Volume / Number: 3 / 375

• Monte Cassino Italy Archivio Della Badia 271 [palimpsest old 1]

Written in South or Central Italy. Copied from a fifth or sixth-century exemplar, to judge by the unexpected capitals which begin some pages. Discarded saec. XI and used for writing Gregorius, Dialogi. The fourteenth-century ex-libris 'Liber Sancti Benedicti de cesamo', as well as the usual sixteenth-century Monte Cassino ex-libris with the number 274, stands on fol. 1. Companion MSS were Rome, Vallicell. B. 38ⁱⁱ and Vatic. Ottob. Lat. 319 (CLA 1.67).

Script is a firm, regular uncial of a later type: the lower bow of B protrudes; the bows of P and q are ample; ꞅ is used for S at line-ends; a large letter occasionally begins a page regardless of sense, perhaps in imitation of the much older exemplar. Traces of cursive script are seen in lower margin of p. 174.

• Text: MSS containing exegetical works