The Divisio operis of Chrétien’s Romances and the Paratextual System of the Guiot Manuscript (Paris, BNF, fr. 794)

An analytical study of the paratextual indications of the renowed Guiot’s manuscript (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, fr. 794) shows that the first unit features a multilayered divisio operis of the Chevalier au Lion and the Chevalier de la Charrette, even though it does not associate miniatures or tituli to champie initials as the manuscripts Princeton University Library, Garrett 125 and Montpellier, Bibliothèque Interuniversitaire, Section médecine, H 252 respectively do. Consequently, Guiot’s manuscript would provide the only surviving evidence of a paratextual system which also reflects a hierarchic divisio operis of Erec et Enide and Cliges.