[ERASMO DA ROTTERDAM - MORE, Thomas (1478-1535)] - LUCIANO di Samosata (120-180 d.C.) - [Opera] Saturnalia, Cronosolon..Des. Erasmo Roterodamo interprete; Cynicus, Menippus siue Necromantia..Thoma Moro Britanno vicecomite et ciue Londinensi interprete. Basel: Froben, 1517.   First edition of the scarce Latin translation of Luciano's works by Erasmus and Thomas More with the "Declamatio Lucianicae" both printed for the first time.   The work almost certainly belonged to the Spanish humanist Cristobal de Villalon, best known for his "Viaje de Turquía" in which he recounts his period of imprisonment with the Sultan in Istanbul. Captured in 1553 in Ponza when he was following Andrea Doria and taken to the court of Suleiman the Magnificent, he managed to escape after 3 years through Greece and return to Europe. Villalon was also a follower of Erasmus who inspired him and of which there are traces documented in the work El scholástico in which some chapters closely follow Erasmus's Antibarbarorum liber (Bataillon, "Heritage classique et culture chretienne a travers 'El scholástico' de Villalón, 1979). It should also be emphasized that Villalon was inspired by Luciano's "The dream or the rooster" in composing "El Crótalon" around 1557, in which he imagines that a rooster incarnated numerous times, according to the Pythagorean doctrine, converses with his new master Micilius deploring the vices of the present century. "The dream or the rooster" is translated by Erasmus also in this edition and present on pages 252-282 with the title Gallus seu Somniium where several marginal notes appear in Latin and Greek; it is therefore not to be excluded that Villalon consulted this copy directly and took inspiration from these pages to compose his "El Crótalon".   2 parts (of 3) in one volume, 4to (190 x 125mm). Titles of the two parts within engraved borders, engraved initials, printer's device at colophon, collation: k⁴-z⁴, A⁴-Z⁴, Aa⁴-Xx⁶; Yy⁴-Zz⁴, AA⁴-LL⁴ (lacking the first part containing the "Querela pacis", a-h⁴i⁶ , trimmed with loss of engraved border on titles and loss of manuscript annotations, light browning). 18th-century vellum, gilt title on spine, blue edges (light wear). Provenance: "Libellus Villalon" (ownership inscription at colophon, probably by Cristobal de Villalon; 1501-1588).

Estimate € 1,000 - 1,500

Awarded € 800