Présentation du contenu

Source des données : Mmmonk

• Manuscript 518 is a collection of three important texts of the Corpus Aristotelicus, the body of works written by or ascribed to the Greek philosopher Aristotle. The first text (ff. 1r-64r) is the Ethics, or Ethica Nicomachea, that discusses the human nature and happiness. The translation into Latin is the work of Robert Grosseteste (1175-1253), revised by William of Moerbeke (c. 1215-1286). Moerbeke is also the translator of the second text (ff. 66r-88r), the De Anima, a treatise on the soul. The third and final text (ff. 89r-105v) is the De generatione et corruptione, a treatise on generation and corruption, two peculiar forms of change. The Latin translation is the work of Burgundius Pisanus (c. 1110-1193). The codex is mutilated; several leaves are missing, while others have partially been cut out. In all three cases, the first leaf of the text is absent. From this, and remaining traces, it can be assumed that the mutilated leaves contained decorated initials. The copy has very broad margins, and the text, written in a neat textualis-script in two columns, is consistently decorated with alternate blue and red paragraph marks. The latter pattern is also used for the running titles. As the first leaves of each text are (partially) missing, it is unknown how these initials must have looked like. There are two types of initials still present in the codex. Those that within a text signal the beginning of a new book, include gold leaf and painted flora and animals. Ascenders and descenders extend in the margin from the initial and end in the upper and lower margins with additional tails. Those that signal the beginning of a new chapter have been executed in penwork with decorations and alternately red and blue ascenders and descenders in the margins. The codex is bound in a white leather binding, with blind stamped covers. Traces of clasps are visible and the fenestra is found on the lower part of the back cover. The inside of the back board contains the inscription 'Iste liber est fratris Johannis Beyen, monachi de Dunis'. It can thus be assumed that the codex was incorporated into the library of Ter Doest, and found its way into the collection of Ten Duinen along with the other tomes in the collection. The cross-shaped stamp of the latter abbey is found on the second (indicating the mutilation to the leaves with initials must have occurred before) and last leaves. [Summary by Dr. Mark Vermeer]