LUCAN, M. Annaeus.

De Bello Civili.

      - Paris; Robert Stephanus, 1545. 8vo. pp. 273 [vii]. Italic letter, headlines in Roman capitals. Woodcut 'Noli Altum' printer's device to t-p. Light age yellowing, one or two tiny spots, a very good, clean, unsophisticated, well-margined copy in contemporary vellum, lacking ties. Title lettered on spine, two small paper library labels, armorial bookplate of the Earl of Macclesfield to front pastedown, Shirburn Castle blindstamp to first few ll. First Estienne edition, printed in the beautiful Garamond italic, then still innovative, having first appeared in 1543. Silver Age poet Lucan's epic account of the civil wars between Caesar and Pompey was considered in the Middle Ages as superior to Virgil (a view later shared by Shelley and Southey); his continued place in contemporary reading is well-evidenced by the many fine editions after the Aldine editio princeps, of which this is an example. The author had an important influence on Corneille, and thus classical French drama. BM STC Fr. p.270. Adams L1575. Renouard 64:14. Brunet III.1199 "bonne édition, peu commune". Graesse IV.273. L868