Manuscript, possibly from Mount Athos, of St Dorotheus and the sermons of Isaias, with an account of the miracle performed by the Virgin at Blachernae.

Item

Identifier: Adv.MS.18.5.21

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

(i) St Dorotheus: letter (folio 1; ‘Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca’, ‘Auctarium’ 2116z, ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1613); beginning of life of St Dositheus, differing from the version below, folio 17 verso (folio 5); teachings 21 (folio 5 verso; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1812), 18 (folio 11; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1804, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 504), 16 (folio 13 verso; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1793, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 488); life of St Dositheus (folio 17 verso, beginning lost with upper half of folio 17; ‘Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca’, 2119, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 122); teachings 1-14 (folio 26; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1617, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 146), 15 (folio 139; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1788, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 446), 19 (folio 143 verso; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1808, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 526), 20 (folio 144; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1812, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 512), 22 (folio 145; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1821, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 458), 23 (folio 150; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1829, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 474), and 17 (folio 154 verso; ‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii, 1800, ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, 498). The end of teaching 8, the beginning of 9, and part of 19 are lost.

(ii) Isaias, sermons 1-4, 6-15, 17-20, 23-29 (= 1-5, 7-16, 18-20, 23-29 in the Latin translation in ‘Patrologia Graeca’, xl, 1106), with another (30) (also in Paris, Coisl.123, folio 200 verso), which is an abbreviated version of Pseudo-Basil, ‘Constitutiones monasticae’ (‘Patrologia Graeca’, xxxi, 1325). The ends of 12 and 29 and the beginnings of 13 and 30 are lost. (Folio 158.)

(iii) Account of the miracle performed by the Virgin at Blachernae (‘Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca’, 1060). (Folio 269 verso.)

Subscriptions in three hands, the first and third damaged by worms, the second erased and deleted: (1) ...αθη τὸ παρὸν βιβλ(ίον) παρ’ ἐμοῦ τοῦ μο(ν)άχου Γαβριὴλ εἰς ά̓φεσιν τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτίων˙ εί̓ τις δὲ βουληθῆ ἀφαιρῆσαι ταύτ(ην) ἀπὸ τὴν σεβασμίαν μον(ὴν) τοῦ [[ ]] (illegible writing in the erasure by the hand of (2)) ί̔να ἐπισπάσηται τὰς ἀρὰς τῶν τιή (?) θεοφορ(ων) π(ατέ) ρων κ(αὶ) ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ; (2) τ̣..α̣φ̣ [[ ]] .ε̣φ̣ [[ ]] σ̣ε[?]χ…τ [[ ]] αφ.ιγμην• αρθε [[ ]] ρ̣ [[ ]] φθινον; (3) ….ίας βλατέμαρα …… τὰς ἁγίας θεωδοσίας.

Heading and some initials in red, in (i) and (ii) overlaid with gilt. Rectangular panels with `Blütenblatt’ filling and foliate initials at the beginning of each section of (i) and at the beginning of (ii), in red, gilt, blue, green, and white. On folio 26 is a miniature, surrounded by an elaborate frame with `Blütenblatt’ filling, depicting St Dorotheus teaching his followers. The text is probably in the same hand throughout; the letters hang from the line and lean slightly to the right; a few unical forms, no unusual ligatures or contractions, breathings mostly square. Headings are in a different hand, more upright and elongated, with more uncial forms.

Dates

Creation: Late 10th century-early 11th century.

Extent

1 Volumes (ii + vi (paper, including notes on the manuscript) + 280 + ii folios.)

Language of Materials

Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Additional Description

Arrangement

Collation: 1-11⁸, 12⁸ (-12⁴) 13-18⁸, 19⁸ (-19¹), 20⁸ (-20⁸), 21-25⁸, 26⁸ (-26²⁻³), 27-33⁸, 34⁸ (-34⁶), -35, 36⁸, 37⁸ (-37⁷⁻⁸, probably blank). Signatures in the form [?] at the lower inside corner of first recto and last verso of each gathering, probably by the rubricator; crosses in brown ink in the centre upper margin of the first recto. Pricking with a triangular awl in the outer margins, each sheet pricked separately with hair side uppermost. Ruling with a hard point, each sheet ruled separately with hair side uppermost. 1 column (with unused side panel). 24 lines in gathering 1, 25 elsewhere. Ruled area 170 x 120 millimetres.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Vellum. English binding (by Douglas Cockerell) of oak boards and red niger back, with metal and leather clasps, 1906.

Custodial History

The manuscript is said to have been acquired from a monastery on Mount Athos by Peter Stavrolides, a former Archimandrite, who sold it in Athens in 1906 to Charles John Guthrie, Lord Guthrie. It was then in leather boards and entitled τὰ ἀσκητικὰ τοῦ ̓Αββᾶ Δωροθέου. The manuscript was presented to the Advocates’ Library in 1920 by Lady Guthrie.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.

Existence and Location of Copies

Microfilm available: Mf.Sec.MSS.459.

Related Materials

Paris, Coisl.123.

Bibliography

‘Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca’.

‘Patrologia Graeca’, lxxxviii.

Dorothée de Gaza. ‘Oeuvres spirituelles’, edited by L Regnault and J de Préville (Paris, 1963) [‘Sources Chrétiennes’, 92].
Isaias. Sermons, edited by Augustinos (Jerusalem, 1911).