SILIUS ITALICUS, Tiberius Caius

Punica (Commentary by Petrus Marsus)

      Baptista de Tortis, Venice 1483 17th century panelled calf with large lozenge composed of small tools with gilt circle at center, gilt edges (carefully rebacked) Folio (307 x 215 mm) . FIRST EDITION with this commentary by the Italian humanist, Pietro Marso (Petrus Marsus: 1442-1512), whose work was admired by Erasmus who met him in Rome when he was almost seventy. Marso was a student and close associate of Pomponius Laetus and Johannes Argyropoulos. Because of his association with the Roman Academy in 1468 he was briefly imprisoned along with Laetus, Platina and Argyropoulos. Marso and Laetus shared an interest in the Punica by Silius Italicus with Laetus having edited an earlier version of the text while for the present edition Marso has supplied an extensive commentary. "On Pomponius' recommendation, Marso became tutor to Cristoforo Piccolomini, the nephew of Cardinal Iacopo Ammanati, in 1472. Some time between 1472 and 1481 he was also appointed a teacher of rhetoric at the University of Rome. He most famous student was Paolo Cortese. "During his long tenure at the Studio of Rome Marso produced numerous textual commentaries, notably on Cicero's De officiis (Venice: Baptista de Tortis 1481) and De senectute (Venice: O. Scoto 1494), and on Silius Italicus (Venice: Baptista de Tortis 1483). In addition, Marso took responsibility for posthumously editing Argyropoulos' translation of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics . and delivered several orations, including one at the funeral of Pomponius Laetus" (Contemporaries of Erasmus, II, p. 394). A very nice copy that has been handsomely rubricated throughout [178] leaves. 64 lines of commentary. Type: 1:114R (text), 2:78R (Commentary), 2- to 6-line initials in red. Some occasional light foxing in outer blank margins, small hole in blank margin in first leaf and two tiny wormholes at end. Some early annotations. With engraved armorial bookplate of William Talbot, Lord Bishop of Oxford dated 1702. Very handsome copy. § Goff S-507; Hain-Copinger 14739*; BMC, V, p. 323 (IB.21343); IDL 4121; IGI 8976.