Corpus Christi College : Homer and Quintus of Smyrna

Corpus Christi College

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 81 is a large decorated manuscript, written on paper, containing the works of <i>Homer and Quintus of Smyrna</i>, placed in consecutive order of the narrative. It was copied in the mid-fifteenth century by Demetrios Xanthopoulos, who worked in the circle of Cardinal Bessarion (1403-72). There are some scholia to Homer in the hand of Demetrios Chalkondyles, who supervised the production of the editio princeps of Homer in 1488.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The manuscript belonged to Theodore Gaza (ca. 1400-1475), and the cartouche on p. 1 could serve as a sign of ownership. His name may have led to the belief that the manuscript (along with MSS 224 and 248 at Corpus) came from Theodore of Tarsus (602-690). The manuscript was eventually bequeathed to Corpus Christi College by Matthew Parker.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dr Matteo Di Franco</p>