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University of Pennsylvania: MS LJS 184, Liber Ethimologiarum

Kyle Huskin, Author

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Astronomy Theme


The scribe clearly had an interest in astronomy.  Although he gives all the usual content of the Etymologiae, he deviates from the normal structure by dividing Book III on the trivium (mathematics, music, astronomy) into two separate books: Book III, which contains math and music, and Book IIII, which is devoted exclusively to astronomy.  The amount of attention he devotes to Book IIII is notable, as the average number of decorated initial letters on each page essentially doubles (to roughly twelve) compared to other books. 



The additional material from Bede's De Temporum Ratione also relates to astronomy.  Oddly enough, the material the scribe selects is not related to the calculation of Easter, which would seem fitting for the needs of a a religious order, but to the general workings of the cosmos.  Unfortunately, I have only been able to identify two chapters from LJS 184's additional material with chapters from Bede: "De luna discursu pro signa" (fol. 182v, Caput XVII) and "De luna discursu si quis signa ignorat" (fol. 183r, Caput XVIII).  Because the Bede material does not begin a new quire -- or, indeed, appear to be distinguished from the Etymologiae text in any way -- it was almost certainly intended to be part of the text from the beginning.


Missing Diagrams


Throughout the MS, there are large gaps in the text where diagrams and/or charts were supposed to be placed.  I suspect that the scribe was working with a defective exemplar of the Etymologiae because there is a chart included in the De Temporum Ratione section.   



There is a contemporaneous, though perhaps slightly earlier (ca. 1201-1300) Spanish Liber Ethimologiarum which does include the charts but no diagrams.  


Readers

I have been able to identify marks made by two distinct readers, with Reader #1 probably writing in the Middle Ages and before Reader #2. 



There are at least three different styles of manicula.  Those in the first row were probably made by Reader #2, but the others are unidentifiable.  For some reason, almost all manicula appear only in the latter half of the book. 





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