Epiphanius Physiologus: Description

This is a summary description of the copy of the Sancti Epiphanii ad Physiologum now in the Special Collections department of the McPherson Library, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. More details can be found on the other pages of this section.

Title, Greek: ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΕΡΙΦΑΝΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΚΟΝΣΤΑΝΤΕΙΑΣ ΚΥΠΡΟΥ, ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΦΥΣΙΟΛΟΓΟΝ. Τοῦ αύτου είς τα Βαία λόγος. [Tou hagiou patros hemon Epiphaniou, Episkopou Konstanteias Kyprou, eis ton physiologon. Tou autou eis ta Baia logos].

Title, Latin: Sancti Patris Nostri Epiphanii, Episcopi Constantiae Cypri, ad Physiologum. Eiusdem in die festo palmarum sermo.

Title, English: Our Holy Father Epiphanius, Bishop of Constantia in Cyprus, concerning the Physiologus. Also a homily on the feast day of Palm Sunday.

Author: St Epiphanius (attributed).

Author/editor/translator: Consalus (or Gonzales or Gonçalo) Ponce de Leon (D. Consali Ponce de Leon Hispalensis, S[ancti] D[ominus] N[ostri] Sixti V. Cubicularij secreti, interpretis & scholiastae).

Other authors: Petrus Angelus Bargaeus.

Illustrator: Pieter van der Borcht.

Publisher/printer: Christopher Plantin, Antwerp, 1588 (Antverpiae: Ex officina Christophori Plantini, architypographi Regis).

Binding: Contemporary (?) stiff brown vellum; abbreviated title (S. Epiphanii Physiologus 1588) hand-lettered on the spine; possible old shelfmark ("8991" or "g991") hand-lettered at the top of the spine.

Pagination: 76 leaves; [16] 124 [12]. 16 unnumbered pages of front matter (including title page); 124 pages numbered at the top outer margin, with pages 82 to 96 misnumbered as 88 to 102 and hand-corrected in brown ink; 12 unnumbered pages of back matter (index, list of authorities), last page blank.

Collation: 10 signatures; first signature marked *, next 9 signatures marked A - I. Signature I has 4 leaves (8 pages), the other 9 signatures have 8 leaves (16 pages) each. The first recto page of each signature is marked with a letter (except the first signature, which starts with the title page), with the following leaves of the signature marked on the recto page with a * or a letter plus a number from 2 to 5 (eg: A, A2, A3, A4, A5); leaves 6, 7 and 8 of each signature are not marked.

Illustrations: 26 copperplate engravings (or etchings); 25 at 6.7 x 6.7 cm; 1 at 7.2 x 10.5 cm (width x height). 8 decorated initials, with foliage and animal or human figures.

Typeface: multiple; Greek, roman and italic faces in several sizes.

Size: Octavo; binding 11 x 17.3 cm; pages 10.7 x 16.8 cm (width x height).

Provenance: Gift of the estate of Beryl Rowland.

Contents: 1. Title; 2. Petri Angeli Bargaeii ad Lectorum; 3. Sanctissimo D[omini] N[ostri] Sixto V. Pont[ifex] Opt[imus] Max[imus]; 4. Ad lectorum praefatio; 5. Vitae S. Epiphanii compendium ex Metaphaste; 6. Ad Physiologum; 7. Beati Epiphanii, Epicopi Cypri, in die festo palmarum sermo. Cum scholiis; 8. Index reum et verborum; 9. Auctores, quorum testimonia praecipue citantur in Notis; 10. Approbatio; 11. Privilegii Regii Sententia.

Call number: BR65 E653H3 1588

Bibliography: Voet no. 1126 [v.2, p.862]; Van der Haeghen no. E 1289 [v.2, p.265]; Landwehr no. 162; Praz no. 328 [p.55]; Nissen no. 136; Funck no. 309.

Archives: Listed in the archives of the Plantin-Moretus Museum; Ms. 296, folio 5v (Epiphanius ad physiologum, in 8o, cum figuris aeneis, f[euilles] 9½, [price:] st. 10); Ms. 321.