Henricus Stefanus (Henri Estienne), [Θησαυρός της Ελληνικής γλώσσης, Thesaurus Graecae Linguae, Ab Henrico Stephano constructus], [Geneva], [1572] TOGETHER WITH Henricus Stefanus (Henri Estienne), “Glossaria duo, e situ vetustatis eruta, ad utriusque linguae cognitionem ... perutilia : item de Atticae linguae ... idiomatic”, [Geneva], 1573. FIRST EDITION of Henricus Stefanus’ “Thesaurus Graecae Linguae” Volumes I – IV, without the v.5: Appendix libellorum ad Thesaurum Græcæ linguæ pertinentium. Missing the title page the first sheet of the first volume, starting on page [3] (dedication to the Maximilian II) otherwise complete the four volumes (collated with the copies of the Complutense University of Madrid). The “Glossaria duo, e situ vetustatis eruta…”, in its 1573 FIRST EDITION is bound with the fourth volume of the Thesaurus and it is COMPLETE including all the two parts (collated with the copy of the Bavarian State Library / Bayerische Staatsbibliothek). Folio, pp. Vol.I: 3-20, i-xx,[2], vi-xxiii, 1946 columns, Vol.II: half title, [1] leaf, i-xii columns, 1592 columns, blank leaf, 1593-1700 columns, Vol.III: half title, [1] leaf, 5-1793 columns, Vol.IV: half title, [1] leaf, 1-834 columns + Title page, [7], 1-230, [1], 235-666 columns, half title, [6], 13-247. Contemporary uniform full vellum. Tear on leaf 5-6 / 7-8 of vol.II, light water-stains on part of Vols.I, II & 3, occasional spotting, covers soiled, spine of vol.I partly detached, light wear along external joints and edges. The “Thesaurus Graecae Linguae” was a landmark both in Henri Estiennes career and in the history of classical scholarship. The work was a companion to his father’s Latin thesaurus and remained the most important lexicography of the Greek language for the next three centuries. The Thesaurus did not sell as well as expected, since the amount of work required and the high price set for the five volumes prevented it from circulating widely in scholarly circles. This led Estienne to publish in 1573 a smaller abridged edition entitled “Glossaria duo, e situ vetustatis eruta” included here complete in its First edition. It includes the editiones principes of the two most valuable ancient Byzantine bilingual glossaries: the Latin-Greek Philoxenus Glossary, and the Greek-Latin Cyrillus Glossary along with Estiennes extensive commentaries on the Greek dialects. Very Rare