Homerici centones... Virgiliani centones, [Geneva], Henri Estienne, 1578, contemporary French olive morocco gilt

Property from the Loverdos Collection

Homerici centones

Homerici centones a veteribus vocati Ομηροκεντρα… Virgiliani centones... Nonni paraphrasis Evangelii Ioannis, Graece & Latine. [Geneva]: Henri Estienne, 1578

12mo (120 x 76mm.), woodcut Estienne device on title-page, contemporary French olive morocco, covers gilt to a fanfare pattern with small flower tools, flat spine similarly gilt, gilt edges, stubs from two pairs of ties

A Byzantine compilation of Greek religious poetry written in Homeric meter, attributed to Empress Eudoxia or Patricius Pelagius, with the fourth-century Latin verses of Falconia Proba retelling parts of the Bible. The final 80-page section (not in the collation provided by GLN) contains "Homerici versus proverbiales". These texts previously appeared together in a volume printed by Aldus Manutius in 1501-1502 as part of his series of Christian poets.

LITERATURE

GLN-2678; Schreiber, Estienne 205

PROVENANCE

ownership inscription of a monastic library on title-page