Editing Codex Zacynthius (section)

== History ==

=== Dating ===
Tregelles dated the manuscript to the 8th century. Tregelles was aware that the handwriting is typical for the 6th century, but the handwriting of the commentary is much older. The letters ΕΘΟΣ are round, high, and narrow, and could not have been written before the 8th century. [[Caspar René Gregory|C. R. Gregory]] supported Tregelles's point of view. According to [[Nicholas Pocock (historian)|Nicholas Pocock]], the manuscript could not have been written before the 6th century nor after the 8th century.<sup>[]</sup>

[[William Hatch]] in 1937, on the basis of palaeographical data, suggested that the codex should be dated to the 6th century. It does not use breathings and accents and the text of the commentary is written in uncial script.<sup>[]</sup> Aland supported Hatch's point of view.<sup>[]</sup> This date is accepted by the majority of scholars.<sup>[]</sup><sup>[]</sup>

[[David C. Parker]] in 2004 argued that manuscript was written later the 6th century, because it has a small number of square letters, and the handwriting is not typical for the 6th century. Some letters were compressed (Μ, Δ, Ε), the bar over the letter Τ is short and the letter Υ is written in several ways. According to Parker the manuscript should be dated to the 7th century.<sup>[]</sup>

Currently it is dated by the [[INTF]] to the 6th century.<sup>[]</sup>

=== Discovery and further research ===
[[Image:Samuel P Tregelles.jpg|thumb|Samuel Prideaux Tregelles]]
The early history of the manuscript is unknown. In 1821 it was brought by general [[Colin Macaulay]] to England from the Greek island [[Zakynthos]] in the [[Ionian Sea]]. The manuscript was placed in the library of the [[British and Foreign Bible Society]] (Mss 24) in [[London]].<sup>[]</sup>

[[Johann Martin Augustin Scholz|Scholz]] saw the manuscript in 1845, and [[Paul de Lagarde]] in 1853, but they did not decipher it.<sup>[]</sup> The lower text of the codex was deciphered, transcribed, and edited by [[Samuel Prideaux Tregelles|Tregelles]] in 1861.<sup>[]</sup> Tregelles used [[Sort (typesetting)|types]] originally cast for printing the [[Codex Alexandrinus]],<ref>Henry Alford, ''The Greek New Testament'' (London, 1863), Vol. 1, p. 113.</ref> which only approximately represented the shape of the letters of the codex. The hand-written letters are smaller than the type. Tregelles included one page of typographical facsimile in this edition.<sup>[]</sup> He did not decipher the small Patristic writing and doubted that it could be read without chemical restoration.<sup>[]</sup>

Nicholas Pocock found errors in Tregelles' edition,<sup>[]</sup> but [[William Hatch]] thought it satisfactory. J. Harold Greenlee corrected Tregelles' errors and edited the list of corrections in 1957,sup>[]</sup> which was examined by [[William Hatch]]. In 1959 Greenlee published a commentary.<sup>[]</sup> The codex probably needs another examination with modern technology.<sup>[]</sup>

Tischendorf cited the codex in his [[Editio Octava Critica Maior]] in 564 places.<sup>[]</sup>
It is often cited in the critical editions of the [[Novum Testamentum Graece|Greek New Testament]] (UBS3,<sup>[]</sup> UBS4,<sup>[]</sup> NA26,<sup>[]</sup>).

In 1985 it was moved to the [[Cambridge University Library]] (BFBS Ms 213). In December 2013, the Bible Society announced plans to sell some manuscripts, among them the Codex Zacynthius, to raise funds for a Visitors Centre in Wales. The University was given [[right of first refusal]] and has until February 2014 to raise the money to acquire the codex.<sup>[]</sup>