Diodorus Siculus. [Bibliotheca historica : De antiquorum gestis fabulosis]. [Paris]: Jehan Barbier, venundantur in vico Sancti Iacobi sub signo Ensis, [1510]. [11701]
Full leather, sometime rebacked in calf with gilt decoration and black morocco title label, marbled end papers and page edges, 18 x 13 cm, tp with ink institution stamp. The text has no page numbers, rather a “Folio” at the top right corner of the recto of each leaf. This has 123 folios (246 pp.) plus 11 pp. Index and 1 p. afterword. 258 pp. total, including the title page. a-v8/4, x6, y4. a-v alternates 8s and 4s. Very good. Hardcover.
Jean Barbier was a printer in Paris during the years 1502-1516, and used the address in the imprint from 1508. His printer’s emblem on the title page was used 1509-1514, and the dent visible in the top rule limits this printing to 1510. See A Typographical Catalogue of Books printed in France 1501-1520 in the British Library, Renouard 33, Device of Jean Barbier.
Translation from the Greek into Latin by Pogius Florentinus; edited by Egidius de Maseriis.
Diodorus Siculus, fl. 1st century BC, Greek historian, born at Agira, Sicily. His monumental work once consisted of 40 parts; now only fifteen are known. The book we offer is the first third of the surviving parts, which forms a distinct period, that of the mythic history of the non-Greek and Greek tribes up to the destruction of Troy. It follows a geographical arrangement, describing the history and culture of ancient Egypt (book I), of Mesopotamia, India, Scythia, and Arabia (book II), of North Africa (book III), and of Greece and Europe (books IV-VI). The text is in Latin.
