PLATO (427?-347 B.C.). Omnia opera , in Greek. Edited by Marcus Musurus (c. 1470-1517). – TIMAEUS Locrus, in Greek [Hellenistic paraphrase of the Timaeus in Doric dialect]. – DIOGENES Laertius (1st half of the 3rd century A.D.). Vita Platonis , in Greek. Venice: Aldus Manutius and Andreas Torresanus, September 1513.
PLATO (427?-347 B.C.). Omnia opera , in Greek. Edited by Marcus Musurus (c. 1470-1517). – TIMAEUS Locrus, in Greek [Hellenistic paraphrase of the Timaeus in Doric dialect]. – DIOGENES Laertius (1st half of the 3rd century A.D.). Vita Platonis , in Greek. Venice: Aldus Manutius and Andreas Torresanus, September 1513. 2 parts in one volume, 2° (310 x 195mm). Greek and roman text. Initial spaces with printed guide-letter, Aldine device on title and final verso. With blanks 2/4 and ii4. (Some light waterstaining on top and bottom margin, heavier on first leaves, occasional light staining, tiny wormholes at beginning and end sometimes touching text, few small marginal clean tears, t6-t8 recornered at bottom.) Blindtooled pigskin by Bernard Middleton, c.1980, old title on fore-edge; red-brown morocco case. Provenance : Guido Nobili (16th-century initials and handcoloured coat of arms on title, marginalia giving references to Cicero) — Ponte Castello Io[vanni] Priane (lettered on fore-edge with press-mark H.i.; the same press-mark on title) — RNC (initials on title) — Haven O'More, Garden Collection (sale Sotheby's NY, 9-10 November 1989, lot 38; bookplate). EDITIO PRINCEPS OF THE WORKS OF PLATO . The centrality of Platonic thought to the Renaissance cannot be overstated. Under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, Marsilio Ficino translated Plato's works into Latin (1484). Aldus too considered the publication of Plato, now in the original Greek, as one of his most important undertakings. Marcus Musurus, working closely with Aldus and apparently using manuscripts belonging to Cardinal Bessarion and others, edited the texts, which were largely 'in a much better state than that of most authors, and therefore did not invite editorial intervention on the same scale' (N.G. Wilson, From Byzantium to Italy , p.151). Aldus dedicated the editio princeps to Giovanni de' Medici newly elected Pope Leo X, seeking his patronage and paying tribute to his father's earlier patronage of Ficino's Latin translation. Aldus sets out a vision for classical studies and the foundation of a Greek academy; his letter is ‘one of the most comprehensive statements of the humanist position to be found outside Erasmus’ (Lowry, p. 205). In predicting great achievements for Leo’s papacy, Aldus includes bringing the Gospel to the farthest flung inhabitant of the world, beginning with the Indians and the peoples discovered in recent years by the Spaniards in the western Ocean [i.e. the Americans]. Adams P-1436; Ahmanson-Murphy 114; Hoffman III, 117; Isaac 12828; Renouard Alde , 62:4.
PLATO (427?-347 B.C.). Omnia opera , in Greek. Edited by Marcus Musurus (c. 1470-1517). – TIMAEUS Locrus, in Greek [Hellenistic paraphrase of the Timaeus in Doric dialect]. – DIOGENES Laertius (1st half of the 3rd century A.D.). Vita Platonis , in Greek. Venice: Aldus Manutius and Andreas Torresanus, September 1513.
PLATO (427?-347 B.C.). Omnia opera , in Greek. Edited by Marcus Musurus (c. 1470-1517). – TIMAEUS Locrus, in Greek [Hellenistic paraphrase of the Timaeus in Doric dialect]. – DIOGENES Laertius (1st half of the 3rd century A.D.). Vita Platonis , in Greek. Venice: Aldus Manutius and Andreas Torresanus, September 1513. 2 parts in one volume, 2° (310 x 195mm). Greek and roman text. Initial spaces with printed guide-letter, Aldine device on title and final verso. With blanks 2/4 and ii4. (Some light waterstaining on top and bottom margin, heavier on first leaves, occasional light staining, tiny wormholes at beginning and end sometimes touching text, few small marginal clean tears, t6-t8 recornered at bottom.) Blindtooled pigskin by Bernard Middleton, c.1980, old title on fore-edge; red-brown morocco case. Provenance : Guido Nobili (16th-century initials and handcoloured coat of arms on title, marginalia giving references to Cicero) — Ponte Castello Io[vanni] Priane (lettered on fore-edge with press-mark H.i.; the same press-mark on title) — RNC (initials on title) — Haven O'More, Garden Collection (sale Sotheby's NY, 9-10 November 1989, lot 38; bookplate). EDITIO PRINCEPS OF THE WORKS OF PLATO . The centrality of Platonic thought to the Renaissance cannot be overstated. Under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, Marsilio Ficino translated Plato's works into Latin (1484). Aldus too considered the publication of Plato, now in the original Greek, as one of his most important undertakings. Marcus Musurus, working closely with Aldus and apparently using manuscripts belonging to Cardinal Bessarion and others, edited the texts, which were largely 'in a much better state than that of most authors, and therefore did not invite editorial intervention on the same scale' (N.G. Wilson, From Byzantium to Italy , p.151). Aldus dedicated the editio princeps to Giovanni de' Medici newly elected Pope Leo X, seeking his patronage and paying tribute to his father's earlier patronage of Ficino's Latin translation. Aldus sets out a vision for classical studies and the foundation of a Greek academy; his letter is ‘one of the most comprehensive statements of the humanist position to be found outside Erasmus’ (Lowry, p. 205). In predicting great achievements for Leo’s papacy, Aldus includes bringing the Gospel to the farthest flung inhabitant of the world, beginning with the Indians and the peoples discovered in recent years by the Spaniards in the western Ocean [i.e. the Americans]. Adams P-1436; Ahmanson-Murphy 114; Hoffman III, 117; Isaac 12828; Renouard Alde , 62:4.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
