
Description
Pharsalia, cum commentario P. Burmanni.
Leyden, C. Wishoff, D. Goetval and G.J. Wishoff ; 1740
(52),735,(160)p.
Engraved title-vignette.
Lacks ties; tear at upper end of spine.
Very good interior
Size 8 by 10"
Latin text.
Schoolprize vellum binding with gilt coat of arms of DELFT on both covers
Very good condition
De Bello Civili (On the Civil War), more commonly referred to as the Pharsalia, is a Roman epic poem written by the poet Lucan, detailing the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Great. The poem's title is a reference to the Battle of Pharsalus, which occurred in 48 BC, near Pharsalus, Thessaly, in northern Greece. Caesar decisively defeated Pompey in this battle, which occupies all of the epic's seventh book. In the early twentieth century, translator J. D. Duff, while arguing that "no reasonable judgment can rank Lucan among the world's great epic poets", notes that the work is notable for Lucan's decision to eschew divine intervention and downplay supernatural occurrences in the events of the story. Scholarly estimation of Lucan's poem and poetry has since changed, as explained by commentator Philip Hardie in 2013: "In recent decades, it has undergone a thorough critical re-evaluation, to re-emerge as a major expression of Neronian politics and aesthetics, a poem whose studied artifice enacts a complex relationship between poetic fantasy and historical reality."
=
Reserve: $350.00
Shipping:
Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Chairish Auctions specialists are here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Chairish Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item.
Buyer's Premium
20%
1740 PHARSALIA by LUCAN ARMORIAL VELLUM BINDING antique De Bello Civili
Estimate $400-$500
Starting Price
$170
LiveAuctioneers Purchase Protection
Vetted auction houses
Secure, online bidding
Returns guaranteed for misrepresented listings
Dedicated support when you need it
Antique books 15th-19th Century
Feb 05, 2026 6:00 PM ESTNew York, NY, United States
TOP
































