Tragaediae septem, in Greek.

Venice: Aldus Manutius, August, 1502. The first Greek text published in the new Aldine portable format Editio princeps, the first of Aldus's Greek texts to appear in his new pocket-sized octavo format. The desire to promote Greek studies had been one of the main reasons behind Aldus's decision to establish his press in 1494. He chose Venice because of its vibrant community of Greek immigrants, and he surrounded himself with Greek assistants and scholars. Aldus's small Greek cursive appears here for the first time. Francesco Griffo's fourth type, the most delicate of the Aldine Greek types, it was modelled on Aldus's own Greek hand. Later in 1502 Griffo left Aldus's employ, and no new fonts were cut after this. This is also the first book in which Aldus's Greek Academy is mentioned, in both the preface and the colophon: "in Aldi Romani Academia". Aldus's preface describes a fire-lit meeting of the academy, where Greek alone was spoken. "The series of editions of classical Latin and Greek authors and Italian vernacular poets published as pocket-sized books (enchiridia) was Aldus's most successful editorial innovation... [and they] immediately caught the eye of wealthy European literati and collectors. Their slim and elegant proportions contributed towards a permanent change in the physical appearance of Western books, and secured Aldus enduring fame... The elegance of the book proportions and the beauty of the printing in the elegant new founts designed for Aldus by Francesco Griffo assured an immediate success" (University of Cambridge online). The commentaries listed on the title page were not in fact included in this edition and were later published in 1518 by the Gymnasium Mediceum, the Greek college in Rome whose press was established by Janus Lascaris, the dedicatee of this edition. Octavo (158 x 97 mm). Types 1:80 italic, 4:79 Greek, cut by Francesco Griffo. General title, Latin dedication to Janus Lascaris, epigrams of Simonides, Erucius, and Dioscorides the Alexandrian from the Anthology, 6 divisional titles, woodcut dolphin and anchor device (Fletcher no. 2) on verso of last leaf present. Early 19th-century English red straight-grain morocco, spine lettered in gilt in two compartments, others tooled with flower heads in quatrefoils infilled with dots and circlets, floral gilt border roll to covers with ornaments in corners, turn-ins with gilt Greek key roll, marbled endpapers, gilt edges, unsigned but quality work. Housed in a custom red cloth slipcase and chemise by James Macdonald Co., New York. Bookplate of Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton (1798-1869). Some manuscript annotations and highlighting in red ink, earlier marginalia and ownership inscription on half-title spot-cleaned, occasionally leaving pale brown stains. Extremities lightly rubbed, binder's blank before half-title excised, small single wormhole in lower outer corner never touching text from end running back to Xi8, occasionally filled, still a very good copy. Adams S-1438; Ahmanson-Murphy 48; Renouard 34.6.