NILUS OF ANCYRA, St.: PIRCKHEIMER, W. (trans.)

Beatiss. Patris Nili, Episcopi et Martyris theologi antiquiss, Sente[n]tiae morales

      Fridericus Peypus iterum impressit, Nuremberg 1516 - Modern boards made from the leaf of an incunable 4to . FIRST EDITION of Willibald Pirckheimer's (1470-1530) translation of the Sententiae morales of St. Nilus of Ancyra (c. ca. 430), 5th century abbot and ascetic writer, who was one of the many disciples and fervent defenders of St. John Chrysostom (cf. New Cath. Enc. X, p. 470). Willibald was one of the greatest German patrons of scholars and artists of the period as well as being a first rate scholar whose writings and translations were highly regarded. He composed the obituary of his lifelong friend and sometime collaborator Albrech Durer in 1528 (cf. Contemp. of Erasmus, III, p. 90). He dedicated the present work to his sister Klara who "was no exception to the remarkable level of education and culture for which the female members of the pirckheimer family were famous . Willibald dedicated to her his edition of Nilus' Sententiae mroales (Nuremberg: F. Peypus 1516); in the same year he conveyed Klara's greetings to Erasmus" (Contemp. of Erasmus, III, p. 90). The beautiful woodcut title border was earlier believed to be the work of Albrecht Durer but now attributed to Hans Springinklee (Dodgson I, p. 379; Butsch, plate 32). OCLC Columbia and Harvard [20]. Fine woodcut white on black title border (lightly trimmed at top of border) attributed to Hans Springinklee. Some foxing. § VD16 N1760; BM/STC German 654; Dodgson, German & Flemish woodcuts, I, 379. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]