Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Satirae
Italy, second half of the 15th century
MS M.274 fol. 1r

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Legend, Theseus: with Minotaur -- Head of minotaur, tongue protruding from mouth, bleeding from top of head where one horn is missing, is on ground next Theseus' right foot. Theseus, wearing pointed hat with knotted sash, stands next to opening of cave, holding club with right hand over right shoulder and with left hand, Ariadne's thread, one end tied to nail or spike in wall, the other end in decorative knot on ground. The opening of the cave is labelled LABERINTVS; standing in the opening is bleeding front half of headless (minotaur).
In background, Juvenal, wearing hat and vair lined garment, resting left hand on left knee, and right hand on book on lectern before him, is seated on draped throne inscribed [I]VENALIS. He looks toward Theseus.
Legend, Theseus: deserting Ariadne -- Above Juvenal, ship sails away from Ariadne, wearing hat (?), arms outstretched, standing on shore. Scene in landscape with hills, trees and building.
Margins decorated with border of floreate ornament including strawberry, thistle and viola, and inhabited by man, seated with crossed legs, with right hand on right thigh, head supported by right hand; bird, possibly emu; fantastic animal; nude man, arms raised, emerging from flower; dragon; seated man.
In lower margin, heraldry of Heraldry of Pieracchi family (azure a fire gules, in chief a star or above the letters DC), the escutcheon supported by two wild men, each straddling scroll inscribed ARDENS AD POLUM DESIDERIUM and DESIR ME VARLHE.