Homeri Opera Graeco-latina, quae quidem nunc extant, omnia. Hoc est: Ilias, Odyssea, Batracho Myomachia, et Hymni: Praeterea Homeri vita ex Plutarcho, cum Latina item interpretatione, locis communibus ubiq in margine notatis.

CASTELLIO, Sebastian. [Homer].

Item Number: 103251

Basileae: Per Haeredes Nicolai Brylinger, 1567.

Magnificent third Basel edition of French philologist Sebastian Castellio’s Greek-Latin translation of Homer’s Iliad, Odyssey, anthems and biography of Plutarch. Quarto, elaborately bound in 18th century full calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in seven compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt tooling and central armorial coat of arms to the front and rear panels within double gilt ruling, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, woodcut vignette to the title page, woodcut initials, printed in two columns in Greek and Latin. With a 1678 Jesuit school presentation inscription to the second free endpaper. In very good condition.

French philologist Sebastian Castellio taught Greek at the University of Basel and earned great merits by the edition of ancient classics as well as a notable edition of the bible. Evidently his education, zeal and theological knowledge were so outstanding that he was considered to be one of the most learned men of his time, equal, if not superior, to John Calvin. Regarding Castellio, Voltaire wrote: "We can measure the virulence of this tyranny by the persecution to which Castellio was exposed at Calvin's instance—although Castellio was a far greater scholar than Calvin, whose jealousy drove him out of Geneva."