Lot 08005

[AULUS GELLIUS] AULI GELLII Luculentis Simi scritoris NOCTES ATTICAE, Lugduni (Lyon), Apud Haered. Seb. Gryphii, M.D.LX. (1560). 1 volume in-8 (162 x 105 mm), p. [64]-533-[1] pages (complete collection – signed A8-D8; a8-z8; A8-L3).

Aulus Gellius (ca. 123-170 CE) is known almost wholly from his Noctes Atticae, ’Attic Nights’, so called because it was begun during the nights of an Attic winter. The work collects in twenty books, consisting of interesting notes covering philosophy, history, biography, all sorts of antiquities, points of law, literary criticism, and lexicographic matters, explanations of old words and questions of grammar. The work is valuable because of its many excerpts from other authors whose works are lost; and because of its evidence for people’s manners and occupations. Some at least of the dramatic settings may be genuine occasions

Full glazed tawny calfskin (contemporary binding), spine with seven raised bands, five of which are double blind-edged, six boxes embellished with gilt fleurons, double frame of triple blind-edged on the covers with gilt Alde finials in spandrels, gilt azure medallion in the center, blind fillet on the cuts. Corners and foot cap rubbed, head cap roughly restored formerly, split jaws (0.5 cm), leather age cracks on the back and hinges, pale small stains on the covers, work of worms on the foot of the bottom plate and on the guards, body of light work. Italic printing inside, ex-libris label on the upper inside cover, ex-libris ms. old on the title page. Some pages rather detached or semi-deatched from spine, but clean throught.

Uncommon specimen in Good condition.