Description

FIRST COMPLETE FRENCH EDITION of the last 13 books in theIliad of Homer.

The translation ofIliad was begun by Hugues Salel around 1540, and published in Paris in 1545 by Vincent Sertenas, The first ten books of Homer's Iliad. The translation was interrupted by his death in 1553 and Olivier Magny posthumously published books XI, XII and XIII up to verse 28. Amadis Jamyn undertook to continue Salel's translation, publishing it with Breyer in 1574, The Continuation of Homer's Iliad, consisting of books XII to XVI, and, in 1577,  The last thirteen books of Homer's Iliad, second volume of Twenty-four books of The Iliad.

This first complete edition, known as the second revised and corrected edition, begins with several introductory poems praising Jamyn's translation: a poem by G. Vallens Guelluis (l'Abbé de Pimpont), Ode by Monsieur de Ronsard, Ode by the author to the King.

It is followed by a revised and corrected version of The First and Second Books of L'Odissée of Homer by Jacques Peltier du Mans, first published in 1547 in the Poetic works by the author at Vascosan.

COPY FROM THE PRESTIGIOUS LIBRARY OF THE DUC DE LAVALLIÈRE

Louis-César de la Baume Le Blanc, Duc de la Vallière (1708-1780), grand-nephew of the Duchesse de La Vallière, a favourite of Louis XIV, was one of the most powerful lords of the Court of Louis XV. He was probably one of the greatest bibliophiles of the 18th century, and his chosen library, assembled first at his château in Montrouge and then, after 1768, at his mansion on the rue du Bac, was so extensive that Abbé Rive, his librarian, had to give up the idea of publishing an inventory.

Today, we need to consult the catalogues of successive sales (1768, 1773, 1777, 1784) to understand the extent of the collection.

This volume was sold with the first eleven books of The Iliad translated by Hugues Salel under number 14664, volume 7 of the Catalogue of books in the library of the late Duke de la VallièrePart Two - Volume Four.