Boethius's De consolatione philosophiae

Boethius's De consolatione philosophiae
Guillaume le Roy, not after 24 December 1484
BOETHIUS (c.477-524). De consolatione philosophiae. [Lyons: Guillaume le Roy, not after 24 December 1484.]

Early edition of Boethius’s deeply personal and enduringly popular work of prison literature, in a contemporary binding. Written in prison while awaiting execution, this multivalent work takes the form a dialogue between the author and Lady Philosophy, addressing a wide-range of topics, from fortune and free will to the nature of evil and the role of the classical past—all from a neo-platonist viewpoint. This edition is from the first printer at Lyons, without the Pseudo-Boethian De disciplina scholarium from the same press which usually accompanies it. C 1107; GW 4535; BSB-Ink B-599; Goff B-779; ISTC ib00779000.

Chancery folio (296 x 210mm). Part I only, 166 leaves (of 168, without first and last blanks). Red initial with blue flourishing, smaller red and blue ink initials, red and blue paragraph marks (some leaves browned, repaired tear in text of one leaf, some dampstains). Contemporary blindtooled morocco, remains of paper label on rear board (lacking clasps, losses to leather, rebacked preserving some original leather). Provenance: some interlinear marginalia and other manuscript marks – acquired from Bernard M. Rosenthal, New York, 1 November 1964.