Epistolarum libri XII uno nuper addito. Eiusdem quae Praefationes appellantur

8vo. (16), 536, (2), 128, (6) pp. a⁸, A-Z⁸, Aa-Tt⁸. With the printer's device on title-page. Early seventeenth century vellum, spine and panels richly gilt.

Edit 16, CNCE 35431.

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CORPUS of Paolo Manuzio's Latin correspondence and prefatory letters was first published posthumously in 1580 in Venice by Aldus the Younger. After that date followed six editions by various other Venetian printers. Also outside Italy Paolo's letters enjoyed great popularity and had nearly twenty editions until the end of the century, printed in Cologne, Lausanne, Leipzig, London, Lyon, Morges, and Strassbourg (cf. B.R. Jenny, Die Amerbachkorrespondenz. Von der humanistischen Epistolographie zur bürgerlichen Briefstellerei, in: “Der Brief im Zeitalter der Renaissance”, F.J. Worstbrock, ed., Weinheim, 1983, pp. 204-205).

The volume opens with a dedication leaf to Jacopo Buoncompagni, the natural son of pope Gregory XIII, by Aldus the Younger. Books I-V contain the same letters, disposed in the same order, as in the Epistolarum libri V of 1561. There are only some variants in the dates of several letters and the names of the recipients whose works had been put on the Index, are replaced by stars. Also omitted is the Roman calendar with its explanation, printed in earlier editions. We therefore list only the letters from book VI to book XII. All letters are numbered.

(Liber VI:)

Richardot, François. Roma, September 12, 1565 (p. 309)

Gotius, Nicolaus. [Roma], August 10, 1561 (p. 311)

Zamoyski, Jan Sarius. Roma, November 1, 1561 (p. 312)

Mijszkowski, Piotr. Roma, September 18, 1561 (p. 314)

Zamoyski, Jan Sarius. Roma [April 3 p., 1563] (p. 316)

Turriziano, Giovanni. Roma, November 8, 1561 (p. 317)

Silvio, Andrea. Roma, November 13, 1561 (p. 318)

Titi, Giovanni Battista. Roma, December 5, 1561 (p. 319)

Turritano, Giovanni. December 17, 1560 (p. 321)

Caracciolo, Nicola Antonio. Roma, February 28, 1562 (p. 323)

Seroni, Giovanni Antonio. Roma, March 1, 1562 (p. 324)

Van Ellebode, Nicasius. Roma, March 12, 1562 (p. 327)

Cardaneto, Orazio. Roma, June 21, 1562 (p. 329)

Sassi, Cristoforo. Roma, [June 29 p., 1562] (p. 331)

* [Saveri, Francesco]. Roma, October 10, 1562 (p. 332)

Nizoli, Paolo. Roma, November 29, 1562 (p. 335)

Gostinius, Andreas. Roma, [March 28 p., 1562] (p. 338)

Morandi Francesco. Roma, January 21, 1563 (p. 340)

Giusti, Giulio. Roma, January 21, 1563 (p. 341)

Corrado, Mario. [Roma, 1562?] (p. 344)

id. Roma, January 18, 1564 (p. 345)

*Episcopo Creato [Dudith, Andreas]. Roma, January 1, 1564 (p. 347)

Brancaleoni, Decio. Roma, July 8, 1569 [i.e. 1564] (p. 350)

id. Roma, February 3, 1565 (p. 351)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, July 9, 1564 (p. 352)

id. Roma, January 21, 1565 (p. 353)

Natta, Marco Antonio. [Roma], July 13, 1564 (p. 355)

Maffei, Giovanni Pietro. Roma, September 13, 1564 (p. 356)

Sacrato, Paolo. Roma, November 16, 1564 (p. 357)

(Liber VII:)

Paleotti, Camillo. Roma, December 20, 1564 (p. 359)

id. Roma, March 15, 1565 (p. 361)

Commendoni, Giovanni Francesco. Roma, March 21, 1565 (p. 364)

Rufo, Cristoforo. Roma, April 10, 1565 (p. 364)

Genua, Giovanni. [Roma], January 5, 1564 (p. 367)

Titi, Giovanni Battista. Roma, October 28, 1565 (p. 367)

Corrado, Mario. [Roma], November 8, 1565 (p. 388)

id. Roma, November 17, 1564 (p. 370)

Perpiña, Pedro Juan. Roma, November 18, 1565 (p. 371)

Cardaneto, Orazio. Roma, January 2, 1566 (p. 372)

Van Ellebode, Nicasius. Roma, January 7, 1566 (p. 374)

Gatula, Ferdinando. Roma, February 2, 1566 (p. 375)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, February 6, 1566 (p. 377)

Merula, Antonio. Roma, June 18, 1566 (p. 378)

Corrado, Mario. Roma, July 27, 1566 (p. 380)

Sammarco, Ottavio. Roma, July 26, 1566 (p. 381)

Mancini, Francesco. Roma, August 29, 1566 (p. 382)

Caselius, Johann. Roma, October 13, 1566 (p. 383)

Riti, Zerbino. Roma, December 3, 1566 (p. 384)

Gualtieri, Guido. Roma, December 7, 1566 (p. 386)

Calino, Muzio. Roma, Dicember 13, 1566 (p. 387)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, February 1, 1567 (p. 389)

Paleotti, Camillo. Roma, March 9, 1567 (p. 389)

Caselius, Johann. Roma, March 17, 1567 (p. 392)

Perpiña, Pedro Juan. Roma, [August 29 p., 1566] (p. 392)

(Liber VIII:)

Pius IV. [Roma, end of 1563?] (p. 395)

Borromeo, Carlo. Roma, October 29, [1563] (p. 398)

Stempovius, Paulus. Roma, June 4, 1567 (p. 404)

id. Roma, Roma, June 29, 1567 (p. 405)

Macario, Vincenzo. Roma, June 14, 1567 (p. 406)

Cremona, Giovanni Francesco. Roma, June 28, 1567 (p. 407)

Strambonio, Claudio. Roma, July 19, 1567 (p. 408)

Corrado, Mario. Roma, September 22, 1567, (p. 409)

Plantedio, Francesco. Roma, September 5, 1567 (p. 411)

Merula, Antonio. Roma, November 1, 1567 (p. 413)

Falconi, Jacopo. Roma, November 8, 1567 (p. 414)

Arcucci, Giovanni Battista. Roma, November 9, 1567 (p. 415)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, January 17, 1568 (p. 415)

Van Ellebode, Nicasius. Roma, Jabuary 31, 1568 (p. 416)

Lobkovicz, Christoph. Roma, February 2, 1568 (p. 417)

Mijszkowski, Piotr. Roma, February 13, 1568 (p. 418)

Vivaldi, Federico. Roma, February 15, 1568 (p. 419)

Lupo, Paolo. Roma, April 19, 1568 (p. 420)

Angelelli, Agostino. Roma, April 5, 1568 (p. 422)

Falconi, Jacopo. Roma, May 23, 1568 (p. 424)

Ulpio, Giovanni Antonio. Roma, June 1, 1568 (p. 425)

Ricci, Vincenzo. Venezia, May 26, [1531] (p. 426)

id. [Venezia?], July 4, 1531 (p. 426)

id. [Venezia?], August 18, 1531 (p. 427)

id. [Venezia?], August 21, 1531 (p. 428)

id. [Venezia?], September 12, 1531 (p. 428)

id. [Venezia?], September 13, 1531 (p. 429)

id. [Venezia?, October], 1531 (p. 430)

(Liber IX:)

Caetani, Niccolò. [Roma], March 23, 1569 (p. 412)

Crato, Johannes to Manuzio, Paolo. Wien, May 24, 1569 (p. 433)

Crato, Joahnnes. Roma September 13, 1569 (p. 434)

id. Roma, May 1, 1570 (p. 436)

id. Venezia, October 23, 1570 (p. 437)

Botvito, Nericio. Roma, September 14, 1569 (p. 440)

Angelelli, Agostino. Roma, May 9, 1567 (p. 441)

id. Roma, September 2, 1567 (p. 442)

id. Roma, September 1, 1570 (p. 442)

Ciofani, Ercole. Roma, March 20, 1569 (p. 444)

id. Roma, July 31, 1569 (p. 444)

Ciofani, Marco Antonio. Roma, November 20, 1569 (p. 445)

Caselius, Johannes. Roma, September 20, 1569 (p. 346)

Plantedio, Francesco. Roma, September 25, 1569 (p, 347)

Gorski, Jacob. Roma, September 26, 1569 (p. 448)

Olivo, Giovanni Battista. Roma, September 30, 1569 (p. 450)

Austria, Magdalena and Leonora of. Rome, December 16, 1568 (p. 452)

Rossi, Girolamo. Roma, February 1, 1570 (p. 452)

Strambonio, Claudio. Roma, May 8, 1569 (p. 455)

Tachonus, Paolus. Roma, March 18, 1569 (p. 456)

Ianuario, Giovanni Battista. Roma, August 13, 1570 (p. 457)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, January 15, 1569 (p. 459)

id. Roma, Roma, January 15, 1570 (p. 460)

id. [Piove di Sacco], November 3, 1570 (p.461)

(Liber X:)

Morone, Giovanni. [Roma], August 28, 1570 (p. 463)

Sirletti, Guglielmo. [Roma], September 25, 1570 (p. 466)

id. [Venezia, October, 14, 1570] (p. 467)

Sanarega, Matteo. Roma, September 14, 1570 (p. 468)

Antonino, Andrea. Venezia, [October, 1570] (p. 470)

Morandi, Francesco. Venezia, [October, 1570] (p. 471)

Paleotti, Camillo. Venezia, [October, 1570] (p. 472)

id. Venezia, December 13, 1570 (p. 475)

id. Venezia, January 1, 1571 (p. 477)

Ciceri, Francesco. Piove di Sacco, November 7, 1570 (p. 478)

Ferrari, Ottaviano. Piove di Sacco, November 8, 1570 (p. 481)

Caetani, Enrico and Camillo. Venezia, November 23, 1570(p. 484)

Caselius, Johannes. Venezia, December 15, 1570 (p. 486)

Cardaneto, Orazio. Venezia, December 16, 1570 (p. 488)

Rolando, Antonio. Venezia, December 23, 1570 (p. 489)

(Liber XI:)

Boncompagni, Jacopo. [Roma], June 22, 1572 (p. 491)

Paleotti, Camillo. Piove di Sacco, April 16, 1571 (p. 494)

id. Milano, November 1, 1571 (p. 496)

id. Milano, February 1, 1572 (p. 498)

id. Milano, March 15, 1572, (p. 500)

id. Roma, September 7, 1572 (p. 502)

Capra, Girolamo. Venezia, April 24, 1572 (p. 503)

Cruceio, Annibale. Venezia, May 15, 1572 (p. 504)

Crato, Johannes, Venezia, April 21, 1572 (p. 506)

Caetani, Enrico and Camillo. Roma, July 27, 1572 (p. 508)

Caetani, Camillo. Roma, July 11, 1572 (p. 509)

Ciofani, Marco Antonio. Roma, July 28, 1572 (p. 511)

Morone, Orazio. [Roma], August 15, 1572 (p. 512)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, September 20, 1572 (p. 514)

Berczevic, Martin. Venezia, July 21, 1571 (p. 515)

(Liber XII:)

Paleotti, Camillo. Roma, September 20, 1572 (p. 516)

id. Roma, November 19, 1572 (p. 517)

id. [Roma], January 5, 1573 (p. 518)

id. Roma, February 18, 1573 (p. 519)

id. Roma, [April 12], 1573 (p. 520)

id. Roma, December 15, 1573 (p. 522)

Fornari, Antonio. Roma, October 4, 1572 (p. 523)

id. Roma, January 16, 1573 (p. 525)

id. Roma, January 30, 1573 (p. 524)

Crato, Johannes. Roma, December 1, 1572 (p. 526)

Zamoyski, Jan Sobiepan. Roma, December 5, 1573 (p. 527)

Foglietta, Uberto. Roma, November 30, 1572 (p. 528)

Orlandi, Cesare. [Roma], December 4, 1572 (p. 532)

Zabrera, Massimo. [Roma], January 12, 1573 (p. 533)

Ciofani, Marco Antonio. Roma, June 27, 1572 (p. 534)

Angelelli, Agostino. [Roma], May 26, 1573 (p. 534)

Brancondio, Silvestro. Roma, November 4, 1572 (p. 535)

(Praefationes, we list only those added after the edition of 1561:)

Pius IV. [Roma, 1562] (p. 98)

[to the Reader]. [Roma], October 1, 1563 (p. 109)

Borromeo, Carlo. [1563] (p. 112)

[to the Reader, Roma, 1564]. (p. 120)

D'Olera, Clemente. [Roma, September, 1565] (p. 121)

Boncompagni, Jacopo. [Roma], September 30, 1572 (p. 120)

id. [1573] (p. 126)

Paolo was the youngest son of Aldo Manuzio the Elder. He had the misfortune to lose his father at the age of two. After this event his grandfather and two uncles, the three Asolani, carried on the Aldine Press, while Paolo prosecuted his early studies at Venice. Excessive application hurt his health, which remained weak during the rest of his life. At the age of twenty-one he had acquired a solid reputation for scholarship and learning.

In 1533 Paolo undertook the conduct of his father's business, which has latterly been much neglected by his uncles. Paolo determined to restore the glories of the house, and in 1540 he separated from his uncles. The field of Greek literature having been well night exhausted, he devoted himself principally to the Latin classics. He was a passionate Ciceronian, and perhaps his chief contributions to scholarship are the corrected editions of Cicero's letters and orations, his own epistles in a Ciceronian style, and his Latin version of Demosthenes. Throughout his life he combined the occupations of a scholar and a printer, winning an even higher celebrity in the former field than his father had done. Four treatises from his pen on Roman antiquities deserve to be commemorated for their erudition no less than for the elegance of their Latinity.

Several Italian cities contended for the possession of so rare a man. He also received tempting offers from the Spanish court. Although his publications were highly esteemed, their sale was slow. Thus his life was a permanent struggle with pecuniary difficulties. In 1556 he received for a time external support from the Accademia Veneta, founded by Federico Badoer, who failed disgracefully in 1559, and the academy was extinct in 1562. Meanwhile Paolo had established his brother Antonio, a man of good parts but indifferent conduct, in a printing office and book shop at Bologna. Antonio died in 1559, having been a source of trouble and expense to Paolo during the last four years of his life. Other pecuniary embarrassment arose from a contract for supplying fish to Venice, into which Paolo had somewhat strangely entered with the government.

In 1561 Pius IV invited him to Rome, offering him a yearly stipend of 500 ducats, and undertaking to establish and maintain his press there. The profits were to be divided between Paolo Manuzio and the Apostolic Camera. Paolo accepted the invitation, and spent the larger portion of his life, under three papacies, with various fortunes in the city of Rome. The works published by the Stamperia del Popolo Romano were mostly Latin works of theology and Biblical or patristic literature. Meanwhile his eldest son, the younger Aldo, had succeeded him in the management of the Venetian printing house. Overtaxed with studies and commercial worries Paolo died at Rome in his sixty-second year (cf. T. Sterza, Paolo Manuzio editore a Venezia (1533-1561), in: “ACME. Annali della Facoltà di lettere e filosofia dell'Università degli studi di Milano”, 61/2, 2008, pp. 123-168; and F. Barberi, Paolo Manuzio e la stamperia del popolo romano (1561-1570): con documenti inediti, Roma, 1942, passim).

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