Texts

LJS 101 contains several texts. The majority of the manuscript is occupied by the beginning of Boethius’s Latin translation of Aristotle’s On Interpretation (fol. 1v) and Boethius’s commentary on that text (fol. 2r - fol. 53r). Boethius wrote two commentaries on Aristotle’s text, stating that he wanted to reach two different audiences with the commentaries. LJS 101 contains the shorter of the two commentaries.

In addition to Boethius’s translation and commentary, the manuscript contains another commentary of On Interpretation by Pseudo-Apuleius (fol. 53v - fol. 59v). There are also several shorter texts. On fol. 60r is the poem "Carmen de Mensibus" by Decimus Magnus Ausonius. Following this text is a specimen letter from a monk beginning on fol. 60v and continuing on fol. 63r. There is also a grammatical text, the verse “Primus in orbe dies…,” and a definitions of rhetoric after Isidore of Seville on fol. 1r. On fol. 63v - 64r are other short verses and definitions of various words.

These texts in LJS 101 appearing in conjunction with each other suggests the manuscript was used as part of an educational curriculum centered on the liberal arts. The primary texts in the manuscript are essential for the study of logic. Relating to the subject of grammar are the fragment of grammatical text and the De Mensibus poem on the first folio, as well as the definitions on the final four pages of the manuscript. Relating to the subject of rhetoric are the definition adapted from Isidore of Seville on fol. 1r and the specimen letter on fols. 60v and 63r.[1] Although a full course of study in grammar or rhetoric would have involved more extensive texts, the short texts are useful as a brief review of the two subjects before introducing the subject of dialectic.

[1] The pages in the last two quires of the manuscript are currently misbound. The original order of the pages appears to have been 61, 62, 53-60, 63, 64. In the original order the two pages of the sample letter would have been next to each other. For a further description of this misbinding, see Dot Porter, “Reading and Writing Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania LJS 101, c. 850–1100,” July 28, 2018, http://www.dotporterdigital.org/reading-and-writing-philadelphia-university-of-pennsylvania-ljs-101-c-850-1100/.