THE MASTER OF EROTIC POETRY IN THE ROMAN AGE
THE INNER TEMPLE COPY


CATULLUS, Gaius Valerius. Opera, cum recensione Isaaci Vossiium ejusdem notis ac observationibus. Editio secunda cum indicibus necessariis, Lugduni Batavorum (Leiden), Gaesbleck, Boutesteyn, De Vivie and Van der Aa, 1691.

4to, full calf binding with blind-toolings on both covers, pp. 327, (29),
Title-page printed in red and black.

Second edition of Catullus «Collected Poems» with the precious commentary of Isaac Voss.

Provenance: Ex-libris Inner Temple Library at first fly-leaf. The Inner Temple Library is a renowned of jurists, bartenders and lawyers existing since Middle-Age. Over the centuries, the library had ups and downs, and many duplicates were sold to members to raise funds.

«The history of the Temple begins soon after the middle of the twelfth century, when a contingent of knights of the Military Order of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem moved from the Old Temple in Holborn (later Southampton House) to a larger site between Fleet Street and the banks of the River Thames. The new site originally included much of what is now Lincoln's Inn, and the knights were probably responsible for establishing New Street (later Chancery Lane), which led from Holborn down to their new quarters. Following their custom, the knights built a round church patterned on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. An inscription on the Round recorded that it was consecrated by the Patriarch Heraclius on 10 February 1185, in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is thought that King Henry II was also present on that day, inaugurating a long association between the royal family and the Temple».

References: Only one copy in ICCU. No copies on the market.

Hinges restored, but a good copy with a distinguished provenance.