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.16.5

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12048

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript contains a compendium of Aristotle by George Pachymeres (1242-ca. 1310), patriarchal official, historian and scholar, best known for his history of the reigns of Michael VIII and Andronikos (1260-1308). Most of this work is still unpublished; in 1560 a Latin translation of the whole work was published in Basle. The codex was copied in the first half of the 16th century, in Italy, by Bartolomeo Zanetti (1486/1487-at least 1547), a prolific scribe and printer, active in Venice, Florence and Rome. Dr Erika Elia

Language(s): Greek

ff. 1r-355v
George Pachymérès, 1242-approx. 1310, In universam Aristotelis philosophiam epitome

Ed. lat. P. Bechius, Georgii Pachymerii Hieromnemonis in universam fere Aristotelis philosophiam epitome (Basle, 1560)

ff. [i] recto-[ii] verso are blank

Quire 16 ( ff. 118-125) has been sewn upside down, before the modern foliation was made, probably when the manuscript received a new binding; as a consequence the text is upside down and in the wrong order.

1.1. ff. 1r-2v
Prooemium
Rubric: f. 1r Προοίμιον τοῦ συγγραφέως· καὶ πίναξ τοῦ παρόντος βιβλίου
Incipit: f. 1r Ἦν χρόνος, ὅτε φιλοσοφία σχολάζων
Explicit: f. 2v ὡς ἐν τύπω[sic] περιέχοντα θεωρήματα.
1.2. ff. 3r-7r
Table of contents
Incipit: f. 3r Βιβλίον πρῶτον τὸ ὄργανον· τίτλος πρῶτος
Explicit: f. 7r κεφάλαιον κ΄. Διὰ τὶ τὰ φερόμενα ἐν τῶ δινουμένω[sic] ὕδατι, καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς καὶ ὅσα ἐν τούτοις ἄλλα ἠπόρηταί τε καὶ λέλυται

In the upper margin of f. 3r is written, in the scribe's hand, in red ink, αἱ πέντε φωναί

f. 7v is blank

1.3. ff. 8r-60r
Book 1
Rubric: f. 8r Πόνημα Γεωργίου διακόνου πρωτοδίκου[sic] δικαιοφύλακος τοῦ Παχυμερίου. Βιβλίον αον
Incipit: f. 8r Κεφάλαιον αον τίτλος αος. Προοίμιον εἰς φιλοσοφίαν. Γηννᾶται παρ' Ἡσιόδω[sic]
Explicit: f. 60r καὶ ἡ λογικὴ πραγματεία σὺν θεῶ[sic] πεπλήρωται.
1.4. ff. 60v-86r
Book 2
Rubric: f. 60v Βιβλίον δεύτερον, ἡ φυσικὴ ἀκρόασις
Incipit: f. 60v Τίτλος α΄. Τίς ὁ σκοπὸς τοῦ βιβλίου. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Ὁ σκοπὸς τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου
Explicit: f. 86r ἧς αὐτὸς ἀριθμὸς γενέσεως δὲ καὶ τοῦ εἶναι κατὰ συμβεβηκός.
1.5. ff. 86v-109v
Book 3
Rubric: f. 86v Βιβλίον τρίτον τὸ περὶ οὐρανοῦ
Incipit: f. 86v Σκοπός ἐστιν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ βιβλίῳ
Explicit: f. 109v ὀλίγον τόπον περιλαμβάνουσι, καὶ θᾶττον καταδύονται.
1.6. ff. 110r-120v
Book 4
Rubric: f. 110r Βιβλίον τέταρτον, τὸ περὶ γενέσεως καὶ φθορᾶς· περὶ τῶν φύσει γινομένων καὶ φθειρομένων
Incipit: f. 110r Tίτλος α΄, κεφάλαιον α΄. Πολὺς παρὰ τοῖς φιλοσόφοις
Explicit: f. 120v καὶ ἄλλως ἡ σάρξ ἢ ὁ μυελὸς, ξηρά.

Due to misplacement of the quaternion formed by ff. 118r-125v, which was sewn upside down, the order of the leaves does not correspond to the order of the text, which is ff. 117v, 125v, 125r, 124v, 124r, 123v, 123r, 122v, 122r, 121v, 121r, 120v, 120r, 119v, 119r, 118v, 118r, 126r

1.7. ff. 120r-152v
Book 5
Rubric: f. 120r Βιβλίον πέμπτον τῶν μετεωρικῶν
Incipit: f. 120r Tίτλος α΄, περὶ τῶν δύο ἀναθυμιάσεων, κεφάλαιον α΄. Θερμαινομένης τῆς γῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου
Explicit: f. 152v ἐξ ὧν προηγουμένως τὰ στοιχεῖα συνίστανται.

Due to misplacement of the quaternion formed by ff. 118r-125v, which was sewn upside down, the order of the leaves does not correspond to the order of the text, which is ff. 117v, 125v, 125r, 124v, 124r, 123v, 123r, 122v, 122r, 121v, 121r, 120v, 120r, 119v, 119r, 118v, 118r, 126r

1.8. ff. 153r-169v
Book 6
Rubric: f. 153r Βιβλίον ἕκτον περὶ ζώων[sic] μορίων
Incipit: f. 153r Tίτλος α΄. Ὅτι ὄργανα ψυχῆς τὰ μόρια τοῦ σώματος. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Ἐχόμενος δ' ἂν εἴη
Explicit: f. 169v καὶ ἡ φύσις τοῖς γένεσι πρὸς τὸ βέλτιστον πάντα ἐμηχανήσατο.
1.9. ff. 170r-207r
Book 7
Rubric: f. 170r Βιβλίον ἕβδομον, τὸ περὶ ψυχῆς
Incipit: f. 170r Tίτλος πρῶτος. Δόξαι τῶν παλαιῶν περὶ ψυχῆς. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Τούτων δὲ διωρισμένων
Explicit: f. 207r καὶ ἄρρητον οἰκονομίαν τῆς φύσεως.
1.10. ff. 207v-231v
Book 8
Rubric: f. 207v Βιβλίον ὄγδοον περὶ αἰσθήσεως καὶ αἰσθητῶν
Incipit: f. 207v Tίτλος αος. Τίνα κοινὰ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Τὸν περὶ ψυχῆς σὺν θεῶ[sic] πληρῶσασι λόγον
Explicit: f. 231v σχεδὸν τελευτῶσιν εἰς τὰς ἰατρικὰς ἀρχάς.
1.11. ff. 232r-248v
Book 9
Rubric: f. 232r Βιβλίον ἔννατον τὸ περὶ γενέσεως ζώων[sic]
Incipit: f. 232r Tίτλος α΄. Διαίρεσις τῶν ζώων[sic]. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Ἤδη δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ τῷ ἐσχάτω[sic]
Explicit: f. 248v καὶ ὅλως διὰ τίνα αἰτίαν γίνεται ταῦτά ἐστιν.
1.12. ff. 249r-280r
Book 10
Rubric: f. 249r Βιβλίον δέκατον, τὸ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά
Incipit: f. 249r Tίτλος αος. Περὶ τῶν πρώτων αἰτίων. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Μετὰ τὰ φυσικά καὶ τὴν περὶ τούτων διδασκαλίαν
Explicit: f. 280r οὐ κινεῖται δὲ, δέδεικται κἀνταῦθα, καὶ ἐν τῆ[sic] φυσικῆ[sic].

ed. Pappa 2002

1.13. ff. 280v-321r
Book 11
Rubric: f. 280v Βιβλίον ἐνδέκατον, τὰ ἠθικὰ, ἤτοι τὰ Νικομάχεια
Incipit: f. 280v Tίτλος πρῶτος. Περὶ τῆς κατ' ἄνθρωπον ἀρετῆς. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Τὰ μὲν θεωρητικὰ ὧν τὸ τέλος ἀλήθεια
Explicit: f. 321r καὶ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον τύπον, τῷ ὄντι μακάριος.

f. 321v is blank

1.14. ff. 322r-355v
Book 12
Rubric: f. 322r Βιβλίον δυοδέκατον. Περί τε χρωμάτων, περί τε τῶν ἀτόμων γραμμῶν. Καὶ τῶν τοῦ φιλοσόφου μηχανικῶν
Incipit: f. 322r Tίτλος α΄. Περὶ τῶν ἁπλῶν χρωμάτων. Κεφάλαιον α΄. Ἁπλὰ τῶν χρωμάτων ἐστὶν, ὅσα τοῖς στοιχείοις
Explicit: f. 355v εἰς τοῦτο δὴ ἀθροίζεσθε.
Final rubric: f. 355v Τέλος

f. 339v is blank

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Western paper, folded in folio Watermarks: ff. 1-233 Anchor in a circle surmounted by a six-point star, with countermark ‘ TC’ surmounted by a clover ( 68 × 40 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, identical to Sosower Ancre 96, which is dated to ca. 1550-1552 (Rome). ff. 234-355 Anchor in a circle surmounted by a six-point star, with countermark ‘ B E’ ( ca. 67 × ca. 43 mm. ) , identical to Sosower Ancre 49, which is dated to ca. 1553. ff. [i -[ii], [iii]-[iv] western paper, folded in folio, no watermarks.
Extent: Codex: ii + 355 + ii leaves. 350 × 240 mm.
Foliation:

Modern pencil foliation, in Arabic numerals, in the upper margin right, from 1 to 355: ff. [i]-[ii] + 1-355 + ff. [iii]-[iv].

Collation

The manuscript consists of quaternions and a few senions. It was not possible to ascertain the quire structure for ff. 1-7: the sewing is not visible, the quires are not numbered and the position of the watermark and countermark does not permit a definitive answer.

  • 2 endleaves ff. [i], [ii]
  • ff. 1-7
  • Quires 1-38 ff. 8-31
  • Quire 46 ff. 32-37
  • Quires 5-178 ff. 38-141
  • Quire 186 ff. 142-147
  • Quires 19-258 ff. 148-203
  • Quire 266 ff. 204-209
  • Quires 27-418 ff. 210-329
  • Quire 4210 ff. 330-339
  • Quires 43-448 ff. 340-355
  • 2 endleaves ff. [iii]-[iv]

Vertical catchwords by the scribe, written from top down, in the lower margin of the last leaf of each quire, near the gutter.

Condition

The manuscript is in good condition. There are brown stains, see f. 1. The upper external corner of f. [i] is missing. Quire 16 ( ff. 118-125) has been sewn upside down, before the modern foliation was made, probably when the manuscript received a new binding; as a consequence the text is upside down and in the wrong order.

Layout

A single column of 30 lines. 225 × 125 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. 1r-355v Hand A: Bartolomeo Zanetti (1486/1487-1547 at least) (Bartholomaeus Zanettus, RGK I, 31; on him also RGK II 43; RGK III, 56)

The text is written in brown ink; titles and initials in red.

Decoration

Various small friezes in red ink, characteristics of the production of Bartolomeo Zanetti, precede titles:

  • an undulating linear frieze with clover leaves at both ends on ff. 1r, 3r, 5v, 8r, 86v, 110r, 120r, 153r, 170r, 207v, 232r, 249r, 280v, 322r, 340r
  • a small frieze formed by small alternating motifs of lines and circles on ff. 4r-5v, 6r
  • a double-line frieze with geometrical motifs on f. 6v.

Simple thick initials in ekthesis in red ink, see e.g. f. 15v.

Initials in ekthesis, in red ink, decorated with a simple vegetal motif, see e.g. f. 110r.

The text is accompanied by geometrical diagrams (see f. 35v). On f. 142v there is a coloured diagram representing a rainbow. A coloured diagram is present also on f. 146v.

Additions

In the upper margin of f. 1r in brown ink, are written the shelfmark and a title in Latin, ‘ R.16.5 Pachimerii Opus’.

Binding

Modern western binding. Full leather cover over pasteboards. On the spine, gold tooling on a red square with title ‘Pachimerii | Opus’ and three paper labels with the shelfmark. The edges are coloured in red. 365 × 255 × 75 mm.

The cover has scraps, and is worn particularly around edges and corners.

Accompanying Material

Between ff. 321 and 322 is preserved a paper fragment ( ca. 48 × 16-19 mm. ): on one side there are traces of writing in Latin alphabet, in a brown ink, ‘ …ui | …Divid… ’.

Another paper fragment ( ca. 54 × 11-15 mm. ) is preserved between ff. 335v-336r: it also has some traces of brown ink on one side, but nothing is readable.

History

Origin:

The manuscript was copied by the scribe Bartolomeo Zanetti in Italy. The watermarks allow us to date the copy to around the 1550s.

Provenance and Acquisition

The manuscript was owned by Thomas Nevile (ca. 1548-1615) , Master of Trinity College and Dean of Canterbury; in the list of manuscripts donated to the College by Nevile contained in the Trinity College Memoriale (Trinity MS R.17.8), made in about 1614, it can be identified with the entry ‘ Pachymerii opus Philosophicum’ (p. 91).

The manuscript was donated to the Library by Thomas Nevile (ca. 1548-1615) , in the years 1611-1612 (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). In the list of manuscripts donated to the College by Thomas Nevile, contained in the Trinity College Memoriale (MS Trinity R.17.8) , made in about 1614, it can be identified with the entry ‘ Pachymerii opus Philosophicum’ (p. 90). On the left pastedown is pasted the Trinity College bookplate; Trinity College Library bookplate in the external margin of f. 1r. On ff. 1r and 355v there are stamps of Trinity College Library.

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 Press, 1901), vol. 2, p. 384.

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) 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) Repertorium der griechischen Kopisten, 800-1600. I. Grossbritannien Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Byzantinistik, Gamillscheg, ErnstHarlfinger, Dieter (Wien, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1981) Signa officinarum chartariarum in codicibus graecis saeculo sexto decimo fabricatis in bibliothecis hispaniae, Sosower, Mark L. (Amsterdam, Adolf M. Hakkert, 2004) Georgios Pachymeres, Philosophia. Buch 10, Kommentar zur Metaphysik des Aristoteles, editio princeps Corpus philosophorum Medii Aevi. Commentaria in Aristotelem Byzantina, Pappa, Eleni (Athēnai, Akadēmia Athēnōn Kentron, 2002)

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The Polonsky Foundation

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