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Mount Athos, Vatopedi Monastery, 760

Microfilm

Additional Information

  • Appr. Date: 11th c. (11th c.)
  • Genres: Biblical
  • Illustrations: Yes

Notes

Βατοπεδίου 760
Εὐστρατιάδη (1925) no. 760 (p. 149).
Ψαλτήριον
11th cent.
294 fols. Parchment.
Approx. 9x6.5 inches.


1r  has decorative header topped by two quail-like birds (not peacocks), possibly with faint captions. Incipit: Τί ἐστὶ ψαλτήριον· καὶ τί ἐστι δεκάχορδον ψαλτήριον;  Ψαλτήριόν ἐστι νους καθαρὸς ὑπὸ πνευματικῆς κινούμενος ἑνώσεως. Κιθάρα δέ ἐστι ψυχὴ πρακτικὴ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ κινουμένη· καὶ ἄλλως...

9r  Abovein large letters:  «ΑΚ» or «ΔΚ».  Below, in a later hand: ἐκ τῶν τοῦ Κωνσταντίνου Μαυροκορδάτου [capitals, obscure in WEST.MTA.14.11, perhaps Ν:ΛΛ:] [then 1729 or 1729 in “Arabic” numerals].  Beneath that another inscription in very faint letters [perhaps «εὔχεσθε...»?]

9v  Lovely picture of David, with nimbus and crown, sitting with psaltery under a decorated arch (like a small gazebo) supported by pillars.  Takes up the whole page.

10r  Decorative heading. «Ψαλτήριον τερπνὸν εἰς Θεὸν μέλος· ψαλμὸς τῷ [Μι?] ἀλληλούια.


Many whole-page pictures:

11v  David and Christ.  A scroll reads “Why do the heathen rage, and the people [imagine a vain thing]?” («ἱνατί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοί», Psalm 2.1, Acts 4.25).

19v  Christ entering Jerusalem, David holding his harp. A roll reads “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings [hast thou ordained strength...]” («ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων», Psalm 8.2 (LXX 8.3), Matthew 21.16)

25v  David, next to a small hill with three ortygoid birds, Christ descending from upper-righthand corner with sign of blessing.  David holds a scroll, “In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul...” («ἐπὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ πέποιθα· <πῶς> ἐρεῖτε τῇ ψυχῇ μου», Psalm 11.1 (LXX 10.1)).

29r  David, «εἰκὼν τοῦ ἄφρονος» according to Efstratiaðis, with Christ again descending in benediction and a scroll, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God...” («εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, οὔκ ἔστι θεός», Psalms 14.1, 53.2 (LXX 13.1, 52.2)).

59r  Paul’s baptism by Ananias, with David looking on, holding scroll, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven...”(«μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι», Psalm 32.1 (LXX 31.1), Romans 4.7).

79v  John the Almsgiver helping the people, David on the side holding a scroll, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor...” («μακάριος ὁ συνιὼν ἐπὶ πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα», Psalm 41.1 (LXX 40.1)).

96v  David repenting before Nathan. An angel holds a rod.

119v  Christ rises from the dead, bearing a cross, in the company of the apostles and (with a certainly chronological flexibility) John the Baptist.

143r  Moses receiving the tablets of the law with a multitude behind him.

218v  David by an odd, pyramidal προσευχετήριον. A scroll reads “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD” («Μακάριοι <οἱ> ἔν ὁδῷ οἱ πορευόμενοι», Psalm 119.1 (LXX 118.1)).

245r  David standing by (a river with trees? [obscure in WEST.MTA.14.11]). “By the rivers of Babylon” («Ἐπὶ τῶν ποταμῶν Βαβυλῶνος», Psalm 137.1 (LXX 136.1)).

263v  David, with Goliath’s head on a spear, before the throned Saul.

264r  David slays Goliath with sling and cuts his head off.

[264v/265r  Charming sketches of hands, a creature (dog? chimæra?), a boat with a man and a horse with spear-bearing, nimbus-crowned rider (with caption below, obscure in WEST.MTA.14.11), and a scene worn away (intentionall?) with at least one pair of legs descending from it.]

266r  Pharaoh’s cavalry with spears, entering the Red Sea (not 265r, pace Efstratiaðis).

270r  Moses on the mountain with scroll, “Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak” («πρόσεχε οὐρανέ, καὶ λαλήσω», Deut. 32.1).  Joshuah in martial gear.

276r  The prophetess Hannah, with scroll “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD...” («ἐστερεώθη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν Κυρίῳ», 1Sam 2.1).

280v  The vision of Isaiah: the Ancient of Days, flanked by seraphim. Scroll, “...thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged” («ἀφελεῖ τὰς ἀνομίας <σου> καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου», Isaiah 6.7).

282v/283r  Jonah in the whale (282v); preaching at Nineveh and taking shade under the zucchini plant (283r).

285v  The three Hebrew youths in the burning, flaming, fiery furnace, protected by the angel.

286r  Nebuchadnezzar says to his army, “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? ... Lo, I see four...” («τρεῖς ἐβάλαμεν εἰς τὴν κάμινον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁρῶ τέσσαρας», Daniel 3.24-25 (LXX 3.91-92, here worded slightly differently).

Small “metatexts” at 218r, 245v, 270v.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Greek Manuscripts in the Library of the Monastery of the Vatopedi on Mt. Athos (Open in Zotero)

External Online Resources