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Maximus Confessor Florilegium | MS 2455

MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR FLORILEGIUM

MS 2455
MS Short Title MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR FLORILEGIUM
Text MAXIMUS (PS) THE CONFESSOR: LOCI COMMUNES, A FLORILEGIUM, QUOTING THE BIBLE, THE CHURCH FATHERS, JOSEPHUS, PLUTARCH, ISOCRATES, DEMOCRITES, SOCRATES, DIOGENES, ARISTIPPOS, DEMOSTHENES, MENANDER, CLEANTHOS, PLATO, EPICTETUS, ALEXANDER THE GREAT, LYCURGUS, PYTHAGORAS, EURIPIDES, EPICURUS, CRITIAS, LIBANIUS AND SEVERAL MORE
Description MS in Greek on vellum, Byzantine Empire, 2nd half of 11th c., 170 ff. (-6 ff.), 22x17 cm, single column, (16x11 cm), 23 lines in a handsome Greek minuscule, headings and initials in pale red throughout, decorated headpieces in pale red, large illuminated headpiece in 3-sided shape enclosing coloured leaves and flowers on gold ground, drawing of a bearded face.
Binding Greece, ca. 15th c., tanned blind-stamped leather on wooden boards, chain stitches on 4 sewing stations, spine raised "alla Grecca".
Context One 10th c. and ca. eight 11th c. copies of this recension is known.
Provenance 1. German collector, Germany/Wiltshire (ca. 1920?-1988); 2. Sotheby's 6.12.1988:26; 3. Pervanas (1988-1997); 4. Sotheby's 2.12.1997:94. 5. De-accessioned 2011 to Sam Fogg.
Commentary The present MS shows the first recension of the text. Florilegiae are in many cases the earliest witnesses to parts of classical texts. They contain many quotes of Greek authors whose whole production is lost. The Florilegium thus, in many cases, is a primary source of Greek literature, philosophy and science. Although the text is attributed to Maximus the Confessor (ca. 580-662), it was probably compiled in the 10th c. Similar anthologies were in circulation from at least the 5th c.
Place of origin Byzantine Empire
Dates 2nd half 11c AD