Monday, September 16, 2019

Evidence for Codex Alexandrinus in Egypt

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In a recent article (D. Lincicum, ‘Two Overlooked Greek Manuscripts of 1 Clement’ Vig. Cr. 73 (2019), 241–253) David Lincicum provides evidence that a Greek manuscript of 1 Clement in the National Library of Greece—EBE 1896—is a direct copy from Codex Alexandrinus’ text of 1 Clement, from a point in time prior to its arrival in London in 1627 (because of its association with other texts of Alexandrian provenance). This manuscript ‘offers us an important sighting of a notable Codex before it came to the attention of western scholars’ (p. 253). (It also offers a glimpse of the manuscript before it was trimmed for binding in London—so more text is visible in the heading field of the codex.)

3 comments

  1. Fascinating.

    So when Alexandrinus was trimmed for binding, heading text was removed, and the content of that text was not recorded prior to doing that?

    I gather from the way the OP is worded that EBE 1896 only contains 1 Clement and not any other part of Alexandrinus. Is that correct?

    Also, what's the second overlooked manuscript?

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    1. Note the abstract mentioning both mss:

      "This short article presents two late Greek manuscripts that partially preserve the text of 1 Clement. The first, BNF Suppl. gr. 64, fols. 105-112v (‘P’) is a 15th century manuscript containing 1 Clem. 40.5-60.4a, in a textual form affiliated with Codex Hierosolymitanus (Taphou 54). The second, EBE 1896, fols. 205-223 (‘E’), contains 1 Clement from the incipit through 31.3, and appears to be an apograph of Codex Alexandrinus."

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    2. So when Alexandrinus was trimmed for binding, heading text was removed, and the content of that text was not recorded prior to doing that?

      I found no record of it being preserved, but I also doubt the handlers considered paratext to be of much importance.

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