Facta et Dicta Memorabilia. Valerii Maximi Priscorum Exemplorum Libri Nouem: Diligenti Castigatione Emendati: aptissimisque figuris exculti: cu laudatis Oliuerii ac Theophili comentariis: Hermolai Barbari: Georgii Merulae: Mar. Antonii Sabellici: Iani Parrhasii: Raphaelis Rhegii…
Venice: Bartholomeum de Zanis de Portesio. 1508. Edition: First Edition., Binding: Limp boards of parchment leaves dating to 1200s, worn, backed in vellum. Spine with 3 slightly-raised bands, inked lettering at top. “Valerius Maximus” inked on fore edges. 18th century free endpapers., Notes: Good example of this book of rhetoric and morality of the Romans, divided into 9 parts, first written in the 15th century by Valerius Maximus Gaius. Includes commentaries by Oliverius Arzignanensis, Theophilus, Ermolao Barbaro, Georgius Merula, Marcus Antonius Coccius Sabellicus, Aulo Gianno Parrasio, and Raphael Regius. Illustrated with 10 woodcut vignettes. Pages printed with central text framed with commentary, plus index at back. Period marginalia and other notations throughout, in margins and on pasted endpapers. Hundreds of decorative dropped capitals throughout. Front pasted endpaper with inked note (presumed period to the book) describing lunar eclipse in Rome; another contemporary note written in pencil beneath stating that the exterior parchment leaves were paleographically examined by the Patavina University and appear to be from a biblical codex dating to the 2nd half of the 13th century (note: “Dall'esame paleografico dell'Universita Patavina la coperta risulta essere composta da pagine di codice biblico della 2e meta del 1200. 10 Xilografie +C / Centiniaia di Capilettera”).
Valerius Maximus was a 1st-century Latin writer from the reign of Tiberius (14 AD to 37 AD). He is the author of a collection of historical anecdotes Factorum et Dictorum Memorabilium Libri IX ("Nine books of memorable deeds and sayings,” also known as Facta et dicta memorabilia. The book describes many anecdotes mostly from Roman (and some from Greek) history, intended to serve as lessons in morality and virtue.
, Size: Quarto.(300 x 210 mm), Category: Book Social Sciences; Book Early Printed 1500 to 1600; Book Antiquities;. Lower pasted endpaper with lengthy inked declaration dated 1531. Exterior parchment leaves featuring decorative red and blue dropped capitals. Boards rubbed, some worming to spine and some leaves; hinges split; occasional light dampstains; occasional repair to leaves; slight loss of line of text with date of publication at pgs. 208/9 (A iiii bis), repaired. Item #B7047
Price: $5,000.00