CAESAR, Caius Julius.

Caii Iulii Caesaris Commentariorum. Libri VIII. Quibus Adiecimus suis in locus D. Heinrici Glareani doctissimas Annotationes: multo quam antehac nunquam emendatiores editi. Quae praetere a hac ultima editione addita sunt, sequens pagella docebit. Basel, heirs N. Bryling, 1575. 8vo. With woodcut printer's device on title-page, double-page woodcut map of Gaul, double-page woodcut map of ancient Spain, 4 full-page woodcut illustrations. Contemporary vellum.

      - (32), 635, (21) pp. Adams C-62; this edition not BMC STC German, Brunet.Caesar's De Bello Gallico and De Bello Civili in an edition by the Swiss linguist, philosopher and mathematician Henri Glareanus, accompanied by illuminating woodcut maps and illustrations. The Commentarii De Bello Gallico deals with Caesar's Gallic campaigns from 59 till 52 BC. In these years, Caesar fought against invading nations, consolidated Roman rule over the various Gallic tribes and ventured into Britain. The work shows him as a brilliant commander, but its veracity is not in doubt. Book VIII describes the events of 51-50 and was written by A. Hirtius. The second work in this volume De Bello Civili - without a separate title-page and announcement on the title to De Bello Gallico - describes the struggle for power between Caesar and Pompey in 49-48. The present edition was prepared by Henri Glareanus (1488-1563). "Ses nombreuses éditions des classiques grecs et latins, les notes qui les accompagnent, ont reçu toute l'approbation de Juste Lipse. Erasme le loue. " (NBG XX, cols 791-793). The text of each book is printed in italic type, followed by Glareanus's notes in roman type. The double-page maps show Gaul and ancient Spain with Roman geographic names for regions, rivers, towns and tribes. There is a full-page woodcut of Caesar's bridge over the Rhine, built in a mere ten days, an illustration of the siege of Avaricum (Bourges), the circumvallations around Alesia (Mount Auxois) and Uxellodunum (Puy d'Issolu) and the fortifications at Massilia (Marseille). These woodcuts focus on the engineering side of Caesar's campaigns and are accompanied by explanations. They were made by J.J. Veronese. At the end is an index (pp. 573-635) with geographic and ethnographic names by Raimundus Marlianus, followed by an index with Roman geographic names and their German equivalent and a general index. A few ink underlinings, p. 275 repaired tear with some loss of text. Good copy in contemporary binding.