Walters Ms. W.360, Gaius Julius Caesar, Commentaries on the Gallic War, Civil War, Alexandrian War, African War, and Spanish War

W.360

Gaius Julius Caesar, Commentaries on the Gallic War, Civil War, Alexandrian War, African War, and Spanish War

Commentaries on the Gallic War, Civil War, Alexandrian War, African War, and Spanish War

Authority name: Caesar, Julius

As-written name: C. Iulii Caesaris

Authority name: Hirtius, Aulus

As-written name: A. Hircii

Authority name: Pseudo-Aulus Hirtius

Written in the third quarter of the fifteenth-century CE, this manuscript contains what is known as the “corpus Caesarianum.” It consists of commentaries on five distinct wars including the Gallic (8 books), Civil (3 books), Alexandrian, African, and Spanish Wars, all of which were fought by the Roman statesman and orator Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE), who later became the first dictator of Rome. Caesar fought the Gallic War between 58 and 52 BCE, bringing the entirety of Gaul (modern day France and Belgium) under Roman control. The Civil Wars (49 to 48 BCE) were fought between Caesar and his fellow statesman Pompey the Great (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus), which began when Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon River with his army. After defeating Pompey he was named dictator of Rome, a first in the history of the city. The Alexandrian War (48-47 BCE) followed soon after, which was a civil war between Ptolemy XIII of Egypt and his sister-wife Cleopatra VII, who incited war when she endeavored to reign separately from her brother. Caesar became involved in the conflict and sided with Cleopatra. In 47 BCE the pair swiftly defeated Ptolemy XIII leaving Cleopatra the sole ruler of Egypt as well as the lover of Caesar. The African War (47-46 BCE) took place when Caesar journeyed to North Africa to defeat the last of Pompey’s supporters, Cato the Younger and Metellus Scipio. In the Spanish War (46-45 BCE), Caesar defeated Pompey’s two sons, which was the final step in his consolidation of power. In 44 BCE he was named dictator for life. The authorship of these five works is complex. It is generally agreed that Caesar himself, a highly regarded scholar and orator, wrote the commentaries on the Gallic and Civil War whereas his friend and supporter, Aulus Hirtius (90-43 BCE), wrote the final book of the Gallic War commentary (book VIII) as well as the account of the Alexandrian War. The author of the commentaries on the African and Spanish Wars remains undetermined. Due to their lesser quality in comparison to the rest of the corpus it has been suggested that they were perhaps composed by soldiers who had participated in each battle. The Gallic War was by far the most popular part of the corpus to be quoted and preserved in the medieval period. Some of the earliest surviving copies of the corpus come from France in the eleventh and twelfth centuries though Caesar’s text does not show up in Italian catalogues until the Renaissance. Caesar was a popular figure amongst Italian Humanists including famed scholar and poet Petrarch (1304-1374). He wrote “Vita Julii Caesaris (De Gestis Caesaris),” in which he praises Caesar but erroneously attributes the authorship of The Gallic War commentary to the fourth-century CE politician Julius Celsus Constantinus (d. 337 CE). This is most likely the reason that in the rubric before each book in the Walters manuscript Caesar is listed as the author with an added note that Julius Celsus Constantinus “improved (emendavit)” the text (for more on the appearance of this phrasing in the Walters manuscript see Brown, 1976, p.93). Nearly 220 manuscripts containing the “corpus Caesarianum” survive from the fifteenth century, which reveals the popularity of the text during the Renaissance. The Walters manuscript is unique in that we know a specific aspect of its life history. An inscription on fol. 1r commemorates that Francesco Maphei (Maffei), canon of Verona, Apolstolic writer, and protonotary donated the book to the Regular Canons residing in the Monastery of St. Leonard. Two incunabula (both texts of Boccaccio), now held in Venice’s Marciana Library, contain almost an identical dedicatory note (Inc. V. 0173.001 and Inc.V.0173.002) which allows us to give a general range of 1472-1520 for the life and dedication of Maphei.

Third quarter of the 15th century CE

Italy

Book

Historical

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.

Parchment

Fine quality, cream colored parchment; marginalia show evidence of significant cropping for the nineteenth-century binding (as seen on fol. 23r)

Foliation: ii+244+ii

Modern pencil foliation in upper-right corners rectos

Formula: Collation not possible due to tight binding

Catchwords: Written in black ink on bottom right of versos

Comments:

19.3 cm wide by 28.7 cm high

11.7 cm wide by 18.3 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 31
3. First line of text below ruling

fols. 1r - 244v:

1. Title: Commentaries on the Gallic War, Civil War, Alexandrian War, African War, and Spanish War
2. Authors: Hirtius, Aulus; Pseudo-Aulus Hirtius; Caesar, Julius
3. Hand note: Written in Humanist script
4. Decoration note: White-vine initials at major text breaks (fols. 18r, 27r, 34v, 43v, 58v, 70r, 95r, 109r, 132v, 146v, 179r, 202v, 231r); rubrics and explicit in red; text in black ink

fols. 1r - 1r:

1. Title: Donor note
2. Rubric: C. Iulii Caesaris Commentariorum Belli Gallici Lib. 1. Julius Celsus Constantinus Emendavit.
3. Incipit: Iste liber commentariorum fuit bone memorie Domini Francisci Maphei Canonici Veronesis Scriptoris apostolici et prothonotarii Qui eum dono dedit canonicis regularibus commorantibus in hoc Monasterii sancti leonardi &c.
4. Contents: This is a partially preserved folio that notes the gift of the book from Francesco Maphei (Maffei) to the Regular Canons at the monastery of St. Leonard
5. Text note: Translation of the dedicatory note: "This book of commentaries serves as a good remembrance of Master Francesco Maphei (Maffei), canon of Verona, Apolstolic writer and protonotary, who gives it as a gift to the Regular Canons residing in the Monastery of St. Leonard."

fols. 2r - 95r:

1. Title: Commentary on the Gallic War, Books I-VII
2. Author: Caesar, Julius
3. Rubric: C. Iulii Caesaris Commentariorum Belli Gallici Liber Primus Iulius Celsus Constaintinus Emendavit
4. Incipit: Gallia omnis est divisa in partes tres
5. Contents: This contains books I-VII of Caesar's Gallic Wars

fols. 95r - 109r:

1. Title: Commentary on the Gallic War, Book VIII
2. Author: Hirtius, Aulus
3. Rubric: Auli Hirci De Eodem Bello Prohoemium In Librum VIII
4. Incipit: Coactus assiduis tuis vocibus Balbe cum cotidiana mea recusatio non difficultatis accusatione
5. Contents: This text is book VIII of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War, which is now agreed to be the work of Aulus Hirtius

fols. 109r - 179r:

1. Title: Commentary on the Civil War, Books I-III
2. Author: Caesar, Julius
3. Rubric: Commentariorum C. Iulii Caesaris De Bello Civili Pompeiano Liber I Incipit Iulius Celsus Constantinus Vir Clarus Emendavit
4. Incipit: Exceptus est Caesaris adventus ab omnibus municipiis et colonis incredibili honore atque amore
5. Contents: The incipit of this text is actually the end of Caesar's Commentaries of the Gallic War as it is arranged in modern editions. The beginning of Caesar's Commentaries on the Civil War is on fol. 109v, line 14. This section contains books I-III of Caesar's Commentaries on The Civil War.

fols. 179r - 202r:

1. Title: Commentary on the Alexandrian War
2. Author: Hirtius, Aulus
3. Rubric: Commentariorum A. Hircii De Bello Alexandrino Liber IIII Incipit Iulius Celsus Constantinus Vir Clarus Emendavit
4. Incipit: Bello Alexandrino conflato Caesar Rhodo atque ex Syria Ciliciaque omnem classem arcessit
5. Contents: This book is believed to be written by the same Aulus Hirtius who wrote book VIII of Caesar's Commentary on the Gallic War.

fols. 202r - 231r:

1. Title: Commentary on the African War
2. Author: Pseudo-Aulus Hirtius
3. Rubric: Commentariorum A Hircii De Bello Africano Lib. V Incipit Iulius Celsus Constantinus Emendavit
4. Incipit: Caesar itineribus iustis confectis nullo nullo die intermisso

fols. 231r - 245v:

1. Title: Commentary on the Spanish Wars
2. Author: Pseudo-Aulus Hirtius
3. Rubric: Commentariorum A Hircii De Bello Hispaniensi Liber VI Incipit Iul. Celsus Constantinus Emendavit
4. Incipit: Pharnaces superato Africa recepta

fol. 18r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "C"
3. Form: Decorated initial "C," 5 lines
4. Text: The second book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War

fol. 27r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "C"
3. Form: Decorated initial "C," 5 lines
4. Text: The third book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War

fol. 34v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "N"
3. Form: Decorated initial "N," 2 lines
4. Text: The fourth book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
5. Comment:

   Although the initial shows an "N," based on preserved copies of the text it ought to read "E." The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 43v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "D"
3. Form: Decorated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: The fifth book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
5. Comment:

   The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 58v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "M"
3. Form: Decorated initial "M," 4 lines
4. Text: The sixth book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
5. Comment:

   The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 70r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "S"
3. Form: Decorated initial "S," 5 lines
4. Text: The seventh book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
5. Comment:

   Although the initial shows an "S," based on preserved copies of the text it ought to read "Q." This is confirmed by the red ink "Q" that is written between (and underneath) the decorated initial and the beginning of the text, forming the word "quieta." It is unclear why the initial is incorrect even though the correct letter, "Q," was clearly added before the initial was painted. The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 95r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "C"
3. Form: Decorated initial "C," 5 lines
4. Text: The eighth book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War, now agreed to have been written by Aulus Hirtius

fol. 109r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "E"
3. Form: Decorated initial "E," 5 lines
4. Text: The first book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Civil War
5. Comment:

   The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 132v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "C"
3. Form: Decorated initial "C," 5 lines
4. Text: The second book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Civil War
5. Comment:

   The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 146v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "D"
3. Form: Decorated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: The third book of Caesar's Commentaries on the Civil War
5. Comment:

   The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 179r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "B"
3. Form: Decorated initial "B," 5 lines
4. Text: Caesar's Commentaries on the Alexandrian War, now agreed to have been written by Aulus Hirtius

fol. 202v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "C"
3. Form: Decorated initial "C," 7 lines
4. Text: Caesar's Commentaries on the African War, the author now agreed to be unknown (Pseudo-Aulus Hirtius)
5. Comment:

   The scrolling vine motif to the left of the letter, as seen on other decorated initials within the text (fol. 18r, for example), has been cut out from the manuscript.

fol. 231r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "P"
3. Form: Decorated initial "P," 7 lines
4. Text: Caesar's Commentaries on the Spanish War, the author now agreed to be unknown (Pseudo-Aulus Hirtius)
5. Label: .

The binding is not original.

Bound in England ca. 1860 (date written on front pastedown) in brown leather (sheep?); pastedowns and flyleaves of modern paper; title gold tooled in modern Roman type face in the second compartment on the spine, reading: "IULII CAESARIS / COMMENTARIORU / M S"

Created in Italy, late fifteenth century CE

Given by Francesco Maphei (Maffei) (a canon, Apostolic writer, and protonotary from Verona) to the regular canons living at the monastery of St. Leonard

Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Barrois of Lille, acquired before 1849; Barrois number given on spine and on front pastedown as "93"

Earl of Ashburnham, England, purchased from Barrois sale, 1849

Julius D. Ichenhauser, New York, purchased from Ashburnham sale, Sotheby's, London, June 10, 1901, lot no. 90 ("90" written in circle at bottom of front pastedown in blue crayon; price (?) noted on front flyleaf i, r)

Henry Walters, Baltimore, purchased from bookseller Ichenhauser between 1901 and 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935, p. 837, no. 464.

Caesar, Julius, and H. J Edwards. The Gallic War. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1963.

Caesar, Julius, and A. G Peskett. The Civil Wars. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Press, 1966.

Brown, Virginia. The Textual Transmission of Caesar's Civil War. Leiden: Brill, 1972, p. 45.

Brown, Virginia. 'Caesar, Gaius Julius'. In F. E. Cranz, ed., Catalogus translationum et commentariorum. Vol. 3. Washington: Catholic University of America Press, 1976. 87–139.

Caesar, Julius, and A. G Way. Alexandrian War: African War ; Spanish War. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2014.

Principal cataloger: Berlin, Nicole

Cataloger: Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Conservator: Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Emery, Doug; Tabritha, Ariel; Vinson, Aubrey; Wiegand, Kimber

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.