Vetus Latina manuscripts

Contents

Vetus Latina manuscripts are handwritten copies of the earliest Latin translations of the Bible (including the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the Deuterocanonical books, and the New Testament), known as the "Vetus Latina" or "Old Latin". They originated prior to Jerome from multiple translators, and differ from Vulgate manuscripts which follow the late-4th-century Latin translation mainly done by Jerome.

Vetus Latina and Vulgate manuscripts continued to be copied alongside each other until the Late Middle Ages; many copies of the Bible or parts of it have been found using a mixture of Vetus Latina and Vulgate readings.

Studies

Textual critics such as the Cambridge scholars Alan Brooke, Norman McLean and Henry S. J. Thackeray (1906–1935, 8 volumes) have used the blackletter (𝕷) as a sign (known as a siglum) for categorising Vetus Latina manuscripts.[1][2][3] David L. Everson (2014) used "OL" (an abbreviation of "Old Latin") as siglum instead.[4]

In 1949, the Vetus-Latina-Institut of Beuron Archabbey introduced a new numerical system for Vetus Latina manuscripts, of which there are several hundreds altogether. These Beuron numbers are designed to provide unambiguous identification of witnesses in academic usage, yet they are not used very widely in general literature, as they may cause confusion with the Greek minuscule manuscripts.[5]

The Vetus-Latina-Institut allocated numbers up to 99 to all existing Vetus Latina manuscripts of the New Testament, depending on what parts of NT they include, and how old their text is.[6] The lowest numbers are allocated to the gospels, and to the most complete manuscripts. For example, Codex Sangermanensis (g1) is a witness for the Gospel of Matthew and sparingly in the remaining gospels (Gosp), and four Old Testament Books, and as it is a full manuscript of the Bible is allocated number 7.[6]: +213-214

  • Manuscripts 1-49 are witnesses to one or more Gospels.
  • Manuscripts 50-74 are witnesses to Acts, General epistles or the Book of Revelation (Rev).
  • Manuscripts 75-89 are witnesses to Pauline epistles (Paul).
  • Manuscripts 91-96 are glosses in Spanish Bibles.[6]

From Beuron no. #100 onwards, most Vetus Latina manuscripts are of the Old Testament, the Psalter, and the Apocrypha. There is occasional overlap between them, for example Old Testament glosses found in Spanish Bibles, or when a manuscript contains both Old and New Testament texts.[6]

Old Testament

  • Dates are estimated to the nearest 50 year increment.
  • Beu indicates the number of the manuscript according to the Beuron system of the Vetus-Latina-Institut.

Unless specified otherwise, details in the below taken from Fitzmyer, Tobit.[7]

Beus.NameDateContentsEditorCustodianLocation
7GCodex Sangermanensis 4 fonds lat. 11553825Tobit 1:1–13:2Petrus Sabatier Brooke et al.Bibliothèque nationale de FranceParis, France
91[8] 133LCodex Gothicus Legionensis glosses[8]: 1960[8]: 1Genesis (fragments)[8] Tobit[8]: 1 Judith[8]: 1Sancho (author)[8]: 1 Alban Dold &[8]: 1 J. Schildenberger[8]: 1Basilica of San IsidoroLeón, Spain
94[8]Valvanera Polyglot Bible glosses copy[8]772[8]: 2 1561[8]: 2Heptateuch Rg Par Jb Prv Ecl Sap Is Mcc Cath Apc (fragments)[8]: 4Hernando del Castillo[8]: 2–4 Dold & Schildenberger[8]: 4Incunable Escorial 54.V.35[8]Madrid, Spain
95[8]Madrid glosses[8]1150[8]Genesis (fragments)[8]Real Academia de la Historia 2–3[8]Madrid, Spain[8]
96[8]: 5Calahorra Codex 2 glosses[8]: 51183[8]: 5Exodus–Chron., Job (fragm.)[8]: 5–[8]: 5Calahorra Cathedral[8]: 5Calahorra, Spain[8]: 5
100[9]OLL[9] 𝔏r[1]Codex Lugdunensis[9] Lyons Octateuch[1]650[9]Gen–Lev; Deut–Judges[8]: 6–7 Exodus (695 vv.)[9]Ulysse Robert[9][1]Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon[8]: 5Lyon, France
101[9] 115[10]OLV[9] 𝔏b[2]Vienna Palimpsest[1] Palimpsestus Vindobonensis[2]450[9]Gen–Lev (fragments)[8]: 8–9 1 Samuel 1–14 (partial)[2] 2 Samuel 4–18 (partial)[2]Johannes Belsheim[2] Bonifatius Fischer[9]Biblioteca Nazionale[8]: 7Naples, Italy[8]
102[9]OLO[9]Codex Ottobonianus lat. 66[9][8]700[9]Gen–Judges Vg/OL mixture[8]: 10Carlo Vercellone[9]Vatican LibraryVatican City
103[9]OLW[9] 𝔏w[1]Würzburg Palimpsest[9][1] Palimpsestus Wirceburgensis[9]450[9]Exodus (503 vv.)[9]Ernst Ranke[9][1]Universitätsbibliothek Würzburg[8]: 10Würzburg, Germany
104[9]OLM[9] 𝔏z[2]Munich Palimpsest[9] Monacensis Clm 6225[10]550[9]Exodus–Deuteronomy[11] (609 vv. of Exodus)[9]Leo Ziegler[9]Bavarian State Library[10]Munich, Germany
105[8]𝔓 Oxy. 1073Oxyrhynchus Papyrus VIII 1073[8]: 12450[8]Genesis 5:4–13, 5:29–6:2[8]: 13British Museum; Inv. 2052[8]London, UK
109XCodex Complutensis I850TobitF. VattioniComplutense University Biblioteca Centr. 31Madrid, Spain
111[8]Oxford pericopes[8]825[8]: 13Gen, Exo, Deut, Songs, Psalm 41, Is, Minor Prophets[8]: 13Bodleian Library; Auct. F.4.32[8]Oxford, UK[8]
116[10]𝔏m[2]Magdeburg fragment[2][3]2 Samuel 2:29–3:5[2]Wilhelm Weissbrodt[2][3]
116[10]𝔏q[3]Quedlinburg Itala fragment[3]4501 Samuel 5:9–6:12[3] 1 Samuel 9:1–8, 10:10–18[2]Adalbert Düning[3] Wilhelm Weissbrodt[2]Berlin State Library Quedlinburg AbbeyBerlin, Germany Quedlinburg, Germany
130MCodex Monacensis Clm 6239800Tobit, Judith, Esther[12]Johannes Belsheim[13]Bavarian State LibraryMunich, Germany
135JCodex Bobbiensis E.26[13]875[13]Tobit, Esther 1–2, 2 Macc.[13]Antonio Maria Ceriani[13]Biblioteca Ambrosiana[13]Milan, Italy[13]
145CCodex Reginensis lat. 7850Tobit 1:1–6:12Petrus Sabatier Brooke et al.Vatican LibraryVatican City
148QCodex Regius fonds lat. 93 or Regius 3564850TobitPetrus Sabatier Brooke et al.Bibliothèque nationale de FranceParis, France
150PCodex Corbeiensis fonds lat. 11505822TobitPetrus Sabatier Brooke et al.Bibliothèque nationale de FranceParis, France
253[10]𝔏e[2]Einsiedeln fragment[2]1420[10]1 Samuel 2:3–10[2]S. Berger (1893)[2]Einsiedeln AbbeyEinsiedeln, Switzerland
𝔏h[2]Haupt fragments2 Samuel 10:18–11:17, 14:17–30[2]Joseph Haupt[2]
𝔏j[2]Julius Toletanus fragment[2]2 Samuel 24:11–16[2]Carlo Vercellone[2]

Editions

s.NameDateContentsEditorLocation
OLSb[9] 𝔏s[2]Bibliorum sacrorum latinae versiones antiquae[2]1750[9]Entire BiblePetrus Sabatier[9]Paris
𝔏v[2]Variae lectiones Vulgatae Latinae bibliorum editionis[1][2]1860–64Volume 1: Genesis-Deuteronomium; Volume 2: Josue-IV RegumCarlo Vercellone[1][2]Rome
Vetus Latina: die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel1945–presentEntire Bible (half completed, in progress)[14] Genesis 1951–1954; Ruth 2005; Esra I 2008–2016; Judith 2001–2020; Hester 2003–2008; Canticum Canticorum 1992; Sapientia Salomonis 1977–1985; Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 1987–2005; Esaias 1987–1997; Danihel 2021–2022Vetus-Latina-InstitutBeuron

New Testament

The table below employs the following conventions.

  • Dates are estimated to the nearest 50-year increment (but 'first half of 5th century' = '425', 'second half of 5th century' = '475').
  • Content is given to the nearest book (or sometimes chapter); verses and lacunae are not listed.
  • Editions are those consulted by UBS4; in many cases, better editions are also available.
  • Locations are given in anglicised form, unless linked to sources in other languages.
  • Manuscripts will sometimes be referred to as "it" followed by the siglum.
  • Beu indicates the number of the manuscript according to the Beuron system of the Vetus-Latina-Institut.

Unless specified otherwise, details taken from Piggin, The Original Beuron Numbers of 1949.[10]

Beus.NameDateContentsEditorCustodianCity, StateCountry
1kCodex Bobiensis350Matthew; MarkJülicherTurin National University LibraryTurinItaly
2eCodex Palatinus350GospelsJülicherBuonconsiglio Castle (Ms 1589) Trinity College Dublin (MS 1709) British Library (Add. MS 40107)Trento Dublin LondonItaly Ireland United Kingdom
3aCodex Vercellensis375GospelsJülicherVercelli Cathedral LibraryVercelliItaly
4bCodex Veronensis500GospelsJülicherVerona Cathedral LibraryVeronaItaly
5dCodex Bezae400Gosp; Acts; 3JJülicherCambridge University LibraryCambridgeUnited Kingdom
6cCodex Colbertinus1200Gosp; Acts; 3JJülicherNational Library of France (lat. 254)ParisFrance
7g1Codex Sangermanensis I800Matthew, OT partsSabatierNational Library of France (lat. 11553)ParisFrance
8ff2Codex Corbeiensis II450GospelsJülicherNational Library of France (lat. 17225)ParisFrance
9ff1Codex Corbeiensis I950MatthewJülicherRussian National LibrarySaint PetersburgRussia
10fCodex Brixianus525GospelsJülicherBiblioteca QuerinianaBresciaItaly
11lCodex Rehdigeranus700GospelsJülicherBerlin State Library (Depot Breslau 3)[15]BerlinGermany
12hCodex Claromontanus V500Matthew; RevJülicherVatican LibraryVatican CityVatican City
13qFrisingensia Fragmenta 24 Frisingensis/Monacensis650GospelsJülicherBavarian State Library (clm 6224) Frising. 24MunichGermany
14r1Codex Usserianus Primus600GospelsJülicherTrinity College DublinDublinIreland
15aurStockholm Codex Aureus Aureus Holmiensis650GospelsJülicherNational Library of SwedenStockholmSweden
16nCodex Curiensis Fragmenta Curiensa a2450Luke 11; 13JülicherRätisches MuseumChurSwitzerland
16nCodex Sangallensis 1394 II450GospelsJülicherAbbey library of Saint Gall Cod. Sang. 1394 II p. 50–89St. GallenSwitzerland
16nCodex Sangallensis 1394 III Fragmentum Sangallense450Mark 16:14–20JülicherAbbey library of Saint Gall Cod. Sang. 1394 III p. 91–92St. GallenSwitzerland
17iVindobonensis Lat. 1235600Mark; LukeJülicherNational Library of NaplesNaplesItaly
18w πFragmenta Stuttgartensia Fragmenta Weingartensia Fragmenta Constantiensia650Gospel pericope fragmentsJülicherStuttgart Darmstadt DonaueschingenGermany
19tFragmenta Bernensia550Mark 1–3JülicherBern University LibraryBernSwitzerland
20pCodex Sangallensis 1395 VII750John 11JülicherAbbey library of Saint GallSt. GallenSwitzerland
21sCodex Ambrosianus O. 210 sup.600Luke 17–21JülicherAmbrose LibraryMilanItaly
22j zCodex Sarzanensis500Luke 24, JohnJülicherSarezzanoItaly
23Papyrus 2aE.450John 7Aberdeen University LibraryAberdeenUnited Kingdom
24ρCodex Ambrosianus M. 12 sup., Palimpsest700John 13JülicherAmbrose LibraryMilanItaly
25vVindobonensis Lat. 502650John 19–20JülicherAustrian National LibraryViennaAustria
26Codex Carinthianus650Luke 1–2JülicherSaint Paul's Abbey, LavanttalSankt PaulAustria
27δCodex Sangallensis 48850Four GospelsJülicherAbbey library of Saint GallSt. GallenSwitzerland
28r2Codex Usserianus II800GospelsJülicherTrinity College DublinDublinIreland
29g2Codex Sangermanensis II fond lat. 13169950GospelsSabatierNational Library of FranceParisFrance
30gatCodex Gatianum750GospelsNational Library of FranceParisFrance
32Lectionary500OT/NT Vg/VL mix—Duke Augustus LibraryWolfenbüttelGermany
34PericopeJohn 1—Grottaferrata AbbeyGrottaferrataGermany
35μBook of Mulling800Gospels—Trinity College DublinDublinIreland
47HuCodex Sangallensis 60800JohnJülicherAbbey library of Saint GallSt. GallenSwitzerland
48HsCodex Sangallensis 51800MatthewJülicherAbbey library of Saint GallSt. GallenSwitzerland
50eCodex Laudianus550ActsTischendorfBodleian LibraryOxfordUnited Kingdom
51gigCodex Gigas1250Acts; RevWordsworthNational Library of SwedenStockholmSweden
52g2Codex Mediolanensis775Acts 6-7Biblioteca AmbrosianaMilanItaly
53sCodex Bobiensis550Acts; CathWhiteNational Library of NaplesNaplesItaly
54p1250Acts; CathWordsworthNational Library of FranceParisFrance
55hCodex Floriacensis Palimpsestus Floriacensis450Acts; Cath; RevBuchananNational Library of FranceParisFrance
56tLiber Comicus1050Acts; Paul; Cath; RevMorinNational Library of FranceParisFrance
57rCodex Schlettstadtensis700ActsMorinHumanist Library of SélestatSélestatFrance
58w—1450Acts—Bibliothek StolbergWernigerodeGermany
59demCodex Demidovianus1250Acts; Paul; CathMatthaeilostRussia
61DBook of Armagh800ActsGwynnTrinity College DublinDublinIreland
62rBiblia de Rosas[16] latin 6, 1–4950Acts-National Library of FranceParisFrance
63Ms. 1461150ActsSandersUniversity of Michigan LibraryAnn Arbor, MichiganUnited States
64qCodex Monacensis700CathBruyneBavarian State Library clm 6220, 6230,6277,6317,28135MunichGermany
64rFrisingensia Fragmenta 236700Cath—Bavarian State Library clm 6436 (Frising. 236)MunichGermany
64r3Codex Monacensis700PaulBruyneBavarian State Library clm 6220, 6230,6277,6317,28135MunichGermany
65zHarley 1772750Cath, Paul, RevBuchananBritish LibraryLondonUnited Kingdom
66ffCodex Corbiensis1000JamesWordsworthRussian National LibrarySaint PetersburgRussia
67lLeón palimpsest650Cath, 1–{2 MccFischerLeón Cathedral ArchiveLeónSpain
74sinFragmentum Sinaiticum900Acts__Saint Catherine's MonasteryMount SinaiEgypt
75dCodex Claromontanus500PaulTischendorfNational Library of FranceParisFrance
76eCodex Sangermanensis850PaulTischendorfRussian National LibrarySaint PetersburgRussia
77gCodex Boernerianus850PaulMatthaeiSaxon State LibraryDresdenGermany
78fCodex Augiensis850PaulScrivenerTrinity College, CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
79w gueCodex Carolinus Guelferbytanus 64 palimp.550Romans†TischendorfDuke Augustus LibraryWolfenbüttelGermany
80p—550Romans 5–6†—University Library HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
81vCodex Parisiensis fond lat. 653800HebSouterNational Library of FranceParisFrance
82—850Hebrews—Bavarian State LibraryMunichGermany
83wCodex Waldeccensis1050PaulSchultzeCity archives MengeringhausenMengeringhausenGermany

Editions

For precision, publication data is given in the language of the title page of the edition. To make this information comprehensible to the English language reader, links are provided to English language article titles, where necessary and possible.

When a single editor is responsible for more than one edition, these are listed in alphabetical order of the sigla of the relevant manuscripts. In such cases, if the manuscript is not readily identifiable from the title, its name (siglum and number) are appended after the citation.

  • Buchanan, Edgar S. The Epistles and Apocalypse from the Codex Harleianus. Sacred Latin Texts 1. London, 1912.
  • Buchanan, Edgar S. The Four Gospels from the Codex Corbeiensis, together with fragments of the Catholic Epistles, of the Acts and of the Apocalypse from the Fleury Palimpsest. Old Latin Biblical Texts 5. Oxford, 1907. [Codex Floriacensis (h 55)]
  • Bruyne, Donatien de. Les Fragments de Freising— épitres de S. Paul et épttres catholiques. Collectanea Biblica Latina 5. Rome, 1921. (in French)
  • Fischer, Bonifatius. Ein neuer Zeuge zum westlichen Text der Apostelgeschichte. Pages 33–63 in J. Neville Birdsall and R.W. Thomson (eds). Biblical and Patristic Studies in Memory of Robert Pierce Casey. Freiburg im Breisgau: Verlag Herder, 1963. (in German)
  • Frede, HJ. Altlateinische Paulus-Handschriften. Freiburg im Breisgau: Verlag Herder, 1964. (in German)
  • Gwynn, John. Liber Ardmachanus: The Book of Armagh. Dublin, 1913.
  • Jülicher, Adolf, Walter Matzkow and Kurt Aland (eds). Itala: Das Neue Testament in altlateinischer Überliefung. 4 volumes [Matthew–John]. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter and Company, 1938–1972. (in German)
  • Matthaei, C. F., Novum Testamentum, XII, tomis distinctum Graece et Latine. Textum denuo recensuit, varias lectiones nunquam antea vulgatas ex centum codicibus MSS.... 12 volumes. Rigae, 1782-1788. (in Latin)
  • Matthaei, C. F., Novum Testamentum, XIII. Epistolarum Pauli Codex Graecus cum versione Latino veteri vulgo Antehieronymiana olim Buernerianus nunc Bibliothecae Electoralis Dresdeiisis ... Lipsiae, 1791. (in Latin)
  • Morin, Germain. Études, textes, découvertes. Contributions a la littérature et a l'histoire des douze premiers siècles. Anecdota Maredsolana, 2e Série 1. Paris: Abbaye de Maredsous, 1913. (in French) [Codex Schlettstadtensis (r 57)]
  • Morin, Germain. Liber Comicus sive Lectionarius missae quo Toletana Ecclesia ante annos mille et ducentos utebatur. Anecdota Maredsolana 1. Marodsoli, 1893. (in French)
  • Sanders, HA. 'The Text of Acts in Ms. 146 of the University of Michigan'. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 77 (1937): –.
  • de:Schultze, Victor. Codex Waldeccensis. München, 1904.
  • Scrivener, FHA. An Exact Transcript of the Codex Augiensis. Cambridge and London, 1859.
  • Souter, Alexander. Miscellanea Ehrle 1. Studi e Testi 137. Roma, 1924.
  • Tischendorf, Constantin von. Codex Claromontanus. Lipsiae, 1852.
  • Tischendorf, Constantin von. Codex Laudianus, sive Actus apostolorum Graeces et Latine. Monumenta sacra inedita, nova collectio 9. Lipsiae, 1870.
  • Tischendorf, Constantin von. Anecdota Sacra et Profana. Editio repetita, emendata, aucta. Lipsiae, 1861. [Codex Guelferbytanus (gue 79)]
  • White, Henry Julian. Portions of the Acts of the Apostles, of the Epistles of St. James, and of the First Epistle of St. Peter from the Bobbio Palimpsest. Old Latin Biblical Texts 4. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1897.

References

  1. 1.[1.2][1.3][1.4][1.5][1.6][1.7][1.8][1.9][1.10]Brooke, Alan England; McLean, Norman; Thackeray, Henry St. John (1906). The Old Testament in Greek. Volume I: The Octateuch. Part I: Genesis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. iv. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  2. 2.[2.2][2.3][2.4][2.5][2.6][2.7][2.8][2.9][2.10][2.11][2.12][2.13][2.14][2.15][2.16][2.17][2.18][2.19][2.20][2.21][2.22][2.23][2.24][2.25][2.26][2.27][2.28][2.29]Brooke, Alan England; McLean, Norman; Thackeray, Henry St. John (1927). The Old Testament in Greek. Volume II: The Later Historical Books. Part I: I and II Samuel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. iiv. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  3. 3.[3.2][3.3][3.4][3.5][3.6][3.7]Brooke, Alan England; McLean, Norman; Thackeray, Henry St. John (1930). The Old Testament in Greek. Volume II: The Later Historical Books. Part II: I and II Kings (PDF). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 11. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  4. 4.Everson 2014, p. 370.
  5. 5.Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.
  6. 6.[6.2][6.3][6.4]Houghton, Hugh A. G. (2016). The Latin New Testament: A Guide to its Early History, Tests and Manuscripts. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 117–118. ISBN 978-0-19-874473-3.
  7. 7.Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (2013). Tobit. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 7–8. ISBN 9783110907032. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  8. 8.[8.2][8.3][8.4][8.5][8.6][8.7][8.8][8.9][8.10][8.11][8.12][8.13][8.14][8.15][8.16][8.17][8.18][8.19][8.20][8.21][8.22][8.23][8.24][8.25][8.26][8.27][8.28][8.29][8.30][8.31][8.32][8.33][8.34][8.35][8.36][8.37][8.38][8.39][8.40][8.41][8.42][8.43][8.44][8.45][8.46][8.47][8.48][8.49]Fischer, Bonifatius (1951). Vetus Latina: die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel. Genesis, Volumes 2–4. Freiburg: Herder. p. 29. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  9. 9.[9.2][9.3][9.4][9.5][9.6][9.7][9.8][9.9][9.10][9.11][9.12][9.13][9.14][9.15][9.16][9.17][9.18][9.19][9.20][9.21][9.22][9.23][9.24][9.25][9.26][9.27][9.28][9.29][9.30][9.31]Everson 2014, p. 371.
  10. 10.[10.2][10.3][10.4][10.5][10.6][10.7][10.8]Piggin, Jean-Baptiste (2019). "The Original Beuron Numbers of 1949 With Links". piggin.net. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  11. 11.Brooke, McLean & Thackeray 1911, p. v.
  12. 12.Weeks 2004, p. 50–51.
  13. 13.[13.2][13.3][13.4][13.5][13.6][13.7]Weeks 2004, p. 51.
  14. 14."Vetus Latina: Text Edition | Herder.de". herder.de. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  15. 15."DCLP/Trismegistos 67212 = LDAB 8480". papyri.info. Retrieved 10 November 2022. Berlin, Staatsbibliothek Depot Breslau 3 (codex Rehdigeranus); formerly: Wroclaw, Municipal Library Rehdigeranus 169
  16. 16.Biblia de Roda