A Commentary on the Apocalypse
Leaf from an unidentified Commentary on the Apocalypse in Latin, manuscript on vellum [Germany, second half 12th century].
A very finely written leaf from an unidentified text, discussing the precious stones mentioned in the book of Revelation.

c.295 × 210mm. Prickings preserved in outer and upper margins, ruled in plummet, 30 lines in handsome protogothic script, comprising part of a commentary on the Apocalypse, followed by the rubric for a text on the Bronze Serpent (‘fulgorem sub divo non in domo […] et in gratia terminum poneret. De éneo serpente.’) (natural flaws and some dirt, but generally fine).

Provenance:
Colker MS 302; acquired in 1981 from Maggs.

Content:
The first surviving lines discuss three of the twelve precious stones mentioned in Revelation 21:19–20 decorating the city walls of the New Jerusalem: sardonyx, chrysoprase, and hyacinthe, with their names repeated in the margin. Much of the text consists of quotations from Revelation but it has not been possible to identify which commentary it is, though it apparently borrows from Bede’s, and the explicit is the same as that of Haimo of Auxerre’s.

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