Didymus Chalcenterus, Scholia, Venice, Heirs of Aldo & Torresano, 1521, French straight-grained red morocco by Badiejoux

Didymus Chalcenterus, and others. [Greek]. Interpretationes et antiquae, et perquam utiles in Homeri Iliada, nec non in Odyssea. [Part 2:] Porphyrios. [Greek]. Porphyriou philosophou Omerica zetemata. Tou autou Porphyriou peri tou en Odysseiai ton nymphon antrou. Porphyrij philosophi Homericarum quaestionum liber. Eiusdem de nympharum antro in Odyssea, opusculum. Venice: Heirs of Aldo Manuzio & Andrea Torresano, May 1521

[Bound with:] [Greek]. Didymi antiquissimi auctoris Interpretatio in Odysseam. Venice: Heirs of Aldo Manuzio & Andrea Torresano, June 1528

First Aldine edition of these glosses on Homer, many dating to antiquity, and transmitted in the margins of medieval manuscripts of the Homeric texts. Traditionally attributed to the prolific Alexandrian scholar, Didymus Chalcenteros (ca. 63 BCE-ca. 10 CE), they are now considered to be mostly unrelated to him. Although the title announces commentaries on both the Iliad and the Odyssey, the latter did not appear until 1528; that edition is bound here before Part 2 of the 1521 edition, which contains Porphyry’s “Questions on Homer,” including his allegorical exegesis of the description of the Cave of the Nymphs in the Odyssey.

The Iliad glosses and the Porphyry had been previously published by the Press of the Medicean College at Rome, in 1517 (not citing Didymus as the author) and 1518; this is the first edition of the Odyssey commentaries.

2 works in 1 volume, 8vo (146 x 90 mm). Roman and Greek type, 29+30+30 lines plus headline. collation: (1) a-z⁸ A-R⁸ (lacking R8, a blank): 319 leaves; (2) A-Π⁸: 128 leaves; (vol 1, part 2) ²a-e^{8 2}f⁴: 44 leaves. Misbound with part 2 of vol. I

appearing after Didymus, woodcut Aldine device to title-pages, verso of P8 (2), and verso of ²f4. (Occasional marginal dampstaining, minor foxing.)

binding: French straight-grained red morocco (157 x 105 mm) by R.P. Badiejoux, of Toulouse (fl. 1807-1848), covers ruled in gilt, blindstamped border and centerpiece, citron morocco doublure inlaid in red morocco gilt tooled border, gilt roll tool of vine leaves and grapes around citron inlay, spine with raised bands in six compartments, second and sixth gilt-lettered, others with repeat gilt and blind decoration, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers. (Some minor rubbing at extremities, small scuffs to covers and spine.)

provenance: Nicolas Yemeniz (1783-1871), bookplate to verso of front free-endpaper; his sale, Delbergue-Cormont & Librairie Bachelin-Deflorenne, Paris, 9-31 May 1867, lot 1396 — Benjamin Linnig (1860-1929), bookplate to verso of front free-endpaper. acquisition: Purchased from William Salloch, Ossining, NY, 1976. references: (1) UCLA 200; Renouard 91/6; Edit16 17124; USTC 826730; (2) UCLA 253; Renouard 105/4; Edit16 17125; USTC 826729