Medieval and Early Modern Greek Manuscripts : Greek translation of the Greek Hours of the Virgin (use of Rome), excerpts

Medieval and Early Modern Greek Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'> This small, beautifully decorated manuscript contains the <i> Greek Hours of the Virgin (use of Rome)</i>, with the seven Penitential Psalms. This Greek translation was published by Aldus Manutius in 1497; the translation of the Latin text has been attributed to a member of Manutius' circle in Venice, Justin Dekadyos (Decaduo, Δεκαδύος) (see G.R. Parpulov, <i> An Aldine Book of Hours (91.1273)</i>, in: <i> A Catalogue of Greek Manuscripts at the Walters Art Museum and Essays in Honor of Gary Vikan</i> (= The Journal of the Walters Art Museum 62 [2004]), pp. 233-235, with cited bibliogrphy). The manuscript was copied by a single hand, probably between the last years of the 15th and the first quarter of the 16th century, and is decorated in a western style which recalls examples from the region of France at the end of the 15th century (see e.g. Cambridge, University Library, Add. 7314, Add. 4112, Mm.6.14 with a comparable decoration, produced in France at the end of the 15th century, see for details P. Binski, P. Zutshi, <i> Western Illuminated Manuscripts. A Catalogue of the Collection in Cambridge University Library</i>, Cambridge 2011).</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> It is not uncommon to find Greek translations of Latin devotional texts among the collections of humanist scholars (see Parpulov 2004).</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> Dr Erika Elia</p>