PHILLIPPS, Thomas.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Esiodu sigaloenta epe eos phoros. A reproduction of the incipit from the controversial Hesiod manuscript purchased by Thomas Phillipps from the notorious Greek forger Constantine Simonides (1820-1870). The Greek text is written in boustrophedon, with alternating lines inscribed in reverse, mirror-style. Simonides arrived in London in February 1853 and initially offered the Hesiod scroll to Frederic Madden, keeper of manuscripts at the British Museum, who rejected it as a forgery. Phillipps met Simonides a few months later and enthusiastically bought the Hesiod, alongside other manuscripts (some genuine). The two had dealings for years; Simonides visited Middle Hill on multiple occasions and worked on transcribing some of Phillipps's manuscripts. Even after learning of Madden's opinion of the Hesiod and of Simonides's arrest in Leipzig, Phillipps remained convinced of its authenticity. While other acquisitions from Simonides are marked as potential forgeries in his Catalogus librorum, the Hesiod is given a full detailed description and is considered genuine.Provenance: Martin Schøyen.

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