Pharsalia

Pharsalia

1486

13 May 1486

de Beer Itc 1486 L

HC 10238*; BMC V 405; Goff L302; Kaplan 316; ISTC il00302000

Venice: Nicolaus Battibovis
Nicolaus Battibovis lived in Venice and utilised his brother's (Antonius) workshop to print this edition of Lucan in May 1486. It was his only work.

Vellum over boards. Spine title reads: Annaei Lucani/ Pharsaliae/ Ediz. Venezia/ 1486.

First page of text proper, last page with colophon, detail of colophon.

Pharsalia, or 'Civil War', was originally written in Latin, approximately A.D. 61-65, by the Roman poet Lucan. It is an epic poem in ten books about the civil war between Caesar and Pompey. Lucan was born into a prominent Roman family (Seneca the Elder was his grandfather, and Seneca the Younger his uncle), and it seemed that he befriended the young Emperor Nero at an early age. It was during the period at the Emperors court that he probably wrote Pharsalia. The relationship between Nero and Lucan eventually soured, and the Emperor offered Lucan death or suicide. He chose the latter.

Paper. 186 leaves; 290 x 205 mm (fol).
Roman type.
Commentary ascribed to Omnibonus Leonicenus.
F.1b: 'M. Annaei Lucani Vita ex Commentario Antiquiss.'
F.2a: 'Omnibonus Vincentinus in Lucanum.'
Colophon: (f.186a): 'Finit opus Lucani cum comtariis Omniboni uicetini impressu uenetiis a Nicolao battiboue alexadrino anno domini M cccclxxxvi. tertio idus maii regnante inclyto principe Marco barbadico..'
Some foxing and repair in latter pages of text and commentary.
Light marginal annotations.

1. Petri Panonolli (?)
2. Gayliano Tappala (?)
3. Willi Fels, 1946
4. Otago University Library.