M. Minucii Felicis Octavius. Cum integris omnium notis ac commentariis, novaque recensione Jacobi Ouzeli. Cujus & accedunt animadversiones. Insuper Johannis Meursii notae. Et liber Julii Firmici Materni V.C. De errore profanarum religionum.

8vo. (XLVIII),352,64,(29 index),(1 blank) p., frontispiece. Half calf, frontcover detached. 19.5 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 063021110; Schoenemann I,72; Graesse 4,534; Ebert 14107) (Details: Back with 4 raised bands. Marbled boards. Frontispiece engraved by G. Appelmans, depicting 3 men, Octavius, Minucius and Octavius Januarius, discussing in the shadow of a tree, which grows on the border of a river, behind them a statue of a naked male figure, a statue of Serapis, in the distance the city. This is an illustration of the crucial scene as told by Minucius at the end of the second chapter, where Minucius tells how his friend Caecilius, as heathens used to do, threw a kiss to the statue. Octavius then criticizes Minucius for letting his friend walk ‘in hac inperitiae vulgaris caecitate’, the blindness of vulgar heathen ignorance, and to let him greet anointed stones (lapides), which are adorned with a laurel wreath (unctos et coronatos) (Condition: Binding scuffed. Upper board detached. Rear joint cracking, but still firm. Flyleaves gone. Blank upper margin of the frontispiece chipping and soiled. Some small inkstains. Bookplate on the front pastedown. Small name on the title) (Note: The Octavius is a dialogue in defence of the christian religion, and perhaps the oldest literary work of christian Latin. It was written by Minucius Felix, who lived in the second or third cent. A.D. In it he tries to prove that christian principles were not contrary to pagan culture, and that the Greek and Roman philosophers paved the path for christianity. The inspiration seems to come from Cicero’s dialogue ‘De Oratore’. The dialogue starts with Minucius’ recollections of the friendship he had with the recently deceased christian advocate Octavius. The setting is Ostia2). Minucius, Octavius Januarius, and the heathen Caecilius have come there to enjoy their holiday, free from ‘iudicariam curam’. Caecilius then launches a vehement attack upon the christians and their doctrines. It is the opinion of Octavius that no honorable Roman should leave a friend in the darkness of ignorance. He ridicules the folly of heathen fables, and proves the existence of providence and of God. Octavius warmly praises the purity, courage and other virtues of the christians. At the end Caecilius acknowleges himself vanquished and converted. § Jacobus Ouzelius (Oiselius), 1631-1686, born as Jacques Oisel (Oesel) in Dantzig, was only 21 when he edited this book. Although destined for a commercial career, he chose to study classical literature in Leyden. Later he switched to law and became professor of law in Groningen. He also edited Gaius and Gellius. (Van der Aa, vol. 14, p. 59) Ouzelius says in the ‘praefatio’ that he hopes that the reader will forgive him any mistakes, without ‘livor’ and ‘maledicentia’. He dedicates the book to Queen Christina of Sweden. Well, if we may believe Schoenemann, Christina had reason for complaint. Schoenemann is very critical about Ouzelius. He calls him a ‘futilissimus commentator’. ‘Omnia apta inepta incredibile stupore et imprudentia corrosa sunt’. The value of this edition lies, Schoenemann insists, in the printed commentaries of previous commentators. The reader should skip the notes of Ouzelius, and consult the presented notes of greater scholars, as Nicolaas Rigaltius, or Desiderius Heraldus, or Elmenhorst, or Wouwer.§ At the end has been added ‘De errore profanarum religionum’ by Julius Firmicus Maternus, edited by Wowerius, with his commentary. § Firmicus lived in the 4th century A.D. In it Firmicus urges the emperors Constans and Constantius, both sons of Constantine the Great, the man who in 313 A.D. had declared christianity to be the state religion, to take the next step, and abolish paganism. § This edition of 1672 is a reissue of the edition Leiden 1652. Schoenemann tells that the publisher increased the usefulness of the book by printing the notes of the commentators below the text. In the edition of 1652, all the notes of those scholars were printed separately at the end of the dialogue) (Provenance: name of one ‘John Bayly’ on the title. The owner of this apologetic dialogue might well be the Irish clergyman John Bayly, who was Dean of Lismore from 1828 until 1831. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was Chaplain to Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey. He served as Dean of Killaloe from 1808 to 1828, when he was appointed Dean of Lismore. He died on 24 June 1831. (Source Wikipedia) § On the front pastedown tha armoral bookplate of one ‘R.W.B.’ The arms consist of a bar from which emerge 2 spread wings; they enclose a big heart, which is pierced or pinned down by a sword) (Collation: *-3*8, A-Y8, Aa-Ff8 (minus leaf Ff8, leaf Ff7 verso blank)) (Photographs on request)