Hē tou Homērou poiēsis hapasa.

Accession number: 
PML 403-404
Author: 
Homer.
Published: 
[Florence] : [Printer of Vergilius (C 6061),] for Bernardus Nerlius, Nerius Nerlius, Johannes Acciaiuolus, and Demetrius Damilas, 9 December 1488 [but more likely not before 13 January 1488/89].
Description: 
[440] leaves ; 32 cm. (fol.)
Credit Line: 
Purchased with the Irwin collection, 1900.
Notes: 

Title from colophon.
Place of publication from colophon; printer statement from ISTC, colophon, Ridolfi and prefatory letter of Nerlius; date from prefatory letter.
Colophon: Hē tou Homērou poiēsis hapasa entypōtheisa peras eilēphen ēdē syn theō en Phlōrentia, analōmasi men, tōn eugenōn kai agathōn andrōn, kai peri logous Hellēnikous spoudaiōn Bernardou kai Nēriou Tanaidos tou Neriliou Phlōrentinon. Ponō de kai dexiotēti Dēmētriou Mediolaneōs Krētos, tōn logiōn andrōn charin kai logōn Hellēnikōn ephiemenōn, etos tō apo tēs Christou gennēseōs chiliostō tetrrakosiostō ogdoēkostō ogdoō mēnos Dekembriou henatē.
Printed in types 3:121Gk, 4:96R, and 1:110R (for signatures).
Signatures: A-D⁸ E¹⁰; A-Z⁸ ET⁸ [CON]⁸ [RUM]⁸; AA-ZZ⁸ ETET⁶: 440 leaves, leaves E10 and ETET6 blank.
Paper format: Super-chancery folio
Edited by Demetrius Chalcondylas.
"Of the two books here assigned to Nerlius, the Virgil (IB.27655) is dated 18 March 1487 (presumably 1488/9) and the Homer (IB.27657) 9 December 1488 though it was not finished until after 13 January 1488/9"--BM 15th cent.
Proctor identifies the printer as Bartolommeo di Libri.
Dedicatory letter in Latin from Bernardus Nerlius to Pietro de' Medici Idibus Ianuariis M. CCCC. LXXXVIII, i.e. 13 Jan. 1488/89.
Letter from Dēmētrios Chalkokondylēs addressed to the readers: fol. A1v-A2v (p. [2-4]).
"Exēgēsis peri tēs tou Homērou genesios kai biotēs" (Vita Homeri) of Pseudo-Herodotus: fol. A3r-B1r (p. [5-17]).
"Eis ton bion tou Homērou" (De Homero) of Pseudo-Plutarch: fol. B1r-E7v (p. [17-76]).
"Peri Homērou logos NG Diōnos tou Chrysostomou" (De Homero): fo, E7v-E9r (p. [76-79]).
Each book of the Iliad is preceded by a hypothesis attributed to Eustathius.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 32.2 x 21.9 cm.

Binding: 
18th-century French gilt-tooled red morocco over paper boards (33 x 23 cm.), sewn on 6 supports; hinges repaired. Marbled paper pastedowns and fly leaves, with plain paper fly leaves; gilt edges.
Variant Title: 

Title in Goff: Poiēsis hapasa

Inscriptions/Markings: 

Hand decoration: Modern illuminated initials, many historiated with scenes from text (probably added between British Museum and Sullivan -- illuminations referenced in Sullivan sale catalogue), most smaller initials unrealized. Annotations: No marginal notations in text.

Provenance: 
Louis XIV, King of France, Cabinet du roi armorial bindings; unidentified ink offset of manuscript signature (vol. 1 front fly leaf verso); British Museum, stamps and shelf mark: 2.I.h, deaccession stamps, 1818; Sir Edward Sullivan (1852-1928), bookplate (front pastedowns); his sale, Sotheby's, 19 May 1890, lot 3167; Theodore Irwin (1827-1928), purchased from Bernard Quaritch, Sept. 1891; Pierpont Morgan (1827-1913), purchased with the Irwin collection, 1900.
Classification: 
Incunable Collection
Catalog Link: 
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Genres: 
Morocco bindings (Binding)
Department: 
Printed Books