Medieval Latin
Paleography: 1100-1500
Phil.
248, Green 351D
R.
Wood (rega.wood@stanford.edu)
Mondays,
A course in the history of
writing and editorial methods for medieval texts in philosophy, cosmology,
physics, psychology, and theology. Phil 248 prepares students
for research with original medieval manuscripts. Emphasis is on distinguishing characteristic
letter forms and spelling peculiarities which date and place medieval
manuscripts.
Scripts considered are Romanesque or
Protogothic, Gothic or textualis, Cursive (Antiquior & Modernior),
Bastarda, and Humanistic. Medieval abbreviations, punctuation, and codicology
are introduced.
Instruction in the use of reference works such as incipit
collections, manuscript catalogs and facsimile collections is provided in
conjunction with the class project. The
class project is to study, describe, and transcribe a chapter in a medieval
encyclopedia or Compendium composed about 1240, but still considered a
good basic introduction to philosophy in the fifteenth century, when Pope
Sixtus IV (Della Rovere) ordered his own copy.
Intended for well-educated non specialists, the Compendium
philosophiae tells us how medieval thinkers, from poets to physicians,
believed the world worked – about matter and form, ethics and theology, but
also about storms and earthquakes, pelicans and donkeys.
In addition to the class project, there
will be a final exam. Open to graduates
and undergraduates. Knowledge of Latin
is a pre-requisite.
◄►
January 3: Introduction to Paleography and reference resources
January 10: Dated French manuscripts
January 17
(MLK): Abbreviations
January 24: Dated German manuscripts
January 31:
Codicology
February
7: Dated Italian manuscripts
February 14:
Punctuation
February 21
(President’s Day):
Dated British manuscripts
February 28: Class project discussion
March 7: Dated Iberian manuscripts
March 14:
Rare Books & Manuscripts Visit
◄►
Course
requirements: Transcription, Presentation, Edition, Examination
Required
purchase: Course Reader, "Medieval
Latin Paleography."
Strongly
Recommended Books:
A. Derolez, The Palaeography of Gothic Manuscript
Books, from the Twelfth to the Early Sixteenth Century,
Chambers
Recommended
Books:
M. Brown:
A Guide to Western Historical Scripts, Toronto: Univ. of Toronto Press, 1990-1999.
F. Moreland & R. Fleisher, Latin:
An Intensive Course,
S. H. Thomson, Latin Book Hands,