Abstract

In this chapter, I will examine the place of the commentaries on Aristotle’s De sensu et sensato in Chrysostomus Javelli’s comprehensive exegetical treatment of the Aristotelian encyclopaedia. Javelli addressed Aristotle’s De sensu two times: at first, in his epitome published in 1531 in Venice; then, in his set of twenty-one quaestiones, the editio princeps of which was published posthumously in 1577 in Venice. Although it is not possible to establish the date of composition of these works, in the first part I will focus on some paratextual and intertextual elements to bring out the close connection between the epitomes and the Quaestiones. Javelli was a versatile writer, capable of using very different sources and harmonising them in order to make the Aristotelian text understandable to his students: in fact, a concern for teaching underpins all his exegetical works. These features will emerge vividly in the second part of this chapter, where I will take a closer look at one of the quaestiones, which concerns the intromission and extramission of visual species.