φόβος γενηθεῖ[sic]

Ed. A. and L. Delatte 1936, pp. 621 l. 23-623 l. 31, where this text is part of the same Byzantine treatise of geomancy which comprises also an extract from Nicolaus de Casulis' work (here ff. 31r-47v), and the geomantic texts of ff. 47v-49r, 50r-51v and 52r-53r

27. ff. 53r-54r
Geomantic text
Rubric: f. 53r l. 21 Περὶ τῶν μερῶν, τῶν ἐν ταῖς γέναις[sic], καὶ ἐν πᾶσι ζητίμασι[sic], ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου
Incipit: f. 53r Ῥηταίον[sic] περῖ τῶν μερῶν τῆς τύχης
Explicit: f. 54r l. 2 κρίναι εὐκαίρως δηλοῖ

Ed. A. and L. Delatte 1936, pp. 624-625 l. 8, where this text is part of the same Byzantine treatise of geomancy which comprises also an extract from Nicolaus de Casulis' work (here ff. 31r-47v), and the geomantic texts of ff. 47v-49r, 50r-51v and 52r-53r

28. ff. 54r-56r
Various geomantic texts

  • f. 54r ll. 3-11 Περὶ τοῦ γνῶναι ζωὴν τινός
  • f. 54r ll. 12-26 Περὶ μοιχείας ἠ[sic] πορνίας[sic] γυναικός
  • ff. 54r l. 27-54v l. 4 inc. Ὀπόταν[sic] ἑρωτιθείς[sic]
  • f. 54v ll. 5-11 Ἄλλο πρὸς τὸ νοεῖσαι[sic] τὶς ἠ[sic] πεῦσις τοῦ ἐλθόντος διὰ τὸ[sic] ἑροτῆσαι[sic]
  • f. 54v l. 11 Καὶ τοῦτο εὖρον ἐγὼ Νικόλαος ἀληθὲς ἐκ πείρας

Τhe same texts are present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 67v-68r

29. ff. 56r-85v
Geomantic treatise
Rubric: f. 56r l. 16 Ἀρχὴ τῶν κεφαλαίων ἐν τῆ σημασία[sic] τῶν σχημάτων ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου
Incipit: f. 56r Ἡ εἴσοδος καὶ ἡ ἔξοδος
Explicit: f. 85v καὶ παντὶ ἔργω ἀγαθῶ[sic]

A. and L. Delatte 1936, p. 625 l. 9-658, where this text is part of the same Byzantine treatise of geomancy which comprises also an extract from Nicolaus de Casulis' work (here ff. 31r-47v), and the geomantic texts of ff. 47v-49r, 50r-51v and 52r-53r, 53r-54r

Τhe same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 69v-94r

30. f. 86r
Astrological treatise
30.1. ff. 86r-86v
Rubric: f. 86r Κύκλος τοῦ Πετοσιρι

Diagram

In the upper margin, by another hand, in black ink, ‘ Petosiris’

30.2. ff. 87r-87v
Ἐπιστολὴ Πετοσίρεως φιλοσόφου πρὸς Νεκεψὼ βασιλέα
Rubric: f. 86r Πετοσήρις[sic] Νεψεχὼ[sic] Νεχεψὼ τιμιωτάτω[sic] βασιλεῖ χαίρειν
Incipit: f. 87r Περὶ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου τῶν ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ εὑρημένων
Explicit: f. 87v l. 27 ὁ κίνδυνος ἢ οὔ

The text here ends differently than the printed one

TLG 0995.006 (A. Olivieri, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum, 4: 'Codices Italici', Brussels 1903, pp. 120-121; see also C.O. Zuretti, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum, 11.2: 'Codices Hispanienses', Brussels 1934, p. 152 ss.)

31. ff. 87v-88r
Οnomantical text
Rubric: f. 87v l. 27 Ψῆφος τῶν ἐβδοματικῶν ἡμερῶν ἀκριβῆς διαγνωσικὸς ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου
Incipit: f. 88r Μάθε ποίαν ἡμέραν
Explicit: f. 88r ἀλλὰ κατάκλησις

Εd. P. Tannery, Notices et extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque nationale et autres bibliothèques, 31.2, pp. 259-260 (= J.-L. Heiberg, H.-G. Zenthen (eds.), Paul Tannery, Mémoires scientifiques, 9, Paris 1886, p. 47 no.10)

The text is followed by a diagram (see Tannery 1886, p. 260)

32. f. 88v
Epistula, fragmentum
Incipit: || f. 88v οἱ καὶ πρώτερον
Explicit: f. 88v τῆν πολυχρονίαν
33. ff. 89r-121r
Geomantic text
Rubric: f. 89r Ἀρχὴ τῶν τοῦ λαξευτηρίου κρίσεων ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου
Incipit: f. 89r Πρῶτον περὶ συνάξεως. Ἡ σύναξις ἀφ’ἑαυτῆς
Explicit: f. 121r l. 17 φροντὶς μεγάλη
Final rubric: f. 121r l. 17 Τέλος

The text is still unpublished

34. f. 121r
Diagram with explanation
Rubric: f. 89r Σημεῖα οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς
Incipit: f. 89r Εἰς τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὰ δ΄ μέρη αὐτῆς
Explicit: f. 121r l. 17 σχῆμα τοιόνδε

The text accompanies a diagram of the structure of heaven and Earth, partially coloured in red, with the inscription: Ἱστορία Διονισίου[sic] τοῦ Ἀρεοπαγίτου

The text echoes, with some differences, Cosmas Indicopleustes , Topographia Christiana (TLG 4061.002), book 4 section 3

35. f. 121v
Epigram (Anth. Pal. App. III, 239)
Incipit: f. 121v Κριὸς προηγός ἐστιν ἀρχή τε χρόνου
Explicit: f. 121v οἱ δ’ Ἰχθύες, δήλωσις ἰχθύων γένους

The text is accompanied by a diagram with the zodiac

36. f. 122r
Noah's ark with explanation
Rubric: f. 122r Ἡ κιβωτός ὴν[sic] ὀ[sic] δίκαιος Νώε κατεσκεύασεν
Incipit: f. 122r Πατρὸς ὀρθοδόξου
Explicit: f. 122r κρανίου τόπῳ

The text accompanies an illustration of Noah's ark; the same text is found in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 120v

37. f. 122r
Calculation of years from Adam until Constantine
Incipit: f. 122r Ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ ἕως τοῦ κατακλισμοῦ
Explicit: f. 122r μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου ἔτη

The text accompanies an illustration of Noah's ark; the same text is found in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 121r

38. f. 122r
Rubric: f. 122r Περὶ τοῦ γνῶναι ἄρωστον
Incipit: f. 122r Ἡμέρᾳ α΄ τῆς Σελήνης
Explicit: f. 122r ὁ κατακληθεῖς ταχαίως ἐγερθήσεται

The same text is found in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 121r

See, different, C.O. Zuretti, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum, 11,2, Bruxelles 1934, p. 151

39. f. 122v
Rubric: f. 122v Περὶ διαγνώσεως ἀρόστου[sic] καὶ τῶν γενομένων παίδων
Incipit: f. 122v Τῆς σελήνης αἰ[sic] ἠμέραι[sic]
Explicit: f. 122v καὶ ἀτυχεῖ

The text is accompanied by a diagram with title Αἱ τῆς σελήνης πεφωτισμένης ἠμέραι[sic]

The same text, with the diagram, is found in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 121r-121v; see Zuretti 1934, p. 154

40. ff. 123r-128r
Geomantic treatise
Rubric: f. 123r Ἀπὸ τῶν κρίσεων, ἀπὸ ἑτέρου βιβλίου
Incipit: f. 123r Ἐν ἄλλῳ οὕτω ὀρίζει
Explicit: f. 128r l. 16 ἄλογον καλόν.

The same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 122r-126v

41. ff. 128r-132r
Geomantic treatise
Rubric: f. 128r l. 17 Ἀρχὴ σὺν θεῷ τῶν συντόμων κρίσεων
Incipit: f. 128r Περίοδοι πορίας
Explicit: f. 132r μέσου βαθμοῦ οὐκ ἔσται.

The same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 127r-133r

42. ff. 132v-133r
Calendrical meteorological text attributed to the prophet Esdras
Rubric: f. 132v Ἐσδρὰ τοῦ προφήτου· κάλανδα ἠκριβωμένα τῆς εὐδομάδος
Incipit: f. 132v Κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ εἰ γένονται κάλανδα
Explicit: f. 133r l. 19 καὶ μέλιτος λήψις[sic].

Ed. R. Wünsch, 'Zu Lydus de ostentis', in: Byzantinische Zeitschrift 5,3 (1895), pp. 410-421: 419-420; M. Boissonade, 'Traité alimentaire du médecin Hiérophile, extrait de deux manuscrits de la Bibliothèque du Roi', in: Notices et extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Nationale et autres bibliothèques, 11,2, Paris 1827, pp. 186-187

The same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 134r-134v

43. ff. 133r-136r
Cassianus Bassus, Geoponica, extract
Rubric: f. 133r l. 20 Περὶ τοῦ ζῳδιακοῦ κύκλου καὶ ὅσα ὁ Ζεὺς ἀπιτέλει[sic] τοὺς ιβ΄ οἴκους τοῦ ζῳδιακοῦ κύκλου καὶ περὶ τοῦ δωδεκαετήρου Διός
Incipit: f. 133r Ὁ ζῳδιακὸς κύκλος τέμνεται εἰς δώδεκα οἴκους
Explicit: f. 133r l. 19 γένονται[sic] σησμοί[sic].

The text is an extract from Cassianus Bassus' Geoponica, H. Beckh, Geoponica, Leipzig 1895, pp. 21-28, book 1 ch. 12

The same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 134v-137r

44. ff. 136v-137r
John, of Damascus, Expositio fidei, excerptum
Rubric: f. 136v Περὶ ἀνθρώπου
Incipit: || f. 136v Οὕτω μὲν οὖν τὴν νοητὴν οὐσίαν
Explicit: f. 137r l. 7 ἀλύπον[sic] ἀμέριμνον.||

The text is an exceprt from John of Damascus' Expositio fidei, P.B. Kotter, Die Schriften des Johannes von Damaskos, 2, Berlin 1973, pp. 75-76, 26 linn. 1-25

The same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 137r

TLG 2934.004

45. f. 137r
Diagramma zonarum
Rubric: f. 136v Ζῶναι οὐρανίαι εἰσὶν ἑπτὰ· ἐν μὲν τῇ πρῶτῃ ὁ κρόνος

The same diagram is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, f. 137v

46. ff. 137v-139v
Astronomical treatise
Rubric: f. 137v Ἀρχὴ σὺν θεῷ τῆς ἀστρονομίας
Incipit: f. 137v Ἰδοῦ βλέπομεν, ὅτι ὁ οὐρανὸς
Explicit: f. 139v φέγγος[sic] ὑγρὸν ἔνι ὅλον||

The text is accompanied by a diagram on f. 137v; it comprises some titles:

  • f. 138v Περὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ζωνῶν
  • f. 139v Περὶ ἐπομβρίας
; it ends imperfectly due to the loss of leaves

The same text is present in MS Laur. Plut. 86.14, ff. 137v-142v

On this text, a collection of cosmological and atronomical texts, which comprises a text about the heaven, a text about the structure of the Earth, and a version of the astronomical text of Peter the Philosopher (on this last text, see A.-L. Caudano, '«Le ciel a la forme d'un cube ou a étédressé comme une peau» : Pierre le Philosophe ou l'orthodoxie du savoir astronomique sous Manuel 1er Comnène', in: Byzantion 81 (2011), pp. 19-73), see A.-L. Caudano, 'Cosmologies et cosmographies variées dans les manuscrits byzantins tardifs', in: Byzantion 85 (2015), pp. 1-25 (MS Trinity R.15.36 is not mentioned)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1-139 Eastern paper ff. [i]-[ii], [iii]-[iv] Western paper, folded in quarto, with traces of a watermark with a cross and letters ‘ A C’ (only half of it is visible). These are later endleaves which came with the binding.
Extent: Codex: ii + 139 + ii leaves. 220 × 145 mm.
Foliation:

Modern pencil foliation, in Arabic numerals, in the upper margin, right; two later endleaves at the beginning and two at the end of the manuscript are unnumbered: [i]-[ii] + 1-139 + [iii]-[iv].

Collation

The manuscript consists mainly of quaternions.

  • 2 later endleaves ff. [i]-[ii]
  • Quire 18-1 ff. 1-7(α΄)
  • Quire 28 ff. 8-15(β΄)
  • Quire 38-2 ff. 16-21(γ΄. 2 stubs indicate the loss of the 2nd and 6th leaves)
  • Quires 4-108 ff. 22-77(δ΄-ι΄)
  • Quires 11-178 ff. 78-133
  • Quire 186 ff. 134-139
  • 2 later endleaves ff. [iii]-[iv]

Greek signatures in red ink by the scribe in the lower margin of the first recto and last verso of the quires, not visible throughout the whole manuscript, from α΄ (1, f. 7v), to ι΄ (10, f. 70r).

Condition

The edges of the leaves are very fragile. Some leaves are partially detached along the gutter; on the internal margin of f. 7v has been pasted a paper strip with Greek script in black ink, coming from another manuscript, probably in order to reinforce the leaf. The lower right margin of f. 104r has been cut. Along the edges of the leaves there are passim traces of red ink, from the colouring of the edges (see e.g. f. [i] recto).

Layout

The layout is not regular, a single column of 29 to 32 lines. 180 × 110 mm.

Hand(s)

ff.1r-139v Hand A: the texts have been written by a single hand in a minuscule script of small size, upright, cursive, fluent; the script and the decoration of the manuscript point to an origin in the Italian region of Otranto, the script is similar to the barocca otrantina (on this script see D. Arnesano, La minuscola «barocca». Scritture e libri in Terra d'Otranto nei secoli XIII e XIV, Galatina 2008) of the XIV century .

The text is written in a light brown ink; titles and initials in red. The scribe did not use iota subscript and made frequent errors.

In the margins throughout there are titles written in a minuscule script by a later hand, see e.g. f. 1r.

Decoration

The decoration is simple and has been traced by the scribe. On f. 4v there is a headpiece with a geometrical motif of rhombuses, partially coloured in red ink; there is a smaller one on f. 45r. On f. 24r there is a small headpiece coloured in red ink containing a geometrical pattern in negative.

There are various friezes in red ink:

  • ff. 60v, 87r, 91v, 122r, 123r, 133r, formed by alternating motifs of small commas and two parallel lines, with vegetal motifs at both ends (on f. 122r the frieze is used as a line-filler)
  • ff. 1r, 3r, 3v, 7v, 17v, 22v, 29v, 36v, 43v, 89r, 47v, 50r-50v, 54r, 68r, 77v, 89r, 132v rope motifs in red or brown ink
  • ff. 3r, 46r, 69r, 128r chain motifs
  • ff. 20r-20v, 41v ribbons with knots, or, ff. 20v-22v simple ribbons
  • ff. 23r-23v, 42r undulated linear motifs

Thick initials in ekthesis, in red ink, with a very simple geometrical decoration. A few initials are more elaborately decorated, see e.g. ff. 39v, 43r, 74v (anthropomorphic).

Some of the texts are accompanied by diagrams of simple execution, sometimes with particulars coloured in red, see ff. 84v, 86r, 121r, 121v, 122r, 137r, 137v, and by tables, which sometimes show decorated frames, see ff. 15v, 16r, 18v, 19r, 84v-85v, 88r, 122v, 128r-132r.

Additions

On the left pastedown is written the present shelfmark ‘ R.15.36’.

In the lower margin of f. 1v two incomplete decoration motifs with a geometrical pattern of rhombuses have been traced in the same ink of the text.

On f. 2v there are scattered notes, written transversa charta in Latin alphabet (pen trials).

Scattered notes in Greek are present in the lower margin of f. 3r.

Scattered notes in Greek by hands with a limited writing education are present throughout the manuscript, see ff. 9v, 16v, 17r.

On f. 26v there is a note in Greek mentioning the year 1531.

Binding

Western binding, full leather cover over pasteboards. Blind tooling on the boards' edges. Gold tooling on spine with title ‘ Nectarii Astronomia Gr.’, ‘ MS’; on the spine are pasted three paper labels with the shelfmark, ‘ R’, ‘ 15’, ‘ 36’. Edges coloured in red; on the foredge, in the upper part, is written in black ink the number ‘ 8’ (?). 232 × 155 × 50 mm.

History

Origin:

The manuscript is not dated. On the basis of the script, it can be dated probably to the 14th century, possibly the first half; the use of eastern paper is in line with this date.

Provenance and Acquisition

In all likelihood, it was donated to the Library by Thomas Nevile (ca. 1548-1615) , Master of Trinity College and Dean of Canterbury, in the years 1611-1612 (for the provenance fron Nevile, see James 1900, pp. xxii and 147; for the date of the donation see P. Gaskell, Trinity College Library: the first 150 years. The Sandars Lectures 1978-9, Cambridge 1980, p. 81). On the left pastedown is pasted the Trinity College bookplate. Stamps of Trinity College Library are present on ff. 1r, 6r, 314r.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2020) draws partly on M. R. James, The Western Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College Cambridge, vol. 1, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1900, p. 147, and on S. Weinstock, Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum, 9.2, Bruxelles 1953, pp. 48-54.

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, Cambridge: a descriptive catalogue, James, M. R. (Cambridge, 2, Cambridge University Press, 1901) Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum. Tomus IX Pars II. Codices Britannicos, Weinstock, Stefan (Bruxelles, In aedibus Academiae, 1953) Il Manoscritto Plut. 86.14 della Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana di Firenze Byzantinische Zeitschrift, Rapisarda, S.Calcagno, A. (109, 151-178, 2016) Learning Greek in the land of Otranto: Some remarks on Sergio Stiso of Zollino and his school Teachers, Students, and Schools of Greek in the Renaissance, Giannachi, F. G.Ciccolella, FedericaSilvano, Luigi (213-223, 2017) The prediction method by means of the Holy Gospel and the Psalter: a late Byzantine case of a reassigned geomantic text Savoirs prédictifs et techniques divinatoires de l'Antiquité tardive à Byzance, Filimon, Florin (Seyssel, 235-301, La Pomme d'Or, 2019)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

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Cambridge Digital Library

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