Beinecke MS 671
Italy, s. XV 2
Aristotle, Oeconomica, Latin translation by Leonardo Bruni

1. f. 1r	 [P]retiosa sunt interdum parvi corporis, quod lapilli gemmeque testantur ... Nos, ut 
opinor, nostris vocabulis uti magis decet quam alienis. Nunc ad textum  Aristotelis veniamus.

Leonardo Bruni (Leonardus Aretinus, 1369-1444), Prologue to art. 2, addressed to Cosmo de' 
Medici; Bertalot, Initia (Prosa) 16253. In the top margin of f. 1r is written "donaturus etc." 

2. ff. 1r-5r	Oeconomicorum Aristotelis liber primus. [R]es familiaris et res publica inter se 
differunt, non solum in quantum domus et civitas ... Quapropter et privatim et publice decet eum 
qui vitam agit ad omnes deos hominesque respicere multumque ab uxore et ad filios et parentes. 
Oeconomicorum Aristotelis liber secundus et ultimus explicit [another hand has repeated this 
explicit formula in red ink].

Aristoteles, Oeconomica, Latin translation by Leonardo Bruni (Leonardus Aretinus), made in 
1420-1421;  Bertalot, Initia (Prosa) 20056. Early printed editions: GKW 2433- 2439.

3. f. 5v		[F]ateor, clarissime vir, et mihi ipsi iam sepe in dubium venisse hanc nostri 
temporis miliciam, que dignitatis honorisque loco prestantibus viris tribui solet ... Et qua de re, ut 
ad te aliquid scriberem excitavit non flagitacio modo tua, cui refragari non pussum [sic], verum 
etiam libelli eiusdem inspectio tibi ab optimo quodam viro		ff. 6-10 ruled but blank

Beginning of Leonardo Bruni (Leonardus Aretinus), De militia ad Raynaldum Albicium equitem 
Florentinum; Bertalot, Initia (Prosa) 7480.


Paper, ff. V + 10 + V, 210 x 145 mm. 4ø folding. Watermark: bird (Briquet 12127??). The 
manuscript is excessively trimmed.

I10.

Lead ruling for one column of 41 lines above top line, 168 x 107 mm. Ruling type 11.

The main scribe (artt. 1-2) writes Gothica Hybrida (often close to Gothica Semitextualis) Libraria 
under strong Humanistic influence, visible in the use of Roman Capitals and straight s in final 
position. Art. 3 is copied in Gothica Hybrida Currens.

Space and partly guide-letters for a few initials were provided but the decoration is missing. In 
the space for the first initial (f. 1r) a coat of arms (silver, with a bend gules) was afterwards 
drawn.

Binding s. XX: half brown leather over pasteboard, the covers covered with brown paper. On the 
spine the gold-tooled title "ARISTOTLE . OECONOMICA . MS. 15TH CENT."

Collection of Georg Tannstetter. Bookplate of Yale University Library, The David Wagstaff 
Memorial Fund.

Albert Derolez

R 16.02.09