Manuscripts and Repositories of the Works of Aristophanes in Ancient Greek

The provenance of the ancient Greek texts of **Aristophanes** is complex and shaped by both ancient manuscript traditions and later medieval transmission.

### **Ancient Copies and Transmission**
- Aristophanes (c. 446–386 BCE) was a playwright of Old Comedy in Athens. His plays were originally performed in dramatic festivals such as the **Dionysia** and the **Lenaia**.
- The original texts were likely written on **papyrus scrolls** and stored in libraries, such as the great **Library of Alexandria**.
- By the Hellenistic period (3rd–1st centuries BCE), Aristophanes' works were edited and preserved by scholars, particularly those of the **Library of Alexandria**, such as **Aristophanes of Byzantium** and **Didymus Chalcenterus**.

### **Medieval Manuscript Tradition**
- The **Byzantine scholars** played a critical role in copying and preserving Aristophanes' plays. The **Venetian and Constantinopolitan libraries** contained some of the most important copies.
- The **Ravenna Manuscript (Codex Ravennas 429, also called "R" or "Ra")**, dated to the 10th century CE, is the most important surviving manuscript of Aristophanes, containing **11 of his plays**.
- Several **other manuscripts**, dating from the **9th to 15th centuries**, contain portions of Aristophanes' works, though they are not as complete or authoritative as the Ravenna Manuscript.

### **Printed Editions and Modern Scholarship**
- The first printed edition of Aristophanes was produced in **1498** in **Venice** by **Aldus Manutius**, based on medieval manuscript sources.
- Modern critical editions of Aristophanes are based on **collations of these Byzantine manuscripts** and **papyri discoveries** from Egypt, particularly from Oxyrhynchus.
- Today, **the Oxford Classical Texts (OCT)** and **Teubner editions** provide authoritative versions of Aristophanes' Greek text.


Further Reading and References

Oxford Classical Texts: Aristophanis: Fabulae, Vol. 1: Acharnenses; Equites; Nubes; Vespae; Pax; Aves - Aristophanes - Oxford Scholarly Editions
Aristophanis comoediae; recognoverunt brevique adnotatione critica instruxerunt F.W. Hall [et] W.M. Geldart : Aristophanes - Internet Archive

Oxford Classical Texts: Aristophanis: Fabulae, Vol. 2: Lysistrata; Thesmophoriazusae; Ranae; Ecclesiazusae; Plutus - Aristophanes - Oxford Scholarly Editions
Aristophanis Comoediae Vol II: F. W. Hall and W. M. Geldart - Internet Archive

Scaife Viewer - Aristophanes

Aristophanis Comoedias Vol I  edidit T. Bergk, Teubner - Aristophanes - Google Books
Aristophanis Comoedias Vol II edidit T. Bergk, Teubner - Aristophanes - Google Books

Aristophanea: Studies on the Text of Aristophanes - N. G. Wilson - Google Books

The history of the text of Aristophanes - A.H. Sommerstein

White, J. W. (1906). The Manuscripts of Aristophanes. I. Classical Philology, 1(1), 1–20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/261346

White, J. W. (1906). The Manuscripts of Aristophanes. II. Classical Philology, 1(3), 255–278. http://www.jstor.org/stable/262011

The scholia on the Aves of Aristophanes, with an introduction on the origin, development, transmission, and extant sources of the old Greek commentary on his comedies; : White, John Williams, 1849-1917 - Internet Archive

Manuscripts and Repositories of the Works of Euripides in Ancient Greek

The provenance of the ancient Greek text of Euripides is a complex story involving ancient manuscripts, papyri, medieval scribes, and modern textual criticism. Here’s an overview:

**Ancient Transmission (5th Century BCE – 3rd Century BCE)**
- Euripides (c. 480–406 BCE) wrote approximately 90 plays, of which 18 or 19 have survived in full (depending on whether *Rhesus* is considered authentic).
- His works were likely disseminated through both performances and written copies.
- The Athenian archives and libraries, such as those in Alexandria (after the 3rd century BCE), played a role in preserving his plays.

Two major groups of his works survive:

• The select plays (e.g., Medea, Hippolytus, Bacchae), chosen by scholars for their literary excellence.

• The alphabetic corpus, a collection of his less famous plays that survived by chance.

**Hellenistic and Roman Periods (3rd Century BCE – 5th Century CE)**
- The Library of Alexandria compiled and edited classical texts, including Euripides. Scholars such as Aristophanes of Byzantium and Aristarchus of Samothrace contributed to textual preservation and standardization.
- Copies of Euripides' plays were reproduced on papyrus scrolls, some of which have been discovered in Egypt (e.g., Oxyrhynchus Papyri).
- The survival of complete plays depended on selection; a “Byzantine triad” of *Hecuba*, *Orestes*, and *Phoenician Women* was particularly popular.

**Byzantine and Medieval Manuscripts (9th – 15th Century CE)**
- By the 9th century, Euripides' plays were copied into medieval manuscripts on parchment.
- Key Byzantine manuscripts include the **Laurentian Codex (Codex Mediceus, 10th century)** and the **Vatican Codex**.
- The "Alphabetic Trilogy" transmission preserved all extant Euripidean plays in a single volume.
- Medieval scribes copied and recopied the plays, sometimes adding scholia (commentary).

**Renaissance and Modern Critical Editions**
- The rediscovery of Greek texts during the Renaissance (15th century) led to the first printed editions of Euripides.
- Modern editions rely on collation of medieval manuscripts, ancient papyri, and scholia.
- The **Loeb Classical Library**, **Oxford Classical Texts (OCT)**, and **Budé editions** provide critical texts based on manuscript comparisons.

Thus, Euripides' works have survived through a combination of ancient copying, Byzantine preservation, and modern philological efforts. References and Further Reading

Oxford Classical Texts: Euripidis: Fabulae, Vol. 1: Cyclops; Alcestis; Medea; Heraclidae; Hippolytus; Andromacha; Hecuba - Euripides - Oxford Scholarly Editions Oxford Classical Texts: Euripidis: Fabulae, Vol. 2: Supplices; Electra; Hercules; Troades; Iphigenia in Tauris; Ion - Euripides - Oxford Scholarly Editions Oxford Classical Texts: Euripidis: Fabulae, Vol. 3: Helena; Phoenissae; Orestes; Bacchae; Iphigenia Aulidensis; Rhesus - Euripides - Oxford Scholarly Editions Scaife Viewer | Euripides Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana - Internet Archive

Manuscripts and Repositories of the Works of Sophocles in Ancient Greek

The provenance of the Ancient Greek text of Sophocles’ works is complex, as his plays were copied, transmitted, and edited over many centuries. Here’s an overview of how his texts have come down to us:

**1. Ancient Copies and Transmission**
- Sophocles (c. 497/6–406 BCE) originally composed around 120 plays, but only **seven complete tragedies** survive:
*Ajax, Antigone, Trachiniae, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes,* and *Oedipus at Colonus.*
- His works were performed in Athens and likely written on **papyrus scrolls** in the 5th century BCE.
- After his death, **official copies** were kept in Athenian archives, and his plays continued to be studied and performed.

**2. Hellenistic and Roman Period**
- The **Library of Alexandria (3rd–2nd century BCE)** played a major role in preserving Greek literature.
- Scholars like **Aristophanes of Byzantium** and **Didymus Chalcenterus** edited Sophocles’ texts.
- Copies of Sophocles' plays were reproduced on **papyrus manuscripts**, many of which have been lost.

**3. Byzantine Manuscripts (Medieval Period)**
- The primary surviving **medieval manuscripts** of Sophocles’ plays date from the **9th to 14th centuries CE**.
- Key manuscripts:
- **Laurentianus 32.9 (10th century)** – one of the most important witnesses to the text.
- **Parisinus Graecus 2712 no (late 13th century)** – contains marginal scholia and commentaries.
- **Venetus 464 (14th century)** – another valuable manuscript.

**4. Rediscovery in the Renaissance**
- The **Aldine edition** (1502) was the first printed version of Sophocles, based on Byzantine manuscripts.
- Later critical editions by scholars such as Richard Bentley (17th c.) and Karl Lachmann (19th c.) refined the text.

**5. Modern Critical Editions**
- Contemporary editions, such as those in the **Oxford Classical Texts** (OCT) and the **Teubner series**, rely on:
- **Medieval manuscripts** as primary sources.
- **Papyri** (e.g., Oxyrhynchus Papyri) that occasionally reveal new fragments.
- **Ancient commentaries (scholia)** that help reconstruct lost readings. Further Reading and References

Oxford Classical Texts: Sophoclis: Fabulae - Sophocles - Oxford Scholarly Editions

Sophocles; The Text of the Seven Plays : Sophocles - Internet Archive

TURYN, A. (1944). THE MANUSCRIPTS OF SOPHOCLES. Traditio, 2, 1–41. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27830043

West, M. L. (1977). [Review of Studies on the Text of Sophocles. Vol. 1: The Manuscripts and the Text. Vol. 2: The Collations, by R. D. Dawe]. Classical Philology, 72(3), 264–267.
 http://www.jstor.org/stable/268321

Studies on the text of Sophocles : Dawe, R. D. (Roger David) - Internet Archive

Studies on the Text of Sophocles: The collations - Roger David Dawe - Google Books

A Companion to Sophocles - Chapter 2
The Textual Transmission of Sophocles' Dramas by P. J. Finglass
Book Editor: Kirk Ormand 26 March 2012
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118350508.ch2

Manuscripts and Repositories of the Works of Aeschylus in Ancient Greek

Aeschylus' works survive in a relatively small number of ancient Greek manuscripts compared to other classical authors like Homer or Euripides. Below is a list of the most important manuscripts preserving his plays in the original Greek:

Key Manuscripts of Aeschylus:

1. **Codex Mediceus (Laurentianus 32.9, "M")** – 10th–11th century
- The most important manuscript, containing all seven surviving plays:
- *Agamemnon*
- *Choephoroe (Libation Bearers)*
- *Eumenides*
- *Persians*
- *Seven Against Thebes*
- *Suppliants*
- *Prometheus Bound* (now considered possibly spurious)
- Held in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence.

2. **Codex Florentinus (Laurentianus 31.8, "F")** – 13th–14th century
- Contains scholia (ancient commentaries) and some textual variants.
- Also in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana.

3. **Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1334 ("V")** – 14th century
- Contains *Prometheus Bound* and fragments of other plays.
- Held in the Vatican Library.

4. **Codex Parisinus Graecus 2786 ("P")** – 14th century
- Contains *Persians* and *Seven Against Thebes*.
- Held in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

5. **Codex Neapolitanus (Neap. II.F.31, "N")** – 14th century
- Contains *Agamemnon*, *Choephoroe*, and *Eumenides* (the *Oresteia*).
- Held in the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III, Naples.

6. **Codex Venetus Marcianus Graecus 468 ("U")** – 14th century
- Contains *Prometheus Bound* and fragments.
- Held in the Biblioteca Marciana, Venice.

7. **Codex Palatinus Graecus 287 ("G")** – 14th century
- Contains *Seven Against Thebes* and other fragments.
- Held in the Vatican Library.

8. **Papyrus Fragments (Oxyrhynchus, etc.)**
- Various papyri from Oxyrhynchus and other sites preserve fragments of lost plays (e.g., *Myrmidons*, *Niobe*).

**Notes:**
- The **Mediceus (M)** is the most authoritative source for Aeschylus' surviving works.
- Many other medieval manuscripts exist but are derivative or contain only excerpts.
- Some plays, like *Prometheus Bound*, have disputed authorship, and their manuscript traditions may differ. References and Further Reading Oxford Classical Texts: Aeschyli: Septem Quae Supersunt Tragoedias - Aeschylus - Oxford Scholarly Editions Smyth, H. W. (1933). Catalogue of the Manuscripts of Aeschylus. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, 44, 1–62. https://doi.org/10.2307/310679
https://www.jstor.org/stable/310679

Turyn, A. (1942). THE MANUSCRIPT TRADITION OF THE TRAGEDIES OF AESCHYLUS. Bulletin of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, 1(1), 107–111. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24724502

The collation and investigation of manuscripts of Aeschylus : Dawe, R. D. (Roger David) - Internet Archive