Minuscule 688


Minuscule 688, ε246, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. It is dated by a colophon to the year 1179. The manuscript has complex contents. Scrivener labelled it by 592e.

Description

The codex contains the text of the four Gospels, on 226 parchment leaves, in 24 quires. The text is written in two columns per page, 24 lines per page.
It contains Synaxarion, Prolegomena, the tables of the κεφαλαια are placed before each Gospel, numbers of the κεφαλαια are given at the left margin, the τιτλοι at the top, the Ammonian Sections, without a references to the Eusebian Canons, lectionary markings, and pictures.
According to Scrivener the manuscript is written "with peculiar, almost barbarous, illuminations".

Text

The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Kurt Aland placed it in Category V.
According to the Claremont Profile Method it represents textual family Kx in Luke 1 and Luke 20. In Luke 10 no profile was made. It creates textual cluster with Codex Athous Dionysiou.

History

According to the colophon the manuscript was written by monk John αναγνωστης in 1179. It was bought from Spyridion Lambros from Athens in 1859.
It was added to the list of New Testament manuscript by Scrivener and Gregory.
It was examined by Bloomfied, Dean Burgon, and Kirsopp Lake.
The manuscript is currently housed at the British Library in London.