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Seng, Helmut

Zeitzeichen und Falkenmotiv nach Horapollon in ms. Royal 12 C III (British Library)

2023 - LYSA Publishers

P. 625-642

  • Manuscript Royal 12 C III (British Library), which has convincingly been attributed to Filippo Alberici, is an example of Renaissance interest in hieroglyphs. It contains some illuminated plates of “hieroglyphic” inscriptions preceded by a lexicon of “hieroglyphs” which allows the deciphering of these compositions (subscriptions which give the “solutions” to the “riddles” are also added). Most of these “hieroglyphs” stem from the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, some are Alberici's inventions, and several are taken over from Horapollo, whose method of explaining the hieroglyphs is also adopted. The material from Horapollo, mainly centering on terms of time (eternity, year, month) and the multiple meanings of the falcon, is edited, translated, and analyzed.
  • The general impression is that Alberici is not as interested in ancient knowledge (and exactitude) as he is in showing off his skills and erudition in a playful manner. As an appendix, one example of “hieroglyphic” composition from the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and one from ms. Royal 12 C III are discussed [Publisher's text]

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Virtute vir tutus : studi di letteratura greca, bizantina e umanistica, offerti a Enrico V. Maltese. - ( Colibri ; 4)