MACROBE, Flavius Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius... Lot 41

MACROBE, Flavius Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius (born around 370). In Somnium Scipionis ex Ciceronis VI libro de Rep. Eruditissima explanatio. Venice: in Aedibus Aldi, and Andreae Asulani Soceri, April 1528. Rare Aldine edition of this text of considerable importance. Scipio's Dream, which makes up the majority of the sixth book of Cicero's De Republica, is perhaps the best known passage, since, unlike the rest of the work, it has come down to us practically intact. It is the commentary of this Dream by Macrobius that allowed the transmission of Cicero's text: if the commentary itself contained only excerpts, the successive copyists had the habit of including the whole text in their manuscripts. This rare Aldine edition is illustrated with 8 black diagrams in the text, thus conforming to the precepts of Macrobius who recommended the use of images to transmit knowledge. In particular, a world map that compiles neo-Platonic knowledge in a way, dividing the earth into five distinct climatic zones can be studied. To the south is a fictitious continent, the Antipodes, which is supposed to balance the continental masses. The Aldine Press, cat. 251 The Mapping of The World, cat. 13. In-8 (154 x 92 mm). Printer's mark on the first and last pages. 8 black diagrams in the text (brown spots on the first two restoration notebooks on the first and last pages and in the upper margin of page a2, copy probably washed). Antique long grain green morocco binding, spine ribbed, gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Provenance: "Joannis Baptista Gabrielis" (?) ex-libris and old contemporary marginal annotations, in brown ink partially erased. - (USD 935 - USD 1,402) To bid, please visit the "Auction Information" section.