Dream of Nero

Somnium Neronis

Standard abbreviation: Dream Nero

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 163

Category: Pilate Cycle

Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Dream of Nero.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/dream-of-nero/.

Created January 2025.

1. SUMMARY

Dream Nero is appended to the end of the Latin A recension of the Gospel of Nicodemus, immediately after the Epistle of Pilate to Claudius. It never appears on its own but can be found simply with Ep. Pil. Claud.

The story begins with the emperor Claudius receiving the letter along with Gos. Nic. He reads the texts to Nero, and Nero summons Peter to verify the account. When Gos. Nic. is read aloud outside the palace, the palace falls to the ground. Nero is overcome by sleep and has a vision of a man covered in blood. The man tells Nero that he is Jesus and commands him to have Vespasian carry out revenge for his passion. On waking, Nero tells Vespasian of his dream and what he must do.

As the time draws near, Jesus sends out some signs and wonders: a star shining with flames above Jerusalem for a year, a flash of light over the temple on the might of Passover, and others. On the Feast of Tabernacles a son of Ananias named Jesus cries out about the signs and the leaders attack him (the entire sequence is taken from Rufinus’ Latin translation of Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 3.8.1–9, which draws on Josephus, Jewish Wars 6.5.3). The Lord then gives word through his prophet Agabus (mentioned in Acts 21:10–12) to tell the church in Jerusalem to migrate across the Jordan to a better place. Finally, Titus comes to Jerusalem and surrounds the city; many people are killed by hunger or by the sword, others are dispersed or handed over to slavery.

The remainder of the text is a litany of proof texts (in Old Latin) indicating that the Jews’ destruction was foretold and that the altar of the church of Christ would be set up in its place. Only a few of the manuscript witnesses include the full text of Dream Nero; some stop after Nero’s vision, some after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Named Historical Figures and Characters: Agabus, Claudius (emperor), Jesus (son of Ananias), Nero, Peter (apostle), Pontius Pilate, Titus (emperor), Vespasian.

Geographical Locations: Jerusalem, Jordan River, Temple (of Jerusalem).

2. RESOURCES

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Latin (sigla from Dobschütz)

A Einsiedeln, Stiftsbibliothek, 169, fols. 102–12 (10th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 73

B Rome, Biblioteca Alessandrina, 120, fols. 175–77 (13th/14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 326

C Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, O 35 Sup. , fols. 85–88 (14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 177

D Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Lat. 1652, fols. 48r–49v (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 252

E Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Lat. 5556, fols. 21r–22r (14th cent.) =Izydorczyk, Census no. 270

F Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Lat. 5558, fol. 17 (14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 272

G Montpellier, Bibliothèque Interuniversitaire, Section Médecine, 503, fol. 55 (14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 178

H London, British Library, Harley 3185, fols. 40–43 (14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 155

I Cambridge, St. John’s College, B.20 (James 42) (ca. 1140) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 52

K Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodl. 428, fols. 36–40 (13th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 226

L Oxford, Bodleian Library, Selden Supra 74, fols. 25–28 (13th cent.) =Izydorczyk, Census no. 239

M Oxford, Bodleian Library, Hamilton 6, fol. 130 (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 233; Dobschutz

O Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale Albert Ier, 2741-47 (V.d.G. 1569), fols. 149–150 (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 40

P Cambridge, University Library, Ff.VI.54, fols. 111–114 (14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 59

Q Cambridge, University Library, Gg.IV.25, fol. 83 (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 60

Aachen, Stadarchiv, KK Regulierherren Nr. 9 (olim Hs. 66), fol. 91r (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 1

Brno, Státní vedecká knihovna (Universitní knihovna), Mk 99 (14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 34

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 320, fol. 113v (12th cent.)

Cambridge, St. John’s College K.23 (James 229), fol. 76v (12th cent.)

Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional, Vitr. 23-8 (12th and 13th/14th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 173

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliotek, Clm 642 (11th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 179

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 5327, fols. 54^v–55^r (10th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 268

Poznan, Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna, Rkp. 188 (15th cent.) =Izydorczyk, Census no. 294

Rouen, Bibliothèque municipale, A. 526 (677) (14th cent.) =Izydorczyk, Census no. 331

Salzburg, Erzabtei St. Peter, a V 27 (12th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 336

Trier, Stadtbibliothek, 613/1552 4° (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 360

Utrecht, Bibliothek der Universiteit, 316 (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 368

Wroclaw, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka, IV Q 41 (15th cent.) = Izydorczyk, Census no. 419

Dobschütz, Ernst von. “A Collection of Old Latin Bible Quotations: Somnium Neronis.” JTS 16 (1915): 1–27.

Thilo, Ioannis Caroli. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti. Lipsius: Vogel, 1832 (first section from 5556, p. cxl n. 139).

Speyer, Wolfgang. “Neue Pilatus-Apokryphen.” VC 32 (1978): 53–59 (first section).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.3 General Works

Baudoin, Anne-Catherine, Rémi Gounelle, Justin Hayes, and Zbigniew Izydorczyk. “The Protean Evangelium Nicodemi.” Pages 21–32 in The Oldest Manuscript of the Acts of Pilate: A Collaborative Commentary on the Vienna Palimpsest. Edited by Anne-Catherine Baudoin and Zbigniew Izydorczyk. Proceedings of the International Summer Schools on Christian Apocryphal Literature 2. Strassbourg, 2019 (p. 30).

Izydorczyk, Zbigniew. The Medieval Gospel of Nicodemus: Texts, Intertexts, and Contexts in Western Europe. Tempe, AZ: Medieval and Renaissance Texts & Studies, 1997 (pp. 61–62).