Basel, Universitätsbibliothek, AN IV 5
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Clément Malgonne, Universitätsbibliothek Basel, December 2018.

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Manuscript title: PRAXAPOSTOLOS (Erasmus)
Date of origin: 13th, 2nd half - 14th century
Alternative name: Aland minuscule 2816
Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 volume (288 ff.)
Format: 15-15,5 x 10,5-11 cm
Foliation: Foliation in modern pencil: 1-21.21a.22-192.192a.193-285.
Collation:
  • 12 IV95 + (IV+2)105 + 22 IV280 + (IV-3)285.
  • Irregularities in the composition of the quires: After f. 96, a bifolium containing Rom. 4:18 - 5:15 was inserted in the quaternion ff. 96-105 to serve as a correction of the scribe’s copy mistake at the bottom of f. 96v (see ʺContentsʺ); in the last quaternion, 1 leaf is missing after f. 283 and 2 others after f. 285 without loss of content.
  • Byzantine quire signatures often lost to trimming, and located at the top right-hand corner of the 1st rectos of the quires of the Acts and the Pauline epistles and the 1st quire of the Catholic epistles (visible on ff. 9r βʹ, 48r, 130r, 162r, 186r, 249r), but located at the bottom right-hand corner of the 1st rectos of the quires of the Catholic epistles with the exception of the first (visible on ff. 257r, 265r, 281r λϛʹ). Signatures at the end of quires located at the bottom right hand corner of the last versos.
  • The final part of the volume containing the Catholic Epistles may easily be regarded as a distinct codicological unit (ff. 249-285, i.e. unit II in "Content"). That section is namely separated from the Pauline Epistles by a blank leaf and starts on a new quire. It differs from the section of the Acts and the Pauline Epistles (i.e. unit I in "Content") inasmuch as its quire signatures occupy a different location on the page and the Euthalian hypotheses, which have hitherto been absent of the volume, are now found before each epistle (on that discontinuity, see Andrist 2016a, 114-115).
Condition:
  • Parchment of low quality. Irregular thickness. Most hair sides have conspicuous hair follicles and have often been unevenly pounced. The unevenness of several leaves is due to major flaws in the skin (e.g. f. 75) or crumpling (e.g. ff. 83, 281). Holes on ff. 79, 122, 133, 220. Traces of lost leaf markers on ff. 190-191.
  • Damages of the book block: leaf edges sometimes cut with scissors (e.g. ff. 17, 49); leaf corners often bent or simply cut out (e.g. ff. 43, 44, 59); edges of book block blackened by dirt; stains of various nature throughout.
Page layout: Single column. Between 16 and 22 written lines of text. Text area: 10-11,5 x 7-8 cm. The hard point ruling is extremely faint, often invisible. Pricking holes are sometimes visible. Ruling pattern: Leroy 20D1. Ruled text lines seem to often lack and, when they are present, to not be systematically followed by the copyists. Space between ruled text lines (when visible): ca. 8 mm.
Writing and hands:
  • Several upright mixed-minuscule bookhands dating from the 2nd half of the 13th century or the 14th century (according to P. Andrist, P. Canart and Z. Melissakis in “The manuscripts used by Erasmus …”, 2016, 111, n. 69; 14th century according to H. Omont, Catalogue des manuscrits grecs …, 1886, 8; however, 15th century according to K. Aland, Kurzgefasste Liste…, 1994, 212 and A. J. Brown, ASD VI-3, 2004, 2). The monocondylion written by hand A on f. 282v gives too little indication on the time of copy to determine a precise date: μηνὶ Ἰουνίῳ ἰνδικτιῶνος τρίτης (= “in the month of June of the third indiction”).
  • The main hand (= A), that copied ff. 1v-96v, 99r-240v, 261r-282v (in units I and II) and left monocondylia on ff. 152v and 282v, writes in a usually informal bookhand characterised by a conspicuous irregularity (although at first it may look like the work of several hands, a closer examination reveals, according to me, that it is that of only one). Its height varies between a bit less than 1 mm and 2 mm (on f. 152v, extremely small because the scribe wanted to make the end of 1 Cor. fit in the page and start f. 153r with 2 Cor.). — This hand presents an important amount of enlarged majuscule letters, notably gamma, kappa, epsilon and sigma. In the most informal parts, minuscule omega sometimes appears as 2 huge circles encompassing all the other letters of the word in which it is found. — Mute iotas are subscript. — That scribe makes a very extensive use of ligatures, superscript word endings, syllabic abbreviations and word abbreviations: according to Brown, those would have been a major cause of confusion and error for Johann Froben’s typesetters had they employed the codex as printer’s copy (see Brown 2004, 3). — Nevertheless, the degree of ʺformalityʺ of this hand, along with the frequency of its abbreviations, superscript word endings and enlarged letters, varies exceedingly. Those variations, which seem to be unrelated to their location within a quire or a text, may be roughly divided into the following phases:
    • Firstly, in the beginning leaves of the volume, the handwriting is of rather formal and conservative appearance (on f. 1v, for 100 letters, there are about 1 abbreviation (nomina sacra excluded), 1 superscript word ending and no greatly enlarged letters), but then, it becomes slightly less formal until f. 20v.
    • Secondly, on f. 21r, it gets noticeably more informal and remains so until f. 52r (on f. 21r, for 100 let., about 5 abbr., 2 superscr. word endings and 5 greatly enlarged let.).
    • Thirdly, on f. 52v, the handwriting suddenly becomes rather formal again, but then progressively decreases in formality until f. 173v, where it is very informal (on f. 52v, for 100 let., about 1 abbr., 1 superscr. word ending and almost no greatly enlarged let.; but on f. 173v, for 100 let., about 11 abbr., 8 superscr. word endings and 4 greatly enlarged let.).
    • Fourthly, on f. 174r the handwriting abruptly becomes formal again (on that page, for 100 let., about 3 abbr., 1 superscr. word ending and 1 greatly enlarged let.).
    • Fifthly, on next page f. 174v, the handwriting immediately becomes very informal again and remains so until the end (on f. 174v, for 100 let., about 11 abbr., 7 superscr. word endings and 1 enlarged let.; on f. 282r, about 8 abbr., 5 superscr. word endings and 4 greatly enlarged let.).
  • Hand B copied Heb. 10:28 - 1 Pet. 3:12 on ff. 241r-260v (in units I and II). Its height is of usually about 1 mm. It remains rather formal, without important enlargement of letters. — Letter eta always appears in its majuscule form. Words and letters are often widely spaced. — Moderate use of ligatures, quite frequent use of syllabic abbreviations and occasional appearance of superscript word endings (word abbreviations mostly limited to small καί). Mute iota is absent.
  • Hand C copied Rom. 4:18-5:15 on the inserted bifolium ff. 97r-98v (added later in unit I) as a replacement and correction of the 6 crossed out lines on f. 96v containing Rom. 5:14-15 with major copy mistakes (see “Contents”). This hand writes in a formal mixed minuscule. — Presence of wide circular theta with a decorative dot at the middle of the central bar. Majuscule epsilon and sigma sometimes enlarged. — Small abbreviation of καί, but only few syllabic abbreviations. Mute iota absent.
  • Hand D, which is of later date (in units I and II), rewrote in black ink some parts of the text for restoration on ff. 1r, 125v, 256v-257r and 262r, where the original brown ink had faded too much. On f. 1r, the faded text had been scraped off before being rewritten.
Decoration:
  • Headings and rubrics:
    At the beginning of most content units, headings are rubricated and written in a mixed minuscule not significantly bigger than the script of main text. However, the heading of Rom. is written in a majuscule (height: 3 mm) and the headings from the hypothesis of 2 Pet. until the end (ff. 263v-282v) in regular brown ink. The rubricated headings of Phil., Col., 1 Thess., 2 Thess., 1 Tim. and the hypothesis of James are extremely faded and barely legible. In the top margins of ff. 153r, 171v and 181v, the scribe respectively wrote in brown ink the titles of 2 Cor., Gal. and Eph., maybe to let the rubricator know that those headings were to be provided.
    Apart from headings and initials, only a few elements are rubricated, such as occasional lection notes accompanied by ἀρχή/τέλος marks, 3 crosses in the bottom margin of f. 89v and 4 dots forming a diamond with 4 oblique strokes as space-fillers at the end of Heb. on f. 247v.
  • Initials and borders:
    • Major initials rubricated, except those at the beginning of the hypotheses of 1 Jn., 2 Jn., 3 Jn. and Jd., and the epistles of 3 Jn. and Jd., which are in regular brown ink. Their height varies between 10 and 40 mm and they are decorated with vegetative ornaments, rings, ribbons or serifs. Yet the initials at the beginning of 2 Jn. and Jd. are also filled with zizag motifs, and those at the beginning of 2 Pet. and the hypothesis of 1 Pet. have no ornaments. On f. 181v, initial pi at the beginning of Eph. is more ornate than the other initials of the volume, with 2 wings on the upper part of the letter and thick ribbons and rings on its 2 vertical bars (it is also the only initial to have been outlined in brown ink). The initials at the beginning of Phil., Col., 1 Thess., 2 Thess., 1 Tim., Heb. and the hypothesis of James are extremely faded and barely visible.
    • Minor initials rubricated. They are sometimes decorated with vegetative ornaments or serifs. In some margins, presence of very small guide letters usually lost to trimming (some are visible around ff. 245-255). Within the later inserted bifolium (ff. 97-98), minor initials are bigger and more carefully executed than those of the neighbouring leaves.
    • Rubricated decorative borders separate content units (but in brown ink from 2 Pet. until the end, i.e. on ff. 264v-282v). – Before the Acts on f. 1r, rectangular headpiece (65 x 30 mm) having 2 compartments containing vegetative scrolls, topped with a cross and decorated with leaf ornaments at the upper corners. – A straight line before Rom., 2 Cor., Gal. and the hypothesis of Jude. – A wavy line with space-fillers before 2 Pet., 3 Jn., the hypotheses of 1 Pet. and 2 Jn., and at the end of Jude. – Plaited line before 1 Cor., Eph., 1 Jn., Jd., and the hypothesis of James. – A line of s-shapes before 2 Tim., Heb., and the hypotheses of 2 Pet., 1 Jn. and 3 John. – The borders before Phil., Col., 1 Thess., 2 Thess. and Jm. are heavily faded. No border before 1 Peter.
  • Miniatures:
    Some later Byzantine readers executed quick, childish looking drawings in brown ink on (originally) blank areas of the manuscript: On the bare wooden surface of the back of the front board, a medieval warrior (80 x 45 mm), mostly hidden by a paper label of the 16th century; on f. 284r, a large unfinished angel (50 x 60 mm) with, above his head, a small wheel which was added later; on f. 284v, a boat (50 x 80 mm) with 2 oars visible on the left side and, on top of its mast, a flag with a symbol resembling a chi-rho (?); on 285r, the note Μη δόσις ἀφορμ(ήν). τ[ο?] ζε[λτ?]ούσιν. | ἀφορμ(ή) [= ʺdepartureʺ] accompanies the drawing of a boat without mast (10 x 40 mm); on 285r, a third boat with a mast (35 x 15 mm), located on the right of the second; on 285r, a big drawing (65 x 60 mm) maybe representing a mountain or possibly another ship; on 285v, a circle containing mosaic-like motifs (15 mm).
Additions: Notes and marginalia: Greek notes and other inscriptions in the margins or on (originally) blank pages (for longer inscriptions of later dates, see ʺContentsʺ):
  • marginal and interlinear additions to the text, among which many might date from the time of copy (listed in “Contents”)
  • very short marginal glosses or paraphrases of the text, which also might be from the time of copy (listed in “Contents”)
  • corrections to the text by a later hand writing in dark brown ink on ff. 6v and 54v
  • short comments τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει and τὴν ἐκκλησίαν γράφη κυρίᾳ on f. 277v, ἀλήθεια τὸν χριστόν on f. 278r and τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ on f. 278v by a later hand writing in dark brown ink
  • on f. 85r, the Greek numeral σοϛʹ (= 276) found in Acts 27:37 was written out in full in the margin by a later hand (διακόσιαι ἑβδομήκοντα ἕξ)
  • in the bottom right-hand corner of f. 191r, a later Byzantine hand wrote βοστρυδ[…] [?]
  • on 284r a much erased inscription μακαρία ὑγή[α?]
  • throughout the Biblical text, numerous lection notes written in black ink by a later Byzantine hand
  • a clumsy hand hesitantly wrote letters of the Greek alphabet in some margins (ff. 145r, 189r, 218r, 249r, 256v)
  • on 283r, κύριε in faded black ink
  • in the bottom margin of f. 217v, a later hand rewrote θέσεως τῶν χειρῶν from 2 Tim. 1:6 and drew above it a small arrow pointing to the text
  • on 282v an incomplete transcription of the monocondylion present on the same page by a later hand
  • on f. 285r a much erased inscription beginning with καὶ [...]
  • erased or illegible notes on ff. 37v, 130r, 179r, 184v, 247v, 282v.
Various marks in the margins or on (originally) blank pages:
  • on ff. 48v and 74v, marginal hand pointing to the text drawn in greyish brown ink
  • a cross next to the text on ff. 82r, 113r, 132v, 268v and several crosses below the text on f. 247v
  • in the bottom margin of f. 75v, on the left of a long note (= addition to Acts 24:6-24:8), a horizontal stroke and, on its right, an elongated triangle in greyish brown ink
  • another horizontal stroke next to the text on f. 99v
  • in the top margin of f. 249r, a faded symbol looking like letter “s” encompassed in a circle
  • in the bottom margin of f. 29r, a voided shape resembling a horse head (?)
  • in the margin of f. 249v, 4 dots forming a diamond
  • on ff. 171r, 218r, 248v, 282v, 284r, 285v various scribbles and pen-trials.
Binding:
  • Pinky red Byzantine binding of the 15th century, possibly made in the Prodromos Petra monastery of Constantinople. Dimensions: 15,5 x 11 cm. As far as the covering is concerned, the skin was first whitened with alum before being dyed in the bright pinky red colour peculiar to many volumes bound in the Prodromos Petra Monastery (according to Cataldi Palau 2001, 22). The brightness of the dye has been well preserved on the turn-ins of both boards, but the bottom turn-ins are still white. The skin is worn, especially on the hinges, the spine and the headcaps. It is torn on the lower part of the front hinge and on the back board at the place where a chain-staple used to be and at the board corners.
  • Boards of light wood (edge: 8 mm), as in all the Prodromos Petra bindings found in the collection of John of Ragusa (Cataldi Palau, ibid.). The front board is equipped with a parchment title label of the Dominican monastery Actus apostolor[um] | et eor[um] epistole and the inventory number of the Dominicans "Gr. 14" written in black ink directly on the skin. 2 holes drilled in the edge of the front board and 2 others through the back board reveal the former presence of western clasps. Likewise, 3 holes from a lost chain-staple of the Dominicans are visible on the lower part of the back board. On the back of the front board, presence of a label of the 16th century with the inscription Acta apostolor[um] et epistol- | ae graece and a classmark by a modern pencil. Most cords are still visible on the bare back of the back board.
  • Flat spine comprising: heavily worn Greek headcaps; double endbands of beige rope, as in all the Prodromos Petra bindings of the collection of John of Ragusa (Cataldi Palau, ibid.); small paper label of the 19th century containing classmark pasted over an earlier label; large title label by 19th century librarian Ludwig Sieber, also pasted over an earlier label.
  • The front paper flyleaf of the 15th-16th century contains a fragment of Alexander de Villa Dei’s Doctrinale, verses 642-660 (messis, [tussis], ibis, sic lis quoque litis. | [Hec] tibi Graeca dabunt … - … Crystallum tamen hoc dicemus [et hic paradisus] | Hoc volgus, pelagus, ind[eclinabile]). Its recto also contains former (K III 4, B X 20) and current classmarks of the University Library by a modern pencil. Its verso contains the gothic initials "VS" on the top left-hand corner, the title Actus apostolor[um] by a 16th century (?) hand, a 1559 ex-libris of the University of Basel, the inscription super Lucam by a hand of the Dominican monastery, and various bibliographical references by a modern pencil. — At the end, ff. 283-285 used to be blank parchment flyleaves before they had been covered by numerous fragments, inscriptions and drawings in the late Byzantine period (see ʺContentsʺ, ʺDecorationʺ and ʺAddition: Notes and marginaliaʺ).
Contents:
  • 1-88v Acta apostolorum. >Ἀρχὴ σὺν θεῷ ἐπράξεις [sic] τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων συγραφεῖσαι παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Λουκᾶ τοῦ ἀποστόλου καὶ εὐαγγελιστοῦ< Τὸν μὲν πρότον [sic] λόγον ἐποιησάμην περὶ πάντων, ὦ Θεόφιλε …–… διδάσκων τὰ περὶ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions or corrections to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 24v for Acts 8:25; f. 24v Acts 8:29; f. 25v Acts 8:36; f. 29v Acts 11:14; f. 35r Acts 11:20; f. 40v Acts 13:24; f. 48r Acts 15:34; f. 62v Acts 20:10; f. 67r Acts 21:20; f. 69v Acts 22:6; f. 70r Acts 22:10; f. 70r Acts 22:12; f. 70v Acts 22:18; f. 75v Acts 24:6-8; f. 81v Acts 26:21. Two short marginal glosses on f. 44v for Acts 14:19, and another on f. 52v for Acts 17:4.
  • 89r-124v Epistula Pauli ad Romanos. >Παύλου ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους< Παῦλος, δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κλητὸς ἀπόστολος, ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ …–… Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information:
    • On f. 96v, after Rom. 14:8, the following part of the text was crossed out because of a major copy mistake made when the scribe probably skipped a leaf in his antigraph (Andrist 2016a, 111): ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς περιβάσεως Ἀδὰμ, ὅς ἐστι τύπος τοῦ μέλλοντος. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς τὸ παράπτωμα, οὕτως καὶ τὸ χάρισμα. Εἰ γὰρ τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι οἱ πολλοὶ ἀπέθανον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἡ δωρεά, ἐν χάριτι. After f. 96v, the bifolium ff. 97-98, containing Rom. 4:18 - 5:15 written by another hand (hand C), was inserted into the quire to serve as a correction of that miscopied passage (εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα ... - … χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἡ δωρεὰ ἐν χάρι[...] [last word incomplete]).
    • Marginal additions or corrections to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 94v for Rom. 3:22; f. 95v Rom. 4:1; f. 106v Rom. 9:4; f. 110v Rom. 10:19; f. 111v Rom. 11:6; f. 118r Rom. 14:6; f. 123v Rom. 16:10. A short marginal gloss is found on f. 91v for Rom. 2:1.
  • 125r-152v Epistula Pauli ad Corinthios I. >Πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολὴ αʹ< Παῦλος κλητὸς ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ …–… πάντων ὑμῶν ἐν Xριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ἀμήν. >[monocondylion:] Τέλος τῆς πρώτης πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολῆς<
    Further information: Marginal additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 129v for 1 Cor. 3:10; f. 138v 1 Cor. 9:14; f. 144r 1 Cor. 12:9; f. 152v 1 Cor. 16:15.
  • 153r-171r Epistula Pauli ad Corinthios II. >Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Κορινθίους βʹ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου< Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ …–… καὶ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν. Ἀμήν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 156v for 2 Cor. 4:2; f. 156v 2 Cor. 4:3; f. 157r 2 Cor. 4:11; f. 158v 2 Cor. 5:10; f. 158v 2 Cor. 5:16; f. 163v 2 Cor. 8:24; f. 169r 2 Cor. 12:14; f. 170v 2 Cor. 13:8; f. 171r 2 Cor. 13:11; f. 171r 2 Cor. 13:14. Short interlinear gloss on f. 158v for 2 Cor. 5:15.
  • 171v-181r Epistula Pauli ad Galatas. >Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Γαλάτας< Παῦλος ἀπόστολος οὐκ ἀπ' ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲ δι' ἀνθρώπου …–… Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 171v for Gal. 1:3; f. 171v Gal. 1:4; f. 171v Gal. 1:5; f. 173r Gal. 1:23; f. 174v Gal. 2:16; f. 175r Gal. 3:3; f. 175r Gal. 3:4; f. 179v 5:14.
  • 181v-190r Epistula Pauli ad Ephesios. >Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ ἁγίου Παύλου< Παῦλος, ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ, τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ἐφέσῳ …–… Ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ. Ἀμήν. Ἀμήν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 182r for Eph. 1:9; f. 182r Eph. 1:10; f. 183r Eph. 2:1.
  • 190v-195r Epistula Pauli ad Philippenses. >Πρὸς Φιλιππησίους ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου< Παῦλος καὶ Τιμόθεος, δοῦλοι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Φιλίπποις …–… Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 191v for Phil. 1:27; f. 193r Phil. 3:4; f. 194v Phil. 4:12; f. 195r Phil. 4:21.
  • 195v-201v Epistula Pauli ad Colossenses. [Faded heading is illegible]. Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός …–… Μνημονεύετέ μου τῶν δεσμῶν. Ἡ χάρις μεθ' ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 196r for Col. 1:14; f. 198v Col. 2:18; f. 201v Col. 4:18.
  • 202r-207r Epistula Pauli ad Thessalonicenses I. [Faded heading is illegible]. Παῦλος καὶ Σιλουανὸς καὶ Τιμόθεος, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεσσαλονικέων ἐν θεῷ πατρί …–… Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθ' ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: A marginal addition to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy on f. 202v for 1 Thess. 1:8.
  • 207v-210r Epistula Pauli ad Thessalonicenses II. [Faded heading illegible]. Παῦλος καὶ Σιλουανὸς καὶ Τιμόθεος τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεσσαλονικέων ἐν θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ …–… Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 208v for 2 Thess. 2:3, and on f. 209v for 2 Thess. 3:4.
  • 210v-217r Epistula Pauli ad Timotheum I. [Faded heading illegible]. Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατ' ἐπιταγὴν θεοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν …–… ἥν τινες ἐπαγγελλόμενοι περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἠστόχησαν. Ἡ χάρις μετὰ σοῦ. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 211v for 1 Tim. 2:6; f. 212v 1 Tim. 3:1; f. 212v 1 Tim. 3:2; f. 215r 1 Tim. 5:19; f. 216r 1 Tim. 6:5; f. 216v 1 Tim. 6:13. Short glosses found on f. 211v for 1 Tim. 2:2 and on f. 212r for 1 Tim. 2:15.
  • 217v-222r Epistula Pauli ad Timotheum II. >Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Τιμόθεον βʹ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου< Παῦλος, ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ, κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν ζωῆς τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ …–… κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματός σου. Ἡ χάρις μεθ' ἡμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 217v for 2 Tim. 1:6; on f. 220v for 2 Tim. 3:6.
  • 222v-225r Epistula Pauli ad Titum. >Πρὸς Τίτον ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου< Παῦλος, δοῦλος θεοῦ, ἀπόστολος δὲ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ πίστιν ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ …–… Ἄσπασαι τοὺς φιλοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἐν πίστει. Ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ἡμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 224r for Tit. 2:15; f. 224r Tit. 3:2.
  • 225r-226r Epistula Pauli ad Philemonem. >Πρὸς Φιλήμονα ἐπιστολὴ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου< Παῦλος δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός, Φιλήμονι τῷ ἀγαπητῷ …–… Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal addition to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy on f. 226r for Philem. 1:20.
  • 226v-247v Epistula Pauli ad Hebraeos. >Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ἑβραίους τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου< Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις …–… Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας. Ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 227v for Heb. 2:9; f. 228r Heb. 2:13; f. 234v Heb. 7:20; f. 236r Heb. 8:12; f. 240r Heb. 10:15; f. 242r Heb. 10:34; f. 244v Heb. 11:11; f. 247v Heb. 13:21.
  • 248r Hymnus sancto Georgio et poemata Graeca duo.
    • [Hymn by a later Byzantine hand:] Γεώργιον ὑμνήσομεν τὸν ἀθλοφόρον ἐγκομίοις στέψομεν ἅπαντες τοῦτον.
    • [Then 2 Poems by another later hand] [1st poem:] + Ἄνθρωπε, κάμνης καὶ θαρῖς τὸ κάμνης να κερδήσσις … ὁ θάνατος ἀρπάζει σε, ἐκ τέλεως τὶ κερδίζης.
    • [2nd poem:] Λέγεις να πάγης παροπρο (?) να κλαύσις, να θρινήσης, να παραβλαίψυς τὸ κακὸν καὶ τὸ καλῶν …–… ὁ θάνατος ἐκ τέλεως [?] τί κερδεισσις.
    1st poem: Edition ʺΑλφάβητος κατανυκτικός και ψυχωφελής περί του ματαίου κόσμου τούτου, 1-8ʺ, Μεγάλη εγκυκλοπαίδεια της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας, Αʹ. Εκδοτικός οίκος Χάρη Πάτση, 1968. – Hymn and 2nd poem unidentified.
  • 248v Precis I Basilii Magni ex Graeca liturgia excerptum. [By a later Byzantine hand:] Δέσποτα κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ζωῆς, κύριε τῆς ἀθανασίας.
    Further information: Above that excerpt, the same hesitant hand copied with many mistakes the incipit of the hypothesis of James already present on the facing page.
  • 249r-v <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum catholicae Iacobi Epistolae. [Faded heading is illegible]. Ἀπ' αὐτῶν τῶν γραψάντων ἐπιστολαὶ αὗται προσαγορεύονται …–… παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ οὕτως τελειοῖ τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
    PG 28, 405D-408A; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 249v-256r Epistula Iacobi. >Ἐπιστολὴ καθολικὴ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰακώβου< Ἰάκωβος θεοῦ καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος …–… καὶ καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν.
    Further information: Marginal additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 251r for Jm. 2:3; f. 251v Jm. 2:11; f. 253r Jm. 3:8; f. 255r Jm. 5:4; f. 256r Jm. 5:19.
  • 256r-v <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum prioris catholicae Petri Epistulae. >Ὑπόθεσις τῆς καθολικῆς ἐπιστολῆς Πέτρου τοῦ κορυφαίου< Καὶ αὕτη τοῦ γεγραφότος ἐπιφέρεται τὴν κλῆσιν …–… Καὶ οὕτως τελειοῖ τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
    PG 28, 408B-C; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 256v-263v Epistula Petri I. >Περὶ τῆς Πέτρου καθολικῆς ἐπιστολῆς< Πέτρος, ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐκλεκτοῖς παρεπιδήμοις διασπορᾶς Πόντου, Γαλατίας …–… Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal additions or corrections to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 257r for 1 Pet. 1:6; f. 257v 1 Pet. 1:13; f. 259v 1 Pet. 2:15; f. 259v 1 Pet. 2:17; f. 260r 1 Pet. 2:24; f. 261v 1 Pet. 4:1; f. 261v 1 Pet. 4:2; f. 261v 1 Pet. 4:3; f. 262r 1 Pet. 4:14-15; f. 262v 1 Pet. 5:2. The short note on f. 263r for 1 Pet. 5:6 might rather be a gloss.
  • 263v-264r <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum catholicae Petri posterioris Epistulae. >Ὑπόθεσις τῆς βʹ καθολικῆς ἐπιστολῆς Πέτρου< Ἐπειδὴ ταύτην πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς ἀπόστολος Πέτρος ἐπιστέλλει τοῖς ἤδη πιστεύσασιν …–… παραινεῖ μὴ ἐκπίπτειν τοῦ σκοποῦ τῆς πίστεως. Καὶ οὕτως τελειοῖ τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
    Edition Blomkvist, op. cit., 91-92; PG 119, 577B-577C; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 264v-269r Epistula Petri II. >Ἐπιστολὴ καθολικὴ βʹ Πέτρου τοῦ κορυφαίου< Συμεὼν Πέτρος, δοῦλος καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῖς ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν λαχοῦσιν πίστιν …–… Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions or corrections to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 265r for 2 Pet. 1:10; f. 268v 2 Pet. 3:10.
  • 269r-270v <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum primae Ioannis Epistulae catholicae. >Ὑπόθεσις τῆς αʹ καθολικῆς ἐπιστολῆς Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἐπιστηθίου< Ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἰωάννης, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον γράψας, ταύτην ἐπιστέλλει …–… καὶ ἵνα τούτῳ δουλεύομεν καὶ φυλάττωμεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων.
    Edition Blomkvist, op. cit., 93-94; PG 119, 617A-620A; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 270v-277r Epistula Ioannis I. >Ἐπιστολὴ καθολικὴ αʹ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀγαπομένου< Ὃ ἦν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς, ὃ ἀκηκόαμεν, ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν …–… Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων. Ἀμήν.
    Further information: Marginal and interlinear additions to the text, possibly contemporary to the copy: on f. 270v for 1 Jn. 1:2; f. 272r 1 Jn. 2:14; f. 272v 1 Jn. 9:19; f. 273r 1 Jn. 2:27; f. 273v 1 Jn. 3:7; f. 274r 1 Jn. 3:14; f. 274v 1 Jn. 3:22.
  • 277v <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum catholicae Ioannis secundae Epistulae. >Ὑπόθεσις τῆς βʹ ἐπιστολῆς Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἐπιστηθίου< Ταύτην ὡς πρεσβύτερος γράφει κυρίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῆς …–… αὐτοῖς χαίρειν. Καὶ οὕτως τελειοῖ τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
    Edition Blomkvist, op. cit., 94-95; PG 119, 684C-685A; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 277v-278v Epistula Ioannis II. >Ἐπιστολὴ δεύτερα Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἐπιστηθίου< Ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῆς …–… Ἀσπάζεταί σε τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου τῆς ἐκλεκτῆς. Ἀμήν.
  • 278v-279r <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum tertiae Ioannis Epistulae catholicae. >Ὑπόθεσις τῆς πρὸς Γάϊον ἐπιστολῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου< Καὶ αὕτη Ἰωάννου μέν ἐστι, καθὼς καὶ ἐπιγέγραπται. Ἐπέσταλται δὲ πρὸς Γάϊον …–… Δημήτριον δὲ συνίστησι, μαρτυρῶν αὐτῷ τὰ κάλλιστα.
    Edition PG 28, 412B; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 279r-280r Epistula Ioannis III. >Ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου καὶ ἠγαπημένος πρὸς Γάϊον Ἰωάννου< Ὁ πρεσβύτερος Γαΐῳ τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ …–… Ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατ' ὄνομα.
  • 280r-v <Euthalius Diaconus>: Argumentum catholicae Iudae Epistolae. >Ὑπόθεσις τῆς Ἰούδα ἐπιστολῆς< Ταύτην, καθὼς καὶ ἐπιγέγραπται, Ἰούδας γράφει τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τοῖς ἤδη πιστεύσασιν …–… ἐπευξάμενος αὐτοῖς βεβαιότητα τῆς πίστεως παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου, τελειοῖ τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
    PG 28, 412B-412D; Clavis Patrum Graecorum II 2249.
  • 280v-282v Epistula Iudae. >Καθολικὴ ἐπιστολὴ Ἰούδα τοῦ ἀποστόλου< Ἰούδας Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος, ἀδελφὸς δὲ Ἰακώβου …–… κράτος καὶ ἐξουσία καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. >>[Monocondylion:] + Τέλος σὺν θεῷ ἁγίῳ τοῦ πραξαποστόλου, μηνὶ ἰουνίῳ ἰνδ[ικτιῶνος] τρίτης+ <
    Further information: On f. 282r, below the last line of text, an addition to the text of Jude 1:24, possibly dating from the time of the copy.
  • 283r Hymnus Vesperinus sancto Basilio Magno. [By a later Byzantine hand:] + Πάντων τῶν ἁγίων ἀνεμάξω τὰς ἀρετὰς …–… ὡς ὁ Παῦλος ἐκβοῶν οὐκ ἐπαύσω. Τίς ἀσθενῆ.
    Further information: The same later Byzantine hand also copied above the hymn the end of Jude that is already present on the facing page. Below, the same hymn was rewritten by another Byzantine hand.
  • 283v A list of people and sums of money (by a later Βyzantine hand).
    Further information: A Byzantine reader or owner of the 14th/15th century wrote this list of people to whom he apparently had given or wanted to give various sums of money, notably to “father John” (l. 1 παπᾶ Ἰωάννην), “the lame man” (l. 3 τὸν χωλόν), “my dear Eugenia” (ll. 5-6 τὴν καιρά μου τὴν Εὐγενία) etc… On the opposite page f. 284r, the first words of that same list were written by the same hand, and below, some bits of it were rewritten by another.
  • 284r Various inscriptions (by later Byzantine hands).
    Further information: see ʺAddition: Notes and marginaliaʺ.
  • 284v Psalmus 7:1 cum musicae notationibus. [By a later Byzantine hand:] Ἤλπισα. σῶσόν με ἐκ πάντων τῶν διωκόντων με καὶ ῥῦσαί με …
    Further information: The Psalm is equipped with Byzantine musical notation. The first musical signs were rewritten below by another hand without the text. On the facing page f. 285r, the beginning of the same text without the musical notation was rewritten by another hand. On f. 285v, a long excerpt of the same Psalm was copied once again, this time with the musical notation.
  • 285r Contacium transfigurationis Christi. [By a later Byzantine hand:] Ἐπεφάνη σήμερον τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, καὶ τὸ φῶς σου κύριε, ἐσημιώθη ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, […] [?] ἐπιγνώσι.
    Further information: The beginning of the kontakion was also rewritten on the same page below by another hand.
  • 285v Procopius Gazaeus: Epistulae 41 initium. [By a later Byzantine hand:] + Δέχου τὴν παροῦσαν ἐπιστολήν, χρονίαν μέν, ἀλλ’ ὅμως θαρροῦσαν, ὅτι παρὰ //
    A. Garzya, R.-J. Loenertz, Procopii Gazaei epistolae et declamationes (Studia patristica et Byzantina 9), Ettal, 1963.
    Further information: The short excerpt was thereafter rewritten 5 times on the same page by at least 3 other hands.
Provenance of the manuscript:
  • The codex is thought to have been bound in the monastery of the Prodromos in the quarter of Petra of Constantinople (see “Binding”). John Stojković of Ragusa acquired it when he was in that same city on a mission for the Council of Basel between 1435 and 1437: He left a purchase note on f. 285v stating "Constitit ip(er)p(er)a 3".
  • At Ragusa’s death in 1443, the codex was bequeathed to the Monastery of the Dominicans of Basel, who wrote in black ink its inventory number "Gr. 14" on the front board (Vernet 1961, 84-85 n°14).
    For his 1516 edition of the New Testament, Erasmus of Rotterdam borrowed the manuscript from the Dominicans and had recourse to it for the correction of some passages, extracting from it many readings of the Acts, but only a few of the Epistles (Brown 2004, 3; Brown 2016, 129). Nevertheless, it is very unlikely that Johann Froben’s typesetters handled the manuscript because the heavily abbreviated informal handwriting of hand A would have certainly been arduous for them to decipher (see “EWriting and hands”; Brown 2004, 3).
Acquisition of the manuscript: In 1559, the manuscript was transferred to the University of Basel along with the rest of the collection of the Dominicans. The university librarian Heinrich Pantaleon (1522-1595) wrote on the verso of the front flyleaf 1559. Ex libris bibliothecae academie Basiliensis.
Bibliography:
  • Omont, Henri. - Catalogue des manuscrits grecs des bibliothèques de Suisse : Bâle, Berne, Einsiedeln, Genève, St. Gall, Schaffhouse et Zürich. - Leipzig, 1886, p. 8 n°10.
  • Escher, Conrad. - Das Testament des Kardinals Johannes de Ragusio. - In: Basler Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Altertumskunde 16 (1917), pp. 208-212, here p. 212.
  • Vernet, André. - Les manuscrits grecs de Jean de Raguse. - In: Basler Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Altertumskunde 61 (1961), pp. 75-108, here p. 84, n° 14.
  • Bentley, Jerry H. - Humanists and the Holy Writ. New Testament scholarship in the Renaissance. - Princeton, 1983, p. 128.
  • Brown, Andrew J. - Opera omnia Desiderii Erasmi Roterodami. VI-2. Novum Testamentum ab Erasmo recognitum. Pars II. Evangelium secundum Iohannem et Acta Apostolorum. - Amsterdam, London, New York, Oxford, Paris, Shannon, Tokyo, 2001, p. 6.
  • Cataldi Palau, Annaclara. - Legature costantinopolitane del monasterio di Prodromo Petra tra i manoscritti di Giovanni di Ragusa († 1443). - In: Codices Manuscripti. Zeitschrift für Handschriftenkunde 37/38 (2001), pp. 11-50, here pp. 16, 33.
  • Brown, Andrew J. - Opera omnia Desiderii Erasmi Roterodami. VI-3. Novum Testamentum ab Erasmo recognitum. Epistolae Apostolicae (prima pars). - Amsterdam, Boston, Heidelberg, 2004, pp. 1-3.
  • Cataldi Palau, Annaclara. - Jean Stojković de Raguse († 1443) : L’influence de ses manuscrits dans la diffusion de la culture Byzantine en Suisse et en Allemagne. - In: Annuaire de l’Université de Sofia "St. Kliment Ohridski", Centre de Recherches Slavo-Byzantines "Ivan Dujčev" 96 (15) (2011), pp. 93-132, here pp. 109, 111-112.
  • Brown, Andrew J. - Opera omnia Desiderii Erasmi Roterodami. VI-4. Novum Testamentum ab Erasmo recognitum. Epistolae Apostolicae (secunda Pars) et Apocalypsis Iohannis. - Leiden, Boston, 2013, p. 1.
  • Andrist, Patrick. - Der griechische Text: “Basler” Handschriften als Vorlagen. - In: Dill, Ueli; Schierl, Petra (eds.), Das bessere Bild Christi. Das Neue Testament in der Ausgabe des Erasmus von Rotterdam. - Basel, 2016, pp. 99-109, here p. 100 (= Andrist 2016b).
  • Andrist, Patrick. - Structure and history of the Biblical manuscripts used by Erasmus for his 1516 edition. - In: Wallraff, Martin; Seidel Menchi, Silvana; Von Greyerz, Kaspar (eds.), Basel 1516: Erasmus’ Edition of the New Testament. - Tübingen, 2016, pp. 81-124, here pp. 108-115. (= Andrist 2016a).
  • Brown, Andrew J. - The Manuscript Sources and Textual Character of Erasmus’ 1516 Greek New Testament. - In: Wallraff, Martin; Seidel Menchi, Silvana; Von Greyerz, Kaspar (eds.), Basel 1516: Erasmus’ Edition of the New Testament. - Tübingen, 2016, pp. 125-144, here p. 129.
  • Dill, Ueli. - Das Novum Instrumentum von 1516. - In: Dill, Ueli; Schierl, Petra (eds.), Das bessere Bild Christi. Das Neue Testament in der Ausgabe des Erasmus von Rotterdam. - Basel, 2016, pp. 67-97, here p. 78.
  • Andrist, Patrick. - Érasme 1514-1516 et les étapes de la préparation du texte biblique et des prologues grecs du Novum Instrumentum : le témoignage des manuscrits. - In: Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Etudes. Sciences Religieuses 181 (2018), pp. 135-195, here pp. 140-141.
  • Pinakes database: diktyon 8904.