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MACROBIUS, Ambrosius Theodosius. In Somnium Scipio

MACROBIUS, Ambrosius Theodosius. In Somnium Scipionis expositionis; - Saturnalia.

Venice: Nicolaus Jenson, 1472. Median folio (317 x 223 mm). 164 ll. (of 166, without the two final blanks). 40 lines. Type 1:115(113)R, 115Gk. Occasional 8-line initial spaces (most with initials somewhat crudely supplied by a contemporary hand), 2-line initials with guide letters, occasional spaces for diagrams to be supplied by hand (two with diagrams supplied in pen and ink). Bound to a Grolier-esque design in red morocco by the Aquarius bindery of London, tooled in gilt and blind, the covers with panels around a large central lozenge, with arabesque cornerpieces and central motif, the spine in six compartments with raised bands, repeat decoration in gilt in each compartmant. and Condition: bleached throughout with resultant fading to the initials, manuscript diagrams and marginalia, leaf 2/4 torn and repaired into the text area with loss of a few characters, some other small tears and repairs to the blank margins of about 10 leaves. Provenance: indistinct early marginalia. first edition of both texts. Macrobius's main achievement was the establishment of Virgil's literary reputation in the Middle Ages. A secondary consideration with this volume is that, according to Dibdin, it includes the first appearance in print of any of Homer's work. BMC V,172; Flodr Macrobius 1; Goff M-8; HCR 10426.