YOUR CART
- No products in the cart.
Subtotal:
€0.00
Πλουτάρχου Παράλληλοι Βίοι / Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, “Πλουτάρχου Χαιρώνεως παράλληλα εν βίοις Ελλήνων τε και Ρωμαίων. Plutarchi Chaeronei quae vocantur parallela…”,Basileae, Hieron. Froben et Nicol. Episcopius, 1560. 4to (22.5x34cm), pp. [6], 787, [1]. Text in Greek. Johannes Oporinus dedicatory epistle to Simon Grynaeus in Latin “Ioanni suo Oporino Simon Grinaeus S.”. Woodcut initials and chapter ornaments, printer’s device on title page and colophon.
Parallel Lives or Plutarch’s Lives, is a work of considerable importance that inspired leading authors and thinkers such as Montaigne, Shakespeare, Dryden, Rousseau, and Emerson. It is formed is a series of 48 biographies of famous men, arranged in pairs illuminating virtues & vices. Plutarch’s Life of Alexander is one of the few surviving secondary or tertiary sources about Alexander the Great, and it includes anecdotes and descriptions of incidents that appear in no other source.
The first printed edition appeared in Rome in 1470. The current 4th edition, printed by H. Froben, is based on the 3rd edition, also printed in Basel in 1533. Hieronymus Froben (1501–1563) was a famous pioneering printer in Basel and along with his brother-in-law Nicolaus Episcopius were noted for their working friendship with Erasmus and for making Basel an important center of Renaissance printing.
Unique contemporary binding: Blindstamped vellum over wooden boards dated 1564, with religious scenes framed with floral designs & two clasps, both broken.
Lower blanc part and edges of title page repaired with paper addition. Repairs also in sheet pp.[5-6]. Occasional spotiing inside and very light marginal waterstain mainly at the end. Occasional marginal notes in pen & pencil. External edge-wear, rubbed, with small loss at corners & spine’s foot & tail.
Very few copies have been tracked worldwide. Very Rare.