Manuscript Summary:The Abba-Ababus-Glossar in palimpsest form, one of the oldest manuscripts in the Abbey Library which survives in book form. This glossary, in which each Latin word is explained using another, was apparently written over older texts from the 5th century in the Cloister of Bobbio. The texts underneath, which vary in legibility, include fragments of the Psalms and of the book of Jeremiah from the Old Testament as well as extracts from works by the grammarian Donatus and the Roman poet Terence. Includes a miniature of a speaker in declamatory pose.(smu)
Standard description: Lowe Elias Avery, Codices Latini Antiquiores. A palaeographical guide to latin manuscripts prior to the ninth century. Part VII: Switzerland, Oxford 1956 (Osnabrück 1982), p. 36-39.
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Additional description: Scherrer Gustav, Verzeichniss der Handschriften der Stiftsbibliothek von St. Gallen, Halle 1875, S. 330-331.
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Online Since: 12/09/2008
St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 912
Parchment · 158 pp. · ca. 12 x ca. 9 cm · Bobbio · 5th century (lower script) / 8th century (upper script)
The Abba-Ababus-Glossar in palimpsest form
How to quote:
St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 912, p. 27 – The Abba-Ababus-Glossar in palimpsest form (https://www.e-codices.ch/en/list/one/csg/0912)
Lowe Elias Avery, Codices Latini Antiquiores. A palaeographical guide to latin manuscripts prior to the ninth century. Part VII: Switzerland, Oxford 1956 (Osnabrück 1982), p. 36-39.
Page layout:
(70-85 x 65-70 mm.) in two columns (i.e. lemmata and glosses) of 12-19 lines. Ruling before folding, on the flesh- or hair-side, several bifolia at a time. Single or double bounding lines. Prickings in the outer margin guided the ruling.
Writing and hands: Uncial
Colophon on p. 320 and first line on p. 4 are in poor Rustic capitals in black; other opening lines in red Rustic capitals or uncial.
Run-overs are set off by a dotted or wavy line, or descend letter by letter in a file, or are set in the middle of the lower margin in the form of a triangle.
Abbreviations include the Insular symbols Ɔ (and also Ꜿ = con; ł p̅ (p. 279) = interpretatur; Ɋ̸ = quia ; and the common forms B‧, Ɋ‧ = bus, que; = est; Lˢ, Mˢ, Nˢ, Tˢ = lus, mus, nus, tus;
Ꝑ, P̅, Ꝓ, P̅P̅ = per, prae, pro, propter; Ɋˢ, Ɋ̍, Ɋð = quae, qui, quod; R̷ = rum; U̅ = uel; also F̅ = fre (doubtless by analogy with P̅ = pre). Omitted M and N, even in mid-line, are marked by a honzontal stroke or flourish.
Spelling faulty, with confusion of ae and e, e and i, o and u, b and u, and d and t, and wrong aspiration.
Ink grey. Script, by several scribes, is a late, rather pointed uncial; the sloping form it occasionally assumes in both text and marginalia (pp. 13, 27, 204) illustrates the declining stage of the script: half-uncial a: occurs here and there; the second upright of N is often comma-shaped; X often has the lower left branch sweeping below the line and ending in a curve to the right, as in the Edictum Rothari (see our No. 949); a curious North Italian cursive minuscule with many ligatures is used on p. 201. Additions by various eighth-century hands in uncial or mixed uncial and minuscule.
Decoration: A portrait of a bearded grammarian set in a crudely decorated frame, the whole touched with black and red, stands on p. 3; a similar crude frame stands on the last page of text (p. 320).
Contents:
Palimpsest for the most part, secondary script; the volume contains 6 primary scripts, with 2 (enclosed in parentheses in the following list) in whole or part double palimpsests, so that there are 8 lower scripts in all:
(1) Donatus, uncial saec. VII ex., pp.
13-20,
47/48 (these leaves are all ter scripti and contain in the lowermost script
(2) an unidentified medical text, uncial saec. VII);
(7) Terentius, Rustic capitals saec. V, pp.
299/300,
313/314;
(8) an unidentified text, uncial saec. V, pp. 319/320.
Non-palimpsest are pp.
1-2,
257-260
, and possibly 41/42 and 45/46; for pp. 189/190 and 225/226, a restoration of the present Glossary, mixed uncial and minuscule saec. VIII-IX, see next item.
Origin of the manuscript:
Written no doubt in North Italy, manifestly in a centre where many ancient texts existed. Was already in some Swiss centre by saec. VIII-IX, to judge by the restorations of that date (see next item).
Extent:
Two folios, paginated 189/190 and 225/226, a restoration of lost leaves of the Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII described in the preceding item;
Format: ca. 120 x ca. 90 mm.
Page layout:
(85-90 x ca. 80 mm.) in 15 long lines.
Writing and hands: Mixed Uncial
Punctuation: both the medial point and semicolon occur.
Abbreviations include ē = est; p̅ = prae; qđ = quod; ʅ̴ = tur.
Ink black. Script is imitation uncial mixed with early minuscule, written by the first scribe of St. Gall MS. 229 (our No. 932), whose chapter-headings are in the same type of uncial: ꞇ has two forms; the nt ligature is found in mid-word.
Origin of the manuscript: Written in the same Swiss scriptorium that produced St. Gall 229 (our No. 932).
Extent:
Three folios survive, badly trimmed: 2 now turned sideways and folded so as to form the bifolia paginated 13/14 +19/20 and 15/16 +17/18, and one now turned upside down and forming pp. 47/48.
Format: Present maximum size ca. 180 x ca. 120 mm., estimated original size ca. 260 x ca. 160 mm.
Page layout:
(written area exceeds 180 x ca. 115 mm.) normally in 30, occasionally in 34 long lines. Ruling on the flesh-side, but the lines were not followed.
Writing and hands: Uncial
Double palimpsest, intermediate script (for the uppermost script containing a Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII, see No. 967a; for the lowermost script, an unidentified medical text in uncial saec. VII, see next item).
Punctuation: a pause apparently marked by a flourish (p. 13).
Abbreviations seen are confined to recurrent grammatical terms.
Spelling shows occasional confusion of e and i, o and u (‘signeficans’, ‘nomerus’).
Script is an ungainly, coarse uncial, interspersed here and there with minuscule b, d, and r: A has an oval-like bow, often raised above the base-line; the oblique of N is thin.
Origin of the manuscript: Written in Italy, to judge by the script. Rewritten in North Italy with a Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII. For later history, see No. 967a.
Extent:
Parts of three folios survive (halves of two folios and about a quarter of another), now forming the bifolia paginated 13/14 +19/20 and 15/16 +17/18, and the single folio pp. 47/48; each original folio was presumably folded in two to form a bifolium of the Donatus manuscript, some folios of which were again folded in two for rewriting with the Glossary.
Format: Size of largest surviving fragment ca. 120 x ca. 180 mm., estimated original size ca. 320 x ca. 260 mm.
Page layout:
(width of written space ca. 175 mm.) in long lines, of which 12 survive. Ruling before folding, apparently on the hair-side. Slits slightly inside the written space guided the ruling.
Writing and hands: Uncial
Double palimpsest, lowermost script (for the intermediate script, containing Donatus in uncial saec. VII ex., see preceding item; for the uppermost script, containing a Glossary in unciaI saec. VII- VIII, see No. 967a).
The lowermost script runs parallel to the uppermost, except on pp. 47/48 where it runs at right angles.
Script, visible only where ink has been chemically revived, is a bold, heavy uncial. The words ‘spissus rauc[us] que’ (visible on p. 13) and ‘trociscum’ (p. 48) suggest a medical or pharmaceutical text.
Origin of the manuscript: Written apparently in Italy. Rewritten there with Donatus saec. VII ex. and again in North Italy with a Glossary saec. VII-VIII. For later history, see No. 967a.
Support: Parchment markedly yellowish on the hair-side.
Extent:
Fifty-nine folios (possibly 61) survive, each now turned sideways and folded in two to form a bifolium of the present Glossary, with the exception of the folios paginated 161/162, 199/200, and 227/228, each of which constitutes only one half of a Psalter folio, and the 2 single folios paginated 41/42 and 45/46 which are included here conjecturally.
Format: Leaves now cut down to ca. 190 x ca. 120 mm.
Collation:
Gatherings usually of eight, with flesh-side outside, signed with Roman numerals in the lower right-hand corner of the last page.
Page layout:
(165 x ca. 115 mm.) in 23 long lines. Ruling on the flesh-side, before folding. Single bounding lines. Prickings to guide ruling run far inside the written space-a sign of antiquity.
Writing and hands: Uncial and Half-Uncial
Palimpsest, primary script (for the secondary script, containing a Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII, see No. 967a; p. 196 has no secondary script).
No running titles. No punctuation, as the text is written verse by verse; occasionally a medial point or flourish occurs at the end of a verse.
Abbreviations are confined to the normal forms of Nomina Sacra: ꝹN̅S, ꝹN̅I, ꝹS̅, ꝹI̅, SC̅S, SC̅I = dominus, -i, deus, -i, sanctus, -i; once N̅ for nostri (coming after ꝹI). Omitted M and N, at line-end only, are marked by a horizontal flourish above the vowel. Spelling: ‘strahel’ (for israel).
Ink now greyish-yellow. Script is mostly a bold, well-formed uncial not quite of the very oldest type: the bow of A is a thin oval; the upright of R goes below the line and the final stroke is almost horizontal; the half-uncial, seen only on pp. 192, 197, and 228, is expert and beautiful and retains such cursive features as the use of i-Ionga between two vowels and when preceded by r and t-a sign of antiquity-and of various ligatures with e and t; the oblique of N sags; the bow of q is a long horizontal oval; ɼ is short.
Origin of the manuscript: Written apparently in North Italy, to judge by the script. Rewritten saec. VII-VIII also in North Italy. For later history, see our No. 967a.
Manuscript title: Hieremias Versionis Antehieronymianae (Capp. XVII. 10-17; XVII. 26-XVIII. 1; etc.).
Date of origin: Saec. V.
Support: Parchment of fair quality, but not very thin.
Extent:
Five folios survive, including 2 (now paginated 271-278) previously unidentified whose traces of script, width of written space, and prickings show them also to be part of the Jeremiah text;
Format: Cut down to ca. 180 x ca. 120 mm., calculated original size ca. 192 x ca. 180 mm.
Collation: each folio is now turned sideways and folded in two to form a bifolium of the present manuscript.
Page layout:
(ca. 145 x 105 mm.) in 15 long lines. Ruling on the flesh-side, presumably before folding. Single bounding lines. Prickings to guide ruling run inside the written arca near the bounding line.
Writing and hands: Uncial
Palimpsest-in part double-, primary script (for the intermediate script found only on pp. 271-278, see next item ; for the secondary script, see No. 967a).
Punctuation: the main pause is marked by a medial point occasionally followed by a blank the width of one letter, lesser pauses are marked by the medial point alone.
Abbreviations: Ꝺ̅E (the older form) = domine. A considerably larger letter begins each page.
Ink shows pale brown traces. Script is a bold and stately uncial of the, oldest type.
Origin of the manuscript: Written in Italy, to judge by the script. The surviving leaves were washed off and used in North Italy saec. VII-VIII for writing a Glossary (our No. 967a); an earlier rough draft of this Glossary is seen on two folios (our No. 972). For later history, see No. 967a.
Format: Present measurements ca. 185 x 120 mm., with the written area trimmed on all sides.
Collation: Two folios survive, folded so as to form 2 bifolia in the present manuscript, the lines running at right angles to the uppermost script.
Page layout:
In two columns, divided by an irregular line, of a varying number of lines, of which 20-25 survive. Written without ruling.
Writing and hands: Uncial and Minuscule
Double palimpsest, intermediate script (for the lowermost script, containing Hieremias in a pre-Vulgate version in uncial saec. V, see No. 971; for the uppermost script, containing this same Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII, see No. 967a).
The abbreviation ꝓ (or more likely ꝑ) for post occurs on p. 277; it was misinterpreted by the copyist as 'per'.
Ink greyish-brown. Script is in part uncial, in part minuscule showing cursive features: the shoulder of minuscule r often extends over the following letter.
Origin of the manuscript: Written presumably in North Italy, since this rough draft doubtless originated in the same scriptorium where the final copy of the Glossary was made. For later history, see No. 967a.
Extent:
Parts of 14 folios survive, forming 15 folios of the Glossary
Format: Original width of folios exceeds 120 mm.
Collation: 1 original folio seems to have been turned sideways and folded in two to form the present pp. 301/302 +311/312; 4 original bifolia were cut down to form pp. 283-298; the primary script in the remaining folios sometimes runs at right angles to the secondary script (for pp. 319/320 which have been alleged to belong here, see No. 975).
Page layout:
(width of written area ca. 90 mm.) in long lines of which 12 survive. No ruling discernible. Prickings are inside the written area-a sign of antiquity.
Writing and hands: Cursive Minuscule
Palimpsest, primary script (for the secondary script, containing a Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII, see No. 967a).
Spelling: b occurs constantly for consonantal u: ‘bocant’, ‘beluti’, ‘cerbina’, etc.
Ink now pale brown. Script is an expert, rapid cursive minuscule of very old type: the uncial form of N is still used and its oblique sags; i-longa occurs after r and t-an ancient practice; some ascenders are looped; a more cursive entry in grey ink is seen in the upper margin of p. 284.
Origin of the manuscript: Written in Italy and probably in the North, to judge by the script. Rewritten in North Italy with a Glossary saec. VII-VIII. For later history, see No. 967a.
Manuscript title: Terentius, Heauton Timoroumenos (IV. viii. 17-23; V. i. 1-5).
Date of origin: Saec. V.
Support: Parchment not at all thin or fine, now much disfigured by reagent.
Format: Size of extant leaf ca. 120 x ca.
150 mm., estimated original size ca. 260 x ca. 240 mm.
Collation: One folio, of which only the upper half survives, now folded vertically so as to form a bifolium of which pp. 300+313 are the original recto and pp. 299+314 the original verso.
Page layout:
(calculated ca. 150 x 180 mm. -the square format being an ancient feature) in 18 or 19 long lines, of which 7 survive on the best page. Ruling on the flesh-side.
Writing and hands: Rustic Capital
Palimpsest, primary script (for the secondary script, containing a Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII, see No. 967a).
The single abbreviation seen is Q‧ for que.
Ink scaled off on flesh-side. Script is a bold Rustic capital, not of the oldest type: V approaches the uncial form.
Origin of the manuscript: Origin uncertain, presumably Italy. Rewritten in North Italy with a Glossary saec. VII-VIII. For later history, see No. 967a.
Page layout:
(width of written area exceeds 115 mm.); text is in long lines. Prickings are inside the written space-an ancient practice-and at least 15 of them are seen.
Writing and hands: Uncial
Palimpsest, primary script (for the secondary script, containing the end of a Glossary in uncial saec. VII-VIII, see No. 967a).
Script is a small neat uncial of an early type.
No traces of ink remain, but letters along the margin are clearly discernible if light is thrown at a certain angle.
One can still make out the beginnings of lines in the lower margin of p. 319: ... ATIO, ... MISSIQ, FLES, DEM, DE CR, ATRIUMP, ... GRATUS.
Origin of the manuscript: Origin uncertain. Rewritten with a Glossary in North Italian uncial saec. VII-VIII. For later history, see No. 967a.
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