Bodleian Library
Univertiy of Oxford Manuscripts and Archives at Oxford University
  • Home
  • About
  • Help

Help with advanced searching

Diogenes Laertius — 15th century, dated 18 June 1452; Italian, Urbino

MS. Bywater 2

Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford

Details

This item is described in 1 online catalogue.?

For the main catalogue entry, see: Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries

Description

From Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries

This is an extract only. For more information, see the catalogue record in Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries.

Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries contains descriptions of all known Western medieval manuscripts held in the Bodleian Libraries, and of medieval manuscripts in selected Oxford colleges. Learn more.

Title

Diogenes Laertius — 15th century, dated 18 June 1452; Italian, Urbino

Shelfmark

MS. Bywater 2

Place of origin

Italian, Urbino

Date

15th century, dated 18 June 1452

Language

Latin

Contents

Diogenes Laertius Vitae philosophorum
(fols. 2r–3v) Incipit: Clarissimo ac optimo Viro Cosmo[sic] de Medicis Ambroxius in domino eternam salutem. Solventi mi⟨c⟩hi quedam gr(a)eca uolumina Venit ad manus laercij diogenis de philosophis prolixum opus
(fols. 3v–233r) Rubric: Laercij diogenis Vite atque sentencie eorum qui in philosophia claruerunt Liber primus incipit feliciter:

Form

codex

Support

Paper; watermark three mountains (cf. Briquet 11696).

Physical extent

i + 232 + i

Hands

Written in a capable humanistic semi-cursive hand

Decoration

Headings in red.

One three-line gold initial (fol. 2r); the rest two-line, plain red or with very simple ornament. A coat of arms (fol. 2r; see under Provenance).

Binding

Sewn on five cords and bound in 18th/19th-century pale brown sheep(?)-skin over pasteboards, the covers and spine blind-tooled with foliate and other repeat patterns; somewhat worn.

Acquisition

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1915; the upper pastedown and fol. 2r inscribed with the Bywater Elenchus no.: 'By. 1075', the current shelfmark, and a former Bodleain shelfmark, now obsolete: 'Byw. D.2.10'; catalogued after accession and allocated the Summary Catalogue no. 40034, also now obsolete.

Provenance

Scribal colophon 'Scriptum in Vrbino Anno domini Mileximo cccco Liio | Mensis Iunij die xviiiio. RAI. RAM.' (fol. 233r; 'RAI RAM' written like two separate abbreviated words, but possibly 'Maria R', backwards??); apparently made for a member of the Guidetti of Florence family, with their arms in the lower margin of fol. 2r: paly azure and argent, differenced with a label of three points in chief.

Inscribed, 19th(?) century '300' in the top right corner of the lower pastedown, perhaps a price.

Walter Sneyd: bought in Florence in 1832, according to a twenty-line note on fol. 1v, signed 'WS' in monogram; with his circular armorial bookplate on the upper pastedown, sold at Sotheby's, 17 December 1903, and three following days, lot 253, bought by Leighton for £2 15s, apparently on behalf of Bywater: a cutting from the sale catalogue is pasted to the upper pastedown, inscribed by Bywater 'Sneyd sale | S[otheby]W[ilkinson &]H[odge] 12/'03 | £2.15.0'.

Ingram Bywater

View full record in Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries

See this item

Requesting

For information on how to request this item, see Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries.

Viewing

This item is available to view online:

  • Digital Bodleian (1 image from 35mm slides)

Connections

People associated with this object

  • Traversari, Ambrogio, 1386-1439

  • Bywater, Ingram, 1840-1914

  • Diogenes Laertius

  • Guidetti, family, of Florence

  • Sneyd, Walter, 1809-1888

View full record

See this itemFind out how to request this item

View online
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford

On this page

  • Overview
  • Description from Medieval manuscripts in Oxford libraries
  • See this item
  • Connections
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of use
  • Contact

© Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford 2025

  • Mellon Foundation
  • Bodleian Libraries, Univertiy of Oxford
We use cookies to help give you the best experience on our website. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, we assume you agree to this. Please read our cookie policy to find out more. Cookie Policy