SYMMACHUS. Q. Aurelii Symmachi V.C.P.V et Cos. Ord. Epistolarum ad diversos libri X. Ex nova recensione Joh. Philippi Parei. Accesserunt etiam Electa Symmachiana, cum indice. (Bound with 2:) Calligraphia Symmachiana: in qua omnes phrases, & formulae elegantiores, quotquot exstant in gravissimo authore Q. Aurelio Symmacho Praef. Urb. In gratiam & usum Philologiae studiosorum, inprimis eorum, qui Principibus ab Epistolis esse cupiunt, per certos titulos locorum communium colliguntur, ac disponuntur, studio & opera Joh. Philippi Parei. (Bound with 3:) Electa Symmachiana: in quibus quicquid rerum memorabilium, antiquitatisque Romanae in gravissimo authore Q. Aurelio Symmacho Praef. Urb. continentur, sub certos titulos reales locorum communium refertur. Studio & opera Joh. Philippi Parei. (Bound with 4:) Lexicon Symmachianum. (...) Ad editionem, quae prodiit ex nova recensione Joh. Philippi Parei. Neustadt (Neapoli Nemetum), Impensis Joh. Caroli Unckelii (librarii Francofurtensis), excudebat Heinricus Starckius, 1617. 8vo. 4 volumes in 1: 486; 325,(11 index); 101,(7 index),(4 blank); 272 (recte 270) p. Contemporary calf. 17.5 cm (Ref: VD17 23:242009B: (vol. 1 & 3); VD17 3:314636G (vol. 2); VD17 3:314634S (vol. 3); VD17 23:242011X (vol. 4); Schweiger 2,991: Vollständige Exx. dieser Ausgabe finden sich sehr selten; Brunet 5,612; Graesse 6/1,539; Ebert 22078) (Details: Back with 4 raised bands. Boards with blind ruled borders. First title in red and black. Woodcut printer's mark on that title, depicting Samson between two pillars; Samson died according to Judges 16:30 when he grasped two pillars of the Temple of Dagon, and 'bowed himself with all his might'. (Judges 16:30) The motto reads: Nostra Fortitudo Nomen Domini. This convolute lacks, according to VD17, the 7 page Q. Aurelii Symmachi Vita of Jacques Godefroy. Ebert remarks that this short vita is usually lacking. The titlepage of the last volume bears erroneously the year 1517) (Condition: Binding scuffed, and worn at the extremities. Corners bumped. Both pastdowns are detached: the binder used a manuscript music sheet for the endpapers. The music and the accompanying text, in English, seem liturgic) (Note: The Roman nobleman Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, ca. 340 - ca. 402 AD, was a prominent civil servant, and became the most famous and admired orator of his day. Fragments of his speeches survive. H.J. Rose may call his oratory empty, but an eulogy that Symmachus composed for the emperor Theodosius, after he had sided with the usurpator Maximus, once saved his life. And with his oratory this pagan politician was considered to be the most prominent opponent of Christianity. When Gratianus ordered by imperial edict the removal of the altar of Victoria from the Senate building of Rome he pleaded for the repeal of the edict. Of historic importance is the third letter in the tenth book of this collection of letters in which Symmachus asked for the restoration of this altar. It made a great impression, it is said, but he was defeated largely through the efforts of the bishop of Milan, Ambrosius, ca. 339-397 AD. The bishop persuaded the emperor to neglect the plea of this leader of the Roman aristocracy for the restoration of the altar. This was the last battle between Christianity and the other pagan religions of antiquity. The two episcopal letters about this 'cause célèbre' which Ambrosius addressed to the Emperor have been added here at the end of the letters of Symmachus. The collection of letters is arranged in ten books, and contains some 900 letters, addressed to the leading persons of the period. § The Latin text of this correspondence was edited by the classicist Johann Philipp Pareus, 1576-1648, one of the most laborious grammarians Germany ever produced. His best work was done at Neustadt, where he was Rector of the local school from 1610 till 1623. Pareus did much for Plautine scholarship. He was also a Symmachus specialist. Pareus published in 1628 a second, and in 1642 in Frankfurt a third edition) (Provenance: The provenance of this book is probably English. The endpapers are the remnants of an English music sheet) (Collation: A-2G8, 2H4; A-X8; A-G8 (leaves G7 & G8 blank); A-R8) (Photographs on request)
Book number: 120318 Euro 420.00

Keywords: (Oude Druk), (Rare Books), Briefe, Epistulae, Latin literature, Letters, Spätantike, Symmachus, antike altertum antiquity, late antiquity, römische Literatur