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Historia destructionis Troiae, by Guido delle Colonne, 15th century

 Item
Identifier: MS 188

Staff Only

Contents

Historia destructionis Troiae is an account of Troy and its destruction in the Trojan War, written in Latin verse. It was originally composed in the 13th century by Sicilian author, Guido delle Colonne. Guido claimed to have written the piece in just 71 days.

The poem begins on f. 1r with the Prologue. The first line reads: Ut si cotidie vetera recentibus obruant...The Prologue ends on f. 1v, with seriem accedamus. In the next line the text begins: In regno Thesalie...

Guido delle Cotonne's poem ends incompletely in MS 188, on f. 123v, with the words verumtamen dares et ditis qui tempora ipsius trojani bella

Writing

A small, neat hand.

Illumination

Contains rather rough red capitals, one larger and more elaborate at the beginning.

Dates

  • Creation: 15th century

Creator

Language of Materials

Latin

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to all. The manuscripts can be consulted in the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Main Library.

Full Extent

1 bound MS volume

Additional Description

Custodial History

Written in an Italian hand, but without signs of local provenance or any marks of ownership. The number '531' on a printed slip is on f. 1r.

Previous title

Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland’s catalogue: Guidonis de Colonna Historia Trojana.

Previous reference

D. b. II. 17.

Physical Facet

Material: Paper

Binding: Modern. Volume was unbound in 1916 (at the time of Catherine Borland's original catalogue of the medieval manuscript collection). The leaves were mounted and the volume was bound in vellum in 1938 by 'D.C[ockerell]. and Son'.

Collation: a16-g16, h11 (wants 1 and incomplete at end)= 123.

Dimensions

28.15 cm X 20.20 cm

General

Secundo folio: sui natus

Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 123 (+8 fly-leaves), 35 lines to a page.

Subjects

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

https://library.ed.ac.uk/heritage-collections
Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379