London, BL, Add. 17166
source date: 6th century
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/813, Add. 17,166, London, BL, Add. 17,166, BL Add MS 17166, William Wright, Catalogue of the Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum Acquired since the Year 1838, 737, William Wright, Catalogue of the Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum Acquired since the Year 1838, DCCXXXVII

[This manuscript contains: Evagrius. Various works of Evagrius; Jacob of Batnae. Letter of Jacob of Batnae to a solitary, who used to see spectres and visions of demons.; John the monk. Letter of John the monk toHesychius; The Sayings ofXystus, bishop of Rome; Macarius. Letters of Macarius; .... In total, including sub-sections, this manuscript contains 31 items.]

Syriac

foll. 1a-34b
author: Evagrius
title: Various works of Evagrius
These are in a different translation from that which is usually found in the Nitrian manuscripts.
  foll. 1a-1
  title: Life of Evagrius
  Imperfect at the beginning.
  foll. 1b-21b
  author: Evagrius
  title: The discourse addressed to Eulogius
  rubric: ܥܠ ܐܟܣܢܝܘܬ ܘܥܢܘܝܘܬܐ
  incipit: ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܠܐܬܪܐ ܫܡܝܢܐ ܒܝܕ ܥܡܠܐ ܕܕܘܒܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܡܬܝܐܝܢ. ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܥܠ ܟܪܣܐ ܒܡܪ̈ܢܝܬܐ ܕܗ̈ܠܝܢ ܡܬܚܒ̈ܠܢܝܬܐ ܒܛܝܠ ܠܗܘܢ.
  Imperfect. Compare Add. 14,578 [...] , no. 3.
  foll. 22a-24b
  author: Evagrius
  title: "On solitaries"
  rubric: ܥܠ ܝܚ̈ܝܕܝܐ
  incipit: ܟܝܢܐ ܕܚܡܬܐ ܕܰܡ̣ܟܳܢ ܒܢ. ܕܠܘܩܒܠ ܕܝ̈ܘܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܢܗܘܐ (sic) ܡܬܟܬܫܝܢ ܚܢܢ. ܘܕܚܠܦ ܟܠ ܪܓܬܐ ܐܝܕܐ ܕܗ̣ܝ. ܒܝܕ ܚܡܬܢ ܢܬܟܬܫ. ܒܐܓܘܢܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܡ̈ܠܐܟܐ ܪ̈ܓܝܓܬܐ ܪ̈ܘܚܢܝܬܐ ܢܒ̇ܥܝܢ ܒܢ. ܘܡܠܟܝܢ ܠܢ ܕܠܚܡܬܢ ܥܠ ܕܝܘ̈ܐ ܢܗ̇ܦܟ
  Imperfect at the end.
  Cf. "Capita practica ad Anatolium," § xv., in Gallandii Bibl. Vett. Patr., t. vii., p. 555.
  foll. 25a-26b
  author: Evagrius
  title: "On the eight evil passions”
  rubric: ܕܥܠ ܬܡܢܝܐ ܚܘܫ̈ܒܝܢ
  Imperfect at the beginning.
  foll. 27a-28
  title: Various sayings
  incipit: ܠܪܥܝܢܐ ܕܛ̇ܥܐ ܘܦܗ̇ܐ. ܡܫ̇ܠܐ ܘܡ̇ܟܢܫ ܠܗ ܩܪܝܢܐ ܕܟܬܒ̈ܐ ܘܫܗܪܐ ܘܨܠܘܬܐ. ܏ܘܫ.
  foll. 28b-29
  title: Part of Various works of Evagrius
  author: Evagrius
  rubric: ܡܪܬܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܘܓܪܝܣ
  incipit: ܐܝ̈ܠܝܢ ܕܒܕܘܒܪ̈ܐ ܫܦܝܪ̈ܐ. ܢܚܘܢ ܒܥܘܕܪܢܗ ܕܡܪܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܨܒܝܢ. ܗܠܝܢ ܢܛܪܘܢ. ܫܠܝܐ ܓܒ̣ܝ ܠܟ ܘܡܢ ܡܡܠܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܛܘܪ ܢܦܫܟ. ܏ܘܫ.
  Compare Add. 14,578 [...] , no. 13.
  foll. 29b-34b
  title: Part of Various works of Evagrius
  author: Evagrius
  rubric: ܡܫܠܡܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܘܓܪܝܣ ܠܘܬ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܨܒܝܢ ܕܢܫܬܘܘܢ ܠܕܪ̈ܓܐ ܕܝܚܝܕܝܘܬܐ
  incipit: ܟ̇ܬܝ̣ܒ ܒܐܪܡܝܐ ܢܒܝܐ
  Imperfect. Compare Add. 14,578 [...] , no. 10.

foll. 35a-39
author: Jacob of Batnae
title: Letter of Jacob of Batnae to a solitary, who used to see spectres and visions of demons.
Imperfect at the beginning.
See Add. 17,163 [...], fol. 27 a .

foll. 39b-47
author: John the monk
title: Letter of John the monk to Hesychius
rubric: ܐܓܪܬܐ ܐܚܪܝܬܐ ܕܝܘܚܢܢ ܐܝܚܝܕܝܐ ܠܘܬ ܐ̇ܘܣܘܟܝܣ
incipit: ܝ̇ܕܥ ܐܢܬ ܐܚܝ. ܕܦܘܪܫܢܐ ܕܗܕܡܐ ܚܫܐ ܫܒ̇ܩ ܠܫܪܟܐ ܕܗ̈ܕܡܐ

foll. 47b-52b
title: The Sayings of Xystus, bishop of Rome
rubric: ܡ̈ܠܐ ܡܓܒ̈ܝܬܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܟܣܣܛܘܣ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܪܘܡܐ
explicit: ܣܢܝ̇ ܢܝܚܘ̈ܗܝ ܕܦܓܪܐ
Imperfect
Cf. de Lagarde, Analect. Syr., p. 9, line 11.

foll. 53a-58
author: Macarius
title: Letters of Macarius
  foll. 53a-54
  title: Part of Letters of Macarius
  author: Macarius
  Imperfect at the beginning. See Add. 14,582 [...] , no. 5, d
  foll. 54b-56b
  title: Part of Letters of Macarius
  author: Macarius
  rubric: ܬܘܒ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܕܡܪܝ ܡܩܪܝܣ
  See Add. 14,582 [...] , no. 5, e.
  foll. 57a-58
  title: Part of Letters of Macarius
  author: Macarius
  rubric: ܐܓܪܬܐ ܚܪܝܬܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܕܡܪܝ ܡܩܪܝܣ
  See Add. 14,582 [...] , no. 5, b.

foll. 58b-98
author: John Chrysostom
title: Select homilies of John Chrysostom on the Gospel of S. Matthew
  foll. 58b-59b
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Hom. ii.
  Very imperfect.
  foll. 60a-64b
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Hom. iii.
  Imperfect
  foll. 65a-77b
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Hom. iv.
  Imperfect at the beginning.
  foll. 78a-85b
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Hom. x.
  foll. 86a-95
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Hom. xi.

foll. 95b-101b
author: Basil
title: Discourses of Basil
  fol. 95b
  author: Basil
  title: On poverty
  rubric: ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܒܣܝܠܝܣ ܕܥܠ ܡܣܪܩܘܬܐ
  Imperfect. This is an extract from the "Homilia in Divites."
  Cf. Opera, t. ii., p. 76, line 26,οὖν λυπῇ; τί καταπενθεῖς τῇ ψυχῇ, ἀκούων κ.τ.λ.
  foll. 96a-101b
  author: Basil
  title: On anger
  rubric: ܕܥܠ ܚܡܬܐ

foll. 102a-107b
author: John Chrysostom
title: Extracts from the homilies of John Chrysostom on the Gospel of S. Matthew
rubric: ܬܘܒ ܬܘܪ̈ܓܡܐ ܡܓܒ̈ܝܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܝܘܚܢܝܣ ܛܘܒܢܐ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܦܘܠܝܣ
  foll. 102a-102b
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Without title
  rubric: ܢܬܛܦܝܣ ܗܟܝܠ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܡ̈ܠܐ ܘܠܐ ܢܥܙܐ
  Cf. Opera, t. vii., p. 251, line 29,Πειθώμεθα τοίνυν τοῖς λεγομένοις, κ.τ.λ.
  foll. 103a-104
  title: Part of Extracts from the homilies of John Chrysostom on the Gospel of S. Matthew
  author: John Chrysostom
  rubric: ܟܣܦܐ (sic) ܥܠ ܪܚܬ
  incipit: ܠܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܢܫܬܒܪ ܠܐ ܒܪܒܘܬ ܛܘܗܡܐ ܕܐܒ̈ܗܐ ܘܠܐ ܒܣܓܝܐܘܬ ܥܘܬܪܐ.
  Cf. Opera, t. vii., p. 159, line 5,Μὴ τοίνυν μήτε ἐπ' εὐγενείᾳ, κ.τ.λ.
  foll. 104b-105b
  title: Part of Extracts from the homilies of John Chrysostom on the Gospel of S. Matthew
  author: John Chrysostom
  rubric: ܬܘܒ ܕܥܠ ܙܕܩܬܐ
  incipit: ܗܠܝܢ ܕܝܢ ܐܡܪܢܢ ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܬܫ̈ܡܥܘܢ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܐܠܐ ܐܦ ܕܬܡܪ̈ܘܢ ܒܚܠܝܨܘܬܐ ܏ܘܫ.
  Cf. Opera, t. vii., p. 91, line 11,Ταῦτα δὲ οὐχ ἴνα ἀκούσητε μόνον λέγομεν, κ.τ.λ.
  foll. 106a-107
  title: Part of Extracts from the homilies of John Chrysostom on the Gospel of S. Matthew
  author: John Chrysostom
  rubric: ܕܠܐ ܙܕܩ ܠܢ ܕܢܕܫ ܡܐ ܕܚܛܝܢܢ
  incipit: ܢܓܝܙ ܗܟܝܠ ܠܗ̇ ܠܡܥܝܢܐ ܕܒܝ̈ܫܬܐ ܘܟܘܠܗܝܢ ܬܦ̈ܐ ܕܡܝܬܝܢ ܥܠܝܢ ܟܘܪܗܢܐ ܕܦܓܪܐ ܏ܘܫ
  Cf. Opera, t. vii., p. 209, line 21,'Ανέλωμεν τοίνυν τῶν κακῶν τὴν πηγὴν, κ.τ.λ.
  fol. 107b
  author: John Chrysostom
  title: Without title
  incipit: ܐܝܟ ܐܢܫܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܟܘܠܗܝܢ ܗܘܝ ܡܛܘܠܬܢ̇ ܕܘܒܪ̈ܐ ܢܚܘܐ ܕܫܘܝܢ ܠܚܘܒܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܩܪܐ ܠܢ. ܘܠܛܘܒܐ ܕܒܗܘ ܥܠܡܐ ܘܐܝܩܪܐ ܕܐܬܝܗܒ ܠܢ
  Imperfect

foll. 108a-113b
title: A treatise on the acquisition of the knowledge and wisdom of God
ܗܠܐ ܬܕܚܠ ܒܪܝ ܡܢ ܢܟܝ̈ܢܐ ܕܒܓܘܫܡܐ ܫܪܟܝܢ. ܡܛܘܠ ܕܒܫܪܝܗ ܕܦܓܪܐ ܥܡܗ ܡܫܬܪܝܢ ܐܦ ܢܟܝܢܘ̈ܗܝ. ܩܢܛ ܕܝܢ ܡܢ ܚܒܪ̈ܬܐ ܕܟܝܢܐ ܕܢܦܫܐ ܕܠܝܬ ܬܚܘܡܐ ܠܢܘܓܪܐ ܕܚܝ̈ܝܗ. ܚܟܡܬܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܡܐ ܕܟܠ ܐܘܡ̈ܢܘܢ ܣܡ̣ܬ ܥܩܪ̈ܐ ܠܚܘܠܡܢܗ ܕܓܘܫܡܐ. ܘܡ̈ܠܐ ܠܚܘܠܡܢܐ ܕܢܦܫܐ. ܒܓܠܝ̈ܬܐ ܪܟܒܬ ܩܘܝܡܐ ܕܚܘܠܡܢܐ ܕܦܓܪܐ. ܘܒܟܣ̈ܝܬܐ ܐܠܦ̣ܬ ܐܣܝܘܬܐ ܕܢܦܫܐ. ܥܩܪ̈ܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܠܓܘܫܡܐ ܐܪܥܢܐ ܡܥ̇ܕܪܝܢ. ܒܚܝܠܐ ܕܐܘܝܘܬܗܘܢ. ܘܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܫܡܝܢܐ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܕܦܬܓܡܘ̈ܗܝ ܡܩܝܡ ܪܡܝܣܘܬܗ̇ ܕܢܦܫܐ.
imperfect both at the beginning and end. We have here part of ch. iv. (ܕ), ch. v. (ܗ) to ch. xii. (ܠ), and part of ch. xiii. (ܡ). Ch.v., which is very short, is as quoted.

Vellum, about 8 7/8 in. by 6, consisting of 113 leaves, some of which are slightly stained and torn, especially foll. 1—3, 25, 60, and 64. The quires, the number of which is uncertain, were originally signed with arithmetical figures (fol. 38 a, %). They must have fallen into confusion at an early period, and have been renumbered, often incorrectly, by at least two hands, with Syriac letters at the foot of the page and Coptic letters at the top. Leaves are now wanting at the beginning and end, as well as after foll. 4, 8, 13, 19, 24, 32, 34, 52, 58, 59, 64, 95, 101, and 107. Each page is divided into two columns, of from 26 to 42 lines.

Vellum

113 ff. 8 7/8 × 6

The quires, the number of which is uncertain, were originally signed with arithmetical figures (fol. 38 a,). They must have fallen into confusion at an early period, and have been renumbered, often incorrectly, by at least two hands, with Syriac letters at the foot of the page and Coptic letters at the top.

- 113 leaves, some of which are slightly stained and torn, especially foll. 1—3, 25, 60, and 64. Leaves are now wanting at the begin¬ning and end, as well as after foll. 4, 8, 13, 19, 24, 32, 34, 52, 58, 59, 64, 95, 101, and 107.

Each page is divided into two columns, of from 26 to 42 lines.

The writing is a good, though by no means elegant Estrangela of the vith cent.

The quires have been renumbered, often incorrectly, by at least two hands, with Syriac letters at the foot of the page.

The quires have been renumbered, often incorrectly, by at least two hands, with Coptic letters at the top of the page.

See additions

See additions

See additions

- On fol. 58 a there is a note in a comparatively recent hand, now partially effaced, which informs us that this volume belonged to Rabban Saliba, abbat of the convent of S. Mary Deipara, who gave it to the oriental monk Jacob, who in his turn presented it to the library of the convent.

ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܠܪܒܢ ܨܠܝܒܐ ܪܝܫܕܝܪܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܕܡܕܒܪܐ. ܘܫܟܢܗ ܠܚܛܝܐ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܕܡܢ ܡܕܢܚܐ. ܘܐ̇ܢܐ ܫ̇ܟܢܬܗ ܠܕܝܪܐ ܕܝܠܝ ܕܒܡܕܒܪܐ ܕܐ܏ܣܩܝ. ܘܠܝܬ ܠܐܢܫ ܫܘܠܛܢܐ ܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܢܦܩܗ ܡܢ ܡܕܒܪܐ ܘܟܠ ܕܩ̇ܪܐ ܒܗ ܢܨܲܠܐ ܥܠܝܢ ܒܒܥ̣ܘ.

- From another note, on the outer margin of fol. 63 b, which has been purposely scored out, so as to be nearly illegible, we learn that the said Saliba brought the book from Palestine.

ܗܢܐ ܟܬܒܐ ܫܩܠܗ ܪܒܢ ܨܠܝܒܐ ܪܝܫܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܕܒܪܐ ܡܢ ܦܠܣ̈ܛܝܢܝܐ. ܘܫܟܢܗ ܠܝܥܩܘܒ ܚ̇ܛܝܐ . . .

- On the same page, between the columns, is a still later note, in the handwriting of Severus, metropolitan of Jerusalem.

ܐܝ܏ܬܘ ܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܕܝܪܐ ܕܣܘܪ̈ܝܝܐ ܕܒܡܕܒܪܐ ܘܠܐ ܫܠܝܛ ܠܐܢܫ ܕܢܒܝܬܘܗܝ (sic) ܠܗ ܘܡ̇ܢ ܕܥ̇ܒܪ ܘܣ̇ـ[ܥܐ] ܥܠ ܡܐ ܕܟܬܒܢܢ ܢܗܐ ܦܣܩܐ. ܟܬܒܢܢ ܒܐܝ̈ܕܝܢ ܐܢܐ ܣܐܘܝܪܐ ܡܛܪܦܠܝܛܐ ܕܐܘܪܝܫܠܡ ܕܩܪܐ ܢܨ̇ܠܐ [ܥܠܝ].

6th century

See additions

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 DCCXXXVII 2:658-660