Beschreibung:

[MELANCHTHON, Philip (1497-1560), annotator]. PINDAR. Olympia, Pythia, Nemea, Isthmia . Ed. Petrus Brubach. Frankfurt: Petrus Brubach, 1542. A remarkable copy, annotated by Melanchthon with a poem in praise of Pindar, and by his associate Milichius, of the second edition of Pindar’s corpus to include the scholia, after Kallierges’ edition of 1515. The fascitating ownership history of this copy is attested in the inscriptions: from Jacob Milich, a mathematician, physician and astronomer who belonged in Melanchthon’s circle in Wittenberg, to Melanchthon’s own autograph poem (with a few autograph corrections) penned on the front paste-down. This poem, ‘Pindarum quisquis volet explicare’, is a pointed reworking of Horace’s Ode 4.2, ‘Pindarum quisquis studet aemulari’ (‘Whosoever may strive to emulate Pindar…’), where the Roman poet warns men of letters of the dangers of emulating Pindar. Melanchthon suggestively alters its incipit in ‘Whosoever may want to explain Pindar’, and transforms the stanzas into a thoroughly humanistic exhortation to philological care in the service of the aesthetic appreciation of a lyrical paragon. Firmly on Pindar’s side in the contemporary controversy which pitched the pagan poet directly against the unimpeachable theological verses of the Psalms, Melanchthon championed the ‘divine inspiration’ and the implied reference to a divine law, to which pagan deities must submit, that animated Pindar’s poetry. Archival evidence testifies to Melanchthon’s teaching morning lessons on Pindar since 1553, well ahead of the publication of the 1558 edition. This book bears witness to the humanist’s deep involvement in the import of Pindar’s poetry, as well as testifying to the early interest of Jacob Milich (1501-1559), the mathematician, physician and astronomer who owned it in the year of its publication and penned occasional marginalia. It was presumably Milich who gave this copy to Melanchthon. Milich had studied in Freiburg under Erasmus. At Wittenberg he received his degree and became a professor of mathematics, also distinguishing himself among classical scholars with a 1535 commentary on the second book of Pliny the Elder. He was one of the scholars of the ‘Melanchthon Circle’, humanists with a strong interest in natural philosophy, home to many early proponents of Copernicus’ heliocentric model. In 1535 Melanchthon had contributed an introduction Milich's edition of Planets . At least one and very possibly two German 17th-18th-century educators went on to own and inscribe this volume. Adams P-1223. See Corpus Reformatorum , V, 1838, pp.780-781 for a published edition of Melanchthon’s poem. 4 parts in one volume, quarto in 8s and 4s (201 x 140mm). In Greek and Latin. Titles in red and black within woodcut border, headings and initials in red (upper outer corner of first few leaves lightly stained, some light browning). Contemporary German blindstamped vellum backing wooden boards, brass clasps and catches (vellum a little rubbed). Provenance : Jacob Milich (1501-1559, inscription dated 1542 to rear free endpaper, occasional marginalia) – Philip Melanchthon (autograph poem to front paste-down and front free endpaper, initialled ‘p m’) - Gottfried Hoffmann (inscription to front fee endpaper dated ?1713; possibly the German Protestant pedagogue, 1658-1712, though the date of death may conflict with that in the inscription) - Johann Gottfried Höre (1704-1778, German educator, inscription to front fee endpaper, and his note regarding Milich’s old ownership) – School of St. Afra, Meissen (stamp and deaccession stamp on title).