Deák Antal András: A Duna fölfedezése
Tartalom - III.A DANUBIUS PANNONICO-MYSICUS, 1726
T II E DISCOVERY OF THE DANUBE III. DANUBIUS PANNONICO-MYSICUS, 1726 The Danubius Pannonico-Mysicus is often called shortly the Danube monograph or even the anatomy of the Danube. 24 8 This latter name is most fitting. The river is quasidissected. Marsigli examined and mapped its course and pulsating veins, the tributaries. He noted all its components and accompanying elements of the great river such as its bed, banks, flood deposits, chemical constituants, the life in it and around it, both flourishing cultures and those that have survived as legacies. It was published in two versions: in 6 volumes and in 3 volumes. It measures 53 x 43 cm in a leather binding. The author launched his work with a solemn foreword, of relevance to the whole work. Referring back to the ending of his career in January 1704, he began with a question: Would anybody have thought that this work would ever come to light after all the many vicissitudes of my life ? Yet it has been realised , that which had seemed nearly unbelievable, nearly hopeless. .. The turn in his luck was due to his journeys to England and Netherlands, the original purpose of which was to collect everything that had been missing for the foundation of the Academy of Science and Art of Bologna. Then the baroque eloquence was replaced by simple words. He spoke about the content of his work: detexi, quod potui, in idemque congessi, that is, I have explored everything I could and collected it in this book. Leafing through the book we can share his conviction: Marsigli really explored everything that he could and put it into words and pictures of artistic value. Volume I describes the environment of the Danube. Geographic and hydrographical aspects dominate in it, and a separate part is attached to the maps along with astronomical observations. Volume II is very important for archaeologists since it contains the Roman monuments along the Danube. Volume III concerns the minerals and mineral waters in the Danube region. It contains 7 large folio pictures and is illustrated with drawings of the discussed minerals. Volume IV describes the fishes of the Danube and the animals living in the water, illustrated in 33 folios. Some of the fish species were described for the first time in a scientific way in this volume. The names of the fishes are given in Latin, German, Turkish, Hungarian and Serbian. Volume V is about the birds living along the Danube and their nesting habits. This volume contains the greatest number of illustrations, 74 large engravings, which are unique artistic representations of these avian species. Volume VI contains all the observations and descriptions that could not be organically incorporated into the first five volumes because of their topics such as the expansion of the Tisza, or because of the specific method of description. This mixed and unconventional volume is often considered the most exciting part of the work. Its value is further increased by 28 folio pictures and 9 smaller engravings. 248 Hungarian and Serbian stretch of the Danube described from geographic, astronomic, hydrographic, historic and physical observations. Organised in six volumes [and edited] by count Luigi Ferdinando Marsili, member of the Royal Societies of Paris, London and Montpeliere. 136
