Julius Gaius Caesar: Commentaria Caesaris prius a locundo impressioni data, posterius a nobis diligentissime reuisa, et cum exeplaribus eiusde collata, restitutis omnibus locis, quae per incuriam ab ijs quiea impressere, uel relicta uel errata fuerunt, sic ut ne qdenunn iota ear castigation desit in nostris. Et ut par fuerat, in fine totius operis, repositis et etia in melioren forma redactis figuris Galliae, et pontis, et alior locor, et praeter hoc addita est et Hispaniae descripto. In his autem Commentaris continentur... 1514.
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The Commentaries are Caesar's own third-person account of the conquest of Gaul (58-52 B.C.), and of the civil war against Pompey (49-48 B.C.). From antiquity Caesar's Latin style was deemed a brilliant model of simplicity and good taste; to this day he remains one of the first authors read by students of Latin. Giovanni Giocondo edited the text, and his design for one of the woodcuts is the first to show the construction of Caesar's bridge across the Rhine. Adams C-26; Ahmanson-Murphy 99; Renouard Alde 60:1.
Printed by Filippo Giunta in Florence, an almost exact copy of the Aldine Press edition the previous year. 'Caesaris Comment' written in ink on spine, bound with manuscript fragment. A very scarce book rarely available on the market. This appears to be the only copy on the market at present.
Most significantly, this book contains two double-page maps and 5 woodcut illustrations, dealing with Caesar's strategies. The most significant map is the Picture Totius Galliae, pictured. The most significant woodcut illustrations are that of the construction of the bridge over the Rhine, the first time this was ever printed, and another showing the structure of fortifications, each illustration and map are accompanied with a 1-2 page description.
Condition:
Near contemporary vellum binding bound with a manuscript fragment (probably an incunable gospel leaf). Very minor loss to upper fore-edge corner of title leaf and pp.aii not affecting text. Title leaf half loose at foot but attached. Leaves 2K3 onwards (12 leaves at end of book) have small defects in the upper margin with some minor loss of text, the worst affecting three lines. Text block is generally very clean with minor dampstaining and spotting, mildly toned. Collated as complete up until 2L7, lacking leaves 2L8, 2M1-8, 2N1-4 with two of the lacking leaves inserted loosely at the rear, one being 2M3, a total of 11 leaves lacking at the rear. 290 total leaves (of 301). Pagination [i-xvi], [1-272,+2]. All woodcuts and maps present. Text block generally extremely clean with some very minor toning and dampstaining sporadically as commensurate with age being over 500 years old.
