Rare manuscript of the 12th century for the first time in Greece

“A very important manuscript of the 12th century is returning to Thessaloniki,” said the mayor of Thessaloniki, Konstantinos Zervas, opening the new periodical exhibition “A Manuscript from Venice to Thessaloniki” at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki on Wednesday afternoon.

The exhibition presents for the first time to the Greek public a rare manuscript of the 12th century, which is kept in the Marcian Library of Venice, codex Marcianus Graecus 460 and is the result of a collaboration between the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the Vice-Mayorship of Intermunicipal Cooperation and Hellenism Abroad of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

“The cooperation of the Municipality of Thessaloniki with the Markian Library of Venice contributes to the strengthening of the ties between the two cities, which have been united for many centuries by many commonalities. Two cities with a strong Byzantine past and a strong European present and future”, said Mr. Zervas.

The manuscript “Detours to Homer’s Odyssey” preserves the monumental work of the scholar Efstathios – who served as archbishop of Thessaloniki from approximately 1178 until his death, around 1195-1197 – and is an extensive and rich commentary on the Odyssey.

“The Odyssey takes place again, about 10 centuries later, bringing this text, this precious book, to the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki”, noted Mr. Zervas.

Emilios Mavroudis, professor of classical literature, AUTH, spoke about Efstathios, a leading intellectual personality, a distinguished teacher at the Patriarchal School of Constantinople and a prolific author, who left an indelible mark on the scholarly circles of the Comnenian period.

The Byzantine codex is housed next to the Derveni papyrus, which dates back to the 4th century. e.g. and is the oldest book in Europe.

This parallel presentation demonstrates the long tradition in the area of ​​Thessaloniki and its different manifestations over the centuries.

It is a “conversation between two manuscripts separated by 14 centuries, but connected by the thread that unites antiquity with Byzantium and highlights the continuity of the Greek language and Hellenism”, said the deputy director of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Angeliki Koukouvou .

For the first time outside the Marcian Library, preserved and digitized

The manuscript that traveled from the Marcian Library in Venice – famous for its collection of Greek and Latin manuscripts – to Thessaloniki is particularly valuable for several reasons, the most important being that it is, according to the prevailing opinion, an autograph work of Eustathius. A note on its first page, written by Cardinal Bessarion, the famous cleric and bibliophile of the 15th century, informs us that the letters are by Eustathius.

Also, the manuscript of the Markian Library is considered by many scholars to be the last form of the memorandum, which began to be written in Constantinople, was completed and written by Eustathius himself, probably in Thessaloniki, before 1192.

“It’s one of the library’s very important archives,” said Claudia Benvestito, the Library’s conservator, noting that it’s the first time the codex in question has come outside of Venice.

According to Ms. Benvestito, the transfer was made possible thanks to the Municipality of Thessaloniki, which financed the maintenance of the code, as well as its digitization.

The opening event was accompanied by the “Thessalonian Hymnoids” choir with hymns of Efstathios under the direction of Ioannis Liakos, while the actor Kostas Santas read excerpts from the manuscript.

The exhibition is hosted in the hall of the permanent exhibition “Macedonian gold” of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and will last from September 28 to December 20, 2022.

Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.