translated from Spanish: The curriculum of Leonardo | Cutting edge News

Perhaps tired by the rise of Neoplatonism in the city of Florence, which minimized the importance of empirical research, Leonardo da Vinci sought an alternative in Milan, for which he wrote a famous letter to dike Ludovico Sforza. It’s a true curriculum, in which the vinciano highlights its qualities as an engineer (both military and civilian) and set designer. This is the letter: to Ludovico Sforza, ruler of Milan.ilustrisimo Sir, after see and be sufficiently considered the evidence of all those who are called teachers and composers of military instruments, and every time that the invention and operation with such instruments are not out of current use, I will endeavour, without prejudice to others, let me understand by your Excellency, I’ll open you my secrets and I get excellence available to implement and demonstrate when deems it appropriate those things which in part they are briefly listed at continuacion:1. I have projects of feather and strong, bridges that can be transported with great facilidad.2. I know how to make the siege of a plot to remove water from the pits and make an infinite number of bridges, rope ladders and other instrumentos.3. If the height from the ground or by force of the place and the site a siege could be, I know making bombs, I know ways of ending citadels and fortresses, even if they are built with roca.4. Also I have ideas to make cannons very comfortable and very easy to move, that throwing small stones as a rain of granizo.5. And if something in the sea, I have plans of many instruments useful to attack and defend themselves, including boats that would resist fire larger cannons, powder, and humo.6.tambien know ways to quietly reach a certain place by caves and secret passages, but for this purpose it is necessary to pass under a rio.7. I can build covered wagons (tanks), safe and harmless to enter enemy with artillery, and not within the lines there will be company of men with weapons grade so as to trucks do not discard it. And after them the infantry will come and find them practically unarmed and without any oposicion.8. In the same way, if necessary, I will make cannons, mortars and artillery of beautiful forms and tools, the disused comun.9. Where it is not possible to use cannons, designing different types of catapults and other instruments of unbeatable efficiency very different from those commonly used in summary, depending on what the various circumstances dictate, designing countless artifacts of attack and defensa.10. In times of peace, I think that I give as much satisfaction as any other architecture, with the construction of public and private buildings, as well as water from place to otro.11. I can make sculptures in marble, bronze or clay, as well as paintings, and my work can be compared to any another, who wants to sea.12. In addition, I could take over the work of the bronze horse that would be an immortal glory and eternal honor of the happy memory of his father and of the illustrious House of the Sforzas.13. And if any of the above things they look you someone impossible or not feasible, I declare willing to make a demonstration in his Park or the place you prefer. Your Excellency, to whom I entrust with all humility. Compelling, isn’t it?

Original source in Spanish