August 1504 accounts and the movement of stones in rivers
Money taken and paid, the hiring of Iacopo the German, and how currents drive stones and deposit sediment
The left leaf opens with a run of dated accounts for August and September 1504: florins taken, the daily expenses agreed with Iacopo the German who came to lodge with Leonardo, and sums given to Tomaso, Salai and the factor. Below the accounts Leonardo notes how stones behave in rivers - those not overcome by the current move against it, those overcome move with it, a great rock may roll against the body of a small river, and weak lateral waters deposit their sediment while the clear water flees. A large red-chalk drawing of a rocky, crag-like landscape with tumbling forms spreads across the right leaf, whose transcription gives only the tag Figura (figure).
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Accounts of August-September 1504
On Friday 9 August 1504 Leonardo took 10 gold florins, and records sums given out over the following weeks - 15 grossoni (5 florins, 5 soldi), a gold florin, grossoni to Tomaso and to Salai, and money to the factor for the day of the Lady - keeping a running tally of expenses.
Iacopo the German comes to lodge
On Saturday morning 3 August 1504 Iacopo the German came to stay in the house with Leonardo, agreeing that Leonardo would meet his expenses for one carlino a day.
Stones and the current of rivers
Stones not overcome by the current of rivers move against the flow, while stones overcome by it move with the flow; the small, weak waters of little motion issuing sideways from great turbid rivers unload their coarser earth in a fixed place while the clear water flees.
A great rock rolling against a small river
It is possible for a great boulder to go rolling against the body of a small river. A large red-chalk drawing of a rocky, crag-like landscape with tumbling forms fills the right leaf.