Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, University Library, MS Add. 1879.22

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 77973

Introduction: This fragment consists of about half of a folio, which was probably copied in the late 10th century. It contains part of a dialogue composed in the early 5th century by the Anatolian bishop Palladius to defend his recently deceased mentor John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (347-407), who had been accused of various doctrinal errors and deposed from office at the instigation of the emperor Arcadius (377/8-408). Palladius wrote this work while in exile, having been banished himself for his support of the ousted patriarch. The folio this fragment belonged to was probably divided in two to be reused for endleaves in a smaller book. Much of the available blank space in its margins has been used for notes by a variety of later hands. One of these wrote a list of items belonging to a priest named Theodoros, including articles of clothing, pieces of cloth and two Gospel books, while another recorded two recipes for medicine for haemorrhoids. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Palladius, Bishop of Aspuna, -approximately 430, Dialogus de vita Johannis Chrysostomi

Incipit: || Recto ⟨μεταλάμ⟩βανεν ὁ ἅγιος Ἰωάννης, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργατης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ

Explicit: Verso ὡς γνήσιος υἱὸς. καὶ οὐ νόθος ὑπάρχων ὁ Ἰωάννης· πλαδῶσαν τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων||

TLG 2111.004

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Parchment

Extent: Fragment (leaf) 1 leaves. 122 × 165 mm. 250 × 165 mm.

Condition

The lower half of the folio has been lost. There is water staining and areas of dirt, and some of the ink is abraded.

Layout

Two columns of 16 surviving lines each, probably originally totalling about 32 lines. 98 × 120 mm. The original height of the written area was probably approximately 180 mm. Pricking does not survive. Ruled in hardpoint, type unclear because of losses to the margins. Text stands on the lines

Hand(s)

The text was copied in an upright mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in black ink, with minimal variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings do not appear. Breathings are round, but many have been overwritten with angular breathings by a correcting hand. Mute iota is absent. Nomina sacra are unaccentuated.

Majuscule letter-forms in use include beta, lambda, xi and sigma.

Punctuation used includes the lower and upper points and lower, middle and upper commas. The question mark is present, but this has been added by a later hand.

Additions

There are numerous corrections to the main text by a crude later hand in brown ink.

There are various notes in Greek in several different later hands. Among those on the recto is a list of possessions of the priest Theodoros from Avlona: ‘Τοῦ παπᾶ Θεοδόρου εκ τοῦ Αὐλόνα. εὐαγγ⟨ελία⟩ βιβλία βʹ· ἡποτραχίλὴν· νὲμαν βαβακριον κομάτα· γʹ λινὸν κομάτὴν, αʹ· φουστάνὴν πυχαις· ηʹ· καὶ άλ⟨λ⟩α τινὰ:- αρδα· αʹ μεσαλὴν σʹ’.

On the verso are two recipes for medicine for haemorrhoids. The first reads ‘Εἰς σοχάδες· βάλλε ο ζούγκη ἀπο νεφρὰ γουρονίου, καὶ βάλλε εἰς σετζου κάλι ὁξιδι δριμή· καὶ πουμοσετ⟨?⟩ καὶ ἀσβράσουν μαζὴ καὶ ὅταν αγρικήσις καὶ εὐκαιρόσι το ἥμισι· τριπισοντο σκέπασμα. καὶ κάθου ἀπάνο εἰς τὴν τρίπαν νακτηπᾶ ὁ ἀχνὸς εἰς τὸν αφεδρον μέσα καὶ ἡ ἀθήσι’; the second ‘Εἰς σοχάδες νακατευοῦν εἰς τὸν αφεδρον· γουρουνιου χολὴ μεζὲ στῶν νερῶ να τοπὴ· καὶ να τεσκατευάσι· ἀπὸ τὴν καρδία, εἰς τον ἀφεδρόνα’.

The fragment has been marked with the present classmark and the former classmark T.11.1.

History

Origin: The style of script suggests that the fragment was probably copied in the late 10th century.

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by the Biblical scholar Constantin von Tischendorf (1815-1874) .

Bought by the University Library from Tischendorf's executors in 1876.

Additional Information

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card. For information on eligibility and admissions procedures, see Joining the Library). For further enquiries, and to confirm the availability of the manuscript, please contact the Special Collections Reading Room.

Bibliography

Hand-list of the additional Greek manuscripts in the University Library, Cambridge Scriptorium, Easterling, Patricia E. (16, 2, 302-323, 1962)

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, University Library, MS Add. 1879.22

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