Books and Manuscripts

(Macrobius, Ambrosius Aurelius Theodosius)
(In Somnium Scipionis expositio. Saturnalia)
Venice: (Johannes Rubeus Vercellensis), June 29, 1492. Folio. Leaves XXVI-LXXXIX only; leaves I-XXV provided in facsimile (including world map on XXII). Roman type. Quarter vellum over pale orange paper-covered boards, title and date in manuscript on spine; old library label on front paste-down, covering ownership ink stamp; old cataloguer's notes on front endpapers; first leaf (XXVI) worn with repair in top and bottom gutter and edge, ink stamp at bottom crossed out, gutter of same repaired along verso, edges of same worn and chipped with soling and dampstaining; upper gutter of XXXI repaired; small worming at bottom of most leaves; scattered light spotting to text; contemporary marginalia. ISTC im00012000; GW M19707; Goff M12; HC 10429; Bod-inc M-004; BSB-Ink M-4; Sheppard 4120; Pr 5131; BMC V 417

Rare Neo-Platonist work by 5th century Roman philosopher and grammarian Macrobius, being a commentary on Cicero's Somnium Scipionis from Book VI of De Republica, including theories on the afterlife, music, and astronomy.