TABLEAU DE CEBÈS, OU IL EST TRAITÉ DE LA MANIERE DE PARVENIR À LA FELICITÉ NATURELLE.
Tr. Gilles Boileau.
- Paris: [S. Martin, for] Louis Chamhoudry, 1653.
- 12mo
- 18th-century stiff vellum, gilt title on front board, gilt decoration and titling on spine, all edges stained red
- (18), 88 pages
Price: $500.00 other currencies
Order Nr. 142065
First edition (Cioranescu 12667; Barbier IV, 630). Binding stained, gilt title rubbed nearly entirely off of front board.
A lovely copy of the first publication by Gilles Boileau (1631-1669), older brother of Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux (1636-1711: commonly referred to simply as 'Boileau'). The work consists of Gilles's French translation of the popular allegorical composition on the life of man, known as the Pinax ("Picture," or "Table") of Cebes. The work was ascribed to the Pythagorean philosopher of that name, a follower of Socrates; however, it is htought to be of much later date since it contains elements of the Stoic philosophy of the Roman empire.
This first edition is rare: it is not mentioned by Hoffmann, and no copy is located in any American institutional collection (according to NUC, OCLC, WorldCat, etc.).
Contains Woodcut ornament on titlepage, ornamental headpieces.