PINDAR; Adimari, Alessandro (ed. and tr.). Ode di Pindaro, antichissimo poeta …
Pisa, Nella stamperia di Francesco Tanagli, 1631.
£ 1.850
Large 4to, pp. (xx) 748 (lxiv). Roman and Italic letter. Title within a beautifully engraved frontispiece by the hand of Carlo Audran after a drawing by Alexander Vaianus, surmounted by the emblem of Cardinal Francesco Barberini, nephew of Pope Urbanus VIII. Title page in red and black ink with printer’s device, repeated at colophon in large, second title-page dated 1632 at p. 581, head- and tailpieces, large historiated initials. 6 full-page engravings showing 19 scenes of ancient athletic games and their related accessories. Some occasional spotting and browning. In contemporary vellum over boards with ink title to spine, hinges a little cracked. Overall a very good copy.
Rare edition. This is a translation into Italian of Pindar’s odes, which includes 45 poems overall, provided with a rich commentary, observations and indexes. Alessandro Adimari (1579-1649) translated and edited this work, which is one of his finest achievements. Adimari based his erudite analysis of these odes on the excellent work previously carried out on Pindar by Erasmus Schmidt in 1616. Adimari, a Florentine patrician, was secretary of the Accademia Fiorentina (1633) and member of three different academies: the Alterati, Incogniti and Lincei.
Bruni-Evans, 2289; Gamba, 2054; Brunet IV-663; Graesse V-297. Piantanida 2289.