Cicero - M. Tullii Ciceronis (works) - 1546

An exceptional and highly collectible complete two-volume set of Marcus Tullius Cicero's philosophical treatises, printed in Venice in 1546 by the legendary Aldine Press (Apud Aldi Filios). Both volumes were meticulously revised, corrected, and annotated by the great Renaissance humanist Paolo Manuzio (Corrigente Paulo Manutio Aldi Filio).
This uniform lot represents the full editorial set, including:
Volume I: Featuring the major early treatises. It contains beautiful large woodcut initials (such as 'S' and 'N') finely hand-rubricated in red by a contemporary hand, and concludes with its original 1546 colophon leaf.
Featuring the major early treatises, including Academicarum quaestionum (historically referred to or associated with "Brutus" as it features the dialogues with Marcus Brutus), De finibus bonorum & malorum, and Tusculanae quaestiones.
Volume II (Volumen Secundum): Contains De natura deorum, De divinatione, De fato, De legibus, De universitate, and De petitione Consulatus. It opens with Paolo Manuzio’s historical preface dedicated to Marcello Cervini (the future Pope Marcellus II), adorned with a third hand-rubricated initial 'E' in red.
Both title pages showcase the large, elaborate Aldine device (Anchor and Dolphin flanked by cherubs/putti) with the text "ALDI FILII".
The final verso leaf of the second volume features the iconic standalone impression of the large Aldine anchor device ("ALDVS").
Condition: Uniform period full-leather bindings with gilt-decorated spine panels and classic "AP. ALDVM" gold lettering. Shows expected structural age-related wear, rubbing to edges/corners, and minor leather loss at the spine tips. The bindings remain tight and structurally sound. A luxurious feature: both volumes boast fully gold-gilded edges (gilt edges), which remain remarkably bright. Exceptionally fresh, crisp, and clean internal condition for both volumes. Sharp Aldine italic typography with notably wide margins throughout. Natural age-toning and very light, isolated early damp-staining or foxing to a few leaves, completely unobtrusive. On page 108 of Volume II, the text includes the contemporary printed editorial notice "Defunt pauca quaedam", pointing out a known historical lacuna in the ancient manuscript source used by Manuzio, proving the untouched editorial integrity of the text.