This codex contains the best-known work by the Roman poet Publius
Papinius Statius, his epic poem about the war of the Seven Against
Thebes (Thebais), along with metrical argumenta on lib. II–IV.
Two quires containing lib. IV, V. 578 – lib. VII, V. 30 (between
pp. 75 and 76) are missing, as well as a bifolium with lib. IX,
671–751 and lib. X, 5–84 (between pp. 128 and 129 as well as
132 and 133). The beginnings of the books and of the metrical
argumenta (p. 3, 21, 40, 58/59, 92, 112, 132, 173) are accentuated
with initials, partly in two colors (red/green). There are numerous
marginal and interlinear glosses, mainly from the 12th and 13th
century. On pp. 196–197, probably in the same hand, is the
Planctus Oedipodis, Inc. Diri patris infausta pignora (Oedipus’
lament about the death of his sons). The poem comprises 21 rhyming
stanzas of four lines each, the first of which has neumes on a
staff of four lines. This form of notation argues against the
manuscript’s originating in St. Gall.
Rights
e-codices - Virtual Manuscript Library of Switzerland
