John Malalas in the Excerpta
Constantiniana de Insidiis (El)'.
a philological and literary perspective*
Pia Carolla

Abstract The remains of the Excerpta Constantiniana de insidiis (ΕΓ) from Malalas are only in
codex S (Scorial. Ω.Ι.11): on the track to the lost antigraphon of S, a manuscript by the same
group of scribes is Vat. gr. 1444 (Jamblichus), also owned by Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and
annotated by Arnoldus Arlenius. A hypothesis is that the model of S, perhaps also in Mendoza’s
possession and possibly given to him by Suleyman the Magnificent, was already dismantled
before being copied and that Malalas could be at the beginning of the volume, instead of at no.
< 3> as he is now.
Two passages are examined: El 35 = XV 12 Thurn (O has a fuller version than El),
and El39, (not attested in Ο XVI 4/5 Thurn). In the first, the rare term έμμαΛΛος is
discussed. In the second, the style proves higher than usual, maybe because of a literary
source. Overall, textual fluidity and scarce testimonies of the so-called Excerpta Con-
stantiniana make a series of new critical editions especially needed.

I wish to thank Mischa Meier and Christine Radtki for inviting me; for their fruitful suggestions I am
grateful to Giacomo Cardinal!, Paola Degni, Volker Drecoll, Christian Gastgeber, Geoffrey Greatrex,
Laura Mecella, Andras Nemeth, David Speranzi, Erich Trapp, Sever J. Voicu. Special thanks to Paolo
Vian and Marco Buonocore, at the Vatican Library; Eleonora Mosconi, at the Library of the Pontificio
Istituto Orientale, Rome. I wish to dedicate this contribution to my inspiring students.