Caesar, Gaius Julius
First edition of the first translation into Spanish of Caesar’s Commentaries, printed in Toledo in 1498, a fine Spanish incunable of an important text. The translation was prepared by Fr. Diego Lopez de Toledo, it was the first time the influential classic Commentaries from Caesar were brought to the press in the Spanish language, and it was the basis to Miguel de Eguia’s publication in 1529, then corrected.
Further images
Folio. 10, CLIX, 5 ff. Eighteenth or late seventeenth century vellum, extended, ties present, blanks renewed, slightly creased and stained, parts of the leather ties along the fore edge are broken off. Mostly erased inscription on the title page and some expert paper repairs in the title page and the final page, edges and blank margins occasionally somewhat stained and foxed, overall in excellent condition.
Only one previous edition of Caesar’s commentaries was printed in Spain, however in Latin, in 1491. This vernacular edition offered here is more important, as it represents the first time the text would be available for the people rather than academics and the clergy, who naturally spoke Latin.
Provenance: old bookseller’s label of ‘Luis Bardon Librero Anticuario’ in Madrid, Spain, mounted in the upper outer corner of the back pastedown and with some bibliographical notes in pencil on the front pastedown; private collection.
Rare, ISTC locates 14 copies in institutions around the world, some imperfect and most of which are in Spain; in the United States, there are copies at Columbia, Harvard, the Hispanic Society, Indiana, and LoC.
Palau, 54137; Goff C26; HR 4225; Haeb(BI) 113; Vindel(A) VI 92: 24; Kurz 82; IBE 1584; Martín Abad C-11; Walsh 3985; Bod-inc C-014; Sheppard 7347; Pr 9606; BMC X 70.
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