Manuscript of the complete works of Catullus, written in the Italic bookhand of Lodovico Regio of Imola.

Item

Identifier: Adv.MS.18.5.2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The text embodies a considerable number of readings apparently otherwise unknown; some of these are clearly errors, others if emendations display great metrical ignorance, but some are of superior quality and of these a few are normally ascribed to scholars of the 16th century and later. See ‘Scriptorium’, volume 37, pages 122-125.

The title page is surrounded by a border of cherubs, vases, etc., in red, purple, green, and gold, on a red ground; a coat of arms at the foot, probably that of Cardinal Luigi d`Aragona, has been erased. The first five lines of this page are respectively in blue, red, green, gold, and gold; the next two in a mixture of these colours. The titles of the poems (omitted in gathering 2 and partly in gathering 7) are alternately in purple, green, and red. Initials are gold, set in purple, green, red or blue ornamental panels. A few lines of text, marginal notes, and the subscription are in red.

Subscription, partly erased (folio 71 verso): ‘Scriptu[s per me Ludouicum Regium Imolensem] quanto potuit accuratius in tanta operis deprauati confusione Anno salutis M.ccccl [xxxx quinto, die] Septimo Kalendas [Nouembr]is hora post solis occasum Tertia ac dicatus Reuere[ndissimo Cardinali Ludouico Aragoniae …] in pignus ac monumentum amoris and f[idei] sempiternae.` A later hand has added `An. 1495. MCCCC.L.XXXXV.` This was originally followed by the inscription `Antonii Seripandi et amicorum`, now washed out.

Dates

Creation: 1495.

Extent

1 Volumes (i (paper) + ii + 71 + ii + i (paper) folios.)

Language of Materials

Latin

Additional Description

Arrangement

Collation: 1-7¹⁰, 1 leaf. Catchwords in the right-hand lower margin, at right angles to the text. Pricking not preserved. Ruling in ink. 1 column. 17 lines. Ruled area 135 x 80-90 millimetres. Secundo folio: `ipsa tarn bene.`

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Vellum. Scottish binding of red straight-grained morocco, tooled blind and in gilt on both sides, with marbled endpapers, circa 1820.

Custodial History

A dedicatory poem by Jo. Luchinus Curtius to Cardinal Luigi d`Aragona originally stood at the beginning, on a sheet now lost. The manuscript was therefore written for Cardinal d`Aragona (1474-1519) and later belonged to his secretary Antonio Seripandi (1485-1531), who gave his books to the church of S. Giovanni a Carbonara in Naples before 1528; it is number 1571 in a catalogue of the library there compiled circa 1570 (‘Analecta Augustiniana’, volume 29, pages 59-212). It appears to have been removed from that library before the end of the 17th century. It is said (see Bibliotheca Bodmeriana, ‘Catalogues: V: Manuscrits latins’) to have been number 121 in a sale of `rare and curious books consigned from Italy, the property of an Italian gentleman dec.[?]`, sold in London on 9-10 July, 1816. The manuscript was acquired by the Advocates’ Library before circa 1820.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.

Existence and Location of Copies

Microfilm available: Mf.Sec.MSS.364.

Related Materials

Another Catullus in the same hand and with similar decoration belonged to Sir Sydney Cockerell (Sotheby`s, 3 April, 1957, lot 17, with illustration) and is now Bibliotheca Bodmeriana, MS. lat. 47 (‘Catalogues: V: Manuscrits latins’).

A copy was made of this manuscript about the end of the 16th century by one M P, which is now Berlin, Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, MS. Diez. B. Sant. 46.

Bibliography

‘C. Valerii Catulli Carmina’, edited by B Mynors (Oxford, 1958).

Cunningham, I C, in ‘Scriptorium’, volume 37 (1983), pages 122-125.

Gutierrez, D (editor), in ‘Analecta Augustiniana’, volume 29 (1966).

Bibliotheca Bodmeriana. ‘Catalogues: V: Manuscrits latins’ par Elisabeth Pellegrin (1982).