De Rerum Natura · on the nature of things
Machiavelli’s Margin
what he wrote beside the poem in his own copy, Vatican MS Ross. 884
Vatican Library, MS Ross. 884 is a copy of De Rerum Natura in the hand of Niccolò Machiavelli. He made it himself, in his late twenties, in the years around 1497, from a printed edition that carried the emendations of Michele Marullo, and bound it with Terence’s Eunuchus; the subscription on the last leaf of the poem reads Nicolaus Maclavellus scripsit foeliciter, struck through by a single stroke, while the Finis Τέλος above it stands. The hand was identified by Sergio Bertelli in 1961. Alison Brown’s The Return of Lucretius to Renaissance Florence (2010) prints his notes on Book 2 and is the checklist against which every reading here was made.
This layer records everything written in the margins and between the lines of the 133 folios of the poem: the verbal notes, nearly all of them beside Book 2 on the motion of the first-beginnings, the swerve, the free mind that follows from it, and the gods’ indifference; the Greek glosses; the single words in a lighter ink that gloss a hard Latin word; the pointing hand at 2.82; and the dashes, crosses and other marks that show where the reader stopped. Those are the reading marks, and on the book pages each is set in the right margin beside the English of the line it stands against, in the Latin as Machiavelli wrote it (abbreviations expanded) with an English rendering beneath and a link to the folio on DigiVatLib, where the page itself can be seen. Everything else, the copyist’s own corrections, the variants written in the margin, the lines he dropped and the lines he supplied, the order marks, catchwords and colophons, is the state of the copy rather than a record of reading, and is tabulated here, book by book, beneath the reading marks.
The images of the manuscript belong to the Vatican Library and are not reproduced; every entry links to its opening on DigiVatLib instead (a recto NNr is canvas NN+11, a verso NNv is canvas NN+12). The transcription keeps the diplomatic form of each note, expands its abbreviations, keys it to the line of the poem by the words it stands against rather than by counting, and records whether Brown’s list prints it. Where the copy’s line order or wording differs from the Latin printed here, the entry says so. The copy was written at twenty-eight lines a page.
229 entries: 94 reading marks, set in the margin of the book pages and listed here, and 135 entries on the state of the copy. Jump to a book: I · II · III · IV · V · VI. The whole table is also served as marginalia.json.
Book I
In the margin 6
1.7 · fol. 1r · mark
∗ An attention mark at 1.7; no words.
small cross or asterisk in the left margin at 'Adventumque tuum tibi suavis dedala tellus'
1.774, 1.780 · fol. 14v · mark
– Attention dashes, as at 2.735 and 2.741; no words.
two short dashes in the right margin at 'Non animans non exanimo cum corpore ut arbos' and 'Deminuat nequid quod contra pugnet et obstet'
1.830 · fol. 15v · gloss
ὁμοιομέρειαν Anaxagoras's homoeomeria, the Greek word Lucretius transliterates at 830, written out in Greek letters beside it. Pairs with the Greek gloss at the head of Book 2 (fol. 20v).
'ομοιομερειαν' in the right margin, a cursive Greek hand, lighter ink
the one verbal marginal note of Book 1 in the lighter ink
1.936-942 · fol. 17v · note
Comparatio 'Comparison': the wormwood-and-honey simile marked as a simile. The one rhetorical note in Book 1, in the brown ink of the text.
a vertical bracket in the right margin against the seven lines from 'Sed veluti pueris absinthia tetra medentes' to 'Sed potius tali facto recreata valescat', with 'Comp' and a suspension stroke beside it
Brown (ch. 4) quotes Adriani on the same passage as 'pulcherrima comparatio'; whether the note echoes the lectures is for her to settle
1.1055 · fol. 19v · mark
externis (?) Flags the copy's eternis where the sense needs externis.
a small 'x' above 'eternis' in 'Ictibus eternis', lighter ink
1.1092, 1.1102 · fol. 20r · mark
+ Two crosses flank 1093, after which the copy runs straight on to 1102: the great lacuna (1094-1101) noticed and marked.
'+' in the right margin at 'Nec prorsum arboribus summos frondescere ramos' and at 'Ne volucri ritu flammarum moenia mundi'
The copy 22
| line | fol. | kind | the copy | reading | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | fol. 1r | guide letter | 'a' in the left margin beside the three-line space left for the initial; a large 'A' later drawn in, in a darker ink | A | Guide letter for an initial that was never executed in the copyist's campaign; the A was supplied later in a different ink. the state of the copy, not a note |
| 1.237 | fol. 5r | correction | a letter struck inside 'reverti' in 'Haud igitur possunt ad nilum quaeque reverti' | reverti | Scribe's own correction in the line. |
| 1.305 | fol. 6r | omission | line 1.305 absent: 'Tangere enim et tangi nisi corpus nulla potest res' is followed at once by 'Humescunt eadem dispanse in sole serescunt' | [omitted] | The copy lacks 1.305 (Denique fluctifrago suspensae in litore vestis), so 306 has lost its subject. compare the omission of 2.258 |
| 1.344 | fol. 7r | correction | 'ta' interlinear with caret, 'Quam geni^ta omnino nulla ratione fuissent' | genita | Scribe completes a word he had cut short. |
| 1.506+ | fol. 9v | correction | two lines struck after 506: 'Nec res ulla pot vera ratione probari / Corpore inane suo celare atque intus habere' | [deleted] | Eye-skip from necessest (506) to necessest (512): 513-514 were copied too early, caught and struck, and 507 follows. |
| 1.523 | fol. 10r | correction | 'est' written twice, the first struck | est | Dittography caught. |
| 1.584 | fol. 11r | correction | 'reddita constant finis', with 'constant' struck | finis | The eye had jumped to 588 'constant'; caught in the line, but the four lines between were lost (next entry). |
| 1.585-588 | fol. 11r | supplied lines | four lines written vertically in the right margin: 'Crescendi rebus constat vitam q(ue) tenendi / Et q(ui)d queq(ue) queant per federa naturai / Quid porro nequeant: sancitu(m) q(ua)n(do)q(ui)dem extat / Nec commutatur q(ui)cq(uam) q(ui)n omnia constant', a manicule at their head | crescendi rebus constat vitamque tenendi / et quid quaeque queant per foedera naturai / quid porro nequeant, sancitum quandoquidem extat, / nec commutatur quicquam, quin omnia constant | The four lines dropped by the eye-skip at 584, supplied in the margin in the same hand and ink. the copy's text of 585-588; 'federa' for foedera |
| 1.589 | fol. 11r | manicule | pointing hand in the left margin at 'Usque adeo varie volucres ut in ordine cuncte' | [manicule] | Tie-mark for the insertion of 585-588 before this line; the hand at the head of the marginal block answers it. Unlike the hand at 2.82, this is not a reading mark. |
| 1.631 | fol. 12r | correction | 'acta' struck and 'aucta' written after it | aucta | Scribe's own correction. |
| 1.663 | fol. 12v | correction | 'ar' (or 'at') interlinear with caret in 'lumen iacit ^que vaporem' | iacit atque vaporem | Supplies the dropped syllable of atque. |
| 1.709 | fol. 13r | correction | 'res' interlinear with caret, 'Fingere ^ ipsum per se terramve creare' | fingere res ipsum | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 1.760 | fol. 14r | correction | 'ip(s)a' in the left margin at 'Inter se: quare aut congressa peribunt' | ipsa | Supplies the opening word the line dropped (modern texts: ipsa sibi inter se). |
| 1.805 | fol. 15r | correction | 'faustone' with the tail struck, 'tempore fausto' | fausto | Scribe's own correction. |
| 1.830 | fol. 15v | correction | 'scrutemur' in the left margin with a caret sign; the line written 'Nunc et anaxagore ^ homoeomerian', with 'ca' (?) interlinear at the caret | scrutemur | Supplies the verb the line dropped. |
| 1.934 | fol. 17r | correction | 'Carmi' struck and 'carmina' rewritten | carmina | False start. |
| 1.935 | fol. 17r | correction | 'eni' interlinear with caret, 'Id quoque ^ non ab nulla ratione videtur' | enim | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 1.976 | fol. 18r | correction | a word struck between 'exempta' and 'concedas' | [deleted] | Scribe's slip, struck. |
| 1.991 | fol. 18v | correction | a false start at the head of the page, 'At nunc nimirum re[...] data corpora', struck; 992 'Corporibus nulla est' follows | [deleted] | The scribe began to repeat 991 (the last line of 18r) and struck it. |
| 1.1060-1061 | fol. 19v | order marks | 'b' against 'Ut per aquas que nunc rerum simulacra videmus', 'a' against 'Et simili ratione animalia suppa vagari', red-brown ink | b / a | Order marks reversing 1060 and 1061; modern editors keep the copy's order. the same red-brown ink as the order marks at 2.5-6 |
| 1.1093 | fol. 20r | variant | '(at cibetur' (or 'al cibetur') in the right margin at 'posse: nisi a terris paulatim quodque cibarum' | al. cibetur (?) | A reading offered for the line's last word (cibatum in modern texts); the prefix is uncertain. lighter ink |
| 1.1117+ | fol. 20v | colophon | Lucretii poete clarissimi liber p' explicit / Incipit secudus feliciter | Lucretii poetae clarissimi liber primus explicit. Incipit secundus feliciter. | Here ends the first book of the most famous poet Lucretius. The second begins, with good fortune. scribal rubric in the copyist's hand, between Books 1 and 2 |
Book II
In the margin 25
2.1 (before) · fol. 20v · gloss
σαρκὸς εὐσταθὲς κατάστημα, id est carnis [stabilis] constitutio 'The well-settled condition of the flesh': Epicurus's definition of pleasure (Plutarch, Non posse 1089d), placed as a heading to Book 2's proem on pleasure. The Latin gloss reads 'carnis ... constitutio'; the middle word is unclear.
Sarcoseos id est sarcos eustates cata schema | interlinear, lighter ink: carnis ... constitutio
the one substantive note on this opening; whether it is copied from a printed commentary or his own is for Brown to settle
2.10 · fol. 20v · marginal word
? Marginal word at 2.10; reading uncertain (vestigia? a variant?).
'(vesti' or '(uesti' in lighter ink against 'errare atque viam palantis quaerere vitae'
2.82 · fol. 22r · manicule
☞ A pointing hand marks 2.82, the line rebuking the man who denies the atoms' spontaneous motion.
pointing hand drawn in the left margin at 'Avius a vera longe ratione vagaris'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 15
2.112 · fol. 22v · note
simulachrum principiorum An image of the first-beginnings (the motes in the sunbeam).
'simulachru / principiorum' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'Cuius uti memorabor rei simulacrum et imago'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 18
2.142 · fol. 23r · note
de celeritate motus On the speed of motion.
'de celeritate / motus :' in the right margin, lighter ink, with a paragraph mark at 'Nunc quae mobilitas sit reddita materiai'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 18
2.144 · fol. 23r · mark
? A marginal mark, perhaps a nota; reading uncertain.
'(a' with a flourish in the right margin at 'Primum aurora novo cum spargit lumine terras'
2.164a · fol. 23v · note
nil fieri consilio Nothing happens by deliberation. The line is the one our Latin prints as 2.164a.
'nil fieri co / silio' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'Nam neque consilio debent tardata morari'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 18 and appendix p. 121
2.184-185 · fol. 24r · note
nil sursum ferri propria natura Nothing is carried upward by its own nature.
'nil sursum ferri / propria natura' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'Confirmare tibi nullam rem posse sua vi / corpoream sursum ferri sursumque meare'
2.217-219 · fol. 24v · note
quom declinent principia When the first-beginnings swerve.
bracket in the right margin with 'quom declinent / principia', against 'Corpora cum deorsum rectum per inane feruntur / ponderibus propriis incerto tempore ferme / incertisque locis spatio decedere paulum'
the first swerve note, two folios before the one Brown prints
2.251-256 · fol. 25r · note
motum varium esse et ex eo nos liberam habere mentem That motion is various, and from this we have a free mind.
bracket in the right margin with 'motu variu esse / & ex eo nos libe/ram habere mente'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 16; reading confirmed letter for letter
2.284-287 · fol. 25v · note
in seminibus esse pondus plagas et clinamen In the seeds there are weight, blows, and the swerve.
bracket in the right margin with 'i seminibus ee po/dus plagas & / clinamen.'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 17; he uses Lucretius's own word clinamen (2.292)
2.294-295 · fol. 26r · note
nil esse suo densius aut rarius principio Nothing is denser or more scattered than its first-beginning.
bracket in the right margin with 'nil ee suo densius aut / rarius pncipio'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 19
2.340-341 · fol. 26v · note
variam esse figuram principiorum That the shape of first-beginnings is various.
bracket in the right margin with 'varia ee figura / pncipiorum' at 'Debent nimirum non omnibus omnia prorsum / esse pari filo similique affecta figura'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20 gives the lemma as 2.294-96, which is a slip; the bracketed Latin is 2.340-341 (an earlier entry here said 2.347-348, a miscount corrected 2026-10-30)
2.422-423 · fol. 28r · mark
h A marginal letter, perhaps a nota or a collation siglum; unexplained.
'h' in the left margin at 'Omnis enim sensus quae mulcet causa iuvatque / haud sine principiali aliquo levore creata est'
2.425+ · fol. 28r · note
semina quae titillant sensum Seeds that tickle the sense.
'Semina quae titillant / sensum' in the right margin, after the two inserted lines 'At quae lenis et est iocundo praedita sensu / Haec aliquo sine seminio graviore creata est', at 'Sunt etiam quae iam nec levia iure putantur'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20 and appendix p. 121; the two inserted lines are absent from our Latin
2.471-472 · fol. 29r · note
mare ex quibus constet principiis Of what first-beginnings the sea consists.
bracket in the right margin with 'mare ex quibus co/stet principiis' at 'principiis: unde est Neptuni corpus acerbum / est ratio secernendi seorsumque videndi'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20
2.479-482 · fol. 29r · note
in uno principio non posse esse plures formas, idest infinitas In one first-beginning there cannot be more shapes, that is, infinitely many.
bracket in the right margin with 'i uno principio no posse / esse plures formas .i. / finitas.' at 'Quod si non ita sit rursum iam semina quaedam / esse infinito debebunt corporis aucta'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20; the abbreviation .i. = idest, as she expands it
2.516-518 · fol. 30r · note
in eodem principio frigus, tepor et calor esse possunt In the same first-beginning there can be cold, warmth and heat.
bracket in the right margin with 'i eode principio frigus / Tepor & calor ee possut'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20
2.523-525 · fol. 30r · note
principia cuiuslibet formae esse infinita The first-beginnings of any shape are infinite in number.
bracket in the right margin with 'pncipia cuilibet forme / esse ifinita'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20
2.585-588 · fol. 31r · note
unum quodque ex vario principiorum genere constare Each thing consists of a varied kind of first-beginnings.
bracket in the right margin with 'unu quodq ex uario pnci/piorum genere costare'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20
2.598-600 · fol. 31v · note
de genitrice deorum On the mother of the gods.
bracket in the right margin with 'de genitrice / deorum' at 'Hanc veteres Graium docti cecinere poetae / sedibus in curru biiugos agitare leones'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20
2.646-648 · fol. 32r · note
deos non curare mortalia The gods do not care about mortal affairs. The lines repeat 1.44-46.
bracket in the right margin with 'deos no curare / mortalia' at 'Omnis enim per se divum natura necessest / immortali aevo summa cum pace fruatur / semota a nostris rebus seiunctaque longe'
in Brown’s list · Brown ch. 4 n. 20
2.657 · fol. 32v · marginal word
vocamen The rare word vocamen picked out in the margin; purpose unclear (gloss or collation).
'vocamen)' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'mavult quam laticis proprium proferre vocamen'
2.735, 2.741 · fol. 34r · mark
– Attention dashes; no words.
two short horizontal dashes in the right margin at 'ex intervallo quo nullo coniuncta colore' and 'Quod quoniam in vacuo fieri nunc posse docebo'
2.902 · fol. 37r · mark
= Attention mark; no words.
a small double dash in the right margin at 'Quod tamen ut possint a coitu concilioque'
The copy 24
| line | fol. | kind | the copy | reading | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 | fol. 20v | correction | interlinear 'ut' (or 'in') above 'Tunc' in 'Tunc cernere suave est' | ? | Interlinear correction over the word before cernere; reading uncertain. |
| 2.5-6 | fol. 20v | order marks | 'b' against 'per campos instructa tua sine parte pericli', 'a' against 'suave etiam belli certamina magna tueri' | b / a | Order marks: the copy has 2.5 before 2.6; the letters reverse them to the order modern editors print (2.6 before 2.5, as in our Latin). Lucretius's own transposition crux, already seen by the copyist |
| 2.7 | fol. 20v | correction | 'em belli' struck through in 'Sed nihil em belli dulcius est bene quam munita tenere' | [deleted] | Eye-skip from belli in the previous line, caught and struck. |
| 2.12 | fol. 20v | correction | 're' interlinear above 'prestanti' in 'niti prestanti labore' | praestante | Corrects praestanti to praestante. |
| 2.44-53 | fol. 21v | order marks | letters b, d, a, c (bracketed), e in the left margin against the lines from 'Religionum ... ' through 'nec clarum vestis splendorem purpureai'; 'e' at 'Quid dubitas' | b d a c e | Order marks re-sequencing lines in the 2.44-53 passage; the copy's order here needs collating against the printed order. same brown ink as the text |
| 2.62 | fol. 21v | heading | 'De motu prin/cipiorum' in lighter ink, left margin, against 'Hunc age quo motu genitalia materiai' | De motu principiorum | On the motion of first-beginnings. the lighter ink used for most of the verbal notes |
| 2.70 | fol. 22r | correction | 'ub' interlinear above 'sed' in 'Ex oculis quo vetustatem seducere nostris' | subducere | Corrects seducere to subducere (2.70). |
| 2.255 | fol. 25r | correction | 'Ex' at line start in lighter ink, 'Ex infinito ne causam causa sequatur' | Ex | Initial word supplied or retouched. |
| 2.258 | fol. 25r | omission | line 2.258 'per quam progredimur quo ducit quemque voluptas' is absent between 257 and 259 | [omitted] | The copy lacks 2.258. Brown p. 74 in Brown’s list |
| 2.262 | fol. 25r | correction | 'homines' interlinear in lighter ink above 'motus' in 'principium dat et hinc motus per membra rigantur' | homines ... reguntur | Replaces 'motus ... rigantur' with 'homines ... reguntur': men are ruled through their limbs. Pomponio Leto's alternative reading. Brown p. 74 and appendix n. 19 in Brown’s list |
| 2.285 | fol. 25v | correction | 'pter plagas' in the left margin, lighter ink, supplying words to 'Esse aliam [...] et pondera causam' | praeter plagas | Supplies 'praeter plagas' omitted or botched in the line. |
| 2.333 | fol. 26v | heading | 'De figur/a atom/orum' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'Nunc age iam deinceps cunctarum exordia rerum' | De figura atomorum | On the shape of atoms. His own word, atomi, not Lucretius's primordia. first of two notes on this page; Brown prints only the second |
| 2.376 | fol. 27r | variant | 'ut pavit' (or 'al pavit') in the right margin at 'litoris incurvi bibulam lavit aequor arenam' | [al.] pavit | Records the reading pavit against the copy's lavit; modern editors print pavit. prefix uncertain |
| 2.385 | fol. 27v | variant | 'al ortus' in the right margin at 'quam noster fluat e taedis terrestribus aptus' | al. ortus | Records the reading ortus (printed by modern editors) against the copy's aptus. |
| 2.410 | fol. 28r | variant | 'confecta' in the right margin at 'Dissimili inter se pugnant perfecta figura' | confecta | Records the variant confecta for perfecta. |
| 2.506 | fol. 29v | correction | 'novo' interlinear and 'seclis' (?) in the left margin over 'Seducta ... quae rerum superata colore iacerent' | saecla novo | Corrects the copy's reading toward 'saecla novo' as later printed; Brown notes the same correction as Pier Vettori's. Brown appendix p. 120 in Brown’s list |
| 2.601 | fol. 31v | variant | 'Sedentes' in the left margin, lighter ink, with a caret below, at 'Sedibus in curru biiugos agitare leones' | sedentem (?) | A reading offered against the copy's sedibus; the form is sedentes or sedentem. |
| 2.618 | fol. 31v | correction | 'circum' added at the line end in lighter ink, 'Tympana tenta tonant palmis et cymbala [circum]' | circum | Supplies the omitted last word. |
| 2.622-623 | fol. 31v | order marks | 'b' and 'a' in the left margin against 'Ingratos animos atque impia pectora vulgi / conterrere metu quae possint numine divae' | b / a | Order marks reversing the two lines. |
| 2.655 | fol. 32r | correction | 'care' added at the line end in lighter ink, 'Hic siquis mare Neptunum Cereremque vo[care]' | vocare | Supplies the omitted line end. |
| 2.659 | fol. 32v | variant | 'vel' in the right margin at 'esse deum matrem dum vera re tamen ipse' (copy: 'dum verare tn haud sit') | vel | An alternative offered for the line's reading; the lemma is uncertain. |
| 2.999 | fol. 38v | correction | a duplicated line 'cedit item retro de terra quod fuit ante / in terras' struck through | [deleted] | Dittography caught and struck. |
| 2.1143 | fol. 41r | correction | 'natura ministrat' added at the line end in lighter ink, 'Quod satis est nec quantum satis opus est [natura ministrat]' | natura ministrat | Supplies the omitted line end. |
| catchword | fol. 40v | catchword | 'Frangit' at the foot of the page, the first word of the next page | Frangit | Scribal catchword, not a note. |
Book III
In the margin 14
3.131 · fol. 44r · mark
– Attention dash at the dismissal of harmonia.
short dash in the right margin at 'redde harmoniai'
first of the Book 3 dashes
3.169 · fol. 44v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'consentire animum nobis in corpore cernis'
3.436 · fol. 49v · mark
[sign] Attention mark at the smoke-and-mist comparison; no words.
three dots after 'discedit in auras' and a small D-shaped sign in the right margin
3.518 · fol. 51r · mark
- - Attention mark before the refrain 519-520 (= 1.670-671).
double dash '- -' in the right margin at 'inmortale quod est quicquam neque defluere hilum'
3.566, 3.583, 3.591 · fol. 52r · mark
– Attention dashes through the proof that the spirit cannot survive outside the body.
short dashes in the right margin at 'nimirum quia per venas et viscera mixtim', 'quid dubitas quin ex imo penitusque coorta' and 'quam prolapsa foras enaret in aeris auras'
3.614 · fol. 52v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'sed magis ire foras vestemque relinquere, ut anguis'
3.661 · fol. 53v · marginal word
torrari The copy's reading picked out in the margin; a query or a collation note (modern texts: tortari).
'torrari' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'volnere tortari et terram conspargere tabo' (copy: Torrari)
compare vocamen at 2.657
3.692 · fol. 54r · marginal word
participor (?) A marginal word with the same bracket prefix as '(vesti' (2.10) and '(at cibetur' (1.1093); the reading and purpose are uncertain.
'( particip / or' in two lines in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'ossaque, uti dentes quoque sensu participentur'
shows through on 54v
3.747 · fol. 55r · mark
[tick] Mark at the line that recurs as 763; no words.
a small tick in the left margin at 'vis animi pariter crescit cum corpore quoque'
3.866 · fol. 57r · mark
– Attention dash at the conclusion that there is nothing to fear in death.
short dash in the right margin at 'scire licet nobis nihil esse in morte timendum'
3.876 · fol. 57v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'non, ut opinor, enim dat quod promittit et unde'
3.898 · fol. 58r · mark
– Attention dash at the mourners' speech.
short dash in the right margin at 'praesidium. misero misere aiunt omnia ademit'
3.1026 · fol. 60r · mark
– Attention dash at Ancus; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'qui melior multis quam tu fuit, improbe, rebus'
a green crayon mark at 1018 above it (modern)
3.1042, 3.1044 · fol. 60v · mark
– Two dashes flank the death of Epicurus.
a small dash in the left margin at 'ipse Epicurus obit decurso lumine vitae' and one in the right margin at 'restinxit stellas exortus ut aetherius sol'
The copy 14
| line | fol. | kind | the copy | reading | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3 | fol. 41v | correction | 'nunc' added at the line end in lighter ink, 'Te sequor o Graiae gentis decus inque tuis [nunc]' | nunc | Supplies the omitted line end. Book 3 begins on 41v after the rubric 'Lucretii liber Tertius incipit Feliciter' |
| 3.30 | fol. 42r | correction | 'recepta' struck before 'retecta' in 'Eripitur persona manet res' context, line 'nam verae voces ... retecta' | retecta | Scribe's own correction. |
| 3.131 | fol. 44r | correction | 'h' added above 'armoniai', 'redde harmoniai' | harmoniai | Supplies the aspirate. |
| 3.155 | fol. 44v | correction | 'sonere aures' written twice, the first struck | sonere aures | Dittography caught. |
| 3.335 | fol. 47v | correction | 'motib' struck at the line end of 335 (anticipating 336 'motibus') | [deleted] | Scribe's slip, struck. |
| 3.419 | fol. 49r | correction | 'diu' in the left margin with a double-tick caret, lighter ink, 'Conquisita ^ dulcique reperta labore' | diu | Supplies the word the line dropped. a green crayon smudge beside it (modern) |
| 3.513 | fol. 51r | correction | a word struck between 'aut' and 'ordine' in 'addere enim partis aut ordine traicere' | [deleted] | Scribe's slip, struck. |
| 3.590 | fol. 52r | correction | 'fui' struck before 'sibi' in 'et prius esse sibi distractam corpore in ipso' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 3.725 | fol. 54v | correction | 'ut' squeezed in at the line end, 'conveniant unde una recesserit, hoc tamen est [ut]' | ut | Supplies the line end. |
| 3.897-898 | fol. 58r | correction | 'presidium' struck at the end of 897 and rewritten at the head of 898 | praesidium | Anticipation caught and struck. |
| 3.931 | fol. 58v | correction | 'mittat' struck at the end of 931 and rewritten at the head of 932 | mittat | Anticipation caught and struck. |
| 3.995 | fol. 59v | correction | 'angor' added at the line end, 'quem volucres lacerant atque exest anxius [angor]' | angor | Supplies the line end (runs into the gutter). |
| 3.1068 | fol. 61r | correction | 'lat' struck before 'ad quod' in 'hoc se quisque modo fugit, at quem scilicet, ut fit' (copy: lat ad quod) | [deleted] | False start. |
| 3.1094+ | fol. 61v | colophon | 'Lucretii liber quartus incipit Feliciter' after 3.1094, then Book 4 with a drawn initial A | Lucretii liber quartus incipit feliciter. | Scribal rubric between Books 3 and 4; Book 3 ends after twelve lines on 61v. |
Book IV
In the margin 19
4.35 · fol. 62r · marginal word
ordia The copy's two-word 'in ordia prima' (for exordia) picked out in the margin with the bracket prefix of '(vesti' (2.10), '(at cibetur' (1.1093) and '( particip' (3.692).
'( ordia' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'quove modo distracta rediret in ordia prima'
earlier noted as 4.28; the line is 4.35. Quire signature g ii at the foot of 62r
4.73 · fol. 63r · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'non solum ex alto penitusque, ut diximus ante'
quire signature g iii
4.133 · fol. 64r · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'quae multis formata modis sublime feruntur'
4.153 · fol. 64v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'scindi; quam meminit levor praestare salutem'
the marginal block of 64r shows through at the top right
4.176 · fol. 64v · mark
– Possibly the scribe's own paragraph sign at a new section.
small sign in the left margin at 'Nunc age, quam celeri motu simulacra ferantur'
4.180, 4.188-189, 4.196, 4.199 · fol. 65r · mark
– Five dashes over the speed of the images.
short dashes in the right margin at 'suavidicis potius quam multis versibus edam', 'non dubitant transire sequenti concita plaga', 'suppeditatur enim confestim lumine lumen' (a long one), 'deinde quod usque adeo textura praedita rara', 'Praeterea si quae penitus corpuscula rerum'
quire signature g v
4.292 · fol. 67r · mark
– Attention dash at the start of the mirror-reversal passage.
long dash in the right margin at 'Nunc ea quae nobis membrorum dextera pars est'
67r carries 291-301 and then 324-340: the copy follows the manuscripts' displacement of 302-323
4.305 · fol. 67v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'inde tamen, quamvis torte penitusque remota'
4.364 · fol. 68r · mark
– Probably the scribe's paragraph sign (elsewhere a set-out capital).
wavy stroke in the left margin at 'Umbra videtur item nobis in sole moveri', the ink of the text
4.399 · fol. 68v · mark
.... A dotted attention mark; no words.
four dots in a row in the right margin at 'insula coniunctis tamen ex his una videtur'
4.547, 4.566 · fol. 71v · mark
– Attention dashes; no words.
short dashes in the right margin at 'et gelida cygni nece torti ex Heliconis' (copy's reading of 547) and at 'diffugit, in privas quoniam se dividit auris'
the copy reads 'et gelida cygni nece torti' where our Latin has 'et iam Dauliades natae hortis'
4.656 · fol. 73r · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'proinde foraminibus debent differe figurae'
quire signature h iii
4.672 · fol. 73v · mark
+ A cross at a line referring back to earlier proof.
a small cross in the right margin at 'id quod iam supera tibi saepe ostendimus ante'
running head 'Liber' / '.iiii.' across 73v-74r
4.710 · fol. 74r · note
de gallo 'On the cock': the one verbal note of Book 4, heading the cock-and-lion example; the sign between the bracket and the words looks like 'ij' or 'ÿ'.
'( ÿ de gallo' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'quin etiam gallum noctem explaudentibus alis'
quire signature h iiii; the bracket prefix of the marginal words
4.735 · fol. 74v · mark
– Attention dash at the images that form of themselves (centaurs, Scylla, Cerberus).
short dash in the right margin at 'omnigenus quoniam passim simulacra feruntur'
4.905 · fol. 77v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
long dash in the right margin at 'multaque per trocleas et tympana pondere magno'
a small dot in the right margin at the first line of the page (884)
4.911 (below) · fol. 77v · mark
... Three dots at the foot of the page; purpose unclear.
three dots beneath the last line of the page, 'clamor in aetheriis dispersus nubibus austri'
910-911 repeat 181-182, as in the editions
4.1172 · fol. 82v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'cui Veneris membris vis omnibus exoriatur'
4.1233 · fol. 83v · mark
– Dash at the denial that the gods govern fertility; compare the notes on the gods' indifference in Book 2.
short dash in the right margin at 'Nec divina satum genitalem numina cuiquam', a short stroke before the line in the left margin
The copy 20
| line | fol. | kind | the copy | reading | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.102-104 | fol. 63v | correction | after 'nam cur illa cadant magis ab rebusque recedant' (102) an extra line 'corpora res multae quae mittunt corpore aperto', not visibly struck, then 'Sunt igitur tenues formarum dissimilesque' struck; 103 follows as 'quam quae tenuia sunt ostendi est nulla potestas', then 104 'Sunt igitur tenues formarum dissimilesque' | [deleted] | The scribe anticipated 104 and struck it; the extra line between 102 and 103 is not in the editions and needs checking against the exemplar's text. The copy reads 'ostendi est' at 103 and 'dissimilesque' at 104. a stroke also runs over the end of 102 |
| 4.128-129 (4.174-175) | fol. 64r | supplied lines | two lines written vertically in the left margin, lighter ink: '( quorum quanta pars sit imago dicere nemo est / qui possit. neque eam rationem reddere dictis', a tie-mark at the end of 'multa modis multis nulla vi cassaque sensu' (128) | quorum quanta pars sit imago dicere nemo est / qui possit neque eam rationem reddere dictis | Lines 4.174-175 copied into the margin to follow 128, where the exemplar's text or its corrector placed them; the copy also has them in their place on 64v (reading quantula there, quanta here). the bracket prefix of the marginal words; quire signature g iiii |
| 4.190 | fol. 65r | correction | 'protelo' in the right margin, with a stroke in the line after 'quasi', where the word was omitted: 'et quasi | stimulatur fulgere fulgur' | protelo | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 4.288 | fol. 66v | correction | 'tantum semota videtur' added at the line end in lighter ink, 'distare ab speculo [tantum semota videtur]' | tantum semota videtur | Supplies the omitted line end. |
| 4.302-303 | fol. 67v | correction | after 'Fit quoque de speculo in speculum ut tradatur imago' the scribe wrote 'et cum leva data est' (309 anticipated) and struck it, then on the same line 'quinque et sex[ue] ut fieri simulacra suerint', 'ue' above the line, 'suerint' running into the margin | [deleted] quinque et sexve ut fieri simulacra suerint | False start struck; 303 then written with 'ue' supplied interlinearly. 67v carries 341-352 before 302-317; 68r has 353-363, 318-323, 364-374 |
| 4.372 | fol. 68r | correction | a letter added above 'repletur' in 'officimus, repletur item quod liquimus eius' | repletur | Scribe's own correction. |
| 4.522 | fol. 71r | correction | 'quisque' (abbreviated) supplied above the line in 'Nunc alii sensus quo pacto [quisque] suam rem' | quisque | Supplies the omitted word. quire signature h at the foot of 71r; set-out capitals P (524) and C (526) are the scribe's |
| 4.546 | fol. 71v | correction | 'quum liq' struck at the head of 'et reboat raucum retro cita barbita bombum' (548 'cum liquidam' anticipated) | [deleted] | False start. 71v carries 544-552, then 542-543, then 553ff.: the copy's order |
| 4.568-570 | fol. 71v | omission | 'obsignans formam verbis clarumque sonorem' (567) is followed at once by 'reddit et inter dum frustratur imagine verbi' (571) | [omitted] | The copy lacks 568-570; eye-skip from 'sonorem' (567) to 'sonorem' (570). compare 1.305, 2.258 |
| 4.592 | fol. 72r | correction | 'neglecta' struck at the head of 'sola tenere. ideo iactant miracula dictis' | [deleted] | False start. quire signature h ii |
| 4.800 | fol. 76r | correction | 'ue' above the line in 'hoc ubi prima perit alio[que] est altera nata' | alioque | Supplies the omitted enclitic. the line's doublet at 771 on 75v is written in full |
| 4.983 | fol. 79r | correction | 'colores' struck, 'decores' written above, in 'scenaique simul varios splendere [colores] decores' | decores | Scribe's own correction. |
| 4.1034 | fol. 80r | supplied lines | two lines in the right margin, lighter ink: 'que ciet irritans loca / turgida semine multo', a tie-stroke at the end of 'conveniunt simulacra foris e corpore quoque' (1032) | quae ciet inritans loca turgida semine multo | Supplies 1034, omitted by eye-skip to the near-identical 1047; the margin reads 'que' for 'qui'. 'ple' struck at the head of 1033 (false start); 80r carries 1028-1056 |
| 4.1051 | fol. 80r | correction | 'hostem' in the right margin with an insertion sign in the line, 'et si comminus est [hostem] ruber occupat umor' | hostem | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 4.1098 | fol. 81r | correction | 'possit' struck in the line and 'stinguere possit' written in the right margin, 'non datur, ardorem qui membris [stinguere possit]' | stinguere possit | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 4.1125 | fol. 81v | correction | 'lycia' struck before 'Sicyonia' in 'unguenta et pulchra in pedibus Sicyonia rident' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 4.1152 | fol. 82r | correction | 'atque' blotted and 'ac' written above in 'aut quae corporis sunt eius, quam praepetis ac vis' | ac | Scribe's own correction. quire signature I ii |
| 4.1249-1250 | fol. 83v | omission | 'atque alias alii complent magis inque gravescunt' stands for 1249-1250 | [conflated] | The copy runs 1249 and 1250 into one line by eye-skip from 'magis' to 'magis'. compare 4.568-570 |
| 4.1287+ | fol. 84v | colophon | 'Lucretii liber quintus incipit' after 4.1287, then Book 5 with an initial Q in grey | Lucretii liber quintus incipit. | Scribal rubric between Books 4 and 5; Book 4 ends after six lines on 84v under the running head 'Liber' (85r: 'Quintus'). quire signature I iiii on 84r |
| catchword | fol. 80v | catchword | 'blandaq;' in a box at the foot of the page, the first word of 81r (1085) | blandaque | Scribal catchword at the end of quire h. quire I begins on 81r (I, I ii, I iii, I iiii at the feet of 81r-84r) |
Book V
In the margin 10
5.102 · fol. 86v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'nec iacere indu manus, via qua munita fidei'
running head 'Liber' / '.V.' across 85v-86r
5.321 · fol. 90r · mark
– Attention dash at the mortality of the world.
short dash in the right margin at 'totum nativum mortali corpore constat'
5.499 · fol. 93v · mark
H A single letter in the margin; purpose unclear (a collation sign?).
a capital 'H' in the right margin, brown ink, at 'corporibus liquidis sunt omnia pura relicta'
5.909 · fol. 100v · mark
– Attention dash at the rejection of Centaurs and Chimaeras.
short dash in the right margin at 'nixus in hoc uno novitatis nomine inani'
5.938 · fol. 101r · mark
– Attention dash at the life of the first humans.
short dash in the right margin at 'glandiferas inter curabant corpora quercus'
5.1096-1100 · fol. 104r · mark
.... Four dotted lines on the discovery of fire by the rubbing of branches.
small dots in the left margin at the heads of 'et ramosa tamen cum ventis pulsa vacillans', 'exprimitur validis extritus viribus ignis', 'emicat inter dum flammai fervidus ardor' and 'mutua dum inter se rami stirpesque teruntur'
quire signature L iiii
5.1115 · fol. 104v · mark
– Probably the scribe's paragraph tick.
a short stroke in the left margin at 'divitioris enim sectam plerumque secuntur', the ink of the text
5.1140 · fol. 105r · marginal word
metutum The rare participle picked out in the margin with the bracket prefix of '(vesti' (2.10), '( ordia' (4.35) and the rest; the one marginal word of Book 5.
'( metutum' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'nam cupide conculcatur nimis ante metutum'
quire signature L v
5.1181 · fol. 105v · mark
– Probably the scribe's paragraph tick.
a short stroke in the left margin at 'et simul in somnis quia multa et mira videbant', the ink of the text
5.1296 · fol. 107v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'exaequataque sunt creperi certamina belli'
The copy 29
| line | fol. | kind | the copy | reading | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.26 (after 5.31) | fol. 85r | correction | the copy gives 26 as two lines after 31: 'Tanto opere officerent nobis uncisque timendis / unguibus Arcadiae volucres [uncisque timendis] Stimphala colo/tes', the repeated 'uncisque timendis' struck and 'Stimphala colotes' running into the right margin | tanto opere officerent nobis uncisque timendis / unguibus Arcadiae volucres Stymphala colentes | Dittography struck; the line end written out into the margin. The two-line form of 26, placed after 31, is the exemplar's text (the Italian expansion of the Stymphalian birds), not the scribe's. Book 5 begins on 84v after the rubric; running head 'Liber' / 'Quintus' across 84v-85r; quire signature I v at the foot of 85r |
| 5.183 | fol. 88r | correction | 'facie' struck before 'scirent' in 'quid vellent facere ut scirent animoque viderent' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.210 | fol. 88r | correction | 'glebas' blotted and rewritten at the end of 'si non fecundas vertentes vomere glebas' | glebas | Scribe's own correction. |
| 5.264-266 | fol. 89r | correction | 'quicquid' reworked in 'sed primum quicquid aquai' (264); letters ('ex'?) added above 'partim' in 'partim quod validi verrentes aequora venti' (266) | quicquid; partim | Scribal corrections in the line; the superscript at 266 is uncertain. |
| 5.294 | fol. 89v | correction | 'ae' written above 'quoque' in 'quin etiam nocturna tibi, terrestria quae sunt' (copy: quoque for quae) | quae | Corrects the copy's quoque to quae. |
| 5.491 | fol. 93v | correction | 'campis' struck between 'procul' and 'a terris' in 'densabant procul a terris fulgentia templa' | [deleted] | Anticipation of 'campi' (492) struck. |
| 5.522 | fol. 94r | correction | 'ens' written above the line end of 'fluunt' in 'sive aliunde fluens alicunde extrinsecus aer' | fluens | Corrects fluunt to fluens. |
| 5.570-574 | fol. 94v | variant | the repeated line 'perveniunt nostros ad sensus et loca fulgent' stands both before and after 570 ('proinde calor quoniam solis lumenque profusum'), and 572-573 follow without it | [order] | The copy's order of the 571/574 doublet differs from the editions, which print it after 570 and again after 573. the scribe's paragraph flourish at 564 ('Nec nimio solis') is his own |
| 5.609 | fol. 95v | correction | 'ae' written above 'scintilla' in 'accidere ex una scintilla incendia passim' | scintilla | Scribal correction of the ending. |
| 5.640 | fol. 96r | correction | a hole in the parchment at 'rigorem' in 'brumalis usque ad flexus gelidumque rigorem', the lost letter 'o' supplied above | rigorem | Letter supplied over a flaw in the leaf. |
| 5.669 | fol. 96v | correction | 'que' supplied above the line in 'multa videmus enim, certo [quae] tempore fiunt' | quae | Supplies the omitted word. a modern pencil '700' in the right margin of 97r at 5.700 |
| 5.778 | fol. 98v | correction | 'conivent' struck and rewritten above the line in 'cum quasi conivent et aperto lumine rursum' | conivent | Scribe's own correction. |
| 5.803 | fol. 99r | correction | 'nunc' supplied above the line in 'folliculos ut [nunc] teretis aestate cicadae' | nunc | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 5.806 | fol. 99r | correction | a word struck before 'humor' in 'multus enim calor atque humor superabat in arvis' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.884 | fol. 100v | correction | 'adhuc' struck after 'puer' in 'floret equus, puer haut quaquam; nam saepe etiam nunc' | [deleted] | The copy's 'puer adhuc' corrected to the received text. |
| 5.925 | fol. 101r | correction | 'humanum' written twice and the first struck in 'Et genus humanum multo fuit illud in arvis' | humanum | Dittography struck. quire signature L at the foot of 101r (L, L ii, L iii, L iiii, L v on 101r-105r) |
| 5.977 | fol. 102r | correction | 'erant' struck after 'quod' in 'a parvis quod enim consuerant cernere semper' | [deleted] | Anticipation of 'consuerant' struck. |
| 5.993 | fol. 102r | correction | 'Corpora' struck at the head of 'viva videns vivo sepeliri viscera busto' | [deleted] | False start. quire signature L ii |
| 5.1039 | fol. 103r | correction | 'omne' struck after 'genus' in 'alituum porro genus alis omne videmus' | [deleted] | Anticipation struck. quire signature L iii |
| 5.1126 | fol. 104v | correction | 'compte' struck before 'contemptim' in 'invidia inter dum contemptim in Tartara taetra' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.1169 | fol. 105v | correction | 'et' supplied above the line in 'quippe [et]enim iam tum divom mortalia saecla' | etenim | Supplies the omitted syllable. |
| 5.1173 | fol. 105v | correction | letters added above 'videbantur' in 'membra movere videbantur vocesque superbas' | videbantur | Scribal correction of the ending. |
| 5.1174 | fol. 105v | correction | 'ple' struck before 'preclara' in 'mittere pro facie praeclara et viribus amplis' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.1187 | fol. 105v | correction | 'dere' written above the end of 'tradere' in 'tradere et illorum nutu facere omnia flecti' | tradere | Scribe's own correction. |
| 5.1278 | fol. 107v | correction | 'econtemptim' struck before 'e contemptibus' in 'porro aliud succedit et e contemptibus exit' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.1399 | fol. 109v | correction | a word struck before 'plexis' in 'tum caput atque umeros plexis redimire coronis' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.1421 | fol. 110r | correction | 'sal' struck before 'sanguine' in 'et tamen inter eos distractam sanguine multo' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 5.1457+ | fol. 110v | colophon | 'quintus explicit feliciter' in a small hand and lighter ink after 'artibus ad summum donec venere cacumen', then the rubric 'Lucretii liber sextus incipit foeliciter', then Book 6 with a small initial P | Quintus explicit feliciter. Lucretii liber sextus incipit foeliciter. | Scribal colophon and rubric between Books 5 and 6; Book 5 ends after fifteen lines on 110v under the running head 'Liber' (111r: 'Sextus'). quire signature M at the foot of 111r |
| catchword | fol. 90v | catchword | 'Preterea' in a box at the foot of the page, the first word of 91r (5.351) | Praeterea | Scribal catchword at the end of quire I. quire k begins on 91r (k, k ii, k iii, k iiii, k v at the feet of 91r-95r) |
Book VI
In the margin 20
6.105 · fol. 112v · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'nam cadere aut bruto deberent pondere pressae'
quire signature M iii on 113r
6.364 · fol. 117r · marginal word
frit The copy's corrupt 'frit' (for fretus) picked out in the margin with the bracket prefix of '(vesti' (2.10) and the rest; a word that puzzled the reader.
'( frit' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'nam fretus ipse anni permiscet frigus ad aestum', where the copy reads 'frit'
the scribe's flourish at 357 is his own
6.424 · fol. 118r · gloss
πρηστήρ The Greek word behind 'presteras' (the waterspout) written in the margin in Greek letters; compare the Greek glosses of Book 1 (1.830, 20v).
'πρηστηρ' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'presteras Graii quos ab re nominitarunt'
a faint '(' in the left margin of 117v is show-through of the 117r note
6.523 · fol. 120r · marginal word
rehalat The rare verb picked out with the bracket prefix; the first of four marginal words on this page.
'( rehalat' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'terraque cum fumans humorem tota rehalat' (copy: rehalat for redhalat)
pencil 120; 'humorem' reworked in the line
6.530 · fol. 120r · marginal word
geli duramen Two words of the line picked out, 'geli' and 'duramen' ('the great hardening of waters').
'( geli / duramen' in the right margin, lighter ink, one bracket spanning two lines, at 'et vis magna geli, magnum duramen aquarum'
6.534 · fol. 120r · mark
– Attention dash; no words.
short dash in the right margin at 'cum bene cognoris elementis reddita quae sint'
6.539 · fol. 120r · marginal word
derupta Picked out with the bracket prefix.
'( derupta' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'in gremio gerere et rupes deruptaque saxa'
faint brackets at 525 and 535 on this page are show-through of the 120v words
6.551 · fol. 120v · marginal word
subcudit The copy's reading picked out with the bracket prefix, in the gutter margin for want of room on the left.
'( subcudit' in the inner margin, lighter ink, at 'ferratos utrimque rotarum subcudit orbes' (copy: subcudit for succutit)
6.553 · fol. 120v · marginal word
gleba Picked out with the bracket prefix; the scribe had begun the line with 'terra' (anticipating 'e terra') and struck it.
'( gleba' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'gleba vetustate e terra provolvitur ingens'; 'terra' struck at the head of the line
6.563 · fol. 120v · marginal word
minant The copy's reading picked out; the bracket closes the word on the left side of the page as it opens it on the right.
'minant )' in the left margin, lighter ink, the bracket after the word, at 'inclinata minant in eandem prodita partem' (copy: minant for minent)
the grey marks in the right margin of 121r are show-through
6.619 · fol. 121v · marginal word
pelagus The Greek plural 'pelage' glossed by its nominative; the one marginal word of Book 6 without the bracket.
'pelagu' in the left margin, lighter ink, no bracket seen, at 'at pelage multa et late substrata videmus'
6.716 · fol. 123v · gloss
ἐτησίαι The Greek name of the Etesian winds written in Greek letters with the bracket prefix; compare the Greek at 6.424.
'( ετησιαι' in the right margin, brown ink, at 'anni tempore eo, qui etesiae esse feruntur'
running head 'Liber' / '.VI.' across 123v-124r
6.736 · fol. 123v · marginal word
ningues The rare noun picked out with the bracket prefix.
'( ningues' in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'crescat, ubi in campos albas descendere ningues'
quire signature N iiii on 124r, N v on 125r
6.916 · fol. 127r · marginal word
permanater The rare adverb picked out with the bracket prefix, in the copy's spelling.
'( pmanater' (permanater) in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'usque adeo permananter vis pervalet eius'
pencil 127
6.1005-1006 · fol. 128v · marginal word
inanitur vacefit The two rare verbs of the magnet passage picked out, one from each line.
'inanitur / vacefit' in the left margin, lighter ink, with a bracket to the right of the two words, at 'hoc ubi inanitur spatium multusque vacefit / in medio locus, extemplo primordia ferri'
the grey mark in the right margin of 128r is show-through of this note
6.1075-1077 · fol. 129v · mark
--- Three dashed lines on the purple dye that will not wash out of wool.
three short dashes in the right margin at 'corpore cum lanae, dirimi qui non queat usquam', 'non si Neptuni fluctu renovare operam des', 'non mare si totum velit eluere omnibus undis'
6.1127 · fol. 130v · marginal word
cibatus The rare noun picked out with the bracket prefix.
'( cibatus' in the left margin, lighter ink, at 'aut alios hominum pastus pecudumque cibatus'
6.1181 · fol. 131v · marginal word
expers somno The phrase picked out with the bracket prefix, 'expers' for the line's 'expertia'.
'( exps somo' (expers somno) in the right margin, lighter ink, at 'lumina versarent oculorum expertia somno'
the grey mark in the right margin at 1166 is show-through
6.1194 · fol. 132r · mark
· A dot at the description of the dying face; the ink is darker than the lighter ink of the notes.
a small dot in the left margin, dark ink, at 'tenve, cavati oculi, cava tempora, frigida pellis'
quire signature O ii; pencil 132
6.1246 (below) · fol. 132v · mark
... Three dots at the foot of the page, as at 4.911; purpose unclear.
three small dots at the foot of the page, bottom left, below 'optimus hoc leti genus ergo quisque subibat'
The copy 26
| line | fol. | kind | the copy | reading | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.48-51 (after 6.95) | fol. 112r | variant | 111v runs 6.36-47 and then 52-67; 112r gives 68-95 and then 48 'tu mihi supreme prescripta ac candida callis'; 112v opens with 49-51 and goes on to 96 | [order] | The copy places 48-51 after 95, as the manuscripts do; the editions restore them after 47. Book 6 begins on 110v after the rubric with a small blotted initial P; running head 'Liber' / 'Sextus' across 110v-111r; quire signature M on 111r, M ii on 112r |
| 6.48 | fol. 112r | correction | 'supreme' written twice and the first struck in 'tu mihi [supreme] supreme prescripta ac candida callis' | supremae | Dittography struck. a grey pencil squiggle in the right margin of 112r is modern |
| 6.231-232 | fol. 114v | correction | 'diffugiant' struck at the end of 'curat item vasis integris vina repente' and rewritten at the head of the next line, 'diffugiant, quia ni mirum facile omnia circum' | diffugiant | The line end written a line early and struck. |
| 6.243 | fol. 115r | correction | 'nim' supplied above the line in 'exa[nim]are homines, pecudes prosternere passim' (copy: examinare) | exanimare | Corrects examinare to exanimare. quire signature M v |
| 6.255 | fol. 115r | correction | 'terras' struck before 'coeptat' in 'cum commoliri tempestas fulmina coeptat' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 6.270 | fol. 115v | correction | 'mittunt' struck before 'fiunt' in 'sunt; ideo passim fremitus et fulgura fiunt' | [deleted] | Anticipation struck. |
| 6.328 | fol. 116v | correction | 'tur' supplied above the line in 'exprimi[tur] vis atque ideo volat impete miro' | exprimitur | Supplies the omitted ending. |
| 6.408 | fol. 118r | correction | a short word struck at the head of 'si nec opinantis autem volt opprimere igni' | [deleted] | False start. pencil 118 at the head of the page |
| 6.625-628 | fol. 121v | supplied lines | four lines written vertically in the right margin, lighter ink: 'una nocte vias quoniam persepe videmus / siccari mollisque luti concrescere crustas / preterea docui multum quoque tollere nubes / humorem magno conceptum ex equore ponti', a tie after 'ponti' at the end of the line 'humoris possunt verrentes aequora ponti' | una nocte vias quoniam persaepe videmus / siccari mollisque luti concrescere crustas / praeterea docui multum quoque tollere nubes / umorem magno conceptum ex aequore ponti | Supplies 625-628, lost by eye-skip from 'aequora' (624) to 'aequore' (628): the copy's 624 ends with the last word of 628 and 629 follows at once. The method of 1.117-118 and 4.174-175. the scribe's set-out P at 608 is his own; quire signature N ii on 122r |
| 6.702 | fol. 123r | correction | 'nominant' struck with 'it' written above it, and 'quas' supplied above the line with a caret after 'nos', in 'nominitant, nos [quas] fauces perhibemus et ora' (editions: quod) | nominitant; quas | The scribe mended his 'nominant' and then struck it; the supplied 'quas' is the exemplar's reading. quire signature N iii; 'ferro' at 708 rewritten bold by the scribe |
| 6.890 | fol. 126v | correction | letters struck between 'mari' and 'irat' in 'quod genus endo mari [...] irat fons dulcis aquai' (the copy's reading of 'marist Aradi') | [deleted] | A false start struck; the line stays corrupt. |
| 6.897 | fol. 126v | correction | 'h' supplied above the line in 'conveniunt aut in taeda corpora ad[h]erent' | adhaerent | Supplies the omitted letter. |
| 6.940 | fol. 127v | correction | 'agreg' struck before 'aggredior' in 'qua de disserere adgredior, firmare necessest' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 6.945 | fol. 127v | correction | 'per artus' corrected at the end of 'crescit barba pilique per omnia membra, per artus', letters written above | per artus | Scribe's own correction. |
| 6.1122 | fol. 130v | correction | 'conturbat' written twice and the second struck in 'qua graditur conturbat [conturbat] et immutare coactat' | conturbat | Dittography struck. |
| 6.1132 | fol. 130v | correction | 'pecudum' struck before 'balantibus' in 'pestilitas etiam [pecudum] balantibus aegris' (copy: etiam for et iam) | [deleted] | Anticipation struck. quire signature o on 131r |
| 6.1172-1174 | fol. 131v | variant | 'multi praecipites nymphis putealibus alte' stands before 'in fluvios partim gelidos ardentia morbo' and 'membra dabant nudum iacientes corpus in undas' | [order] | The copy has 1174 before 1172-1173, the manuscripts' order; the editions transpose. |
| 6.1174 | fol. 131v | correction | 'altra' (or the like) struck before 'alte' in 'multi praecipites nymphis putealibus alte' | [deleted] | False start. |
| 6.1195 | fol. 132r | correction | 'fr' struck before 'rictum' in 'duraque in ore, iacens [fr] rictum, frons tenta micabat' (copy: micabat for manebat) | [deleted] | False start. |
| 6.1214 | fol. 132r | correction | 'se' supplied above the line in 'cunctarum, neque [se] possent cognoscere ut ipsi' | se | Supplies the omitted word. |
| 6.1235 | fol. 132v | correction | 'cessabant' struck and rewritten in 'quippe etenim nullo [cessabant] cessabant tempore apisci' | cessabant | Scribe's own correction. |
| 6.1238 | fol. 132v | correction | letters written above 'cumulabat' in 'idque vel in primis cumulabat funere funus' | cumulabat | Scribe's own correction of the ending. |
| 6.1273 | fol. 133v | correction | 'remanebat' struck and rewritten in 'nec mos ille sepulturae [remanebat] remanebat in urbe' | remanebat | Scribe's own correction. |
| 6.1276 | fol. 133v | variant | the copy reads 'quisque suum consortem pro re maestus humabat' | consortem | The copy's 'consortem' for the editions' 'cognatum'. |
| 6.1281+ | fol. 133v | colophon | 'Finis Τελος' centred below 'rixantes potius quam corpora desererentur', the last line of the poem, and below that the subscription 'Nicolaus Maclavellus scripsit foeliciter' struck through by a single heavy stroke; the rest of the page blank | Finis. Τέλος. Nicolaus Maclavellus scripsit foeliciter. | The scribe's subscription naming himself, cancelled by one stroke; the Latin and Greek 'Finis' stand uncancelled. Terence's Eunuchus begins on 134r (prologue and first scene written as prose) under the quire signature O iiii. no running head on 133v; the cancelled subscription is the reason the hand was identified as Machiavelli's |
| 6.1282-1286 (before 6.1247) | fol. 133r | variant | 133r opens with 'inque aliis alium populum sepelire suorum' and the four lines that follow it to 'nec mors nec luctus temptaret tempore tali', and then 'Praeterea iam pastor et armentarius omnis' (1247) to 1269; 133v carries 1270-1280 and then 'rixantes potius quam corpora desererentur' (1281) as the last line of the poem | [order] | The copy places 1282-1286 before 1247, the manuscripts' order; the editions put them last. quire signature O iii; pencil 133 |