Journal of Theological Studies, 8 (1907), 297-300

A TENTH CENTURY FRAGMENT OF TERTULLIAN'S APOLOGY

IN view of the slender ancient testimony to the text of Tertullian's Apology, it seems worth while to report the readings of a tenth century MS of chapters 38, 39, and part of 40, especially as its text is closely related to that of the important Fulda MS which is now lost. The excellent manuscript catalogue of the Rheinau collection, now in the Kantons-Bibliothek in Zurich, has never been printed, and it is probably on this account that the fragment has hitherto escaped notice. MS xcv (saec. x) is a collection of passages from various authors which interested the compiler, something after the fashion of the 'Collectaneum' of Sedulius Scottus at Cues on the Mosel.¹ Among these are to be found the De XII Abusiuis Saeculi, which is sometimes attributed to Cyprian, and on pp. 175-184 Tertullian's Apology, chaps. 38-40 (down to tantos ad unum = Oehler I (Lips. 1853) p. 267, 4). I here give a collation of the extract with Oehler's text.

[Collation omitted]

The close relationship between the Zurich extract and the Fulda MS is at once evident.² The accuracy with which the old scholars collated the latter is incidentally illustrated. Some readings given above are manifestly wrong, hut they may help in tracing the date and character of this special form of text. Other readings are mere variations of order. The remainder seem worthy of consideration.

ALEX. SOUTER.

1. For which see S.Hellmann’s Sedulius Scottus (Munchen, 1906).

2. Compare the case of the Fulda (formerly Weingarten) and Rheinau MSS of Sedulius Scottus. Hellmann (op. cit. p. 190 ff) has shewn that they are both copies of the same lost MS.

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