Aristophanes, Comoediae novem, Venice, Aldus, 1498, modern leather

Property from the Loverdos Collection

Aristophanes

Comoediae novem [Greek, edited by Marcus Musurus, with the scholia]. Venice: Aldus Manutius, 15 July 1498

Super-Chancery folio (283 x 198mm.), 344 leaves (of 348), π⁸ α-γ⁸ δ¹⁰ ε-ξ⁸ o¹⁰ π-υ⁸ φ⁶ χ-ω⁸ Α-Ε⁸ Ζ⁶ Η-Λ⁸ Μ⁴ Ν-Ο⁸ Π¹⁰ Ρ-Σ⁸ Τ⁶, θ4-5 transposed, Greek type, woodcut initials and headpieces, modern leather, lacking text leaves Δ2 and Ξ2 and blank leaves κ8 and T6, numerous paper repairs (with substantial restoration at beginning and end), cut somewhat close with a few headlines shaved; sold not subject to return

EDITIO PRINCEPS of nine of the surviving comedies of Aristophanes.

The editor, Marcus Musurus, made use of at least four manuscripts for the text, and from which he compiled the scholia. The plays Peace and Ekklesiazousai were added late on in the editorial process, after Musurus managed to obtain the manuscript containing the end of the former and the whole of the latter. Aldus states in his preface that he omitted Lysistrata because he could only find half the full text. Two more plays were published in 1515 by the Giunta in Florence, though the editor, Eufrosino Bonini, failed to use the manuscript containing those two plays to improve the remaining text.

LITERATURE

Aldo Manuzio tipografo 26; ISTC ia00958000; Renouard 16/3; UCLA 25