Marston MS 179          Naples, s. XV 2
Caesar, Bellum Gallicum, It. tr. Pier Candido Decembrio

1.  ff. 1r-2r  [Rubric lacking, letter begins:]  Molti sono gia stati
Serenissimo Princip[e partially erased] li quali o per poca noticia
deglistorie antique...e di magiori anchora pienissima autoritate
noticia e fede a luy daranno.

Dedication of the translation of Pier Candido Decembrio to Filippo
Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan. See C. Frati, "Il volgarizzamento dei 
Commentarii di G. Cesare fatto da Pier Candido Decembrio,"  Archivum 
Romanicum 5 (1921) pp. 74-80.

2.  f. 2v  [Full-page title within decorative wreath:]  Incomincia listoria
di Caio Iulio Cesare impeatore [sic] maximo continuo consulo et prpetuo 
[sic] dictatore de le battaglia di Gallia da luy proprio descripte e in
libri ordinate libro primo.

3.  ff. 3r-179v  Tutta la Gallia in tre parte e diuisa de le quale luna
e habitata dali Belgi laltra dagli Equitani...per sue littere le processione
per trenta giorni dal senato ordinate fureno.  Finisce el Septimo e lultimo 
libro delistoria di Caio Iulio Cesare...da luy proprio descripte e da p.
Candido in Vulgari traducte felicemente.  f. 180r-v ruled, but blank

Caesar, Bellum Gallicum, translated into Italian by Pier Candido Decembrio
in 1438.

Parchment, ff. ii (parchment bifolium; i = front pastedown) + 180 + ii
(parchment bifolium, ii = back pastedown), 279 x 198 (183 x 105) mm. 25
long lines.  Double vertical and horizontal bounding lines, full length and
full across (Derolez 13.36); ruled in hard point on hair side.  Prickings
in upper, lower and outer margins, with an additional pricking in the outer
margin to mark the first of the two lower horizontal bounding lines.
I-XXI 8, XXII-XXIII 6.  Vertical catchwords with penwork designs to left
and right perpendicular to text between inner vertical bounding lines (Derolez
12.5).  Remains of quire and leaf signatures (e.g., a. 3., etc.) in lower
right corner, recto.
Written below top line in a bold round humanistic hand by a single scribe
who added extra rulings in outer margins for headings, annotations, etc.,
in red.  Additional annotations in humanistic cursive, in a brighter 
shade of red.
Elegant illuminated title page (f. 2v) with the title, written in blue over 
an erasure, in a circular wreath, green with gold flowers, and framed by
narrow gold bands with fillets and inkspray issuing from the top and bottom 
with blue and deep red flowers, green leaves and gold balls.  Full border, f. 
1r, white vine-stem ornament on blue, green, deep red and gold ground between
thin gold frames.  In lower border, medallion, blank, framed by wreath, green
with yellow highlights and narrow deep red frame.  Partial border, f. 3r, white
vine-stem ornament on blue, green and deep red ground between narrow gold
frames, enlarged to elongated dots at terminals; white vine-stem ornament 
extends into upper (trimmed) and lower margins, with single gold balls
with hair-line strokes.  8 large initials, 11- to 3-line, gold on blue, green,
gold and deep red ground with white vine-stem ornament shaded with pale pink.
First few words of each book in gold; incipits, explicits and marginalia
in red.
Binding:  Italy, date uncertain.  Vellum case with title in ink on spine:
"Cesare Comment." Gilt, gauffered edges and gold and cream silk endbands.  
Fragments of a printed service book with musical notation partially visible
under pastedowns.

Written in Naples in the second half of the 15th century, probably in the mature
to late style of the scribe Giovanmarco Cinico of Parma (we thank A. C. de la
Mare for this information); owned by an unidentified Italian humanist who added 
marginal notes in humanistic cursive in a bright shade of red.  Inscription on 
f. 2r [s. xvii?], erased but partially visible under ultra-violet light: "Ex 
libris [P or R?]*luninij [remainder illegible];"  f. 180v:  "D. Surgente" and 
an erased inscription.  Unidentified "F. F. 24." handwritten in
ink on front pastedown; "M" and "2" in a circle, in pencil, on f. 1r;
"1N. N1. [?]" on f. i verso.  Hoepli Cat. 1955, no. 8, with pl. VII 
in color of title page.  Purchased from C. A. Stonehill (inv. no. 1368) 
in 1958 by Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  essendo data

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 84, no. 179.

Barbara A. Shailor