Letter: Bodl. MS heb. c 72/10

Description

Letter. In Hebrew. Eliyya b. Elyaqim, in Damietta, writes to Moshe b. Yehuda, in Alexandria. The writer signs only his first name on this letter, but his full name on Bodl. MS heb. c 72/14. Dating: Tuesday 24 Kislev (written in the document), probably 1486 CE (the first year in which 24 Kislev fell on a Tuesday after 1484, the date of Eliyya's previous extant letter, Bodl. MS heb. c 72/14.) Subject: shipments of manuscripts. Eliyya reports that he received two letters from the addressee by way of Ibrāhīm Turjiman (טורצימן). Moshe had received the book Torat ha-Adam (by Nachmanides) from Eliyya, but complained in his letter that the writing was inferior. Eliyya apologizes, saying that when he was in Crete giving instructions to the scribe, he ensured that the paper and the writing were of a high quality, even higher than those of the samples he had sent to Moshe. The deterioration must have occurred after he left. Eliyya then reports on the price of the copying: he seems to have promised the scribe either 2 marcellos per volume (per Benayahu) or 12 marcellos for the full set (per David). The Marcello was a silver coin introduced by Nicolò Marcello, doge of Venice 1473–74. The addressee is to calculate the conversion rate between marcellos and Venetian ducats. As for the copy of Sefer Yosippon, the writer does not exactly remember the final price he agreed upon with the scribe. As for the copy of Megillat Esther, the writer urges the addressee to send it to Mordukh in Fustat, who will deliver it to the writer in Damietta. There is a cryptic reference to אלוייזה פיזן: a name? Eloisa Pizan? The writer sends regards to Ṣedaqa, whom Avraham David identifies with Ṣedaqa Nes of Bodl. MS heb. c 72/11. Information from Avraham David's edition and notes on FGP.