London, BL, Add. 12150
source date: A. Gr. 723
edition published: 2023-04-21-05:00
language: ar; ar-Syrc; ar-Syrn; cop; de; en; fr; grc
availability: Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

United Kingdom, London, British Library, Oriental Manuscripts, https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/25, Add. 12,150, London, BL, Add. 12,150, BL Add MS 12150, William Wright, Catalogue of the Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum Acquired since the Year 1838, 726, William Wright, Catalogue of the Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum Acquired since the Year 1838, DCCXXVI

[This manuscript contains: Titus, and Clemens, and the Caesarean [Eusebius]. In total, including sub-sections, this manuscript contains 21 items.]

Syriac

Foll. 1-255
title: Titus, and Clemens, and the Caesarean [Eusebius]
[ܐܫ]ܬܠܡܘ ܒܦܢܩܝܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܟ̈ܬܒܐ ܬ̈ܠܬܐ ܛܛܘܣ ܘܩܠܡܣ ܘܩܣܪܝܐ
There are completed in this volume three books,Titus, and Clemens, and the Caesarean.
See additions.
  Foll. 1b-72
  author: Clement of Rome
  title: The Recognitions of Clement of Rome, the disciple of S. Peter
  ܫܠܡ ܠܡܟܬܒ ܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܩܠܡܣ
  The title has been cut away. In Add. 14,609, fol. 123a [...] , the title is ܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܩܠܝܡܝܣ ܐܝܢܐ ܕܢܩܝܦ ܗܘܐ ܠܫܡܥܘܢ ܟܐܦܐ, the history of Clement, who was attached to Simon Peter.
    Foll. 1b-53
    title: The first discourse, comprising the first three books of the Latin version of Rufinus, and the first chapter of the fourth book, as far as the words apud Tripolim nobis hiemandiun denunciavimus.
    rubric: ܡܡܠܠܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ
    ܫܠܡ ܠܡܟܬܒ ܡܡܠܠܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܕܩܠܡܣ
    Cf. Gersdorf, Bibliotheca Patruni Ecclesiast. Latin., t. i., pp. 3-115; Cotelerius, SS. Patrum qui temporibus Apostolicis floruerunt Opera, ed. Clericus (Amstel., 1724), t. i., pp. 493-539
    Foll. 53a-57
    title: The third (discourse), against the heathens, corresponding to the tenth homily of the original Greek
    rubric: ܕܬ̈ܠܬܐ ܕܠܘܩܒܠ ܚܢ̈ܦܐ
    Cf. Cotelerius, t. i., p. 692; De Lagarde, Clementina (Leipzig, 1865), p. 100
    Foll. 57a-63
    title: The fourth (discourse), corresponding to the eleventh homily of the Greek
    rubric: ܕܐܪ̈ܒܥܐ
    Cf. Cotelerius, t. i., p. 698; De Lagarde, Clementina (Leipzig, 1865), p. 108
    Foll. 63b-70
    title: From Tripolis in Phoenicia , corresponding to the twelfth homily of the Greek, from the beginning to the end of § 25, and the thirteenth homily
    rubric: ܕܡܢ ܛܪܝܦܘܠܣ ܕܦܝܢܝܩܐ
    Cf. Cotelerius, t. i., p. 707-714, 717; De Lagarde, Clementina (Leipzig, 1865), p. 120-129, 133
    Foll. 70b-72
    title: The fourteenth discourse, corresponding to the fourteenth homily of the Greek
    rubric: ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܐܪܒܬܥܣܪ
    This work has been edited from the two Nitrian manuscripts by Dr. de Lagarde, under the title of Clementis Romani Recognitiones Syriace,1861.
    Cf. Cotelerius, t. i., p. 723; De Lagarde, p. 140
  Foll. 72b-156a
  author: Titus of Bostra
  title: The Discourses of Titus, bishop of Bosra, or Bostra, against the Manichaeans
  rubric: ܡܐܡܪ̈ܐ ܕܛܛܘܣ ܕܠܘܩܒܠ ܡܢܝ̈ܢܝܐ
  ܫܠܡ ܡ̈ܐܡܪܐ ܐܪ̈ܒܥܐ ܕܛܛܘܣ ܕܠܘܩܒܠ ܡܢܝ̈ܢܝܐ ܕܡܦܩܝܢ ܡܢ ܝܘܿܢܝܐ ܠܐܪܡܝܐ
  Here ends the four discourses of Titus of Bostra against the Manichaeans, translated from Greek into Aramaic.
  This work has been edited by De Lagarde, under the title of " Titi Bostreni contra Manicliaeos libri quatuor Syriace", 1859, as also in Greek, according to the Codex Hamburgensis, 1859.
  Cf. Gallandii Bibl. Vett. Patrum, t. v., pp. 269-356
    Foll. 72b-86
    author: Titus of Bostra
    title: The first discourse
    Foll. 86b-109
    author: Titus of Bostra
    title: The second discourse
    Foll. 109a-130
    author: Titus of Bostra
    title: The third discourse
    Foll. 130a-156a
    author: Titus of Bostra
    title: The fourth discourse
  Foll. 156a-235b
  author: Eusebius of Caesarea
  title: The Treatise of Eusebius of Caesarea on the Theophania (περὶ θεοφανεἰας) or Divine Manifestation of our Lord, in five books
  rubric: ܕܐܘܣܒܣ ܩܣܪܝܐ ܕܥܠ ܕܢܚܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ
  ܫܠܡ ܠܡܟܬܒ ܚܡ̈ܫܐ ܣܦܪ̈ܝܢ ܕܐܘܣܒܣ ܩܣܪܝܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܝܢ ܕܕܢܚܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ.
  This work has been edited by Dr. S. Lee for the Society for the Publication of Oriental Texts, 1842; and in 1843 the same scholar published an English translation of it, with preface, preliminary dissertation and notes.
    Foll. 156a-171
    author: Eusebius of Caesarea
    title: The first book
    Foll. 171b-188
    author: Eusebius of Caesarea
    title: The second book with the special title against the Philosophers
    rubric: ܕܠܘܩܒܠ ܦܝ̈ܠܘܣܦܐ
    Foll. 188a-202
    author: Eusebius of Caesarea
    title: The third book
    Foll. 202a-221
    author: Eusebius of Caesarea
    title: The fourth book
    Foll. 221a-235b
    author: Eusebius of Caesarea
    title: The fifth book
  Foll. 235b-251a
  author: Eusebius of Caesarea
  title: The History of the Confessors, or Martyrs, in Palestine by Eusebius of Caesarea
  rubric: ܕܥܠ ܡܘܕܝ̈ܢܐ ܕܒܦܠܣܛܝܢܐ ܕܐܡܝܪ ܠܐܘܣܒܣ ܩܣܪܝܐ
  ܫܠܡܘ ܫ̈ܪܒܐ ܕܬܫ̈ܥܝܬܐ ܕܢܨܚ̈ܢܝܗܘܢ ܕܡܘ̈ܕܝܢܐ ܩ̈ܕܝܫܐ ܕܒܦܠܣܛܝܢܐ.
  It has been edited and translated into English, with notes, by Dr. Cureton, 1861
  Foll. 251a-252
  author: Eusebius of Caesarea
  title: A Panegyric on the Christian Martyrs by Eusebius
  rubric: ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܩܘ̈ܠܣܐ ܕܡܝܬܪܘܬܗܘܢ.
  It has been published in the Journal of Sacred Literature, 4th Series, vol. v., p. 403, and translated by Air. B. H. Cowper in the same periodical, t. vi., p. 129.
  Foll. 252b-255
  title: A Martyrology, the greater part of which, relating to the western martyrs, is arranged according to the order of the Syrian months, from the first Kānūn to the second Teshrī
  rubric: ܫܡ̈ܗܐ ܕܡܪ̈ܝܢ ܡܘܕܝ̈ܢܐ ܘܙܟ̈ܝܐ. ܘܝܘܡ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܕܫܩܠܘ ܒܗܘܿܢ ܟ̈ܠܝܠܐ.
  The names of the Eastern or Persian martyrs are given on foll.254b and 255a, arranged according to their clerical rank. This martyrology has likewise been published in the Journal of Sacred Literature, 4th Series, t. viii., p. 45, with an English translation, p. 423. See the Acta Sanctorum for October, t. xii., pp. 183-5.

Vellum, about 14 5/8 in. by 11 1/8, consisting of 255 leaves, many of which are slightly stained by water and oil, and a few much torn, especially foll. 8 and 253—5. Originally the quires were signed with letters, from ܐ to ܬ and again from ܐ to ܕ (see foll. 78 a, ܛ; 179 a, ܩ; 199 a, ܫ ; 229 a, ܒ ; 239 a, ܓ). A later hand has numbered them consecutively from ܐ to ܟܘ. Each page is divided into three columns, a full column having from 38 to 43 lines. This volume is written throughout in a beautiful Edessene character, and dated A. Gr. 723, A.D. 412. [It is consequently believed to be the oldest dated volume extant; and yet the vellum is in many places as white, and the ink as black, as if it were only a; few years old. The next dated book in point of antiquity seems to be the MS. of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius in the Imperial Public Library at St. Petersburg, written A.D. 462; and the third, in the British Museum, Add.14,425, A.D. 464 (see above, p. 3, no. III).]

Vellum

255 ff. 14 5/8 × 11 1/8

Originally the quires were signed with letters, from ܐ to ܬ and again from ܐ to ܕ(see foll.78a, ܛ;179a, ܩ;199a, ܫ;229a, ܒ;239a, ܓ).See additions.

- Many of the leaves are slightly stained by water and oil, and a few much torn, especially foll.8 and 253-5.

Each page is divided into three columns, a full column having from 38 to 43 lines.

This volume is written throughout in a beautiful Edessene character, and dated A. Gr. 723, A.D. 412. See additions.

See additions.

See additions.

See additions.

See additions.

[N.B., folio location may not be available for some items below.] [N.B., items below may have been listed out of folio order in Wright's catalogue.]

- Colophon Doxology

On fol. 254a, 3rd col., we read the colophon, written with green paint (see also fol.227b):

[ܐܫ]ܬܠܡܘ ܒܦܢܩܝܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܟ̈ܬܒܐ ܬ̈ܠܬܐ ܛܛܘܣ ܘܩܠܡܣ ܘܩܣܪܝܐ

There are completed in this volume three books,Titus, and Clemens, and the Caesarean.

This is followed by the doxology (written with yellow paint, see also fol.229b), and by the note:

ܐܫܬܠܡܬ ܦܢܩܝܕܬܐ$ ܗܕܐ ܒܝܪܚ ܬܫܪܝ ܫܢܬ ܫܒ[ܥܡـ]ܐܐ [ܘܥ]ܣܪܝܢ ܘܬܠܬ ܒ[ܐ]ܘܪܗܝ [ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕ]ܒܝܬ [ܢܗ]ܪܝܢ . . . [ܦܢܩܝܬܐ is the oldest form of the word, from πινακίδὶον. It usually becomes, by assimiliation, ܦܢܩܝܬܐ; and is sometimes corrupted into ܦܢܩܝܢܬܐ, according to the analogy of ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ,ܣܦܝܢܬܐ, etc.]

This volume was finished in the month of the latter Teshrī, in the year 723(A.D. 412), at Urhāi (Edessa) , a city of Beth-Nahrīn (Mesopotamia)……….

- A later hand has numbered the quires consecutively from ܐ to ܟܘ.

- On the margin of fol. 239b, some careful student and admirer of antiquity has written these words:

ܚܙܘ ܐܚ̈ܝ ܐܢܗ̣ܘ ܕܡܬܦܣܩܐ ܚܪܬܗ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܥܬܝܩܐ ܘܐܒܕܐ ܥܡ ܗ̇ܘ ܡܕܡ ܕܚܬ݂ܡ ܘܐܫܠܡ ܒܗ ܟܬܘܒܗ. ܗܟܢܐ ܟܬܝܒ ܗܘܐ ܒܗ̇ ܒܚܪܬܗ ܕܐܬܟܬ݂ܒ ܠܡ ܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܒܐܘܪܗܝ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܢܗܪܝܢ ܒܐܝܕ̈ܝ ܐܢܫ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܫܢܬ ܫܒܥܡܐܐ ܘܥܣܪܝܢ ܘܬܠܬ ܒܐܝܪܚ ܬܫܪܝܢ ܐܚܪܝ ܐܫܬܠܡ. ܘܐܝܟ ܡܕܡ ܕܟܬܝܒ ܗܘܐ ܬܡܢ ܟܬܒ݁ܬ ܐܦ ܗܪܟܐ ܕܠܐ ܬܘܣܦܬܐ܀ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܕܗܪܟܐ ܟܬܒ݁ܬ ܐܢܝ̈ܢ ܒܫܢܬ ܐܠܦ ܘ܏ܫܨܚ ܒܕܝܘ̈ܢܝܐ..

See, my brethren; if the latter part of this ancient book be cut off, and perish, along with that wherewith its writer closed and completed it, there was this inscription at the end of it: 'This book was written in Edessa, a city of Mesopotamia, by the hand of a man called Jacob, in the year 723; in the month of the second Teshrīn it was completed. [Or perhaps the word $ܐܫܬܠܡ, like the Arabic %, may merely signify that the quotation is ended.] And just according as was written there, have I written also here, without any addition. And the things which are here I wrote in the year 1398 of the Greeks (A.D. 1087).

- On fol. 1a there is some Arabic and Syriac writing of different dates, but of no importance; e.g.

AG 723 AD 412[^1] Edessa

[^1: This manuscript is consequently believed to be the oldest dated volume extant; and yet the vellum is in many places as white, and the ink as black, as if it were only a few years old. The next dated book in point of antiquity seems to be the MS. of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius in the Imperial Public Library at St. Petersburg , written A.D. 462; and the third, in the British Museum, Add.14,425 [...] , A.D. 464(See Wright, p. 3, no. III [...] ).]

Manuscript description based on Wright's Catalogue . abbreviated by the Syriaca.org editors.

William Wright Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum Acquired since the Year 1838 London 1870 DCCXXVI 2:631-633