Orosius, Historiae adversus paganos, Augsburg, Schussler, 1471, contemporary stamped pigskin

OROSIUS, PAULUS

Historiae adversus paganos. Augsburg: Johann Schüssler, [about 7 June] 1471

Chancery folio (308 x 210mm.), 121 leaves (of 133), [*⁶⁺¹ a–m¹⁰ n⁶], 6-line initial in blue with red penwork decoration, 2- to 6-line initial spaces, a few leaves rubricated, 9 leaves of contemporary manuscript at start containing the register (by a south German or Austrian scribe), early annotations throughout, a leaf of manuscript notes on final blank, contemporary Austrian(?) pigskin over wooden boards (a remboitage?), decorated to a leafy pattern with a kopfstempel (plausibly Kyriss 154, active 1473-1497), 2 later clasps in period style, lacking first quire (supplied in contemporary manuscript) and c4-6 (supplied in old photocopy) and n5-6 (blanks), rebacked reusing an old vellum spine covering, later board liners, lacking original catchplates

FIRST EDITION of Orosius's history of the world to the year 417 AD, based on Justin, Eusebius and Jerome. Orosius, a Christian apologist and student of St Augustine, sought to demonstrate that the troubles of his time were not caused by the advent of Christianity. The influence of the Historiae can be seen in the fact that Dante cited Orosius as one of four classical prose authors, the others being Livy, Pliny and Frontinus, whose style should be imitated by the aspiring poet.

LITERATURE:

ISTC io00096000