Διάλογοι — Strassbourg 1515

Λουκιανοῦ Σαμοσατεῶς θεῶν διάλογοι - Luciani Samosatensis deorum dialogi numero 70. una cum interpretatione e regione latina: nusquam antea impressi …[Printed in Greek & Lat.]. — Strassbourg, Johannes Schott, 1515

4to (191 x 142 mm). a-x4: (84) leaves. Printed in Greek & Latin. Red printing on title, a2v and a3r. Small brown spots on a2 recto & verso. Titel-page dusty and reinforced at inner gutter. Upper fly-leaf and title with a small hole. Woodcut strip border in fore-margin of pages with Greek text. Later red boards, spine sunned. – Hoffmann II, 538; VD16 L 2955.

First edition edited and translated by the German humanist and musician Ottmar Nachtgall, who introduced the study of Greek in Strassbourg. This is the fourth German book printed in Greek and the second classical Greek text, preceded by the 1513 Βατραχομυομαχία and two Horae. Schott, at this time, had no ligatures in his type-fount except for καί, χρ and ου, and he had no η, but Η and no ς, but σ only.

„Third edition and the first integral edition of the Theikoi Dialogi (Florence 1496 and Venice 1503), and one of the earliest Greek books printed at Strasbourg. The publisher is given as Ottmar Nachtgall, who in his prologue sheds light on the conditions of early Greek typography in Strasbourg, testifying the French influence in the world of books there. Furthermore, Ottmar, who had studied in Italy and Paris, taught Greek at Strasbourg and published a grammar and treatises on rhetoric: Gazi’s Elementael and Chrysoloras’s Erotemata. The edition is also of typographical interest, with red-printing at the beginning of the text and initial letter of originality as well as other elements.“ (Greek Library [Staikos/Onassis] no. 23)