1541 Valerius Maximus 1ed Dictorum Factorum ROME Tiberius Scipio Badius Woodcuts

1541 Valerius Maximus 1^ed Dictorum Factorum ROME Tiberius Scipio Badius Woodcuts

A rare printing of Valerius’s “Dictorum et Factorum” or Historical Anecdotes. This work is a collection of short stories, sayings, and phrases, memorial to Tiberius Caesar, who was reigning during Valerius’ lifetime. These anecdotes depict ancient Greek life and philosophy as well as famous kings and Caesars. Many modern historians claim that Valerius’s work was taken from Cicero, Livy, and Sallust, as well as other ancient historians and philosophers, rather than creating original works.

However, many of the topics he writes about were controversial and unusual for the time – he wrote on homosexuality within the Roman army and the aristocracy of ancient Greece. While homosexually itself was written on, it was only considered tolerable in a ‘master-slave’ relationship; not within a public and high status sense. Other topics include omens, revenge, superstitious cults, women lawyers, modesty, crimes, and conflicting political views. Notable names mentioned in this famous work include Scipio Africanus, Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus, and Alexander the Great!

This 1541 Gryphium edition was published in Lyon.

Item number: #27443

Price: $750

MAXIMUS, Valerius

Valerii Maximi Moralium exemplorum libri nouem, summa diligentia castigati

Lugduni: Apud Seb. Gryphium, 1541. First edition.

Details:

• Collation: Complete with all pages
  • 443
  • Numerous illustrated initials throughout
• References: USTC 861809
• Language: Latin
• Binding: Leather; tight and secure
• Size: ~6in X 4.25in (15cm x 10.5cm)

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