Scriptores rei militaris, Rome, 1487, crushed morocco with the arms of Mornay-Soult, Huth copy

SCRIPTORES REI MILITARIS

Vegetius: De re militari; Aelianus Tacticus: De instruendis aciebus [translated by Theodorus Gaza]; Frontinus: Strategematicon; Pseudo-Modestus: De vocabulis rei militaris [edited by Joannes Sulpicius Verulanus]. Rome: Eucharius Silber, 29 January, 15 February and 1 June 1487

4to (199 x 135mm.), 140 leaves, [a-f⁸ g¹⁰; h-i⁸ k⁴ l⁸; m-r⁸; s⁶], 33 lines, roman type, initial spaces with printed guides, crushed brown morocco by Hardy-Menil with gilt arms of Mornay-Soult [Olivier 706], gilt edges

First collected edition (including the editio princeps of Frontinus) of the works of these classical military writers; see lots 408-411 for subsequent collected editions. As the final tract by (pseudo-)Modestus is not mentioned in the editor's preface, it is often considered a separate publication, though it is worth noting that it comprises excerpts from the text of Vegetius.

The first printing of Vegetius's handbook of late Roman military practice was in Utrecht in the early 1470s, and there were several other editions produced before Silber decided to issue this group of complementary classical military texts together. Most of the editions of Vegetius from this date onwards were also issued in group form.

The influence of Vegetius on medieval and renaissance writing is considerable, being a source for Christine de Pisan (see lot 82) and numerous others, though it is probable that it was of much less influence in practical matters of warfare, at least until editions became illustrated (see lots 411 and 444-446).

LITERATURE:

ISTC iv00106500, ia00096495, if00324200, im00738100; Goff S343 (all 4 parts)

PROVENANCE:

Pierre, comte de Mornay-Soult de Dalmatie and marquis de Mornay-Montchevreuil (1837-1905), arms on binding (with motto "Arte et Marte"; his predominantly military library was auctioned in Paris on 25 February 1874); Henry Huth, morocco booklabel, sale, Sotheby's, 11 July 1919, lot 7737, £10-10s, to Pickering & Chatto