SYRIAN SAINT EPHREM OF EDESSA

Ephrem of Edessa, St. [Zini, Pietro Francesco]: Divina quaedam S. Ephraem opera mille ducentis iam annis e Syra in Graecam linguam, nunc autem e Graeca in Latinam versa. Petro Francisco Zino Veronensi interprete. Venetiis, apud Fran. Rampazetum 1561.

Rare Latin edition of works of the Syrian saint Ephrem of Edessa (306-373), translated from a manuscript in Greek. The editor includes two lives of the saint, by Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-c.395) and (in a translation by Johann Lang), one of Nikephoros Kallistos (1256-1335). Pietro Francesco Zini (c.1520-1573) was a cleric and a leading Latin translator of Greek Christian writers.

Details

First edition. One volume, 15.1 x 10 cms in binding, octavo, fols. 91 [1]. Woodcut vignette to title page, woodcut headpiece and initials.

Quarter bound in marbled paper over boards. Gold-tooled title to spine (S. EPHP OPER) and gold-tooled decoration to spine. 

Condition (textblock): light browning, staining, foxing and spotting, worming to lower margins in second half (mostly to blank), marginalium to fol. 90 recto trimmed. Condition (binding): paper worn at corners. 

Provenance: inscription of Joannes Franciscus de Mascio Blanco to title page; he is possibly responsible for the marginal annotation to fol. 90r and occasional underlining. One (?) further inscription to title-page (with last word legible as “Padovano”) crossed out. 

Bibliography: 

CNCE 18130. USTC 828159. OCLC shows no copies outside European mainland, JISC however showing a copy at University of Manchester.