Printed 1575 with Stephanus's Greek typeface

(ORATORES GRAECI.) Oratorum veterum orationes. Greek text with Latin translation by Henri Estienne and others; edited by Estienne. [Geneva]: Henricus Stephanus, 1575 [12], 213 [i. e., 208]; 191, [1]; 178, lacking final blank. Folio, 36 x 29. 19th century calf, spine largely gone, boards separating, requires some binding restoration, internally some foxing and toning, generally very good and wide-margined. First Estienne edition and second of these texts after the 1513 Aldine original edition. Hoffmann III, 15; Schreiber 192.

The Oratorum Veterum Orationes is a collection of speeches by ancient Greek orators, compiled and edited by Henri Estienne and other scholars in the 16th century. The speeches included in the collection are primarily political speeches delivered in Athens and other Greek city-states during the 5th and 4th centuries BCE.

The collection was originally published in Greek with Latin translations by Henri Estienne in 1563, and subsequently reissued in revised editions by other editors. The collection was highly influential in the study of ancient rhetoric and oratory, and was used as a primary source for teaching rhetoric and public speaking in schools and universities throughout Europe.

The Oratorum Veterum Orationes includes speeches by notable Greek orators such as Demosthenes, Lysias, and Isocrates, as well as lesser-known orators. The speeches cover a wide range of topics, including political and legal disputes, diplomatic negotiations, and philosophical debates.

Stephanus's Greek typeface, which he developed in the mid-16th century, was a significant improvement over previous attempts at Greek typography. His typeface was more elegant and legible, with clearer distinctions between characters and a more consistent weight and spacing. He also developed a system of accents and diacritical marks that made it easier to distinguish between different vowel sounds and to indicate stress and tone.

Stephanus's Greek typeface was widely used in the printing of classical texts and became the standard for Greek typography throughout Europe. His editions of Greek texts, such as the Oratorum Veterum Orationes, were highly regarded for their accuracy and readability and played a significant role in the revival of classical scholarship during the Renaissance.