Senofonte - Il Cinegetico - 1790

SENOFONTE: THE ART OF HUNTING IN ANCIENT GREECE, BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY, NATURE AND TRADITION
An intriguing treatise from classical antiquity dedicated to the art of hunting, knowledge of animals, and training of hunting dogs. Published in Naples in 1790, this Italian edition of Seneca’s famous Cinegetico restores one of the oldest testimonies of hunting literature. A work in which technique, aristocratic education, and Greek philosophy meet, testifying to a tradition that has traversed over two thousand years of history. Particularly interesting is the presence of the folded plate and the elegant half-leather binding with marbled endpapers and ex-libris.

ABSTRACT
The Cinegetico of Senofonte constitutes one of the foundational texts of Western hunting literature. Composed in the tradition of Classical Greece, it systematically addresses the art of hunting, with particular attention to pursuing the hare, the use of dogs, the preparation of nets, and the techniques needed to face different ground conditions. The author describes the qualities of hounds, the characteristics of a good hunter, and the importance of observing nature, turning a practical manual into a reflection on physical and moral education. Hunting is presented as a discipline capable of developing courage, endurance, intelligence, and self-control. This Neapolitan edition of 1790 testifies to the book’s fortune in eighteenth-century Italy, when interest in Greek culture accompanied the diffusion of works devoted to aristocratic activities and natural history.

WHY TO BUY
A particularly interesting work for collectors of ancient hunting books, enthusiasts of historic cynology, and scholars of Greek civilization. The value of the edition lies in the importance of the original text, attributed to one of the greatest authors of classical antiquity, and in its eighteenth-century Italian publication. The presence of the folded plate constitutes a significant bibliographic element, while the half-leather binding with corners, the marbled endpapers, and the ex-libris confer on the specimen a commendable historical and collectible character. A material testimony of the transmission of hunting knowledge from ancient Greece to modern Europe, suitable for a library dedicated to hunting, animals, sport, and classical culture.

MARKET VALUE
The Neapolitan edition of 1790 belongs to a specialized collecting sector, where value depends on the integrity of the copy, the presence of any plates, and the condition of the binding. Considering the folded plate present, the half-leather binding, and its particular collectible purpose, a rough retail range can be placed between 450 and 650 euros.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Half-leather binding with tips, slightly post-dated to the publication, with marbled endpapers. Ex-libris affixed to the front paste-down, an interesting testimony of prior private ownership. A folded plate is present. Pages with physiological foxing. In old books with a centuries-long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This listing contains AI Visuals. Refer to the original photographs to verify the object's actual condition. The images are an integral part of the description. Pp. (2); 34; 154; 4nn; (4).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Senofonte.
The Cinegetico or A Little Book About Hunting.
Naples, at Donato Campo, 1790.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The Cinegetico occupies a fundamental position in the history of hunting literature. In ancient Greece hunting was not only a means of provisioning but a noble exercise closely linked to the education of youth, military preparation, and character formation. The work describes the training of dogs, their use in the search and pursuit of game, the preparation of tools, and the organization of hunts. Of particular importance is the conception of hunting as a school of virtue, in which discipline, patience, courage, and the ability to observe become essential qualities of the citizen. The Cinegetico tradition exerted a profound influence on later European hunting treatises, contributing to the formation of a literary genre that would enjoy notable success from the Renaissance to the modern era. The 1790 Neapolitan edition sits within the Italian Enlightenment cultural climate, characterized by a rediscovery of the classics and the circulation of technical and scientific knowledge.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Senofonte (circa 430–354 BCE) was an Athenian historian, writer, philosopher, and military commander, among the most representative figures of Greek culture in the 4th century BCE. A pupil and admirer of Socrates, he participated in the famous expedition of the Ten Thousand Greek mercenaries in the service of Cyrus the Younger, an experience he immortalized in the Anabasis. A prolific and versatile author, he wrote historical, philosophical, political, and technical works, including the Hellenica, the Memorabilia, the Cyropaedia, and the treatise on horsemanship. Tradition also attributes to him the Cinegetico, though the authorship of the work has been debated in modern criticism. His production reflects a constant interest in education, discipline, military life, and the relationship between man and nature.
Cris UNIBO

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The Cinegetico belongs to the manuscript tradition of the lesser works attributed to Senofonte, transmitted through the ages and later disseminated through printing. The text enjoyed significant fortune in Hellenistic and Renaissance Europe, when the rediscovery of Greek culture favored the publication and translation of the technical treatises of antiquity. The 1790 Neapolitan edition, printed at Donato Campo, documents the persistent eighteenth-century interest in classical hunting literature. Its publication in Italian made the text accessible to readers unfamiliar with classical Greek, particularly scholars and enthusiasts of the art of hunting. Currently, there are no verified records, based on available information, of the number of copies printed and the original edition’s print run. The edition’s presence in antiquarian catalogs and contemporary public sales confirms its circulation in the specialized market for ancient books on hunting.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Senofonte, The Cinegetico or A Little Book About Hunting, Naples, Donato Campo, 1790; Enciclopedia Italiana, entry “Caccia,” with references to the Italian translation of the Cinegetico published in Naples in 1790; G. Pierleoni, critical edition of Senofonte’s Cinegetico, Berlin, Weidmann, 1902; Senofonte, The Hunt (Cinegetico), edited by A. Tessier, introduction by O. Longo, Venice, Marsilio, 1990; Gonnelli Auction House, Books, Autographs and Manuscripts, Oct 7, 2026, lot 230, including the Neapolitan edition of 1790 together with a second eighteenth-century hunting treatise. Further bibliographic checks can be made through the SBN catalogs and specialized ancient books collections in classical and hunting literature.