Homer, Ilias, Cologne, 1522; Odyssea, Antwerp, 1528, 2 works in one volume, near-contemporary vellum

HOMER

A volume containing the works of Homer in Latin translation, comprising:

Ilias per Laurentium Vallensem Romanum latina facta. Cologne: Hero Fuchs, (June 1522), title within woodcut border, woodcut initials, with blank leaf before index, lower blank corner of final leaf torn

Odysseae libri XXIIII Raphaele Volaterrano interprete, cum Ausonii Poetae argumentis [and other works]. [Antwerp]: (Cornelius Graphaeus, April) 1528, woodcut printer's device on final verso, early manuscript notes (a quotation from Xenophon at foot of title-page, and a lengthy quotation from Archilochus on verso)

2 works in one volume, 8vo (142 x 96mm.), near-contemporary vellum

Valla's prose translation of the first 16 books dates to the 1440s and Raffaele Maffei's to the 1510s; this compilation of Homer's works dates to Aldus's edition of the Greek texts of 1504 (and the translation of the Batrachomyomachia here is by Aldus himself). Valla's translation was completed by his pupil Francesco Griffolini.

LITERATURE:

1st work: VD16 H 4662; 2nd work: USTC 403786; Nijhoff & Kronenberg 1110

PROVENANCE:

Livinus Neeryngius (or Neirinck), a priest from Ghent, inscription at head of second title-page (early seventeenth century)