Publius Cornelius Tacitus translated by Beatus Rhenanus - Annals [1st Edition on Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, Germanic Tribes, North & East Europe, - 1533

1533 FIRST EDITION ON ROMAN HISTORY, LIFE OF EMPERORS NERO, AUGUSTUS, TIBERIUS, CLAUDIUS, GERMANIC TRIBES, GALLIAN PEOPLES, THE NETHERLANDS, NORTH & EAST EUROPE, POLAND, BALTIC STATES by Publius Cornelius Tacitus (circa 55–120), was a Roman historian, orator, and senator, considered one of the greatest and most influential figures of the historiographical genre in Latin literature. Translated and edited by Beatus Rhenanus also known as Beat Bild (1485–1547), a German humanist, writer, publisher, and lawyer. Printed by the Froben and Episcopius press in Basel, it is a magnificent volume, distinguished by superb typography and unparalleled textual precision. It is one of the best translations of Tacitus's texts; by cross-referencing earlier printed editions with the *Codex Budensis*, Rhenanus succeeded in creating a translation that was far more precise than previous ones. Rhenanus approached the text with modern philological rigor; rather than simply copying and pasting from previous Italian editions, he actively corrected historical distortions in the text, drawing upon an actual manuscript—the *Codex Budensis Rhenani*, now held at Yale University (Beinecke MS 145)—that had belonged to King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (1443–1490). In addition to various accounts of military history, the text chronicles the constant twists and turns within the corridors of Roman power—the behind-the-scenes machinations, alliances, Germanic-Dutch-Baltic-European tribes, betrayals, and assassinations—often transforming into a political thriller populated by complex, power-hungry, and frequently deeply flawed characters. Antique binding richly decorated and in excellent condition. COMPLETE EDITION.

NO COPIES FOR SALE. Currently, the second edition from 1544 is for sale here for €1,500.00; https://www.livre-rare-book.com/book/5472317/2950, whereas the first edition—in excellent condition—is being offered to you at a fraction of that price.

TITLE: Annalium ab excessu augusti sicut ipse vocat, sive historiae augustae libri sedecim qui supersunt recogniti per beatum Rhenanum libellus de Germanorum populis, dialogus de oratoribus, denique vita julii agricole non solum emaculatius prodeunt, sed & explicatius adiunctis in hanc rem scholiis (The sixteen surviving books of the *Annals* or History since the death of the Divine Augustus—revised by Beatus Rhenanus—along with the treatise on the peoples of Germany, the *Dialogue on Orators*, and the *Life of Julius Agricola*, are now published not only in a more corrected form but also with greater clarity, thanks to the addition of explanatory notes).
AUTHORS: Publius Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (circa 55-120) and translated, edited by Beatus Rhenanus also known as Beat Bild (1485–1547), was a German humanist, writer, publisher, and lawyer.
PUBLISHERS: Hieronymus Froben and Nikolaus Episcopius
DATE: MCXXXIII (1533), printed in Basel, first Froben edition of Tacitus prepared and annotated by the humanist Beatus Rhenanus

HISTORICAL CONTENT AND STORIES IN THIS VOLUME:
The 1533 Froben edition was a monumental achievement because it compiled all of Tacitus's surviving works (16 books) into a single, critically edited volume. This book is incredibly dense, mentioning hundreds of minor senators, military tribunes, and european towns. Tacitus is famous for his biting, cynical view of absolute power. For Renaissance readers, opening this book was like unlocking a masterclass in political and military survival, and on the use and abuse of power. Tacitus provides an annalistic account of the history of the Roman Empire from the final years of Augustus's principate to the death of Nero; covering the period from 14 AD to 69 AD, the work spans the reigns of the first four Roman emperors to succeed Augustus—namely Tiberius, Claudius, and Nero.

TIBERIUS & THE PARANOIA OF POWER: Books I–VI of the Annals focus on Emperor Tiberius. Tacitus paints him as a deeply hypocritical and paranoid ruler who retreats to the island of Capri. The narrative is dominated by his reliance on Sejanus, the ruthless captain of the Praetorian Guard, who orchestrates a reign of terror and treason trials before his own spectacular downfall and execution.

THE POISONOUS COURT OF CLAUDIUS: Because the books covering Caligula are lost to history, the narrative picks up with the later reign of Claudius. Tacitus details the emperor's manipulation by his wives—first the scandalous Messalina (who is executed after openly marrying another man while Claudius is out of town), and then his niece Agrippina the Younger, who poisons Claudius with a dish of mushrooms to secure the throne for her son, Nero.

NERO'S DESCENT INTO MADNESS: The later books cover Emperor Nero. Key stories include the Great Fire of Rome (64 CE), Nero's bizarre artistic ambitions, and his brutal persecution of the early Christians, whom he scapegoats for the fire. The narrative also covers the forced suicide of Nero's former tutor, the philosopher Seneca.

THE MUTINIES & BARBARIAN FRONTIERS: Beyond Rome, the book features gripping military accounts, particularly the Rhine mutinies and the campaigns of the Roman general Germanicus against the Germanic chieftain Arminius (the architect of the catastrophic Roman defeat at the Teutoburg Forest). Tacitus offers the perspective of an outside observer on the tribes living in Northern and Eastern Europe, and beyond the Rhine and Danube rivers and the Baltic Sea. He relied on military reports, accounts from merchants, and earlier lost texts. Tacitus is deeply impressed by the Chatti (ancestors of the Hessians), as they fight in the Roman manner: they adopt strategies, elect commanders whom they obey, carry tools and supplies, and construct fortified camps at night. The Batavi, settled in the Rhine delta (the Netherlands), were originally a branch of the Chatti; they are Rome's most loyal and prestigious Germanic allies. They pay no tribute to the Roman Empire; instead, they serve as a military reserve, offering the Roman war machine nothing but their own blood and skill, and they possess an excellent cavalry. He mentions warlike Gallic tribes—such as the Helvetii and the Boii—who crossed the Rhine to settle in Germany. The Fenni (Finns or Sami), located in the far northeast, are described as incredibly wild and destitute: lacking iron, horses, and permanent dwellings, they wear animal skins, sleep on the bare ground, and hunt with bone-tipped arrows. In Tacitus's view, having nothing to lose and desiring no wealth, they are entirely free from the anxieties of civilization and the tyranny of kings. The Sarmatians are an Iranian-speaking nomadic people inhabiting the steppes of Eastern Europe (Ukraine and southern Russia); they lead a completely nomadic life, traveling on horseback and in wagons. The Aestii inhabit the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea and Poland; Tacitus notes that their customs and clothing are identical to those of the Germanic peoples, yet their language more closely resembles that of the Celts of Britain. Renowned as unique gatherers of amber, they are astonished by the vast sums Roman merchants pay to acquire it. The Veneti (ancestors of the Slavs) are a people who roam the forests and mountains situated between Germanic and Sarmatian territories; they are grouped with the Germanic peoples because they build houses, carry shields, and fight on foot—distinctly different from the nomadic Sarmatians. The Suebi (Suevi) are a vast confederation of tribes occupying more than half of Germany; they are visually distinguished by the way they twist and tie their hair atop their heads (the "Suebian knot") to appear taller and more fearsome in battle. Then there are the Suiones, or Swedes, who inhabit lands beyond the Ocean (to Tacitus, the Scandinavian peninsula was an island); they place great value on wealth and are ruled by an absolute monarch—lacking democratic assemblies—while their weapons are kept under guard. They are renowned for their powerful fleets, equipped with double-prowed ships that allow them to row in either direction without having to turn around.

DESCRIPTION: Large 4°, height 270 x width 220 mm (10.6 by 8.7 inches). Pages [72], 492, [24], complete edition. Beautiful leather binding from circa 1710, richly decorated with floral motifs, gilt ornamentation, and spine lettering; professionally restored, with minimal defects and slight signs of wear; very sturdy, fully functional, and in excellent condition, as shown in the photos. The volume is illustrated with dozens of woodcut initials, headpieces, and ornaments; the initials embody the full range of medieval German and Roman imagery—animals, monsters, combat scenes, monarchs, cherubs, children, acts of violence, horses, and weaponry. Woodcut Froben mark on title and at the end. The pages are intact and printed on high-quality paper, minor defects, some spotting or yellowing, mostly in the wide white margins; the text is sharply printed in a beautiful, clear typeface—all of which makes this volume a very good copy. COMPLETE EDITION.

LITERATURE & REFERENCES; WORLD CAT n°367355934; USTC n°681875; VD16 T-13; Adams T-24; München, Germany, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Shelfmark: 2 A.lat.b. 716; Versailles, France, Bibliothèque municipale Shelfmark: Rés. H 67; Oxford, United Kingdom, Bodleian Library Shelfmark: Antiq.c.GS.1533.1; Bessie Walker, The Annals of Tacitus: A Study in the Writing of History, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1952; Heckethorn, The Printers of Basle, 1897, pp. 119-122; Panckoucke, Tacite, 1843, vol. 7, p. 410; Claire, Commenter les Annales de Tacite au XVIe, Anabases, 15-2012; Robert Walter, Trois profils de Beatus Rhenanus: l'homme, le savant, le chrétien, 3ª ed., S.l., Les Amis de la Bibliothèque humaniste de Sélestat, 2011.

TRANSLATOR/EDITOR: Beatus Rhenanus also known as Beat Bild (1485–1547), was a German humanist, writer, publisher, and lawyer. In 1503, he moved to Paris, where he obtained his baccalaureate and subsequently worked as a proofreader for the publisher Henri Estienne, all while continuing his university studies and earning his licentiate in 1507. In 1511, he relocated to Basel, where he attended Greek courses and soon began having the publisher Johann Froben print works by Greek authors such as Gregory of Nazianzus (1512) and George of Trebizond (1513), followed by Latin authors including Pliny the Younger and Suetonius (1514), Seneca (1515), and Velleius Paterculus (1516). In 1513, he met Erasmus of Rotterdam, who exerted a profound influence on him and became a close friend; he published Erasmus's *Scarabeus* and subsequently a series of works by Greek, Latin, and contemporary authors, ranging from Homer, Maximus of Tyre, Tacitus, to Thomas More and Luther. He thus became an ardent proponent of Luther's ideas and formed a bond with Zwingli, sharing his desire for reform. In 1526, he published Pliny the Elder's *Natural History*, followed by an *Ecclesiastical History* in 1528. His *History of Germany* (*Rerum Germanicarum Libri III*) and an edition of Procopius of Caesarea's *History of the Goths* appeared in 1531, while he published the works of Tacitus in 1533 and those of Livy in 1535. Following Erasmus's death in 1536, he published a *Life of Erasmus* and two catalogues of his works.

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