The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete

by Leonardo da Vinci

(Of Selling Paradise.) An infinite number of men will sell publicly and unhindered things of the very highest price, without leave from the Master of it; while it never was theirs nor in their power; and human justice will not prevent it.

1297. PROPHECIES.

1300. Human beings will be seen who will not understand each other's speech; that is, a German with a Turk.

Fathers will be seen giving their daughters into the power of man and giving up all their former care in guarding them. (When Girls are married.)

Happy will they be who lend ear to the words of the Dead. (Who read good works and obey them.)

The works of men's hands will occasion their death. (Swords and Spears.)

Men out of fear will cling to the thing they most fear. (That is they will be miserable lest they should fall into misery.)

The Forests will bring forth young which will be the cause of their death. (The handle of the hatchet.)

(Of Stones converted into Lime, with which prison walls are made.) Many things that have been before that time destroyed by fire will deprive many men of liberty.

V. DRAUGHTS AND SCHEMES FOR THE HUMOROUS WRITINGS.

Schemes for prophecies (1324-1329).

1326. (Of Peasants who work in shirts) Shadows will come from the East which will blacken with great colour darkness the sky that covers Italy.

A COMMON THING.

(Money and Gold.) Out of cavernous pits a thing shall come forth which will make all the nations of the world toil and sweat with the greatest torments, anxiety and labour, that they may gain its aid.

(Of the Dread of Poverty.) The malicious and terrible [monster] will cause so much terror of itself in men that they will rush together, with a rapid motion, like madmen, thinking they are escaping her boundless force.

Irony (1332).

Tricks (1333-1335).

I am not to be accused, Oh Devatdar, of idleness, as your chidings seem to hint; but your excessive love for me, which gave rise to the benefits you have conferred on me [Footnote 55] is that which has also compelled me to the utmost painstaking in seeking out and diligently investigating the cause of so great and stupendous an effect. And this could not be done without time; now, in order to satisfy you fully as to the cause of so great an effect, it is requisite that I should explain to you the form of the place, and then I will proceed to the effect, by which I believe you will be amply satisfied.

Having many times rejoiced with you by letters over your prosperous fortunes, I know now that, as a friend you will be sad with me over the miserable state in which I find myself; and this is, that during the last few days I have been in so much trouble, fear, peril and loss, besides the miseries of the people here, that we have been envious of the dead; and certainly I do not believe that since the elements by their separation reduced the vast chaos to order, they have ever combined their force and fury to do so much mischief to man.

Notes about events observed abroad (1338-1339).

Drafts of Letters to Lodovico il Moro (1340-1345).

Beware, gentlemen of the Commission, lest too great speed in your determination, and so much haste to expedite the entrusting of so great a work

Miscellaneous Records (1354. 1355).

This spirit returns to the brain whence it had departed, with a loud voice and with these words, it moved… And if any man though he may have wisdom or goodness ………

Miscellaneous drafts of letters and personal records (1356—1368).

I know one who, having promised me much, less than my due, being disappointed of his presumptuous desires, has tried to deprive me of all my friends; and as he has found them wise and not pliable to his will, he has menaced me that, having found means of denouncing me, he would deprive me of my benefactors. Hence I have informed your Lordship of this, to the end [that this man who wishes to sow the usual scandals, may find no soil fit for sowing the thoughts and deeds of his evil nature] so that he, trying to make your Lordship, the instrument of his iniquitous and maliceous nature may be disappointed of his desire.

If you meet with any one who is virtuous do not drive him from you; do him honour, so that he may not have to flee from you and be reduced to hiding in hermitages, or caves or other solitary places to escape from your treachery;

What do you think here, Man, of your own species? Are you so wise as you believe yourselves to be? Are these things to be done by men?

1362. And so may it please our great Author that I may demonstrate the nature of man and his customs, in the way I describe his figure.

Do not reveal, if liberty is precious to you; my face is the prison of love.

Notes bearing Dates (1369—1378).

XXII. Miscellaneous Notes.

1381. NAMES OF ENGINEERS.

1425. Hermes the philosopher.

1430. Alberto da Imola;—Algebra, that is, the demonstration of the equality of one thing to another.

Undated memoranda (1435-1457).

Notes on pupils (1458-1468.)

Quotations and notes on books and authors (1469-1508).

1476.

1479. Aristotle in Book 3 of the Ethics: Man merits praise or blame solely in such matters as lie within his option to do or not to do.

1489. 5th Book of Euclid. First definition: a part is a quantity of less magnitude than the greater magnitude when the less is contained a certain number of times in the greater. A part properly speaking is that which may be multiplied, that is when, being multiplied by a certain number, it forms exactly the whole. A common aggregate part … Second definition. A greater magnitude is said to be a multiple of a less, when the greater is measured by the less. By the first we define the lesser [magnitude] and by the second the greater is defined. A part is spoken

Section title: Miscellaneous Notes.

Notes by unknown persons among the MSS. (1546-1565).