Details
ERASMUS, Desiderius (1466-1536). Adagiorum. Edited by Estienne and others. Paris: Pierre Chevillot for Michel Sonnius, 1579. 2º (335 x 205mm). Woodcut device on title, with the final colophon leaf. (Worming from f1-v4 occasionally touching text, other insignificant and intermittent worming in the first half of the vol.) Contemporary light brown morocco, spine gilt, 2 borders à la Du Seuil round sides, the inner one with decorative cornerpieces, arms at centre of sides of the Cour des Comptes de Bretagne, gilt turn-ins, gilt edges (these arms not in Olivier, some scuffing and staining obliterating the arms on upper cover, corners somewhat worn).
First edition of the most complete Adagia up to 1579, with large additions compared to preceding editions. From the vast array of his reading Erasmus built up carefully chosen collections of extracts with commentary, 'not a very accessible work to the modern reader, but one read and re-read a hundred times by Renaissance schoolboys, who discovered in it ancient culture represented by proverbs and quotations, both given in full and set in the context of the history of thought, language and institutions' (Léon-E. Halkin, Erasmus, tr. J. Tonkin, p.46). Renouard 89.2; Vander Haeghen p.2; A. Cataldi Palau, Gian Francesco d'Asola e la Tipografia Aldina 55. Bezzel 100; not in Adams.
First edition of the most complete Adagia up to 1579, with large additions compared to preceding editions. From the vast array of his reading Erasmus built up carefully chosen collections of extracts with commentary, 'not a very accessible work to the modern reader, but one read and re-read a hundred times by Renaissance schoolboys, who discovered in it ancient culture represented by proverbs and quotations, both given in full and set in the context of the history of thought, language and institutions' (Léon-E. Halkin, Erasmus, tr. J. Tonkin, p.46). Renouard 89.2; Vander Haeghen p.2; A. Cataldi Palau, Gian Francesco d'Asola e la Tipografia Aldina 55. Bezzel 100; not in Adams.
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