SEPERNATURAL EVENTS IN ROME

OBSEQUENS, JULIUS. (VERGIL, CAMERARIUS).

Prodigiorum liber, ab Urbe condita usque ad Augustum Caesarem, cuius tantum extabat Fragmentum, nunc demum Historiarum beneficio, per Conradum Lycosthenem Rubeaquensem, integritati suae restitutus. Polydori Vergilij Urbinatis de Prodigijs libri III. Joachimi Camerarij Peberg. de Ostentis II.

Basel, ex Officina Ioannis Oporini, 1552, Mense Martio.

8vo. Later solid, crackled full calf with the contemporary vellum title-label on back. Title-page gently mounted and a bit shaved at top. Contemporary handwritten copy of colophon on bottom of title-page. Some leaves with a bit of brownspotting and minor soiling, but a solid and overall clean and fine copy. In all 84 woodcut illustrations (incl. that on t-p.), depicting various abnormal animals and humans, landscapes, the heavens, destroyed cities, weather- and nature- phenomena, dissections of animals, harvest etc. (20), 327, (12) pp.

Scarce first separate and first illustrated edition of Obsequens' curious work on omens and supernatural events that took place in Rome between 249 and 12 B.C., mainly based on Livius (Livy); also containing Vergil's de Prodigiis and Camerari's de Ostentis.
Obsequens is said to have flourished in the middle of the 4th century A.D. and is known for having written this work, which was first printed, unillustrated, by Aldus as an appendix to Pline's epistles in 1508. It was later printed by Estienne, "mais il est plus complet dans la présente édition." (Brunet IV:149). This edition was reprinted in Lyon the following year.

Adams II:16
Brunet IV:147.

Order-nr.: 29342