1599 PINDAR - OWNED BY A FRIEND OF BYRON
1599. Item #34
Pindarou Olympia. Pythia. Nemea. Isthmia: Meta exe?ge?seo?s palaias panu ophelimou kai skolio?n omoio?n. Pindari Olympia. Pythia. Nemea. Isthmia. Adiuncta est interpretatio Latina ad verbum. Cum indicibus necessarijs. Geneva,
Oliva Pavli Stephani, 1599. 4to. 24 x 16 cm. [16], 487, [3] index pp. ([par]4, A-Z4, AA-ZZ4, AAA-PPP4, QQQ2). Text in Greek and Latin. Greek newly edited by Paul Estienne and Isaac Casaubon. With woodcut publisher's device, head and tailpieces plus floriated initials. Internally some foxing and toning. Binding: early calf with some scuffing and wear, spine relaid with simple gilt lettering to spine.
Provenance: Henry Joseph Thomas Drury (27 April 1778 – 5 March 1841), known as Harry Drury, friend of Lord Byron, member of the Roxburghe Club and Fellow of the Royal Society in February 1818; his Greyhound Courant bookplate to upper right of first blank noting a sizable library No. 3087. Bookplate to inner front paste-down of Donald Struan Robertson, FBA (28 June 1885 – 5 October 1961), classical scholar, particularly noted for his work on Apuleius, and for 22 years the Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge.
The 1599 Pindar published by Paul Estienne, also known as Paulus Stephanus, is a significant edition of the works of Pindar, an ancient Greek lyric poet. Paul Estienne was a member of the famous Estienne (Stephanus) family of French printers, scholars, and editors. The family was known for their scholarly work and their meticulous editions of classical texts, including those of Greek and Latin authors. The book is probably the first book printed by Paul Estienne, who inherited in 1598 one of the greatest printing dynasties in history. In 1618, he decided to sell his types and bookshop ending the great Geneva branch of Estienne printers.
Pindar (c. 518-438 BCE) was one of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, and his works primarily consist of victory odes (epinicia) composed for winners of athletic competitions. These odes celebrate the victors' achievements and often contain mythological allusions and moral lessons.
The 1599 Pindar edition is notable for its accuracy and the quality of its printing. The publication contains the original Greek text alongside a Latin translation, allowing readers to study and appreciate the poet's work in its original language and a more accessible translation. The Estienne family's commitment to high-quality scholarly work ensured that the edition received widespread acclaim, and it remains an important contribution to the study of Pindar and ancient Greek literature.
Price: $950.00