Ars grammatica by Alcuin

Object type Manuscript / Muniment Record level Item

Details

ID
ms38904
Title
Ars grammatica by Alcuin
Description
Elementary text on teaching Latin by Alcuinus, entitled: "Albini grammatici et rethoris liber de octo partibus orationis".


Known as Ars grammatica, De grammatica et partibus orationis et eorum accidentibus per dialogum, De octo partibus orationis, Dialogus Saxonis et Franconis et Saxonde de octo partibus orationis, Enchiridion, sive Grammaticain modum dialogi inter Francum et Saxonem, Franco et Saxo.


Incipit: "Fuerunt in scolis magistri Albini duo pueri unus franco alter vero Saxo:"
Explicit: "vel brevius acutuis vel gravius incondita voceproferuntur."
Initials and titles in red, rubricated.
Clear Renaissance humanist hand.


Many minor variations from printed text.
Created in Como, Northern Italy.
Collection
Individual Manuscripts and Small Collections
Parent record
Individual Manuscripts and Small Collections Parent record level Collection
Hierarchy
View hierarchy
Created by
Date
[ca. 1450]
Admin history
Alcuin (c.730-804), the mastermind of the Carolingian renaissance and counsellor of Charlemagne, wrote this dialogue in 798 in Tours, maybe based on his colloques with Charlemagne. Using sources from Cicero, Julius Victor, Donatus, Priscian, Bede, Cassiodorus and Isidor of Seville, he composed a dialogue between an (Anglo)Saxon and a Frankish pupil, guided by a teacher. Alcuin propagates the use of correct grammar avoiding barbarisms, and using correct orthography and punctuation.


Alcuin's text was one of the principal texts of Carolingian Renewal and of the re-establishing of the Artes Liberales as a programme of education and learning. The text was always regarded as a cornerstone of the Carolingian renaissance. Though a critical edition is still missing (we have to use Migne, PL 101, col. 854-902, following an 18th century edition, an edition for the CCCM is planned), the text is cited and translated in every major book on Carolingian culture or medieval grammar. Alcuin wrote this text also as a model how to teach Latin and Latin grammar in school, so the text is also a major document of pedagogy. It aims to recast the information in Priscian's Institutiones grammaticae into a more digestible form as a dialogue between a Frankish pupil and his Saxon comrade. The details of the students' ages suggest that the boys were actual pupils at the court school, and the text served as a way of enlivening otherwise dull grammatical instruction, as well as giving the boys a vehicle for rehearsing the material among themselves.
Archival history
The manuscript has three owner entries of the family De Cochis or De Coqis from the 15th century.
"Iste liber est mey Andree et Dombeli de cochis qui pergunt ad scolas domini magistri theodori de Lucino qui est bonus doctor in sua gramaticha et sic dealiis";
"Iste liber est mei Lanzaroti de coquis filius quondam domini petri".
This seems to be the family of Nicola Coqui, orator, c.1600.


A schoolmaster Bertramus da Lucino is also mentioned - the humanist Theodorus de Lucino in Como was schoolmaster of the former bishop and cardinal Matthäus Schiner.


Unusual original cheap limp binding as such bindings were usually replaced by leather bindings by libraries.
Two inscriptions from the region of Como as well as watermarks from Milano and the notarial document, given in Como, indicate the origin in Northern Italy. Shows Alcuin was still being used in humanistic schools in the later MiddleAges.


"Joannis Baptistae Comitis 1787 Second volume produced in 1633" on a loose piece of paper.
Physical description
Manuscript on paper, 4to, limp parchment binding with packed straight sewing on external supports using a notarial document from Como, 21 and 28 October 21 1371. 48 leaves.
Extent
  • 1 volume, 48 leaves
Department
Special Collections - Archive Collections
Record level
Item
Credit line
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums, ID: ms38904

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