Miscellany of Byzantine and Postbyzantine Texts

Item

Title
Miscellany of Byzantine and Postbyzantine Texts
Subject
Collection of texts, mostly of religious content
Abstract
1. Dedicace (f. 1r)
2. Michael Psellos, Aenigmata (περὶ ἐνιγμάτων, f. 2r – 3v; Boissonade, Anecdota graeca, 1829-1833, vol. 3, 429-436)
3. Excerpts of Basileios Megalometos, Αἰνίγματα (ἐνταυθα βασιλείου τοῦ μεγαλομητου, f. 3v-5r; Boissonade, Anecdota graeca, 1829-1833, vol. 3, 437-452)
4. Hieromonk Metrophanos, Letter to Nikolaos Choniates (ἐπίγραμμα μ(ετ?)ροφανου ἱερομοναχοῦ πρὸς τὸν σοφωτατον καὶ λογιωτατον πρωτονοτάριον Μονεμβασιας κυρ Νικολάον τὸν Χωνιάτην, f. 5r-v)
5. Marcus Iunius Brutus, Letters (ἐπιστολαὶ· Βροῦτος περγαμηνοῖς, f. 5v-7r)
6. Oracula Leonis (λέοντος τοῦ σοφωτάτου βασιλέως χρισμοί, f. 10r-18v)
7. Dispute between Panagiotis and the azymites (ἐπιστολή γραφεῖσα παρὰ τοῦ πάπα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· διαλέξις τοῦ Παναγιώτου, μετὰ Λατίνων, ἔχων οὕτως, f. 19r-36v)
8. Euthymios Zigabenos, excerpts from the Panoplia dogmatica ad Alexium Comnenum (περὶ τοῦ Μωάμεθ ἀνθ(ολογία?) μ(έ?) τ(οὺς?), f. 37r-37v; PG 130, col. 1337, 1340)
9. Unidentified botanical text (οἱ ἀνθέμις ἡ βοτάνη καὶ ἀμαράκον κάλουσιν αὐτὴν, f. 37v-38r)
10. Grammar lessons (f. 39r-39v)
11. Gennadios Scholarios, Expositio brevis fidei christianae (Γενναδίου πατριάρχου Κωνσταντινουπόλεως μετὰ τὴν τῆς πατριαρχίας παραίτησιν περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, δόθεν μετὰ τὰς διαλέξεις ἔγγραφόν τε καὶ σύντομον ἀπαιτήσασι περὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως καὶ τῶν κεφαλαίων αὐτων περὶ ὦν γεγόνεν ἡ διάλεξις· σὺν τινος συγγράμματος πλατύτερου γεγονότος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμοίᾳ ζητήσι πρό τῆς ἁλώσεως, ff. 39v-44r)
12. Questions (ρώτησις να, ff. 44v-45r)
13. Treatise against the Armenians (Κατὰ τῶν Ἀρμενίων παρατηρήματα, ff. 45r-51r)
14. Mathusalem Monachos, Questions and answers about the Latins († περὶ τῶν Φραγκῶν πεῖσιν καὶ ἀπόκριαν Μαθουσάλημ μοναχοῦ, ff. 52r-58r)
15. Questions and answers about the Bible (ff. 60r-80v)
16. Poems on religious and liturgical subjects, prayers and alphabets (ff. 80v-83r)
17. List of the seven ecumenical councils with chronological computation (ff. 83v-84r)
18. On phlebotomy (Περὶ φλεβοτομίας, f. 84v-86r)
19. About the signs of the Antichrist (Τὰ σημεία τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου, ff. 86r-86v)
20. Scriptural passages (Psalms 103) and interpretations (ff. 86v-97v)
21. Names of the months (Attic, Hebrew, Egyptian, Macedonian, Agarenian) and numeration of the days of the months according to the Athenians (ff. 98r-99r)
22. Cyril Loukaris, Canonic epistle (Κύριλλος ἔλεω θεοῦ πάπας καὶ πατριάρχης τῆς μεγάλης πόλεως Ἀλεξανδρείας καὶ κρίτης τῆς οικουμένης, ff. 101r-107v)
23. Parodic hymns (iambic verses: Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν τῷ βασίλει/Δ᾽ εὐτερίτε κάμψωμεν, κριῶ ἀμῶν πιπί, ff. 109r-116v)
24. Profession of faith (Τὸ πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, ff. 116v-117v)
25. Exercise /schedos? (φίλος πεφηκώς τῶν φιλούντων τὸν φίλον, f. 117v)
26. Euthymius the Monk, Dialogue of the monk Euthymius with a Saracen (Διαλέξις ἀγαρηνοῦ μετὰ τινος μοναχοῦ Ευθυμίου περὶ τῆς πίστεως, ff. 119r-134v)
27. John Hamartolos, Discussion that I, John Hamartolos, had some years ago with the head of the Koudougheroi (Διαλέξις ἧν πρὸ χρόνων ἐποιήσαμην μετὰ τοῦ πρώτου τῶν κουδουγερῶν. Ἰωάννης ἁμαρτολός, ff. 135r-148v)
28. Michael Psellos, Introductio in Psalmos (Στίχοι ὑπερτίμου, κῦρ Μιχαὴλ τοῦ Ψελλοῦ, ff. 150r-165v)
29. Anonymous political verses with scriptural content (ff. 166r-205r)
30. Anonymous political verses with religious content (ff. 206r-227r)
31. Praxeis of Pope Gregory (Πράξεις τοῦ ἁγίου πατρὸς ἤμων Γρηγορίου πᾶπα τῆς ἁγιώτατης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίας τῆς πρεσβυτέρας Ῥώμης· εὐρίσκεται δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀρχῂ τῆς βίβλου αὐτοῦ· τῆς ἐπονομαζομένης διάλογος., ff. 229r-233r)
32. Sort of itinerary and «guide» to the City of Jerusalem and the Holy sites of Palestine (Πρώτον μὲν πέρασε θέλεις εἰς κύπρον, ff. 233r-236v)
33. Various short texts (report of the six days of the creation, recipe for a remedy, invocations and prayers: ff. 237r- 238r)
34. Markos Eugenikos, Epistula encyclica contra Graeco-Latinos et decretum synodi Florentinae (Τοῖς ἀπανταχου τῆς γῆς καὶ τῶν νησσῶν ὁροδόξοις χριστιανοῖς· Μάρκος ἐπίσκοπος, τῆς Ἐφεσίων μητροπόλεως ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν, ff. 239r-248r)
35. Athanasios of Alexandria, Symbolum quicumque (Εκ τῆς ἁγίας α´-ς οίκουμενικῆς συνόδου τῆς ἐν Νικαία, ff. 248r-249v)
36. Theological prose (or prayers? Ὕψεστε πανκράτορ πάτερ θέε, f. 249v)
37. Loose leaves bound together? (letter, exercise, calendar... ff. 250r-251v)
38. Anonymous, Chronicle of Ioannina (Σύγραμμα ἰστορικὸν· ὡς ἐν συνόψει συντεθὲν· δηλὸν τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐσεβοὺς βασιλέως κυροῦ Ἀνδρονίκου τοῦ Παλαιολόγου κατάρξαντὸς· μέχρι καὶ τοῦ δεσπότου Θωμᾶ τοῦ τυράννου τοῦ ἐπονομαζομένου· Κομνηνοῦ τοῦ Πρεαλούμπου, ff. 252r-272r)
39. Christodoulos, iambic verses (Πρόλογος ἰαμβικὸς· ποίημα Χριστοδούλου· γίνωσκε δὲ ὅτι οὐ ποίημα ἐστι πεζὸν, ἀλλὰ τεχνικὸν· τὰ δὲ ἄλλα πεζὰ ὅλα, διὰ τοὺς ἀμαθείς, ff. 273r-278v)
40. Musical notations (ff. 278v-279v)
41. History of Jerusalem (Osswald) or itinerary to the Holy places? (Ἱστορία μερικὴ διηγήσης περὶ τῶν Ἰεροσωλύμων καὶ περὶ τοῦ ζωοδόχου τάφου τοῦ κυρίου ἠμῶν Ἰήσου Χριστοῦ· περὶ τῶν σεβασμίων τόπων τῶν ἁγίων, ff. 280r-291v)
42. Anonymous text with religious content, including questions and answers on scriptural and religious subjects (ff. 292r-295v)
43. Apparently, series of instructions for medical divination, based on the books of the Bible, or more specifically the New Testament (ff. 296r-v)
44. Text on astronomic matter, calculation of lunar phases and calendar (ff. 297r-v)
45. No title. Series of paragraphs on meteorology and botanic (ff. 298r-v)
46. Medical divination (ff. 299r-v)
47. Note about fasting (f. 300v)
48. Greek-Aromanian glossary (f. 304r-305r)
49. Lists of names (Fols. 306r-307r), notes (Fol. 307v): perhaps annotations and register (accounting sheets)?
Date
15th to 18th century (last dated indication: June 16th, 1727)
Type
Composite (‘pluriblocco’) miscellaneous book
Digitalised version online
Format
Composite manuscript book on paper
Identifier
Christ Church MS 49
Christ Church Wake 49
Relation
Related bibliography:
- Annaclara Cataldi Palau, “The Burdett-Coutts collection of Greek manuscripts: Manuscripts from Epirus”, Codices manuscripti 54/55 (2006)
- Charles H. Hoole, An Account of Some Greek Manuscripts Contained in the Library of Christ Church, Oxford, London 1895
- Irmgard Hutter, Corpus der byzantinischen Miniaturenhandschriften, v. 4 Oxford Christ Church, Stuttgart 1993.
- A. Nachescu, “East-West Connections in the Wake Archive”, Christ Church Library Newsletter 12/1 (2020-2021), 32-39
- A. Nigra, Le versioni greche del Simbolo Quicumque. Testo critico e note storico-teologiche, Hellenica 107, Alessandria, 2023.
- A. Nigra, “Le interpolazioni cristologiche nella quarta versione greca del simbolo Quicumque (CPG 2295)”, Bollettino della Badia greca di Grottaferrata, 19, 2022, p. 155-190.
- B. Osswald, “The Oldest Manuscript of the Chronicle of Ioannina”, Christ Church Library Newsletter 12/2-3 (2020-2021) 19-30.
- G. Parpulov, “Three Obscure Greek Authors”, Christ Church Library Newsletter 12 (2020-2021), 31-32.
- A. Rigo, “Gli ultimi giorni del dualismo bizantino? Un nuovo testo inedito e alcune questioni connesse”, in Antonio Rigo and Pável Ermílov, eds., Orthodoxy and Heresy in Byzantium. The Definition and the Notion of Orthodoxy and Some Other Studies on the Heresies and the Non-Christian Religions, Roma 2010, 99-145.
- J.W. Torgerson, “William Wake’s Byzantine Manuscripts: Notes on Provenance”, Christ Church Library Newsletter 6/1 (2009), 19-21.
Rights
© The Governing Body of Christ Church, Oxford (digitalized reproduction freely available online)
Provenance
- f. 134v: annotation of the scribe: † διαχειρὸς Ἰωσήφ μοναχοῦ λίαν ἐγράφη ὑπερφύσιν σέλικος/σώλικος καὶ ἀδαιμὸνος αχιζ = “written by the hand of Joseph the monk, beyond nature selikos and contrite 1617”
- ff. 135r-148v: possible autograph of the author (Discussion that I, John Hamartolos, had some years ago with the head of the Koudougheroi). According to Antonio Rigo, the hand can be dated around 1360; Parpulov has identified paper’s watermarks dating from 1450s-1470s.
- f. 165v: scribal annotation Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον καὶ τοῦ Χρυσάνθου μόνος (i.e. μοναχός?)
- f. 238r: invocation mentioning a certain monk Philaretos and a date, 17 September of the year 7034 = 1525/26 (perhaps registration of a death?)
- f. 249v: Marginal note: Chrysan(tos?): name of the author or of the copyist?
- f. 272r: annotation reporting the death of John Kakouphes, friend and fellow brother, in the year 6951 (=1442); this individual was buried by the church of the taxiarch (S. Michael).
Description
(Physical description) Binding in leather, decorated with fifteen points front and back connected by lines, probably dating to the end of the 17th or the beginning of the 18th century. Book cover reinforced with a page (paper) glued upside down. Index (modern) in front endpapers (Hoc volumine continentur...)

(Size) 150 × 105 mm., 307 ff

The manuscript is formed by several booklets which were produced independently and bound together at the end of the 17th or at the beginning of the 18th century. According to Brendan Osswald, the consistent format of the paper, the similarity of the major lineation and the use of black ink with some red could point to a common geographical zone of origin. The fascicule includes the oldest known copy of the Chronicle of Ioannina (relating events up to the year 1418) and a short glossary of the Aromanian language, spoken north-east of Ioannina, as well as some annotations referring to the same geographical area. Therefore, Osswald tends to agree with Hutter’s hypothesis that the book was produced in Ioannina and stayed there at least until 1727; it is certain that at least several sections were copied and kept in monastic milieu (see traces of ownership).
The book ended up in Oxford as part of William Wake’s library, archbishop of Canterbury (1716-1737), which the owner bequeathed to Christ Church. The provenance of the Wake’s Greek manuscripts is not always known with exactitude; however, it is documented that he obtained several books and codices from the prince of Wallachia and Moldavia Nikolaos Mavrokordatos and from the patriarch of Jerusalem Chrysanthos Notaras (1707-1731). Mavrokordatos’ collection of books was kept partly in Istanbul, partly in Bucharest, while Notaras held his see in absentia from Istanbul. Wake’s interactions with these individuals were motivated by shared intellectual, ecclesiastical and political interests, at a time when a rapprochement with the Greek orthodox Church was seen as desirable in opposition to a common enemy, the Catholic Church.
Has Version
Pinakes, diktyon 48571
Rights Holder
Christ Church, University of Oxford
Author of the Catalogation
Luisa Andriollo