CALLIMACHUS

[Greek text: Kallimachou Kyrenaiou Hymnoi, meta ton scholion. Gnomai ekdiaphoron trieton philosophon syllegeisai] Callimachi Cyrenaei Hymni, cumscholijs nunc primum �ditis. Sententiae ex diuersis po�tis oratoribusq[ue]ac philosophis collect�, non ante excus�

      (Hieronymus Froben & Nicolaus Episcopius) Basel 1532 18the century Spanish mottled sheep with gilt spine (rubbed; very minor damage to base of spine) 4to . FIRST EDITION of this important new recension of the original Greek text which Brunet notes includes much that has been added and improved over any previous editions including the Aldine of 1513. "To the Hymns of Callimachus are subjoined the Gnomologia, which is a singular production form a certain ancient MS. specified in Harles, Fabr. B.G. t. i. 725. The Scholia and Preface of Gelenius adorn this correct edition, which is far preferable to the Aldine, and which supplies some lacunae." (Dibdin, Intro. Classics, I, p. 366). The eminent Greek poet, Callimachus (b. ca. 300 B.C.), had been the head of the great library at Alexandria where he compiled a catalogue of its holdings of which only a few fragments survived. Edited by the eminent Greek scholar and Bohemian humanist. Sigmund Gelen (Zikmund Hruby z Jeleni: 1497-1554) of Prague. Hruby z Jeleni, "better known as Gelenius, was born into a family of Bohemian nobles. He translated Erasmus's Moria into Czech as well as works by Petrarch and Cicero. Gelenius at one time studied Greek under Marcus Musurus and visited Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and France before returning to Prague, where he lectured privately on Greek authors and entered into correspondence with Melanchthon. ... Probably in 1524 he moved to Basel, where he lived in Erasmus' household. He spent the remainder of his life working for the Froben press as a scholar, editor, corrector, and translator from the Greek, even declining a position as professor of Greek at Nuremberg for which he was recommended by Melanchthon in 1525 and 1526. ... in his day there cannot have been many major productions of the Froben press which did not benefit from his selfless scholarly devotion. ... There is also evidence that he collaborated on a number of editions by Erasmus ... [also] Erasmus held Gelenius in high regard as is attested to by himself and others" (Contemporaries of Erasmus, II, pp. 84-85). A very handsome, large paper copy, of this fine example of Basel Greek printing 245, [3] pp. Woodcut printer's device on title and at end; large woodcut initials and headpiece. Introduction in Latin with text in Greek. Contemporary ownership inscription, in Greek, on title as well as a later inscription dated "1640." � VD16, C270; Ebert 339; Brunet I, 1479; Graesse II, 17