The Sun Reflected in the Waves of the Sea
Water as a mirror to the universe, the images of the sun on the waves, and the mixing of colours
A crowded page of light-and-water optics, with fan-like diagrams of sun rays striking wave crests and small spheres marked with the sun's image. Leonardo asks for a polished sphere that, set against the sun, is wholly filled with the sun's likeness, and argues that the water clothing the earth makes a mirror to the universe, receiving as many images of the sun as there are waves; the mixture of light and dark on the waves greatly diminishes the sun's splendour. A note turned on the sheet records that blue spread over yellow makes green and over red makes purple, and a maxim in the corner urges acquiring wisdom in youth to nourish old age. The sheet carries much further writing not transcribed here.
On this page
A polished sphere filled with the image of the sun
Give me a spherical, polished body which, set opposite the body of the sun, is wholly filled with the image (simulacro) of the sun. Small spheres are drawn bearing the sun's likeness, with rays fanning to and from them.
Water as a mirror to the universe
The water clothes a great part of the earth and makes of itself a mirror to the universe, in which it receives as many images of the sun as there are waves seen by the eye and by the sun. The surface receives the sun's image, while the mixture of the light created by sun and sky produces a compound of light and dark that greatly diminishes the sun's splendour.
Each wave reflects both sun and surrounding sky
Each wave of the sphere of water that reflects the sun's image to the eye reflects with it that part of the universe surrounding it, which is both seen and beheld by that wave. Fan-shaped ray diagrams model the reflection from successive wave crests.
Blue over yellow makes green; blue over red makes purple
Written with the sheet turned round, and lettered g r: the blue spreads over the yellow and makes it green, and spreads over the red and becomes purple (pagonazzo). It is a note on the layering and mixture of colours.
Acquire wisdom in youth to feed old age
Acquire in your youth something that will make good the loss of your old age. And if you understand that old age has wisdom for its food, so labour in youth that your old age shall not lack nourishment.