Città del Vaticano, BAV, Pal. lat. 973
Library | Città del Vaticano, BAV |
---|---|
Shelfmark | Pal. lat. 973 |
Century | saec. IX2/2 |
Place of origin | probably Reims |
European region of origin | Eastern France |
General region of origin | France |
Collection | Collectio XXX capitulorum (De ratione matrimonii) |
Digital Images | doi |
Main author | Bruno Schalekamp |
Città del Vaticano, BAV, Pal. lat. 973 is a ninth-century manuscript (second half) of 129 folios in 1 col. (220 x 190 mm (150-160 x 120-130mm)). Its codicological composition reads as follows: 18 quires: IV8 + ([IV – 1] + I paper folio)17 + 13 x IV121 + (III – 1)126 + II130 + 1131; quire signatures, added in the late medieval period, in Arabic numerals on the recto side from 11r to 17127r, and in Latin numerals on the verso side for folios 38v, 81v (V), 89v (VI), and 121v (X). It was written by multiple (but unknown amount of) hands in Caroline minuscule. The manuscript's origins can be traced to eastern France and, probably, the region of Reims according to Bischoff and Mordek. The manuscript's provenance is from the abbeys of Heidelberg and Lorsch. Furthermore, there are traces of a transfer to Rome in possibly 1622/1623 as well as a later signature on fol. 1r.
Contents
The manuscript is a medium-sized composite codex and contains a remarkable, unusual, and rather packed mix of late antique and early medieval textual material. One of Ansegisus's capitularia dominates its contents. Some other works are computistical, such as Bede's De temporibus, a cosmographia, De observatione quattuor temporum, or medical (Potio ad cauculum), as well as geographical (a description of central Asian provinces), prognostic (a lunarium), and kinship (de consanguinitate). Another large portion, put together of various snippets scattered throughout the manuscript, is biblical (including a sketch of Noah's Ark), canonical (including the Collectio XXX capitulorum (De ratione matrimonii)), penitential (Benedict of Aniane), sermon, or patristic material. This includes various (excerpts of) epistles of Pseudo-Hormisdas, Pseudo-Gregory the Great, Jerome, and Caesarius of Arles, as well as some conciliar works. Lastly, Fortunatus's praefatio carminum was included.
The large amount of varied material makes it hard to interpret the exact purpose of the manuscript, as it does not seem to focus on one particular theme, topic or problem. Rather, its variety might point to a personal episcopal collection, manufactured to perfectly suit the particular interests of a bishop. While the codex was generally preserved well, it does show clear traces of re-use and study. Fol. 15r-v, for example, was heavily damaged due to a large cut after the writing stage, which prompted reparations across the whole page. However, not many corrections were made. We might therefore conclude the manuscript functioned in the context of private study for the ecclesiastical elite.
See the digitized version: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4530#0001.
folios texts
Front cover
1ar-av Flyleaf 2ar-av Blank page with manuscript signature and a probatio pennae 1r-4v Bede's De temporibus, chapters 17-22, ending with some additions on the Carolingian royal dynasty 4v Short lunarium 5r-9v Incomplete Cosmographia Iulii Caesaris 10r-11v Blank pages 12r-13r Continuation of the incomplete Cosmographia Iulii Caesaris 13v-15r Venantius Fortunatus's Praefatio carminum, titled Epistula dedicatoria ad Gregorium papam 15r-v Ordo vel examinatio in ordinatione episcopi 15v Orationes ad capillos tondendum 15v-18r Epistle of Pseudo-Hormisdas, titled Epistula per universas provincias 18r-19v Pseudo-Theodorus's Diaeta Theodori 19v-21r Excerpt of Julianus Pomerius's De vita contemplativa 21r-22r Epistle of Pseudo-Gregory the Great, titled Epistula ad Secundinum inclusum 22r-24r Epistle of Isidore de Seville, titled Epistula ad Massonam episcopum 24r-25v Excerpt of Autpert Ambrose's De conflictu vitiorum et virtutum 25v-27v Benedict of Aniane's Modus paenitentiarum 27v-38v Pseudo-Cyprian of Carthage's De duodecim abusivis saeculi 38v Various short biblical excerpts 39r-v Collectio XXX capitulorum (De ratione matrimonii), chapters II, VIIII, and XI, here titled De ratione coniugum dicta sancti augustini 39v-40v Excerpt of St. Jerome's Commentaria in Matthaeum 40v-41r De consanguinitate 41r-v Excerpt of John Cassian's Collationes patrum in scetica eremo 41v-42r De eucharistia dicta patrum 42r-v Excerpt of an alleged sermon of John Chrysostom, titled Sermo de quattuor mensibus ieiuniorum computandis secundum solarem numerum 43r-123v Ansegisus Luxoviensis's Collectio capitularium 123v-125r De observatione quattuor temporum 125r Two canons from the first council of Orléans (511) and the third council of Toledo (589) 125r-v Sermon of Pseudo-Augustine, titled Sermo sancti Augustini episcopi de conscientia 126r-v Excerpt of the Concilia Africana secundum traditionem collectio Hispanae, possibly from St. Augustine 126v Various canons from the councils of Agde (506, canon 8), Mâcon (583, c. 10), Auxerre (561, c. 34), and Carthage (436, c. 94 (69)) 127r-128v Ninth canon of the council of Mainz (852), here titled De infantibus in caute oppressis. Followed by a text by Rathramnus of Corbie with the same title 128v Two recipes against bladder stones (Potio ad cauculum). Added at a later stage with a different ink, but definitely not much later than the original composition 129r-130v Excerpt of Caesarius of Arles, sermon 33 130v Interrogatio sancti Adalberti martyris 131r Description of central-Asian provinces and kingdoms. Followed by a large sketch of Noah’s Ark, which includes descriptions of its inhabitants as symbolic in Christian theological hierarchy. Noah and his sons are apostles, the birds are martyrs, etcetera 131v Excerpt of Pseudo-Cyprian's De duodecim abusivis saeculi, chapter 12, as well as citations from the Bible
Flyleaf and back cover
Literature
Bischoff, Die Abtei Lorsch (1989), p. 128; Kéry, Canonical Collections (1999), p. 81, 97, and 164; Mordek, Bibliotheca capitularium (1995), p. 8, 534, and 801-805; Mordek, Kirchenrecht und Reform (1975), p. 121 n. 87 and 226 n. 56; Reynolds, Law and Liturgy, p. 115 (IV), 20 n. 28, 24 n. 53, and 28 n. 81 (VI), and 35 n. 3 (VII); Waltz, Die historischen und philosophischen Handschriften (1999), p. 87-93.
An edition of the Collectio XXX capitulorum (De ratione matrimonii) is currently being prepared by Sven Meeder, Gideon de Jong, and Bruno Schalekamp.