Apuleius, Lucius

OPERA; de Asino aureo libelli .XI. [or, The golden ASS and others]

      Philippi de Giunta, printer with his device on Colophon, Florence, [1512, colophon] - Latin, (4)pp., ccliii (253)leaves, bound in full contemporary vellum, spine lettered, ruled and decorated in brown ink, all edges blue, a few leaves with scattered foxing but mostly fresh and bright, small abraision near foot but not a significant defect. The philosophical treatises which comprise the major part of the book deal both with Plato and his interpreter in the Renaissance, Marsilius Ficino. He wrote three books on Plato (the third is lost): De Platone et eius dogmate ("On Plato and His Teaching") and De Deo Socratis ("On the God of Socrates"), which expounds the Platonic notion of demons, beneficent creatures intermediate between gods and mortals (Ency. Britannica). Of historical interest, the Medici family ruled Florence between 1434-1531, they lost control and were expelled in 1494 and a Florentine Republic was established. The Medici were restored in 1512, (the publication date of this work) and Machiavelli would publish his book "The Prince" the following year. John M. Najemy, in his book titled "Between Friends" notes "Apuleius was, or would become, a major inspiration for Machiavelli in the Asino. A superb copy printed by Philippi de Ginta with his printer's mark. Very nice.