Marston MS 6     Northern Italy, 1420s and XV med-3/4
Cicero, Orationes, De oratore, Orator, Brutus, etc.

I. 1. ff. 1r-11v Marci Tulij Ciceronis oratio pro S. Pompeio.  Quanquam
michi semper frequens conspectus uester multo iocundissimus.  hic autem
locus ad agendum amplissimus...reipublicae dignitatem et salutem
prouinciarum atque sociorum meis omnibus commodis et rationibus preferre
oportere.

Cicero, De imperio Cn. Pompei; P. Reis, ed., Teubner v. 6,1 (1931)
pp. 3-34.

2. ff. 11v-27v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro Milone.  Etsi uereor. iudices
ne turpe sit pro fortissimo uiro dicere incipientem timere minimeque deceat
cum.  T. Annius ipse magis de rei publicae salute quam de sua
perturbetur...michi credite is maxime probabit qui in iudicibus legendis
optimum et sapientissimum et fortissimum quemque delegit.

Cicero, Pro T. Annio Milone; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 8  (1918)
pp. 13-66.

3. f. 11v [In margin:]  Titus Anius Milo ciuis romanus sibi infestissimum
et inimicissimum romanum ciuem Publium Clodium habuit multeque inter hos duos
altercationes in re publica sepe fuerunt specialiter uero cum Milo
consulatum anni peteret...Cicero ergo Milonis amicissimus [some text lost]
et summo artificio contextam.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis Miloniane.  The introductions to
ten of the speeches in this codex (arts. 3, 5,
9, 11, 17, 19, 20, 23, 26, 30) were composed by Antonio Loschi between
1391 and 1405 (see R. Sabbadini, Le scoperte dei codici latini e greci ne'
secoli xiv e xv [Florence, 1905-14; reprinted 1967] pp. 122-23); Marston MS 6
does not, however, follow the usual order of speeches noted by M. D.
Reeve in Texts and Transmission, p. 87.  In Marston MS 6 the
argumentum
of Loschi's text was written by the scribe either in the text immediately
before the speech (arts. 20, 30) or was added in a smaller script in the
margins next to the speech (arts. 3, 5, 9, 11, 17, 19, 23, 26).
A comparison of Loschi's introductions in Marston MS 6 with those in the
text edited by Girolamo Squarciafico and printed in Venice after 2 June 1477
by Johann von Koeln and Johann Manthen reveals substantial differences,
particularly in the introductions to Pro rege Deiotaro (art. 11) and to
Pro Plancio (art. 17).

4. ff. 27v-32r  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro Archia poeta.  Si quid est
in me ingenij Iudices quod sentio quam [sit added later] exiguum aut si qua
exercitacio dicendi in qua me non inficior mediocriter esse uersatum...esse
in bonam partem accepta ab eo qui Iudicium exercet certe scio.

Cicero, Pro Archia poeta; P. Reis, ed., Teubner fasc. 19 (1949)
pp. 43-57.

5. f. 27v [In margin:]  Aulus Licinius Archias poeta Anthichie natus rome
uixit in amicicia et gratia multorum clarissimorum ciuium romanorum et a
nonnullis grecis populis honoratus et eorum ciuitatibus donatus fuit...ac
nichil puto uirtuti poete qui hoc solo nomine omnia merito debuit consequi
et eloquentie Ciceronis non impetratum fuisse.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro Aulo Licinio Archia poeta;
see art. 3 above.

6. ff. 32v-39r  M. T. Ciceronis oratio habita in senatu de reditu in
patriam.  Si patres conscripti pro uestris immortalibus in me fratremque
meum liberosque nostros meritis parum uobis cumulate gracias
egero...presertim cum illa amissa recuperauerim uirtutem et fidem nunquam
amiserim.

Cicero, Oratio cum senatui gratias egit; T. Maslowski, ed., Teubner
fasc. 21 (1981) pp. 3-19.

7. f. 32v  [In margin:]  Cum illud in ceteris orationibus satis explicatum
sit quomodo Cicero propter inimicorum furorem e patria recedere. uoluit
malens consulere patrie iacturam suam potius quam discrimen facere uoluit.
Euersa fuit domus funditus. direpta predia et bona omnia. migrauit in
Ciciliam...haberemus [?] ista clarissima.

Unidentified argumentum to Cicero, Oratio cum senatui gratias
egit; much
of text illegible.

8. ff. 39r-44r  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro Q. Ligario.  Nouum crimen. C.
Cesar et ante hunc diem inauditum propinquus meus ad te. Q. Tutero
detulit.  Q. Legarium in africa fuisse...admonebo si illi absenti salutem
dederis presentibus his omnibus te daturum. finit pro Q. ligario.

Cicero, Pro Q. Ligario; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 8 (1918) pp. 84-100.

9. f. 39r  [In margin:]  Q. Ligarius ciuis romanus cum S. Considio
consule prefectus est legatus in Africam ante ciuilis belli principium
deinde prouincia decedente Considio.  Q. Ligarius prefectus prouincie
mansit...Cicero ipsum Ligarium hac insigni oratione defendit pro qua
gratiam Cesaris nititur impetrare.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro Q. Ligario; see art. 3 above.

10. ff. 44r-50v  Incipit pro rege deiotaro.  M. T. Ciceronis
oratio pro [Q. Ligario crossed out]
rege Deiotaro.  Cum in omnibus causis grauioribus. C. Cesar initio
dicendi commoueri soleam uehementius quam uidetur uel usus uel etas mea
postulare...Quorum alterum optare illorum crudelitatis est, Alterum
conseruare clemencie tue.

Cicero, Pro rege Deiotaro; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 8 (1918)
pp. 101-19.

11. f. 44v  [In margin:]  Deiotarus rex gallogrecie populo romano amicissimus
cum pompeio fuit. qui post farsalicam pugnam domi se contulit.  Ac
donque [?] g. Cesari bella gerenti subsidia administrauit...est subornatus
a Castore nepote ex filia deiotari. quas accusationes...coram Cesare totius
fere orbis domitore.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro rege Deiotaro; see art. 3
above.

12. ff. 50v-54v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio [pro rege Deitareo crossed out]
habita ad populum pridie quam iret in exilium.  Si quandoque inimicorum
impetum propulsare et propellere me cupistis defendite nunc universi unum qui ne
omnes periretis ardore flamme occidentis mei capitis periculo prouidere non
dubitaui...ut quem sepe numero uestra laude cohonestastis eundem in dubijs
uite periculis uestra uirtute conseruetis.

Ps.-Cicero, Oratio antequam in exilium iret; M. Gianascian, M.
Tullius Cicero in Scriptorum romanorum quae extant omnia v. 102-03
(Venice, 1968) pp. 160-72.

13. f. 50v  [In margin:]  Omisso titulo huius orationis quod non satis habeo
compertum quis eam composuerit materiam eius brevissime attingam.  Eo
namque tempore quo Cicero consul erat et forte nonnulli eum scelerato
illo consilio L. Cateline [sic] conspirarent...flores ex dictis Ciceronis
et non habet stillum suum prout patet.

Unidentified argumentum to Ps.-Cicero, Oratio antequam in exilium
iret; according to M. D. Reeve this introduction also appears in Paris,
Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal 1042.

14. ff. 54v-58v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio de congratulacione sui reditus ad
patriam apud quirites incipit foeliciter.  Quod precatus a Iove optimo
maximo ceterisque dijs immortalibus sum quirites eo tempore cum me
fortunasque meas pro uestra incolumitate...non posse tenere se nisi me
recuperasset cunctis suffragijs iudicauit.

Cicero, Oratio cum populo gratias egit; T. Maslowski, ed., Teubner
fasc. 19 (1981) pp. 22-32.

15. f. 54v  [In margin:]  Cum Cicero superiori oratione patribus conscriptis
gratias egerit de restitucione sua in patriam illud animo previdit non
praetermictendum esse: gracias agere populo romano qui maxime in eo restituendo
senserat.  Voluit itaque infinitas...[conclusion stained and illegible].

Unidentified argumentum to Cicero, Oratio cum populo gratias
egit.

16. ff. 58v-76v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio de congratulacione sui reditus
ad patriam apud quirites [incipit crossed out and finit written above]
feliciter M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro Cn. Plancio.  Cum propter egregiam et
singularem. Cn. Plancij iudices in mea salute custodenda [sic] fidem tam
multos et bonos uiros eius honori uiderem esse fautores...quoniam istis uestris
lacrimis recordor de illis quas pro me sepe et multum profudistis.

Cicero, Pro Cn. Plancio; E. Olechowska, ed., Teubner fasc. 25 (1981)
pp. 1-51.

17. f. 58v  [In margin; much of the text is stained and illegible, with only
portions visible under ultra-violet light:]  Gneus plancius ciuis romanus ex
equestre ordine et latercusta...sue defensionis assignans eo quod maximis
Plancij meritis sit obstrictus.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro Cn Plancio; see art. 3 above.

18. ff. 76v-81r  M. T. Ciceronis oratio incipit pro Marcello.  Diuturni
silencij patres conscripti quo eram his temporibus usus non timore aliquo
sed partim dolore partim uerecundia finem hodiernus attulit dies...quod
fieri iam posse non arbitrabar magnus hic tuo facto cumulus accesserit.

Cicero, Pro M. Marcello; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 8 (1918) pp.
69-81.

19. f. 76v  [In margin; most of the text is stained and illegible, with only
portions visible under ultra-violet light:]  M. Marcellus ciuis romanus
amplissimus atque clarissimus in dissensione ciuili fuit cum pompeio
quemadmodum fuit et Cicero cum multis aliis senatoribus...qua non possit
dignitas rei publicae neque restitui neque seruari.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis de laudibus Cesaris occasione
M. Marcelli per Cesarem restituti; see art. 3 above.

20. f. 81v  [Introduction:]  Pro Silla [sic].  Silla et Antronius
[sic]
romani ciues petentes ambo consulatum.  per ambitionem obtinuerunt contra L.
Torquatum patrem huius torquati...quam ipse consul aperuit et indicauit
Sillam in hac oratione defendit.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro Sulla; see art. 3 above.

21. ff. 81v-96v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio incipit pro P. Silla [sic].
Maxime uellem iudices ut. P. Silla et antea dignitatis sue splendorem
obtineret et post calamitatem acceptam.  modestie fructum aliquem percipere
potuisset...mansuetudine et misericordia uestra falsam a nobis
crudelitatis famam repellamus.

Cicero, Pro P. Sulla;  H. Kasten ed., Teubner fasc. 19 (1949)
pp. 2-40.

22. ff. 96v-111v   M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro L. Flacco Valerio.
Cum in maximis periculis huius urbis atque imperij grauissimo atque
acerbissimo rei publicae casu socio atque adiutore...nomen clarissimum
et fortissimum uel generis uel uetustatis uel hominis causa rei publicae
reseruate.

Cicero, Pro L. Flacco; L. Fruechtel, ed., Teubner v. 6,2 (1933)
pp. 182-243.

23. f. 96v  [In margin:]  L. Flaccus ciuis romanus unus de adiutoribus
Ciceronis et defensoribus patrie in coniuratione Catiline fuit pretor in
Asia et cum expleta...[conclusion is mostly stained and illegible:]  lesus
est a Cicerone [one word illegible] nobili [?] est defenditur.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro L. Flacco; see art. 3 above.

24. ff. 111v-124v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro M. Celio incipit
foeliciter.
Si quis iudices forte nunc adsit ignarus legum iudiciorum consuetudinis
nostre miretur profecto que sit tanta auctoritas...uos potissimum iudices
fructus uberes diuturnosque capietis.

Cicero, Pro M. Caelio; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 7 (1919) pp.
277-332.

25. ff. 125r-138r  M. T. C. oratio pro. P. Quintio incipit.  Que res in
ciuitate due plurimum possunt he contra nos ambe faciunt in hoc tempore summa
gracia et eloquencia...quae existimacio. P. Quintium usque ad senectutem
perduxit eadem usque ad rogum prosequatur.

Cicero, Pro P. Quinctio; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 4 (1923) pp. 4-44.

26. f. 125r  [In margin; one line at beginning of text
lost due to trimming of upper margin:]
//Quintii stante illa societate defuncti hereditas pervenit ad P. Quintium
fratrem suum quem P. Q. cum uellet...pro Quintio perorauit hac
elegantissima oratione.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro P. Quincino [sic]; see art.
3 above.

27. ff. 138r-148v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro. L. Cornelio Balbo
incipit.
Si auctoritates patronorum in iudicijs ualerent ab amplissimis uiris.
L. Cornelij causa defensa est si usus a peritissimis...uos in hac causa non
de maleficio L. Cornelij sed de beneficio. Cn. Pompeij iudicaturos.

Cicero, Pro L. Cornelio Balbo; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 7 (1919)
pp. 361-400.

28. ff. 148v-169r  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro Sex. Roscio incipit
feliciter.
Credo ego uos iudices mirari quid sit quod cum tot summi oratores
hominesque nobilissimi sedeant ego potissimum surrexerim...qui natura mitissimi
sumus assiduitate molestiarum sensum omnem humanitatis ex animis amittimus.

Cicero, Pro Sex. Roscio Amerino; H. Kasten, ed., Teubner fasc. 8 (1968)
pp. 1-60.

29. ff. 169r-181r  M. T. Ciceronis pro Lucio Murena oratio incipit.
Que deprecatus ab dijs immortalibus sum iudices more institutoque maiorum
illo die quo auspicato comitijs centuriatis...hos ad magistros si qua te
fortuna Cato cum ista natura detulisset non tu quidem uir melior esses
nec fortior nec temperatior nec iustior//  ff. 181v-184r ruled, but blank

Cicero, Pro Murena, with text ending imperfectly at 31.64; H. Kasten,
ed., Teubner fasc. 18 (1961) pp. 1-32.

30. ff. 184v-185r  [Introduction:]  Aulus Cluentius abitus et Statius
Albius oppianicius [sic] romani ciues ambo ex municipio Larinate fuerunt ab
initio inimici...quodque iddem [sic] facere uoluisset in filio oppianico
adolescente Cicero ipsum egregie hac mirabili oratione proxsequenti [?]
defendit.  [followed by:]  Constitucio cause in qua hec habetur oratio.  Ut
plane intelligamus in qua institucione hec oratio cause habeatur...et
sentencie constitucionis incidunt ut suis dicetur in locis.  [followed by a
final passage, 4-lines:]  M. T. Ciceronis oratio sequitur que in genere
iudiciali....Et primo facit auditores dociles.

Antonio Loschi, Argumentum orationis pro Aulo Cluentio habito,
Constitutio cause in qua hec habet oratio; final four lines are unidentified.
See also art. 3 above.

31. ff. 185v-212v  M. T. Ciceronis oratio pro Cluentio incipit.
Animaduerti iudices omnem accusatoris orationem in duas diuisam esse
partes quarum altera...Postea autem cum appropinquare huius iudicium ei
[est crossed out] nuntiatum est confestim huc aduolauit ne aut accusatoribus
diligentia aut pecunia testibus deesset aut ne forte// ff. 213r-216v ruled,
but blank

Cicero, Pro A. Cluentio, with text ending imperfectly at 67.192;
L. Fruechtel, ed., Teubner v. 6,1 (1931) pp. 37-135.  According to S.
Rizzo, Catalogo dei codici della Pro Cluentio Ciceroniana (Genoa, 1983)
p. 87, the text of this oration belongs to "fam. α."

32. ff. 217r-230v  M. T. Ciceronis pro P. Sextio oratio incipit.
Si quis antea iudices mirabatur quid esset quod pro tantis opibus rei
publicae tantaque dignitate imperij nequaquam satis multi ciues forti et
magno animo inuenirentur...ut si me saluum esse uoluistis eos conseruetis
per quos me recuperauistis.  Deo Gracias Amen.  ff. 231r-233v ruled, but blank

Cicero, Pro P. Sestio; A. Klotz, ed., Teubner v. 7 (1919) pp. 161-250.

II. 33. ff. 234r-324r  [Heading:]   M. T. C. de oratore Liber primus
Incipit.  [text:]  Cogitanti michi sepe numero et memoria vetera repetenti
perbeati fuisse Quinte frater illi uideri solent qui in optima re publica...Sed
iam surgamus inquit nosque curemus et aliquando ab hac contencione
disputacionis animos nostros curamque laxemus.

Cicero, De oratore; K. Kumaniecki, ed., Teubner fasc. 3 (1969)
pp. 1-362.

34. ff. 324v-353v  [Added in pencil:]  de perfecto oratore ad Marium
[sic]
Brutum.  [text:]  Utrum difficilius aut maius esset negare tibi sepius idem
roganti an efficere id quod rogares diu multumque brute dubitaui...dum
tibi roganti uoluerim obsequi uerecundia negandi scribendi me impudentiam
suscepisse.  Deo gratias.  [added in pencil:]  Explicit de oratore ad M.
Brutum.

Cicero, Orator; P. Reis, ed., Teubner fasc. 5 (1932) pp. 1-92.

35. ff. 354r-393r  [Added in pencil:]  de claris oratoribus.  [text:]
Cum e Cilicia decedens rhodum venissem et eo michi de. Q. hortensii morte
esset allatum opinione omnium maiorem animo cepi dolorem...dico si michi
accidisset ut mirarer in multis si operosa est a concursatio magis
opportunorum.  Marci tullii Ciceronis dialogi qui de oratore Ad brutum de
claris ac illustribus oratoribus inscribuntur expliciunt.  ff. 393v-398v
ruled, but blank

Cicero, Brutus; E. Malcovati, ed., Teubner fasc. 4 (1965) pp. 1-105.

Composed of two distinct parts, ff. 398 + v (paper), 270 x 202 mm.
Part I:  ff. 1-232, paper (ff. 1 and 10 only are parchment; watermarks:
unidentified letter B), written space 185 x 125 mm.  Some leaves with
commentary in margin (e.g., f. 11) are slightly larger and now folded
vertically in outer margin.  35 long lines.  Single vertical bounding
lines, ruled in lead.  Guide lines for text in pale brown ink.  Prickings
in upper margin; often there are single prickings in outer margin, 3 mm.
above top line and 3 mm. below bottom line.  I-XVIII 10, XIX 6, XX-XXIII
10, XXIV 6.  Catchwords, with dots and flourishes to left and right,
center of lower margin, verso.  Written by a single scribe in a
fere-humanistic script characterized by the broadness of majuscule
letter forms; written below top line.  Elegantly decorated title-page (f. 1r),
that may (as has been suggested by A. C. de la Mare and L. Armstrong)
have been executed in two stages.  In the first, a full border:  in inner
and upper margins, thin gold bar with flowers in mauve, blue and gold and
stylized foliage in green with pale yellow highlights; in outer and lower
margins, floral border of black inkspray with flowers in mauve and blue and
with some gold accents and stylized foliage in green.  In center of lower
margin, a shield with unidentified coat of arms, much rubbed (gules, two
augers [?] in saltire, or, banded sable) supported by two standing nude
female figures with flowing blond hair (bath-maidens?).  In the second stage,
an historiated initial, 12-line, mauve, green and pink against gold ground,
with extremely fine portrait in profile of a man wearing a two-tiered red
cap and academic gown against a blue background with a geometric pattern
in black and greyish blue.  It has been noted that the face closely resembles
portraits of Guarino da Verona found in manuscripts of his
translations of Strabo's Geography (olim Phillipps 6645 and Albi,
Bibliotheque municipale MS 4), as well as on a medal of Matteo de' Pasti
(cf. Exhib. Cat., pp. 224-25, no. 48).  6-line initials, blue with red
penwork designs alternate red with purple for the beginning of each text.
Headings in red.
Part II:  ff. 233-398, paper (watermarks:  Briquet Tete de boeuf
15068, and Piccard Ochsenkopf VII.40), written space 192 x 130 mm.  2
columns, 40 lines.  Single vertical and horizontal bounding lines ruled in
hard point; text rulings in crayon.  Single pricking in outer margin even
with top line.  Accurate collation difficult due to tight binding and
absence of signatures or catchwords.  Written in a small gothic script with
cursive features, below top line.  Red and black divided initial, 6-line,
with plain designs on f. 234r; plain red initials some with simple
designs, 5- to 2-line, elsewhere.  Paragraph marks and initial strokes in red.
The dark acidic ink has bled through many leaves; no loss of text.
Binding:  France, s. xviii.  Gold-tooled brown, mottled calf spine.
Edges gilt.  Boards, composed of paper pasteboard, are detached.

The precise origin and date of the manuscript are problematic.  The text
of Part I appears to have been written in the 1420s according to A. C. de
la Mare, but the decoration of both the border and miniature appear to have been
added in the mid-15th century.  On general stylistic grounds, the illumination
resembles manuscripts produced in Ferrara; J. J. G.
Alexander has pointed to the similarity of the border decoration
in Marston MS 6 with that in Glasgow, University Library MS Hunter 425, which
may have been produced in Bologna (Exhib. cat., The Glory of the Page
[London, 1987] p. 138, no. 7).  The portrait of Guarino certainly suggests
an association with his circle of humanists.  Part II
appears to have been written in Northern Italy, but somewhat later,
probably in the middle or third quarter of the 15th century.  The pattern
of stains indicates that Parts I and II were once separate; it is unclear
when they were bound together. Purchased from C. A. Stonehill in 1949 by
Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  [f. 2] agitur
[f. 235] poetarum

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, pp. 64-65, no. 6.
Exhib. Cat., pp. 224-25, no. 48.

Barbara A. Shailor