London, British Library, Cotton MS Tib. B V/1

Anglo-saxon miscellany

Aratea text: Revised Aratus Latinus; Cicero, Aratea

Parchment — 88 folia fols. — 260 × 218 mm — Canterbury — s. XI^2/4 (additions s. XII^3/4)

Support: Foliated on the paper mounts (1-88). Two previous foliation in ink were probably done before the fire damage and are only partly preserved in the upper right corner of recto-sides. The original manuscript made up of what are today Cotton Tib. B.V Part 1 and Cotton Nero D.II suffered damages by the Cotton fire in 1731. Some time after that the book was separated in two parts. In the 19^th century Cotton B.V. was restorated so that each leaf was mounted on a paper frame and the mansucript rebound.

Layout: Written predominantly in 33-35 long lines; Layout: on ff. 2-8, 17-24 in 41 long lines; Layout: ff.30r-33v, 55r-56r, 73r-v, 78r-88v - two columns.

Script: In a detailed analysis of the script McGurk (s.McGurk, Miscellany) suggested that the mansucript was produced in one scriptorium and mostly by one scribe. Of interest to our study here is his observation that the Calendar, computistical sections, Aratea and Priscian belonged together, while the Marvels of the world and the Mappa mundi were later additions though by the main scribe.

Binding: Eighteen-century binding with the coat of arms of Sir Cotton.

Early modern table of content on f.1r-v.

History: As already noted by Saxl the first part of the manuscript (ff.2r-19r) is closely related to the Leofric Missal (Oxford, MS. Bodl. 579), while the texts on ff.30r-54v are found in three other Aratea manuscripts in the British Library: Harley 647 (ff.1r-20r), Harley 2506 (ff.33r-55r), Cotton Tib. C. I (ff.18r-41v).This volume was formerly bound with the folios in Cotton Tiberius B V/2.

Selected literature: Reeve, Michael D. “Some Astronomical Manuscripts.” Classical Quarterly, 1980, 508–22. — Lippincott, K. Entry in Saxl Project. — Blume, Dieter, Mechthild Haffner, and Wolfgang Metzger. Sternbilder des Mittelalters. Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 2012, pp. 308-313.

2r–19r Computistical, historical and astronomical miscellany with a metrical calendar

(2r) Threerotae illustrating the path of the sun throughout the year; upper right rota with a title: "Hoc modo solis circulus hiemalis et equinoctialis et estiuus designat". The rota on the lower half of the page is left unfinished.

(2v) Short texts on the months, and the regulares. Coniunge regulares singulorum mensium et epactas … — … quot remanent ipsa est ętas lunae. ›De singulis mensibus‹ Ianuarius Augustus et December IIII nonas habent … — … Omnes uero menses octo idus habent.

(3r-8v) Calendar (Source British Library) 12 medallions in colours with zodiac signs, one at the foot of each page, and 12 full page-width framed miniatures with colours, depicting plowing and sowing (f.3r), pruning vines (f. 3v), digging, raking and sowing (f. 4r), feasting (f. 4v), tending sheep (f. 5r), reaping (f. 5v), cutting wood (f. 6r), mowing (f. 6v), feeding hogs (f. 7r), hunting with falcon (f. 7v), making a fire and smithying (f. 8r), threshing (f. 8v).

(9r-10r) Tables for the age of the moon.

(10v) Blank.

(11r) Feria table.

(11v) Table for pagina regularis.

(12r-12v) Lunar-zodiac table. Luna ianuarii in media nocte accenditur … — … Luna decembris inter uesperum et medium noctis accenditur.

(13r-v) Table for lunar letters A-K and lunar letters AEIOV.

(14r-19r) Computus tables: table of termini of movable feasts (ff.14r-15r), Paschal table for AD 969-1006 (f.16r): computus argumenta (ff. 17r-19r) and poetry (ff. 15v, 16v). For a detail description see McGurk, Miscellany, pp. 18-20. His supra positis regularibus per singulos annos singuli addantur concurrentes

19v-23v List of popes (f.19v), roman emperors (f.20r), bishops of different part of the christian world (ff.20r-22r) and a genealogy of the Anglo-Saxon kings (ff.22v-23r). ›Incipiunt nomina pontificum romane urbis per ordinem‹

23v–24r Adventus Sigerici ad Romam In nomine domini nostri ihesu christi iohannes rabennati sedit W. Stubbs (ed.),Memorials of Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury (London, 1874), pp. 391-395.

24r–28v Ælfric: De temporibus anni ›Incipiunt pauca de temporibus bedae presbiteri‹

29r Macrobian Zonal Map

29v Blank.

30ra Prayer ›Oratio ad sanctam trinitatem‹ Domine deus omnipotens sancta trinitas … — … et aliis ministrare ualeamus per eundem dominum.

30ra On the creation of the luminaries according to the bible [S] ancta scriptura nobis a deo per beatum moysen tradita … — … et luminare minus ut preesset nocti.

30ra-32ra De duodecim signis ›De duodecim signis‹ Regionem XII^ma cęli in quam sol cursum suum dirigit … — … sed christus dominus saluator mundi euertit.

32v–49v Cicero: Aratea ›Fabula arietis‹ A quibus hinc subterpossis cognoscere fultum … — … [H] anc autem totam properant depellere pisces.

(32v-33r, 35r-v, 36v, 37v, 41v, 44v) Hyginus: De astronomia Text as scholia for Aries (32v), Triangulus (33r), Lira (35r), Cynus (35v), Caprocornus (36v), Sagitta (37v), Eridanus (41v) and Planetae (44v). Aries hic existimatur esse qui fryxum … — … quae stellae palnete sunt dictae.

(33v-34v, 36r, 37r, 38r-41r, 42r-44r) Revised Aratus Latinus Text as scholia for Pisces (33v), Perseus (34r), Pleiades (34v), Aquarius (36r), Sagittarius (37r), Aquilla (38r), Delphinus (38v), Orion (39r), Canis (39v), Lepus (40r), Navis (40v), Coetus (41r), Piscis Austrinus (42r), Ara (42v), Centaurus (43r), Hydra (43v) and Anticanis (44r). Piscium denique unus aquilonius est … — … Habet quidem stellas III.

Miniatures accompanying Cicero's Aratea, depicting Aries (f.32v); Deltoton (f.33r); Pisces (f.33v); Perseus (f.34r); Pleiades (f.34v); Lyra (f.35r); Cygnus (f.35v); Aquarius (f.36r); Capricornus (f.36v); Sagittarius (f.37r); Sagitta (f.37v); Aquila (f.38r); Delphinus (f.38v); Orion (f.39r); Canis (f.39v); Lepus (f.40r); Navis (f.40v); Coetus (f.41r); Eridanus (f.41v); Piscis (f.42r); Ara (f.42v); Centaurus (f.43r); Hydra (f.43v); Anticanus (f.44r); Heads of planets (f.44v); Winds and seasons (f.46v); Sol and Luna (f.47r). For description see Sternbilder des Mittelalters, pp. 311-12 and K. Lippincott's description in the Saxl Project.

49v ›De concordia solaris et lunaris‹ Nouem horis in luna pro quinque diebus … — … IIII horas lucet luna V^ta.

49v ›De concordia maris et lunae‹ Unius semper horę dodrante et semuncia transmissa … — … tardius ueniret, tardiusque recederet.

49v-51r Pliny the Elder: De presagiis tempestatum Possibly taken from Libri computi, Lib. V, 12. ›De presagiis tempestatum presagia solis XXVII‹ Purus oriens atque non feruens serenum diem nuntiat … — … relinquentia diras tempestates prenuntiant.

51r-52r Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. VI, 4 ›Ambrosii Macrobii Theodosii de mensura et amgnitudine terrae et circuli per quem solis iter est‹ In omni orbe uel sphera medietas centrum uocatur … —

52r Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. VI, 6 ›Felicis Capellę de mensura lunae‹ Luna item circuli sui sex centesimam obrinet portionem … — … ipsum uero circulum centies maiorem esse tellure.

52r-v Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. VI, 7 ›Quomodo terrae deprehensa est‹ Eratostenes philosophus idemque geometra … — … nullam humanę coniecture dimensionem admittit.

52v De positione et cursu septem planetarum (Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. V, 3) ›De positione et cursu septem planetarum‹ Inter celum et terra certis discreta spatiis … — … cum tardissime a tricesima luce ad easdem uices exit.

52v De intervallis earum (Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. V, 4) ›De intervallis earum‹ Interualla eorum a terra multi indagare temptarunt … — … ita VII^te tonis effici quam diapason armoniam uocant. On f.53r a rich ornamented diagram of planetary spheres.

53r-v De absidibus earum (Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. V, 5) ›De absidibus earum‹ Tres autem quas supra solem diximus sitas occultantur … — … sicut in rotis radios ut subiecta figura demonstrat. No accompanying drawing.

53v-54r De cursu earum per zodiacum circulum (Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. V, 6) ›De cursu earum per zodiacum circulum‹ Cur autem magnitudines suas et colores mutent … — … sidera martis maxime inobseruabilis est cursus.

54r Excerpt from Libri computi, Lib. V, 11 ›Dimensio caelestium spatiorum secundum quosdam‹ A terra ad lunam tonum esse adnuntiant quod C¯X¯X¯V¯ stadiorum … — … sunt in summa que continentur in his VII tonis stadia D¯C¯C¯C¯LXXV. Id est miliaria CVIIII et CCCLXXV.

54r-v Macrobius: Commentarium in Ciceronis somnium Scipionis (excerpt from Lib. II, 11, 5-17) ›De mundano anno qui quindecim milibus solarium conficitur annorum Tullii Ciceronis Somnium Scipionis dictantis et Macrobii exponentis ac Senece philosophorum auctoritas‹ Annus non is solus quem nunc communis omnium usus apellat … — … septuaginta tres Quisquis in digitos mittit inueniet.

56v A map of the world

57r-73r Periegesis Priscianus Caesariensis. ›Incipit liber pergesis id est de situ terrae prisciani grammatici urbis rome caesariensis doctoris quem de priscorum dictis excerpsit ormistarum sed et huic operi de tribus partibus. Uidelicet asia africa europa mappam depinxerat aptam in qua nationum promontoriorum fluminum insularum que situs atque monstrorum formatur honeste‹ Nature genitor que mundum continet omnem … — … Omnipotens per quo genitor mihi premia donec.

73r-v, 55r-56r, 77r Poem on the miracles of St. Nicolaus (later addition, s. XII). In licię prouintia fuit quidam christicola … — … simus bonorum omnium participes euntium. Amen.

77v Blank. Two lines added later: "Qui plus exspendit quam[…]".

78r Blank.

74r-v Fragment of Gospel-book containing documents relating to Ely Abbey.

75r-v Leaf of a gospel-book in Latin, containing Old English manumissions.

76r-v Leaf of a gospel-book in Latin containing a record in Old English.

78v–86v Marvels of the East Colonia est initium ab antimolima … — … cubita pid and feopra lang.

87r-v Apocryphal legend of Mambres and Jannes.

88r–v Notes relating to Battle Abbey, added in the 3rd quarter of the 12th century.

Abreviated Literature:

Sternbilder des Mittelalters

Blume, Dieter, Mechthild Haffner, and Wolfgang Metzger. Sternbilder des Mittelalters: der gemalte Himmel zwischen Wissenschaft und Phantasie. Vol. I, 1: Text und Katalog der Handschriften. Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 2012.

Catalogued by: Ivana Dobcheva

(draft version: 2018-06-01)

How to quote: Ivana Dobcheva, 'London, British Library, Cotton MS Tib. B V/1 - Aratea Digital ' (https://github.com/ivanadob/aratea-data/blob/master/data/descriptions/desc__london_bl_cotton_tib_b_v.xml last update: 2018-06-01).