Siste Viator Et jacentes etiam Artes colito. Hic GODOFREDUS TORRINUS Bituricus Parisiis multos per annos Philosophian In Regio Burgundiæ Collegio, Quisquis ad studium animum applicas THE SABII. The commencement of the sixteenth century was distinguished by a brilliant constellation of printers, who were alike eminent for their learning, and for their various and admirable productions in typography. To expatiate upon the many beautiful works which, for a period of half a century, issued from the press of Aldus Romanus and his successors, would be foreign to the object of this publication, and would indeed be unnecessary, as they are all in succession distinctly and ably described by Renouard. The same observation is alike apposite with regard to Florence and the press of the Juntas. These also are exhibited in chronological order by Angelo Maria Bandini. It may be sufficient to remark of the books printed at the Aldus and Junta presses, that they are the objects of research with all classical collectors, and that their rarity and value seems progressively to increase. This is more particularly true of the Greek books. But there flourished also about the same period with them some distinguished printers, not so well known indeed as the above-mentioned printers of Venice and Florence, but who are entitled to the highest respect, and the productions of whose presses, particularly in the Greek language, are of of very uncommor occurrence, and which have an undoubted clain to an honourable place in well-chosen collections. Concerning some of these, I shall communicate such circumstances as I have been able to collect from the different bibliographical publications in my possession, beginning with THE SABII. The Sabii appear to have been a numerous family, all of them engaged in the typographical profession, and distinguished at Venice, Verona, and at Rome. My intention is only to speak of the Greek books which issued from their presses. The books printed by these artists are severally distinguished in the respective Colophons, as produced by Joan. Antonius et Fratres, Stephanus et Fratres, Stephanus Nicolinus, and Joannes Antonius de Nicolinus. In 1528, the following book appeared at Venice, and is of unusual rarity. de Sabio, anno domini M.D.XXVIII. Mensis Julii. Subjoined is the prohibition for any other person to print this book within a period of ten years, on pain of excommunication. This was the editio princeps of the work, and was followed in the same year, from the same press, by Η ΘΕΙΑ ΛΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΙΟΑΝΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΟΥ, Divina Missa sancti Joannis Chrysostomi. This title is printed in red ink, and has withal a portrait of St. Chrysostom. The Colophon represents it as printed at the expence of D. Demetrii Zini Zacynthii et D. Menandri Nuncii Corcyræi sociis. These were perhaps the booksellers, as may be inferred from the term sociis. It is a small quarto; and, I believe, of very great rarity. It should seem that the SABII, or different branches of them, were established in other parts of Italy also; for in 1529 we have the following book. JOANNIS JOANNIS CHRYSOSTOMI interpretatio in omnes Paul Epistolas, Græce ex editione Bernardini Donati. Veronæ typis æreis excusum per Stephanum et Fratres a Sabio quarto Kalendas Julias. M.D.XXIX. With the usual privilege. The Colophon, which is in Greek, and somewhat long, apologizes for the errors of the book, on account of the corrupt state of the manuscript. It also acknowledges great obligation to John Matthew Gibert, Bishop of Verona. At Verona also, in 1531, under the superintendance of the same editor, Donatus, and from the same press, was published, in Greek: JOANNIS DAMASCENI editio Orthodoxæ fidei. Ejusdem de iis qui in fide dormierunt. In fine. Εν Ουηρώνη παρα Στεφανῳ τῷ Σαβίω και τους αδελφοις. Other books were published at Verona by these same printers, but my object is to speak of the Greek only; and the last which came from their press, at this place, was ÆCUMEN |