Lipsius - Opera - 1613

FIRST EDITION, IN FOLIO - LIPSIUS AND THE ART OF GOVERNING: STOICISM AND DISCIPLINE IN LIPSIUS
First complete edition of the Opera by Justus Lipsius, published in Lyons in 1613 by Horace Cardon, which organises in a coherent form the entire philological, philosophical, historical, and epistolary corpus of one of the major thinkers of late European Renaissance. A central figure in the rediscovery of Stoicism and in modern political reflection, Lipsius builds a coherent system that unites classical erudition, moral discipline, and state theory, offering an intellectual response to the religious and civil tensions of his era. The work stands as a true Lipsian summa, in which philology, history, and philosophy converge in a unitary project of moral and civic reform. The iconographic apparatus, with historical engravings, military scenes, religious scenes, and urban views, reinforces the visual dimension of antiquarian knowledge, turning the work into a repository that is as textual as it is figurative of European culture between the 16th and 17th centuries.
MARKET VALUE
The complete folio editions of Lipsius’s Opera generally range between 1,500 and 2,000 euros, with higher values for complete, well-preserved copies, with contemporary or fine bindings and with an intact and well-printed iconographic apparatus. The presence of all the plates and copies with little trimming or good provenance can significantly affect valuation, especially in the international antiquarian market.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Two volumes in folio. Later half-leather bindings in antique style. Boards loose. Title page engraved by J. de Fornazeris; engraved portrait of Justus Lipsius; second title page with an engraved vignette (inner margin restored). Numerous engravings in the text, including military subjects, religious scenes (crucifixions) and large views of Leuven and Heverlee; woodcuts also present. Text arranged within a double typographic border. Browning, foxing and marginal dampstain; presence of an old library stamp on the title page. In old books with a multisecular history, a few imperfections may be present that are not always noted in the description.
Pp.:
(2); 12nn; 84; 8nn; 882; (2).
(2); 12nn; 900; (2).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Opera.
Lugduni, apud Horatium Cardon, 1613.
Justus Lipsius.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Justus Lipsius (1547–1606) was one of the most influential figures in European culture between the 16th and 17th centuries. A philologist, historian, and philosopher, he developed an original synthesis between ancient Stoicism and Christian thought, proposing an ethical model founded on inner discipline, constancy, and the control of passions. The Opera represents the most complete and systematic form of his thought: it includes philosophical treatises such as De constantia, philological studies on Tacitus and Seneca, antiquarian works, and a vast epistolary corpus. In a Europe marked by religious wars and political instability, Lipsian thought offers a response grounded in order, reason, and state stability, influencing academic circles, courts, and modern political reflection. The engravings in the volume amplify the visual and antiquarian dimension of the work, contributing to the transmission of knowledge even through imagery.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Justus Lipsius (1547–1606), born in the Low Countries, was one of the most important humanists of his time. Professor at Leiden and at Leuven, he exerted a profound influence on political thought, classical philology, and European moral philosophy. His work contributed decisively to the revival of Stoicism and to the formation of modern state theory.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The Opera of Lipsius was published in several editions from the late 16th to the early 17th century, but the 1613 edition represents the first complete and systematic collection of his corpus. Printed in Lyons by Horace Cardon, one of the leading European editors of the time, the work enjoyed wide diffusion in academic and political circles. Complete two-volume folio copies are today relatively rare on the market, especially with an integral illustration apparatus.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Bibliotheca Belgica, III, 1018–1020 (L-405).
ICCU/OPAC SBN, census of Lipsius Opera editions.
USTC (Universal Short Title Catalogue), Lipsius editions, Lyons 1613.
WorldCat/OCLC, international records.
Grafton, Anthony, studies on humanism and Renaissance philology.