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Joannis Jovianni Pontani Opera: De magnificentia liber (The magnificent book) (1498)

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Taken from: Ethik des Nützlichen: Texte zur Moralphilosophie im italienischen  by Sabrina Ebbersmeyer

Recently, the king of Assyria sent to Ferdinand (king of Napels), among other things a camelo-pardalis (giraffe) and a donkey that was brought from the most distant parts of the eastern countries.

What's cheaper than a donkey? At this part, however, to be seen, from the most remote places they came. This great is one thing, that, though its many birthmarks, showed a striped body, of various colors and equal lines. Some things were, indeed, in the abundance of these gifts, and of the precious things, these two alien animals are, never seen before, that in spite of that, we were given the spectacle.