Physiognomonica

This volume offers the first critical edition of the medieval Latin translation of pseudo-Aristotle’s Physiognomonica. The text was translated from Greek into Latin by Bartholomew of Messina during the reign of king Manfred (1258-1266) and deals with physiognomy.

The volume offers the first critical edition of the medieval Latin translation of Aristotle’s Physiognomonica. This treatise, nowadays considered pseudoAristotelian, is translated into Latin between 1258 and 1266 by Bartholomew of Messina and deals with physiognomy, a discipline which connects outward appearance and inward character traits. The translation received wide circulation at the University of Paris by means of several exemplaria. The Physiognomonica has survived in 128 manuscripts, which makes it Bartholomew’s most diffused translation. The introduction of the volume first discusses the text and manuscript tradition and then the relation to the Greek model. It appears that the Latin translation contains a unique version of the text compared to the extant Greek manuscripts, which makes it an important witness for the Greek tradition as well.