Fons memorabilium universi ("Fountain of the Memorable Universe") is an early encyclopedia, written in Latin by the Italian humanist Domenico Bandini of Arezzo (also given as Dominicus Bandinus, c. 1335 - 1418).[1][2] Planned to inform and edify educated men who lack other books, the work covered God and the natural world, as was common for encyclopedias of the time, but also added a voluminous last part dealing with man and historical figures, philosophy and history, theology and ethics, heretics and women.[3]
Bandini, a teacher of grammar and rhethoric who lived in Florence, Bologna, Città di Castello and Arezzo, worked on the encyclopedia from before 1374 until his death in 1418. In Florence he was influenced by Coluccio Salutati, causing him to emphasize topics related to the classical antiquity in his work. Bandini's son Laurentius completed and published the work after his father's death[4] and added an introductory apology, defending the work against criticism of style.[3]
At least 26 manuscripts survive, including one at Balliol College and two at the Vatican Library. Many of these contain only parts of the work. They all date from before 1460.[5] The whole work consists of between two and five volumes, depending on writing style and size.
The work was not very influential and was already almost forgotten in the 15th century. It was never printed, unlike the very successful 13th century encyclopedia De proprietatibus rerum by Bartholomeus Anglicus, from which Bandino had borrowed heavily. He also frequently cited the earlier works of Marcus Terentius Varro, Pliny the Elder, Gaius Julius Solinus, Isidore of Seville and Hrabanus Maurus.[3]
The end of book 8 "on the planets" contains an unrelated interpolation praising two lawyers from Bologna. The paragraph has been interpreted as an advertisement inserted by the lawyers, either by having paid scribes or by having worked as scribes themselves.[6]
The work is organized in 5 parts, with each part divided into several books containing numerous cross references. Each of the 34 books covers one circle of topics. Some of these books consist of several introductory and systematical chapters, followed by an alphabetically ordered list of articles. This organization had been developed in the 13th century by Vincent of Beauvais in his Speculum naturale and had also been used by Bartholomaus Anglicus in his Liber de proprietatibus rerum and by Thomas of Cantimpré in his Liber de natura rerum.