Field Notes on Syriac Manuscripts III

Alqosh, Chaldean Diocese 61, part A (ff. 1–222)

In terms of its genealogy, part A must have been copied for the most part from British Library manuscript India Office 9 (henceforth, IO).3 Out of a total of eighteen textual items, sixteen are present in IO. The texts were not, however, always copied faithfully, but rather they were either abridged or copied selectively (for instance, items A3, A9, A10, A11, A12). Occasionally, the name of the author or a title has been omitted (e.g. item A17). Nevertheless, a partial collation as well as certain paratextual elements (such as marginal glosses) demonstrate a direct dependence on IO. The latter manuscript (copied in 1713/4) is familiar to specialists as being an important manuscript – the codex unicus for some of the texts it contains – but its history is not particularly known to us. The manuscript was copied by two scribes, one of whom, Hōmō bar Danīʾēl from the Naṣrō family, was active in Alqosh during the first quarter of the 18th century.4 Hence, although the place of part A’s copying is not indicated, it seems reasonable to posit that it was copied from IO during the 19th century when it was still present in Alqosh.

The only text not present in IO, Gregory bar ʿEbrōyō’s Tegrat tegrātā (item A1), is now known to be attested by a couple of early modern manuscript copies of East Syriac origin, none of which, however, can be straightforwardly associated with Alqosh. Despite the fact that one of these – Baghdad, Chaldean Patriarchate 223 (olim Mosul, Chaldean Patriarchate/Scher 35)5 – has exactly the same lacuna at the beginning, DCA 61 elsewhere demonstrates significant differences. Hence, the textual relationship between the two manuscripts remains to be explored. It also deserves to be mentioned that the manuscript Baghdad, Chaldean Monastery 174 (olim Alqosh, Notre-Dame des Semences/Vosté 55) was produced at approximately the same time, and most probably in Alqosh, based on olim Mosul, Chaldean Patriarchate/Scher 35.

Paper. – 23 × 16 × 7 cm. – 222 fols. – 1 col., 19–23 l.

Modern Eastern Arabic foliation in pencil. – Quire signatures on the first and last page of a quire. – Catch-words. – An unfinished circle diagram on f. 1r. – Ff. 222v and 223 are blank.

Condition: the manuscript consists of twenty-three quires; all quires consist of five bifolia and are complete; the first and the fifth ones are quaternions.

Date: apparently, the manuscript had no colophon from the very beginning, which is unusual for a standard Syriac manuscript and may be explained if we suppose that it was produced for internal use, within a monastic community or a learning circle; nevertheless, there can be no doubt of its 19th-century date.

Scribe (f. 209v): the name of Ḥadbšabbā, son of Markhāyā from Alqosh is indicated in the final rubric of item A7.

The scribe does not seem otherwise known, although there is a possibility that he also commissioned the manuscript Alqosh, Chaldean Diocese/Ṣanā 40 (copied in 1824 in Alqosh) – containing Bar ʿEbrōyō’s The book of splendours. The commissioner of latter manuscript is introduced as ‘a true believer and a perfect Christian, deacon Ḥadbšabbā, son of the faithful Markhāyē (sic!), the son of ʿĪsā from the Sōrō family’ (DCA 40, f. 234v).6 If this identification is correct, then Ḥadbšabbā belonged to one of the important Chaldean families of Alqosh. And furthermore, we can then see him as the grandfather of another Chaldean scribe, Manṣūr, son of Mattai, who produced a number of manuscripts in the second half of the 19th century.7 Yet another manuscript is known to have been produced by a certain ‘Khōšābā of Alqosh’, with no further details available (Baghdad, Chaldean Monastery 483).8

Despite the indication of the scribe’s name, it is likely that more than one scribe was involved in the production of the manuscript (though impossible to say exactly how many). All too often one notices portions of the text written by different hands. Sometimes the change of ductus coincides with the beginning of a new page (e.g. ff. 66, 67), but on other occasions within the same page (e.g. ff. 24v, 84v, 89r, 129r). This change of ductus is also paralleled by the presence or absence of vocalisation. Whereas some individual hands have a professional air, while others jump out as being rather unpractised. The phenomenon of group-writing or group-copying may be somehow related to the educational context of the manuscript and deserves special attention.

Pastedown: the binding of the manuscript contains two paper fragments that were used as pastedowns. Both contain the Book of Instruction of Elias of Anbar (IX/84-85 and 87). It remains to be seen if the manuscript they belonged to is still extant.

Catalogue description: Ṣanā, H., Qayābalū, N., Sekmānī, ʾĪ., “Maḫṭūṭāt kanīsat al-Qōš.” In Maktabāt al-Mawṣil w-ʾaṭrāfahā, Fahāris al-maḫṭūṭāt al-suryāniyya fī l-ʿIrāq I, Baġdād, 1977, ٢٤٦.

Contents:

Alqosh, Chaldean Diocese 61, part B (ff. 223–280)

Paper. – 23 x 16 x 7 cm. – 58 fols. – 1 col., 22–23 l.

Modern Eastern Arabic foliation in pencil. – Quire signatures on the first and last pages of quires. Catch-words.

Condition: the manuscript consists at present of six quires and it is impossible to estimate how many are lost; all the quires consist of five bifolia and are complete, although the sixth one is a quaternion.

Date: the colophon is lost, but the year (CE 1865) is recorded on f. 239v

Scribe: as with part A, conspicuous is the presence of multiple hands (distinguishable by their ductus) and it is likely that at least some of these are identical with those involved in the production of part A; no names are indicated.

A number of works present in part B also appear in three other manuscripts (Cambridge, Add. 2812, Berlin, Petermann I 9, and London, India Office 9). Examination of some texts makes it unlikely to suppose that part B was directly copied from any of those. To establish the actual relationship with part B, these three manuscripts (especially Petermann I 9 containing the largest group of shared texts) and other related ones will require a special study. The following table provides a comparison between the four manuscripts (the numbers of the items in the Berlin and Cambridge manuscripts depend on the descriptions of Sachau and Wright respectively); the actual text may differ rather significantly from copy to copy:

1. ff. 223rv

Anonymous work on the Jewish sects that appeared after the return from Babel

Title:

ܕܬܕܥ ܠܟܡܐ ܗܪ̈ܣܝܣ ܐܣܬܕܩܬ ܝܗܘܕܝܘܬܐ

Incipit:

ܠܫܒܥ ܗܪ̈ܣܝܣ ܐܬܦܠܓܬ ܡ̣ܢ ܒܬܪ ܦܘܢܝܐ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܒܒܠ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ. ܣܦܪ̈ܐ ܘܦܪ̈ܝܫܐ ܘܙܕܘܩ̈ܝܐ

Desinit:

ܠܐ ܐܠܦ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܟܦܪܝܢ ܒܩܝܡܬܐ

Ed.: unedited

Lit.: Brock, S.P., “Some Syriac Accounts of the Jewish Sects.” In A Tribute to Arthur Vööbus: Studies in Early Christian Literature and Its Environment, Primarily in the Syrian East, ed. R.J. Fischer. Chicago, Illinois: The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1977, 265–276.

The account of the Jewish sects most probably depends on the respective passage in book 5 of Theodore bar Kōnī’s Scholion (edition: Scher, A., Theodorus bar Kōni Liber Scholiorum, Pars Prior, CSCO 55, Syr. II/65. Paris and Leipzig: E Typographeo Reipublicae, 1910, 366 l. 19 – 369 l. 1).

2. f. 223v

Anonymous, ‘On the <types> of wood from which the altar and the table are made’

Title:

ܬܘܒ ܕܝܢ ܘܐܦ ܡܘܕܥܝܢܢ ܩܝ̈ܣܐ ܕܡܢܗܘܢ ܡܬܥܒܕ ܡܕܒܚܐ ܘܕ̈ܦܐ

Full text:

ܕܐܫܟܪܥܐ ܕܗܘ̤ ܫܓܐ܂ ܕܬܘܬܐ܂ ܕܓܘܙܐ܂ ܕܠܘܙܐ܂ ܕܥܘܢܒܘ܂ ܕܫܪܘܝܢܐ܂ ܕܫܡܫܪ܂ ܕܐܒܢܘܣ܂ ܕܬܬܐ܂ ܕܩܝܣܐ ܕܟܝܪܐ

Ed.: unedited

3. ff. 223v–224r

Anonymous, ‘Explanation of the signs of the zodiac in which the Sun stands’

Title:

ܫܘܕܥܐ ܕܫܡܫܐ ܕܒܐܝܢܐ ܡܠܘܫܐ ܗ̇ܘܐ

Incipit:

ܒܥܣܪܝܢ ܘܐܪܒܥܐ ܒܢܝܣܢ ܢ̇ܦܩ ܫܡܫܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܡܪܐ ܘܥ̇ܐܠ ܠܬܘܪܐ

Desinit:

ܨܠܡܐ ܪܒܐ ܟܢܘܢ ܐܚܪܝ܀ ܕܘܠܐ ܫܒܛ܀ ܢܘܢܐ ܐܕܪ

Ed.: unedited

The text is followed by a brief explanation.

4. f. 224r

<Theodore bar Kōnī>, <Scholion>, book 7 (fragment), ‘The names of the magi-kings who brought offerings to our Lord’

Title:

ܫܡ̈ܗܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܡܓܘ̈ܫܐ ܕܐܘܒܠܘ ܩܘܪ̈ܒܢܐ ܠܡܪܢ

Incipit:

ܐ܂ ܙܪܘܢܕܕ ܒܪ ܐܪܛܒܢ܂ ܒ܂ ܗܘܪܡܙܕ ܒܪ ܣܢܛܪܘܩ

Desinit:

ܘܢܦ̣ܠܘ ܣܓܕܘ ܠܗ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ

Ed.: Scher, A., Theodorus bar Kōni Liber Scholiorum, Pars Posterior, CSCO 69, Syr. II/66. Paris and Leipzig: E Typographeo Reipublicae, 1912, 72 l. 9–20.

Lit.: Witakowski, W., “The Magi in Syriac Tradition.” In Malphono w-Rabo d-Malphone: Studies in Honor of Sebastian P. Brock, Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies 3, ed. G.A. Kiraz. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2008, 809–843.

Similar anonymous lists can be found in a number of manuscripts (e.g. Mingana Syr. 148) but often vary in the spelling of names.

5. f. 224rv

Anonymous, ‘On the difference between ‘nature’, ‘essence’, and ‘person’’

Title:

ܒܡ̇ܢ ܦܪܝܫ ܟܝܢܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܩܢܘܡܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܦܪܨܘܦܐ

Incipit:

ܟܝܢܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗ̇ܘ ܡܐ ܕܗܘ̤ ܠܝܬܗ ܡܩܝܡ ܒܗ̇ܘ ܡܐ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ

Desinit:

ܕܩܢܘܡܗ ܕܦܛܪܘܣ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܐܘ ܕܐܚܪܢܐ

Ed.: unedited

The text does not seem to be related to the work of John bar Zoʿbi with a similar title (cf. Furlani, G., “Giovanni Bar Zô‘bî sulla differenza tra natura ed ipostasi e tra persona e faccia.” Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni 2 (1926): 230–242).

6. f. 224v

Anonymous, ‘In how many ways books can be interpreted’

Title:

ܥܠ ܕܒܟܡܐ ܙܢ̈ܝܢ ܡܬܦܫܩܝܢ ܟܬܒ̈ܐ

Incipit:

ܒܚܡܫܐ ܙܢ̈ܝܢ ܡܬܦܫܩܝܢ ܟܬܒ̈ܐ

Desinit:

ܘܡܢܗܘܢ ܬܘܒ ܒܣܘܓ̈ܝܬܐ ܘܒܥܘ̈ܢܝܬܐ ܘܒܙܢ̈ܝ ܙܡܪܐ ܕܒܬ ܩ̈ܠܐ ܘܩ̈ܝܢܬܐ

Ed.: unedited

7. ff. 224v–230r

Severus Sēbokht, Letter to the periodeutes Yawnan on difficult questions in Aristotle’s De Interpretatione and Analytica Priora

Title:

ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܣܐܘܪܐ ܣܒܘܟܬ ܠܘܬ ܝܘܢܢ ܣܥܘܪܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܗܘܐ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܬܠܐ ܡܛܠ ܒܢܬ ܩ̈ܠܐ ܡܕܡ ܡܕܡ ܕܒܦܪܝܐܝܪܡܢܝܣ ܕܐܪܣܛܘܛܠܝܣ ܦܝܠܣܘܦܐ ܘܒܐܢܘܠܘܛܝܩ̈ܐ ܩܕܡ̈ܝܐ

Incipit:

ܠܪܚ̇ܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܕܚ̇ܠ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܚܘܢ ܪܘܚܢܐ ܘܝܬܝܪ ܚܒܝܒܐ ܩܫܝܫܐ

Desinit:

ܘܐܢ ܒܣܘܥܪ̈ܢܐ ܟܝܬ ܐܠܗ̈ܝܐ ܒܗ̇ ܒܕܡܘܬܐ ܘܐܦ ܒܐܢܫ̈ܝܐ

Ed.: Hugonnard-Roche, H., “Questions de logique au VII^e siècle. Les épîtres syriaques de Sévère Sebokht et leurs sources grecques.” Studia Graeco-Arabica 5 (2015): 53–104.

Lit.: Reinink, G.J., “Severus Sebokts Brief an den Periodeutes Jonan. Einige Fragen zur aristotelischen Logik.” In Symposium Syriacum III, Orientalia Christiana Analecta 221, ed. R. Lavenant. Roma, 1983, 97–107.

The text belongs to the same branch that is represented by manuscripts Berlin, Petermann I 9, and Cambridge, Add. 2812.

8. ff. 230r–239v

Aristotle, Prior Analytics, book I, chapters 1–7 (anonymous Syriac translation)

Title:

ܐܢܘܠܘܛܝܩܐ ܟܬܒܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܕܐܪܣܛܘܛܠܝܣ

Incipit:

ܩܕܡܐܝܬ ܙ̇ܕܩ ܕܢܐܡܪ ܕܥܠ ܡܢܐ ܘܕܡܘܢ ܐܝܬܝܗ̇ ܡܬܚܫܒܢܘܬܐ ܕܥܠ ܐܦܘܕܟܣܝܣ

Desinit:

ܘܠܘܬ ܚܕܕܐ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܗ̇ܢܘܢ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ Final rubric:

ܫܠܡ ܐܢܘܠܘܛܝܩܐ ܕܥܒܕܐ ܠܐܪܣܛܘܛܠܝܣ ܦܝܠܣܘܦܐ

Ed.: Friedmann, I., Aristoteles’ Analytica bei den Syrern [Inaugural-Dissertation]. Berlin, 1898 [based on Berlin Petermann I 9].

Nagy, A., Una versione siriaca inedita degli Analitici d’Aristotele, Rendiconti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei, Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche, ser. 5, vol. 7. Roma: Tipografia della Accademia, 1898, 321–347 [based on Vat. sir. 158].

Lit.: S.P. Brock, “The Syriac Commentary Tradition.” In Glosses and Commentaries on Aristotelian Logical Texts: The Syriac, Arabic, and Medieval Latin Traditions, ed. Ch. Burnett. London: The Warburg Institute, 1993, 3–18, here 14 § 4.1.1 = id., From Ephrem to Romanos: Interactions between Syriac and Greek in Late Antiquity. Aldershot: Variorum, 1999, no. xiii].

The manuscript contains the early anonymous translation, which covers only the first seven chapters of the Prior Analytics. A full translation was made by George, bishop of the Arabs. The text is very close to that preserved in Petermann I 9.

9. f. 240rv

Prōḇā, Commentary on Aristotle’s De Interpretatione (2nd section)

Title:

ܦܘܫܩ ܐܘܟܝܬ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܦܣܘܩܐ ܕܬܪܝܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܦܪܝܐܪܡܢܝܣ ܕܐܪܣܛܘܛܠܝܣ ܦܝܠܣܘܦܐ ܕܥܒܝܕ ܠܦܪܘܒܐ ܡܛܠ ܦܪܘܛܣܝܣ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܣܝܡ ܘܡ̣ܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܬܩܛܪܓ ܒܠܚܘܕ

Incipit:

ܒܥܝܢܢ ܕܝܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܩܕܡ ܗܢܐ ܦܣܩܐ ܬܠܬܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܚܫܚܝܢ ܠܢ ܒܗ

Desinit:

ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܣܝܡ ܒܗ̇ܝ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܐܘ ܠܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ

Ed.: Hoffmann, G., De Hermeneuticis apud Syros Aristoteleis. Lipsiae, 1869, 88 l. 7 – 89 l. 23 [based on Petermann I 9].

Lit.: Brock, S. “The Syriac Commentary Tradition.” In Glosses and Commentaries on Aristotelian Logical Texts: The Syriac, Arabic and Medieval Latin Traditions, ed. Ch. Burnett. London: The Warburg Institute, 1993, 3–18, here 14 §4.2.2 = id. From Ephrem to Romanos: Interactions Between Syriac and Greek in Late Antiquity, Variorum Collected Studies Series CS664. Aldershot, Hampshire–Brookfield, VT: Ashgate, 1999, no. xiii.

Brock, S. “The Commentator Probus: Problems of Date and Identity.” In Interpreting the Bible and Aristotle in Late Antiquity. The Alexandrian Commentary Tradition between Rome and Baghdad, ed. J. Lössl and J. W. Watt. Farnham–Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2011, 195–206.

Suermann, H. “Anmerkungen zur Sprache der Übersetzungen und Kommentare von Aristoteles und Porphyrios bei Probus.” In VI Symposium Syriacum, 1992: University of Cambridge, Faculty of Divinity, 30 August–2 September 1992, Orientalia Christiana Analecta 247, ed. R. Lavenant. Roma: Pontificio Istituto Orientale, 1994, 393–400.

10. f. 241r

Anonymous riddle on the letters of the alphabet

Title:

ܡܬܠܐ ܕܥܒܝܕ ܠܚܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܚܟܝܡ̈ܐ ܥܠ ܐܬܘ̈ܬܐ ܕܐܠܦܐ ܒܝܛܐ

Incipit:

ܫܘܐܠܐ: ܒܝܬܐ ܚܕ ܡܪܟܒܐ ܕܟܠܗ ܡܠܘܐܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܠܐ ܡܬܚܒܫ ܒܥܘܦܦܐ ܬܠܝܬܝܐ

Desinit:

ܘܡܬܚܘܐ ܠܟܠ ܕܡܠܝܠ ܘܣܢܝܩܐ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܐܪܥܢܝܬܐ

Ed.: unedited

11. f. 241rv

David bar Pawlōs, On different types of nominal forms

Title: –

Incipit:

ܬܩܐܣܝܡ ܐܠܐܣܡܐ ܐܠܘܐܩܥܗ ܥܠܝ ܣܐܝܪ ܐܠܐܫܝܐ ܛܝܐܝܬ ܩܪܝ

Desinit:

ܡܠܟ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܪܒ ܒܝܬܐ ܪܒܐ ܕܒܝܬܐ ܘܟܠ ܕܒܗܢܐ ܙܢܐ

Ed.: Sachau, E., Verzeichnis der Syrischen Handschriften der Königlichen Bibliothek zu Berlin, vol. I. Berlin: A. Asher & Co., 1899, 330.

Gottheil, R.J.H., “Dawidh bar Paulos, a Syriac Grammarian.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 15 (1893): cxi–cxviii, here cxiii–cxv [based on IO].

A brief work attributed to David bar Pawlōs (8th/9th c.), whose identity is disputed in the literature, discusses eight types of nouns (examples for each type derive not only from Syriac, but also from Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic languages). The opening part is in Garshūnī and is attested also by Peterman I 9, though absent in IO.

12. f. 241v

David bar Pawlōs, A list of Aristotle’s categories in Syriac and Arabic

Title:

ܕܝܠܗ ܛܝܝܐܝܬ܂ ܬܦܣܝܪ ܐܠܥܫܪ ܩܨܐܝܐ ܕܐܪܣܛܘܛܠܝܣ ܦܝܠܣܘܦܐ

Incipit:

ܕܐܝܬܝܗܝܢ ܐܘܣܝܐ

الجوهر الكم والكيف

Desinit:

ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܣܟ̈ܡܐ ܕܛܪܝܓܢܘܢ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܪܛܝܒܐ ܩܫܝܫܐ ܫܪܝܐ ܩܫܝܐ ܘܟܠ ܕܠܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܝܢ

Final rubric:

ܘܣܟܐ ܕܟܠܗܝܢ ܩܐܛܓܘܪܝܘܣ ܐܝܟ ܕܡܘܕܥ ܠܟ ܐܪܣܛܘ ܦܝܠܣܘܦܐ ܒܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܠܝܠܘܬܐ

Ed.: unedited

The author’s name is deduced from the reference to the preceding text.

13. f. 242rv

Anonymous work on the first scientific discoveries and discoverers

Title:

ܬܘܒ ܫܪܒܐ ܕܡܘܕܥ ܫܟܚ̈ܬܐ ܕܝ̈ܕܥܬܐ ܩܕܡ̈ܝܬܐ ܕܗܘܘ̤ ܒܥܠܡܐ ܗܢܐ

Incipit:

ܩܕܡ̈ܝܐ ܕܥܡ̈ܐ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܒܠܝ̈ܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܟܠܕܝ̈ܐ

Desinit:

ܐܣܩܠܒܝܕܘܣ ܕܝܢ ܗ̣ܘ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘ̣ܐ ܕܐܫܟܚ ܠܐܘܡܢܘܬܐ ܕܐܣܝܘܬܐ ܦܓܪܢܝܬܐ

Ed.: Sachau, E., Verzeichnis der Syrischen Handschriften der Königlichen Bibliothek zu Berlin, vol. I. Berlin: A. Asher & Co., 1899, 331.

Lit.: Baumstark, A., Aristoteles bei den Syrern vom v.–viii Jahrhundert. Bd. 1, Syrisch-Arabische Biographieen des Aristoteles. Syrische Commentare zur ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ des Porphyrios. Leipzig: Teubner, 174–181.

The text apparently derives from an introductory work (Prolegomena) to Porphyry’s Eisagoge that has come down to us in fragmentary form in Vat. sir. 158.

14. ff. 242v–245r

Anonymous Greek-Syriac glossary

Title:

ܬܘܒ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܦܬܓܡ̈ܐ ܥܣ̈ܩܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܒܦܪܝܪܡܐܢܝܐܣ ܕܐܪܣܛܘܛܝܣ

Incipit:

ܗܦܓܘ̈ܓܐ ܗ̇ܢܘ ܕܝܢ ܡܬܬܝܬܝܢܘܬܐ ܐܦܓܘܓܐ ܗ̄ ܡܬܡܨܝܢ̈ܘܬܐ

Desinit:

ܐܘܣ̈ܝܣ ܗ̄ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܩܛܐܓܪܦܝܣ ܗ̄ ܟܬܝܒܘܬܐ

Ed.: unedited

An expanded form of the glossary present in A16.

15. ff. 245r–247r

Anonymous Greek-Syriac glossary

Title:

ܦܘܫܩ ܫܡܗ̈ܐ ܝܘܢܝ̈ܐ

Incipit:

ܐܣܛܪܛܝܐ ܐܘܪܚܐ ܐܣܛܪ̈ܛܝܘܬܐ ܦܠܚ̈ܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܐ

Desinit:

ܕܠܘܬ ܡܢܘ ܣ̇ܠܩ ܦܪܝܛܘܪ̈ܝܩܝ ܟܬܒܐ وبرهان

Ed.: unedited

Similar to the previous text, this glossary contains Greek words transliterated into Syriac letters, with Syriac equivalents and occasionally with short explanations. The glossary contains various nouns and proper names related to philosophy, patristic literature and the Bible. A large number of Greek proper names are explained etymologically. The manuscript Mingana Syr. 108 contains a related glossary.

16. f. 247r

Anonymous list of Aristotelian categories in Syriac and Arabic

Title:

القضايا العشرة ܗ̄ ܥܣܪ ܩܐܛܓܘܪ̈ܝܣ

Full text:

ܐܘܣܝܐ الجوهر܂ ܟܡܝܘܬܐ الكمية܂ ܐܝܢܝܘܬܐ الكيفية܂ ܠܘܬ ܡܕܡ مضاف܂ ܐܝܟܐ اين܂ܐܡܬܝ متى܂ ܐܝܬ لهى܂ ܣܝܡ موضوع܂ ܥ̇ܒܕ يفعل هو ܂ ܚ̇ܐܫ ينفعل من اخر

Ed.: Wright, W., A Catalogue of the Syriac Manuscripts in the Library of the University of Cambridge, vol. 2. Cambridge: University Press, 1901, 640.

Furlani, G., “Contributi alla storia della filosofia greca in Oriente. Testi siriaci, I.” Rendiconti della Reale Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche V, 23 (1914): 154–175, here 155–6.

17. f. 247r

Anonymous list of (thirteen) Syriac and Arabic attributes of matter (ܗܝܘ̈ܠܐ, i.e. ὕλη)

Title:

ܡܐ ܕܫ̇ܡܥ ܐܢܬ ܫܡܐ ܕܗܝܘ̈ܠܐ ܐܣܬܟܠ ܕܐܝܬܝܗ

Incipit:

ܓܘܢܐ اللون܂ ܐܒܝܘܬܐ الغلاظ

Desinit:

ܩܫܝܫܘܬܐ الخشونة܂ ܪܟܝܟܘܬܐ النعومة

Ed.: unedited

18. ff. 247r–278v

<Pseudo>-Michael Badōqā, Book of Definitions

Title:

ܦܘܫܩ ܬܚܘ̈ܡܐ ܕܟܠ ܙܢ̈ܝܢ ܘܨܒܘ̈ܢ ܥܡ ܦܘܫܩܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܘܦܘܠܓܐ ܕܝܠܗܝܢ ܕܨܒܘ̈ܬܐ ܕܥܒܝܕ ܠܡܝܟܐܝܠ ܒܕܘܩܐ ܘܡܠܦܢܐ ܡܗܝܪܐ

Incipit:

ܡܦܣܐ ܗ̣ܝ ܚܟܡܬܟ ܐܘ̇ ܡܪܝ ܕܟܠܗܝܢ ܨܒܘ̈ܬܐ

Desinit:

ܘܗ̣ܝ ܡܡܠܝܐ ܠܟ ܚܠܦ ܬܚܘܡܐ ܐܝܢܐ ܕܗ̣ܘ

Final rubric:

ܫܠܡ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܬܚܘ̈ܡܐ ܕܥܒܝܕ ܠܡܠܦܢܐ ܡܝܟܐܝܠ ܒܕܘܩܐ

Ed.: Furlani, G., ‘Il libro delle definizioni e divisioni’ di Michele l’Interprete, Atti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei, Memorie della classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche, ser. 6, vol. 2. Roma: G. Bardi, 1926 [based on Petermann 9, BL India Office 9, Cambridge Add. 2812, BL Add. 14538].

Lit.: Abramowski, L., “Zu den Schriften des Michael Malpana/Badoqa.” In After Bardaisan: Studies on Continuity and Change in Syriac Christianity in Honour of Professor Han J. W. Drijvers, Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 89, ed. G. J. Reinink and A. C. Klugkist. Louvain: Peeters, 1999, 1–10.

19. ff. 278r–280r

Rabban Qamīshōʿ of Nuhādrā the Physician, Metrical letter

Title:

ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܥܒܝܕܐ ܠܪܒܢ ܩܡܝܫܘܥ ܐܣܝܐ ܢܘܗܕܪܝܐ ܒܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܐܪܒܥ

Incipit:

ܠܪܚܡܐ ܓܡܝܪܐ ܕܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܒܥܝܐ ܕܫܦܝܪ̈ܬܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܓܒܐ ܠܡ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܠܦܐ ܚܢܢܐ ܕܚ̇ܐܢ ܠܚܛܝ̈ܐ

Desinit:

ܘܒܥܕܢܐ ܕܨܠܘܬܟ ܥܗܕܝܗܝ ܠܐܝܢܐ ܕܠܐܝ ܒܗ

Ed.: Dolabani, F.Y., Egrōt̲ō d-Dawīd bar Pawlōs d-metīdaʿd-Bēt Rabban. Mardin, 1953, 18–22.

This is the same text that is known otherwise with attribution to a Syriac Orthodox author of the 8th/9th century, David bar Pawlōs. That work is preserved in only one manuscript (Mardin, Church of the Forty Martyrs 158), where its beginning is lost. One of the most significant differences can be found in the final strophe where Babai (apparently, the Great) is praised as the ‘second Aristotle’.

The same text appears in at least three other East Syriac manuscripts: Baghdad, Chaldean Monastery 173 (olim Alqosh, Notre-Dame des Semences/Vosté 54), Baghdad, Chaldean Patriarchate 350, and Baghdad, Church of the East Metropolitan Residence 161. In the latter copy the author’s name is not indicated.

The purported author of text, Rabban Qamīshōʿ is otherwise unknown (a 7th century monk under this name is attested in Thomas of Marga’s Book of the Governors, where he is presented as a distinguished head of the monastery of Beth ʿAḇē (see ed. Bedjan, P., Liber superiorum. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1901, 67–70).

20. f. 280rv

<Isaac of Antioch>, metrical Mēmrā on learning

Title:

ܬܘܒ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܥܠ ܝܘܠܦܢܐ

Incipit:

ܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܡܠܚܐ ܕܢܦܫܐ ܕܒܗ ܡܬܚܝܨܐ ܪܦܝܘܬܐ

Desinit mut.:

ܘܒܥܝܕܐ ܕܡܐܝܢܘܬܐ ܫܝܛܝܢ ܣܟ̈ܠܐ ܠܝܘܠܦܢܐ

Ed.: Bedjan, P., Homiliae S. Isaaci Syri Antiocheni. Leipzig: Harrassowitz, 1903, 1–12 (here ends on p. 3 l. 3).

Lit.: Mathews, E.G., Jr., “The Works attributed to Isaac of Antioch: A[nother] Preliminary Checklist.” Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 6:1 (2003): 65 no. 99.

The poem belongs to the corpus of works attributed to Isaac of Antioch, transmitted for the most part by the Syrian Orthodox manuscripts (the earliest witness appears to be BL Add. 17164 from the 6th/7th century). A selection of 24 mēmrē from the corpus circulated in the East Syriac milieu with attribution to Isaac of Nineveh. The Mēmrā on learning comes as first in the selection.