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BOEZIO, Severino. Della consolazione della filosofia translated by Benedetto Varchi. Florence, Lorenzo Torrentino, 1551. 4to; 205x140 mm; Parchment binding. Intaglio frontispiece representing an architectural frame with the Medici coat of arms at the top, title in the center and foreshortening of Florence at the bottom, above the typographical note. Pp. 177, [3]. Ornate capilettera. A few handwritten margin notes. Some blooming to title page and at end. Fine copy. Rare first edition of this philosophical treatise by Boethius with vernacular translation by author and publisher Benedetto Varchi (1503-1565), who dedicated the work to Cosimo de Medici. Boethius (475/477-524/526) was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric and an outstanding Greek scholar. When he was involved in a conspiracy and imprisoned in Pavia, he turned to Greek philosophers. The Consolation was written in the period before his brutal execution. It is a dialogue in alternating prose and verse between the ailing prisoner and his "nurse" Philosophy. Her teachings on the nature of fortune and happiness, good and evil, fate and free will, restore his health and lead him to enlightenment. The Consolation was extremely popular throughout medieval Europe, and its ideas influenced the thinking of Chaucer and Dante. The work is a prosimeter with Boethius speaking in the first person in prose and philosophy responding in verse. In his "History of Western Philosophy," Bertrand Russell writes of Boethius: "During the previous two centuries and the next ten, I can think of no European man of culture so free from superstition and fanaticism." 4to; 205x140mm; vellum binding. Engraved title page with architectural frame with the Medici coat of arms at the top, title in the center and view of Florence at the bottom. Pp. 177, [3]. Some handwritten notes on the margins. Some foxing on the title page and at the end. Good specimen. Rare first edition of this philosophical treatise by Boethius with the vernacular translation by the author and publisher Benedetto Varchi (1503-1565), who dedicated the work to Cosimo de Medici. Boethius (475/477-524/526) was a prominent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric and an outstanding Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, he turned to the Greek philosophers. The Consolation was written in the period preceding his brutal execution. It is a dialogue in prose and alternating verses between the sick prisoner and his "nurse" Philosophy. His teachings on the nature of luck and happiness, good and evil, destiny and free will, restore his health and lead him to enlightenment. The Consolation was extremely popular throughout medieval Europe and its ideas influenced the thinking of Chaucer and Dante. The work is a prosimetrum with Boethius speaking in the first person in prose and philosophy responding in verse. In his History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell writes of Boethius: "During the two centuries before his time and the ten centuries after it, I cannot think of any European man of learning so free from superstition and fanaticism. Nor are his merits merely negative; his survey is lofty, disinterested, and sublime. He would have been remarkable in any age; in the age in which he lived, he is utterly amazing."

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BOEZIO, Severino. Della consolazione della filosofia translated by Benedetto Varchi. Florence, Lorenzo Torrentino, 1551. 4to; 205x140 mm; Parchment binding. Intaglio frontispiece representing an architectural frame with the Medici coat of arms at the top, title in the center and foreshortening of Florence at the bottom, above the typographical note. Pp. 177, [3]. Ornate capilettera. A few handwritten margin notes. Some blooming to title page and at end. Fine copy. Rare first edition of this philosophical treatise by Boethius with vernacular translation by author and publisher Benedetto Varchi (1503-1565), who dedicated the work to Cosimo de Medici. Boethius (475/477-524/526) was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric and an outstanding Greek scholar. When he was involved in a conspiracy and imprisoned in Pavia, he turned to Greek philosophers. The Consolation was written in the period before his brutal execution. It is a dialogue in alternating prose and verse between the ailing prisoner and his "nurse" Philosophy. Her teachings on the nature of fortune and happiness, good and evil, fate and free will, restore his health and lead him to enlightenment. The Consolation was extremely popular throughout medieval Europe, and its ideas influenced the thinking of Chaucer and Dante. The work is a prosimeter with Boethius speaking in the first person in prose and philosophy responding in verse. In his "History of Western Philosophy," Bertrand Russell writes of Boethius: "During the previous two centuries and the next ten, I can think of no European man of culture so free from superstition and fanaticism." 4to; 205x140mm; vellum binding. Engraved title page with architectural frame with the Medici coat of arms at the top, title in the center and view of Florence at the bottom. Pp. 177, [3]. Some handwritten notes on the margins. Some foxing on the title page and at the end. Good specimen. Rare first edition of this philosophical treatise by Boethius with the vernacular translation by the author and publisher Benedetto Varchi (1503-1565), who dedicated the work to Cosimo de Medici. Boethius (475/477-524/526) was a prominent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric and an outstanding Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, he turned to the Greek philosophers. The Consolation was written in the period preceding his brutal execution. It is a dialogue in prose and alternating verses between the sick prisoner and his "nurse" Philosophy. His teachings on the nature of luck and happiness, good and evil, destiny and free will, restore his health and lead him to enlightenment. The Consolation was extremely popular throughout medieval Europe and its ideas influenced the thinking of Chaucer and Dante. The work is a prosimetrum with Boethius speaking in the first person in prose and philosophy responding in verse. In his History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell writes of Boethius: "During the two centuries before his time and the ten centuries after it, I cannot think of any European man of learning so free from superstition and fanaticism. Nor are his merits merely negative; his survey is lofty, disinterested, and sublime. He would have been remarkable in any age; in the age in which he lived, he is utterly amazing."

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BOEZIO, Anicius Manlius Severinus. Dialectica. Venice, Gryphius, 1553. In folio; 295x200 mm; Full vellum binding; [8], 278, [6] p.; Typographic markings on title page and end; Engravings and xylographed capilettera; Fine specimen Very rare edition of this philosophical work by Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius (Rome ca. 476 - Pavia 525) philosopher whose works greatly influenced the philosophy of the Middle Ages. Boethius studied at the school in Athens directed by the scholastic Isidore, where Aristotle and Plato were taught primarily along with the four sciences fundamental to the understanding of Platonic philosophy: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. It was perhaps here that he met Simplicius, the young and future great commentator on Aristotle. Boethius, debated in orthodoxy or venerated as a martyr, "last of the Romans and first of the Scholastics" (Grabmann), "véritable introducteur d'Aristote en Occident" (Mandonnet), here deals with Logic and method, syllogisms, predicates, concepts, truth, contradiction, prediction, etc. From the 12th century onward, Boethius' "Dialectic" was copied more and more infrequently. Its rediscovery in the 16th century increased the essay's printings, especially, from 1543 to 1585. Folio; 295x200mm; Full vellum binding; Pp. [8], 278, [6] ; Printer's device on the title page and at the end; Woodcut engravings and initials, good specimen. Very rare edition of this philosophical work by Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius (Rome ca 476-Pavia 525), philosopher whose works enormously influenced the philosophy of the Middle Ages. Boethius studied at the school of Athens directed by the scholar Isidore, where Aristotle and Plato were taught above all, together with the four fundamental sciences for understanding Platonic philosophy: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. It was perhaps here that he met Simplicio, the young and future great commentator of Aristotle. Boethius, discussed in orthodoxy or venerated as a martyr, " last of the Romans and first of the Scholastics " (Grabmann), "véritable introducteur d'Aristote en Occident" (Mandonnet), here deals with Logic and method, syllogisms, predicables, concepts, truth, contradiction, prediction etc. Starting from the 12th century, Boethius's "dialectics" were copied more and more rarely. His rediscovery in the 16th century increased the printing of the essay, especially from 1543 to 1585.