Lactantius (Lucius Caecilius Firminianus) Three leaves from a manuscript of De opificio Dei, manuscript on parchment, in Latin, single column, 41 lines, written in an Italian humanist hand, capitals painted in blue, a few minor tears and losses especially in gutter, minor holes affecting one or two letters of text, script erased to verso (probably from glue) but legible under UV lamp, 4to, 260 x 193/198mm., Italy, 15th century.

⁂ These leaves contain large portions from chapters 5, 9, and 10 of De opificio Dei (The Workmanship of God) by the early Christian author Lucius CaeciliusLactantius (240-320 AD). Albeit re-used in a binding and hence somewhat damaged, these leaves still bear witness to the beauty of the dismembered humanistic manuscript from which they come, written in an elegant Italian hand on parchment, which was originally fine and white.