Chapter Lists in Giant and Beneventan Bibles

Marilena Maniaci examines the so-called capitula, or chapter lists, that introduce the single biblical books in the majority of Latin Bibles, particularly prior to the 13th century, when the “Paris Bible” made its appearance and brought with it a new chapter subdivision of the biblical text. The Latin capitula briefly summarize, chapter by chapter, the contents of each section of the biblical text or reproduce the words or the section’s initial sentence. Several sequences or “families” of lists are attested, which differ (even significantly) in the number, extension and wording of the individual tituli, but also in the way they are arranged on the manuscript’s page and distinguished from the main text. Maniaci’s contribution aimes to provide some examples of the potential interest of an in-depth analysis of the chapters, not only as a tool to highlight relationships between individual codices or operate groupings within specific strands of textual tradition, but also to deepen our knowledge of the practices of manufacture and transcription of the biblical text and of its accompanying paratexts.