Aeschylus. Tragoediae sex, edited by Gian Francesco Torresano, collation: a-n⁸ o¹⁰, italic and Greek letter, title in Greek and Latin, 'to the reader' in Latin, text in Greek, woodcut printer's device to title, initial spaces with guide-letters, final f. colophon recto and woodcut printer's device verso, some ink marginalia in Greek and underlining, spotted, occasional staining (including some marginal water-staining at end), 19th century panelled calf, gilt, covers with Aldine device centre-pieces, rebacked in modern calf, spine titled and dated in gilt, little rubbed and marked, 8vo (157 x 89mm.), [Venice], [House of Aldus & Andrea Torresano], [February, 1518].

⁂ Editio princeps of the plays of Aeschylus, which is scarce at auction. The edition was edited by the humanist Francesco Torresano, and includes his 'to the reader', which highlights the continuation of Aldus' programme of publishing Greek and scientific texts. The source manuscript was derived from the early Byzantine Codex Mediceus and lacked the leaves containing the last 500 lines of Agamemnon, and the opening of Choephoroi, so that here the two are merged as a single play. It was not until the Henri Estienne edition of 1557 that this was rectified.

Literature: Adams A262; Ahmanson-Murphy 164; Renouard 85:9; EDIT 16 CNCE 328.