Expositio Gualteri Burlei super decem Libros Ethicorum Aristotelis (Contains the text of Robert Grosseteste's translation of the Nicomachean Ethics)

Second edition after that of 1481. This copy is bound in contemporary 1/4 blind-tooled goatskin over wooden boards with 3 (of 4) metal catches on front cover, rebacked retaining most of original backstrip, conspicuous termite damage on front cover, rear cover replaced with modern board, endpapers renewed; contents washed with residual soiling on opening leaves, worming through much of volume generally not impairing legibility, crude restoration in blank margins at beginning and end .G

Ethica Nicomachea, Books 1-10, in the Latin translation of Robertus Grosseteste( 1175-1253) , incipit "[O]Mnis ars et om[n]is doctrina similiter aut[em] [et] actus [et] electio bonum quodda[m] ap=pete[re] videt[ur]. J[de]o b[e]n[e] enunciaueru[n]t bonu[m] q[uo]d omnia appetu[n]t", b1r-y9v; colophon (Venetijs impresse arte Simonis de Leure: impensis v[ir]o domini Andree Torresani de Asula. Anno M.D. die v[er]o, IIIJ. Septebris.,), y10r; printer's register, y10r. Wood cut diagrams. The first Latin translations of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, the Ethica vetus and the Ethica nova, are the object of six commentaries from the first half of the thirteenth century, presumably written by Parisian arts masters. Typical for these early commentaries is the interpretation of Aristotle's doctrine in the light of Christian religion. In 1246/1248, Robert Grosseteste achieved a complete translation of the Nicomachean Ethics. The first to write commentaries on it were Albert the Great (twice) and Thomas Aquinas. Both attempted to interpret Aristotle philosophically, avoiding the theological implications. Burley turned to moral philosophy and varia rather late in his life, completing his exposition of Aristotle's Ethics in 1333-1334 and of the Politics in 1340-1343.

¶There are two printed editions of this work, the one offered here is the second, the first is quite rare-Goff B 1300, (3 copies) Harvard,and St Bonaventure Univ. and University of Penn

¶The copy offered today is also rare- Goff B1301 (3 copies)

Free Library of Philadelphia, Newberry Library, U. of Illinois.

Goff; B-1301 ; BM 15th cent.,; V, 576 (IB. 24667); GW; 5779; ; Hain-Copinger; *4144; Harman; 191; ISTC (online); ib01301000; Proctor; 5269; Pellechet; 3080