Questa e la cabala certa et fortissima et miravigliosa. Testi cabbalistici dalla biblioteca di Pierleone da Spoleto

The article offers a historical introduction and a thorough discussion of two Kabbalistic texts and of their vernacular translation from two manuscripts of the Bibliiothèque Nationale de France, both belonging to the library of Pierleone da Spoleto who, in the 15th century, hired several Jews, some of them of Spanish origin, in order to translate Hebrew philosophical and Kabbalistica texts. One of the main points of interest of these translations is the peculiar sort of vernacular employed, a unique mixture of Spanish and a southern Italian vernacular, duly studied in this contribution. Another point of focal attention is the dating of the translations, which, in absence of clear indications in the sources, can only be conjectural. Since it has been suggested that these translations could have been made before 1486, the case is made, with circumstantial evidence and logical deductions, for a later date. The role of magic and the legend of the golem, present in these texts is furthermore amply discussed.