Publius Terentius Afer - Terence Comedies - 1526

1526 RARE ILLUSTRATED EDITION of all Terence's comedies. Terence or Publius Terentius Afer (c. 195/185 – c. 159 BC), was a playwright during the Roman Republic. He was the author of six comedies based on Greek originals by Menander or Apollodorus of Carystus. All six of Terence's plays survive complete and were originally produced between 166–160 BC. He is one of the most important authors of classical antiquity, was one of the four authors taught to all grammar students in the Roman Empire and maintained a central place in the European school curriculum until the 19th century, exerting a strong influence on authors such as William Shakespeare and Molière. The book is beautifully printed with 40 scenes divided into 5 large full-page plates featuring the events and characters of the comedies. The pages are enriched with large, elaborate initials. The book is bound in period hard parchment, in very good condition, as shown in the photos. NO COPIES FOR SALE, COMPLETE EDITION. References; World CAT OCLC n°606496541; USTC n°858687; Université de Paris, Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de la Sorbonne Shelfmark: RXVI 834; London, UK, British Library Shelfmark: 11707.e.9; Washington D.C., USA, Georgetown University Shelfmark: 97A262; OPAC SBN n°LIAE001079; Dacier, Anne, ed. (1688). Les comédies de Térence traduites en françois, avec des remarques, par Madame D***. Paris. 3 vols; Bentley, Richard, ed. (1726). Publii Terentii Afri Comoediae. Cambridge; Umpfenbach, Franz, ed. (1870). P. Terenti Comoediae. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung; Ashmore, Sidney G., ed. (1910). The Comedies of Terence (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

This prized edition, as the title suggests, is enriched by several celebrated authors and commentators, in order of their birth: Aelius Donatus, or Aelius Donatus, was a 4th-century Roman grammarian, one of the first to comment on Terence's works. Guido Juvenalis, or Guy Jouenneaux, was a 15th-century French humanist and scholar, known for being the first to publish a Latin commentary on all six of Terence's comedies in Paris in 1492. Jodocus Badius also known as Josse Bade or Badius Ascensius (1462–1535), was a French pioneer of the printing industry, a grammarian, and a pedagogue. Giovanni Calfurnio, also known as Giovanni Perlanza de' Ruffinoni da Bordogna (1443-1503), born in Bergamo, was a lecturer in Latin rhetoric at the University of Padova. He translated and commented on many classical authors, including Terence, Plutarch, Ovid, and Catullus. For this book, the publisher Alessandro Paganini draws on these four famous commentators and humanists. Publication date on the last page.

TITLE : Pub. Terentij Afri Comoediae in sua metra restitutae...(Publius Terentius Afer, Comedies restored to their original meters...)
AUTHOR: Terence or Publius Terentius Afer (c. 195/185 – c. 159 BC). Commented and translated by Elio Donato or Aelius Donatus, Guido Juvenalis or Guy Jouenneaux, Jodocus Badius also known as Josse Bade or Badius Ascensius and Giovanni Calfurnio
PUBLISHER: Alexandri Paganini or Alessandro Paganini, in Toscolano Maderno (Brescia - Lombardy)
DATE: MDXXVI (1526), Latin text. Publication date on the last page

DESCRIPTION: in 4° size, height 206 x width 152 mm (8.1 by 5.9 inches). 20 unnumbered pages, plus CCLXXXVIII numbered leaves, i.e. 376 pages, and with 40 scenes divided into 5 large full-page plates featuring the events and characters of the comedies. Beautiful, elaborate title page, slightly trimmed at the bottom, short at the top, some leaves reinforced at the white margin. A few small stains or oxidation here and there, the pages are generally clean and well-engraved, traces of woodworm on the white margin at the top for 10 pages, illustrations intact and in good condition. Antique hardback parchment binding in excellent condition, (occasional small traces of use), handwritten title on the smooth spine, spray cuts. BEAUTIFUL COMPLETE EDITION.

AUTHOR: Publius Terentius Afer (c. 195/185 – c. 159 BC), better known in English as Terence, was a playwright during the Roman Republic. He was the author of six comedies based on Greek originals by Menander or Apollodorus of Carystus. All six of Terence's plays survive complete and were originally produced between 166–160 BC. According to ancient authors, Terence was born in Carthage and was brought to Rome as a slave, where he gained an education and his freedom; around the age of 25, Terence is said to have made a voyage to the east in search of inspiration for his plays, where he died either of disease in Greece, or by shipwreck on the return voyage. However, Terence's traditional biography is often thought to consist of speculation by ancient scholars who lived too long after Terence to have access to reliable facts about his life.
Terence's plays quickly became standard school texts. He ultimately secured a place as one of the four authors taught to all grammar pupils in the Western Roman Empire, and retained a central place in the European school curriculum until the 19th century, exercising a formative influence on authors such as William Shakespeare and Molière.

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