Liber Iesus, and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus
Milan, late fifteenth century
Rounded Humanist script
Biblioteca Trivulziana, Milan (Italy)
Ms. 2163 and Ms. 2167
date of Publication of the facsimile: 1980
Edition prepared by Electa Editrice (Italy)
Printer: Fantonigrafica di Venezia, Venice (Italy)
These two school books were written for Massimiliano Sforza, the eldest son of Ludovico
il Moro, duke of Milan, and of Beatrice d'Este. After introducing the alphabet, the child's
primer goes on the the basic Latin prayers. The elementary
Ars minor of Donatus, as
well as the
Disticha Catonis (phrases conveying general moral teachings) which
follow if in this textbook, were standard schoolroom materials for teaching elementary
Latin during the Middle Ages, though they were not normally transmitted in such luxurious
format. Note the use of Italian in the caption describing the picnic scene.
