{"id":7638,"date":"2016-08-10T06:22:02","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T06:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/manuscriptevidence.org\/wpme\/?p=7638"},"modified":"2022-06-23T14:50:23","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T14:50:23","slug":"more-leaves-from-otto-ege-manuscript-51","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manuscriptevidence.org\/wpme\/more-leaves-from-otto-ege-manuscript-51\/","title":{"rendered":"More Leaves from ‘Otto Ege Manuscript 51’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Detached Leaves from Otto Ege’s
\nErfurt Manuscript of
\nAristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics<\/em>
\nin Latin Translation on Paper<\/h2>\n

\"Detail<\/a>Continuing our series on Manuscript Studies<\/a>, Mildred Budny newly identifies 2 detached leaves, in separate collections, from a paper manuscript dispersed by\u00a0Otto F. Ege<\/a> (1888\u20131951).\u00a0 Containing parts of the text of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethic<\/em>s in medieval Latin translation, the leaves formerly belonged to a copy prepared at Erfurt in Thuringia in Germany, and dated by colophon to 1365 C.E.<\/p>\n

Detached leaves from this book were distributed, in part, through one or another of Ege’s series of Portfolio editions of individual specimen leaves extracted from manuscripts and printed books.\u00a0 Earlier blogposts have examined cases from Ege’s Portfolios of Fifty Original Leaves<\/em> (1930\u20131950) and Famous Bibles<\/em> (1938 and 1949).\u00a0 They report the discoveries of a New Leaf respectively from Ege Manuscript 41<\/a>, from Ege Manuscript 8<\/a>, from Ege Manuscript 61<\/a>, and from Ege Manuscript 14<\/a>.\u00a0 Now it is the turn of “Ege Manuscript 51” and the Portfolios of Original Leaves from Famous Books<\/em> (1923 and 1949), in which its Aristotelian specimens normally appeared as their Leaf Number 2.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

[Posted on 10 August 2016, with updates provided generously right away by our Associates Lisa Fagin Davis and Linde M. Brocato:<\/em>
\n1. Lisa reports the survival now at Yale University of more leaves from the manuscript.<\/em>
\n 2. Linde \u2014 our guestblogger for a recent post (Lillian Vail Dymond<\/a>) and our consultant for a report in preparation (“Another Manuscript of Juan de Mena’s Laberinto da Fortuna”)\u00a0 \u2014 reminds me of the processes of gathering materials to open a medieval university and to stock its library, as well as to supply the needs of its teachers and students.\u00a0 Also, visiting Rhodes College in order to inspect its leaf, she reports observations which the online images do not show so clearly.<\/em><\/p>\n

And now with more updates from information and images provided generously by Amanda Faehnel and Kathleen Medicus of the Kent State University Libraries Special Collections<\/a>.\u00a0 Also with images reproduced with permission from The British Library<\/em>.<\/p>\n

More updates to come soon, now that (October 2016) I have seen more leaves from the manuscript and other related materials, at The Morgan Library and at The Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library. Much more to tell!\u00a0 The Forced Re-evaluation, considering the revealed evidence in the form of some Missing Links, mixes up the Story.\u00a0 In a word:\u00a0 Interesting!\u00a0 Watch this space.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Story So Far:<\/em>]<\/p>\n

Cliffhangers’ Notes (AKA Summary)<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethic<\/em>s meets Erfurt in Germany by 1365 CE.
\nOtto Ege meets Erfurt Manuscript.
\nEge labels pieces of Manuscript and sends them on their way.
\nScholars pick up the Pieces.
\nThe End.\u00a0 Not!<\/p>\n

The Text and Its Author<\/h3>\n
\"Rome,<\/a>

Rome, Palazzo Altemps. Marble bust portrait of Aristotle. Roman copy of Greek bronze original by Lysippos of 330 B.C.E. Photograph by Jastrow via Wikipedia Commons.<\/p><\/div>\n

For most audiences, the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle<\/a> (384\u2013322 B.C.E.) needs no introduction. Same, perhaps, for his Nichomachean Ethics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This text was one of\u00a0two or three treatises<\/a> (It’s Complicated) which Aristotle composed on the subject of ethics; it is the most widely read, and by far the most influential in the medieval West. The work comprises 10 Books, based apparently upon notes from the master’s lectures.\u00a0 The title reflects the dedication of the work to a Nichomachus<\/em>, presumably either Aristotle’s son or father, both having that name.\u00a0 Many summaries and assessments of this work and and its import reflect its significance in the transmission across ages.<\/p>\n

Besides the editions of the Greek original, there are multiple translations in divers languages, old and new. Modern English translations appear freely online on various sites. Examples include via<\/p>\n