Medieval Latin Paleography: 1100-1500

Phil. 248, Green 351D

R. Wood (rega.wood@stanford.edu)

Tuesdays, 4:15-6:15 pm., Green 351D

 

             A course in the history of writing and editorial methods for medieval texts in philosophy, cosmology, mathematics, physics, psychology, and theology.  A survey of Latin scripts from 1000 to 1500 will provide some basis for dating and placing European manuscripts.  Emphasis will be placed on distinguishing characteristic letter forms and spelling peculiarities which date and place medieval manuscripts.

 

       Scripts considered will include Carolingian, Romanesque or Protogothic, Gothic, Cursive chancellory and documentary scripts, Bastarda, and Humanistic.  Medieval abbreviations, punctuation, and codicology will be introduced.   Instruction in the use of reference works such as incipit collections, manuscript catalogs and facsimile

collections will be provided in conjunction with the class project.                                     

 

     Students will transcribe a section from an anonymous commentary on Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, preserved in a Florentine manuscript, Bibl. Naz., Conv. sopp. G.iv.853, fol. 1-77.  In addition to transcription, students will study an aspect of the manuscript (its script, punctuation, or abbreviations) or the text (its translation, sources etc.) Collaboration is encouraged, since individual projects are intended to supplement each other.

 

      In addition to the class project, there will be a final exam.     Knowledge of Latin is a pre-requisite. 

 

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April  4: Introduction to Paleography and reference resources

 Dated French manuscripts

          

April 11: Abbreviations

           

April 18: Dated German manuscripts

 

April 25: Codicology

 

May  2:  Dated Italian manuscripts: Visit to Special Collections

                         

May  9:  Punctuation

             

May 16: Dated British manuscripts

 

May 23: Discussion of the Florentine Ethics commentary

            

May 30: Dated Iberian manuscripts

 

June 6: Class project

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Course requirements: Transcription, Presentation, Edition, Examination

 

Required purchase:  Course Reader, "Medieval Latin Paleography."

                    Chambers Murray Latin-English Dictionary

                    501 Latin Verbs.

                   

 

Recommended Books:

     M. Brown:  A Guide to Western Historical Scripts,  Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990-1999.

  

     F.. Moreland & R. Fleisher, Latin: An Intensive Course,   Berkeley: UC Press, 1990.  

 

     S. H. Thomson, Latin Book Hands,      Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1969. 

 

Resources for the purchase of out of print books:

       http://www.abebooks.com   ---    http://www.addall.com/