Lucretius by Lucretius, De rerum natura of Titus Lucretius Carus - 1515

Venice: Aldus Manutius and Andrea Torresani di Asolo, 1515, 1515. Bound in modern vellum. Octavo. *8a-q8 (*8, q78 blank except for device on q8) This is the second Aldine edition, the first edited by Andrea Navagero (1483-1529), the editor of all the last Latin editions published by Aldus from the Cicero of 1514 onwards, and considered superior to the edition of 1500. The type is by Francesco Griffo (1450-1518), renowned Venetian punchcutter who designed the famed type faces for Aldo Manuzio including the first italic letter. Bound in an18th century stiff vellum with label and gilt-lettered title at spine, yellow edges. This books was published one month before Aldus's death, on February 1515 and contains his last preface, addressed to Alberto Pio, prince of Carpi. The title-page was restored and remounted; honest copy with short margins.¶This book is a classical enchiridion, in the octavo format with text in Italic types, with no accompanying commentary or printed decoration¶ De rerum natura of Titus Lucretius Carus, the first century B.C. Roman natural philosopher, expounds, in the form of an epic poem, the cosmological theories of his teacher, the Greek philosopher Epicurus, demonstrating the workings of his model of a universe based on the atom as the fundamental particle. In the preface Aldus notes that although much of the philosophy expounded by Lucretius is repugnant to a believing Christian, it is much of value in his work and he should therefore be read anyway. Aldus, now sixty-five, would die within a month of publication of this, his last production. Thus his complaint concluding the preface becomes the more poignant: "But, if it weren't for the bad health with which I have been rather harshly afflicted for some months now, quite a bit would have been added which would testify to all of our diligence, and would have made [the text] of Lucretius itself fuller." From all accounts, Aldus simply wore himself out (as the eulogy in the 1515 edition of Lactantius states). This 1515 Lucretius is one of the most celebrated Aldine editions of the ancient classics in the handy small 8vo format.

Lucretius was the first of the Latin classic poets printed by Aldus, selected for both his elegance and his philosophical interest. Although De rerum natura has notably anti-religious undertones, its psychedelic vision of swerving atoms enchanted early modern readers-including Pope Sixtus IV, Aldus's preoccupation with the integrity and correctness of the original text lies behind the publication of his edition of the Epicurean poem De rerum natura .It might be a strange choice if one considers the controversial nature of the text often in contrast with Christian beliefs-as the publisher himself points out in his dedicatory letter-but a natural choice given the philosophical nature of the text, in line with Aldus's interests in scientific and philosophical texts from the Antiquity. Aldus's admission that the text has also been chosen in view of the classical elegance of the verse introduces a new element of interest in the text.

In the preface Aldus notes that although much of the philosophy expounded by Lucretius is repugnant to a believing Christian, there is much of value in his work and he should therefore be read anyway. Aldus, now sixty-five, would die within a month of publication of this, his last production. Thus his complaint concluding the preface becomes the more poignant: "But, if it weren't for the bad health with which I have been rather harshly afflicted for some months now, quite a bit would have been added which would testify to all of our diligence, and would have made [the text] of Lucretius itself fuller."

Gordon, Bibliography of Lucretius, 6; Adams L-1651. New UCLA 130;Davies, Devices of the Early Printers, no.236).; Renouard AA p. 74:11; Kallendorf & Wells #127; Dibdin II 198-199. Renouard, 74.11.;Keynes.H.1.33, fol. q6 recto; Censimento 16 CNCE 37499; Texas 126;

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