Epistolarum libri X. Orationes XIIII. Et Liber de laudibus Ioannae Austriacae

Autore: VETTORI, Pietro (1499-1585)

Tipografo: Giunti

Dati tipografici: Firenze, 1586


Folio. (12), 72, 226, (2: colophon) pp. a6, A-F6, A-T6. With the engraved Medici‘s arms on the title-page, an engraved portrait of the author within an architectural border on its verso and the printer's device at the end. Vellum over boards.

Adams, V-674; Edit 16, CNCE 28506; A.M. Bandini, Cl. Italorum et Germanorum epistolae ad PetrumVictorium, (Firenze, 1758), I, p. CI, no. XLV; L.S. Camerini, I Giunti tipografi editori di Firenze 1571-1625, (Firenze, 1979), pp. 86-87, no. 133.

 

FIRST EDITION, dedicated to Francesco de‘ Medici (Florence, April 16, 1586) by Francesco Vettori, the author's nephew, who edited the letters of his uncle a few months after the latter‘s death.

The collection contains 216 letters, divided into 10 books. A large part consists of dedication and prefatory letters. The correspondence covers nearly the entire professional life of the humanist, starting from 1535.

“Nel Cinquecento si va, com'è noto, alla ricerca del metodo in tutti i campi dello scibile; ed il Vettori, sommo filologo del secolo, non si sottrae a tale compito: offre anch'egli la sua ratio, filologica ovviamente. Di questa esistono tracce in quasi tutte le sue opere, ma è nell'Epistolario latino edito nell‘ ‘86 che si leggono le pagine più interessanti; grazie anche al fatto che in esso confluiscono le Prefazioni alle edizioni di classici da lui approntate [...] Insieme con le pagine strettamente ‘filologiche', l'Epistolario offre anche numerose pagine, nelle quali si evidenziano la forte personalità e l'umanità somma del filologo“ (G. Pompella, Prefazione, in: P. Vettori, “Epistolarum libri X“, Napoli, 1991, p. 7).

A small collection of Vettori's letters, addressed to German humanists, was previously published by Johannes Caselius under the title Epistolarum ad Germanos missarum libri tres (Rostock, 1577).

 

(Liber Primus:)

Ardinghelli, Nicolò. Firenze, April 13, 1585 (p. 1)

id. (p. 3)

Cavalcanti, Bartolomeo (p. 5)

Ardinghelli, Nicolò (p. 7)

Fioribello, Antonio. July 5, 1537 (p.  9)

Cantelmo, Francesco Antonio. Firenze, February 21, 1537 (p. 10)

Magnolo, Paolo (p. 10)

Antimaco, Marco Antonio. Firenze, April 11, 1540 (p. 12)

Campano, Francesco. September 8, 1540 (p. 12)

Robortello, Francesco. February I, 1540 (p. 14)

Cervini, Marcello. Firenze, June 21, 1541 (p. 15)

Dazzi, Andrea. Agro Decimano, October 20, 1543 (p. 17)

Borghini, Vincenzo. Firenze, February 10, 1544 (p. 17)

Ardinghelli, Nicolò. Firenze, February 27, 1545 (p. 19)

Nicander, Ambrosius. Agro Decimano, August 20, 1545 (p. 19)

Davanzati, Francesco. Firenze, November 29, 1546 (p. 21)

id. Firenze, April 17, 1547 (p. 22)

Medici, Cosimo de'. Firenze, September 13, 1547 (p. 23)

Rationis dicendi studiosis (p. 26)

Civibus suis, Graecarum artium studiosis. [Firenze], October 20, 1547 (p. 28)

Ardinghelli, Pietro. Firenze, February 5, 1547 (p. 29)

 

(Liber Secundus:)

Studiosis Graecarum artium (p. 31)

Sudiosis (p. 32)

n.r. Firenze, May 1, 1549 (p. 33)

Joannes Pontificus Noviodunensis (?). Firenze, December 16, 1548 (p. 33)

Taber, Petrus (?). Firenze, February 3, 1549 (p. 34)

Julius III (p. 34)

Joannes Pontificus Noviodunensis (?) (p. 35)

Lorio, Jacopo. Firenze, May 28, 1550 (p. 36)

Fasciatelli, Onorato (p. 36)

Robortelli, Francesco. Firenze (p. 37)

Piccolomini, Sallustio (p. 38)

Cervini, Marcello. Firenze, September 9, 1550 (p. 38)

n.r. (p. 40)

Piccolomini, Sallustio. Agro Decimano, September 13, 1550 (p. 40)

Angeli [da Barga], Pietro. Firenze (p. 41)

Civibus suis, Graecarum artium studiosis. [Firenze], November 10, 1551 (p. 41)

n.r. (p. 42)

Maffei, Bernardo. Firenze, December 11, 1551 (p. 42)

Civibus suis, Graecarum artium studiosis. [Firenze], February 9, 1551 (p. 43)

n.r. Firenze, Firenze, December 26, 1550 (p. 43)

 

(Liber Tertius:)

Farnese, Alessandro. Firenze, April 13, 1552 (p. 45)

Della Casa, Giovanni. Firenze, July 15, 1552 (p. 47)

Nobili, Roberto (p. 48)

Maranta, Bartolomeo. Firenze (p. 49)

n.r. (p. 50)

Farnese, Alessandro. Firenze, August 25, 1553 (p. 50)

Lectori (p. 52)

Pedemonte, Francesco Filippo (p. 53)

Aldobrandini, Tommaso. Firenze (p. 54)

Nobili, Roberto (p. 55)

Della Casa, Giovanni. Firenze, June 30, 1555 (p. 56)

Ridolfi, Filippo (p. 57)

id. Firenze, May 10, 1556 (p. 58)

id. (p. 58)

Della Casa, Giovanni. Firenze, December 13, 1556 (p. 59)

id. (p. 61)

Ridolfi, Filippo (p. 63)

Medici, Cosimo de'. December 1, 1557 (p. 63)

Lectori (p. 66)

Rufo, Cristoforo (p. 68)

Lectori. Firenze, August 1, 1558 (p. 69)

Aldobrandini, Tommaso. Firenze, February 21, 1558 (p. 71)

n.r. Firenze, March 22, 1558 (p. 71)

 

(Liber Quartus:)

Farnese, Alessandro (p. 73)

Tuti (?), Marcello (p. 74)

Sigonio, Carlo. Firenze, November 5, 1559 (p. 75)

Passeri, Marco Antonio. Firenze, November 19, 1559 (p. 76)

Sigonio, Carlo. Firenze, December 2, 1559 (p. 76)

Rufo, Cristoforo. Firenze, December 16, 1558 (p. 77)

Faseolo, Giovanni. Firenze, December 16, 1558 (p. 78)

Aldobrandini, Tommaso. Firenze, February 22, 1559 (p. 79)

Arcucio, Giovanni Battista. Firenze, March 27, 1560 (p. 79)

Medici, Cosimo de' (p. 80)

Lectori (p. 81)

Sigonio, Pietro. Firenze, July 1, 1560 (p. 90)

Polo, Antonio (p. 91)

Giacomini, Filippo Teobalduccio. Firenze, January 4, 1560 (p. 91)

Sigonio, Carlo. Firenze, January 4, 1560 (p. 92)

Ricci, Bartolomeo (p. 92)

Angelio, Pietro (p. 93)

Farnese, Alessandro. Firenze, August 8, 1562 (p. 95)

Lectori (p. 96)

Orsini, Paolo Giordano. Florence, November 28, 1562 (p. 105)

 

(Liber Quintus:)

Maranta, Barolomeo. Firenze, December 19, 1561 (p. 107)

Medici, Cosimo de'. Firenze, January 2, 1562 (p. 109)

Maffei, Pietro. Firenze, February 13, 1562 (p. 109)

Ricci, Bartolomeo. Firenze, March 5, 1562 (p. 110)

n.r. Firenze, March 6, 1562 (p. 110)

n.r. Firenze, March 18, 1562 (p. 111)

Raineri, Antonio. Firenze, May 14, 1563 (p. 111)

Agostino, Antonio. Firenze (p. 112)

Maffei, Pietro. Firenze (p. 112)

Medici, Ferdinando de'. Firenze, August 7, 1563 (p. 114)

Magno, Pietro. Firenze, February 12, 1563 (p. 116)

Colonna, Mario. Firenze, February 24, 1563 (p. 116)

Rucellai, Annibale. Firenze, June 10, 1564 (p. 118)

Lectori (p. 120)

Giraldi Cinzio, Giovanni Battista. Firenze, June 27, 1564 (p. 122)

Segni, Fabio. Decimano, September 16, 1564 (p. 123)

Cordanetto, Orazio. Firenze, December 30, 1563 (p. 124)

Sirleto, Guglielmo. Firenze, March 23, 1564 (p. 125)

Nicolini, Angelo. Firenze (p. 126)

Medici, Francesco de'. Firenze, April 12, 1565 (p. 126)

n.r. Firenze (p. 127)

 

(Liber Sextus:)

Borromeo, Carlo. Firenze, May 16, 1565 (p. 129)

Farnese, Alessandro. Firenze, January 25, 1565 (p. 132)

Colonna, Mario. Firenze, January 18, 1565 (p. 133)

Beccadelli, Lodovico (p. 134)

Giganti, Antonio (p. 135)

Medici, Francesco de'. Firenze, May 1, 1566 (p. 136)

Patrizi, Andrea. Firenze, March 29, 1566 (p. 136)

Sirleto, Guglielmo. Firenze, April 28, 1566 (p. 137)

Orsini, Fulvio. Firenze, April 28, 1566 (p. 137)

Sirleto, Guglielmo (p. 138)

Górski, Jakub. Firenze, May 30, 1566 (p. 138)

Maffei, Mario. Firenze, March 20, 1566 (p. 139)

Brisegno, Bernardino. Firenze, March 22, 1566 (p. 140)

Maffei, Mario. Firenze, March 30, 1567 (p. 141)

Acquaviva, Giovanni Girolamo. Firenze, April 6, 1567 (p. 141)

id. Firenze, May 3, 1567 (p. 143)

Agustín, Antonio. Decimano, October 14, 1567 (p. 145)

Mercuriale, Girolamo. Firenze, December 27, 1566 (p. 146)

Paganelli, Agostino. Firenze, January 10, 1567 (p. 149)

Colonna, Mario. Firenze, March 7, 1567 (p. 149)

Medici, Cosimo de' (p. 150)

Lectori (p. 151)

 

(Liber Septimus:)

Brisegno, Bernardino. Firenze, March 21, 1567 (p. 153)

Arcucio, Giovanni Battista. Firenze, April 18, 1568 (p. 154)

Crivelli, Alessandro (p. 155)

Ferreri, Guido. San Casciano, October 22, 1568 (p. 156)

Medici, Ferdinando de'. Firenze, December 19, 1567 (p. 157)

Giraldi Cinzio, Giovanni Battista. Firenze, January 8, 1568 (p. 159)

Ferreri, Guido. Firenze, February 4, 1569 (p. 160)

Sirleto, Guglielmo. Firenze, February 8, 1569 (p. 160)

Hosius, Stanislaus. Firenze, March 4, 1569 (p. 161)

Benci, Plauto. Firenze, March 6, 1569 (p. 161)

Rufo, Cristoforo. Firenze, March 13, 1569 (p. 162)

Conti, Giovanni. Decimano, October 16, 1570 (p. 162)

Surita, Girolamo (p. 163)

Vestri, Marcello. Firenze, April 23, 1571 (p. 164)

Medici, Francesco de'. Firenze, June 24, 1571 (p. 164)

Lectori (p. 165)

Surita Girolamo (p. 167)

Santacroce, Prospero (p. 168)

Guicciardini, Girolamo. Decimano, May 9, 1573 (p. 169)

Covarrubias, Didaco (p. 169)

Ernest of Bavaria. Firenze, June 4, 1574 (p. 170)

Arcucio, Giovani Battista. Firenze, June 5, 1574 (p. 170)

n.r. (p. 171)

n.r. (p. 171)

 

(Liber Octavus:)

Covarrubias, Didaco. November 2, 1575 (p. 173)

Surita, Girolamo. Firenze, November 5, 1575 (p. 174)

Broé, Bon de. Firenze, February 4, 1575 (p. 174)

Medici, Francesco de' (p. 175)

Lectori (p. 176)

Guicciardini, Girolamo. Firenze, August 22, 1576 (p. 184)

Lectori (p. 184)

Farnese, Alessandro. Firenze, September 8, 1576 (p. 185)

Audebert, Germain. Firenze, September 3, 1576 (p. 185)

Sanleolini, Sebastiano (p. 186)

Ernest of Bavaria. Firenze, December 1, 1576 (p. 186)

Surita, Girolamo (p. 187)

Ciacconi, Pietro. Firenze, May 17, 1577 (p. 187)

Vettori, Pietro [nephew] (p. 188)

Audebert, Nicolas (p. 189)

id. Firenze, May 24, 1577 (p. 189)

id. (p. 190)

Gregory XIII. Firenze, November 1, 1577 (p. 190)

Bruni, Leonardo. Firenze, January 13, 1577 (p. 192)

Bruni, Antonio. Firenze, February 10, 1577 (p. 192)

Alciati, Francesco. Firenze, March 1, 1577 (p. 193)

[Pellevé] Nicolas [de, Cardinal of Sens]. Firenze, March 21, 1577 (p. 193)

Paleotti, Gabriele (p. 194)

id. (p. 195)

Toscano, Giovanni Matteo. June 16, 1578 (p. 195)

Paleotti, Gabriele. Firenze, July 15, 1578 (p. 196)

 

(Liber Nonus:)

Bolognetti, Alberto. Decimano, September 16, 1578 (p. 197)

Cicercius, Franciscus. Decimano, November 4, 1578 (p. 198)

Guicciardini, Angelo. Decimano, November 8, 1578 (p. 198)

Boncompagni, Jacopo. Firenze, December 20, 1577 (p. 199)

[Chastaigner de la Rochepozay, Louis]. Firenze, December 27, 1577 (p. 200)

n.r. (p. 201)

Della Rovere, Francesco Maria [II.]. Firenze, April 4, 1579 (p. 201)

id. (p. 202)

Rota, Bernardino. Firenze, June 5, 1574 (p. 202)

[Chastaigner de la Rochepozay, Louis]. Firenze, May 19, 1579 (p. 203)

Flaminio, Erofilo. Firenze, July 6, 1579 (p. 204)

Medici, Francesco de'. Firenze, October 21, 1579 (p. 205)

[Gondy, Pierre de]. Firenze, October 8, 1579 (p. 208)

Henry III, [King of France]. Firenze, April 22, 1580 (p. 209)

Ciofano, Ercole. Firenze, June 18, 1580 (p. 209)

Giacomini Tebalducci Malespini, Pietro Antonio. Firenze, December 1, 1580 (p. 210)

Courterius, Joannes (Courtier, Jean). Firenze, January 26, 1580 (p. 210)

Bonamici, Francesco (p. 211)

Tatti, Domenico (p. 211)

Farnese, Alessandro. Firenze, August 18, 1581 (p. 212)

Sirleto, Guglielmo. Firenze, September 2, 1581 (p. 212)

Vaz Motta, Giovanni. Firenze, November 4, 1581 (p. 213)

Castalio [Castiglione], Giuseppe. Firenze, December 3, 1581 (p. 213)

 

(Liber Decimus:)

Santorio, Giulio Antonio (p. 215)

Tonsius, Joannes. Firenze, August 16, 1583 (p. 215)

[Della] Rocca, Simone. Decimano, September 4, 1583 (p. 216)

Morel, Frédéric. Firenze, May 21, 1584 (p. 217)

Daléchamps, Jacques. Firenze, June 11, 1584 (p. 217)

[Della Rovere], Francesco Maria [II]. Firenze, September 25, 1584 (p. 219)

Lectori (p. 220)

Sirleto, Guglielmo. October 7, 1584 (p. 221)

Gregory XIII. Firenze, October 7, 1584 (p. 222)

[Gondy, Pierre de]. Firenze, October 24, 1584 (p. 222)

Henry III, [King of France]. Firenze, October 24, 1584 (p. 223)

Latini, Latino. Firenze, December 15, 1583 (p. 223)

Medici, Alessandro de' (p. 224)

Riccoboni, Alessandro. Decimano, May 22, 1585 (p. 225)

Sirleto, Guglielmo. Firenze, June 24, 1567 (p. 225)

Rectori Germanici collegij Romae (p. 226)

 

Pietro Vettori, scion of an important Florentine family, first studied under the tutelage of his parents. He also studied Greek under the scholars Marcello Adriani and Andrea Dazzi. In 1514 he matriculated to the law faculty of the University of Pisa, but had to give up because of poor health. He returned to Florence continuing his studies at the Studio Fiorentino. In 1522-23 he travelled with his uncle, Paolo Vettori, admiral to the papal fleet, to Barcelona (where he collected ancient inscriptions) and to Rome. In 1529-30 he participated actively in the defense of Florence, during the siege of the city by the imperial troops and in the resistance to Alessandro de' Medici, who had been appointed hereditary ruler of the city by Charles V. After the return of the Medici in 1530, Vettori retired until 1534 to his villa in San Casciano. In the same year he returned to Florence and began to work on a complete edition of Cicero (1534-1537). After a visit to Rome, he was appointed by Cosimo de' Medici public professor of Latin in the University of Florence, later also professor of Greek, literature, and moral philosophy (cf. R. Mouren, Un professeur de grec et ses élèves: Pietro Vettori, in: “Lettere italiane”,  59/4, 2007, pp. 473-506).

He was then made senator of the Grand-Duchy, became a member of the Accademia Fiorentina, and official orator. Along with his activity as a teacher he published numerous classical text and commentaries (especially on Cicero and Aristotle), the treatises on agriculture by Varro and Cato, the first complete text of Aeschylus' Agamemnon (1557), editions of Euripides, Sallustius, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and many others. In 1553 appeared his ‘magnum opus' Variarum lectionum libri XXV (enlarged to Libri XXVIII in 1583), containing mainly his emendations to the Greek text of Aristotle's works. Among his other works may be cited the treatise on the cultivation of olives (1569). In 1583 he retired from teaching and died two years later (cf. W. Rüdiger, Petrus Victorius aus Florenz, Halle, 1896, passim; and F. Niccolai, Pier Vettori, Firenze, 1912, passim).

Vettori was called father and founder of the diplomatic textual critic and furthermore Rudolf Pfeiffer, in the History of Classical Scholarship (Oxford, 1976, pp. 135-136), called the 16th century “saeculum victorianum” to honor Vettori‘s merits in the field of philology.


[9072]