The Manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci, Vol. 6

[ LIE AND MOLE. VALOR AND LION. COWARDICE AND HARE ].

[Upside down:] LIE
The mole has very small eyes and always remains underground; it lives as long as it stays hidden, but as soon as it comes into the light, it dies immediately because it becomes known—so it is with a lie.

VALOR
The lion never fears; on the contrary, with a brave spirit, it engages in fierce battle against a multitude of hunters, always seeking to attack the first one who attacked it.

FEAR OR COWARDICE
The hare is always afraid; the leaves that fall from the plants in autumn keep it in a constant state of terror, and most of the time, it is in flight original: "infuga".

1 A circle—an autograph mark—appears near each title; a cross in grey pencil—a reader’s mark—is in the margin.
2. J.-P. Richter, Vol. II, no. 1229.

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[ MAGNANIMITY AND FALCON. VAIN GLORY AND PEACOCK ].

[Upside down:] MAGNANIMITY
The falcon original: "falcone" never hunts anything but large birds, and it would sooner let itself die than feed on small ones or eat foul-smelling fetid Decaying or stinking meat. flesh.

VAIN GLORY
Regarding this vice, one reads that the peacock is more subject to it than any other animal; this is because it is always contemplating the beauty of its tail, spreading it out in the shape of a wheel, and with its cry, it draws the attention of the surrounding animals to itself.
And this is the last vice that can be conquered.

1 A circle—an autograph mark—appears near the titles; a cross in grey pencil—a reader’s mark—is in the margin.
2. J.-P. Richter, Vol. II, no. 1230.

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[ CONSTANCY AND PHOENIX. INCONSTANCY AND SWIFT. TEMPERANCE AND CAMEL ].

[Upside down:] CONSTANCY
The phoenix is likened to constancy; because it understands by its nature its own renewal, it is constant in enduring the searing flames that consume it, and then it is born anew.

INCONSTANCY
The swift original: "martinet" / "rondone". A bird known for its constant, rapid flight. is associated with inconstancy, as it is always in motion and cannot endure the slightest discomfort.

TEMPERANCE [CONTINENCE]
The camel is the most lustful original: "lussurioso", meaning driven by sexual desire. animal there is, and it would follow a female for a thousand miles; yet, if it lived continually with its mother or sisters, it would never touch them, so well does it know how to restrain itself original: "tempere", meaning to practice temperance or self-control..

1 A circle—an autograph mark—appears near the titles; two crosses in grey pencil—reader’s marks—are in the margin.
2. J.-P. Richter, Vol. II, no. 1231.

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[ INTEMPERANCE AND UNICORN. HUMILITY AND LAMB ].

[Upside down:] INTEMPERANCE
The unicorn, because of its intemperance A lack of self-control, particularly regarding pleasures. and its inability to conquer itself, forgets its ferocity and wildness for the delight it takes in damsels original: "donzelle", referring to young maidens.. Casting aside all suspicion, it goes to the seated maiden and falls asleep in her lap, and in this manner, the hunters capture it.

HUMILITY
One sees the greatest experience of humility in the lamb, which submits itself to every animal. When lambs are given as food to caged lions, they submit to them as if to their own mother, so much so that many times the lions have been seen refusing to kill them.

1 A circle—an autograph mark—appears near the titles; a grey cross—a reader’s mark—is in the margin.
2. J.-P. Richter, Vol. II, no. 1232.