BUDÉ, Guillaume. (With) PRISCIAN.
THE DEFINITIVE DE ASSE
De asse et partibus eius libri quinque. (With) Opera.
Paris, Imprimebat Michael Vascosanus sibi, Roberto Stephano, ac Johanny Roigny (and) in Typographia Badiana, ‘1541’ [colophon: January 1542]. ‘1027’ [recte 1527].£4,500.00
Folio. 2 works in one vol. ll. 224 (xi) [i]. Roman and Greek letter. Second work t-p within woodcut border showing printing shop, woodcut initials. T-p of first work slightly dusty, that and next few ll. with light marginal foxing. Very good, clean, well margined copes in C17 blindstamped reversed calf, red morocco label, upper board scuffed with loss. Macclesfield library bookplate to front pastedown, blindstamp to first few ll. c.1600 autograph to first t-p, C. Smith(?). A few contemp. annotations to start of each work.
Rare edition of Budé’s De asse et partibus eius, on Roman weights, measures and coinage, extremely popular and one of the most influential works of sixteenth-century humanism, bound with the rare first Badius Ascensius edition of the works of Priscian, which contains his treatise on Roman weights and measures. The Budé is the ‘definitive’ authorised edition, being the last to contain changes made during Budé’s lifetime.
Budé’s work on Roman weights and measures was more than just an antiquarian treatise; it was a sweeping reconstruction of ancient Roman culture, based on Budé’s expert knowledge of Latin and Greek as well as Roman law, that inspired generations of humanists. It became the standard textbook for those interested in Roman coinage. As stated in the colophon, this is the last edition on which Budé himself had any influence, augmented and enlarged with corrections made by him prior to his death in 1540. A first issue was printed 1 November 1541, with this, the second issue, in January 1542, according to the colophons. At the end are reprinted Josse Bade’s notes from the prior edition, published by him in 1532, which also carried a colophon declaring its authorisation by Budé.
Priscian was the most significant Latin grammarian to survive from antiquity. His most important work is this famous Latin grammar, the 18 books of the Institutionis Grammatices. This is followed by a number of shorter works, one on Roman weights and measures, along with: the elements of rhetoric, De constructione et ordinatione partium orationis; on Latin accents; his commentary on Virgil’s Aeneid; his translation of Hermogenes of Tarsus on rhetoric; his commentary on comic verses; works on the metre of Terence, metre used in rhetoric, and his commentary on Rufinus; and on the declination of nouns and pronouns, conjugations, and participles.
I: ‘… beaucoup corrigée et augmentée … un beau volume’ (Renouard).
I: Renouard, Estienne, 53.12. Dekesel B143. BM STC Fr., p. 85. Adams B3107. USTC 195180. II: Not in Brunet. Renouard, Badius Ascensius, III, 195.B. BM STC Fr., p. 366. Adams P2110. USTC 145866.In stock
