Euphremus Diaconus, De poenitentia. Librum VI.

University Library, MS Ee.1.23, f. 13r
France?, first quarter of the twelfth century
Vellum, 217 x 135 mm (162–167 x 85–95 mm), 86 ff.
(Binski Zutshi 290)

Ephraem the Syrian (Nisibis, c. 306–Edessa, 373) was a famous Christian theologian of the early Middle Ages. A prolific hymnographer, over 400 of his poems are extant today. He was revered as a saint by many branches of Christianity, and many medieval Christian writers adopted his name to add credibility to their own texts. This page features a fine example of an arabesque initial, decorated with foliage patterns. Although this is one of the smaller manuscripts on display, the text is written in a very clear hand: if you want to test your medieval Latin, this is the manuscript for you!