Commentarius in aurea Pythagoreorum carmina. Ioan. Curtrerio interprete. Paris, Stephen Prevosteau,

Printer's woodcut device on title-page, ornamental woodcut head-pieces and initials. 12mo (140 x 80 mm). XXIV, "247" [i.e. 347]pp. Contemporary limp vellum.

Editio princeps of the commentary on the Golden Verses of Pythagoras, an attempt to show the agreement between the doctrines of Plato and Aristotle and to refute the systems of the Epicureans and Stoics. Hierocles (fl. 430) is often regarded as the first exponent of the Alexandrian school of Platonism; this is his only complete work to have survived and became very popular in the Middle Ages and Renaissance with the increased interest in Neo-Platonism. Latin translations of the commentary were printed as early as 1474 (Padua) and 1475 (Rome), but this is the first edition of the Greek text to appear and was produced from a manuscript in the library of François de la Rochefoucauld-Randon.Our edition begins with the verses of Pythagoras and a life of Hierocles in Greek and Latin, followed by the extensive commentary of Hierocles with Greek text and the Latin translation of Jean Courtier on facing pages.Later library stamp of "Bibliothèque Grand Séminaire, Nantes" on title-page.Some waterstaining affecting foot of pages at beginning and end, sometimes touching text.Hoffmann II, 266. Adams P2313. Brunet III, 154-155.

Stock Code: 43119