Beinecke MS 151                                                      Italy, s. XV^^med
Aristotle, Ethica (It. tr.)

     1.ff. 1r-6r    [Prologue of Leonardo Bruni:] Proemio. di. messere.
     lionardo. darezo. nel ethica. daristotile. tradocta. di greco in
     latino. et. di latino. tradocta. in. uolgare. in. firenze. ad
     petitione. di messere. nugnio gusmano. spagniolo. Io ho nuouamente
     ordinato e libri delletica daristotile tradurgli in latino...questi
     libri latini con cio sia cosa che inanzi non fussino.

     2. ff. 6r-7r    [Dedicatory epistle to Pope Martin V:] Proemio. di
     messere. lionardo. darezzo. nel ethica. daristotile. mandato. ad papa
     martino. Egli e manifesto beatissimo padre non essere cosa nuoua...pero
     inanzi per discussione dessi ho iscripto certo cose.

     3. ff. 7r-180v    Incomincia. il. primo. libro. del. ethica.
     daristotile. tradotta. da. messer. lionardo darezo. di. greco in
     latino. et. di latino. facta uolgare. in. firenze. Ogni arte et ogni
     doctrina et similmente ogni acto et electione pare che...sia ordinata
     et con che leggi et con che costumi. Finis. [erasure:
     Finisce] il decimo et ultimo. libro. del ethica. daristotile.

          An anonymous Tuscan translation made for Nuno de Guzman from the
     Latin translation of Leonardo Bruni.

          Parchment, ff. i (paper) + 180 + i (paper), 260 x 180 (164 x 113)
     mm. Written in 27 long lines; double vertical bounding lines; ruled in
     ink.
          I-XVIII^^10. Catchwords perpendicular to text between inner
     bounding lines, on verso. Remains of signatures in lower right corner
     (e.g., f1, f2, etc.), on recto.
          Text written in a well formed humanistic bookhand by a single
     scribe; the rubrics, in majuscules, by another scribe who used
     excessive punctuation.
          The decoration is by Gioacchino de' Gigantibus (see below). A gold
     initial, 5-line, on f. 1r embedded in white vine ornament, extending
     into sides, top, and lower margin, filled in with green, red, and blue,
     with small section at regular intervals filled with gold; a green bird
     near the initial; in lower margin, an empty laurel wreath supported by
     putti filled later with a coat of arms (unidentified) in pen, now
     effaced; a few gold dots with hair-spray in brown ink. Other initials,
     gold, 5- to 4-line, on ff. 7r, 93v, 106v, 126r, 161v, in same manner,
     but with gold infilling.
          Significant stains in margins of first few leaves.
          Binding: s. xviii. Edges gilt. Green calf with tan, gold-tooled
     label.

          Written in Florence by a scribe who seems to have specialized in
     copying vernacular texts; the rubrication is by a different scribe
     identifiable as "Sinibaldus C." who worked for Vespasiano da Bisticci;
     the codex was decorated by Gioacchino de' Gigantibus, probably in
     Florence before 1453 when he moved to Rome (we thank A. C. de la Mare
     for this information). Probably from the collection of Count Carlo
     Archinto of Milan (1669-1732) as suggested by the characteristic
     binding; Archinto sale (Paris, 21 March 1863; this catalogue not
     available to us). Note on f. 155r: "In the Possession of Mr. Manson/
     August 31. 1809." Leighton cat., 1912, no. 9. Belonged to Coella L.
     Ricketts; his sale (New York, 1942, no. 37). Acquired by David Wagstaff
     (bookplate); gift of Mrs. David Wagstaff in 1943.

     secundo folio: in que libri

     Bibliography: De Ricci, v. 1, p. 651, no. 216; Faye and Bond, p. 35,
     no. 151.

     Barbara A. Shailor