I. The audacity of the forgery accounted
for by the mean opinion Bracciolini had of the intelligence
of men. II. The character and tone of the
last Six Books of the Annals exemplified by what
is said of Sabina Poppaea, Sagitta, Pontia and Messalina.
III. A few errors that must have proceeded from
Bracciolini about the Colophonian Oracle of Apollo
Clarius, the Household Gods of the Germans, Gotarzes,
Bardanes and, above all, Nineveh. IV.
The estimate taken of human nature by the writer of
the Annals the same as that taken by Bracciolini.
V. The general depravity of mankind as shown in the
Annals insisted upon in Bracciolini’s Dialogue
“De Infelicitate Principum”.
THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
I. The intellect and depravity of the age.
II. Bracciolini as its exponent. III.
Hunter’s accurate description of him. IV.
Bracciolini gave way to the impulses of his age.
V. The Claudius, Nero and Tiberius of the Annals
personifications of the Church of Rome in the fifteenth
century. Vi. Schildius and his doubts.
VII. Bracciolini not covetous of martyrdom:
communicates his fears to Niccoli. VIII.
The princes and great men in the Annals the princes
and great men of the XVth century, not of the opening
period of the Christian aera. IX. Bracciolini,
and not Tacitus, a disparager of persons in high
places.
Further proofs of forgery.
I. “Octavianus” as the
name of Augustus Caesar. II. Cumanus and
Felix as joint governors of Judaea. III.
The blood relationship of Italians and Romans.
IV. Fatal error in the oratio obliqua.
V. Mistake made about “locus”. Vi.
Objections of some critics to the language of Tacitus
examined. VII. Some improprieties that
occur in the Annals found also in Bracciolini’s
works. VIII. Instanced in (a) “nec—aut”.
(b) rhyming and the peculiar use of “pariter”.
IX. The harmony of Tacitus and the ruggedness
of Bracciolini illustrated. X. Other peculiarities
of Bracciolini’s not shared by Tacitus:
Two words terminating alike following two others with
like terminations; prefixes that have no meaning;
and playing on a single letter for alliterative purposes.
THE TERMINATION OF THE FORGERY.
I. The literary merit and avaricious humour
of Bracciolini.
II. He is aided in his scheme by a monk
of the Abbey of Fulda.
III. Expressions indicating forgery.
IV. Efforts to obtain a very old copy of
Tacitus.
V. The forgery transcribed in the Abbey of Fulda.
VI. First saw the light in the spring of
1429.
THE FORGED MANUSCRIPT.
