A FIFTEENTH CENTURY SUETONIUS
De Vitae Xii Caesarum
Venice: Damianum de Mediolano, 1493.
Folio (306 x 210 mm). 129 leaves (of 130, lacking the mainly blank title leaf). Early twentieth century boards with manuscript title label. 62 lines of commentary surrounding the text and headline in roman type. Capital spaces left blank. Small repair to the margin of p.2 and occasional manuscript marginalia. Bookplate of Edmund McClure and previous owner's notes to front pastedown. Some wear to the binding at the spine ends. A tall and generally well preserved incunable.
Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars is regarded as one of the great classical texts and remains a primary source of Roman history. It is notable for its informal style, describing at length the social aspects of Roman life, with particular emphasis on the feasting and wine preferred by the different emperors. It also refers to early Christians. It became the basis for Robert Graves's historical novel I, Claudius.
The redaction and commentary of the Venetian scholar and historian Sabellicus, is described by Ebert (A General Bibliographical Dictionary) as of "some critical matter".
This was the first work to be printed by Damianus de Mediolano, who produced a further ten Venetian printings to June 1495, before relocating to Perugia where he printed a further four in 1500.
Hain 15124
Stock ID: 34825
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