YALE UNIVERSITY
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
GENERAL COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS AND
MANUSCRIPTS
PRE-1600 MANUSCRIPTS
Beinecke MS 538
Italy, s. XV
Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagita; Commentary on a theological poem
1. ff. 1r-16v Beati Dyonisii epistole secundum translationem Sarraceni decem [sic]. Prima
Gayo monacho. Tenebre occultantur lumine et magis multo lumine ... Ita nam in Ihesu esse et
vita mea letus iam moriar, cum ipse in eo vives.
Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagita, Epistolae, translated into Latin by Iohannes Sarracenus (??). 11
letters: I-IV to Gaius, V to Dorotheus, VI to Sosipater, VII to Polycarpus, VIII to Demophilus,
IX to Titus, X to the apostle John, XI to Apollophanes. See Dionysiaca??
For the edition, see art. 2.
2. ff. 17r-88r Expositiones epistolarum predictarum sancti Dyonisii Ariopagite per sanctum
Thomam de Aquino, et primo prime ad Gayum monachum. In hoc glorietur qui gloriatur scire et
nosce [sic] me. Iere. 9 [Jer. 9:24]. Ex verbis istis sumi potest occasio scribendi istas epistolas ...
quia te meum successorem relinquo in Christo Ihesu, qui est vita sanctorum in secula seculorum.
Amen. Expliciunt expositiones sancti Thome de Aquino super undecim epistolis precedentibus
sancti Dyonisii Ariopagite. F. 88v blank
Commentary by Albertus Magnus (here ascribed to Thomas Aquinas) on art. 1. Glorieux,
Repertoire v. 1, p. 64. A. Borgnet, ed., B. Alberti Magni opera omnia v. 14 (Paris, 1892), pp. 867-
1027.
3. ff. 89r-101r Actorem mens ex factis cognovit eumque / Nec corpus fore, nec animam,
quia fecit utrumque. / Extant res facte, que pondus habent speciemque, / Trini factoris, sic forma
relucet in propriis. / Mens meminit, scit, amat, Trinumque per hec tria
clamat. Hic auctor ponit doctrinam ad intelligendum trinitatem personarum ex ipsa anima ... Nam
nec sic vult Deus martirium sanctorum. Deus enim non delectatur in puniendo, sed in miserendo.
Commentary on a poem on Book I of the Sentences of Peter the Lombard (see PL 192.521-652),
each set of verses, with interlinear glosses and called "divisio", being followed by the
commentary subdivided in "clausulae". Deals successively with the Trinity; "scientia Dei",
"prescientia" and predestination; the omnipotence of God; and the will of God.
4. ff. 101r-104r Sequitur secundus tractatus. Cum principio tres errores fugat in uno / Qui
creat ille facit; si vertis improprie fit. Est Domini facere quod res **
prodit in esse ... Postquam
dictum est in precedenti libro de Creatore, hic iam consequenter agitur de creaturis... [f. 104r:]
Astant atque cadunt maiores atque minores, / Sed quia precedit natura Lucifer omnes, / Unde
tumens cecidit secumque tumentia traxit, / Quos velut carcer tenebrosus suscipit aer ... Ista divisio
habet quatuor clausulas. Prima est quod de singulis ordinibus angelorum aliqui ceciderunt ... qui
eis est deputatus sicut carcer usque ad diem Iudicii. 2a clausula est: Aliquos post // f. 104v
blank
Commentary on a poem on Book II, Distinctiones 1-6 of the Sentences of Peter the Lombard
(see PL 192.651-663) , with the same organization as art. 3. Ends incomplete and deals
successively with Creation, the angels and the fall of the angels.
Paper, ff. I (paper) + 104 + II (paper), 180 x 145 mm. The book is excessively trimmed; especially
in artt. 3-4 the lower margins are extremely narrow.
I-X 10 (ff. 1-100), XI 4 (ff. 101-104). Vertical catchwords in artt. 1-2.
Board ruling using a 37-string board for one column (type 36, 173 x 95 mm.), applied on
alternate openings. The bottom impressed line is not used in artt. 1-2, so that in that section there
are 35 written lines below top line, 36 lines in artt. 3-4.
Art. 1-2 written by a single scribe in two variants of Humanistic script: art. 1 (the text) in
Humanistica Textualis, art. 2 (the commentary) after some hesitation in a very similar form of
Humanistica Cursiva. Art. 3-4 written by a single scribe in Gothica Hybrida Libraria under
Humanistic influence, of greasy appearance; a larger size is used for the poetical parts. In these
sections the paper is badly damaged by the acidity of the ink.
The majuscules in art. 1-2 are heightened in dark yellow. Heqdings in red. Red calligraphic
initials throughout the manuscript by the same hand (3 lines in artt. 1-2, 2 lines in artt. 3-4). At
the opening of art. 1 a 9-line blue Renaissance initial with white vinestem decoration without
background. At the opening of art. 3 a red ?? 3-line initial with some flourishing.
Limp vellum binding s. XVII (?). At the top of the front cover: "M.S." in ink. Spine with three
raised bands. In the second compartment the title in ink "S. Dionis. Epistol@".
On the front flyleaf r, next to other inscriptions s. XIX-XX: "4 O.K. Dionysius Areopagita.
M.13.570". On the rear pastedown, in pencil: "Cat. 449. M.R.S. 16.X.02". Purchased by Thomas
E. Marston (??) from William Salloch. Presented by Thomas E. Marston, October 1973.
Albert Derolez
Updated 29.11.2007