PALAEPHATUS. Palaephati De incredibilibus, graece sextum edidit ad fidem cod. MS. Mosquensis aliorumque et libri Aldini, denuo recensuit emendavit explicavit indicemque verborum graecorum copiosissimum adiecit Ioh. Frider. Fischerus. Accessere Prolusiones quatuor in Palaephati fabulas una cum orationibus duabus. Leipzig (Lipsiae), Sumtu Caspari Fritschii, 1789. 8vo. LXXIV,200,(173, indices)(1);115,(5 index) p. Half calf 21 cm (Ref: VD18 11355840; Brunet 4,312; Hoffmann 3,36, and also p. 38 for the 'Prolusiones' by J.F. Fischer; Schweiger 1,221; Graesse 5,103; Ebert 15647; this type of Leiden prize copy with only 'Diligentiae praemium' on the back is not mentioned in Spoelder) (Details: Prize copy of the Gymnasium Leiden, including the printed prize. Back gilt. Gilt text on the back: 'Diligentiae praemium'. Marbled boards and endpapers. Edges also marbled. Small paper label on the front pastedown'. Paper somewhat foxed) (Condition: Binding scuffed. Marbled paper on the boards loosening from the leather backstrip) (Note: The mythographer Palaiphatos, in Latin Palaephatus, (probably a pseudonym, 'spoken long ago', or 'of old fame', a poetical adjective already found in Homer and Pindar) might be a contemporary of Aristotle. He probably dates from the second half of the fourth century B.C. Of his work we possess only a short abstract, probably composed in the Byzantine age (9th century) under the title 'On Incredible Tales'. In 52 chapters he rationalizes myths in a peripatetic way. Every myth departs from a reality, which is obscured by poets and storytellers. Palaephatus offers a historical and rational explanation. This is how the treats e.g. the abduction of princes Europa in chapter 15, eliminating the metamorphosis of Zeus and minimizing his role: 'They say that Europa, the daughter of Phoenix, was carried across the sea on the back of a bull from Tyre to Crete. But in my opinion neither a bull nor a horse would traverse so great an expanse of open water, nor would a girl climb upon the back of a wild bull. As for Zeus - if he wanted Europa to go to Crete - he would have found a better way for her travel. Here is the truth. There was a man from Cnossus by the name of Taurus who was making war on the territory of Tyre. He ended up by carrying off from Tyre quite a number of girls, including the king's daughter Europa. So people said: 'Bull has gone off with Europa, the king's daughter'. It was from this that the myth was fashioned'. ('On Unbelievable Tales, translation, introduction and commentary by J. Stern', Wauconda, 1996, p. 46/47) § The collection became a favourite mythological manual in late byzantine times. The author was probably also appreciated for debunking Greek pagan stories. From its first edition in 1505 the text enjoyed also in Western Europe a on-going popularity as a schoolbook. Palaephatus was thought a proper text to learn the rudiments of ancient Greek and at the same time the fundamentals of ancient myth. § The German classical scholar Johann Friedrich Fischer, born in 1726, studied at the University of Leipzig. In 1751 he was appointed Konrektor of the Thomasschule at Leipzig, and in 1767 Rektor, which he remained till the end of his days in 1799. In 1762 he became also 'professor extraordinarius' of Latin and Greek literature at the University. In 1761 Fischer published at Leipzig his first edition of Palaephatus. The work was evidently a success. He produced 6 editions, each one more complete and exhaustive than its precursor. This is the last one. After the text of Palaephatus, accompanied by exhaustive commentary, we find 4 'Prolusiones' of Fischer on the text, a kind of appendices, in which he explains difficulties concerning the text of Palaephatus. At the end are printed 2 'orationes' of Fischer: his inaugural lecture 'Oratio de Ioachimo Camerario grammatico pariter atque theologo excellente Lipsiae' held in 1762 on the occasion of his appointment of 'Professor extraordinarius' of ancient literature; and his lecture held on occasion of his appointment as Rector of the Thomasschule in 1767) (Provenance: The prize, dated 1840, and signed by J.J. de Gelder, was awarded to 'Paulus Claudius Lezwijn' for his diligence, and his love for Greek literature. Paulus Claudius Lezwijn, of Huguenot origin, became a prominent citizen of Leiden. In 1846 his 'dissertatio juridica' was published. Lezwijn was a leading member of the 'Waalse Kerk' at Leiden. He was also a member of a national commission for the investigation of the conditions of child labour ca. 1860. § Small paper label on the front pastedown reading: 'Boekwinkel en boekbinderij van P. Engels, Nieuwsteeg 710 te Leyden') (Collation: a-d8, e6 (minus blank leaf e6); A-Z8, Aa4 (minus blank leaf Aa4, Aa3 verso blank). (A)-(G)8, (H)4) (Photographs on request)
Book number: 130414 Euro 360.00

Keywords: (Oude Druk), (Rare Books), Altertum, Altertum, Altertumswissenschaft, Antike, Antiquity, German imprints, Greek literature, Greek text, Griechische Literatur, Joachim Camerarius, Johann Friedrich Fischer, Lezwijn, Mythen, Mythologie, Palaephatus, Palaiphatos, Prize copy, Prize copy Leiden, Thomasschule, classical philology, mythology, myths, religion