JUVENAL. PERSIUS.

Satyrae.

      Venice; in aedibus haeredum Aldi, et Andreae Soceri, 1535. 8vo. ff. 78. Italic letter. Aldine anchor device on t-p, bookplate of T. Kimball Brooker on pastedown. A fine copy in early 19th C English straight-grained olive morocco, triple-filleted in gilt, gilt Aldine dolphin to centre of each board, spine gilt in compartments, aeg. Third Aldine edition of Juvenal's and Persius' satires, which "follows sometimes one, and sometimes the other, text of the previous editions" (Dibdin). The book contains the famous sixteen satires written by Juvenal, and six by Persius. Juvenal being the greatest of Roman satirical poets, it is no surprise that Aldus quickly included his work among his beautifully printed pocket series publications. Little is known about Juvenal's life. His satires were first published between AD c110 and 127 and are characterised by a satirical and ironical humour directed against the vices of Roman society of the time. The third satire is perhaps the best, containing a wonderfully vivid description of Rome (which inspired Dr Johnson's 'London'), while the sixth, a harsh denunciation of women's vices, is the longest and most virulent. In his six satires, Flaccus Aulus Persius (AD 34-62) displays his stern Stoic morality in a mixture of styles and rather obscure language. A harsh criticism of the poets at the court of Nero is the subject of the first. The others, which are more homilies that satires, deal with topics such as the abuse of prayer (not for obtaining material goods), the damage caused by vice, and the greatness of Cornutus (Persius' Stoic teacher). The fine Aldine type makes the (re)reading of this edition a real pleasure. According to a pencil note on the fly, the Fortescue copy sold at Christie's in 1971. BM STC It. 364. Renouard 113:1 "pas commune". Adams J777. Brunet III 630. Graesse III 519 "édition très correcte et rare". Dibdin II p. 150-151 "It is not common".L800