Dialogus D. Ioannis Chrysostomi de Episcopatu & Sacerdotio, Germano Brixio Antissiodorensi interprete. by CHRYSOSTOMUS,JOHANNES

Marburg (Marpurgi), Apud Eucharium Cervicornum, 1537, mense Ianuario.. Small 8vo. 207,(1) p. 19th century full calf 16.5 cm (Ref: VD16 J461; not in Hoffmann, Ebert, Graesse and Brunet) (Details: Printer's device on the title, depicting a thornbush from which emerges a lily, the motto above it reads: 'Sicut lilium inter spinas', 'as the lily among thorns', which is the first half of the second verse of the second Song of Songs, or Song of Salomon. Woodcut coat of the arms of Hessen on the verso of the title and on the verso of the last leaf; Marburg, the city where this book was printed, lies in Hessen. 19th century blind ruled binding; edges of the bookblock dyed red. Latin translation of 'De sacerdotio' only) (Condition: Name once cut from the blank upper margin of the title, the lacuna is repaired by a strip of paper. Some old ink underlinings and annotations. Small hole at the outer margin of the last leaf repaired with paper, not affecting any text or the engraving) (Note: This dialogue is one of the most read and most printed works of the Church Father Johannes Chrysostomus, ca. 345-407. It was written 10 years after his ordination to bishop in 373. The partner in this dialogue is Chrysostomus' friend Basilius Magnus. The discussion is about the episcopate and priesthood. The Latin translation is by the French humanist Germanus Brixius (Germain de Brie), 1490-1538, pupil of the Greek scholar J. Lascaris, and later secretary to the bishop of Albi. He was also secretary of Queen Anne, second wife of Henry VIII. He is best known for the literary argument he had with Thomas More. They exchanged quarrelsome epigrams. The quarrel was ended by Erasmus, friend of both humanists. It was first published in Paris in 1526. On the title of this edition is added that Brixius was a 'Canonicus Parisiensis'. The printer Eucharius Hirtzhorn (Cervicornus) worked in Cologne since 1517 and in Marburg from 1535 until 1538. He printed scholarly editions of Greek and Latin classics. He is well known for the beauty and the clarity of his types and the quality of his paper) (See for Hirtzhorn: Rudolf Schmidt: Deutsche Buchhändler. Deutsche Buchdrucker, 1905)) (Collation: A - N-8) (Photographs on request)