BOETHIUS, Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus (c. 480-524). De consolatione philosophiae, with commentary ascribed to Thomas Aquinas. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 12 November 1476.

BOETHIUS, Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus (c. 480-524). De consolatione philosophiae, with commentary ascribed to Thomas Aquinas. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 12 November 1476.

First edition with this commentary. Boethius wrote De consolatione Philosophiae while in prison at Pavia, and his autobiographical desolation forms the starting point of his masterpiece. Philosophy, in allegorical female form, comes to Boethius to console him in his sorrow and to lead him to the ultimate knowledge. This work, along with others by Boethius, was the chief conduit of Platonic and Neoplatonic thought in the Middle Ages, and incorporates large parts of Plato's Timaeus. HC *3370; GW 4526; BMC II, 413; BSB B-596; ISTC ib00771000; Goff B-771.

Royal folio (397 x 271mm). 135 (of 140, without the five blank) leaves. Illuminated by a contemporary south German artist: major initial on 2/2r and 6/2r in pale green with pink/red patterned infill and within gold border, scrolling floral border in colours with gold dots, smaller initials, capital strokes and paragraph marks in red, ms. catchwords. (Upper corner of last 3 leaves repaired, last leaf with a few small stains, minor fore-edge stain in first 2 quires, annotations shaved.) Early 19th-century English red straight-grained morocco gilt, scrolling single fillet frames on sides, flower-head ornament in spine compartments, gilt edges (a little bumped and darkened). Provenance: contemporary inscription erased from first page, some marginal annotations – inscription at end of both parts dated 31 January 1574, some marginal annotations – Henry S. Harland (bookplate).

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