Details
SIMPLICIUS (b. c.500 - d. after 533). In Aristotelis categorica scholia Simplicii, in Greek. Venice: Zacharias Kallierges, for Nicolaus Blastus, 27 October 1499.
Median 2 (306 x 192mm). Collation: s10 -Us8 s6 (r title and Blastus device, v blank, r headpiece, initial and heading, text, v colophon, r register, Kallierges device, v blank). 163 (of 168) leaves, five leaves (title, A5, R6, Y8 and Z6) in facsimile. 37 lines. Type: 1:121Gk. Woodcut vinework headpiece on r, woodcut Byzantine-style initials opening each book (except on v), 9 woodcut diagrams, Blastus device on title and Kallierges device at end. Title, headings, and Blastos device and ornamental initials PRINTED IN RED. (Many leaves rehinged, numerous marginal sections replaced, loss of text in 12 leaves, small wormholes, most repaired, occasionally affecting some letters, remains of light mildew or dampstaining.) Modern brown morocco tooled in blind, by Bernard Middleton. Provenance: Greek annotation dated 1835.
EDITIO PRINCEPS. One of the most famous representatives of Neoplatonism in the 6th century and a student of Ammonius Hermiae at Alexandria, Simplicius wrote a number of exhaustive and influential commentaries on the works of Aristotle. In his analysis of a text Simplicius interpreted it "in the light of the whole history of Greek philosophy" (DSB), and attempted to reconcile Aristotle and Plato by reducing their differences to a matter of vocubulary or point of view.
Kallierges worked for 5 years developing the fine Greek type with which he printed Simplicius. It differed from the Aldine Greek fount by casting accents in one piece with the letter to create different sorts, an invention of which Blastus boasted as "a thing never yet so well achieved", when applying for a privilege to protect all books printed with the type (BMC V, liv). BMC V, 580; XII, 42 (IB. 24737-40); Polain(B) 3550; Essling 1185; Sander 6998; Goff S-535.
Median 2 (306 x 192mm). Collation: s1
EDITIO PRINCEPS. One of the most famous representatives of Neoplatonism in the 6th century and a student of Ammonius Hermiae at Alexandria, Simplicius wrote a number of exhaustive and influential commentaries on the works of Aristotle. In his analysis of a text Simplicius interpreted it "in the light of the whole history of Greek philosophy" (DSB), and attempted to reconcile Aristotle and Plato by reducing their differences to a matter of vocubulary or point of view.
Kallierges worked for 5 years developing the fine Greek type with which he printed Simplicius. It differed from the Aldine Greek fount by casting accents in one piece with the letter to create different sorts, an invention of which Blastus boasted as "a thing never yet so well achieved", when applying for a privilege to protect all books printed with the type (BMC V, liv). BMC V, 580; XII, 42 (IB. 24737-40); Polain(B) 3550; Essling 1185; Sander 6998; Goff S-535.