Name Codex Basilensis Text Gospels Found 1431 | Sign E Date 8th century Script Greek language | |
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Now at Basel University Library Similar Codex Boreelianus, Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus, Codex Nitriensis, Codex Guelferbytanus A, Codex Regius | ||
Codex Basilensis, designated by Ee, 07 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering) or ε 55 (von Soden), is a Greek uncial manuscript of the four Gospels, dated paleographically to the 8th century. The codex is located, as its name indicates, in Basel University Library.
Contents
The manuscript is lacunose, it has marginalia, and was adapted for liturgical reading. Three leaves of the codex were overwritten by a later hand; these leaves are considered palimpsests.
The text of the codex represents the majority of the text (Byzantine text-type), but a small number of alien readings (non-Byzantine). It contains spurious biblical passages, but they are marked as doubtful within the text. The text of the manuscript has been cited in all critical editions of the Greek New Testament, but it is not high esteemed by scholars.
Description
The text is written in one column per page, with 23 or more lines. The codex contains 318 parchment leaves of size 23 × 16.5 cm (9.1 × 6.5 in), with an almost complete text of the four Gospels. The Gospel of Luke contains five small lacunae (1:69-2:4, 3:4-15, 12:58-13:12, 15:8-20, 24:47-end). Three of them were later completed in cursive (1:69-2:4, 12:58-13:12, 15:8-20).
The letters Θ Ε Ο Σ are round, the strokes of Χ Ζ Ξ are not prolonged below the line. It has a regular system of punctuation. The handwriting is similar to that in the Codex Alexandrinus, though not so regular and neat. The initial letters are decorated with green, blue, and vermilion.
Certain disputed passages are marked with an asterisk – signs of the times (Matthew 16:2b-3), Christ agony (Luke 22:43-44), Luke 23:34, Pericope Adulterae (John 8:2-11).
It contains tables of the κεφαλαια (tables of contents) before each Gospel and the text is divided according to the κεφαλαια (chapters), the numbers of which are placed in the margins. The chapters are divided into Ammonian Sections with references to the Eusebian Canons (written below Ammonian Section numbers), and the harmony at the foot of the pages, although full references to all parallel texts are given in the margins and the tables are thus superfluous. The initial letters at the beginning sections stand out on the margin as in codices Alexandrinus, Ephraemi Rescriptus.
The codex was bound with the 12th century minuscule codex 2087, which contains portions of the Book of Revelation. Three leaves of the codex are palimpsests (folio 160, 207, 214) – they were overwritten by a later hand. Folio 207 contains a fragment of Ephraem Syrus in Greek, while the texts of folios 160 and 214 are still unidentified.
Text
The Greek text of this codex is representative of the Byzantine textual tradition. According to Kurt and Barbara Aland it agrees with the Byzantine text-type 209 times, and 107 times with both the Byzantine and the original text. Only one reading agrees with the original text against the Byzantine. There are 9 independent or distinctive readings. Aland placed its text in Category V.
It belongs to the textual Family E (the early Byzantine text) and is closely related to the Codex Nanianus, and the Codex Athous Dionysiou. Probably it is the oldest manuscript with a pure Byzantine text (with almost a complete text of the Gospels) and it is one of the most important witnesses of the Byzantine text-type.
In Matthew 8:13 it has an interpolation – marked by an asterisk – και υποστρεψας ο εκατονταρχος εις τον οικον αυτου εν αυτη τη ωρα ευρεν τον παιδα υγιαινοντα (and when the centurion returned to the house in that hour, he found the slave well). This reading of the codex is supported by: Codex Sinaiticus, Ephraemi Rescriptus, Codex Campianus, (Petropolitanus Purpureus), Codex Nanianus, Codex Koridethi, (0250), f1, (33, 1241), g1, syrh.
Dating
It is generally accepted among palaegraphers that the manuscript was written in the 8th century (Scrivener, Gregory, Nestle, Aland, Metzger). Dean Burgon proposed the 7th century (because of the shape of the letters), but the names of Feasts days with their proper lessons and other liturgical markings have been inserted by a later hand. Scrivener dated it to the middle of the 8th century. Scrivener stated that from the shape of the most of the letters (e.g. pi, delta, xi), it might be judged of even earlier date. According to Guglielmo Cavallo it was written in the early 8th century.
According to Cataldi Palau it was written later in the 9th century. From the palaeographical point of view it looks older, but the regularity of the accentuation and the abundant colourful decoration are uncharacteristic of the 8th century. The number of errors is remarkably small. According to Palau it was copied by a non-Greek, probably Latin scribe, in 9th century Italy. The Italian location had a strong Byzantine influence.
Location
It probably was brought to Basel by Cardinal Ragusio (1380–1443), who may have acquired it in Constantinople when he attended the Council of Florence in 1431. It might have been a present from the Byzantine emperor. In time of that council several other manuscripts came to Europe from Byzantium: Codex Basiliensis A.N.IV.2, Minuscule 10, and probably Codex Vaticanus. In 1559 it was presented to the monastery of the Preaching Friars. In the same year it was transferred to Basel University Library (A. N. III. 12), in Basel (Switzerland), where it is currently housed. Formerly it was held under the shelf-number B VI. 21, then lately K IV. 35.
Use in the Greek New Testament editions
The codex was available to Erasmus for his translation of the New Testament in Basel, but he never used it. The text of the manuscript was collated by Johann Jakob Wettstein and the manuscript was used by John Mill in his edition of the Greek New Testament. It has been cited in printed editions of the Greek New Testament since the 18th century.
The manuscript is cited in all critical editions of the Greek New Testament (UBS3, UBS4, NA26, NA27). It is rarely cited in NA27, as a witnesses of the third order.