Perottus, Nicolaus.

Cornucopiae linguae latinae. (And:) Commentariolus in prohemium historiae naturalis Plinii.

      Venice, Johannes Tacuinus, 20. XII. 1496. - Folio. Roman and occasional Greek type (title page in Gothic type). 2 cols., 62 lines. With woodcut printer's device at the end and numerous woodcut initials. (38), CCCVII ff., last blank. Contemp. blindstamped vellum over wooden boards. With 7 (instead of 10) brass fittings and 2 claps (leather bands restored). Ms. title to upper fore-edge. Important collection of philological texts, actually a commentary on the first book of Martial. Originally compiled by Niccolò Perotti (1430-80), first printed by Paganinus in 1489, and edited by Johannes Pompeius Cornianus and Polydorus Vergilius. The theologian and scholar Perotti taught Latin at Rome, but quarrelled with Domenico Calderino over the proper interpretation of Martial, removed himself to zu Bologna and there taught oratory, philosophy, and even medicine (cf. Jöcher III, 1398). In 1458, Cardinal Bessarion made him Archbishop of Manfredonia. In the "Cornucopiae", his principal work, he is said to have "committed a plagiarism which Calepinus in his 'Dictionario' then in turn committed against this work" (cf. ibid.). - Slight waterstaining throughout. Front endpaper and title page have contemp. notes (name index and Greek and Latin mottos). Attractive German Renaissance binding; front cover shows traces of a contemp. ms. cover title. The fine brass corner fittings and the metal clasps are preserved; both center fittings and one corner fitting on the back cover are missing. Large stain to back cover; still, altogether a fine, well-preserved copy of this rare incunable. Hain/C. 12704. Goff P-295. GW M 31100. Pellechet Ms 9221 (9045). Sheppard 4537. Proctor 5444. BMC V, 531. BSB-Ink P-220. ISTC ip00295000. [Attributes: Hard Cover]