1. Ross, Aristotle , 229 and 249-50. [BACK]

2. The dimensions of Figure 64 are 15.2 × 14.4 cm; left and right compartments are 7.8 × 5 cm, and the center ones are 4.5 cm. [BACK]

3. For a previous example of such a blank scroll, see above, Ch. 6 at nn. 11-13. There the personification of Deffaute (Fig. 11) carries no identifying tag.

4. Politiques , 373. For Menut's comment, see ibid., 179, n. 2.

5. Ibid., Gloss, 179. [BACK]

3. For a previous example of such a blank scroll, see above, Ch. 6 at nn. 11-13. There the personification of Deffaute (Fig. 11) carries no identifying tag.

4. Politiques , 373. For Menut's comment, see ibid., 179, n. 2.

5. Ibid., Gloss, 179. [BACK]

3. For a previous example of such a blank scroll, see above, Ch. 6 at nn. 11-13. There the personification of Deffaute (Fig. 11) carries no identifying tag.

4. Politiques , 373. For Menut's comment, see ibid., 179, n. 2.

5. Ibid., Gloss, 179. [BACK]

6. Ross, Aristotle , 52-57. [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

7. For Oresme's commentary on how Polity strikes a mean between the extremes of Oligarchy and Democracy, see Politiques , 180.

8. Ibid., 179.

9. Ibid., 181.

10. Ibid., 366.

11. Ibid., 364.

12. Ibid., 366.

13. Ibid., 368.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid., 187. Barker's summary of this passage as an introduction to Chapter 11 of Book IV follows: "Goodness itself consists in a mean; and in any state the middle class is a mean between the rich and the poor. The middle class is free from the ambition of the rich and the pettiness of the poor: it is a natural link which helps to ensure political cohesion" ( Politics , 179; IV.11 1295a). [BACK]

16. Dilwyn Knox, Ironia: Medieval and Renaissance Ideas on Irony , Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition, 16 (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1989), 19-20. [BACK]

17. The failure of the miniature in D (Fig. 65) to add a third figure is the most serious deviation from B in the illustration of Book IV. break [BACK]

18. Politiques , 182.

19. Ibid., 144. [BACK]

18. Politiques , 182.

19. Ibid., 144. [BACK]

20. For previous discussion of this theme, see Ch. 18 above. [BACK]

21. Politiques , 186.

22. Ibid., Gloss, 187.

23. Ibid., 189. Oresme does not believe that equality of wealth between "frans et seigneurs" is possible, but he states that inequality should be governed by proportional means which are "non pas irreguliere ne escessive."

24. For references to this idea, see ibid., 176, and Ch. 21. [BACK]

21. Politiques , 186.

22. Ibid., Gloss, 187.

23. Ibid., 189. Oresme does not believe that equality of wealth between "frans et seigneurs" is possible, but he states that inequality should be governed by proportional means which are "non pas irreguliere ne escessive."

24. For references to this idea, see ibid., 176, and Ch. 21. [BACK]

21. Politiques , 186.

22. Ibid., Gloss, 187.

23. Ibid., 189. Oresme does not believe that equality of wealth between "frans et seigneurs" is possible, but he states that inequality should be governed by proportional means which are "non pas irreguliere ne escessive."

24. For references to this idea, see ibid., 176, and Ch. 21. [BACK]

21. Politiques , 186.

22. Ibid., Gloss, 187.

23. Ibid., 189. Oresme does not believe that equality of wealth between "frans et seigneurs" is possible, but he states that inequality should be governed by proportional means which are "non pas irreguliere ne escessive."

24. For references to this idea, see ibid., 176, and Ch. 21. [BACK]

25. It would appear that the members of the building trades belong to the skilled crafts, whereas the unskilled laborers, who are called bannauses , do not. For this term, see Politiques , 167 and 370. [BACK]

26. See Maurice Bouvier-Ajam, Histoire du travail en France des origines à la Révolution , 2d ed. (Paris: Librairie Générale de Droit et de Jurisprudence R. Pichon et R. Durand-Auzias, 1981), 381 and 387. [BACK]

27. Cazelles, Société politique , 578; idem, Etienne Marcel , 105. [BACK]

28. For Oresme's commentaries on reforms in the church, see Babbitt, Oresme's Livre de Politiques , 116-19. [BACK]