SALLUSTIUS & DEMOPHILUS

Salloustiou philosophou Peri theon kai kosmoi & Demophili, democratis

      Leiden:: Joannis Maire,, 1639.. FIRST EDITION OF BOTH BOOKS TOGETHER.. Two books in one. 12mo. Text in Greek and Latin on opposite pages. Contemporary calf, a bit worn and stained; an excellent copy, the blank leaves front and back with contemporary annotations. The signature of (Sir John) Aubrey (1626-97), an antiquary and fellow of the Royal Society, with his large armorial bookplate on the front paste down with the motto "Le bon temps viendra." First edition containing both books. They were separately printed the prior year and are not located in the standard bibliographies as bound together before the present date. Sallustius was a Neo-platonic philosopher who flourished in the fourth century. Like his friend, the Emperor Julian, he was a member of the school of Pergamon. The present work, On the gods and the world, is said to have been written for the benefit of the Emperor. The treatise was written by Leo Allatius (1586-1669), Greek scholar, physician, and theologian, with a dedication by Gabriel Naude, French librarian and scholar. Allatius was a voluminous writer who showed an absence of true critical faculty. In one of his essays, he speculated that the Holy Prepuce (foreskin) may have ascended into Heaven at the same time as Jesus himself and might have become the rings of Saturn. Demophilus was bishop of Berea and bishop of Constantinople from 370 until expelled in 380. After his accession he went to Cyzicus to procure the election of an Arian bishop. This treatise was written by Lucas Holstenius (1596-1661), a German humanist, geographer, and theological writer. As the librarian of the Vatican, he became liberal-minded and strenuously opposed the strict censorship of the Index. The thoughts of Democritius, one of his principal works, is considered a little mythological.#11;