(Basel: Froben, 1551 [colophon:] Basileae Apud Hier. Frobenium et Nic. Episcopium, An. MDLI Mense Martio).

A FINE AND HANDSOME COPY. Cited  for the elegance of the impression by Froeben. THE KING OF PHILOSOPHERS. ONE OF THE SUPREME TEXTS OF THE RENAISSANCE. Preceded with the dedication of the great curator S. Grynaeus, the proem dedication to Lorenzo de Medici and the important Life of Plato written by Ficino the original translator of the manuscripts into Latin; index at the end; 36 of the Platonic dialogues and works(the Dialogues, 10 books of the Republic, 12 books of the Laws and 12 of the Letters), edited and with the commentary of Marsilio Ficino. A highly important edition of the Opera of Plato with the translation of Marsilio Ficino, the first and most important of the modern epoch, in itself one of the primary movers of the humanism of the Renaissance. In 1462 by order and gift of Cosimo de Medici and with support of the Academy the manuscript translations were begun. They were concluded under the beneficence of Lorenzo the Magnificent. The translation, which was completed in the 1470's contributed in great measure to the rediscovery of critical thinking and of the disciplines of Greek scholarship. Ficino had began his translation under the patronage of Cosimo de Medici in 1463. The work was completed five years later and circulated in manuscript for several years before finally being printed in parts beginning in 1484. It wasn't until 1491 that and edition brought together for the first time the fundamental text of Plato with Ficino s PLATONICA THEOLOGIA, the most important Renaissance interpretation of the great philosopher. In this groundbreaking work Ficino sets out to prove that a harmony can be found between Christian theology and Platonism. The conversion of these two modes of thought, the classic and the medieval was instrumental in the formation of the modern European identity.
The importance Ficino placed on this work even extended to the printing and he was not pleased with the first edition which contained 7 pages of corrigenda. In contrast, Ficino was very pleased with the typographical correctness of the later 1491 edition and this printing in large measure comes with the most important of the textual corrections and emendations and changes. The editio princeps from the Greek texts was provided by Aldus in 1513. This edition was with the rich and important corrections of Grynaeus from one of the early Greek manuscripts. A beautiful and very pleasing example in a rarely encountered period binding with early ownership note on the title. There is no copy noted in either the British Museum catalogue or in Adams. A rare book and very important in the history of Greek and philosophical scholarship. Item #19411

A highly important edition with the commentary of Simon Grynaeus, the celebrated Swiss astronomer and geographer. Replete with large historiated and figurative capital letters throughout. Folio, in a very handsome binding of antique calf over boards. (12), 952 + (48) index. A handsome copy in pleasing condition, well preserved, fresh and unpressed internally.