There are three differing readings circulating online of a transcription of the meeting held 25 January 1504 to decide where Michelangelo’s David would be placed. The line I am interested in translating is the opening one, rendered by the various readings as follows:
-
“Prefati operarii Opere predicte etc. viso qualiter statua seu David est quasi finita”
-
“Prefati operarii Opere predicte etc. viso qualiter statua vel seu David est quasi finita”
-
“Prefati operarii Opere predicte etc. viso qualiter statua alias seu David est quasi finita”
-
gives “vel” for what is apparently written as “vl”.
-
and 2) are readily found online in various books.
-
is only found in Fabbri, Lorenzo, and Giuseppe Giari. “Verbale Della Commissione Di Esperti Incaricata Di Esprimersi Sulla Collocazione Del David Di Michelangelo [25 Gennaio 1504] / Trascrizione Con Note Di Apparato Di Lorenzo Fabbri e Giuseppe Giari.” In: «… Che Stia Nella Loggia»: Leonardo, Il David, l’Opera Del Duomo / a Cura Di Antonio Natali . - Firenze : Mandragora, 2019, 12–23. Link: https://www.academia.edu/40277623/Verbale_della_commissione_di_esperti_incaricata_di_esprimersi_sulla_collocazione_del_David_di_Michelangelo_25_gennaio_1504_Trascrizione_con_note_di_apparato_di_Lorenzo_Fabbri_e_Giuseppe_Giari?auto=download
I am not sure which is the correct reading as I am unable to find a legible copy of the transcription anywhere online.
My question: What are all the possible translations of the three?
For example, is “Seeing how the statue otherwise called David is almost finished” a possible translation of 3)?
It is important to set aside the widely accepted idea that Michelangelo’s famous sculpture is incontrovertibly a rendition of biblical David when approaching this grammatical task. This is no less a lateral thinking exercise than a translation exercise.