1582 Catulli, Tibulli, Properti (Catullus, Tibullus, Propertius). Rade, Antwerp. Roman poetry (emotive, with lots of love, etc.)

A 1582 printing of the Corpus Tibullianum, the three most important Roman elegiac poets Catullus, Tibullus and Propertius. This copy in a handsome fresh binding.

These poets wrote during the late Roman Republic with a strong focus on emotion and love. From Gemini -

"Catullus is known for his intense and passionate poems, often addressed to a woman he calls ‘Lesbia.’ His work is characterized by its raw emotional power and personal nature. Tibullus is famous for his gentle and melancholic tone, often idealizing a simple, rural life away from the city's turmoil. His poems are marked by a sense of longing for peace and tranquility. Propertius is celebrated for his sophisticated and learned poetry, full of mythological allusions. His work is primarily centered on his tumultuous relationship with a woman he names ‘Cynthia.’"

This printing includes commentary on Catullus' work (Scaliger, a Renaissance surgeon and scholar), and "scholia" (explanatory commentary) on the other two poets (as called out on the title page).

Bibliographic Details -

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) number 401943; not rare, found in many of the world's best libraries (Plantin Museum, BNF, Oxford and Cambridge libraries, Houghton, Beinecke... among others).

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 17 x 11 x 4.5 cm. Calf binding; boards with outer blind double fillet. Spine with three raised bands, title in gilt in one compartment and year in gilt at base of spine. Gatherings of eight (octavo). 3 title pages, each work with separate collations.

Catullus, Tibulli, Properti –

Pages – xii, 1-274, [2]

Collation – (:)6, A-R8, S2

Scaligeri

Pages – 1-240, [8]

Collation – Aa-Pp8, Qq4

Mureti

Pages – 1-192, [8]

Collation – A-M8, N4

Collates complete.

Condition -

See pictures. Binding fresh with only a few finger-ring rubs, etc. Refreshed endpapers. Text block with toning throughout and occasional thumbing, foxing spots, dog-eared corner, page-edge chip, etc. Several moisture marks throughout the book. Title page with a part of the ex libris manuscript name excised (cut out) near bottom edge. Some manuscript annotations in the text throughout Catulli works, with passages numbered; occasional notes, underlining and numbering in other works, but far less. 1” tear at bottom edge of Ff3. Less than 1cm hole in bottom margin of Muretis leaf A7. Several pin-hole impressions in the fore-edge margin of last two gatherings; possibly impressions from the nails of an earlier bindings clasps?