Boccaccio, Giovanni. Genealogia de gli dei. I quindici libri? sopra la origine, et discendenza di tutti gli dei de? gentili, con la spositione, & sensi allegorici delle favole, & con la dicharatione dell?historie appartenenti a detta materia. Tradotti et adornati per M. Giuseppe Betussi da Bassano. Aggiuntavi la vita del Boccaccio, con le tavole d?i capi, & di tutte le cose degne di memoria, che nella presente fatica si contegnono.. Vinegia (i.e. Venice), ?al Segno Del Diamante? (colophon leaf gives the publisher as Comin da Trino di Monferrato) 1553., 1553.

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Description: Boccaccio?s genealogy of the gods of the classical world (one of his later works, written around 1365), was the first book of the medieval era to deal with the subject of classical mythology, and his encyclopaedic work became important for the development of humanism in Italy. The original fifteen books, outlining the complex relationships between the Gods, their attributes, allegorical meanings and so on (drawing mainly on Ovid), appear here translated from their original Latin and indexed by the main Boccaccio scholar of the day, Giuseppe Betussi. Betussi (1520-1575) was a writer and poet probably best known for his works on the theme of love, such as Il Raverta (1549-50), and it was the discussion of the issue of love and morality in book fourteen of the Genealogia that made this book of particular interest to Renaissance humanist scholars. The first edition of Betussi?s translation had appeared in the late 1540s. Cicognara 4679 (1553 edition). Small 4to. (8)+263+(18)ff, incl. engr title, woodcut ill, pictorial initials and engr printer?s device. Contemporary full calf, rebacked with early twentieth century calf spine. Light waterstaining to upper corner of first few leaves. Stain to outer edge of some leaves, small stain to inner margin of title with slight worming at foot of page. Bookplate of Peter & L.inda Murray.

Seller: Hugh Pagan Limited, Brockenhurst, HANTS, United Kingdom