Theocritus. Eidyllia [graece], 2 parts in 1, collation: ?⁴, ?-?⁸, ?⁴; ?-?⁴, ??-??^4, [88]; [116]ff., Greek text, colophon in Latin on verso of final leaf, Kallierges' woodcut double-headed eagle device printed on title, Benigno's serpent-wreathed staff on fol. ??4?, 2 white-on-black strapwork borders, blank spaces for capitals with printed guide letters, fols. ?8r-?1v, and ?3 with the text of some poems in decorative form, a few minor spots and browning, early stains, water-stain to blank lower corner of the quire signed ?, pencilled bibliographical notes on front endpapers, fine contemporary Bolognese binding of hazel morocco, traces of original gilding, covers framed within fillets and stamped with elaborate plaque composed of interlacing ribbons, author's name stamped in Greek at centre of upper cover, lower cover with central medallion with Theocritus' head in profile, traces of ties, spine with three raised bands, underlined by fillets, 18^th-century red morocco lettering-piece, with title in gold, title inked in a contemporary hand on the bottom edge, covers slightly cracked in places, modern morocco-backed cloth drop-back box, 8vo, 154 x 96mm., Rome, Zacharias Kallierges for Cornelio Benigno, 15 January, 1516.

⁂ The first edition of Theocritus to include the printing of the scholia, and the second Greek book printed in Rome, issued from the press of the Cretan Kallierges, who in the early 1510s moved to the papal city of Venice, probably at the invitation of Pope Leo X. The Roman edition is more complete than the previous ones - the Milanese princeps of about 1480, the Aldine of 1495, and the Giuntina of 1515/16 (see previous lot), offering among others the princeps of six additional Idyllia, and nineteen epigrams. The text was set in Kallierges' third Greek type; two text pages are shaped to fit within woodcut outlines, and others sit in decorative forms.

This copy is in a fine 16^th-century binding, one of the most significant examples of Bolognese plaquette and medal binding (see A. Hobson - L. Quaquarelli, Legature bolognesi del Rinascimento, Bologna 1998, p. 30). Bindings with this elaborate pattern were produced in Bologna mostly in the second quarter of the 16^th century.

Provenance: Early ownership inscription 'Ricardo' on title; Viscount Mersey, Bignor Park (ex-libris on front flyleaf, with acquisition date 'London, 28 April 1859').

Literature: Adams, T 460; Legrand I, 49; Mortimer, Italian 497; K. Staikos, Charta of Greek Printing, pp. 412-415.