La Chaise aux Griffons, "Et fu d'astronomie sa pense enluminee"

Via Discarding Image (Le livre de la conqueste du roy Alixandre, traduction en prose de Historia de proelis, version abrégée de Pseudo-Calisthenes) Manuscrit Royal 15 E VI, fol. 20v, vers 1444.

 Alexandre de Macédoine n'a pas seulement exploré le fond de la mer dans le premier bathyscaphe dans cette légende, il est aussi le premier conquérant de l'espace interplanétaire. Dans la version en prose, c'est racontée après sa guerre contre Candace, la Reine-Guerrière de Meroë en Ethiopie et des combats contre des dragons (folio 20). Et Bucéphale n'est pas un cheval mais un hybride de cheval, de lion et de taureau !

Cf. Branche I du Roman d'Alexandre, vers 73-78 :

 Et la voie du ciel refu par lui tentee,
 Quant la chaiere d'or en fu lassus portee
 Par les quatre grifons, a qui fu acouplee;
 Et fu d'astronomie sa pense enluminee,
 Que de toutes estoiles connut la compassee.

 Les autres illustrations de ce beau manuscrit font rêver aussi par leur liste de fantaisies sans lien avec le vrai Alexandre le Grand :

f. 4v, The city of Babylon with Nectanebus enthroned in his palace bearing an inscription 'La cite de babyloine', with another palace with inscription reading 'le chastel du Chaire', a garden with an inscription reading 'le jardin du Beaulme', and a watermill with an inscription reading 'les moulins de Babiloine'.
f. 5r, Nectanebus enthroned receiving a letter; Nectanebus having his head shaved and fleeing his palace.
f. 6r, Nectanebus addressing Olympias; Nectanebus and Olympias in bed.
f. 6v, Nectanebus as a dragon at Philip's table;Philip taking Alexander to Aristotle.
f. 7r, The death of Nectanebus; Alexander and Bucephalus; the victory of Alexander over Nicolaus.
f. 7v, The coronation of Alexander the Great.
f. 8r, Philip and Alexander dismissing Persian envoys; the defeat of Philip by Pausanias.
f. 8v, Alexander defeating Pausanias; the death of Philip; Alexander enthroned.
f. 9r, The army of Alexander marching; Alexander and his army at sea.
f. 9v, The building of Alexandria; the naval expedition to Crete; priests of Jerusalem bringing to Alexander the book of Daniel.
f. 10r, Alexander receiving a letter from the messengers of Darius; King Darius receiving a letter from the messengers of Alexander.
f. 10v, King Darius dictating a letter to Alexander; Alexander reading the letter from Darius; Alexander and Olympias.
f. 11r, Alexander addressing his army.
f. 11v, Battle between Alexander and the Persians.
f. 12r, Battle between Alexander and the Persians.
f. 12v, The surrender of a city to Alexander.
f. 13r, Alexander attacks the city of King Darius of Persia.
f. 13v, The burial of Darius; the execution of the murderers of Darius; the marriage between Alexander and Roxana.
f. 14r, Alexander receiving a letter from Porrus.
f. 14v, The battle between Alexander and Porrus.
f. 15v, The Queen of the Amazons meeting Alexander; Alexander battling flying dragons and beasts; Alexander battling strange creatures.
f. 16r, Alexander battling against a strange beast; Alexander fighting Porrus; Alexander killing Porrus.
f. 16v, The burial of Porrus; Alexander confronting a tribe of women; Alexander's knights killing elephants with spears.
f. 17r, Alexander encountering a group of horned men; miniature of Alexander encountering a group of naked people in a lake; Alexander encountering a group of women with horses' hooves for feet (the hippopodes).
f. 17v, Alexander encountering the gymnosophists, a race of naked wise men who live in caves; Alexander arriving at the river Pison.
f. 18r, Alexander having a letter inscribed on a column; Dindymus receiving a letter; Alexander fighting with giant; Alexander burning a wild man.
f. 18v, The House of the Sun; the trees of the sun, moon, and a Phoenix.
f. 19r, Candacalus being robbed of his wife; Alexander rescuing her.
f. 19v, Alexander and Candace; Alexander reconciling Candace's sons.
f. 20r, Alexander fighting dragons and tusked beasts; Alexander encountering men and women living in water.
f. 20v, Alexander dreaming of Ammon; Alexander being carried up by griffins; Alexander being lowered into the sea in a cask.
f. 21r, Alexander in a tent, speaking to his army; Alexander fighting with unicorns; Alexander fighting with dragons; Alexander fighting with Cyclopes.
f. 21v, Alexander encountering blemmyae; miniature of Alexander encountering horse-like creatures; miniature of the burial of Bucephalus; miniature of Alexander with caladrius birds and ill people; miniature of Alexander encountering a two-headed serpent, elephants, and other beasts.
f. 22r, The surrender of Babylon to Alexander; Alexander sending a letter; Alexander consulting an astronomer.
f. 22v, Alexander dictating a letter; Iobas offering poisoned wine to the feasting Alexander.
f. 23v, The death and burial of Alexander.
f. 24r, Olympias is attacked by King Tacida.
f. 24v, The death of Olympias; her corpse is eaten by dogs.