Silius Italicus. Punica, collation: a¹⁰ b-u⁸ x¹⁰, 171 ff. (of 172, lacking blank a1), 36 lines and headline, Roman type, initial spaces with guide-letters, early ink marginalia, water-stained, heavier at end (causing some marginal fraying / loss and some damp-staining to final few ff. of final sig.), x9 tear at foot, just within final 2 lines of text, but without loss, some spotting (m2r foxed), lightly browned, upper hinge cracked, handsome late 17th century panelled red morocco, richly gilt, spine in compartments, covers and spine decorated with various floral, foliage, and acorn tools, short closed split in leather to lowermost compartment of spine, with minor loss, some staining, corners bumped, rubbed and marked, a wide-margined copy, folio (291 x 195mm.; binding 300 x 214mm.), Parma, [Printer of Hieronymus, ‘Epistolae', 1480], 16 November, 1481.

⁂ Rare edition at auction of this epic poem on the Second Punic War. We trace only one other copy offered (2011). According to Josef Delz the text here is derived from the Rome edition of Conradus Sweynheym & Arnoldus Pannartz, [not before 5 Apr. 1471].

Provenance: Vincenzo Cogollo Vicentino, physician of Veggia, 20^th September, 1582 (ink inscription to lower margin of a2 with price paid).

Literature: BMC VII, 942; Goff S-506; HC 14737; GW M42094; Bod-inc S-200; ISTC is00506000.