Medieval and Early Modern Greek Manuscripts : Origen

Origen, Sextus Iulius Africanus

Medieval and Early Modern Greek Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'> This manuscript contains <i> Origen</i>'s <i> Philocalia</i>. Origen, a theologian who lived between the end of the 3rd and the first half of the 4th century CE, was reportedly a very prolific author; however, few of his writings survive, due to the condemnation of his teachings. The <i> Philocalia</i> is an anthology of texts by Origen in twenty-seven chapters, principally in the area of Biblical exegesis. The text, as it is common in the manuscripts, is preceded by a letter by Gregory of Nazianzus to Theodore bishop of Tyane, the most ancient document citing the <i> Philocalia</i> (see, among others, M. Harl, N. De Lange, <i> Origène Philocalie, 1-20 Sur les Écritures et la lettre à Africanus sur l'histoire de Suzanne</i> (Paris, 1983), pp. 19-24).</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> This copy of the <i> Philocalia</i> was produced at the beginning of the 17th century: the transcription of the Greek text was completed in September 1606, that of the Latin text in September 1604. The Greek text was copied from Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. Graec. 523 (see J. Armitage Robinson, 'On the Text of the Philocalia of Origen', <i> The Journal of Philology</i> 18 (1889), 36-68 (p. 47)). It was owned by the German librarian, editor and scholar David Hoeschel (1556-1617), and, later, by Thomas Gale.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> Five folded leaves have been bound with the manuscript. These contain Origen's <i> Epistula ad Iulium Africanum</i>, and Sextus Iulius Africanus'<i> Epistula ad Origenem</i>. They were copied in 1629 by Patrick Young (1584-1652), Greek scholar and royal librarian.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> Dr Erika Elia</p>