Calpurnii et Nemesiani Poetarum Buccolicum carmen Una cum Commentarus Diomedis Guidalotti Bononiensis. Impressum Bononiae per Caligulam Bazalerium Ciuem Bononiensem Anno Millesimo Quingentesimo Quarto (1504), folio.
The Bucolic Poems of the Poets Calpurnius and Nemesianus, together with the Commentary of Diomedes Guidalotta of Bologna. Bologna: Caligula Bazalerius, 1504, folio.
AN EXTREMELY RARE EARLY POST-INCUNABLE WITH ONLY 2 RECORDED COPIES HELD INSTITUTIONALLY
(via USTC & ISTC)
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EXTREMELY RARE. Both ISTC and USTC record only two holding institutions worldwide for this book (Rome, and the British Library).
The Roman poets Titus Calpurnius Siculus and Marcus Aurelius Nemesianus (the latter is not to be confused with the emperor Marcus Aurelius) are best known for the imitative Virgilian style with their works celebrating rural life. There is debate over when they wrote, but general consensus agrees that they at least post-date Virgil for their thematic and stylistic use of the Eclogues. Calpurnius is also said to imitate Ovid and Theocritus. The first edition of this work appeared in 1490 in Nuremberg, this being the 5th overall edition, the first to be printed in Bologna and the second in Italy.
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Provenance:
Early inscription to the bottom page edges, difficult to decipher, but seemingly referencing the title of the work. This indicates early institutional ownership of this work, most likely in a university, but perhaps an ecclesiastical institution (monastery or similar).
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Size: 225 x 316 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(3), *4, A-G3, G5-N6, O2-P2, P5-Q5, (3)]
Modern full calf with two tooled labels laid down to the spine with 1504 tooled in gilt to the foot. Boards centrally ruled in blind forming a panelled design. Attractive. Both boards are securely attached. Generally very clean throughout the text block, some dampstaining to the title leaf and next two preliminary leaves (*1-3). This first quire is unpaginated / without signatures, and so we have used an asterisk in absentia. Lacks four textual leaves and the final blank (G4, O1, P3-4, and blank Q6), but retains both the title page and colophon. Some dampstaining in the gutter of D1-E1, not obscuring the text, else very clean throughout. There is a contemporary inscription to the bottom page edge, difficult to decipher, but seems to reference the title of this work, demonstrating early institutional ownership, likely in a university.
[GW VI068b; ISTC ic00066500; USTC 999662].
