Eschyle - Aeschyli Tragoediae - 1557

Aeschylus

Aeschyli Tragoediae VII

Geneva - 1557 -
Henri Estienne

(8), 395 p.
Sign. a-f4 g-z 8 A-B8 C-I4
In 4o - 25 X 16,5 cm. -

Full Greek text

RARE AND PRECIOUS FIRST COMPLETE EDITION OF AGAMEMNON AND THE FIRST DEFINITIVE EDITION, THE FIRST COMPLETE EDITION OF AESCHYLUS' TRAGEDIES IN GREEK.

“This important edition, thanks to the manuscripts consulted and the notes of the celebrated Henri Estienne, deserves the name of first edition, since the text of Agamemnon appears here for the first time in its entirety.”
(GRAESSE).

BRUNET I, 78
ADAMS A 265
RENOUARD 116, n. 15
HOFFMANN I, 34-35

“the greatest tragedy of Aeschylus and one of the greatest masterpieces of Western dramatic literature.”
(SCHREIBER).

This first edition, with its beautiful typography printed in two sizes of the famous Greek type used by Estienne, is clearly an important work as it comes from the true creator of the tragedy; a simple tragedy, without plot, where the interest arises from the portrayal of feelings and the gradation produced by the arrival of a messenger or an actor.

Aeschylus masterfully stages this debate, so characteristic of the Greek hero, between free will and the hidden but enthralling presence of Fate, with great dramatic effects.

The great compositions best reveal the grandeur of the genius of Aeschylus, who, discovering the existence of divine justice, advocates a regulation of moderation for humanity, and whose marvelous imagination lends reality a grandeur beyond human, in cantos of irresistible pathos.

Estienne produced this present editio princeps by consulting about fifteen manuscripts of Aeschylus preserved in Rome and Naples, to which he added his own Latin notes, enriched with erudite commentary (see pp. 354/395).

Splendid binding from the late 18th century in solid full leather, with triple gilt lines forming a border at the edge of the boards, and small fleurons at the corners.
Spine with five raised bands and elaborate elegant gold decorations, plus a red morocco label bearing the author and editor in a double gilt frame with decorative inner borders.
Slight abrasions to corners and hinges.
Gilded dentelles well preserved at the turn-ins.
Edges completely gilt.

Internals well preserved with fresh, clean leaves.
Light foxing with sporadic traces of marginal damp.
Ancient flyleaf with title-page reinforcement, slightly browned, with period paper remargined, due to removal of an old exlibris at the lower margin.
Missing paper strip (1.5 cm) at the upper margin of the front free endpaper, probably from removal of an old exlibris (see photo).
Decorated verso and first endpapers.
Original endpapers preserved.
Edges completely gilt.

Excellent copy, in first edition, complete in every part.
COLLATION. COMPLETE