2nd printing (1st scholarly) of Phaedrus' Aesop (as discovered by Pithou, in a manuscript, in 1596). 1598 Fabularum Aesopiarum. Plantin

2nd printing of the ancient Phaedrus' version of Aesop, following the 1596 editio princeps (printed from a manuscript, found by Pithou); this edition with the added annotations of leading scholars. This copy with the sections mentioned by Brunet as not found in all copies. Brunet and Moss (Manual of Classical Bibliography, 1837) both note this edition as scarce.

“Phaedrus was a 1st-century AD Roman fabulist and the first versifier of a collection of Aesop's fables into Latin. Nothing is recorded of his life except for what can be inferred from his poems, and there was little mention of his work during late antiquity. It was not until the discovery of a few imperfect manuscripts during and following the Renaissance that his importance emerged, both as an author and in the transmission of the fables. Francois Pithou discovered Codex Pithoeanus in 1596, at which time Phaedrus's work had fallen into complete oblivion, and sent the manuscript to his brother Pierre Pithou, who used it to publish the editio princeps.” - Wikipedia

Regarding this second edition - "This edition (has) become very scarce : it contains the amended text of Pitthoeus , the Enigmas of Symposius , with the Scholia of Castalio ; the Greek Fables of Gabrius ( Gabrias or Babrias) Hesiodi Apologus, Ignoti Epigramma, Apologi Horatiani, and the Enigmas of the Ancient Greek and Latin Poets -The Editor has also inserted some of his own Notes and those of Gaspar Schoppius and Castalio ." - (Manual of Classical Biography, Moss, p. 393, 1837)

Also, bound at the rear is a second work (with its own title page and collation), also printed in 1598 at the same printer (Plantin, Leiden), with additional moralistic works of Publilius Syri (Selectae Sententiae) and Cato (Distichs, here titled Disticha de Moribus).

In addition to its significance as the first scholarly edition of Phaedrus, this collection of works is a wonderful selection of the ancient moral works studied by 16th century students. Several of the works are printed in both Greek and Latin.

Bibliographic Details of Phaedrus -

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) number 424160, 38 copies recorded in the world's libraries; copies held at the Plantin Museum, the BNF, Trinity College, Uni. van Amserdam, National Library of Russia, Cambridge, the BL, Houghton, among others.

Catalogued by Brunet on column 587 of the 1921 Manuel du Libraire... Volume 4.

Pettegree/Walsby - 24196

Bibliographic Details of Syri/Cato -

USTC number 423981; 35 copies recorded.

Adams - P 2246

Pettegree/Walsby - 26105

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 16 x 10 x 2 cm. Gatherings of eight (octavo) Softcover vellum wrap with Yapp edges. Faded title on spine in old hand. Text block edges sprinkled red. Two full title pages, with printer’s marks. Several works with Greek and Latin parallel texts (see works noted below).

1598 Fabularum Aesopiarum

Pages – 1-191, [1]

Collation – A-M8

Fabellae & Aenigmata (Greek and Latin text)

Pages – 1-55, [1]

Collation – a-c8, d4

Aenigmata Symposii Poetae Veteris

No pagination

Collation – EE8 (one gathering)


2nd work with title page - 1598 Publii Syri Mimi Selectae Sententiae (Greek and Latin text)

Pages – 1-80

Collation – A-E8

Condition -

See pictures. It seems someone applied polish to the vellum, which gives it a slightly odd feel. One spine cord broken near front-top of spine.

Front hinge cracked, which leaves first five gatherings somewhat proud; 1st four gatherings are holding on at bottom cord and fifth gathering is loose. Six and seventh gatherings (F and G) also feel shaken.

Ex libris, bookseller, etc. annotations to pastedown and title page. No binder’s endpapers. Text block with some toning throughout; occasional fox spot, page-edge chip, ink spot and thumb. Title page also with library stamp, strikethrough, year in old hand at bottom of page and an incision where a name was removed. Occasional underlining to text and annotation throughout.