Horatius Flaccus (Quintus) Horatius, first Aldine edition, collation: a-s⁸, initial spaces with guide-letters, some early ink underlining and marginalia, a1 with a few very small worm holes (one affecting two letters first line verso, two to blank inner margin, and a couple to blank lower edge margin), a2 with three very small worm holes (one touching two letters first line and two to blank inner margin), c1-3&5 small worm hole to blank lower fore-edge corner, lacking S8 (final blank), a few scattered instances of light soiling, three very small losses to front endpaper, 18^th century red morocco, spine and covers decoratively tooled in gilt, joints cracked (upper stitching coming loose, but lower firm), scuffing to spine ends and corners, 8vo (161 x 99mm.), Venice, Aldus Manutius, May, 1501.

⁂ Rare. The first Aldine edition of Horace, which is the second work ever to be printed in italic type, and one of the earliest examples of the pioneering Aldine octavo format. Aldus produced the first book in italics in April of 1501, his edition of Virgil, with the Horace following only a month later in May. Simultaneously, he introduced the octavo format for his classical Latin authors - easily portable, highly readable and more economical to buy and produce. The octavos both responded to and fuelled demand for compact scholarly editions, and the italic typeface allowed the text to be conveniently condensed into this smaller page size.

Literature: Adams H854; Ahmanson-Murphy 41; Renouard 27:4; Edit 16 CNCE 22672.