(Macrobius World Map) Macrobii Ambrosii Aurelii Theodosii, [.] In somnium Scipionis, lib. II. Saturnaliorum, lib. VII. Ex uarijs, ac uetustissimis codicibus recogniti, & aucti [Commentary on the Dream of Scipio]

Macrobius

Published by Macrobius, 1574

About this Item

Macrobius / 1574 / (Macrobius World Map) Macrobii Ambrosii Aurelii Theodosii, [.] In somnium Scipionis, lib. II. Saturnaliorum, lib. VII. Ex uarijs, ac uetustissimis codicibus recogniti, & aucti [Commentary on the Dream of Scipio] (Safe 1, 79482) Octavo. Later full stiff vellum (a few small tiny wormholes to binding, crack and partially exposed cord at front joint, small 1-inch crack at mid-back joint). Spine chipped at head with some loss of vellum, headband split. Edges stained blue. 567,[1, errata],[62] pages. Diagrams and woodcut map (on page 144), woodcut initials, printer's device on title. A-2M8, N4, A-D8 ( D8 blank). Complete. Occasional minor marginal wormholes (not affecting world map). Else leaves quite crisp and nice. The 1574 Venice edition of Roman philosopher Macrobius' Neo-Platonist work [Commentarii] In somnium Scipionis and Saturnalium. The work is particularly famous for its world map (on page 144), which presents a geographically similar map to the original woodcut used in Brescia in 1483. This map, adorned with cherubic wind heads (an addition that first occurred in the woodblock of the 1500 Venice edition), is a significant example of early cartography. As noted by Shirley: The inhabited world north of the Equator is balanced by a southern continent and divided from it by water. Among the roughly 150 manuscripts recorded by Destombes dating from 1200 to 1500 AD nearly 100 contain a simple map illustrating Macrobius's theories. Macrobius' commentary on The Dream of Scipio (Somnium Scipionis), which makes up the majority of the sixth book of Cicero's De Republica, is perhaps the most well-known passage since, unlike the rest of the work, it has come down to us practically intact. It is Macrobius' Commentarii that allowed the dissemination of Cicero's text. Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius was a prominent Roman philosopher and commentator whose works bridged the classical and medieval worlds. His Commentary on the Dream of Scipio and the Saturnalia are vital texts for understanding the transmission of classical knowledge through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. The Somnium Scipionis interprets a dream vision from Cicero's De Republica, focusing on cosmology and virtue, while the Saturnalia presents a rich tapestry of Roman customs, beliefs, and intellectual debates.

Seller Inventory # 79482

Bibliographic Details

• Title: (Macrobius World Map) Macrobii Ambrosii Aurelii Theodosii, [.] In somnium Scipionis, lib. II. Saturnaliorum, lib. VII. Ex uarijs, ac uetustissimis codicibus recogniti, & aucti [Commentary on the Dream of Scipio]
• Publisher: Macrobius
• Publication Date: 1574
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: VG
• Book Type: Book
• Seller catalogs:
  • Antique Maps