Month: November 2015

September 21, 2009

The First Work of Fantasy and a Newly Published One- an arc from 1541 to the present

The Book:

Lucian, of Samosata. I Dialogi piacevoli, le Vere Narrationi, le Facete Epistole di Lvciano Philosopho. Di Greco in Volgare tradotte per M. Nicolo da Lonigo: et historiate, e di nuovo… emendate. Published: Venetia : [Giovanni de Farri e Fratelli], 1541. 8vo., 16 x 11 cm., 223 ff., Publisher’s statement from colophon. Signatures: A-2E⁸. Leaves 49, 51, 53, 55, 81, 120, and 221 are misnumbered 17, 19, 21, 23, 80, 121, and 121, respectively. Leaves 9-40, and 57-112 are numbered in roman numerals. Charmingly illustrated with woodcuts depicting a sea monster flanked by the Pillars of Hercules to commence the journey, Charon’s boats loaded with souls destined for hell etc. 18th century full calf binding with marbled endpapers, gilt spine, red morocco spine label, wear to hinges. Internally, some staining to t.p., occasional browning, but generally a VERY GOOD COMPLETE and well-margined copy.

“Lucian of Samosata was an Assyrian rhetorician, and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. Le Vere Narrationi, A True History, parodied some fantastic tales told by Homer in the Odyssey. Lucian anticipated “modern” fictional themes like voyages to the moon and Venus, extraterrestrial life and wars between planets centuries before Jules Verne and H. G. Wells or Douglas Adams. His novel is widely regarded as an early, if not the earliest science fiction work. [Ref: Wikipedia].

Typographically, the book is a remarkable example of the sensitive integration of text and image prevalent in mid 16th century Venetian printing. The fine, delightful and classically inspired woodcuts not only illustrate, but serve as chapter headings to the volgaris text. The Italian vernacular was in fact quickly gaining ground in printing as a language with a new expressiveness and imagery that exceeded the hi-brow scholarly Latin of the day.

The work’s linguistic inventiveness, the placement of its illustrations, as well as the fantastic tale to another world, brought to my mind a parallel with a newly released book by my brilliant neighbor, Daniel Rabuzzi. His work, The Choir Boats, was reviewed as “a significant contribution to the field of fantasy” and I would highly encourage anybody who reads my blog to purchase a copy. Daniel’s wife, the artist Deborah Mills, contributed the lovely chapter illustrations, and I could imagine back in 16th century Venice, the Farri family of scholars, artists and publishers engaged in a similar collaboration to produce a labor of love. The Choir Boats, with its highly imaginative use of language, echoes a style of magical fantasy that was written in centuries past and which is more than worth delving into today.

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And photos from Daniel Rabuzzi’s remarkable work:

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posted in: Rare Books, Recommendations

September 11, 2009

A Gold Mine of early first millennium Gnostic, Jewish and Christian beliefs


PRINTED 1599: THE RENAISSANCE REDISCOVERY OF THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES

Contemporary Mille Fleurs Bookbinding

The Book:

Opsopoeus, Johannes Sivylliakoi chrēsmoi hoc est Sibyllina oracvla ex uett. codd. aucta, renouata, et notis illustrata a d. Iohanne Opsopoeo … Cum interpretatione latina Sebastiani Castalionis et indice. Published: Parisijs. Cum preuilegio regis. 1599. Description: 4 Book in 1; ; 8 p. ℓ., 524, 71 (i.e. 73), [2] p., 1 ℓ., 7-144 p., 1 ℓ., vii-xxiiii, 114, [5] p. illus. 8vo., 18 x 13 cm. Notes: Title engraved within ornamental border containing publishers’ device of the Compagnie de la Grand’ Navire; border signed by K. van Mallery, engraver. (Karel van Mallery was an engraver and printdealer in Antwerp, he was a student of Philip Galle and married his daughter Catharina Galle in 1598) Greek and Latin on opposite pages.
“Oracvla magica Zoroastris” (1 ℓ., 7-144 p.) and “Oracvla metrica … a Iohanne Opsopoeo collecta. Item Astrampsychi Oneirocriticon à Ios. Scaligero digestum & castigatum” (1 ℓ., vii-xxiiii, 114, [5] p.) have secondary signatures, separate paging, and special t.-p. with publishers’ device. Early calf and With elaborate gilt Mille Fleurs design, hinges with some wear as depiected, but holding strong, some bumping to corners, a few spots,
but generally a VERY GOOD COMPLETE COPY.

This is the most significant 16th century edition of the Sibylline oracles, who rediscovery in the Renaissance caused a sensation and whose influence upon Renaissance literature has not been fully investigated in modern times. Newfound interest in the oracles has also taken route as they are viewed as valuable sources for information about early first millennium Gnostic, Jewish and Christian beliefs. Notable in the oracles are apocalyptic passages scattered throughout which at times seem like early draft of the Biblical Book of Revelation.

“The Sibylline Oracles (sometimes called the “pseudo-Sibylline Oracles”) are a collection of oracular utterances written in Greek hexameters ascribed to the Sibyls, prophetesses who uttered divine revelations in a frenzied state. Twelve books of Sibylline Oracles survive. These are not considered to be the famous Sibylline Books of Roman history, which have been lost, but a collection of utterances that were composed under various circumstances from the middle of the second century to the fifth century AD.”

“Large collections of these Jewish and Christian oracles are still in existence. When they were recovered in the 16th century, their initial publication caused a sensation among scholars. In 1545 Xystus Betuleius (Sixt Birck of Augsburg) published at Basel an edition of eight books of oracles with a preface dating from perhaps the sixth century AD, and the next year a version set in Latin verse appeared. Better manuscripts were used by Johannes Opsopoeus (Johannes Koch), whose edition appeared at Paris in 1599.” [Ref: Wikipedia]

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posted in: Rare Books