The Care of Books Part 9

(_b_) PALAMEDES.

Palamedes bello Troiano Graecis litteris quattuor adiecit.

(_c_) SIMONIDES.

Simonides Melicus quattuor Graecarum litterarum inventor.

(_d_) EPICHARMUS.

Epicharmus Siculus duas Graecas addidit litteras.

On the cornice of the presses:

(_a_) Qui evitat discere incidet in mala. Prov. vii. 16.

(_b_) Non glorietur sapiens in sapientia sua. Ier. ix. 23.

(_c_) Si quis indiget sapientia postulet a Deo. Iac. i. 15.

(_d_) Melior est sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis. Prov. viii. 11.

6. FIFTH PIER.

(_a_) EVANDER.

Evander Carment. F. aborigines litteras docuit.

(_b_) NICOSTRATA.

Nicostrata Carmenta latinarum litterarum inventrix.

(_c_) DEMARATUS.

Demaratus Corinthius etruscarum litterarum auctor.

(_d_) CLAUDIUS.

Claudius imperator tres novas litteras adinvenit.

On the cornice of the presses:

(_a_) Non erudietur qui non est sapiens in bono. Eccl. xxi. 24.

(_b_) Viri intelligentes loquantur mihi. Iac. x.x.xiv. 34.

(_c_) Non peribit consilium a sapienti. Ier. xviii. 18.

(_d_) Sapientiam atque doctrinam stulti despiciunt. Prov. i. 17.

7. SIXTH PIER.

(_a_) CHRYSOSTOM.

S. Io. Chrysostomus litterarum Armenicarum auctor.

(_b_) VLPHILAS.

Vlphilas Episcopus Gothorum litteras invenit.

(_c_) CYRIL.

S. Cyrillus aliarum Illyricarum litterarum auctor.

(_d_) JEROME.

S. Hieronymus litterarum Illyricarum inventor.

On the cornice of the presses:

(_a_) Scientia inflat charitas vero aedificat. Cor. viii. 1.

(_b_) Sapere ad sobrietatem. Rom. xii. 3.

(_c_) Vir sapiens fortis et vir doctus robustus. Prov. xxiv. 5.

(_d_) Ubi non est scientia animae non est bonum. Prov. xix. 2.

8. PILASTER AGAINST WEST WALL.

CHRIST.

Our Lord is seated. Over His Head [Greek: Alpha], [Greek: Omega]; in His Hand an open book: Ego sum [Greek: Alpha] et [Greek: Omega]; principium et finis. At His Feet: Iesus Christus summus magister, caelestis doctrinae auctor.

On Christ's right hand is a POPE, standing, with triple cross and tiara.

Christi Domini vicarius.

On Christ's left hand is an EMPEROR, also standing, with crown, sword, blue mantle.

Ecclesiae defensor.

I will now pa.s.s to the decoration of the walls. On the south wall, between the windows, are representations of famous libraries; on the north wall, of the eight general Councils of the Church. Each s.p.a.ce is ornamented with a broad border, like a picture-frame. In the centre above is the general t.i.tle of the subject or subjects below: e.g. _Bibliotheca Romanorum_; and beneath each picture is an inscription describing the special subject.

Above each window, on the vault, is a large picture, to commemorate the benefits conferred by Sixtus V. on Rome and on the world. I will describe the libraries first, beginning as before at the east end of the room.

I. SIXTUS V. AND THE ARCHITECT FONTANA.

(Right of Entrance.)

Sixtus V. Pont. M. Bibliothecae Vaticanae aedificationem prescribit.

The Pope is seated. Fontana, a pair of compa.s.ses in his right hand, is on one knee, exhibiting the plan of the intended library.

II. MOSES ENTRUSTS THE TABLES OF THE LAW TO THE LEVITES.

(Left of Entrance.)