Hebrew and Judaica Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University

MS. Canonici Or. 66

Oriental Manuscripts Canonici Oriental Collection

Contents

The Hebrew translation of Aristotle's De Animalibus

1. ff. 1r-66r
Aristotleאריסטו, Historia Animalium

The ten books of the Historia Animalium agreeing with the translation of the Arabic text by Michel Scot according to the extracts known from this translation.

Language(s): Hebrew
2. ff. 66r-98v
Aristotleאריסטו, De Partibus Animalium

The four book of Aristotle's De Partibus Animalium agreeing with the interpretation of Theodorus Gaza

Language(s): Hebrew
3. ff. 98v-144r
Aristotleאריסטו, De Animalium Generatione

The five book of Aristotle's De Animalium Generatione agreeing with the interpretation of Theodorus Gaza

Language(s): Hebrew

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Laid paper without watermarks, chain lines spaced 50-52mm apart. Outer and inner sheets of quires made of parchment.
Extent: ff. 144
Dimensions (leaf): 290 × 212 mm.
Foliation: Foliation in Arabic numerals.

Collation

9 quires of mostly 16 leaves no signatures, catchwords on almost every verso.

Condition

Spine is torn.

Layout

One column; width of inner, parchment bifolium is often half size.

Hand(s)

Sephardi semi-cursive and cursive scripts.

Decoration

Not decorated.

Binding

Leather binding, blind-tooled.

History

Origin: [Spain or Provence]; [ca. 1300]

Provenance and Acquisition

Matteo Luigi Canonici's (1727-1805) collections passed to his brother Giuseppe, and on his death in 1807 to Giovanni Perissinotti and Girolamo Cardina, who divided them. To the former fell the MSS., then about 3550 in number, and, after many attempts to sell them, the Bodleian became the purchaser of the greater part in 1817, for £5444 5s. 1d., or including incidental expenses about £6030, the largest single purchase ever made by the Library. The formal list of volumes handed over was signed on May 18, 1817, and the books probably arrived later that year.

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, vol. I, by Adolf Neubauer, Oxford 1886, No. 1369, Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I, No. 1369, and on the data of the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts, National Library of Israel with additional enhancements by the cataloguer.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures contact Bodleian Admissions). Contact specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)

Microfilm

MSS R.R. Film No. F 22393

Bibliography

    Neubauer, Adolf, Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1886), no. 1369.
    Beit-Arié, Malachi and R.A. May (eds), Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I (A. Neubauer’s Catalogue) (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994), no. 1369.
    Zonta, Mauro, "The Zoological Writings in the Hebrew Tradition. The Hebrew approach to Aristotle's zoological writings and to their ancient and medieval commentators in the Middle Ages", in Aristotle's Animals in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, ed. Carlos G. Steel, Guy Guldentops and Pieter Beullens (Leuven : Leuven University Press, 1999) 44-68.

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