Beschreibung:

ISOCRATES (436-338 B.C.). Orationes , in Greek. Λογοι. -DIONYSIUS Halicarnaseus (fl. 30-8 B.C.). \kPepi tvn arkaivn rhtorvn\K (On the ancient orators). Edited by Demetrius Chalcondylas (1423-1511). Milan: Uldericus Scinzenzeler and Sebastianus de Ponte Tremulo, at the expense of Bartolomeo Squassi, Vincenzo Alipranti and Bartolomeo Rozoni, 24 January 1493. Chancery 2° (293 x 202mm). Collation: α-β 8 (α1 blank, α2r Plutarch's life of Isocrates, α4v Philostratus's life of Isocrates, α5r Dionysius on Isocrates, β8 blank); γ 8 δ 10 (Isocrates' exhortations to Demonicus and Nicocles, δ10 blank); A-L 8 M-U Y AA-CC 6 (epideictic speeches, educational and political orations, CC6r register, CC6v colophon and woodcut white-on-black printer's device). 197 leaves (the blanks not original). Type Henricus 1:110 Gk (text), 3:110R (signatures). 33-35 lines. Initial-spaces with guide-letters, first initial I illuminated in gold at a later date and mounted, with marginal penwork decoration. BOUND BY ROGER PAYNE, fine late-18th-century red straight-grained (vertical) morocco, covers decorated in blind, borders of stylised flowers, drawer-handles and other small tools, gilt fillets and lettering in compartments of spine, wide gold-tooled turn-ins, red morocco inner joints, purple endpapers, green silk ribbon marker. Provenance : Rev. Henry Drury, classical scholar (collation inscription; Evans sale, 3 March 1827, lot 2418, #17 10s. to); Payne & Foss, sold for 20 gns. to Botfield (Acquisition p. 52). EDITIO PRINCEPS of both works. Dionysius compared Isocrates' prose to closely woven material and a picture in which the lights melt imperceptibly into shadows. In addition, his views on education and his political theories are of considerable importance. Remainder sheets of this first edition in Greek were reissued from Venice in 1535, with a new title and colophon. Bastiano da Pontremulo, who assisted Scinzenzeler in the production, perhaps also as editor, seems to be otherwise unknown. After bringing Homer to Renaissance Italy's readership (lot 46), Chalcondylas moved from Florence to Milan and turned to editing Isocrates, his second most important work; Aldus called him the most learned scholar of his day, a great compliment coming as it did from the leading promoter of Greek studies among humanists. Scinzenzeler's Greek type was a recast of Bonus Accursius's second Greek fount (see lot 1) on a shorter body and with some modifications. He also used it for an edition of three grammatical treatises by Chalcondylas (H 6093). Both book and binding are IN THE FRESHEST POSSIBLE CONDITION. HC 9312; BMC VI, 767 (IB. 26856); Goff I-210; IGI 5421; Rogledi Manni 528; Flodr, Isocrates 1.