Manuscript on parchment (palimpsest) of 1) Francesco Barbaro, De re uxoria, with his dedicatory preface to Lorenzo di Giovanni de' Medici. 2) Leonardo Bruni, Oratio Heliogabali ad meretrices. 3) Plato, Crito, the first version of the Latin translation by Leonardo Bruni (1420s). 4) Xenophon, Apologia Socratis, translated into Latin by Leonardo Bruni. 5) The ps.-Virgilian Epistola Virgilii ad Maecenatem written by Pier Candido Decembrio as a young man in 1426; he had difficulty convincing his contemporaries that it was not genuine.
Description:
Binding: 19th-20th centuries, Germany (?). Case bound with leaves from a parchment manuscript (Breviary, France, 1250-1300). On the front pastedown: rubrics for the major feasts and their octaves occurring in late June (John the Baptist, 24 June) through mid-August (Assumption, 15 August), and the beginning of the lessons to be read within the octave of the feast of John the Baptist; on the back pastedown: end of the lessons for Hilarianus of Arezzo (7 August) and beginning of the second lesson for Cyriacus, Largus and Smaragdus (8 August)., Illuminated initial of poor quality, f. 1r, 7-line, gold (almost completely rubbed), with red penwork filigree and small stylized leaves, with some touches of gold. At the top of the page, beneath rubric, arms of the Rustichelli family (per pale, or, a lion rampant sable; or, 4 bars nebuly sable), surrounded by red penwork. Plain initials in red and blue. Headings in red. Some small initials touched with yellow. Off-set impression of eyeglasses on ff. 33v-34r., Purchased in 1957 from H. P. Kraus by L. C. Witten, who sold it in 1959 to Thomas E. Marston., and Script: Written in humanistic bookhand by a single scribe, above top line.
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin literature, Medieval and modern, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444 Burlaeus, Gualterus, 1275-1345? Homer Vegio, Maffeo, 1406 or 7-1458
Published / Created:
[ca. 1450 or between 1450 and 1475]
Call Number:
Marston MS 91
Image Count:
370
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper (highly polished) of 1) Walter Burley, De vita et moribus philosophorum. 2) Mapheius Vegius, Declamatio seu disputatio inter solem, terram et aurum. 3) Selected speeches from Homer, Iliad IX (Oratio Ulixis, Responsio Achillis, Oratio Phoenicis) translated into Latin and with a preface by Leonardo Bruni.
Description:
Binding: Nineteenth century, England. Straight-grained brown leather, gold tooled. Edges gilt. Bound by F. & T. Aitken. Title on spine: "Diogenis Laertii Philosophorum Vita et Dicta. Codex MS. Saec. XV"., Purchased from L. C. Witten in 1955 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Written by a single scribe in humanistic cursive script with gothic features, above top line., The decoration consists of an elaborately illuminated page (f. 1r) in a style influenced by the "Master of the Vitae Imperatorum" who was active in Milan in the second quarter of the 15th century. Included in the full border of curling inkspray with heart-shaped and trefoil leaves in green, flowers in blue, red, pink and mauve, a strawberry, and gold balls is a standing figure of a naked boy holding a scroll inscribed with the motto "Seul e la fin." At the corners four quatrefoil medallions bordered in gold with portraits of philosophers against blue grounds with gold filigree. In lower border unidentified arms (quarterly, 1 and 4 or a millrind gules, 2 and 3 or a lion azure; with a bishop's mitre and crozier); in upper border a scroll with same motto as above. One historiated initial, f. 1r, 7-line, formed of acanthus leaves, mauve and red on gold ground, containing a portrait of the author against blue ground with gold filigree. One illuminated initial, 6-line, in mauve on gold ground with stylized foliage in green and blue with yellow highlights. In the text blank spaces for headings and initials., and Watermarks: unidentified crown over five-pointed star in upper margin, trimmed.
Subject (Topic):
Biography--Middle Ages, 500-1500, Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern), Epic poetry, Greek, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Philosophy, Ancient
Aurispa, Giovanni, ca. 1376-1459 Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444 Griffolini, Francesco, 1418-1483 Phalaris, Tyrant of Agrigentum, 6th cent. B.C Plutarch Tibullus
Published / Created:
[between 1450 and 1475]
Call Number:
Marston MS 100
Image Count:
224
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper of 1) Phalaris, Epistolae, translated into Latin by Francesco Griffolini of Arezzo and dedicated to Malatesta Novella of Cesena. 2) Unidentified couplet. 3) Ps.-Brutus, Epistolae, translated by Rinuccio Aretino and dedicated to Pope Nicholas V. 4) Ps.-Plutarch, Epistola ad Traianum. 5) Ps.-Philip of Macedon, Epistola ad Aristotelem. 6) Plutarch, Pyrrhus (extract), Lat. tr. of Leonardo Bruni. 7) Ps.-Caesar, Epistola ad Ciceronem. Arts. 8-11 are excerpts from an 11th- or early 12th-century supplement to Curtius Rufus, Historia Alexandri Magni. 12) Ps.-Phalaris, Epistula ad Demotelem, Lat. tr. Giovanni Aurispa. 13) Tibullus (attributed), Priapea I.
Description:
Binding: Date? Italy (?). Sewn through pieces of vellum. Limp vellum case with title in ink on spine: "Phalaridis Epistole". Badly worm eaten., Purchased from C. A. Stonehill in 1955 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Arts. 1 and 3-12 written in humanistic cursive by a single scribe, above top line; arts. 2 and 13 added in a more flamboyant style of humanistic cursive., Two illuminated initials, 4-line, gold against blue, green and dark red grounds with white vine-stem ornament and white dots. From the corners issue penwork inkspray with leaves, green with yellow or gold highlights, and blue or red blossoms, extending into margins to form partial border. Plain initials alternate in blue and red. Headings in pale red., and Watermarks: similar in design to Briquet Fleur 6597, 6601.
Subject (Name):
Phalaris,--Tyrant of Agrigentum,--6th cent. B.C
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin letters, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Aurispa, Giovanni, ca. 1376-1459 Barbaro, Francesco, 1390-1454 Buonaccorso, da Montemagno, ca. 1391-1429 Guarino, Veronese, 1374-1460 Lucian, of Samosata
Published / Created:
1465
Call Number:
Marston MS 63
Image Count:
144
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper, composed of two closely related parts. Part I: Guarino da Verona, Ipotesia ad Hieronymum (filium) suum, written in 1443. Part II: 3) Francesco Barbaro, De re uxoria, with the prefatory letter to Lorenzo di Giovanni de' Medici (1395-1440). 4) Anonymous text, 12 lines, listing the moral qualities of a good wife. 5) Ps.-Bernard of Clairvaux, Epistola de gubernatione rei familiaris. 6) Lucian, Contentio de presidentia P. Scipionis, Lat. tr. Giovanni Aurispa. 7) Buonaccorso da Montemagno, Controversia de nobilitate. 8) Unidentified oration delivered before the faculty at the university of Siena in 1465. 9) Francesco Pontano, unidentified oration delivered before the faculty at the university of Siena. 10) Bartholomaeus Senensis, unidentified oration delivered before the faculty at the university of Siena. Part II was written by the jurist and diplomat Rainerius de Maschis of Rimini.
Description:
Binding: Fifteenth century, Italy. Sewn on three tawed skin, slit straps laced through tunnels in the edges of beech boards to channels on the outside and nailed. Natural color endbands, beaded on the spine, were sewn on tawed skin cores laid in grooves in the boards and nailed. There is tawed skin under the endband tie downs. Covered in green (?) tawed skin with a strip of red leather, 19th-20th centuries, added on the spine. Two truncated diamond catches with the IHS monogram within a sunburst (as used by St. Bernardinus of Siena) on the lower board. The upper board is cut in for clasp straps which are a later addition. Both clasps and catches have the word AVE. The title De re uxoria written in ink on both head and tail edges. The boards are badly worm eaten., Illuminated initial, f. 4r, 4-line, gold on blue, green, and red ground with yellow and white filigree. In lower border wreathed medallion with ribbons on either side, bearing the arms of Rainerius de Maschis of Rimini; the initials R and A, in gold, on either side of shield. Headings, paragraph marks, punctuation and marginalia, in red., Purchased from H. P. Kraus in 1955 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Part I (ff. 1-3): Written in a small neat humanistic cursive by a single scribe, above top line. Part II (ff. 4-67): Written in a slanting humanistic bookhand with gothic features by a single scribe, above top line., and Watermarks: Part I: unidentified two-wheeled wagon. Part II: similar to Briquet Chapeau 3387.
Subject (Name):
Guarino,--Veronese,--1374-1460
Subject (Topic):
Didactic literature, Latin (Medieval and modern), Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Speeches, addresses, etc., Latin (Medieval and modern)
Manuscript on parchment of Ovid, Heroides 16 (Paris to Helen) 1-38, 145-378, with an unidentified French translation. Latin text, which is written only on the verso of each leaf, faces the French translation, which is written on the recto of each leaf.
Description:
Binding: Seventeenth century, France (?). Bound in red goatskin, gold-tooled. Gilt edges. Title, much worn, on spine., Purchased from C. A. Stonehill in 1956 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Latin text written in a round humanistic script much influenced by printing; Scribe 1) ff. 1v-21v and Scribe 2) ff. 22r-36r. French text written in upright batarde; Scribe 1) ff. 2r-22r and Scribe 2) ff. 22r-36r (a more flamboyant style of script)., and Two initials, one at beginning of Latin text (2-line), the other at the beginning of French text (3-line), respectively gold on blue square ground with gold filigree and gold on dark red square ground with gold filigree. Most stanzas introduced by paragraph marks in gold on blue or red alternating grounds, with gold filigree. First letter of each verse stroked with yellow, as are usually majuscules in text. Headings on ff. 1v and 2r in red.
Subject (Name):
Ovid,--43 B.C.-17 or 18 A.D
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Narrative poetry, Latin
Manuscript on paper of 1) Prologue by the translator, addressed to Henry of Lusignan, Prince of Galilee (d. 1427). 2) Plutarchus (c. 46-120), Vita Luculli, Latin translation by Leonardus Iustinianus (Leonardo Giustiniani, 1388-1446). 3) Plutarchus, Comparatio vitarum Cimonis atque Luculli, Latin translation by Leonardus Iustinianus.
Description:
Binding: Nineteenth century. Quarter brown leather (with corners) and reddish brown marbled paper over cardboard. Gold-tooled flat spine with inscription: “PLUTARCHI VITA LUCULLI LATINE M.S.”., Headings in pale red. Art. 1 opens with a 6-line initial in red with the pen drawing for unexecuted white vinestem decoration. The 6-line initial at the head of art. 2 is purplish red on a blue background delicately heightened with silver arabesques, extended in the margin with red and green acanthus leaves. At the bottom of the same f. 387r there was a coat of arms flanked by two fleur-de-lys and four balls in purplish red and blue and red ribbons; the coat of arms has been cut out and the page has been repaired with a piece of paper; on it a modern coat of arms accompanied by the initials W and S (Walter Sneyd) is drawn in pencil., and Script: Copied by one scribe in a broad Humanistica Textualis Formata of "typographic" character and marked by unusual features such as the occasional use of round s in medial position and long i in final position, and inconsistencies in the use of ae/ẹ, the form of final s and m, etc. Majuscules at the beginning of lines protrude into the margin. Line fillers in the shape of expunged i.
Subject (Name):
Lucullus,--ca. 117 B.C.-ca. 56 B.C and Plutarch
Subject (Topic):
Biography--To 500, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Manuscript on parchment of 1) Plato, Phaedo, translated into Latin by Leonardo Bruni and preceded by his prefatory letter to Pope Innocent VII. 2) Xenophon, Hiero (Tyrannus), translated into Latin by Leonardo Bruni and preceded by his prefatory letter to Niccolo Niccoli.
Description:
Binding: Between 1800 and 1810, Italy. Rigid vellum case with the title gold-tooled on a label on the spine: "Leon. Aret. Opus". Gilt edges and faint lettering on the head edge., Decorated in the early style of Gioacchino de' Gigantibus. On f. 1r a partial border in upper, lower and inner margins, white vine-stem ornament on blue, green and dark pink with grey dots on blue grounds, blue dots on pink grounds, and gold balls. In lower border, medallion framed by gold interlace bands and supported by two putti wearing red necklaces, with a coat of arms, now erased, on green ground. Four illuminated initials, 7- to 5-line, in gold, framed in yellow, on blue, green and red grounds, with dots as above. Initial on f. 1r, inhabited by standing putto wearing a red necklace, is joined to the border. Other initials have vine-stem decoration extending into the margins and terminating with groups of three gold balls. Headings and names of interlocutors in red., Purchased from L. C. Witten in 1954 by Thomas E. Marston., and Script: Written by a single scribe in a somewhat angular humanistic bookhand.
Subject (Name):
Hieron--I,--Tyrant of Syracuse,--d. 467 or 466 B.C, Innocent--VII,--Pope,--1336-1406, Niccoli, Niccolò,--ca. 1364-1437, and Plato
Subject (Topic):
Biography--To 500, Dialogues, Greek, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Philosophy, Ancient
Manuscript on parchment of John Chrysostom, Sermo de dignitate humanae originis, translated into Latin by Ambrogio Traversari. The text is preceded by a dedicatory letter, here directed to Rene d'Anjou (King of Sicily and Naples, 1435-42).
Description:
3 large initials of modest quality, 8- to 7-line, gold on blue or blue and red grounds with white dots and white vine-stem ornament. 1 smaller initial, 3-line, gold on red and blue ground with white dots. Plain initials in blue and red, one in gold, some with penwork flourishes in red. Rubrics throughout. Paragraph marks in red or blue. Guide letters for initials., Binding: Fifteenth century, Italy. Original sewing on three tawed skin, slit straps laced through tunnels in the edge to channels on the outside of beech boards and nailed. Beige and white chevron endbands are sewn on tawed skin cores laid in grooves on the outside of the boards. The spine is lined with green tawed skin between supports. Covered in brown, originally tan, calf with corner tongues, blind-tooled with a triple cross in a border of rope interlace. Spine: sewing bands defined and panels diapered with triple fillets. Two truncated diamond catches with a flower in a circle on the lower board, the upper one cut in for the red fabric straps attached with star-headed nails., Purchased from Giuseppe (Joseph) Martini of Lugano by H. P. Kraus, who sold it in 1957 to Thomas E. Marston., and Script: Written by a single scribe in humanistic cursive script, below top line.
Subject (Name):
John Chrysostom, Saint, -407 and Traversari, Ambrogio, 1386-1439
Subject (Topic):
Catechetical sermons, Fathers of the church, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Sermons--Early works to 1800
Gazaeus, Aeneas Rufinus, of Aquileia, 345-410 Traversari, Ambrogio, 1386-1439
Published / Created:
[ca. 1450]
Call Number:
Marston MS 1
Image Count:
127
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper of 1) Aeneas Gazaeus, Theophrastus, translated into Latin by Ambrogio Traversari. 2) Life of St. Helenus, monk in Egypt. Text is an extract (incomplete) taken from the Latin translation by Rufinus of the Historia monachorum, ch. 11.
Description:
Acquired from C. A. Stonehill in 1949 by Thomas E. Marston., Binding: Fifteenth century, Italy. Vellum stays are adhered in and outside the paper gatherings. Original sewing on three tawed skin, kermes pink, slit straps which go through tunnels in the edges of wooden boards to channels on the outside where they are pegged. The primary endband, sewn on a tawed skin core, is gilt with traces of a red secondary endband. A design is scratched on the gilt edges. Covered in brown sheepskin with corner tongues and blind-tooled with progressively taller concentric frames alternately decorated with five small tools. Five flower-shaped bosses on each board, some wanting, and four fastenings, leaf-shaped catches on the lower board, the upper board cut in for the clasp straps which are attached with star-headed nails. Rebacked., ff. 2r-9v blank (first gathering; foliation begins on preceding flyleaf), One large illuminated initial, 5-line, of modest quality, in gold with black accents on a multicolored ground of red, blue and green with white vine-stem ornament and white dots. One smaller initial (unfinished), parchment color on blue ground with white vine-stem ornament. On f. 1r, in lower border an unidentified coat of arms: vert a chief sable (?), overall a lion (?) rampant gules (or purpre?) on the main field and or in chief and with bend (tincture undetermined) overall; the whole shield overpainted in black. Headings in red., Script: Written in humanistic script by a single scribe, above top line., and Watermarks: Briquet Fleur 6306, and unidentified shrub, ff. i-viii, in gutter; Briquet Tete humaine 15617.
Subject (Name):
Gazaeus, Aeneas
Subject (Topic):
Biography--To 500, Desert Fathers, Dialogues, Greek, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Monks