Firmicus Maternus, Julius: Mathesis (De nativitatibus libri VIII).
Edited by Franciscus Niger. Includes: Marcus Manilius: Astronomicorum libri V. Aratus: Phaenomena [Greek], with commentary by [Pseudo-] Theon and Latin translations or paraphrases by Germanicus Caesar, Marcus Tullius Cicero, and Rufius Festus Avienus. [Pseudo-] Proclus Diadochus [i.e. Geminos of Rhodes]: Sphaera [Greek], with Latin translation by Thomas Linacre. Letter to Aldus by William Grocyn [Latin].
Venice: Aldus Manutius, Romanus, June and [17] Oct. 1499.
Fol. *6 a-g10 h12 aa-hh10 ii-kk8 A-D10 E12 F6 G-M10 N6 χN10 O-S10 T8. [376] leaves (E7, K10 blank).
Woodcuts.
ISTC if00191000; GW 9981; Goff F191; BMC V 560 (IB. 24486); Bod-inc F-061; CIBN F-95; BSB-Ink F-129; Ahmanson-Murphy 34.
Three copies held by the University of Glasgow.
Copy 1
| GIP number: | F15/2 |
| Shelf-mark: | Sp Coll Bh6-d.4 (see main library entry for this item) |
| Variant: | *1r, line 4: “... interprete cum com-”, not as GW’s main transcription “... interprete com-” nor as Anm. 1 “... interprete cum cō”; *1r, line 7: “... Auienio ...”, as in GW Anm. 1, not as GW’s main transcription “... Auieno ...”; a2v, line 3: “Matheſeos ...”, not as GW “Mattheſeos ...” |
| Provenance: | University of Glasgow: source unknown; shelfmark “K.8.20” on University Library bookplate matching entry in A. Arthur, Catalogus impressorum librorum in Bibliotheca Universitatis Glasguensis (Glasguae: 1791). |
| Binding: | Netherlands, or Lower Rhine, 16th-century blind-tooled calf over bevelled oak boards - see J.B. Oldham, Notes on bindings in the Hunterian and general libraries in Glasgow University (1938), p. 3bis; covers decorated with intersecting triple fillets to form a centre panel and two frames; the panel is divided by diagonal fillets into lozenge and triangular-shaped compartments which are decorated with a lozenge-shaped foliate ornament; the inner frame is decorated with a lozenge-shaped stamp of a double-headed eagle and with a circular stamp of an owl; the outer frame is decorated with the same double-headed eagle stamp; two brass clasps, catch plates on front board; edges of the four outer corners protected with brass strips. Restored and rebacked with goatskin by Anthony Gardner, Nov. 1965 (with his binder’s note on rear flyleaf); new pastedowns and flyleaves; manuscript parchment fragment of a bifolium containing the text of Priscian’s Institutiones grammaticae (Lib. XIII, cap. 6 and XV, cap. 1) with marginal gloss, originally used as a pastedown on the rear board, is now tipped onto new rear pastedown. Size: 332 × 223 mm. |
| Leaf size: | 318 x 212 mm. |
| Annotations: | Single word marginal correction on H5r; every tenth line of the text of Aratus, Phaenomena, numbered up to line 730. |
| Decoration: | None. |
| Imperfections: | None. |
Copy 2
| GIP number: | F15/3 |
| Shelf-mark: | Sp Coll Hunterian Bh.2.2 (see main library entry for this item) |
| Variant: | In this copy the entire text of quires * and N is re-set, with different signature and catchword positions, and in a different type: e.g. in F15/3 final line of *2r reads: “... quod ego”, not “... quod”; *2v, line 8: “... ab om”, not “... ab omni”; *6v, lines 1-8 all begin: “clara ſydera ...”, not “clara sidera ...”; N1r, line 18: “Regia ſaturni ...”, not “Regia Saturni ...”; N1v, line 12: “Sol”, not “SOL”; N3r, line 2: “Et mediata ...”, not “Et meditata ...”; N6r, line 2: “... æthtram”, not “... æthram”; N6r, line 15: “* FINIS. *”, not “.FINIS.”. The different setting retains the same variants on *1r and a2v as occur in F15/1 and F15/2. *1r, line 4: “... interprete cum com-”, not as GW’s main transcription “... interprete com-” nor as Anm. 1 “... interprete cum cō”; *1r, line 7: “... Auienio ...”, as in GW Anm. 1, not as GW’s main transcription “... Auieno ...”; a2v, line 3: “Matheſeos ...”, not as GW “Mattheſeos ...” |
| Provenance: | Henry Pemberton (1694-1771), physician and mathematician: Henry Pemberton and James Wilson sale (1772), lot 3212 (the sale catalogue does not distinguish the two libraries). James Wilson (1690-1771), biographer: see above. William Hunter (1718-1783), physician and anatomist: purchased at the Pemberton and Wilson sale for £0.19.6; see the annotated British Library copy of the sale catalogue. University of Glasgow: Hunterian bequest 1807; Hunterian Museum bookplate on front pastedown, with former shelfmark “Aw.1.14”. |
| Binding: | Italy, 17th-century limp parchment with fore-edge cover extensions; remains of two leather ties at fore-edge and a single leather tie at both top and lower edge; spine title written in ink from head to tail “Julij Firmici Astronomicorū Libri”; front pastedown missing, plain paper pastedown at rear; front and rear flyleaves have watermark of the crowned figure of Justice holding scales in one hand, a sword in the other. Size: 320 x 222 mm. |
| Leaf size: | 315 x 215 mm. |
| Annotations: | Inscription in ink on first front flyleaf “A di .5. luglio i633” followed by a price “lire - L-i3-”; code “fb” in ink on same page. |
| Decoration: | None. |
| Imperfections: | Wanting all after quire N. |
Copy 3
| GIP number: | F15/1 |
| Shelf-mark: | Sp Coll Hunterian Bh.3.10 (see main library entry for this item) |
| Note: | Bifolia M4.7 and M5.6 misbound as the middle sheets of quire N. |
| Variant: | *1r, line 4: “... interprete cum com-”, not as GW’s main transcription “... interprete com-” nor as Anm. 1 “... interprete cum cō”; *1r, line 7: “... Auienio ...”, as in GW Anm. 1, not as GW’s main transcription “... Auieno ...”; a2v, line 3: “Matheſeos ...”, not as GW “Mattheſeos ...” |
| Provenance: | Janus Vlitius (1620-1666), philologist and poet: inscription on *1r "emebam Lugduni Batav. M DC XLIV 3fl – 10st. Janus Vlitius"; lot 21, p. 9, in the anonymous auction catalogue of his library, Catalogus variorum ac insignium librorum in quavis facultate & lingua. Quorum auctio habebitur in officina Gerardi Ameling ... die 12 julii 1666 (Hagae-Comitis: 1666). Louis Jean Gaignat (1697-1768), Secretary to King Louis XV: sale (1769), lot 1244. William Hunter (1718-1783), physician and anatomist: purchased at the Gaignat sale via Jean-Baptiste Dessain for 59 livres 19 sous; see Dessain-Hunter correspondence, f. 25v. University of Glasgow: Hunterian bequest 1807; Hunterian Museum bookplate on front pastedown, with former shelfmark "T.7.8". |
| Binding: | France, 18th-century blue sheep; covers decorated with a triple gold-fillet border, a small gold fleuron and ornament at each corner; gold-tooled spine; marbled endpapers; front and rear flyleaves have bunch of grapes watermark and countermark initials “L V”; gilt-edged leaves; two magenta silk bookmarks. Size: 320 x 225 mm. |
| Leaf size: | 308 x 210 mm. |
| Annotations: | Very occasional marginal keywords and nota marks in an early hand. |
| Decoration: | None. |
| Imperfections: | Wanting the blank leaves E7 and K10. |
More images from Bh6-d.4 copy of this book
More images from Bh.2.2 copy of this book
