
GREEK & LATIN ~ CLASSICS
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Adultery & Divorce
Tebbs, Henry Virtue. Essay on the “Scripture doctrines of adultery and divorce, and on the criminal character and punishment of adultery, by the ancient laws of England and other countries;” being a subject proposed for investigation by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge in the Diocese of St. David's; and to which that Society awarded its premium of fifty pounds in December, 1821. London: F. C. & J. Rivington (Pr. by J. S. Hughes), 1822. 8vo. xvi, 254, [2 (adv.)] pp.
$250.00
First edition of this comparative analysis of the laws and customs of various countries respecting divorce and adultery, with an emphasis on the regulations of Mosaic Law and the doctrines of the New Testament. The latter section includes the views of Jesus Christ, the opinions of the Apostles and early Christian writers, and the edicts of the Christian emperors of Rome. Other sections cover the laws and practices of ancient Greece and Rome, and those of medieval and early modern Europe. The author was a proctor in Doctors' Commons. Publisher's ads in the back. With the errata page, tipped in.
Modern quarter tan cloth over light blue paper-covered boards in the style of the early 19th-century, spine with printed paper label; uncut copy. Tear and chips at top margin of title-page, repaired some time ago. Title-page and several early leaves lightly age-toned and with some traces of soiling. Old ink ownership signature on title-page and p. 22, and just a bit of ink smudging at top margin of p. 23. (24445)

English/Latin Edition — Roman Comedy
Terentius, Publius. Terence in English. Fabulae comici facetissimi et elegantissimi poetae Terentii omnes anglicae factae & hac noua forma editae. Londini: Iohannes Legatt celeberrimae Academiae Cantabrigiensis typographi, 1614. Small 4to (8.5", 21 cm). [4] ff., 332, 335–428 pp. (mispaginated, but complete).
$975.00
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Third edition of Richard Bernard's translation of Terence, the first in English, with the Latin text preceding it before every scene; present here are the complete six comedies. The first edition was 1598.
Schweiger, II, 1079; ESTC S118348. Contemporary calf, recently rebacked; spine with raised bands, gilt-stamped title and gilt date at base. Covers crudely blind-tooled in concentric compartments; clearly a provincial binding. Bits of leather lost at at edges and corners of covers; offsetting from leather along margins of endpapers and final page of text. Title-page mounted, with chips at corners, costing the first letter of title and a portion of three additional letters. Pages age-toned, with occasional soiling, some heavy soiling on title-page, and some mild foxing or the odd spot. A handful of leaves (including title-page) with extensive ownership signatures or penmanship trials in early inked hands, extending sometimes over type. Closely trimmed, in some cases into tops of letters of heading; chip at outer margin of pp. 175–76 without costing any text. Complete, despite irregular pagination. (23771)
Timaeus Sophista. ... Lexicon vocum Platonicarum ... editio secunda, multis partibus locupletior. Lugduni Batavorum: Apud Samuelem & Joann. Luchtmans, 1789. 8vo (20.2 cm, 7.9"). xxiv, 296 pp.
$400.00
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Second edition, following the first of 1754: David Ruhnken's revision
of this 4th century A.D. guide to Plato's vocabulary and
usage. Ruhnken was a prominent Greek scholar who served as chair of Latin and
professor of Greek at the University of Wittenberg; Sandys notes that the “
learned notes ” Ruhnken provided for this work “drew the attention
of scholars to the literary interest of Plato.”
Brunet, V, 861; Sandys, II, 457; Schweiger, I, 332. Contemporary
paper-covered boards, spine with inked paper label; binding scuffed and rubbed,
spine with paper shelving label (inked through), title-label darkened. Front
pastedown with 19th-century collector's bookplate, title-page verso with same
collector's inked inscription. Light foxing. Final leaf with upper outer corner
torn away, with loss of a few letters.
Vettori, Pietro. Petri Victorii variarum lectionum libri XXV. Lugduni: Apud Joannem Temporalem, 1554. 4to. [alpha]4 [beta]2 a-z8 A-G8 H4 I-K8 L4 M8 N2 (-H4, blank); [6] ff., 486 pp., [31] ff.
$975.00
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Vettori (1499–1585) was an outstanding scholar with a facile pen and a waiting audience. Sandys characterizes him as “certainly the foremost representative of classical scholarship in [Italy] during the sixteenth century.” He also lauds Vettori for his great scholarship of Greek.”
Like the first, this second edition of Vettori’s criticism of Cicero is in Latin with quotations and examples in Greek. It is self-described on the title-page as “quae corrupta, mutila, & praeposterè sita admiserat prima editio, haec 2. sedulò castigauit, suóque loco restituit.” The volume begins with the printer’s device on the title-page bearing the motto “Et fugit interea fugit irreparabile tempus,” and prints the text in a clear roman type accented with historiated and portrait woodcut initials and woodcut head-pieces.
A handsome production.
Provenance: 17th-century near-calligraphic ownership inscriptions on title-page of the Jesuit College at Tudela, Spain; and of G.M. Desmarsall.
Adams V687. Recent deep walnut full calf old style, by Grace Bindings (signed in blind at inner area of rear cover, lower turn-in): Round spine with raised bands accented in gilt and with blind-tooled devices in compartments; oxblood leather label, gilt-lettered; fillets extending onto covers from each band to terminate in trefoils and covers framed in blind double fillets. Lacks one internal blank leaf (only). All edges marbled. A very good copy.

Poetic
Farm Management? — In Latin &
German
Virgilius Maro, Publius. [Werke ubersetzt von Johann Heinrich Voss]. Altona: bey Johann Friedrich Hammerich, 1800. Vol. 3 of 4 (i.e. Landbau). 8vo. [2] ff., 461, [1(blank)] pp.
$75.00

Herein are the first two books of the Georgics, Virgil’s instructions on the management of a farm, composed in the tradition of Hesiod’s Works & Days. The poem is translated into German and annotated by Johann Heinrich Voss, member of the Dichterbund (Poets’ League) of Göttigen, rector of the gymnasium at Eutin (where this work was accomplished), and friend of Goethe. Voss offers the reader both the Latin text (versos) and the German, poetic translation (rectos), with line numbers, and he divides the poem into "songs," with full German-language commentary on the poetry between them.
For those interested in the history of technology, a plate presents — both in words and images—the evolution of the plough from the days of Hesiod to the time of Virgil.
Though an "odd vol," this is a pleasing book, done up in a typical German style of the era. Paper marbled in browns, black, and greens is used over boards, with slivers of leather at corners; a round spine bears gilt ruling and a cream-colored label with author, title, translator, and volume number. All edges are green and the whole is exceptionally well preserved.
Schweiger, Handbuch der classischen Bibliographie, II: 1206. Bound as above. Vol. 3 of 4. Some little foxing but almost no scuffing.
Vossius, Gerardus Joannes. Etymologicon linguae latinae. Praefigitur ejusdem de litterarum permutatione tractatus. Amstelodami: Apud Ludovicum & Danielem Elzevirios, 1662. Folio (35.4 cm, 14"). *4 A–F4 G6 2A–2G4 H–Z4 Aa–Za4 Aaa–Zzz4 Aaaa–Gggg4; [34] ff., 606 pp., [1 (blank)] f.
$1100.00
Latin etymological dictionary by Gerardus Vossius, edited and published posthumously by his son Isaac. Gerardus Johannes Vossius (1577–1649) was rector successively at Dordrecht and Leyden and one of the most noted classicists of his day—writing on a wide range of subjects, especially Latin grammar, philology, and rhetoric. This work gives detailed etymologies of the Latin vocabulary, with cognates and parallels in other languages, as well as examples of usage, prefaced by a lengthy list of variant spellings to assist the reader.
This first edition has a title-page in black and red with the printer’s device of the Amsterdam Elzevirs, “Ne Extra Oleas”—showing Minerva with owl and shield next to an olive tree—and it is printed in two columns in roman, italic, Greek, and Hebrew, ornamented with woodcut initials.
Willems, Les Elzevier, 1295. On the Vossius, father and son, see: Sandys, History of Classical Scholarship, 307–309 and 322–23. Contemporary English calf ruled in blind, bumped and abraded with a little loss on corners and edges; joints fully open at base and some chipping at head and foot of spine. Paper, ink-lettered spine label; inked call number and date on title-page. Pastedowns entirely gone and remnants of a manuscript used as binder’s waste visible at gutters, inside covers; due to the pastedowns’ removal, much of the binder’s construction can readily be examined here. A little light waterstaining and browning to first and last leaves (only). All edges red.
Welser,
Marcus. Marci Velseri Matthaei. f. ant. n patricii. Aug. Vind. Rerum.
Augustanar. Vindelicar: libri. octo. Venetiis: [Aldus Manutius], 1594. Folio
(30 cm). [6], 377 [i.e.277], [1] pp.; illus. & map.
[SOLD]
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Welser (1558–1614) was an amateur scholar in the original sense of the term whose membership in the extremely wealthy banking family allowed him to pursue his scholarly interests and even to be a patron, as he was of Hoeschel. It was because of Welser's wealth that Hoeschel had his own printing press beginning in 1595.
This volume nicely shows both Welser's wealth (access to the Aldine press) and his antiquarian scholarship (on the history and Roman antiquities of Augsburg, Germany). A good example of the late Aldine press's contract work, it employs the usual mix of roman and italic type and on some leaves demonstrates the art of printing sideways; it does not bear the anchor and dolphin device, but is attributed to Aldus in Renouard, which makes a great deal of sense given the relationship between Welser and Manuzio. It is uncommon in today's market and is little held in U.S. libraries.
Contents include: Antiqua quae Augustae Vindelicorum extant monumenta (pp. 199–244); Antiqua agri Augustani monumenta (pp. 245–258); Antiqua monumenta peregrina (pp. 259–74). Signature D is letterpress and an engraved double page map (upside down); signature Ii is letterpress and an engraved double page folding plate.
Provenance: Signature of Hermanus Conringius, dated 1662.
Renouard, Alde, 252. Vellum over paste boards, lacking ties; old inked title and paper shelving label on spine (minor wear, mild soiling and discolorations). Ex–theological seminary with bookplate on front pastedown and rubber-stamp on title-page engraving; title-page mounted. Early inked writing on front fly-leaf and rear free endpaper; a few instances of inked underlining and marginal notation. First few leaves with evidence of worming in bottom right corners and top right corners of first six repaired; light waterstains at top margins of some later leaves. Edges sprinkled red. Overall, a clean, crisp copy.


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