Beinecke MS 242                                                       Italy, ca. 1560
Aelian, De instruendis aciebus (in Greek)

          ff. 1r-17v    [Heading, in red:] [Greek]. [followed by border in
     red across top of page, and by a rubric that was then crossed out by
     the original scribe:] [Greek]: [text begins:] [Greek]. ff. 18r-20v;
     with f. 18r-v blank, but ruled

          H. Koechly and W. Ruestow, eds., Griechische
          Kriegsschriftsteller
     2, 1 (Leipzig, 1855). The scribe attempts to establish the correct text
     from a defective exemplar. For example, on f. 2v there is a note, in
     red, referring the reader to the proper portion of the text on f. 7v.
     There are several such corrections as well as marginal notes giving
     variant readings.

          Paper (watermarks: Harlfinger Couronne 25 from two manuscripts
     copied in Venice by Camillus Venetus, and dated 1561 and 1562) ff. iii
     (contemporary paper) + 20 + iii (contemporary paper), 217 x 146 (150 x
     85) mm. Written in 24 long lines, ruled in hard point on verso; single
     bounding vertical lines.
          I-II^^8, III^^4. Signatures consist of letters of the alphabet
     placed in center of lower margin on recto of first folio of gathering.
          Written in a highly calligraphic Greek minuscule by Angelus
     Vergecius.
          Decorative floral headpiece and initial, in red, on f. 1r;
     headings and marginal notations, in red. A number of beautifully
     executed diagrams, in black and red, often extend well into the
     margins.
          Binding: s. xviii-xix [?]. Limp vellum wrapper, with the title on
     spine and "Aelianus Angeli Vergecij" on cover.

          Written probably in Northern Italy ca. 1560 by Angelus Vergecius
     who was active in Paris during the mid-16th century. See Omont, no. 2;
     a list of those manuscripts copied by Vergecius appears in E. Legrand,
     Bibliographie hellenique, v. 1 (Paris, 1885) p. clxxv. Beinecke MS 242
     is listed in de Meyier, p. 259, no. 2. Unidentified "1190" on front
     cover. Andrew Fletcher (1655-1716; signature on back pastedown).
     Purchased from Laurence Witten with funds from the Jacob Ziskind
     Charitable Trust in 1957 (MS 1).

     Bibliography: Faye and Bond, p. 45, no. 242. 
	     Ziskind Catalogue, p. 44, with plate of f. 1r for frontispiece.

     Barbara A. Shailor