Imaging Aristotle: Verbal and Visual Representation in Fourteenth-Century France

857 Pages·1995·16.69 MB·English

by  Claire Richter Sherman

title:
author:
publisher:
isbn10 | asin:
print isbn13:
ebook isbn13:
language:
subject
publication date:
lcc:
ddc:
subject:
Page iii
Imaging Aristotle
Verbal and Visual Representation in Fourteenth-Century
France
Claire Richter Sherman
Page iv
The Publisher gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the Samuel
H. Kress Foundation, which made possible the color plates for this
book.
The Publisher also acknowledges with gratitude the contribution by
the Art Book Endowment Fund of the Associates of the University of
California Press, which is supported by a major gift from the
Ahmanson Foundation.
University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd., London, England
© 1995 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sherman, Claire Richter.
Imaging Artistotle: verbal and visual representation in fourteenth-
century France / Claire Richter Sherman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-520-08333-4
1. French languageTo 1500Style. 2. Oresme,
Nicole, ca. 1320-1382Contributions in translating.
3. Illumination of books and manuscripts, MedievalFrance.
4. Illumination of books and manuscripts, French. 5. Translating
and interpretingFranceHistory. 6. Art and literatureFrance
History. 7. FranceCivilization13281600. 8. Aristotle
AppreciationFrance. 9. AristotlePolitics. I. Title.
PC2875.S53 1995
448¢.0271dc20 94-7127
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
Page v
To My Husband and Son
Page vii
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations IX
Acknowledgments XVII
Abbreviations of Principal Manuscripts XIX
Introduction XXI
Part I
The Historical Context of Oresme's Translations
1. Royal Patronage of Vernacular Translations 3
2. Intellectual and Political Ties between Nicole Oresme 13
and Charles V
3. Nicole Oresme as Master of the Texts 23
Part II
Personifications and Allegories as Cognitive and
Mnemonic Subject Guides: The Programs of Illustrations
in Charles V's Copies of the Livre d'éthiques
4. Preliminary Considerations 37
5. Dedication Frontispieces (Book I) 45
6. Virtue as Queen and Mean (Book II) 60
7. Courage, Moderation, and Their Opposites (Book III) 72
8. Generosity, Magnanimity, Profligacy, and Avarice 83
(Book IV)
9. The Centrality of Justice (Book V) 93
10. Guides to the Intellectual Virtues (Book VI) 117
Page viii
11. Reason and Desire: Moral Decisions (Book VII) 131
12. Friendship: Personal and Social Relationships (Book 141
VIII)
13. Moral Obligations of Friendship (Book IX) 153
14. Contemplative Happiness and Intellectual Activity 163
(Book X)
Part III
Paradigms of the Body Politic: The Programs of
Illustrations in Charles V's Copies of the Livre de
politiques and the Livre de yconomique
15. Contrasts and Continuities 177
16. The Six-Forms-of-Government Frontispieces (Book I) 184
17. Classical Authorities on Political Theory (Book II) 199
18. Threats to the Body Politic (Book III) 209
19. Foundations of Political Stability (Book IV) 221
20. Undermining the Body Politic (Book V) 231
21. Good Democracy: A Pastoral Vision? (Book VI) 240
22. Citizens and Noncitizens (Book VII) 253
23. Education of the Young (Book VIII) 269
24. Family and Household (Book I, Yconomique) 280
25. The Marriage Ceremony (Book II, Yconomique) 293
Conclusion 303
Appendix I 309
MS A
Appendix II 313
MS C
Appendix III 317
MS B
Appendix IV 321
MS D
Appendix V 325
MS B, fol. 2, Oresme's Second Instruction to the Reader of
the Politiques
Abbreviations of Frequently Cited Works 327
Notes 331
Bibliography 395
Index 407
Page ix
ILLUSTRATIONS
Plates Following
Page 152
1. Charles V Receives the Book from Nicole
Oresme; Félicité humaine. Les éthiques
d'Aristote, The Hague, Rijksmuseum
Meermanno-Westreenianum, MS 10 D 1, Fol. 5
(Photo: Rijksmuseum Meermanno-
Westreenianum, The Hague)
2. Superhabondance, Vertu, Deffaute. Les
éthiques d'Aristote, Brussels, Bibl. Royale Albert
Ier, MS 950506, Fol. 24 (Copyright Bibliothèque
Royale Albert Ier, Brussels)
3. Justice légale with Fortitude, Justice
particulière, Mansuétude, Entrepesie; Justice
distributive, Justice commutative. Les éthiques
d'Aristote, Brussels, Bibl. Royale Albert Ier, MS
950506, Fol. 89 (Copyright Bibliothèque Royale
Albert Ier, Brussels)
4. Art, Sapience. Les éthiques d'Aristote,
Brussels, Bibl. Royale Albert Ier, MS 950506,
Fol. 115v (Copyright Bibliothèque Royale Albert
Ier, Brussels)
5. A Ransom Dilemma: Father or Son, Father or
Friend, Friend or Son. Les éthiques d'Aristote,
The Hague, Rijksmuseum Meermanno-
Westreenianum, MS 10 D 1, Fol. 170 (Photo: