| Codex Q: hover over the image to enlarge the papyrus text | download HERE |
In the Vatican Library at Rome.
This is a most valuable
copy of the Prophets, written in Egypt in the sixth century, in a fine
bold uncial hand.
The editor of this manuscript, Dr Ceriani, has shown
that the text, as originally written, is that of Hesychius;
& its
value is still further increased by the fact that an almost contemporary
hand has added a great number of various readings in the margin from
a copy of the Haxaplar text.
These marginal readings include the additions
made by Origen, generally accompanied by the proper critical marks (obelus
or asterisk), together with readings from Aquila, Symmachus, &
Theodotion.
Plate IX (above) gives a representation of a page of this
manuscript (the whole of which has been published in a photographic facsimile)
containing Ezek.v.12-17.
In the margin will be seen several asterisks, which are repeated in the line itself at the point at which the insertion begins (e.g. lines 6, 10), & before the beginning of each line of the passage affected, while the metobelus, indicating the close of the inserted passage, is represented by a sort of semicolon (e.g. lines 2, 7). In most cases the name of the version from which the inserted passage was taken is indicated by an initial in the margin, α standing for Aquila (e.g. line 1), θ for Theodotion (lines 6, 11, 15, 17, 22), & σ or συ for Symmachus.
Where Hesychius has introduced words on his own account which were not in the written Septuagint, the asterisk indicating such words has been written by the original scribe, & has ample space allowed it in the writing; but the great majority of the critical signs have been added by the reviser, & show that the insertion had already been made by Origen in his Hexaplar text, which Hesychius often followed. The small writing in the margin consists of notes added in the thirteenth century, of no textual importance.
Description & picture from 'Our Bible & the Ancient Manuscripts' by Sir Frederick Kenyon (1895 - 4th Ed. 1939) Pg 71 & Plate IX. (Page fragment illustrated: 29.5 x 18cm.)
