XII CAESARES

Suetonius; [Aldus Manutius]; Aurelius Victor; Eutropius; Paulus Diaconus

Verlag: In Aedibus Aldi [Aldine Press], (Venice), 1516

First Aldine edition of the landmark work of Roman history, THE TWELVE CAESARS, one of the most important and generative sources for our knowledge of the early emperors. This edition is immediately recognizable as an Aldine from its signature dolphin-and-anchor printer's device, included on both the table of contents leaf and the colophon. The Aldine Press was established in 1494 in the hub of early print, Venice by a figure who would become iconic in print history, Aldus Manutius. His promotion of handheld editions of Greek and Latin classics "enabled reading to become a personal pursuit for the first time" (Clemons and Fletcher, 9), and his innovative italic typeface is an integral part of modern word processing. Manutius's status as one of the giants of printing history have caused his works to exert "an unflagging hold on collectors" (NEW YORK TIMES); his immediately recognizable publisher's device has long stood as a sign of the quality of his productions. This edition was released by the Aldine Press just a year after Aldus's death, and dedicated to friend and patron Jean Grolier. It contains Suetonius's masterwork THE TWELVE CAESARS, detailing the lives of Julius Caesar the subsequent 11 Emperors of the Roman Empire (ending with Domitian). Suetonius was ideally placed to assess the leadership qualities of the early Roman Emperors as the onetime personal secretary of the Emperor Hadrian, and his stories "provided inspiration for artists over centuries: Claudius cowering behind a curtain after the murder of Caligula; Nero 'fiddling while Rome burned'"; Domitian spearing flies; and more (Beard, 38). This edition includes three further Latin works on the subject of Roman history by Aurelius Victor, Eutropius, and Paulus Diaconus. A well-preserved copy in a beautiful early speckled calf binding. Octavo, 6'' x 3.25''. Early full speckled calf, raised bands, elaborately stamped spine, red goatskin spine label. Printed with: Aurelius Victor, à Caesare Augusto usque ad Theodosium excerpta; Eutropius, De gestis Romanorum; Paulus Diaconus, Libri VIII ad Eutropii historiam additi. Lacking one internal blank. Light cracking to joints, still firm; some chipping to spine ends, a bit of rubbing to boards. Some soil to preliminary leaves. Gilt bright. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 52492

Bibliografische Details

Titel: XII CAESARES
Verlag: In Aedibus Aldi [Aldine Press], (Venice)
Erscheinungsdatum: 1516
Einband: Hardcover
Zustand: Very good plus.
Auflage: 1. Auflage