Hermogenis Tarsensis Philosophi ac Rhetoris acutissimi De arte rhetorica praecepta, Aphtonii item Sophistae praeexercitamenta, nuper in Latinum sermonem versa. A Natale de Comitibus Veneto.

8vo. (XVI),(II),414,(2 blank),(29 index),(3 blank) p. 17th century limp vellum 18 cm (Ref: VD16 H 2470; Hoffmann 2,216; Ebert 9507) (Details: For the binding has been used a plain piece of parchment with faint traces ruling, never used for writing. Woodcut printer’s mark on the title, it depicts a woman leaning on a staff and holding in her right hand a burning oil lamp. The meaning of this scene is explained on another version of Perna’s printer’s mark which bears the motto: ‘Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum’, which refers to Psalm 119, verse 105: ‘Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum et lumen semitis meis’. (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths) (These verses were later put to music by Henry Purcel in ‘Thy Word is a lantern unto my feet’ (Z61)) 5 woodcut initials. Latin translation only) (Condition: Vellum slightly soiled. Endpapers renewed in the 19th century. 2 ownership entries on the title. Uppermargin of the first gatherings slightly waterstained. Last 24 leaves faintly waterstained. Paper yellowing) (Note: This collection of the works of the Greek rhetor Hermogenes of Tarsus, 2nd cent. A.D., contains 3 works, of which the ‘De statibus’ (Peri staseôn), and ‘De formis orationis’ (Peri ideôn) are certainly authentic. The third work ‘De inventione’ (Peri heureseôs) is considered to be of doubtful authenticity. They deal with exercises in rhetoric and different kinds of arguments to be used, especially for the defence. Hermogenes’ most important work ‘De statibus’ deals with 7 qualities of style ‘all to be seen as ingredients in the perfection of Demosthenes: saphêneia, megethos, kallos, gorgotês, êthos, alêtheia and deinotês’ (OCD 2nd ed. p. 505) Added to the 3 works of Hermogenes are the ‘Progymnasmata’ of the Greek rhetor Aphtonius, 4/5 cent. A.D., which is an introduction to rhetoric, offering definitions of basic principles. Because the Progymnasmata were easier to read and understand than Hermogenes this slim but important manual remained basic for rhetoric education during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Hermogenes was translated into Latin by the Italian humanist, poet and historian Natale Conti, in Latin Natalis Comes, or Natalis de Comitibus, 1520-1582. He translated also into Latin the rhetorical treatises of Alexander Sophista ‘De figuris sententiarum ac elocutionum’, and of Demetrius Phalereus ‘De oratione, sive De modo dicendi’, both published in Venice in 1557, and the ‘Dipnosophistarum sive Coenae sapientium libri XV’ of Athenaeus. He is however best known for his ‘Mythologiae’, first published in 1567, which became a standard source for classical mythology in later Renaissance Europe. (See Wikipedia ‘Natalis Comes’)) (Provenance: Below the imprint an old ownership inscription of ‘Leopoldi Andreae Guadagni, JCt Flor.’. The Guadagni were a family of Florentine goldsmiths active in the 18th century. One of its members, Leopoldo Andreas Guadagni, 1705-1785, a jurist, was professor of Roman law at the University of Pisa. He published several books on Roman law. Above the printer’s mark the old ownership inscription of ‘Petri Francisci Minotii Savinatis’. On the site of Flickr we found an inscription of one ‘Pier Francesco Minozzi’. This is definitely the same hand. In 1670 Minozzi published ‘L’Alleluia di Pindo, per la clemenza risorta, o regnante nel Vaticano’. On the title he is called ‘Professor di Legge Monsavinese’. The ‘patria’ of Minozzi was of the community of Monte San Salvino, in the province of Siena, hence the addition ‘Savinatis’ in the inscription of his name. Minozzi is now forgotten, but in his own age he was considered to be a great author and poet. He wrote prose and panegyric poetry in Latin and in Toscane, and was professor of Law. His first collection of Latin epigrams was published in Siena in 1629 at the age of 18. He was a passionate representative of Italian ‘asianism’. On the site ‘cultura-barocca((.com))’ a portrait of Minozzi and more data can befound. This book was once the property of two Italian Law professors. This seems to suggest that the rhetoric of the ancients was still relevant for lawyers and jurists in 17th and 18th century Italy) (Collation: a-2D8, *8, w8 (leaf w7 verso and leaf w8 blank) (Photographs on request)