SILIUS ITALICUS, Gaius.

by Gaius Silius Italicus

£5,950 · Offered by Sokol Books

A pseudo-Aldine, masquerading as an Aldine octavo in content, format and typography, of the Latin poem on the Second Punic war by the Roman orator and poet Silius Italicus (c. CE 28-103). The first Aldine edition didn t appear until July 1523. This copy belonged to Luigi Groto (1541-1585), also called Cieco d Adria - a blind Italian poet, playwright and actor from an aristocratic Venetian family. Groto studied philosophy and literature, and at the age of 15 was already a public orator, thanks to his extraordinary memory. He pronounced speeches on solemn occasions. He founded the Accademia degli Illustrati with other poets and composed poems and numerous theatrical works, influenced by the classical authors and the pastoral tradition, such as Dalida- and the Pentimento amoroso-. At the end of his career he participated in the performance of Edipo Re at the Olympic theatre in Vicenza. This edition was prepared with considerable care by Damiano Benessa, a merchant from Ragusa, resident in Lyon, and includes two letters to Giovanni Battista Soderini. It was Martial who attributed the Punica to Silius and provided information on his life. Probably born in Padua, Silius spent much time in Rome, where he was a renowned forensic orator, later a safe and cautious politician and the last consul appointed by Nero in 68 BC. The work in 17 books with a total of 12200 verses, is the longest surviving Latin poem from antiquity. It concerns the Second Punic War (218 201 BCE) and the conflict

• Printing: later
• Binding: Hardcover

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