Add MS 44985

SEXTUS JULIUS FRONTINUS, STRATEGEMATA: nine leaves, in Latin, of an illustrated copy, written and illuminated in Italy in the late 14th cent. The text (following the divisions of G. Gundermann, Iuli Frontini Strategemata Libri quatuor, Leipzig, 1888) consists of Bk. II, cap. iii. 17-20 (ff. 1-3b), 22-24 (ff. 4-4b); cap. iv. 1-8 (ff. 5-6b); cap v. 15-18 (ff. 7-8b), 24-26, 32 and 36 (imperfect)(ff.9-9b). In cap. iii, sections 17, 18, 20, 23 and 24 are misnumbered, in the same hand as the text, 16, 17, 18, 21 and 22. The sections in caps. iv and v are correctly numbered, but written in the following order: iv. 1, 3, 5, 2, 4, 6-8; v. 15-18, 24, 32, 36, 25, 26. Numerous textual corrections have been made in at least two 15th-cent. hands. See also Brit. Mus. Quart., xii, 1937- 1938, pp. 8-9, pl. ix (reproducing f. 2). Vellum: ff. 9. 368 mm. x 256 mm. Late XIV cent. Ff. 1-6 form part of one gathering, f. 7 is a single leaf, ff. 8-9 are a bifolium. Consecutive leaves are

ff. 1-3; 4-6; 7-8. Written in a clear book hand in double columns of 2 to 13 lines. Spaces for coloured initials on most pages. Large coloured drawings, in an Italian style, without frames or background, below the text on every page, usually extending over about three-quarters of the area. All the drawings (which include some finely executed drawings of horses) are by the same artist, in a crude but vigorous style of which the present MS. is apparently the only recorded example. The colours are mostly dark browns, black, dull reds and dark blues, heavy and flat in texture. The drawings on ff. 1, 1b and 3b are badly rubbed. The subjects are:-

1. Chariots and cavalry of Archelaus drawn up for battle against Sulla (Bk. II, cap. iii. 17). f. 1.

2. Sulla's defences against Archelaus (II. iii. 17). f. 1b.

3. Success of Sulla; Archelaus's battle-line in confusion (II. iii. 17). f. 2.

4. Alexander's circular battle-line at Arbela (II. iii. 19). f. 2b.

5. The confronting battle-lines of Æmilius Paulus and Perseus of Macedon (II. iii. 20). f. 3.

6. Roman cavalry engaging Macedonian spearman (II. iii. 20). f. 3b.

7. Dismounted cavalry of Germanicus fighting the Chatti near a wood (II. iii. 23). f. 4.

8. Grappling-hook devised by C. Duellius in use against Carthaginian ships (II. iii. 24). f. 4b.

9. Auxiliaries of Papirius Cursor raising clouds of dust to simulate the approach of reinforcements (II. iv. 1). f. 5.

10. Troops of Fabius Rullus Maximus attacking the Samnites in the rear (II. iv. 2). f. 5b.

11. Acilius Glabro confuses the forces of Antiochus at Thermopylae by placing a detachment on a hill overlooking his camp (II. iv. 4). f. 6.

12. The Battle of Aquae Sextiae. Marius sends Marcellus with a detachment disguised as a large force to attack the Teutones in the rear (II. iv. 6). f. 6b.

13. The Chians capture and kill a spy and dress one of their own men in his clothes in order to lure the Erythreans into an ambush (II. v. 15). f. 7.

14. The Arabians ambush an enemy force by pretending that its presence is undetected and discontinuing their customary fire and smoke alarm (II. v. 16). f. 7b.

15. Alexander attacks the enemy after lighting fires as though his army remained encamped (II. v. 17). f. 8.

16. Memnon the Rhodian lures the enemy from the hills by sending a pretended deserter to them with false reports (II. v. 18). f. 8b.

17. Hannibal ambushes Flaminius at Lake Trasimene (II. v. 24). f. 9.

18. Hannibal harasses the Roman camp with night attacks, so that the Romans are too exhausted to withstand a morning assault (II. v. 25). f. 9b.

Several of the coats of arms in the battle-scenes are those of Italian families, viz.:-Barboniani of Venice, or a bend sable, f. 2b; Aquilera of Messina, azure an eagle displayed or, f. 2b; Basegi of Venice and Averolda of Brescia, or a bend gules, f. 4b; Barlotta of Sicily, gules a bend or between two estoiles or, ff. 5, 6b; Silaretani of Venice, gules two chevrons argent, f. 5; Amidei of Florence, or a fess gules, f. 7; Savonieri of Venice, gules a bend indented argent, f. 7b; Aldoin of Venice, Christofani of Naples and Baludi of Padua,

argent three bars gules, f. 8b. At the top of f. 1 is a scribbling of various forms of letters A-G of the alphabet in a 15th-cent. hand. A largely indecipherable inscription in a 15th-cent. hand at the top of f. 5b reads in part: 'Iste liber [constat?] Tomas [Symons?] and Elenor [de Luhyd?] ys [boke of defaunce?] a deabolys p[ro?]dit amen....' The name 'Nicolas Why' is written in the middle of a drawing on f. 7 in a 15th-cent. hand. Belonged, 20th cent., to Miss Mary Catherine Wilbraham. Presented by the National Art-Collections Fund.