LUCAN

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Lucan's Pharsalia or De bello civili is an epic poem, the greatest in Latin after the Aeneid, on the subject of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar.  A native of Cordoba, Spain, Lucan (a.d. 39–65) was the grandson of the elder Seneca, nephew of the younger Seneca, and the brother of the Gallio mentioned in Acts 18.   He published the Pharsalia in a.d. 62 or 63, but it seems likely that his poetic talent aroused the jealously of the vain Nero, as he forbade him to write or even plead in the courts, and then later compelled him to commit suicide for alleged treason. The editio princeps of Lucan was printed in Rome by Sweynheym and Pannartz in 1469.   This little offering of his works is (generally) in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

Aldine Edition ofLucan's Epic Pharsalia

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•  First Aldine edition of Lucan's Pharsalia, the greatest epic poem in Latin after the Aeneid, on the subject of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar. This edition is based on the text of the Venice 1493 edition and improved upon by Aldus after an old manuscript given to him by Marco Antonio Mauroceno, who contributed the prefatory note. The short life of Lucan appended at the end is drawn from Tacitus.

This is anice and early Aldine with spacious margins, printed in the famous Aldine italic with guide letters and space left for initials (unaccomplished). The famous anchor and dolphin device is not found here for it did not make its first appearance until late in 1502, when one issue of Dante's Terze rime introduced the image to the world presses — this dates to the earlier part of that year. A second Aldine edition was issued in 1515.

Evidence of readership: One underlining and one inked correction of a typo.

•  Schweiger, II, 560; Renouard 33, 3; Goldsmid 40; Brunet, III, 1198; Adams L1557; Isaac 12775.   20th-century vellum over boards, spine very faintly blind-stamped just with author, printer, and date inked or black-stamped; early inked “Lucanus” on top edge. A couple ink spots on the fore-edge. Title-page with old Inkstain (covering an ownership inscription?) seeping through to next leaf and old round ownership stamp mostly erased; small pink water (or wine) stain in upper outer corner terminating at f. [33]; traces in some margins of old inactive mildew and mild foxing; a couple of old ink. A good copy for one's “Bibliotheca Aldina Vetustior.”  (30101)

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An EarlyENGLISH Translation

Lucanus, Marcus Annaeus [Lucan].

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•  Second edition of May’s esteemed English verse translation, following Thomas Jones’s first printing of 1627.

The editio princeps of the Pharsalia was printed in Rome by Sweynheym and Pannartz in 1469; Christopher Marlowe published the first English translation of any part of the Pharsalia, his rendition of the first book, in 1600, with a 1614 effort by Sir Arthur Gorges being the only other such to precede May’s standard-setting 1626 English version of books one through three.

In the present volume, this great epic poem in May’s translation is accompanied by its translator’s English rendition of his own sequel, originally written in Latin verse. This Continuation advances the action through Cleopatra’s seduction of Caesar (May depicts the Egyptian queen with “snowie necke” and “golden tresses”), the death of Cato, and various additional battles before arriving at Caesar’s death. At the time, May’s work was thought highly enough of that Charles I allowed the Continuation’s dedication to bear his name.

•  Pharsalia: STC 16888; Schweiger, II, 567; ESTC S108868. Continuation: STC 17712; ESTC S108892. 20th-century black morocco in imitation of early, severe style, with raised bands from which blind-tooling extends onto covers; spine with gilt-stamped title and date, and turn-ins elaborately tooled in blind. Moderately worn, spine faded not unattractively, and leather rubbed over joints. Front pastedown with bookplate, inked date of 1986; front free endpaper with inked gift inscription dated 1944. T1-2 trimmed differently and possibly surviving from another copy; A3 of the continuation also possibly supplied. Occasional instances of very minor staining; mostly clean. Pleasant on shelf and in hand. (7101)

AGAIN Lucan English’d

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•  THIRD edition, following the first of 1627, of Thomas May’s English translation of Lucan’s epic poem . . .

•  ESTC S108867; STC (2nd ed.) 16889. Continuation: ESTC S108892; STC (2nd ed.) 17712. Both: Lowndes, III, 1408. Period-style calf by Grace (signed “GB” on lower back turn-in), framed and panelled in gilt rolls, spine with gilt-stamped leather title and author labels and gilt-stamped decorations in compartments. Outer and lower edges of the engraved title-page of second work shaved, touching design. Light waterstaining to upper portions of approx. 25 ff. of Continuation; small area of worming to lower inner margins of a few leaves, touching the occasional catchword but not main text.

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A NeatIllustrated Volume

Lucanus, Marcus Annaeus [Lucan].

•  Lucan’s Pharsalia in the French verse translation done by Georges de Brébeuf, here in an uncommon and relatively early edition. Brébeuf’s version was originally published in 1654, with several editions (including one Elzevir) following over the next few years, and one additional Paris printing by Loyson appearing in the same year as this example, which is acknowledged in the statement of privilege. The10 full-page engravings present in this nicely printed volume include a frontispiece displaying a bust of Lucan (a native of Cordoba, Spain) surrounded by Roman motifs, an additional engraved title-page bearing a martial scene, and—among other war images done by various hands—a striking rendition of Cato and the snakes.

•  Schweiger, II, 568 (citing the 1666 Pierre Ribou and the Loyson eds.). Contemporary mottled calf, board edges gilt-stamped, spine gilt extra, with raised bands and a gilt-stamped leather title label; moderately worn, leather cracking over joints, edges rubbed with corners bumped, spine with small chip to head exposing headband and with small paper label at foot. All page edges speckled in red and brown. Lacking final blank (only). Front pastedown with bookplate dated 1969. Pages clean; slight offsetting from a few illustrations.

“A Valuable Edition” — per Dibdin

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•  First edition of Pieter Burman’s edition of the Pharsalia, Lucan’s account of the Roman Civil War — the greatest epic poem in Latin after the Aeneid. The engraved title-page vignette was done by J. Van der Spyk after a design by J. de Groot.

Binding / Provenance: Contemporary calf, framed in gilt triple fillets and panelled in gilt quadruple fillets with gilt-stamped corner fleurons and gilt-stamped central coat of arms of the Wilder family, with the motto “Virtuti moenia cedant.”

•  Schweiger, II, 565; Dibdin, II, 186–87. Binding as above, rebacked making use of most of the original spine, spine with gilt-stamped compartments and gilt-stamped leather title-label; edges worn and rubbed, portions of original spine leather cracked and chipped. Front pastedown with small abraded area; front fly-leaf with inked inscriptions dated 1834 and 1938. Some leaves with faint waterstaining in upper margins and lower outer corners. Attractive.

Lucan BearingPlates after Gravelot

Lucanus, Marcus Annaeus.

•  The illustrated plates in this edition are after Gravelot, and the French translation is by M. Marmontel.

Binding: Contemporary treed calf, spine gilt extra with badge of a thistle in compartments; red leather labels. Marbled endpapers. All edges red.

Provenance: Small booklabel of William Salloch on rear pastedown.

•  Schweiger, Handbuch der classischen Bibliographie, II, 568. Cohen & DeRicci, Livres à gravure du XVIII siècle, 662. Not in Ray, The Art of the French Illustrated Book 1700–1914. Binding as above, gilt somewhat dimmed; some chipping of leather to corners and spine tips, and endpapers rubbed. Internally generally clean, with some browning from turn-ins and a few spots of soiling. Bookplate on front pastedowns.

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A Simple & Workman-likeBipontine Edition

•  Schweiger, Handbuch der classischen Bibliographie, II, 565; Dibdin (4th ed.), An Introduction to . . . Greek and Latin Classics, I, 188. Brown paper over light boards, spine with now-illegible paper label; stained and faded, corners bumped. A little foxing and soiling on endpapers and half-title; otherwise internally clean. Bookplate with inked date on front pastedown. All edges heavily speckled red.

Lucan for theFirst Republic

Lucanus, Marcus Annaeus.

•  The illustrated plates in this edition are after Perrin, and the French translation is by Brébeuf.

Binding: Contemporary treed calf, spines gilt extra with red labels and covers gilt-framed; gilt edges and gilt inner dentelles. Marbled endpapers in a French shell pattern. All edges gilt.

Provenance: Small booklabel of William Salloch on rear pastedown.

•  Schweiger, Handbuch der classischen Bibliographie, II, 568. Cohen & DeRicci, Livres à gravure du XVIII siècle, 662. Not in Ray, The Art of the French Illustrated Book 1700–1914. Leather on spines and edges of covers dry and chipped; joints open, but sewing holding. Some closed tears to endpapers and front free endpaper of vol. I partially detached; paper generally clean with occasional spots of light browning or foxing. Bookplate on front pastedowns. Plates clean and charming.

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