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MS. Holkham Gr. 59

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Diktyon no.: 48127

Collection of works by Nikephoros of Constantinople

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. (fols 1r–16r)

Table of contents in form of summary of each chapter. (The titles given here do not correspond to the titles preceding the relevant texts in the text body) tit. Τάδε ἔνεστιν ἐν τῇδε τῆ βίβλῳ. Cf. PG 100, 832–833.

3. (fols 220r–454r)
Nikephoros of Constantinople, Refutatio et eversio deliramentorum inscite et impie ab irreligiosi Mamonae vaniloquentia dictorum adversus salutarem dei verbi incarnationem,

i) fols 220r-307r: Antirrheticus primus, PG 100, 205–328, ii) fols 307r-340r: Antirrheticus secundus, PG 100, 329–373, iii) fols 340r-454r: Antirrheticus tertius, PG 100, 375–533.

4. (fols 454v–489v)
Nikephoros of Constantinople, Proemium quinque et septuaginta testimoniorum subsequentium, Testimonia patrum

Ed. J. B. Pitra, Spicilegium solesmense: complectens Sanctorum Patrum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum anecdota hactenus opera, selecta e Graecis Orientalibusque et Latinis codicibus, 4 vols, Paris, 1852–1858, vol. 1, 337–370.

5. (Fols 489v–588r)

Refutatio ac eversio Eusebii simul et Epiphanidis sermonum, adversus Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi incarnationem nugatorie jactatorum

5.i. (fols 489v–588r)
Nikephoros of Constantinople, Contra Eusebium

Ed. J. B. Pitra, Spicilegium solesmense: complectens Sanctorum Patrum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum anecdota hactenus opera, selecta e Graecis Orientalibusque et Latinis codicibus, 4 vols, Paris, 1852–1858, vol. 1, 373–503.

5.ii. (fols 588v–657v)
Nikephoros of Constantinople, Adversus Epiphanidem

Ed. J. B. Pitra, Spicilegium solesmense: complectens Sanctorum Patrum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum anecdota hactenus opera, selecta e Graecis Orientalibusque et Latinis codicibus, 4 vols, Paris, 1852–1858, vol. 4, 294–380.

6. (Fols 658r–679r)
Nikephoros of Constantinople, Censura sive explicatio Quorumdam secus allatorum adversus sacras imagines testimoniorum, ex his accepta qui rectum Ecclesiae dogma defenderunt. de Magnete

Ed. J. B. Pitra, Spicilegium solesmense: complectens Sanctorum Patrum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum anecdota hactenus opera, selecta e Graecis Orientalibusque et Latinis codicibus, 4 vols, Paris, 1852–1858, vol. 1, 302–335.

7. (679r–726r)
Nikephoros of Constantinople, Antirrheticus, Adversus Iconomachos

Ed. J. B. Pitra, Spicilegium solesmense: complectens Sanctorum Patrum scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum anecdota hactenus opera, selecta e Graecis Orientalibusque et Latinis codicibus, 4 vols, Paris, 1852–1858, vol. 4, 233–291. 1585

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
iii + 728 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 212 × 155 mm.

Layout

19–20 lines per page.

Hand(s)

Two scribes: i) fols 1–549r and ii) fols 549v-726 (Λεόντιος Εὐστράτιος of Cyprus, 1584–1585, see marginalia below for his scribal note on fol. 726r, RGK II, 325).

Decoration

Several headpieces in red ink before certain sections, fols 489v; large initial uncial letters in the beginning of chapters, fols 16v, 220r, 227v, 307r, 340r, 489v. After Λεόντιος Εὐστράτιος takes over the initials are significantly smaller in size (fols 550r, 588v, 658r, 679r).

Additions: Fol. iii(r): Νικηφόρ(ου) κωνστ(α)ντινουπόλ(εως); fol. 32r: ἄφισε τοῦ κ(αὶ) ἄγωμεν ὀμπρ(ὸς) εἰς τὸ ε´ τετράδιον διὰ τὸ σφάλμα τοῦ σταχ(ω)τ(ῆ).; fol. 40r: ἄγωμεν ὀμπρὸς ἕναν τετράδιον, εἰς τὸ ζ δ⟨…⟩; τὸ σφάλμα τοῦ σταχωτῆ. ; fol. 726r: τέλος καὶ τῷ θεῷ δόξα ἐν ἔτη ιζςγω ὑπῆρχε δὲ τὸ ἀντίγραφον ιςτλθ´ ἐτῶν.

Binding

Typical Holkham binding of brown leather, with Coke family ostrich crest in gilt in the centre of the upper cover; Date: early nineteenth century. Rebound by John Jones of Liverpool (worked for Holkham 1816–1823). The spine lettered in gilt, in pasted black leather: / S. NICEPHORI/ VARIA/ ET/ ALIORUM/ PATRUM/ COLLECTANEA/ GR.–//M.S./ SÆC. /; also in pasted black leather: MS. /HOLKHAM/ Gr. 59

History

Origin: 1585 (the text is said to be copied from an exemplar of the year 831)

Provenance and Acquisition

Ownership Notes: fol. iii(v): (in red ink) + ὀνησάμην τήνδε τὴν βίβλον| παρὰ τοῦ μιχαὴλ\ου/ μορεζήνου ἀ|δελφοῦ ἡμετέρου, ὃς ἔσχεν| αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ νικολάου μα|ζαράκη, ὡς ἔφη αὐτὸς δωρ(ον)| αχς. δεκεμβρίω αη; Obtained from Nikolaos Mazarakis by Michael Morezenos, who sold the MS to his brother in 1606, 1st of December.

Old Catalogue Nrs: 1st paste down (in the centre, in pencil): MS. Holkham Gr. 59; fol. i(r) (in pencil); Holk Cat. No 89 ^4^ CI B.8.; fol. iii(v) (on the top in black ink) ΙΒον= Morezenos 12; handwritten note in black ink by B. de Montfaucon: 1698· Codex 33. Nicephori varia et patrum colleactanea ex scri|pta anno 1546. ex codice exarato anno 831· | a Christo ut in fine libri legimus. Giustiniani 33; Olim Holkham Hall, Libr. of the Earl of Leicester, 84.

Record Sources

Description by Dimitrios Skrekas (2019), with the support of the Leventis Foundation, the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, the Yerolemou Trust and the Michael Marks Charitable Trust.

Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2019-08-07: New description by Skrekas.