[Opera].

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Creator

Catullus, Tibullus, and Propertius.

Title

[Opera].

Coverage

Venice

Publisher

Aldus Manutius

Date

January 1502.

Description

The starkness of this simple titlepage reflects Aldus’s intent to print the great classics in simple, elegant editions. In his dedicatory letter to the Venetian historian Marino Sanuto (1466–1536), Aldus expresses the hope that “this small format enables readers to come and go with Catullus constantly and conveniently in hand.” There is a typographical error on the title page, which must have infuriated Aldus the perfectionist. Propertius is printed “Propetius,” and a corrected version of the titlepage was printed on a final leaf. This copy retains both the erroneous and original title page, as well as the intended cancellans on the last leaf.

Source

From the collection of G. Scott Clemons.