A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Auct. F. 2. 8

Summary Catalogue no.: 8851

Works of Virgil with glosses (‘The Oxford Virgil’); French, 9th century, first half

Contents

Summary of Contents: Virgil with Pseudo-Ovidian argumenta and Carolingian glosses, combining Servius with unattributed interpretations found in other early medieval sources ( scholia non Serviana ).

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1r–14v)
Virgil, Eclogues
(fol. 1r)
1.55–83
Incipit: ||Saepe leui somnum suadebit inire susurro
Explicit: Maioresque cadunt altis de montibus umbrae
ICL 16395
(fols. 1v–2v)
2.1–73
Incipit: Formosum pastor coridon ardebat alexin
Explicit: Inuenies alium si te hic fastidit alexis.
ICL 5290
(fols. 2v–4v)
3.1–111
Rubric: Palemon menalcas damoetas.
Incipit: Dic mihi damoetae cuium pecus an meliboei.
Explicit: Claudite iam riuos puer\i/ sat prata biberunt
ICL 3621
(fols. 4v–5v)
4.1–63
Rubric: Seculi noui interpraetatio
Incipit: Sicielides musae paulo maiora canamus
Explicit: Nec deus hunc mensa dea nec dignata cubile\i/ est
ICL 15330
(fols. 5v–7r)
5.1–90
Rubric: Menalcas mopsus.
Incipit: Cur non mopse boni quoniam conuenimus ambo
Explicit: Formosum paribus nodis atque ere menalca
ICL 3228
(fols. 7r–9r)
6.1–86
Rubric: Faunorum satyrorum silinorum delectatio
Incipit: Prima siracusio dignata est ludere uersu
Explicit: Iussit et inuito processit uesper olympo
ICL 12507
(fols. 9r–10r)
7.1–70
Rubric: Meliboeus coridon thyrsis vij ecloga
Incipit: Forte sub arguta consederat ili^ce^ daphnis
Explicit: Ex illo coridon corydon est tempore nobis;
ICL 5304
(fols. 10r–12r)
8.1–109
Rubric: Damonis et alphesiboei contentio viij ecloga
Incipit: Pastorum musam damonis et alp^h^esiboei
Explicit: Parce^ite^ ab urbe uenit iam parcite carmina dapnis
ICL 11723
(fols. 12r–13r)
9.1–67
Rubric: Lycida moeris \viiij ecloga/
Incipit: Quo te moeri pedes an quo uia ducit in urbem
Explicit: Carmina tum melius cum uenerit ipse canemus
ICL 13858
(fols. 13r–14v)
10.1–77
Rubric: Conquestio cum gallo de agris
Incipit: Extremum hunc aretusa mihi concede laborem
Explicit: Ite domum saturae uenit haesperus ite capellae
ICL 4894
Final rubric: Publii uirgilii maronis carmen bucolicon in quo theocritum uicit utere fel^ci^ter
2. (fols. 14v–53v)
Virgil, Georgics
(fol. 14v)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Georgics 1
Rubric: Praefacio libri primi georgicorum orditur.
Incipit: Quid faciat laetas segetes quae sidere\a/ seruet
Explicit: Et docuit messes magno cum foedere reddi.

Anthologia Latina 2.1

ICL 13463
(fols. 14v–23v)
1.1–514
Incipit: Quid faciat laetas segetes quo sidere terram
Explicit: Fertur equis aurgia neque audit cursus habenas
Final rubric: Publii uirgilii maronis georgicorum liber primus explicit
ICL 13464
(fol. 23v)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Georgics 2
Incipit: Hactenus aruorum cultus et sidera caeli
Explicit: Atque oleae ramos pomorum ex ordine laetus
ICL 5806

Anthologia Latina 2.2

(fols. 23v–33r)
2.1–542
Rubric: Incipit liber secundus
Incipit: Hactenus aruorum cultus et se\i/dera caeli
Explicit: Et iam tempus equum fumantia solvere colla
ICL 5805
(fols. 33r–43r)
3.1–566
Rubric: Incipit liber tertius georgicorum
Incipit: Te quoque magna pales et te memorande canemus
Explicit: Tempore contactos artus sacer ignis edebat
Final rubric: Publii uergilii maronis georgicorum liber tercius explicit
ICL 16112
(fols. 43r–53v)
4.1–566
Rubric: Incipit liber quartus
Incipit: Protinus aerei mellis caelestia dona
Explicit: Tityre te patulae cecini sub tegmine fagi
Final rubric: Explicit liber georgicorum ·iiij·
ICL 12694
3. (fols. 53v–226v)
Virgil, Aeneid
(fol. 53v)
Pseudo-Ovid, De xii libris Aeneidos
Rubric: Versiculi ouidii nassonis super eneidos
Incipit: Primus habet lybicam ueniant ut troes in urbem
Explicit: Ultimus inponit bello turni nece finem.
ICL 12542 WIC 14661

Anthologia Latina 634

(fols. 54r–67r)
1.1–756
Rubric: Incipit aeneidorum liber primus
Incipit: Arma uirumque cano troiae qui primus ab oris
Explicit: Omnibus errantem terris et fluctibus aestas
Final rubric: Explicit liber primus aeneidorum.
(fol. 67r)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 2
Rubric: Incipit praefatio libri ·ii·
Incipit: ⟨F⟩unera dardanię narrat flecteque secundo.
Explicit: Somnum quod minitus acceperat haectoris atrum.||
ICL 2699

Only six lines copied, with space for the remainder up to fol. 67v.

Anthologia Latina 1.2

(fols. 67v–81r)
2.1–804
Incipit: Conticuere omnes intentique ora tenebant

Three lines copied on fol. 70v, breaking at 2.156, with the remainder of the page left blank; resumes with 2.157 on fol. 71r.

Explicit: Cessi⹎ et sublato montem genitore petiui
Final rubric: Publi uirgili maronis aeneidos liber ·iii· explicit.
ICL 2696
(fol. 81v)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 3
Rubric: Incipit praefatio libri ·iii·
Incipit: Post euersa frigum regna fuga coepta mouere
Explicit: Amissumque patrem drefanis hic deinde quieuit
Final rubric: Explicit praefatio
ICL 12199

Anthologia Latina 1.3

(fols. 81v–93v)
3.1–718
Incipit: Postquam res asiae priamique euertere gentem
Explicit: Conticuit tandem fac^to^que hic fine quieuit;
Final rubric: Explicit liber ·iii·
ICL 12278
(fols. 93v–94r)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 4
Rubric: Incipit praefatio libri ·iiij·
Incipit: At regina graui ueneris iam carpitur igni
Explicit: Et uitam infelix multo cum sanguine fudit;
Final rubric: Explicit praefatio
ICL 1232

Anthologia Latina 1.4

(fols. 94r–106r)
4.1–705
Incipit: At regina graui iamdudum saucia cura
Explicit: Dilapsus calor atque in uentos uita recessit.
Final rubric: Explicit liber ·iiii·
ICL 1230
(fols. 106r–121r)
5.1–871
Rubric: Incipit liber aeneidos
Incipit: Interea medium aeneas iam cla^s^se tenebat

Copying breaks off at fol. 110v, 5.273, leaving a quarter of a page blank. Resumes with 5.274 on fol. 111r.

Explicit: Nudus in ignota palinure iacebis harena
ICL 8242
(fol. 121r)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 6
Incipit: Cumas deinde uenit fert hinc responsa sibillae
Explicit: Haec ubi percepit graditur sociosque reuisit
ICL 3189

Anthologia Latina 1.6

(fols. 121v–137r)
6.1–901
Incipit: Sic fatur lacrimans classique immittit habenas
Explicit: Anchora de prora iacitur. stant litore puppes
ICL 15271
(fols. 137r–151r)
7.1–817
Rubric: Incipit liber vij
Incipit: Tu quoque littoribus nostris aeneia nutrix
Explicit: Et pastoralem praefixa cuspide myrtum.
ICL 16578
(fols. 151r–163v)
8.1–731
Rubric: Incypit[sic] liber viij
Incipit: Ut belli signum laurenti turnus ab arce
Explicit: Attollens humero famamque et facta nepotum
ICL 16843
(fol. 163v)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 9
Incipit: Nonus habet pugnas nec adest dux ipse tumultu
Explicit: Iamque fatigatus recipit se in castra suorum.
ICL 1256

Anthologia Latina 1.9

(fols. 163v–177v)
9.1–818
Rubric: Incipit liber ·viiij·
Incipit: Atque ea diversa penitus dum parte geruntur
Explicit: Et laetum sotiis abluta cęde remisit
Final rubric: Explicit liber ·viiij·
ICL 1254
(fols. 177v–178r)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 10
Incipit: Occidit aeneae decimo mezentius ira
Explicit: Mox uictor nati mezentius occidit ipse
ICL 2509

Anthologia Latina 1.10

(fols. 178r–194v)
10.1–908
Incipit: Panditur interea domus omnipotentis olympi
Explicit: Vndantique animam diffundit in arma cruore.
Final rubric: Explicit liber ·x·
ICL 11563

Fol. 191 an added slip with 10.747–59.

(fol. 194v)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 11
Rubric: Incipit praefatio libri xi.
Incipit: Undecimo uicta est non aequo Marte Camilla
Explicit: Deinde duces castris donec cessere minantur.
ICL 2674

Anthologia Latina 1.11

(fols. 194v–210r)
11.1–915
Incipit: Oceanum interea surgens aurora relinquit
Explicit: Considunt castris ante urbem et moenia uallant
ICL 11144

Remainder of fol. 210r left blank.

(fol. 210v)
Pseudo-Ovid, Argument to Aeneid 12
Incipit: Duodecimo turnus diuinis occidit armis
Explicit: Circumfusa acie vita spoliavit et armis.
ICL 16659

Anthologia Latina 1.12

Added; fol. 201v originally left blank.

(fols. 211r–226v)
12.1–952
Rubric: P. Virgilii maronis aeneidos liber xi explicit Incipit liber ·xii·
Incipit: Turnus ut infract^os^ aduerso marte latinos
Explicit: uitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras
Final rubric: Explicit
ICL 16660

Followed by pen trials, ‘Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea’ (Ps. 26.1).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 226 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 285 × 190 mm.
Foliation: Modern foliation.

Collation

18 (wants 1), 28, 36, 4–58, 610, 76, 88, 910 (wants 1 after fol. 61v), 10–238, 248 (fol. 191 is a half leaf, inserted between quires 24 and 25), 258, 2612 (wants 5 after fol. 203v), 27–288. Contemporary quire signatures: ‘iiii’ (fol. 29v) to ‘vi’ (fol. 47v) and ‘iiii’ (fol. 86v) to ‘xvi’ (fol. 182v).

Layout

Ruled in drypoint, 29–30 lines, 210 × 105 mm.

Hand(s)

Caroline minuscule. Bischoff (Katalog, vol. 2, p. 358, no. 3771) interprets the glosses as written mostly by 9th- and 10th-century hands. He also notes glossing hands as late as the 11th (fol. 210v) and 12th centuries (fol. 67r).

Some glosses are written in Tironian notes. See David Ganz, ‘Carolingian manuscripts with substantial glosses in Tironian notes’, in Mittelalterliche volkssprachige Glossen (Heidelberg, 2001), pp. 101–107.

Decoration

Minor initials beginning works, two lines, in red, green, and yellow, e.g. fol. 54r. (Pächt and Alexander i. 415)

Versals coloured in red or yellow; sometimes also used for the first letter of a gloss (e.g. fol. 10r).

Rubricated titles.

Mappa mundi illustrating Georgics 1.233, fol. 18v.

Topographic sketch illustrating Aeneid 1.159, fol. 56v.

Binding

Brown tanned calf over laminated pulpboard.

History

Origin: 9th century, first half ; French; Bernard Bischoff attributes the script to the Benedictine abbey of St Germain-des-Prés

Provenance and Acquisition

‘Ricardus comes’ (late 9th or 10th century): inscribed, fol. 111r; marginal note, fol. 110v.

Jacques Mentel (1597–1671): inscribed, ‘Ex biblioth. MSS Jo. Jacobi Mentelij Nobilis Gallj’, fol. 1r.

Lent to Nicolaas Heinsius around 1660; his ‘Codex Mentelianus primus’.

Record Sources

Description by Andrew Dunning (March 2022). Previously described in the Summary Catalogue (1895), with the decoration, localization, and date in Pächt and Alexander (1966). Sinéad O’Sullivan, ‘Glossing Vergil and Pagan Learning in the Carolingian Age’, Speculum 93.1 (2018): 132-165 describes the manuscript with discussion of the glosses.

Availability

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Please note in addition that this item will be on display in the Bodleian Libraries exhibition "Oracles, Omens and Answers" (ST Lee Gallery, Weston Library) from 6 Dec. 2024 to 27 April 2025, and will not be orderable between those dates or for a short period before and after.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (1 image from 35mm slides)

Last Substantive Revision

2022-03-14: Andrew Dunning Revised with consultation of original.