ARATOS DE SOLES. - Lot 157

ARATOS DE SOLES. [The Phenomena and Pronostics of Aratos of Soles; the scholies of Theon; the Catasterisms of Eratosthenes; the measurement of the circumference of the Earth; the duplication of the cube; the sieve; the sources of the Nile; the section of the canon; the Hymns of Denys]. Ἀρατου Σολεως Φαινομενα και Διοσημεια. Θεωνος σχολια. Ἐρατοσθενους καταστερισμοι. Μετρον της γης περιφερειας. Του κυβου διπλασιασμος. Κοσκινον. Του Νειλου πηγαι. Του κανονος τομη. Διονυσιου ὑμνοι [and] Accesserunt Annotationes in Eratosthenem et Hymnos Dionysii. Oxonii, E Theatro Sheldoniano, 1672. Two parts in one volume in-12. (7)-147-(3)-(5)-69 pp. one title-frontispiece and 2 folding plates, finely etched in black; geometrical figures and one page of scores, woodcut in-t. to the second part. Contemporary hinged vellum, cold fillet framing the boards, edges finely speckled with red (vellum soiled with an old stain on the first board, spine tarnished, 3 ff. with grey angular soiling, but a good, fresh copy). Rare 17th-century Oxfordian printing, in its original vellum. Complete with 2 celestial maps with zodiac figures and engraved title-frontispiece. First illustrated edition, edited by John Fell, Bishop of Oxford, Dean of Christ Church College and considered the founder of Oxford University Press. Preface in Latin and Greek. Aratos of Soles (ca 315-245 BC), Greek poet from Macedonia, contemporary of Callimachus and Theocritus. He was invited to the court of Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia, but later returned to Macedonia. Didactic poem on astronomy, describing the position of stars and constellations, characteristic of the Alexandrian School. First published in 1474, this is the first illustrated edition. Although Aratus was not a learned astronomer, his poem attracted the favorable attention of readers and of Hipparchus, who commented on it. It was translated into Roman by Cicero. 19th century autograph stamp in green ink opposite the title-frontispiece. ARATUS DE SOLIS. METAPHYSICAL POETRY. BOOK IN GREEK.